Hello everyone!!
I just joined the group & thought I would say hello. I have been
insulin dependent for almost 27 years now.
Stacy
3 Responses to “Hello everyone!!”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I just joined the group & thought I would say hello. I have been
insulin dependent for almost 27 years now.
Stacy
You must be logged in to post a comment.
December 19th, 2003 at 2:03 am
kat,
They had me wearing the pump for several weeks using saline before using insulin. The problem is not the infusion set (the teflon ones you referred to). Anyway, it is more a mental thing with me. After the pain it caused (and taking 3 weeks for the pain & lump to completely disappear), I’m a little gun-shy about the pump. I’m happy with my insulin pen right now, so I will stay with that until my doctor tells me that the pump is a necessity.
Stacy
katgrogg <katgrogg@…
Stacy,
Not everyone reacts well to Humalog in a pump….using Novolog instead
may have helped. Also, did you use needle sets or ones with teflon
cannulas? Some people have a metal allergy that flares b/c of the
prolonged internal exposure to the metal needle sets. The newer teflon
cannula sets (inserted with a needle that is withdrawn like a shot)
may work better for a person with a metal allergy. But this is a very
individual thing…just something to consider for people new to
pumping…try different sets til you find the one(s) that work best
for you. I use the sils (30 degree insert with teflon cannula) most of
the time, but have some straight in teflon sets for the difficult to
reach places in my rotation.
One other thing…..did they check you for being a staph carrier?
Having that can cause a reaction similar to what you describe.
Something easy to check and easy to treat (a little antibiotic gel in
your nostrils for a period of time….sounds strange, but that’s one
of the most common treatments).
Anyway, pumps are definately a personal decision. Took me 2 years to
decide to get on one. And only about 2 months to have the attitude
that you will get it from me when you pry it from my cold dead hands.
(Hhhhmmmmmm….someone else on a list I am on says that….is it here?)
kat
December 19th, 2003 at 8:12 pm
Jerry,
Yeah, I thought it was kind of strange, too. It was definitely the insulin, though. The really odd part is that, as an individual injection, Humalog worked fine for me. I believe that, for whatever reason, my body reacted badly to the prolonged exposure. I was also seeing a doctor & diabetes care nurse that were not very understanding. When I called them about it the first time, they said that it may be a bad infusion site & said to take a shot to bring the sugar down & put in a new infusion set. I did, and sure enough, it happened again. Only in place for 20 hours and control went to hell. That, on top of the pain & lumps lasting 3 weeks and being told that I was just over reacting, really put me off. I will probably try it again, someday, with the Novolog. When I explained what happened to my new doctor, he agreed that it sounded a lot like an allergic reaction and also said that it is very possible that the same thing will happen with the Novolog. I guess I
will have to see what happens.
Stacy
Jerry Nairn <jerome@…
Hi, Stacy,
That’s interesting. I wonder what causes the problem.
You are the second person I’ve heard of who tried a pump and went
back to injections. You’re the only one I can really understand.
A guy I met at a support group seemed to enjoy being contrary. The
things he didn’t like about the pump could mostly also be said about
injections.
I exchanged a little email with someone else who said he tried a pump
and stayed with injections, but it turned out he had only ever used
saline solution, which is all of the hassles with none of the
benefits.
Certainly anyone can get by, and some diabetics can thrive on
injections. Personally, I’m glad I’m done with them.
Best wishes,
Jerry
December 21st, 2003 at 8:32 am
Not sure it was an infection, as it went away on its own (no meds). It just hurt like heck & took a while to clear completely. I have talked to my doc about it & he didn’t seem concerned. He’s a diabetes specialist & is well versed in working with pump patients. I’ve also found that, when I put an injection in an unususal spot, I do get a tender area (slightly red, warm, & a small spot that is more firm that the flesh around it). I’ve had surgery in the last 5 years & there were no problems. Tried the pump about 1 year after that. When I try the pump again, I will keep this in mind in case I have more problems, though. Thanks.
katgrogg <katgrogg@…
Sounds like you may be a staph carrier if you got a site infection
after only 24 hours. That can cause problems if you ever have to have
surgery. You might want to get your GP to check.
kat