First 'no delivery' lessons learned

[HelenM]

This post is really a reminder to myself in the future :)

My latest experiment was to put a site on my hip. Slightly awkward to put in but comfy in place.

Lunchtime yesterday, no delivery. Fiddled around with tube, tried again everything fine.
Early evening, BS a bit high for me at 150 so did 30 minutess on the Nordik ski machine. BS ,now 41. Start to eat asap. Try to give bolus, no delivery. Try again no delivery.
Disgruntled (and hungry) go to change site. Mind in neutral, ignoring the awkwardness of the site put cannula in opposite hip. BS at bedtime rather high for me but stayed level overnight. Fasting at 101. Breakfast 2 hours later BS 235. (thats the highest reading since I was in hospital 3 years ago).
When I checked the cannula was completely out. Presumably it had been in by its tip overnight but came out as soon as I moved this morning.

Lessons learned:
1) Don't change site whilst hypo. If I'd have finished eating I might have put it in more efficiently.
2) Choose sites that I don't need acrobatics to see and put in properly.
3) I really do have diabetes. I've sometimes wondered what would happen if I didn't take my insulin. Perhaps my beta cells would have had a good rest and now take over, sadly they didn't. :(

[fgummett]

Well Done Helen... thanks for the lesson learned :)

You really are unique... just like the rest of us :D

[morrisma]

Helen,
I tried a couple of times to 'fix' a no delivery situation. Now I just change the site. :D

[notme]

Usually if you get a no delivery it is a no win situation until you change out the set. Everytime I get a no delivery it is either a kinked canula or it is clogged.

I can actually do sites now that require acrobatics. It is easy to feel if they are connected right or look in a mirror.

Hang in there HelenM. We all learn by our mistakes. ;)

[Richard157]

Helen, I tried my upper right leg about 10 inches below my hip yesterday. I could see what I was doing but I still had the same problem you did. I don't have a lot of fatty tissue there but I us a Sure-T infusion set and it has a very short needle so I thought I would be OK. One day after putting the set in place I had a no delivery alarm. I changed the set but used the same resevoir and reprimed, etc. One hour later I had another alarm. I changed the whole set including the resevoir. Everything was good until 1pm today. I was 194. Another set change. I left my upper legs and I am now using my lower abdomen. Everything is normal, no absorption problems. I don't think I will use my upper legs again. I have scar tissue in my upper abdomen and stopped using that area in Dec. I know I don't have scar tissue in my legs. All of my sites on my legs were more than 2 inches apart. Too little fatty tissue is my conclusion. Poor absorption was the result. Maybe a Sil with a 45 degree angle insertion would have been better, I do not know.

Good luck with your next sites.

Richard

[HelenM]

Thanks for your support everyone.
Its amazing what a small amount of insulin does, same breakfast as yesterday but the two hour reading today was 67(just right ;) )
I think the subtext is that I'm a bit scared I'll run out of sets.I have to go to the UK next week and I won't be able to get any replacements easily there.
I haven't quite sussed the system here but I think I get sent the exact number I should need every month I was hoping to be able to make each set last 3.5 days so that I could gradually acquire a few in hand. I probably only need to make a telephone call but while I'm OK face to face in French I dread telephone conversations.