How often do you change pump sites?

[Judy&Alli]

We are close to getting a pump. My question is if all the planets are lined up right and there is nothing wrong with the site how often do you change? I've heard two or three days. What works best? And why??
Thanks just info gathering. Can you tell I'm getting nervous? LOL!!!
Judy:)

[twodoor2]

Since we're untethered, and this may not apply to you, but it gives you an idea if you want to go that route, this is what we do.

I change her site in the morning before I head off to work.
I then leave it on the next two full days and nights.
On the third day, after her 7:00 bedtime snack, I completely take it off including the infusion set, and I just let her sleep like that all night long.
The next morning, before breakfast, I put on the new site and the cycle repeats itself. I find that I'm saving insulin and infusion sets by leaving it off for 12 hours every few days over the long haul. She also gets a nice break of having a bare stomach.:)

[Twinklet]

Honestly....every 4 days. If numbers look bad, we'll change it on the 3rd day. But we've had good luck with 4 days and no infections.

[vettechmomof2]

every 3 days

[bgallini]

Every three days or so. There are times he waits until the 4th day b/c he still has insulin in it and is pressed for time. And sometimes the insulin is almost gone on the 2nd day so he changes it early so it won't run out at a bad time. For the minimed, it's suppose to be 3 days.

Barbie, mom to Alex, 17 yrs, dx 10/05, on pump 10/06

[Ivan's Mum]

we aim for 4 days. 5 days was pushing it.

Like Marsha we take it off and leave him all night if all has gone well during the day, if it's a weekend and he's running around he gets a whole day without it in and just grazes during the day. However, I've put one in whilst he was asleep due to a growth spurt but it was a small price to pay for him loving not having it in.

Nothing is funded here so we screw as long as we can out of them and have never had an infection and with the old stainless steel site, all is repaired within 24-48 hours post removal.

[Abby-Dabby-Doo]

4 days, unless we see numbers rising on the 3rd day. Which for us is far and few between.
We use the pump sites with the steel Teflon needle, and not the cannula's.

[miss_behave]

4 days also, but I've pushed it to 5 or 6 before :cool:

[kiwikid]

I usually change every 3 days with the Cozmo pump site change reminder feature. Last week we got a loan pump while Rachels is sent back to the US for the 1800 upgrades. I changed all the info over through Cozmanager - upload the data from one, download it to the other, So simple and the new pump is fully loaded with all Rachels settings, EXCEPT the site change reminder. I was a bit surprised the other night when it was 6!! days :o since site change because numbers were still so great. I did think it had been a while :rolleyes:.
I think I'll extend it to 4 now and see how we go :cwds:

[Lee]

Oh you lucky 4 day people! We are every two days - my daughter, who has sensitive skin, gets irritated by it if it is on for three, and just last week - we pushed the envelope and went for the 3 day mark- she woke up through the roof!

[jules12]

We try for every three days - push it to four sometimes but it ususally takes a little longer to heal - did go for 6 days once but it's not something we meant to do!

[Nancy in VA]

We only get 2-3 days. Usually 2 1/2. I had to do a 1am site change at 2 days last night. Note to self: Don't do a site change when you are asleep on your feet - I didn't adhere the site well and Emma just pulled it off this morning (two sides of the tabs were actually tucked under instead of taped to her body - luckily she was still under 300 so it must not have been off long

[Hollyb]

3 days, 4 if we forget. Occasionally two if he's out of insulin anyway and it's a more convenient time to do the change.

[Max's Cause]

3 days tops....with the occasional carry over to the 4th morning.

[Boo]

Usually about every 2 1/2 days. Any longer and we often start seeing higher numbers.

[momtojess]

We usually do 3, but if it is still good and # are great we can push 4.

[BrendaK]

Every 2 1/2 days. The Cleos would stop working alltogether after 2 1/2 days. Now we're using the Inset 30's, which I'm sure would work great for longer, but the site gets really red at 3 days, so we're sticking to 2 1/2.

[Judy&Alli]

Usually about every 2 1/2 days. Any longer and we often start seeing higher numbers.

Why do you see higher numbers? Can I still get away with the I'm new thing? LOL!!!!:D

[wendyc]

We generally go 2.5 days, but have pushed it to a full 3 (for example on vacation). We do see higher numbers if we go anymore than 3. For pp who asked why the higher numbers? The cannula may be a bit bent not giving a good flow of insulin, insulin is getting old, not as effective, air bubbles in the tubing that we can't see will cause a lower flow.

I also notice Abby's skin gets much more irritated if we go anymore than 3 days.

[StillMamamia]

Ok, when all the planets are lined up right and chickens have teeth, then every third day.....

Ok, when the planets are not lined up right and chickens are just chickens, then every third day:D ... and more often when very high bg (just in case / gotta rule out all possible glitches), or (please sit down for this;)) the set comes off inadvertenly (it's happened a couple of times, but now we use Tegaderm to 'fix' it better, and so far no probs).

Good luck to you!

[Reagan's Mama]

We were getting 1 1/2 to 2 days, changed infusion sets and now can get a full 3, and a few times 4.

[hawkeyegirl]

We were getting 1 1/2 to 2 days, changed infusion sets and now can get a full 3, and a few times 4.

What infusion sets were you using, and which ones are you using now?

Are there certain infusions sets that tend to be able to wear longer than others?

[Kaylee's Mommy]

We use to do every 4th day, but the past few months we started have problems on day 2, so started changing every 2 days,now back to 3days.. Honastly, if numbers are good, I completely forget to change sometimes.. we have occassionally gotton to day 5, but the majority of the time its between 3-4 days..

[jilmarie]

Usually every 4 days. Sometimes 5 if there are no problems.

[Reagan's Mama]

What infusion sets were you using, and which ones are you using now?

Are there certain infusions sets that tend to be able to wear longer than others?

We had been using the Quick Set since the beginning of our pump start. Our endo kept asking us to switch to the Sure T and we weren't willing to do so because of the metal needle as opposed to the plastic of the Quickset.
At our last appointment we were only getting a day and a half out of the site so we decided to give the Sure T a try. Her numbers made a huge improvement and we are getting 3 to 4 days out of a site again.

I believe that both infusion sets are said to be good for up to 3 days. One of those YDMV things, but the Sure T has worked wonders for Reagan.

[mischloss]

Since we're untethered, and this may not apply to you, but it gives you an idea if you want to go that route, this is what we do.

I change her site in the morning before I head off to work.
I then leave it on the next two full days and nights.
On the third day, after her 7:00 bedtime snack, I completely take it off including the infusion set, and I just let her sleep like that all night long.

2doors, I haven't heard anyone do this. We change in conjunction with shower time. So we take off the old set, then son hits the shower while I prepare the new cartridge on the pump and prime and then once he is out of the shower, we insert the new site set. I have not left him untethered overnight at all. I don't think his numbers would be great in the morning unless of course he went back to a shot at night which he would at this point rather have the set site in then do a shot.

Can you explain further or is there something I am missing?

Thanks!
Maria

[blbrocky]

We do every 3 days with an occasional 4 when we forget. The recommended duration is 3 days. We were told by the Endo the reason for the three days is the build up of scar tissue from the insulin. Same as injections and rotating sites.

[Ivan's Mum]

2doors, I haven't heard anyone do this. We change in conjunction with shower time. So we take off the old set, then son hits the shower while I prepare the new cartridge on the pump and prime and then once he is out of the shower, we insert the new site set. I have not left him untethered overnight at all. I don't think his numbers would be great in the morning unless of course he went back to a shot at night which he would at this point rather have the set site in then do a shot.

Can you explain further or is there something I am missing?

Thanks!
Maria

sorry to jump in. Untethered is pumping with lantus as the basal. THat's how we can leave the kids siteless for extended periods of time. Over night or all day on an active day. Not sure if that answers your question. Marsha should jump in shortly to explain better than me if I've not got the gist of your question.

[hold48398]

Every 3 days here. :)

[twodoor2]

2doors, I haven't heard anyone do this. We change in conjunction with shower time. So we take off the old set, then son hits the shower while I prepare the new cartridge on the pump and prime and then once he is out of the shower, we insert the new site set. I have not left him untethered overnight at all. I don't think his numbers would be great in the morning unless of course he went back to a shot at night which he would at this point rather have the set site in then do a shot.

Can you explain further or is there something I am missing?

Thanks!
Maria

I think Dr. Edelman, the originator of this method, explains it best. My goodness I've posted this link so many times, I should add it to my signature, but then everyone would think I'm pushing untethered too hard:rolleyes:. Hope the link answers your questions.

http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/clinic/untethered.htm