Hi, We are 3 weeks (almost) into our animas ping, with the inset 30. We are having a lot of issues with the canula kinking. Our son is a VERY active and physical 4 yo, and our animas rep recommended the inset 30 in light of this. Now our endo nurse is thinking the contact detach might be the way to go. I think the contact detach is a steel canula (?) which I guess is less likely to kink, but is more painful, right?? I'd really appreciate your thoughts on the pros and cons on each. Thanks all
My son is 11 and has worn a steel needle set since he was 2 years old (Rapid D). He doesn't have any problems with it being painful. Maybe on a really skinny kid it would be more of an issue.
Isaac had to switch to the steel needles due to 1. kinking issues and 2. itching (possible allergy) He's been pumping with steel needles for almost 3yrs now and we've had no pain issues with them at all, well actually I did notice that when my husband first started removing them he'd just rip them off which would damage Isaac's skin, but when I showed him that he needed to first gently remove the tape then just lift up the needle we didn't have that issue anymore. HTH
Are the canulas actually bent when you remove them? If you do a site on yourself, and remove it, is it kinked? We've been pumping for years and have only seen a very few kinked canulas. My money would be on an insertion problem or basal problem as more likely than a series of kinked canulas. That said, the steel sets don't hurt any more than the teflon ones - the insertion, I recall, takes a bit more bravery since it's more akin to popping a thumbtack than the inset. Can't hurt to try them. My dd's only complaint with them was that she noticed them more if they got knocked in a slide or swing as she almost always used her backside for infusion sets.
I think either is worth a try if what you're doing now isn't working. Changing sets is one of the easiest things to try. Both have pros that you might like and both have cons: The steel takes the whole worry of kinking out of the equation but it still is a straight in set and that might be more your the issue than actual kinking . On an angled set though you're less likely to have it hit muscle and kink on insertion. But you're also using an insertion device which could be the trouble, you made need a slightly shallower insertion. We've been using the identical (same manufacturer, just branded differently) comfort shorts and silhouettes inserted manually since we started pumping. That's also an option for you to try the comfort shorts and learn how to insert them manually. But the good news is that there are options and you're free to try them all.
We have a 5 year old who has used contact-detach since he was two. I was also worried about steel sets being more painful. He hardly ever complains of pain and we hardly ever worry about site issues. In fact, he was just his second birthday party at a bounce house in as many weeks, and hasn't complained once about his site. Considering the amount on tumbling and bouncing that goes on in one of those places, I figure its as good a test as any.
We switched to a animas ping from the pod because we were having issues with the cannula kinking or getting clogged no alarms just super high BG. We use the contact detach and we absolutely love it. The needle is tiny. Jared has only had one site that hurt when I inserted it but it was in his love handle which is a new spot. After insertion it didn't hurt, I think I just put it into fast, because I didn't want him to miss his bus.
My experience with steel vs teflon is that there is no appreciable difference in how they feel.. either one still runs the risk of being close to or touching a nerve and being "ouchy", that's just part of pumping and when it happens you just pull the set and try another spot. As far as hurting because it's metal and not flexible, no, they don't. I think steel sets are easier to insert because the needles are smaller than the teflon cannulas. Removing them is a bit trickier... my preferred method is to soak the tape in adhesive remover then fold the "wings" up, peel up as much tape as I can and pull straight out. If you "peel" them off like a teflon set it will hurt and likely bleed, but pulling straight out avoids that, and the remover makes the tape come off easier.
I know this is old.. but just wondering what you wound up doing with the sites? We use the inset 30 after going from a comfort (never again will I do that again) and we have been doing pretty good with it. I just received the samples of contact detach in the mail and I have been wearing one before I try one on my daughter just so make sure it doesn't hurt. I don't feel it at all but I dont know if thats because I have more fat than her or if it really just doesn't hurt
I'm aware. My daughter is too skinny to insert them manually without them hurting. It was a horrendous experience trying to insert them. She'd scream bloody murder. The inset 30s are a lot quicker and it makes a big difference in a 4 year old, at least they do in my 4 year old.. That really has nothing to do though with my question though
No, I understand that, but I'm not quite understanding how her being skinny makes any difference - it's the same EXACT set, same size, same insertion angle, made in the same factory by the same company. I'm just asking a question.
Trying to grab her fat while holding her down when she's kicking and screaming and inserting the needle. That's what was hard. And the cannula is slightly bigger on the comfort because we had the 17mm one, I think the inset 30 is 13mm. It's definitely a little shorter. I know comfort has a "comfort short" but it still would've done us no good. It was like night and day with the comfort v the inset. She was very comfortable with the inset 30 and I think it's because you can make it so they never see the needle.
