**Another previously written post that I had yet to put on the web. Someday I will be caught up, and then I might even play with my layout.**
I did my first site change on Saturday, May 5. It took me forever, as I was so nervous. I am not afraid of the needle, or the pain, per se. I have taken over 20,000 shots at this point, and more finger sticks, so that wasn’t bothering me. It was just something new, and it seemed like there were so many little steps. I have done a few now, and they are already getting better. I love the Cleo infusion sets for ease of insertion. I just have to push that big purple button and, badoing!, it’s in. That said, it probably took me 20 minutes to completely change out the cartridge and infusion set, so I am glad I was on saline. I seem to be getting little rings of adhesive from when I take the old sets off. Other than that, the old site looks good, just a tiny little red spot in the center where the cannula went in.
The cartridge was still mostly full though, at least 200 of the 300 units were still in there. Of course, I changed after two days instead of three, so I could get the practice in, and you want to leave some extra in there, but that is excessive. Do people normally change their cartridge every time they change their insertion site, or do you leave it until it gets lower? Can you fill up the cartridge part way? Of course the manuals and the books tell you to do them at the same time, but that doesn’t mean it is what people actually do.
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4 comments:
Hi, here via your comment on Diabetes Mine today. :) I fill my cartridge completely, so I only change it when it runs out--after ~10 days? I change the infusion site every 3 or 4 days. (I've been on a Cozmo for just over a year now.)
I'm with Erin - I've definitely used the same reservoir for longer than I've used an infusion set. I just pull the old set, attach a new set to the reservoir, and prime like normal. :)
There's nothing I hate more than wasting diabetes supplies. Except maybe bears - man, I find them to be terrifying.
Thanks guys,
That's what I suspected. I would be throwing out 150-200 units every time I did a site change if I did it every time!
P.S. Erin, I followed the link to your livejournal and that I have seen you around on the diabetes communities there. My alternate lj personality is swirlydoodle.
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