Comments on: The Other iPort http://www.diabetesmine.com/2007/06/the_other_iport.html A gold mine of straight talk and encouragement for people living with diabetes Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:28:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Jim http://www.diabetesmine.com/2007/06/the_other_iport.html/comment-page-1#comment-518742 Jim Sat, 10 Jul 2010 04:41:47 +0000 http://diabetesmine.dreamhosters.com/2007/06/18/the-other-iport/#comment-518742 Just read all the comments posted on the I-port and thought I'd throw in mine. I'm 63 and I've been using it for several years. Now, I'm a big guy with a high tolerance for pain but I hated having to take 5 shots a day. That's 5 chances a day to hit a 'bad' spot which may hurt, bleed, or otherwise cause a problem. One skin prick every 3 days is WAY better. I still may hit that 'bad' spot sometimes - but not nearly as often. And, I move from either side of my abdomen to my thighs so there's not as much chance of discomfort. I don't want to have to go on the pump so I hope Patton keeps making the I-port. It really helps me control this disease. Just read all the comments posted on the I-port and thought I’d throw in mine. I’m 63 and I’ve been using it for several years. Now, I’m a big guy with a high tolerance for pain but I hated having to take 5 shots a day. That’s 5 chances a day to hit a ‘bad’ spot which may hurt, bleed, or otherwise cause a problem. One skin prick every 3 days is WAY better. I still may hit that ‘bad’ spot sometimes – but not nearly as often. And, I move from either side of my abdomen to my thighs so there’s not as much chance of discomfort. I don’t want to have to go on the pump so I hope Patton keeps making the I-port. It really helps me control this disease.

]]> By: Morgan http://www.diabetesmine.com/2007/06/the_other_iport.html/comment-page-1#comment-210688 Morgan Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:00:25 +0000 http://diabetesmine.dreamhosters.com/2007/06/18/the-other-iport/#comment-210688 My problem has always been the bleeding and seepage with shots. Frankly, having given injections for a long time, I really didn't have problems with taking them. I hate the finger sticks more than the insulin shots (sigh). But with some of the insulin seeping out, even when I hold the needle for a good 15-20 seconds or longer, I worry that the dosage I'm getting isn't as much as I need. And I lost count of the shirts I ruined with bleeding. Frankly, I like the iPort. It's not hard to use, yes the introducer needle is longer than a regular injection, but still, it's once ever three days, and the port survives showering and normal activities with no problem. Morgan PS. Fran, if you're the same Fran from Parade magazine who asked about stickless blood sugar monitoring, check out this article: http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/glucosemonitor/index.htm My problem has always been the bleeding and seepage with shots. Frankly, having given injections for a long time, I really didn’t have problems with taking them. I hate the finger sticks more than the insulin shots (sigh). But with some of the insulin seeping out, even when I hold the needle for a good 15-20 seconds or longer, I worry that the dosage I’m getting isn’t as much as I need. And I lost count of the shirts I ruined with bleeding.

Frankly, I like the iPort. It’s not hard to use, yes the introducer needle is longer than a regular injection, but still, it’s once ever three days, and the port survives showering and normal activities with no problem.

Morgan

PS. Fran, if you’re the same Fran from Parade magazine who asked about stickless blood sugar monitoring, check out this article:

http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/glucosemonitor/index.htm

]]> By: Fran http://www.diabetesmine.com/2007/06/the_other_iport.html/comment-page-1#comment-182208 Fran Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:20:33 +0000 http://diabetesmine.dreamhosters.com/2007/06/18/the-other-iport/#comment-182208 Come April, I will have been taking daily injections for 40 years, including the last 16 years that I've been wearing a pump. I'm still NOT used to having to prick myself so many times a day. (I consider "finger sticks" the worst of all.) Clearly, I don't need the i-port. But I see it as a godsend for type 2s who have to resort to insulin. And anything that makes a patient more compliant is a very good thing. (Scott, maybe, just like the rest of us type 1s, you are just too close to the subject?) Come April, I will have been taking daily injections for 40 years, including the last 16 years that I’ve been wearing a pump. I’m still NOT used to having to prick myself so many times a day. (I consider “finger sticks” the worst of all.) Clearly, I don’t need the i-port. But I see it as a godsend for type 2s who have to resort to insulin. And anything that makes a patient more compliant is a very good thing. (Scott, maybe, just like the rest of us type 1s, you are just too close to the subject?)

]]> By: ivan http://www.diabetesmine.com/2007/06/the_other_iport.html/comment-page-1#comment-38119 ivan Wed, 27 Jun 2007 12:23:57 +0000 http://diabetesmine.dreamhosters.com/2007/06/18/the-other-iport/#comment-38119 Amy I-Port is not a new idea: Insuflon has been around for a long time and my child is using it with success. For a child Insuflon or I-Port is great: you do not have to poke him/her everytime he/she wants to eat a snack, and compared with a pump you have no tubing, and the site last longer. The downside: you still have to draw insulin yourself, you still need a Lantus shot. Omnipod probably has the better of both world, though much bigger, for a child at least. Amy

I-Port is not a new idea: Insuflon has been around for a long time and my child is using it with success. For a child Insuflon or I-Port is great: you do not have to poke him/her everytime he/she wants to eat a snack, and compared with a pump you have no tubing, and the site last longer. The downside: you still have to draw insulin yourself, you still need a Lantus shot. Omnipod probably has the better of both world, though much bigger, for a child at least.

]]> By: KD http://www.diabetesmine.com/2007/06/the_other_iport.html/comment-page-1#comment-38118 KD Tue, 26 Jun 2007 18:43:23 +0000 http://diabetesmine.dreamhosters.com/2007/06/18/the-other-iport/#comment-38118 Hi Amy, I was in the clinical trial for the I-Port last year. I found inserting the cannula to be very painful and was more aware of that acute once-in-3-days pain than I ever was about the minor, frequent prick of injections. I also found insulin delivery to be less reliable and consistent. In summary I felt that the IPort had the disadvantages of infusion sets, but without the control benefits of pumping. I'll stick with injections until starting a pump. KD Hi Amy,

I was in the clinical trial for the I-Port last year. I found inserting the cannula to be very painful and was more aware of that acute once-in-3-days pain than I ever was about the minor, frequent prick of injections. I also found insulin delivery to be less reliable and consistent.

In summary I felt that the IPort had the disadvantages of infusion sets, but without the control benefits of pumping. I’ll stick with injections until starting a pump.

KD

]]> By: maria http://www.diabetesmine.com/2007/06/the_other_iport.html/comment-page-1#comment-38117 maria Sat, 23 Jun 2007 17:23:25 +0000 http://diabetesmine.dreamhosters.com/2007/06/18/the-other-iport/#comment-38117 I was invited to a focus group for this device, and pracitcally laughed my infusion set off my skin when I was presented with suggestions for names for the now baptized "iport" Sorry guys when they asked me I called OrificeDepot. If I am going to have orifices in my skin over tenkoff for kidney dialysis in otherwise uncontrolled diabetes I'll take the diaport. This goes to the newly-diagnosed-needle -scared crowd who are probably unworthy of calling themselves a dignified diabetic. I was invited to a focus group for this device, and pracitcally laughed my infusion set off my skin when I was presented with suggestions for names for the now baptized “iport” Sorry guys when they asked me I called OrificeDepot. If I am going to have orifices in my skin over tenkoff for kidney dialysis in otherwise uncontrolled diabetes I’ll take the diaport. This goes to the newly-diagnosed-needle -scared crowd who are probably unworthy of calling themselves a dignified diabetic.

]]> By: Kevin D. http://www.diabetesmine.com/2007/06/the_other_iport.html/comment-page-1#comment-38116 Kevin D. Tue, 19 Jun 2007 11:20:41 +0000 http://diabetesmine.dreamhosters.com/2007/06/18/the-other-iport/#comment-38116 Jenny, it's tons less painful. When I was on shots I would hit a bad spot 10% of the time. In 3 days that would be at least once that I would be left with a big red/blue/purple spot on my arm or leg. I also would hit muscle quite often in the arms and legs. With pumping, I only have the problem maybe once every 6 months where I hit a bad spot. That is ALOT less and ALOT less noticable. Scott...if tissue damage can occur then how is pumping any better? ALOT more tissue damage can occur with the diaport. Oh wait, you're a former pumper? I know people that have been pumping for 10 years now and have NO signs of any tissue damage and are still using the same basal rates and other factors as they were 10 years ago with just minor fine tuning as jobs/activities change. I think the Iport is a great item. I don't think it gives anyone a bad image of injections or feeds any fears. Heck, most doctors already do that with starting new patients on Mixed insulins which is totally stupid. I'd rather see people start mixing their own and have an iport than using a pre-mixed. If I went back to injections I for one would use something like the iport. Jenny, it’s tons less painful. When I was on shots I would hit a bad spot 10% of the time. In 3 days that would be at least once that I would be left with a big red/blue/purple spot on my arm or leg. I also would hit muscle quite often in the arms and legs. With pumping, I only have the problem maybe once every 6 months where I hit a bad spot. That is ALOT less and ALOT less noticable.

Scott…if tissue damage can occur then how is pumping any better? ALOT more tissue damage can occur with the diaport. Oh wait, you’re a former pumper? I know people that have been pumping for 10 years now and have NO signs of any tissue damage and are still using the same basal rates and other factors as they were 10 years ago with just minor fine tuning as jobs/activities change.

I think the Iport is a great item. I don’t think it gives anyone a bad image of injections or feeds any fears. Heck, most doctors already do that with starting new patients on Mixed insulins which is totally stupid. I’d rather see people start mixing their own and have an iport than using a pre-mixed. If I went back to injections I for one would use something like the iport.

]]> By: Jenny http://www.diabetesmine.com/2007/06/the_other_iport.html/comment-page-1#comment-38115 Jenny Mon, 18 Jun 2007 19:08:42 +0000 http://diabetesmine.dreamhosters.com/2007/06/18/the-other-iport/#comment-38115 Using the right size short, very thin needle and injecting with the proper technique makes my shots painless. I do 3 a day and would never want to use something like this iport. I think this device just feeds on the initial fear of the newly diagnosed. It took me maybe 2 days to get over my fears of injection, then that was that. What a relief! This device looks MORE painful than a shot, and it keeps up the idea in the person's mind that injecting is difficult. Using the right size short, very thin needle and injecting with the proper technique makes my shots painless. I do 3 a day and would never want to use something like this iport.

I think this device just feeds on the initial fear of the newly diagnosed. It took me maybe 2 days to get over my fears of injection, then that was that. What a relief!

This device looks MORE painful than a shot, and it keeps up the idea in the person’s mind that injecting is difficult.

]]> By: Jonah http://www.diabetesmine.com/2007/06/the_other_iport.html/comment-page-1#comment-38114 Jonah Mon, 18 Jun 2007 17:52:43 +0000 http://diabetesmine.dreamhosters.com/2007/06/18/the-other-iport/#comment-38114 I took off my second I-PORT yesterday. They need infusion sets, and I wasn't so thrilled about the bruising. I dunno, I'm not sure if I'll order refills but I will be using up the box. I took off my second I-PORT yesterday.
They need infusion sets, and I wasn’t so thrilled about the bruising.
I dunno, I’m not sure if I’ll order refills but I will be using up the box.

]]> By: Dave http://www.diabetesmine.com/2007/06/the_other_iport.html/comment-page-1#comment-38113 Dave Mon, 18 Jun 2007 16:51:34 +0000 http://diabetesmine.dreamhosters.com/2007/06/18/the-other-iport/#comment-38113 Subcutaneous tissue damage can't be any worse for your body than being diabetic. I guess Scott that is why you are a former pumper and not still currently pumping. If I gave myself 6 shots a day for the next 50 years that would be 109,500 shots. That certainly is not better than the 7,200 infusion sets that I would use for the same amount of time. I respect your right to have your own opinion even though I totally disagree with it!! Subcutaneous tissue damage can’t be any worse for your body than being diabetic. I guess Scott that is why you are a former pumper and not still currently pumping. If I gave myself 6 shots a day for the next 50 years that would be 109,500 shots. That certainly is not better than the 7,200 infusion sets that I would use for the same amount of time. I respect your right to have your own opinion even though I totally disagree with it!!

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