That’s what it feels like, anyway. A millennium of skin malfunctions over here that are making my diabetes and gluten intolerance genuinely intolerable of late! (A TMI post? Read at your own risk)
The latest bout of troubles kicked off this summer when I took the new Abbott Navigator CGM sensor for a test drive. The very latex-y adhesive used to adhere that product to the skin did not get along with my skin at all, I’m afraid. I developed a nasty irritation, that took a good two weeks to disappear completely.
Next up, I got my first full-fledged infection at a pump infusion site. This had never happened to me before, so it seemed kind of surreal that the tiny spot where my pumping cannula went in could cause such an enormous infecto-ruption. Ick!
So after the antibiotics pretty much took care of that one, I had a series of pods (from my OmniPod wireless insulin pump) that began to either irritate the heck out of the skin underneath them, or simply wouldn’t stay stuck. They’d start peeling up and often pop off my skin at inconvenient moments (is there a convenient moment for that sort of thing?)
Luckily, the Insulet territory manager in my area was kind enough to provide me with a “goody bag” of skin prep products I could try, which would “act as a solvent to the adhesive on the pods.” Who knew there were so many choices? Here’s a quick run-through of how that went:
- 3M Cavilon no-sting barrier film wipes — worked OK, a little too sticky. Skin still got irritated.
- Bard Protective barrier film prep – very tacky skin sensation. Ditto on above.
- Coloplast Prep Medicated Skin barrier – supposedly creates a “second skin” as a protective layer, but I don’t remember it feeling that way.
- Hollister Skin gel protective dressing wipes – Honestly, I barely remember these at all.
- Smith & Nephew No-Sting Skin Prep – made my pod fall right off. In about half an hour or less. I had to search through the bed covers to find it a couple of times. Definitely a thumbs down.
- Stoma care aloe-based skin care wipes – I like the fact that they’re aloe-based, but I think I only tried one of these, so difficult to judge effectiveness.
- ConvaTec AllKare skin protective barrier wipes – pleasantly sticky where they needed to be, without gunking me up all over. Skin did not get irritated underneath. Hooray! Thumbs up.
I’ll admit: I ordered two boxes of the latter off eBay at a much reduced price. Geez – this health @#$%! gets pretty expensive.
Meanwhile, on Nov. 14 — yes, ironically on World Diabetes Day — my husband and I went to dinner after the lighting of SF City Hall and I did something very stupid. I took a chance on some bread that looked potentially “wheat-safe” (OK, it also smelled heavenly and looked mouth-wateringly good, too, and I hadn’t tasted real bread in YEARS). Anyway, I ate the stuff and was paid back with a Hiney full of HIVES! And the HIVES! have been around ever since — appearing in rotating turns on and around my neck / thighs / eyes / breasts/ underarms / palms of hands (!) Yes, I have had HIVES! in places no human being should know from them.
Funny to think that I lived an entire life — over 37 years of it — without ever experiencing one single solitary itty bitty bout of HIVES!, and now since the diabetes and accompanying gluten intolerance I am plagued by them. How they love to congregate on the hips and derriere, which is tough for spin class. On any given morning I may wake up with big red Quasimodo eyes.
OK, rant over. But in case you’re wondering why I’m not using my Navigator (or any CGM) at the moment, I’ve got one word for you. Five letters. GUESS!
That looks miserable! Major suckage Amy.
I’m really sorry. Those hives look miserable. I hope they resolve soon. How long do hives usually last?
So sorry, Amy. I hope you heal soon. Have you had any luck with Prednisone to help alleviate any symptoms?
That just plain sucks. I hope your skin is on the mend soon.
I just started wearing a pump, and have had bad allergies to the adhesive. I just picked up the Cavilon wipes, but haven’t used them yet. Thanks for giving me a list of other options in case they don’t work. My pump reps and CDE have not really seen that problem before, and so the Cavilon was their only recommendation.
Owww, Amy, that looke painful!!
I hope it all heals up soon.
i really hope it heals soon, wish you healty life.
Oh Amy –
Hang in there sister and get better! You are quite the brave & sensitive chicka – you’ve been through the wringer!
Thanks for the Pod & skin pre info. I’m currently wearing a “mock” pod to see if I like it. It’s sticking great, but I keep wondering what would happen with the real deal. Do you think Omni Pod changed it’s stickum formula.
I know that happened with the Cozmo Cleo sets a few months back.
I don’t wear the Cozmo,but I did talk to a rep at an event back in September regarding the Cleo issue after our buddy Hannah from Dorkabetic wrote about it! Hannah was at the event as well and I grabbed her after I spoke to the rep and dragged her back over to hear about it for herself.
Anyway – GET BETTER
k2
Bless your heart! That looks NO FUN! I hope it goes away soon.
HIVES! should always be written that way. Hope they clear up soon!
(how was the bread?)
Ouch! Did you try some benadryl? Or some other antihistamine?
What antibiotic did you take for the site infection? I had my first one recently and was given Keflex. It worked well and I experienced 2 really nasty lows while I was on it. I am guessing there was some sort of connection.
Hopefully you are feeling the vibes for fast healing – moral support all over the place for you!!!! (you’ve given so much to us, after all – wish there was a magic wand for you!) Anyway, a suggestion for your consideration……A few years ago I was suffering terrible allergies – to everything – It was a time of great distress and my entire system began to go haywire and was on super alert which can happen with allergies of any type (it’s a real stress on the body). In my case, one allergy begat another – curses! During this period of time, I started gettting regular accupuncture for an unrelated issue (which the needles did not solve) but I kept going because, in general, I was feeling much better and blood sugars were better. At about four months in I realized the allergies were dissapating. Since allergies of any type are like T1 in that the body turns against itself by mistake. Since Chinese accupuncture works on balancing the whole system, maybe that’s worth considering. And strange, for me anyway, was when my over reacting system started calming down I didn’t even really notice it until I accidentally ate something that would have previously caused great problem, and that problem was gone and since that time, I’ve been much better all around with the pollen, etc. etc.. My body is far less reactive to allergy producing elements. I became very devoted to the accupuncture treatments and spent one full year practically, once a week getting treatments and now I go in every two or three months for a tune up. Like I say, just a suggestion. Good luck Amy!
A million thanks for all the moral support, Everyone!
Yesterday my allergy doc prescribed Ranitidine to calm down the HIVES!
On the antibiotic: shoot, I don’t remember the name.
On Prednisone: ooh, cortisone is a real problem for blood sugars — makes you go sky-high. Also, you can’t just quit that stuff. You have to wean yourself off it. Kinda nasty.
Amy,
Are you sure those are hives? Do they itch? I have been having skin issues for years and in the last 6 months a new development that looks very very similar to what you showed in the picture.
I went to the endo on Monday and she suggested a biopsy that I have yet to schedule.
Just wondering as I have no clue what is all over me of late.
[...] DiabetesMine: and reckon the things a diabetic has to live with. [...]
[...] DiabetesMine: and reckon the things a diabetic has to live with. [...]
[...] relatives and friends. You know what one of mine said last time I was reporting one of my nasty hive attacks: “WHAT DID YOU [...]
I developed an allergy to the Omnipod adhesive about 4 months after starting with them. Worst damn thing in the world. I wanted to scratch my whole arm off.
Anyway, I’ve been using NewSkin, which is basically a sprayable barrier you can put on before you stick on the pod. The excess around the pod starts to peel off in a day or so, and looks exactly like flaking skin, but the barrier under the pod stays intact.
It’s a pain in the butt, tho, because you have to spray it on, wait for it to dry (5-10 min), then spray on a second coat and wait for *that* to dry, and then stick on the pod. It’s also $6.99-8.99 a bottle, which only lasts me a few weeks.
I’ll definately be trying out the ConvaTek to see if that’s a better solution. So far, every other barrier I’ve tried (except regular adhesive bandages – which, of course, don’t stick properly to the skin and result in occlusions because of the padding in the middle of the bandage), hasn’t worked. I have a friend who works as an MA in a dermatology office who asked for recommendations – not one doctor had a recommendation, which I found bizarre. Their reply, “She should invent something.”
Developing these allergies is apparently incredibly common. I’m stunned nobody has any clue as to how to treat them. I’m also looking at Hyafix bandages, which are just clear adhesive you stick on before the pod (cut out a little window for the cannula). Apparently, it’s popular with people who use catheters who’ve developed allergies to medical adhesive.
Apparently Insulet recommends the IV 3000. Since the 2×2′s are too small for the pods, I ordered some 4×4′s. I have a roll of something similar on right now underneath my current pod. But the itch drives me nuts so much I want to cut off my leg or arm or wherever the pod is. I still have rashes from old sites and I doubt they will ever go away. My cousin said it looked like someone bit me. I’m so frustrated with it itching constantly. I would go back to shots if I could get that to work for me. I’m going to cross my fingers for the bigger IV 3000 to work for me.
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