I’ve been using a portable pancreas (aka insulin pump) for seven and a half years now. And the OmniPod for a little more than two years. My favorite spot for putting pods or infusion sets is my abdomen. However to prevent scar tissue from building up, I don’t want to use just my abdomen. Even though I can rotate about 4 different areas of my abdomen comfortably with the pods, I don’t think that is enough rotation. I’ve used my lower back and upper tush area as well but lately I’m finding the absorption isn’t consistently the same resulting in higher BG. I’ve never been able to use my thighs for sites – the absorption there just plain sucks. I’d love to think it’s because one part of my body is actually muscular, but if Kris Freeman can use his pecs for pods, I should just shut up 😉
(photo credit goes to https://twitter.com/TeamFreebirdXC)
I think this is a common problem for insulin pump users. My question is, how did you find a resolution? I’m getting a little frustrated and don’t want this to turn into a huge issue if I can help it!
The Girl with the Portable Pancreas 
I hear you! I can’t do pods on my legs either (though I just tried my dex com there and it worked pretty well). I use my arms sometimes for pods and that works. I do run into conflicts with that because arm is my favorite for the CGM. I do try to remember that a pod takes up more skin surface than where the insertion is so even when the pod seems to be “on” an old site the insertion is unlikely to be in the exact same place.
I have to rest sites occasionally but I only have two abdomen sites, one is on a break though. I rotate leg, stomach, back, arm and then switch sides. I think I’ll try adding in upper tush occasionally, but those are best for my dexcom sensors.
My son has only been on the pod for a month and a half. We have three good days at one site, followed by 3 crappy days at another, and then by the time we get back to the same site it’s the opposite!?!? We tried his upper hip/butt….300-400s!! We will try that spot one more time. It’s very frustrating!
I just started using my arms for my OmniPod and so far it’s working just fine. I make sure to have the canula pointing toward the ground when inserting in the arm.
One of my frustrations is the differences in waist heights for all of my pants. Lo-rise, mid-rise, hi-rise, classic-fit, modern-fit, and so on. I’ll put a pump site on my hips in what I think is a safe place and then the next day it’s getting irritated by the waistband of a different outfit. I use a traditional pump and think I’d have even more issues with the pod.
Girl – I am going through this myself – Scar tissue and running out of real-estate is very real thing
I haven’t put an infusion site in my abdomen since March 29th.
I’m trying to try go at least a month without using my abdomen – It’s been interesting.
I received some great advice from the DOC v(see link below) and I know you will too ! http://diabetesaliciousness.blogspot.com/2014/04/getting-leg-up-on-scar-tissue-trying.html
So far I’ve found the SIDE of my thighs to work MUCH better than the top of my thighs – the top of my thighs SUCK. Attempting the arms sometime next week even though I’m really nervous about that.
Keep us posted and let us know what works!
You got this!
Xoxo
k2
I use my arms a LOT and my abdomen almost always has something on it. Use my lower back quite a bit as well – but waist bands are always an issue. I usually reserve my upper abdomen for my sensors and then use my arms, alternate side of my (mid or lower) abdomen, and my back for my pods – making sure there’s at least 6 days between use. I have small arms and there’s still quite a bit of real estate there if you focus on where the canula is actually inserting. Recently discovered witch hazel to help speed up the healing, and to enhance ‘sticking’ I only change sensors/pods immediately after a shower if at all possible.
But – yeah – life as a human pin cushion is no fun 😦
I have been using the omnipod for about three years now, and have always put it on my back somewhere. I have never had an issue until recently! Pod alarms are going off every few hours forcing me to change pods, and when I can keep a pod on, it seems like my body isn’t absorbing insulting no matter where I have the pod located. Recently I tried putting the pod on my abdomen, but that hurt so bad and made going to work quite uncomfortable, and my body still wasn’t absorbing the insulin. I stopped using the pump for about two weeks and did only shots to let my sites heal, but it didn’t do any good. Any suggestions?
Sara, I also use my upper butt and arms for pod sites. I’ve been using arms more lately and it has been working well. Toward the back is a good spot so it’s out of the way more than on the side.
I am a trail runner and find that if I put my omnipod on my lower body, the shaking from the running will make it fall off prematurely. That’s why I settled on my deltoids. I start on my left shoulder, front, and at each expiration move it to the side and then the back, then over to the right shoulder. Thus, I only repeat sites once every 19 days, and they never fall off.