Where are your insulin injection sites?

Ahhh, the feeling of being able to FINALLY itch underneath an insulin injection site (or a pump site!) when you change it!

Sometimes it feels like rainbows and puppies and magic all in one go (or is that just me….?)

Especially if the site has been a little oddly placed (hey, it happens), and some piece of clothing has been irritating it too.

Naturally, this isn’t as much of an issue if you are on injections. But still, those can sting pretty badly too. Looking at you, Lantus!

But how do you make sure that you don’t end up injecting in exactly the same place the whole time?

Again, this wasn’t as much of a problem when I was still on injections.

Although I have a lumpy belly from injecting insulin in the same spot for too long, causing extra fat to deposit there.

And although I haven’t used that area for over a year now, it doesn’t get much better. I still have hope that it will go away, but starting to come to terms with that it might not.

Anyway. Now with my pump and CGM set up, because the sites are on there for 3+ days, I find it much more important to really rotate my sites.

So far I’ve mainly used the back of my arms for my CGM. I find it really handy, it’s out of the way, I can’t feel it in my sleep and it leaves more skin real estate for the more frequently changed pump sites.

Being so lucky that my insulin pump (OmniPod) can be placed wherever there’s enough fat on your body to inject into, I’ve been getting a little creative (against the official instructions, of course. But what’s a girl to do after a few site swaps?!)

So, a relatively new place I’ve used for my pump sites is my back.

You know, the middle (right below the bra line, ladies!), where many of us may have a pinchable fold.

I’m so glad I gave it a try, because I’ve had such good results there.

I have yet to try putting the pump on my thigh…. I don’t know, something makes me a little iffy about it, even though I used to rotate my Lantus shots between my hips and thighs.

Here are my 6 tips to keeping those sites rolling:

• Mirror your sites on each side every second time you change your pump infusion set. This goes for injections, too.
• Place you CGM and pump sites on the same side to sleep easier.
• Start adding more imaginative sites to your list; see my example on my back above.
• Your basal rate settings might change with different site placements. I have a different one for my lower back and arms than my stomach, back (higher up) or hips.
• Dare to test different sites! Just because the “official” rules “state” that it “isn’t advised”, if it works for you – use it!
• Pay attention to that you actually do rotate your sites. Your body (and blood sugar) will thank you and show gratitude.

And hey, please don’t be ashamed for your pump and CGM sites! It’s really nothing you can do anything about, you need them to keep you alive. And: don’t forget to #showmeyourpump !

Where is your favorite pump placement? How could you get a little more creative with them?