Riding & Diabetes
- Thread starter SjpmoJ
- Start date
wavegoddess
pimpin' aint ez...
- Location
- Austin Texas
Stacy, I'm guessing he's talking about keeping the little injection port stuck to his skin so his insulin doesn't pump out into his wet suit.
There is a product called Tegaderm (it is the same as the clear part on waterproof bandages made by 3M) that might help with this. It comes in many sizes, including large sheets, is fairly water resistant and could be layered over your port.
I would also suggest you consider, and experiment with, something to reinforce this, ie. something that goes all the way around - ace bandage style, a bit of duct tape if you're not too hairy, etc. Obviously, be very careful removing any of this or it will pop the port right out, also.
I have used this type of bandaging material to cover wounds on my fingers/hands before and it usually stays on about half the ride day underneath gloves. You would have to get the skin VERY dry before you reapply, it will NOT stick successfully to even slightly damp skin.
Talk to your favorite medical professional to see what they can get for you or if they have any other suggestions. If you need to, find someone that works in a surgical ICU (doctor or nurse), they have the coolest bandaging material known to humans.
Good luck,
Sharon
The only bad thing about the pump is that it's not waterproof, so I don't have it on me at all when I'm riding. I've tried several different bandages and tapes, but they all end up peeling off or ripping off (newbie rider). I'm trying to find something along the lines of an ace bandage to keep the port secure to my body, which I think would work the best, its just trying to find one that doesn't have the sharp tack things. I will keep searching and thanks for your input guys!!!
I wondered how you could possibly keep the pump in place and protected. My post applies to the port. Look for the Tegaderm, it's great stuff.
- Location
- Melbourne, FL
PM Skidaddy on here. He rides with the port "thingie" on his side and I've seen no problems.
you could use an abdominal binder, it's velcro will keep things in place,, or if you don't wnat it to look so medical get one of those lower back supports. then cap and cover with the tegaderm that was brought up, or something similar like opsite
but i wonder? why would you not just pull needle and replace when you are done?
you aren't using the pump. so you really don't need the rest in place i would venture. unless i am not familiar with your set up, it's just a tiny sub q needle right?, or even if you are cannulated into some sort of injection port. i wouldn't bother trying to keep it in place unless you have to, not to mention the risk for infection you have with an open loop should your cap and covering come off.
but i wonder? why would you not just pull needle and replace when you are done?
you aren't using the pump. so you really don't need the rest in place i would venture. unless i am not familiar with your set up, it's just a tiny sub q needle right?, or even if you are cannulated into some sort of injection port. i wouldn't bother trying to keep it in place unless you have to, not to mention the risk for infection you have with an open loop should your cap and covering come off.
They are quiet expensive just to pull out on days that I ride, I leave them in for 3 days... It's actually like a cannulla, just a little iv tube that sits in the skin (fatty tissue) and has a round bandage around it to hold it to the skin. I think i'm going to try using an Ace bandage and doing a little bit of modifying it, i.e. velcro strips sewn on instead of the pointed hasps that comes with it. Risk of infection from lake water is very slim in this situation, the cap covers the only hole into the skin and when the port comes all of the way out, the skin closes up. (Had that happen just the other day and nothing appears to be infected & had doctor in my family check it out).
- Location
- So. IL
Hey Jake I have been thinking of this all day. Get yourself one of those bands that they use for people with broken ribs. I had one for while after a 4 wheeler accident. It is about 5 or 6 inches wide elastic and has velcro so that you can tighten it up around you. Cover the port with that tegaderm stuff (if it is that flexible thin adhesive stuff that I was talking about) then the band then cover all with a rash guard. The rash guard will keep the band from moving and be smooth enough that your life jacket won't get cought on the band. that will keep the port on which is protected with the tegaderm.
There is a bit of prep work but you would be safe that way. Or remove them and ride like a bastard then install another one. How much are they?
There is a bit of prep work but you would be safe that way. Or remove them and ride like a bastard then install another one. How much are they?
- Location
- Melbourne, FL
Seriously, PM Skidaddy. He wears the port thing you're talking about and does nothing to cover it up. He rides freshwater and saltwater.
cost , yeah that can be a factor. could you reuse them. if you keep the stylet that you put the cannula in with , take it all out. soaking in alcohol while you are riding , then reuse the whole thing?
probably a bad idea from a health practicioners stand point, but then agin
insulin syringes can be used more than once? ????????
you just have to be careful advancing the stylet back in so not to poke through the side.
there is also some stuff called duoderm thin, not see thru like opsite and tegaderm but bonds to skin like a mother. if you used some skin prep and applied that you would be covered for sure, but pulling it off would suck and it would be more than your tubing and cannula i bet, never mind
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- Location
- So. IL
I am not into the medical stuff at all I haven't been to the Dr. in maybe 15 years other than to get stitches for work. Which it quite often until I lifted a bunch of sutures from the hospital... well I borrowed them.. Anyhow won't they give you some things like those tegaderm pieces or something to protect that becuase you actually NEED them, or won't insurance cover that stuff??
i doubt they will give him those, it can be obtained though , he said there was a doc in the family. im sure the doc can hook you up. if i stocked that stuff anymore at work i would gt ya some, some local drug stores may carry them as well ( or something similar)
good luck man
good luck man
Reusing the cannula/port isn't a good idea because of the way it is inserted. The cost of each one of the ports is about $35.00 a pop, which adds up, even though I don't pay for it - Insurance covers it all, but I can only get a certain # per month! I'll have to try some sort of wrap around it because any medical tape hasn't worked yet and I got some 2nd like skin from the doc today, but that hurts like a mother when I take it off >not trying to be a panzy, but it gets the skin pretty irritated< i'll figure something out, just throught i'd post to see if anybody has had this problem as well....
the other thing is some of the new meds out there, i don't recall if they are indicated for type 1, we deal more with type 2
but there is byetta and lantus
there is a few others that just hit or will be hitting the market soon but they work much different than old reg, or n inuslins etc
just a thought, if you have an endo doc see what they know , maybe can get away form the pump ????
but there is byetta and lantus
there is a few others that just hit or will be hitting the market soon but they work much different than old reg, or n inuslins etc
just a thought, if you have an endo doc see what they know , maybe can get away form the pump ????
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Idok
F1pro
- Location
- Nations oldest muthaF+++kin city
x2
i have asked bob about it myself and he said it gave him absolutly NO PROBLEMS to ride with it....and he rides every weekend religiously
I see bob quite often and have never seen an infection at the site