# Bleeding cannula



## Matt Cycle (Apr 5, 2018)

I did a set change yesterday and all looked good.  Later on in the evening my blood sugar was rising and kept going up.  I decided to change the cannula for another one.  When I took out this non-working fairly new cannula a trickle of blood followed.  I put the replacement cannula back on the other side of my abdomen and all has been fine since.

The only issue I've had with cannulas not working (that wasn't my fault) was on the same side of my abdomen and when I took that one out a trickle of blood followed.  Could hitting the blood vessel affect the absorption of insulin or the insertion of the cannula?  Being fairly new to the pump I haven't got a lot of data to go on but it seems a coincidence that both non-working cannulas were on the same side of my abdomen and both resulted in blood when removed.  I'm currently using Mio's and I haven't got a right lot of fatty tissue to insert it in.  I need to ask for Mio 30's or silhouettes.  I have had one bleeder after I've taken the cannula out during a set change at the end of its run (on the other side of my abdomen) that had been fine in operation.


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## HOBIE (Apr 5, 2018)

Hi Matt. I always use silhouettes. I always change my set when just been in the shower or bath because my skin is like a babys ------- . Skin more acceptable to needles. Good luck


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## trophywench (Apr 5, 2018)

I've had two 'gushers' in 9 years - sometimes it just happens.  I also have quite a few areas which simply don't absorb well at all and all you can do is avoid em like the plague.  At some time or another about 5 years after you started avoiding them they might get better enough to risk occasionally bunging a cannula in there again like mine, I now have one site on (my) left tummy that I can use about once a month.  Better than nowt especially as some of the areas on my left buttock I had to start using 5 years ago, seem to be losing their capacity to absorb well now.

Welcome to my world - or it might be because you'd gone straight through a vein and out the other side, the cannula was situated into muscle which simply does not absorb 'injected' insulin well anyway.  Hope it's the latter Matt!


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## SB2015 (Apr 6, 2018)

I have had a few gushers in 5 years, and they do seem to make a right old mess.  When they do happen it is when when I change a cannula.  It is just one of those things.  The cannula has just gone through a tiny blood vessel and when the cannula comes out, out comes the blood, usually at the most inconvenient time.  My worst was at Tate Modern, and I quickly ran out of tissues, as it was the first time it had happened and I was not ready for the mess.

If  I put a new cannula in and it carries on hurting long after insertion I change it again as in the past it has then gone skanky and readings all over the place as a consequence. Like you I don’t have a lot of spare me on abdomen so I switch sides and can usually see previous spot and avoid that with a bit of a zig zag path up each side.

It was only after I had had the first bleeder and then got a bruise, that I realised how few bruises I now had compared to MDI.  Admittedly they are a bit bigger than needle ones but pretty rare.


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## SB2015 (Apr 6, 2018)

Pogoing through a blood vessel shouldn’t effect/affect (delete as necessary!! I never get that one right) the absorption.  However if readings are giong wrong, and they don’t usually and you can’t think of any other reason, I would  switch cannula.


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