Power Kite Forum - So here's a weird question,...

So here's a weird question,...

soliver - 4-4-2013 at 05:18 PM

I've been an insulin dependent diabetic since I was 6 years old and I wear an insulin pump for treatment of it. If you don't know, an insulin pump is a device about the size of a pager with a little tube that hooks to a thing that goes into your skin called an infusion set. It's kinda like a mini-portable IV. the infusion set is like a small band aide that has a needle with a tube around it. You insert the needle under the skin and remove it and the tube stays there under the skin, then you clip the tube from the insulin pump to the infusion set and go about your merry business. The pump itself is programmed by my doctor and I with varying hourly rates which it divides and delivers doses of insulin every 15 min. I'm supposed to change the infusion set every 3 days or so to help with insulin absorption.

So here's the kiting related bit,... Very often when I go riding in the buggy, I inevitably get the tube caught on something or I sweat to the point that the adhesive on the infusion set gives out and I unintentionally pull it out. I have had days where I have gone through 4 or 5 infusion sets in the matter of several hours, and it gets annoying. I've also had days where my set has come out and I realized that I'd forgotten to bring extras, so I either have to cut my session short or let my blood sugar run amuck due to the lack of insulin.

I'm not intending to complain or seek pity, or even ask for advice on how to remedy it,... I'm just curious if I'm the only one with this problem or aspect of kiting.

Is there anybody else out there who kites and wears an insulin pump? Or... What medical issues do you deal with that affect your kiting sessions?

Just curious.

jgorm - 4-4-2013 at 06:04 PM

I'm not sure where you attach the needle, but I'd probably wrap a piece of duct tape over it to secure it, then deal with the consequences when I'm done.

bourgeois.jason - 4-4-2013 at 08:14 PM

You wouldn't need duct tape, just the medical bandage stuff they put on your arm after giving blood. It is stretchy, porous, and only sticks to itself. It would stretch with you and come off without any pain.

soliver - 4-4-2013 at 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by soliver
I'm not intending to complain or seek pity, or even ask for advice on how to remedy it,... I'm just curious if I'm the only one with this problem or aspect of kiting.

Is there anybody else out there who kites and wears an insulin pump? Or... What medical issues do you deal with that affect your kiting sessions?

Just curious.

The only "solution" to the "problem" is just making sure I have extra sets with me

I'm mostly just I interested in a dialogue about whether or not other people are dealing with any similar issues...

No duct tape necessary

bigkid - 5-4-2013 at 07:58 AM

OK, now that you got this in the open, haha, where is this area on the body? What is it catching on?

A pacemaker is protected by a flakjacket, my ribs liked my rib/chest protector, and the tape/padding stuff I had for my chest drain after surgery was kinda cool.

soliver - 5-4-2013 at 08:16 AM

The infusion set goes into my stomach on either side of my belly button, anywhere all the way around to my side under my ribs.

The tube is about 3 ft long for some flexibility and its near impossible to keep tucked into my pocket,... It gets caught on just about anything that it can,... From buggy parts to the strap on my glove, to the kite killers; sometimes it will even get underneath me and when I sit down it pulls too tight and comes out.

Jeff it's nowhere near the kind of stuff you may have to deal with, mostly just a little annoying. I'm just curious what kind of health stuff hinders other people's sessions like this can hinder mine.

Lets just call it kite group therapy :lol:

BEC - 5-4-2013 at 08:45 AM

Wow! Not only craftsmanship in common, but I was just diagnosed with TYPE 1 in Dec @ 43 years old....Doing really well with it and taking insulin once a day...( told by many doctors that I am a freak of nature)...Been told that my whole like. My A1C was 13.6. I just got tested after 4 months and down to 6.2 so....not really a problem with kiting as I don't have a pump. I have a couple good friends with disease w/ pumps that play football etc. I will ask them how they keep theres from bouncing around.

This will be my first WBB event without pizza, bagels, carbs and of course BEER! (all the good bachelor type foods) that we live on for x4 days cause my wife isn't cooking for me...Now its water and salad...yummy...BS

3shot - 5-4-2013 at 08:59 AM

If we are talking general ailments, I damaged a disk in my lower back about 15 years ago from a fall. The famous L7 vertebrae! This affects me every day of my life with everything I do. It is not debilitating, but hurts every day. Doctor still says only surgery will fix. But being only 40 years old now, There is a lot of risk in the surgery, so I just deal with the pain every day for now. I'm not complaining or whining either. I just deal with it. I refuse to give up activities, or fun things in life. Some days I just have to take more pain killers than others. I have left the Chiropractor since buying one of those Teeter Hang-Ups you see on TV at 2am. LOL Yes, that machine that hangs you upside down to decompress your spine. It does work great and soothes the back pain for a few hours. I highly suggest one to anybody with similar back issues!!

Kiting does put quite a strain on my lower back. Yet, here I go getting ready to learn the buggy!! LOL
I am an idiot I guess, but it's just too darn fun. Once I learn the buggy well, I might have to see if traction is possible from a wheelchair :wee: :wee: :wee:

And Soliver, my cousin uses a neoprene/spandex belly band for his. Just a thought.

soliver - 5-4-2013 at 09:10 AM

Welcome to the club BEC!!! I'm a 28 yr member.

You are a freak with having to only take insulin once a day! So keep up the good work with those goo A1C numbers... Mine are terrible! Though you are still in what they call the honeymoon stage,... Your body probably still produces a little bit of insulin.

@ 3shot,... That's a bummer about the back injury, but I hear good things about the curative surgeries. I have a good friend who used to be my manager. At 67 yrs old he had already had a surgery or two on his back to fix damage from years of physical labor, and since then, he has had an additional 2 or 3 surgeries and is in the best shape since I've met him. You would be amazed at the speedy recoveries he has had. Now he has a neural blocker installed to deal with his "phantom pain." When he feels back pain, he pushes a button on a small remote that triggers a device implanted in him that blocks the neural pain signal... Sounds pretty cool to me!

Neoprene/spandex belly band eh?... I may have to look into that, can you get me some more info? There's a link to my email below all my posts if you prefer that.

3shot - 5-4-2013 at 10:24 AM

email sent Soliver!

pokitetrash - 5-4-2013 at 10:35 AM

Any chance you can tape the whole shebang including tube and pump to your skin under your shirt for the session instead of wearing the pump on your belt? Might be alot of surgical tape but wouldnt it hold it all on? Tape the pump on and go all the way around your body with the tape to keep it from sweating off. Kind of like a "wire set" on an informant? I do like the duct tape idea too!

Try it at OOBE tomorrow?

soliver - 5-4-2013 at 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by pokitetrash

Try it at OOBE tomorrow?

But I was really looking forward to seeing you turn green when I have to jab my stomach with that wicked long needle!

:lol:

abkayak - 5-4-2013 at 11:43 AM

my son wears a pump set up...cant you go to your leg for the day instead of the mid section to keep the whole set up a little neater for the day??
and Back pain = Tens Machine...nothing like some voltage to loosen thing up and or distract you..i swear by mine

3shot - 5-4-2013 at 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by abkayak
and Back pain = Tens Machine...nothing like some voltage to loosen thing up and or distract you..i swear by mine

I've got a tens unit too. They are great.
That thing will put you to sleep faster than a baby with a bottle :thumbup:

soliver - 5-4-2013 at 01:01 PM

Abkayak, I've tried putting them in my leg before and it just doesn't work well for me,... It's kind of uncomfortable and they get infected really easily. But that may be worth trying.

bigkid - 5-4-2013 at 01:56 PM

One of the things that helped me was wearing a snorkel shirt. Made of spandex. Wear 2 of them, one up againts the skinn and the second to keep stuff out of way.

skimtwashington - 5-4-2013 at 02:57 PM

Do you wear a harness? Does it rub on area(twisting)?

Other than that if tape is sweating off I'm thinking a full wrap around waist/belly using a light stretchy lycra joined by a velcro... maybe a patch area thicker and more foam over actual site...to contour to device ?

Snorkel shirt sounds about right too.

Being a diabetic is tough. Diet and excercise is most important.
American diet and our food processing companies s*ck. There is pure genetic and early onset stuff and then the lifestyle ones, which we,ve been warned about and seems almost epidemic.

abkayak - 5-4-2013 at 04:50 PM

Go to the leg for the day..tape it down w/ that stretchy med tape and when your done go back to the reg setup....I think you'll have less pblms like that..but what do I know I'm just a Dad..

soliver - 5-4-2013 at 06:12 PM

Thanks for all the advice guys, while that wasn't the intent of posting this, I appreciate the good ideas. 3shot emailed that his cousin uses something while golfing like what you were talking about skimtwashington,... A sort or spandex belly band, and that sounds very promising. Though I couldn't find it at Walgreens :no:

@abkayak, I may try that, but the little buggers are expensive and I'd rather not use one on my leg as I really don't like doing it. I just always find it uncomfortable and they always get infected. It just doesn't seem worth it. I keep a lot of stuff in my pockets and they always get rubbed too much.

@BK I'll look into snorkel shirts, that sounds interesting.

@skimtwashington, I don't wear a harness yet, but will probably be getting one as soon as I can, and you are right about diet and all, but what I have is completely different from what you are describing. That is type 2 diabetes, brought on by genetics, lifestyle, obesity ect ect. I have type 1,... Absolutely nothing to do with genetics, juvenile onset. My body does not produce any insulin because of something that went haywire in my immune system when I was 6. It's a completely different beast, but it is pretty common that people make that assumption based on my age and their common experience. The two are different in a lot of ways but treated in some similar ways.

Jeff, how do you deal with some of your health issues in the buggy seat and how do they affect your sessions?

skimtwashington - 6-4-2013 at 06:29 AM

I understand that your condition was purely genetic by the very early onset and did not make any assumption except that it WAS pure genetics for you. I was stating in general that there is genetics and then there is environment. Sorry if it was misunderstood.

The lycra wrap I was thinking of was not a store bought one, but an easy to make home sewn one. I guess I left out this was a do-it -yourself project! Lycra from fabric store. ..cut wide enough strip and sew velcro on ends. You don't even have to 'finish' th strip edges..just sew velcro on two ends. By machine or hand. make sure length and adjustment allows snug fit.

In regards to a harness..... I see more of a possible problem with twisting and rubbing against harness's stiff wrap. The lycra would hold the device well, but it's a raised surface to rub an catch on inside of harnesse's front belt/wrap. Lycra has some slipperyness but it's too much raised surface rubbing.

That's why I'm thinking the addition of some type of foam added just over device to 'fill in' nooks and 'catch points'- to even out surface so its flat and can slide against underside of hatness without pulling out device from your skin.

The belt of harness might actually hold device in itself...it's just not knowing how much twisting ,bending and 'squirming' one might be doing while wearing it -and more so- the movement of belt over that area of skin.

You may have very little friction/movement within harness- if harness fits well and snug with give in right places. Maybe. A well fitting harness for buggying(sit position) will be more important than the rest of us.

So the harness issue may be less of a problem than I'm suggesting... but I think some movement -if small- still occurs.

Thus.. just without harness and it sweating off........ the full band- or snug snorkel shirt even- will be a great help to keep device in place, regardless.

Good luck!

soliver - 6-4-2013 at 05:38 PM

FEAR NOT I wasn't offended at all, just making the distinction between the 2 types of diabetes.

I think you misread,... Genetics was NOT a factor in my development of diabetes,... It was NOT an early onset,... It is type 1 diabetes also known as JUVENILE ONSET diabetes in that the great majority of people with it develop it are at the age of puberty or younger. In many rare case (see BEC's post above) it can be developed in adulthood,... In many circles it is considered an auto immune condition.

I am only making the distinction because it is quite a different animal from what the more common form is (aka type 2), which is what more people run into or meet people with because it is frequently brought on by lifestyle, obesity, and (yes) genetics.

While the two are different, some of the treatments (namely insulin) are similar.

I'm not saying this in order to make a stink,... I have an almost obsessive necessity to make sure people understand me :smilegrin:

The bellyband thing was an idea that came from 3shot above,... The kind like old ladies wear to keep their stomachs in to look skinnier.

Ps I like kites too :lol:

windriderjr - 10-4-2013 at 11:42 AM

I'm pretty sure the answer is already there, but I'm a pumper, too and use "Tegaderm" sheets (normally used over IVs to hold them in place) while buggying and especially kayaking. Hope this helps.

soliver - 10-4-2013 at 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by windriderjr
I'm pretty sure the answer is already there, but I'm a pumper, too and use "Tegaderm" sheets (normally used over IVs to hold them in place) while buggying and especially kayaking. Hope this helps.

Hey windriderjr, this looks like your first post, Welcome aboard the good ship lolly pop!

It cool to know another kiting pump user (I've been on the pump for about 10 yrs and still can't bring myself to call myself a "pumper").

I've used the IV 1-hand 3000 that minimed sells that sounds kinda like the same thing. They really don't have any more "sticky" than the infusion sets themselves,... Where do you get the stuff you use? From your pump supplier, or somewhere else? Does it hold up better to sweat?

stetson05 - 10-4-2013 at 11:43 PM

tegaderm, you would be amazed at what you can find on Amazon. You might try a skin prep that increases the stickyness of the area before accessing. As long as it doesn't increase chance of infection. The neoprene belly band wouldn't breath and would make the sweating thing worse. If you get infections in you legs when you access there I would say that isn't worth it. Infections will just make control harder. The lycra think or Snorkel shirt sounds interesting. Would it make you look more like a super hero? What about aerodynamics and speed? Every little bit helps.

I applaud you for not allowing it to hold you back. You are an inspiration I can use to point to others that feel their life is over because of Diabetes. You deal and move on. Great attitude.

For myself, I have nerve damage left over from a hard landing. Pad up and ride on.

soliver - 11-4-2013 at 04:21 AM

Thanks Stetson,... I do use IV prep wipes and you're right they do help for about the first day. Ironically I have found that sometimes the set will stay in longer if I use a regular alcohol wipe.

Thanks for the kind words. Given that I've been diabetic since I was a little kid, it's always been a part of life. Other type 1 diabetic friends and I have discussed before how I (we) often feel like I can't remember a time when I wasn't diabetic. I don't ever feel like it holds me back just cuz it's always been there as a part of my identity. Hassles and all :smilegrin:

I'll check amazon for the tegaderm.

3shot - 11-4-2013 at 05:12 PM

Hey Soliver. I saw some of those spandex slimming belly bands at Walmart tonight. Check your's in the health care isles. If your's does not carry them, I can snag one up and send it over. I think they were s/m and l/xl. Just another heads-up :thumbup:

soliver - 11-4-2013 at 05:24 PM

Cool, thanks... I thought you had said walGREENS, but they weren't there,... I will check Walmart sometime soon and let you know.

Abkayak is sending me a tegaderm patch to try out too,... Thanks dude,... I really only started this thread to find out if anyone else dealt with strange medical issues similar to this when they kite, And how they deal with it,... I really wasn't in search of an answer or to solve the problem, but I appreciate how you guys have offered help. I think there may be some good solutions here.

Thanks

dman - 11-4-2013 at 06:01 PM

My son has been type 1 since he was almost 4 and he is now 16, he is using the mini med pump and has had great luck with it. Usually during high stress activities we make sure he is loaded up with food/fuel and just suspend and unplug the pump to make sure it is protected and safe. As long as he is hooked back up and fires the pump back up every hour or so during activities he seems to stay pretty level on his blood sugar. I have a friend who does triathalons, marathons, and epic bike races and he wears the Omni Pod. He swears by it and says it changes his active life after switching from the mini med.

3shot - 11-4-2013 at 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by soliver
Cool, thanks... I thought you had said walGREENS, but they weren't there,... I will check Walmart sometime soon and let you know.

No prob. My Cous did get his at the drugstore, but I saw them in wallyworld this eve as well.

pbc - 11-4-2013 at 06:30 PM

My medical problems are mild, but I have had plenty of gear-related problems and most center around the seat harness. The worst is when the waist band rotates under load at each jibe and chews up the skin on my hips. I finally rebuilt my climbing harness to be more suitable for buggying than climbing the week before last. I used it for 3 days of hard flying last week at Ivanpah and it was a god send.

I used to route my ear buds through my harness and that was a frequent failure. Depending on a medical device with a tube near my waist seems quite challenging. Do you sew? Have you considered sewing a pocket on the inside of a shirt to put the device in? Related to this I like how Chad (Phreerider) stows his ipod shuffle. He clips it to his hat and bundles the spare cable under the ipod. You would have to hit him in the head to snag the cable on that rig. Perhaps that trick and an interior shirt pocket might provide better routing?

As to buggy wear, I now always wear long pants and long sleeve shirts on the buggy. It provides a much more effective sunscreen and allows me to peel most of the dirt off at the end of a session. It also provides a measure of protection from arm burns if you bump your arms into the back wheels. I highly recommend it. Our Goodwill sells men's dress shirts for $5 each.

More recently I am starting to think of switching from water shoes to shoes and socks. The worst buggy injury I have had in the past year was abrasion from my front wheel just about my ankle bones. I'd hate to wear soggy shoes from the surf, but I think it would fair trade. The Corey Llama is a big fan of boots on the buggy.

Philip

Matt in Ky - 26-4-2013 at 08:21 PM

Hi Soliver!!!! This is my first post/comment. A mutual friend told me to dig up this thread, I am Type One as well DX in 1983, my brother was also Type one but passed in 08 of a massive heart attack. I am on a Animas ping pump been on it for about 7 years now, was taking 11 injections on a good day and 13 on a bad. But back to the topic you asked, I have found that alcohol does the best trick at keeping a set to stick during activities and such, also if you see the set start to "flower" take one of the skin prep wipes and slightly touch the edge that is peeling....seems to buy me a extra day.... :thumbup:

soliver - 26-4-2013 at 08:38 PM

Thanks Matt,... You being in Ky, if you know any fellow type 1's from the Nashville area, we might know some mutual people,... I grew up in Memphis, and spent 2 weeks every summer at the Tn Camp for Diabetic Children,... Kids fr all over Tn with type 1 and we were all great friends,... I've lost touch with, well,... all of them.

I'm on a minimed for about 12 yrs now and still in horrible control.

Diabetic kiters unite!!!!!

volock - 8-1-2015 at 12:45 PM

Thanks for the awesome thread Soliver. Definitely some useful tips. To join everyone in sharing I've been diagnosed with Narcolepsy (w/ Cataplexy) since 16 years old and was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes at 17, so roughly 10 years ago. On a minimed pump and sensor, though switching to a tubeless pump soon.