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Permalink Reply by Amanda on June 15, 2009 at 5:57pm

i'm a wonderful MDI'er...no sets just good ol' syringes and pen needles. i take 34 units of lantus in the am and at the most no more than 30 units of novolog a day. i can't avoid the area that long or the other areas get even worse.

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Permalink Reply by Pavlos on June 15, 2009 at 6:18pm

I would also love to know the answer to this. I was actually thinking about making a post like this myself. My scar tissue developed from before the pump. I haven't used my arms in over a year now and they are still out of commission (almost no insulin will go through at all) although I have no need to use them now. My legs are a problem though because that's where I like to insert the CGM so I can have more real estate in my stomach for the pump and so I can give the sites more time to heal. The problem is though that the scar tissue is so bad that in certain areas in mangles the sensor so bad that when I pull it out it is a crinkled, bent mess. It also affects the CGM readings.

I'm sorry I don't have an answer to give you on how to fix it. Some people have suggested surgery, but I don't know about that.

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Permalink Reply by FatCatAnna on June 15, 2009 at 6:35pm

Hey Amanda. Sorry to hear about the scar tissue developing. I was wondering - how much do you inject when you take insulin?

I know for me - when I was MDI (40 years - now on pump for past year) - that because I wasn't using large amounts of insulin to inject with (most was 6 units with Lantus morning/night - and then 1-3 units about 3 to 4 times a day) - maybe it helped in not developing scar tissue. I also rotated like you did - and became quite flexible with the rear end! I know we diabetics are prone to having tough skin - that is what I've been told by many medical authorities over the years. We are tough cookies!!! Like you my arms - looked like I was an athletic - but far FAR from it. I don't think it was because of having scar tissue tho' that my arms - legs looked like this - it's just the way I'm built.

I did have problems with scar tissue on my rear end tho' in my teens - it was gross when I would inject there - and it felt like I was going thru' dry tissue. Anyone had that feeling too? I had to basically give that portion of my body over a years rest - before things went back to normal - and the areas that had sunk in filled out again.

Again, like others have said - rotation is the key to scar tissue not developing. I have more fear of that happening with me now with using the pump and keeping the infusion set in for 3 days - and it being a larger diameter then the 32g needles I use when I inject.

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Permalink Reply by Marps on June 16, 2009 at 6:36am

I have the same issue. I have old scar tissue on my abs from the pump that I was using three years ago- still hasn't healed- looks like lizard skin- I don't wear bikinis because of this.
I also have scar tissue (water retention too) in my thighs. I'm also an injector. I do up to twelve injections per day, including Humalog and Levemir.
The only thing that has helped me, in the slightest, was some lotion on those spots. It heals a little better, but I can't seem to figure out how to get the scar tissues to go away for good- or the water retention. Exercising also does not help with the retention.
Aggravating because I'm thin, but seems like I have "thick" thighs!
Good thing my fiance loves me. haha.

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Permalink Reply by Bill Tenders on June 16, 2009 at 7:41am

I was taking a pill for high blood pressure (Avapro), and because of water retention in my legs, my endo changed the prescription to one that was exactly the same pill, but with a diuretic added (Avalide).

Bill

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Permalink Reply by FatCatAnna on June 16, 2009 at 8:37pm

Thanks for posting this Bill - as I'm on Avapro (don't have high blood pressure - was told to take it to prevent probs with kidneys later) - and have abit of water retention in my ankles - never used to have that until I went onto Avapro. Will ask my endo next time if perhaps the Avalide would be a better pill for me (that's if it's available here in Canada).

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Permalink Reply by Bill Tenders on June 16, 2009 at 7:33am

I have tried just about every insuilin available over the last 41 years. I have rotated injection sites over the last 41 years. I cannot remember a time when I did not have unsightly bumps that continue to cause me embarrassment and to feel the need to keep covered (you will not see me at the beach).

All my endos have told me that I am the one in thousands who has an allergic reaction to the very medication that I MUST take to survive. Solutions? No simple ones, and do not let anyone try to fool you with 'you are not rotating your injection sites' falsehood. I have heard of adding steriods to the injection site (but have been advised to avoid that course). Plastic surgery can remove the problem, but the recovery time required to allow full healing will force you to increase injection frequency in other parts of the body. The other possibility is a pump--assuming that part of the problem with bumps is the large concentration of insulin when delivered by syringe--and its slower delivery. I have not tried the pump, but some pump users who I have met in my local support group claim that they never had bumps until they started using the pump.

Sorry, I am definitely glass half-empty on this subject.

Bill

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on June 16, 2009 at 6:28pm

that's what i figured but i thought i'd through it out there and see if anyone had solutions. i also have a slight allergic reaction to lantus if that's what you want to call it. i can't take it in my stomach because it stings like crazy. my dr told me it's because my skin is sensitive and it has a bad reaction to the acids in the insulin. oh well what do you do?? i need it so i'm going to keep taking it :)

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Permalink Reply by Marps on June 17, 2009 at 1:36pm

Have you tried Levemir? I was having the same symptoms (and much worse) with Lantus, but my doc put me on Levemir two years ago and I haven't had any problems!

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on June 17, 2009 at 1:39pm

no i haven't. i've actually never heard of it until i joined this site. i've been thinking about asking my dr about it next time i go. it seems to work well for everyone.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Hagen on June 16, 2009 at 6:57pm

I had the scar tissue in my favorite injection location, the back of my arms. After going to the pump it only took 5 years for the tissue to calm down. Now of course I have it on my stomach. Yeah, I'm happy.

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Permalink Reply by Gerri on June 16, 2009 at 7:42pm

Amanda,

Lantus stings because of its acidity. Believes this happens to most everyone using Lantus & doesn't mean sensitive skin or an allergic reaction.

You might try taking large doses (anything over 5 units) in two separate injections in two different areas. Anything more than 5 units is harder to absorb, tends to pool & may contribute to more scar tissues.

Something I've found that works well for scar tissue are copper peptide lotions. I used this for a large, old scar on my leg & it was amazing! Takes a while & the stuff is expensive, but it does work. There are different copper peptides products & most are junk. The best I've found are from www.skinbiology.com. It's important that the skin be exfoliated first & then the lotion applied (very little is needed--just drops). I contacted the developer of these products (he's a Ph.D.) & asked him about using copper peptides for injection scar tissue some months ago. He said they would work. I'm not affiliated with this company in any way:)

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