# Does the smell of insulin always imply a pump leak?

**URL:** <https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/does-the-smell-of-insulin-always-imply-a-pump-leak/3200>\
**Category:** Pump\
**Tags:** insulin\
**Created:** [January 11, 2018, 11:50pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/does-the-smell-of-insulin-always-imply-a-pump-leak/3200 "2018-01-11T23:50:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 11

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**Author:** ![Aaron](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/aaron/32/1454_2.png) [@Aaron](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Aaron)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 7:58pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/does-the-smell-of-insulin-always-imply-a-pump-leak/3200/11 "2018-01-12T19:58:14Z")

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> [@Michel](#):
>
> A secondary factor is that we always lose a lot of insulin

Why are you concerned about loosing insulin?

I ask the question because I have this thing about wasting things and need to justify expenditures in my head. When I use an insulin pen, I have no problems priming a unit or two for each shot. That means if I give 6-8 shots a day for meals and corrections, I am loosing say 8 units. So over the 3 days of a pod life I am loosing about 24 units. If I prime 2 units, I would be loosing 48 units.

For some reason when I see 24 or 48 units left in a pod after a three days, I see this as a huge waste so I need to put it in the pen perspective to make myself feel better.

I do not pay for insulin (my insurance does) so wasting makes no economic difference to me. I try to use as little as possible to save my insurance company money, because I am of the belief that trying to be frugal with the insurance companies’ money means that rates may not go up 😆

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