Insulin pumps

[ConradJ]

Bum is a lovely place fot steel sets if you are muscly. I am and have used my bum cheeks for nigh on all jabs n cannulas for 30 years. Not a mark on my bum. Still beautiful and j lo...

Everyone different..

Thanks @donnellysdogs ,

We sure are: I don't think my bum is quite j lo - it's far too hairy! I did try using it for cannulas, but needed to shave / wax areas to let the cannula stick (you ladeez get off lightly in that area).

Maybe I should go for an all-over electrolysis

 

[ConradJ]

Teflon never worked properly with me. Steel in stomach and lack of love handles still hurt and occluded.

I'm on 6mm steels but would love 4mm, can't get accuchek. 8mm are way too long for me.

@donnellysdogs

Have you checked with Advanced Theraputics? They supply a 4.5mm steel cannula ("Easy Release"), which you may be able to get supplied via your trust (http://www.advancedtherapeuticsuk.com/infusion-sets-dana-r)

 

[Spiker]

I reached a point of absolute desperately frustrated pointlessness with it all - looking at repeated meter result printouts and diasend reports and just thinking "wtfp".

God I know how that feels mate. :-(
That was me last year before DAFNE and the pump and CGM gave me a new lease of hope.

I would recommend trying the full Monty version of LCHF. It sounds like you are nearly there anyway in terms of diet change. LCHF for me gives huge improvements in blood glucose stability - Dr. Bernstein's "law of small numbers".

If you go back to MDI there are more basal options than just Lantus so I'm sure you will find something that works better: Tresiba, Levemir, or back to Insulatard perhaps. If the baby carrier is obstructing all your preferred pump sites then maybe MDI is the way to go. Though have you considered wearing the pump on your arm and/or siting cannulas there?

 

[MushyPeaBrain]

Is the baby carrier the only option? What about a buggy? Also have you tried putting your cannulas in the area on the front between ribs and waistline? That was a great place for me when carrying my son about. You might find angled sets work better as more likely to bolus into good fat. I think the bolus pain is when it hits muscle. I had more trouble when I was slimmer and also it really hurt in areas I have scar tissue from years of injecting.

 

[cjw]

Hi Yingtong,
I have a Medtronic Veo with CGM. I think you should check with your diabetes consultant/nurse if they will fund the CGM for you. I have also lost hypo awareness and my CGM is funded. It makes sense for the CGM to be funded as not everyone could afford to self fund and with no awareness you could end up with all sorts of problems that would cost the NHS money.
As mentioned previously I cannot particularly recommend the Medtronic as it is the only one I have used but it does the job - alarms when blood sugar above or below levels which I select and also if the BS is rising or falling too quickly.
It does take some time to get settings correct but works well now.

 

[mariposa84]

Hi everyone,

I'm in a bit of a pickle and hope someone might be able to help me.

I am coming to the end of my warranty with my Omnipod and been told by hospital that it will be almost impossible for me to continue with it for various reasons.

I have had some problems with this pump which has affected my control. I even had a pump holiday and went back to mdi but hba1c soared and I had some scary hypos so went back to pump.

I don't want to go back to mdi as, despite all the issues, my hba1c is much better on pump. The thing is that I've only ever been on the Omnipod and I'm incredibly nervous about using a tubed pump (I took a lot of persuading to go on pump in first place and been told Cellnovo not an option for me).

I've had a look at the accuchek pump and it looks like the one i might be most comfortable using as it has a remote control but would like to hear from someone who uses it before I make my decision.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[mariposa84]

Anyone able to help?

Thanks

 

[donnellysdogs]

Its brilliant.

Wait for the release of the new pump being available. Prob early next year. Thats going to be even better!

Tubes no problem for me. Pump on arm. Sets in bum and tube under clothes completely. Pump only comes off my arm to have a bath or to change a set.

Don't be getting a combo one now though, when the new one has a brilliant slimline remote and even better facilities to it.

 

[mariposa84]

Thanks so much donnellysdogs!! They mentioned another pump coming out next year with cgm capability...but honestly dont think I'll be able to self-fund cgm so think there's no point getting that one. Another daft question for you (sorry!!) ... has the tubing ever caught/someone pulled it off accidentally??? I work with young children and slightly concerned that it could be pulled off.

Many thanks for your prompt response and, yes, will definitely hang on for insight!!

 

[donnellysdogs]

Depends where you wear it for catching tbe tubing. I do a lot of work in vest tshirts (i'm a female, but never wear bras). However lots of women put them in their bras, so I guess their tubes are also well hidden.

My tube and pump are secured by tubigrip to my arm and so never move. Sometimes if in my vest tshirt and I bend down to young 4week old puppies or even at 12 weeks I am a little wary but I've never had any problems at all with tubes getting caught and mine are 1m long.

I guess with a pump in your bra and set in your stomach that their is even less chance day time to catch it.

However, I am lazy and when I go to bed I never have to worry about where the pump is going to go. I dont wear pj's either and was hopeless with the pump left roaming in the bed. So Being on my arm, it just stays there, no bother at all to undress, bed or anything.

Also my sets fit anywhere in my bum, that an omnipod would never had done. Stainless steel ones for me, i even sit on them no probs!!

 

[iHs]

Although I have a Vibe pump now, I also had a Combo Spirit before. You can essily put a pump in yr bra cup or
In the middle of yr bra and its out of the way and no one sees it until its pulled out to bolus etc. Lots of women do this with no trouble. The pumps with the remotes are good as the pump just stsys in bra and the remote delivers the insulin. Some women put pump inside a baby sock or phone sock and forget. The sock makes the pump nice and cosy and prevent s bofy moisture from affecting it. As to the tube.......they tend to stay slightly coiled unless pulled out straight like DD does on her arm but most people keep the tubes under their t shirts etc so rarely a problem unless the tube is very long and its left hanging outside clothing.

The Insight is worth waiting for as it has a good screen display to cope with light, is small and the Accu chek infusion sets are straightforward to use and the cartridges are meant to be easy to fill. All pumps are good though with or without remotes.

 

[Lucypieee]

I've had a Medtronic Veo for over a year and have managed to pull it out twice, both times it was in my leg and I was on the loo.
I had another girl start with me whom works with kids and she's never had a problem with them and the pump, she showed it to them and explained it to them and there's never been an issue with them catching it no matter where it is.

 

[chrisp1234]

My 6 year old son is getting his Insight pump at the end of November on an early adopter scheme, from what we were told by our DSN the official release time will be around April next year. I'll post how we get on. Were a bit apprehensive as its a complete change after learning to get good control on MDI.

 

[Type1Jim]

The best features and bolus advice is on the roche combo pump. Medtronic is a good pump but doesn't have the option of a handset and the bolus wizard often has to be over ruled. There is a new roche pump coming early next year called the Insight and I would wait for that. It has a touch screen handset and will be very easy to use.

 

[donnellysdogs]

The best features and bolus advice is on the roche combo pump. Medtronic is a good pump but doesn't have the option of a handset and the bolus wizard often has to be over ruled. There is a new roche pump coming early next year called the Insight and I would wait for that. It has a touch screen handset and will be very easy to use.

Insight is the new Roche pump which the above poster will be doing a pre release trial on it.

I can't wait to hear how it goes. I hope the new pumps are out before April.

 

[mariposa84]

Thanks so much everyone for all your advice. Think it's definitely the one I'm going to go for...even if I start on the combo! I've been told I will get an automatic upgrade once the insight comes out which i hope proves true. Good luck to those who are some of the first to get the insight...please let us know how you get on.

Happy Halloween!!!

 

[schreis]

good news for you, my daughter uses accu-check pump and we have a Dexcom to monitor her, its a good thing to have when running temp basal rates

 

[ronialive]

I have been on injections for 40 odd years and also had a pump about 18 months ago. I didn't have a choice but it is fantastic. I have an animas vibe which is waterproof so can go in bath swimming doesn't matter - no risk of harm. It is simple to use. it has the option of cgm but I don't qualify so cant comment on that.
simple to use and I love it
I started on it with pork insulin which was great but did change to apidra as it was imiting.

 

[Spiker]

Really don't worry about the tubes. It's, at worst, a minor inconvenience at times. One that reduces very quickly as you get used to it. Compared to the negative effects of you coming off a pump, it's inconsequential.