Stupid question but....any advice on magnets and pumps?

London36_

Well-Known Member
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132
Type of diabetes
Type 1
At work today there were new, fancy, magnetic name badges. It said on the packet that if you wear a pacemaker you shouldn’t wear it. Said ‘strong magnet’ on back of badge.

I’m sure it’s all totally fine and this is a silly, embarrassing question as not huge magnetic fields - but can you wear your pump with them? I’d hate to mess my pump up and felt a bit paranoid about the pump in my bra strap and the badge on my suit jacket.

Weirdly, on same day I saw a school physics experiment, no idea what it was as I saw sign and moved back because sign said something like ‘strong magnetic field warning for pacemaker wearers!’

Don’t want to call Medtronic as I’ve called them before about my in-laws induction oven. They said to avoid the oven, couldn’t be specific on whether this meant the entire house when oven was on or just the kitchen and told me to call the manufacturer of the oven??!? Like they would know?!
 

Mr_Pot

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,573
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Can you download the manual for the pump and look for safety advice?
 
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hankjam

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Messages
4,270
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
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Diet only
If the question relates to diabetes I would suggest there are no "stupid questions". It is really best to know that wonder.
Sorry I can't help with your question but I would be surprised if magnets would interfere with your pumps... just to be sure, pin the badge well away from the moving parts of your pump.
 
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Jaylee

Oracle
Retired Moderator
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18,214
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Insulin
Link below is specifically about hobs but has info on other magnets too:

https://jdrf.org.uk/news/induction-hob-magnetic-field-danger-insulin-pump/

Interesting. I often joked with a pumping (Omnipod) bass player I was in a band with about electro magnetic fields caused by the gear. & my radio mic interfering with the PDM? (Totally different frequency.)
However, his bass rigg? There were some large magnets driving those cones... He used to pretty much stand on top of it.
 
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Bluey1

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429
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Insulin
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People who try and make Diabetes the centre of the party and poor me, I'm special because I have diabetes now everyone run around after me.
Some pace makers are adjusted by magnets, normally name badges are worn on the chest area and if on the left side could be right near where the pacemaker is implanted. Magnetic strength decreases very quickly over distance, I wouldn't be concerned.
 
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London36_

Well-Known Member
Messages
132
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Thanks, didn’t think of that just downloaded. Searching now but not seeing anything yet

Couldn’t find anything. Did see something about keeping your ‘cell phone’ 12 inches away which I never knew or never have
 

ronialive

Well-Known Member
Messages
254
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
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ignorant people
Couldn’t find anything. Did see something about keeping your ‘cell phone’ 12 inches away which I never knew or never have
I think this would be because some pumps connect by Bluetooth to the meter and self adjust according to the result so the phone could accidentally adjust the pump. there Was a case in the news some time back about a pump being able to be hacked by a phone
 

Bluey1

Well-Known Member
Messages
429
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
People who try and make Diabetes the centre of the party and poor me, I'm special because I have diabetes now everyone run around after me.
I think this would be because some pumps connect by Bluetooth to the meter and self adjust according to the result so the phone could accidentally adjust the pump. there Was a case in the news some time back about a pump being able to be hacked by a phone
Bluetooth uses a crude encryption, so without pairing a phone to the pump the probability of the phone making the pump do something is exceptionally remote - hacking, that is something totally different see what goes on at a hacking convention https://www.businessinsider.com/def-con-hacker-convention-2016-7/?r=AU&IR=T/#next-week-starts-with-black-hat-usa-a-six-day-event-geared-toward-information-security-professionals-that-features-training-talks-and-plenty-of-vendors-onsite-1