Have I been dumb?!?

[MushyPeaBrain]

So after being really pleased with myself for putting in a 2nd contact detach earlier I have just found my BG is 23.8!!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

I removed the detach part and primed - insulin came through. Then as I reconnected hubby saw loads of air bubbles in the second part of the tubing. I have never had an air bubble issue before.

However I think I might have brought this on myself. After priming the set before putting in I disconnected at the detach and then put the set in. Hubby thinks this meant air entered the set before I reconnected and that I can only detach AFTER putting the set in.

Is he right?

Will all this air do me any harm?

 

[SophiaW]

I'm not sure mushy, we've never had that problem. When we do the cannula change we don't disconnect at the connect part before inserting. You may be right, but maybe not, I don't know. If you do a BG correction maybe the air will be pushed out with the insulin and you'll be okay to go. I remember hubby asking the rep if air bubbles in the tubing was dangerous in any way, she said no and only that it will cause a high BG but that if the air goes into you it's won't do you harm. The BG correction may not be totally effective as there'll be air mixed in with the dose so may require a second correction a few hours later. Otherwise the other option is to completely change the cannula again as you can't prime the cannula end of the tubing without it being removed from you.

 

[MushyPeaBrain]

Thanks Sophia! I have injected insulin as my BG was so high and have also increased my basal to counter the lost units.

Once the injected insulin wears off I will closely watch my BG to make sure the pump is working. There were so many air bubbles we could see that I doubt the cannula is the issue.

 

[SophiaW]

The trouble with relying on the basal only is that it takes a long time to push the bubbles out of the tubing. But I suppose that depends on the amount your basal is set to. Jess has a very low basal so about 9 units to completely prime that part of the tubing would take about 45 hours to work through! But the next bolus would probably prime out the bubbles. I hope your BG comes back down soon and it all levels out for you. I doubt that the cannula is the problem, it's always been bubbles that cause a high for us.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Hi Sophia

As I have understood it from Mushy, she has managed to get the bubbles out of the tube and has now set herself up to run on a higher basal to bring her down just a little bit faster.

I did a smiliar thing when I swopped from teflon to steel. It is a completely different priming process, and I ended up phoning accuchek. I was a real lemon.

Still, we learn from our mistakes....and future persons using pumps will be aware of the things us lemons can do and avoid them!!!!

 

[Hazza]

After priming the new set we always disconnect before inserting a new cannula or when Lily has a shower or swimming etc and have never had a problem. The ends of the tubing are self sealing so no air will get in, just like the bottle of insulin that you draw your insulin from is self sealing.
The sets are made to be detatched or the would not put connectors in the line. We asked Accuchek this very question and that was the reply that we got.
When we were on holiday Lily would have the set disconnected for 2 or 3 hours at a time and we never had issues with it.

Harry

 

[donnellysdogs]

I always reprime a litle insulin after disconnecting my set from the connectors for a bath-as I can see that the insulin in the long tubing has shrunk back up the tube. I have never given a thought to the 10cm tubing. I think what Mushy was saying though that was the set and the connector were detached. So as the cannula was not actually in the skin, and the connector was also detached that there was no 'plug' at one end to stop the air getting inside.....I may be wrong on this, ut this is what I have read.

I am going to do this to my set today to see what happens if after priming it that you disconnect at the connector, whether air does get in (I will of course reprime again to make sure the 10cm tubing is full, but I can see where Mushy is coming from. If set is primed and put in then there is no chance of air getting in, BUT if after priming the connector, it is disconnected- will air get in to the 10cm tubing as there isn't anything to stop it...... I think this is what has happened with mushy..

I think Harry that you are referring to disconnecting when a set is in, rather than when it is still out of the body...

 

[MushyPeaBrain]

Harry I thought this but we couldn't see any other way for all that air to have got in. Hubby thought it could have dripped out the needle while I was messing about plucking up the courage to stick the needle in.

I was super careful with filling my resevoir later (never had airbubble issues before) and I also always prime before reconnecting the set.

If there's any other way that much air could have got in please mention it anyone as I don't want to have a repeat of this next time!

It was def air as my sugars are spot on now it's all gone

 

[Hazza]

Sorry for the misunderstanding, I was refering to when it was attached to you as Sharon said. I can see how you might get air in if it is not connected to you, via the needle.
When we do disconnect though, we do not stop the pump as the pressure from basal delivery will keep the insulin from backing up, at least this should be the case.
With a little more practice you will have it licked.

Harry