Medtronic Paradigm Veo - Cannula Kinking :( Scared!

[jagger38]

How easy are stainless sets to put in, want something simple and very reliable?

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[Julie1471]

Jagger animas, do a self inserting steel one, I rang and asked if they could send me some different sets to try and they did. I think they either arrived the next day or the day after, so pretty quick. But I can't remember the name. How are you after the set problem, the other day??

 

[donnellysdogs]

Just a tip... After a high from a set problem then you should be trying to hit your target level at 5 hours. If you afe getting it down within 2 hours you will be having the likelihood of a hypo following.

To be honest, I have had one occasion recently due to problems with my pump that saw me clinb within 30 minuts from 5.9 to 24... You must realise that for a blockage that the pump cannot realise this immediately.. Some pumps I think can take about 5hours before their alarms will sound unless on the off chance you are doing a bolus.

Certainly I was told to do set changes before a bolus, as if there was a problem it would alarm earlier if bolusing. This was true when I went up to 24.

I do not waste ketone sticks for occlusions.. As the levels should always come down within 5 hours if you are correcting yourself correctly. If you are like me and jumped to 24.. Then a single normal correction bolus does not work, I have to double whatever it suggest for my correction for any reason my levels go above 12.

I am lean and muscly and kept having occlusions with teflon cannulas and using them in my stomach. I only use stainless steel now in my bum for 95% of time and occassionally depending on clothes may try where my love handles are meant to be.....

Pumps can be absolutely magical with the right sets, and really you should not have to worry about tubing kinking etc. with the accuchek tubing its nigh impossible to kink it and all these things are just a thought process for you to find out whats best for you.. NOT what the hospitals think the patients should use. My hospital do not start prople off on fleible cannulas because of the higher possibility of occlusions.





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[Julie1471]

DD(sorry for shortening your name :-( ) Are you on a pump sorry read so many of your posts and can't remember, and what one?? I'm on an Animas and have been told it will only alarm with air bubbles and tube problems, but I've had 2 set problems(so far and it's not alarmed which, I think is pretty ****, esp for new users, like myself) thanks for the 5hr hint. I love my pump as it's helped so much, but I still have so much to Learn. I was siting cannula's in my tummy, but tried top of my thigh and I've been between 5.9 to 5.3 al day, although had a treat tonight and it went up, know what caused it, but I'm learning and know what's doing things. And got told by my DSN last Fri I'm trying to be to perfect with my numbers, which made me feel great, as I really want to keep my pump.

 

[Janet_57]

Hi, new to this so keep with me!

I've had a Paradigm Veo pump since September last year, and it's fantastic. I was very poorly controlled (8 years with a Hba in the teens and now it's 9) but it's worked wonders for me.

However, a few times over the winter the cannula would kink under my skin and the alarm wouldn't go off to tell me (think hair pin bend!). I would end up with blood sugars off the scale and extremely high ketones (to the point of vomiting).

I thought I had it taped by inserting the cannula whilst standing as opposed to sitting but on Friday I ran into the same old problem I was hospitalised with a reading of 33.8 (looking on the bright side of things pre-pump I probably wouldn't have felt a sugar level like this!) and +++ ketones. I realised what the problem was with the kinking/high sugars (I hadn't felt thirsty at all, just sore guts) and within two hours and a lot of water (and new set!) the problem was solved... But it's getting very scary and I'm seriously worried that one day I'm going to lose consciousness.

It sounds stupid but the days it's going to happen all of my skin is sore/I can't find a place where I'm going to feel happy inserting (I'm not at all phobic, it just doesn't feel "right"). I just don't know what to do to get it right, I badly want the pump to work as every other aspect is perfect for me and my lifestyle. It's really starting to rattle my confidence when inserting and I'm living on my nerves for several hours when I insert a new set now (to the point I'll pull out a set that isn't kinked out of paranoia). It really isn't fun any more

Any tips or hints would be ever so gratefully received!

I have a Medtronics paradigm and all their cannulas gave me problems. In my case major infections at the insertion site that took forever to heal and multiple trips to the hospital for treatments. I got ahold of a wonderful lady at insulin .ca her name is Melany and she helped me so much. I am on Cleo 90 for the infusion set and 3070 insulin pump syringe reservoir 3.0 ml size. They are from Applied Diabetic Research Inc. The Cleo 90 is a plastic cannula, I have no more infections since going to this and have never had any kinks. I insert in my abdomen in an alternating pattern. I hope this helps

 

[ann34+]

just to agree with all he people who recommend the metal sets, i found the others had many problems. The metal are good, but you do have to change them every two days, ideally. I found it interesting that when i am on antibiotics sets can last longer, and when removed there can be no inflammation at all. This has convinced me that two days is the maximum they should be left in, as advised by manufacturers. If there is any soreness at all, within 30 mins of putting them in, especially with slight pressure, you need to change, as it probably the set is not in correctly - takes a while to learn but if keep to basic rules works well for me. Any pain on pressure at any time, change, as a small infection or inflammation is possibly going to alter delivery of insulin.

 

[jagger38]

My animas pump never alarms, it was set up for occlusion, but even the rep told me they rarely go off. I find ketones testing strips to be very reliable. My ancient metre isn't terrible accurate sometimes, and testing for ketones gives me a back up. I have lost a lot confidence lately in using my pump, you have to remember you have no back up insulin on board. You can go downhill very quickly. Pumps are great when they are working well, but from reading other pump users posts, problems do occur quite often. My dsn told me, always be always be aware, your life depends on it..

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[iHs]

Have had a look on youtube and animas do a steel needle set called Contact detach.
looks as though it would be ok for horse riding.
A good tip is to use Liftplus spray to remove them or babyoil as the adhesive if its like Rapid Ds sticks like really well

 

[Julie1471]

iHs, I've never heard of liftplus and never thought of using babyoil, all I've used is Zoff, but thinking babyoil is going to cheaper.

 

[iHs]

You might be able to get away with using vegetable oil ! Lol

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[donnellysdogs]

They soak off easy with a bath..or soaked in veg oil.


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