Delayed Bubbles?!

[sugar2]

Hi,
Wondered if anyone could help? I am new to pumping (2 weeks now) and keep finding that I am getting bubbles in teh pump cartridge. they are not there when I pull the insulin (room temp!) in to teh cartridge, and I flick the cartridge and puch any bubbles out. The n I take teh cap off, attache to teh canula and prime the line. Then attached to the pre inserted canula, prime that, and off I go. All is well for a while, but about 24 hours later, I always seem to have a massive air bubble in eth cartridge...which I am struggling to get rid off! Does anyone know how I can avoid getting this, or at least get rid of it once it is attached? I have tried, disconnecting the line from teh cartridge, and expelling a 20 ul bolus into a tissue, and this can help, but never gets rid of it completely.

I am sure I am doing something wrong...please, any suggestion gratefiully received! Do not worry about putting down anything you feel is "really obvious" becasue I am new to this, and it is probably not obvious to me!

I am using an Accuchek Combo.

 

[Debloubed]

Hi ya, I have the combo pump and I am 2 weeks in too! I have just had to get rid of bubbles too, spooky :wink: you have to stop the pump and re-prime to get rid of the bubbles, like you are starting again, disconnect the pump from the canula, set the prime again and wait, holding the pump so the cartridge is upright so you can see the bubbles moving to be pushed out. Keep tapping the pump on your hand and you should see them go through the tube until they are out at the other end. Prime again if you need to! then re-connect and test 20-30 mins later to make sure all is back to normal.

Hope that helps xx

 

[JANROU]

Had the same problem, also fairly new (4 weeks on monday). I reprimed and found that i had to do it twice as the bubbles kept appearing every time I gently knocked the pump on my hand. Am back at clinic on monday so was going to ask if i was doing something stupid. Sorry no answer to your question but its good to hear other people have the same issues.

 

[Brava210]

Weird, I had the same today, checked the cartridge several times all ok.
Then about 4 hours later a big bubble, which I had to prime out..

Gary

 

[jopar]

I have the Spirit pump, (the combi is an up-grade version of the spirit) and I get poblems with air bubbles and I've been pumping for almost 2 years now..

CarbsRoks gave me a couple of tips to try the other day, do as you are doing at present with tapping out the air bubbles, but then leave the cartridge on the table for 20 minutes, give it a couple of sharp taps on the table, check and remove any air bubbles then put in pump following normal practice...

I've added this to my normal routine, even though in my case it hasn't cured the air bubble problem (carbsRoks uses a different pump) it has helped a lot... I now don't see any bubbles for a couple of days, any that appear aren't as big as before and a lot easier to prime out the pump...

Another tip, to prevent any bubbles getting into my tubing, I always wear my pump so that the lunar lock is facing downwards, then any air bubbles that are present, float to the opersite end of the cartrige away from the lunar lock and tubing, by doing this I've only had air bubbles get into the tubing on a couple of occasions in two years..

 

[sugar2]

Thanks all! Glas that it isn't just me! Will try the leave the cartridge for a while and then re knock the bubbles out. I tried wearing it upside down, but kept myself all twisted up!

I guess repriming is teh answer. This is a shame though, as I can get 6 days out of a cartridge, but if I keep repriming (around 15 units a time) I run out after 5 days. Oh well, we live and learn.

 

[CarbsRok]

y

 

[Debloubed]

Hi Carbsrok, so the bubbles in the cartridge/tubing don't prevent the insulin flowing through? I thought that was why I had to prime them out? I think what you are saying makes perfect sense (get rid of the bubbles just before they get to the end of the tube!) so do you mean if the bubbles are in the cartridge they can stay there? Confused.com!! :lol:

 

[CarbsRok]

y

 

[Brava210]

I think you lose about 11 units, removing bubbles :shock:

 

[JANROU]

My DN couldn't give any other ideas on delayed air bubbles just to check and prime!

 

[Jaxx]

For me the bubble problem was solved by bringing the insulin cartridge closer to body temperature than room temperature. I usually tuck it into the bottom of my bra for a short time before using it, or inside the waistband of my jeans and - hey presto! - no bubbles.

When I first had my pump (last August) I also found that on some occasions what looked like bubbles to me were actually marks inside the tubing. These occurred if the tubing had been bent, causing its outer skin to separate slightly from the inner layer. Until the pump rep demonstrated it, in answer to my question about bubbles, I had no idea that the tubing was made like that :roll:

 

[sugar2]

Thanks for the advise...will certainly try popping the insulin in my bra before fillingthe cartridge. My problem is that I can't see the insulin coming up the tubing, so have to rely on when I feel it come to teh end of the tubing.

Not sure whether it is strictly a Roche pump thing...althoughj I have only tried the one so can't really compare. I asked about this on their phone jhelpline, and got the advise about knocking it to the top ofthe cartridge and then priming. Seems to have been a bit better for the past few weeks though..so hoping all the advise worked! Thank you all...you aguys are great.