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Does Anyone Else Block Out Their Pump Alarms?

ThePenguinPimp

Well-Known Member
Messages
130
Location
London
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Mine often gets to the siren noise before I even notice it.. and then I want to smash it up as it really irritates me (probably as It's never anything I want to hear.. if its quiet its usually because its happy so I'm happy!

I think a useful update would be to have it taser me (lightly) to force me to take action before it gets to the siren...
 
I turned mine off. And then I stopped wearing cgm so that I could sleep through the night. I cannot say that I don’t have problems, but I am sleeping better.
 
Last edited:
Jollymon said:
I turned mine off. And then I stopped wearing cgm so that I could sleep through the night. I cannot say that I don’t have problems, but I am sleeping better.
Click to expand...

I only recently discovered that there is an alarm silence option so I can set it to not disturb me when I'm asleep.. not that it actually wakes me up but when I turn it on I feel more rested so I think its disturbing my sleeping..
 
Jollymon said:
I turned mine off. And then I stopped wearing cgm so that I could sleep through the night. I cannot say that I don’t have problems, but I am sleeping better.
Click to expand...
What was the CGM doing to wake you? I had all sorts of problems with the CGM and pump failing to communicate, always about 3;30am or the most inopportune time (meetings at work etc) . after a lot jumping up and down I got the pump replaced under warranty and in about 2 months it's only played up about 3 times and not in the middle of the night, so I'm one happy camper. However I would love to know how to silence ALL Medtronic 640g alarms if anyone knows. I keep it on silent, but it can make quite a noise normally because it's my fault like providing it with a BG test
 
Pump alarms are very irritating. I have got down to zero insulin by turning off the alarm though which was worse. it just seems that the alarm always goes off at the least convenient time...Mine is a Roche pump and recently played a new tune that was especially jarring and turned out to be a fatal injury. it was a shame that this happened during a PT session and I keep the thing in my bra so I assume the client thought I'd put a phone with an annoying ring tone in there . The only way to shut it up on that occasion was to take out the battery.
 

I’ve been on the 1st MM CGM, Dexcom G4, and Dexcom G5. I’m in the process of considering another, but I’m not really excited about it. The hopes is that maybe a new CGM will cut my testing down. I test a lot. For inaccurate CGM, I tested more AND wore the cost of the sensor, which kind of suggested leaving CGM alone.

Plus I slept better without them.
 
I can understand being frustrated, but maybe your alarm settings are too aggressive or your control is causing them.

I'm glad my pump alarms when things go wrong. I've learnt to make sure my temp bolus's don't expire when I'm driving or asleep. I've set my CGM so that it only alarms if I'm too high or too low at night.

I'd want to know if I'd got an occlusion or faulty pump, even if the alarms cause initial annoyance.
 

I think its just the fact that its NEVER good news.. if it goes off it means its too high, or too low or I need to stick a pin in my finger, or the battery is low or sensor expired lol

I think I'm going to ask medtronic to put a 'happy' sound in there (optional of course), one that you don't need to cancel but just says 'you're doing ok you've stayed within limit for x amount of time.. It has happened that I think I'm doing ok coz I haven't heard from it in a while and it turns out the battery died without warning (that happened several times on one pump that was eventually replaced - I'm reg blind so keeping an eye on the icons at top aren't and option).
 
I agree with @Chas C,
Your alarm is there for a purpose.
Why do you think fire alarms are installed in homes ?
Sure your pump or you might not spontaneously combust but your body could be damaged without alarms to alert you.
In fact pumps actually need more alarms: a slowed insulin infusion alarm (for a bent cannula) and maybe some way to alert you if the battery contact has stopped working.
 
And whilst annoying alarms like music "Fur Elise", do get tiring, equally soporific ones like Eine Kleiner Nacht Musik etc are not much use either at 2 am !!
 
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