I Feel Like I'm Just Injecting Water

Ok, guys, I'm having some big issues lately and just wondering of anyone has any advice while I wait for my nurse to get back to me after the weekend.

Currently on a six month pump trial and I need to get my a1c down to 66 to be able to keep it. It's gone well so far, I had my first a1c test since getting the pump and my a1c has dropped from 77 to 70. But for some reason since then, things have gone a bit awry.

Previously, I wasn't hitting any higher than 12/13 mmol and there were little to no spikes so a massive change to when I was on MDI. Lately, though, my levels are acting like I'm just injecting myself with water rather than insulin.

I'm getting spikes up to 15/16 after eating breakfast and then I'm needing to correct at least once to bring it down, my lunch has typically been absolutely fine, but my dinner has been horrible. I ate a salad and spiked up to 20 after eating it and then needed 3/4 corrections to bring it back down. It took 5 hours before I'd even reached below 10. This is happening after almost every dinner lately.

Today. I went out for lunch. Didn't eat anything overly carby - a hot dog and a small portion of chips. Had the same meal a while ago and was fine after it. Today, I went up to 20 and 9 hours after eating, I've still not gone down and I'm currently now sitting on 17 just giving myself more and more insulin. I've had dinner in that time too and that never even put me up. I stayed level (at 18, mind you). This is a constant issue at the moment.

I've changed infusion sites, insulin bottles, and nothing is working. It's really off-putting as I have 3 more months to get my a1c down to 66 and I'm afraid that if I continue like this, my a1c's just gonna go back up again.

Does anyone have any advice while I wait for my nurse to get back to me? Feeling this high a lot of the time is horrible.

MollieB said:

I live in the States so I don't know if it the same there as it is here, but can you call the pump manufacturer and see if they can trouble shoot to make sure nothing is wrong with the pump?

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I'd never considered that actually. We do have a 24/7 helpline for Medtronic. It may be worth a go actually.

Diakat said:

You say you changed insulin, but was it a new batch straight from the pharmacy or something that was sitting in the fridge for a while?

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I've been through 3 different batches since this started. Started a new one on Thursday last after picking it up from the pharmacy.

Diakat said:

Give the rep a call and explain what you have tried.

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Ok, thank you. It's just really weird that my basal is obviously working but any of my bolus injections are doing nothing.

porl69 said:

@indyjholtzmann have you done a basal test recently? Could be your basal patterns need a tweek??

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I've never done a basal test so no actually

So my levels are back to normal all of a sudden so there doesn't appear to be a pump problem. The only thing I have changed is the location of my infusion set.

I tried it for the first time on my leg to give my stomach a break and that seems to be where the issue started. Put it back on my stomach at the weekend and all is good.

Anyone had an injection site work better than another? That kinda seems to have been the issue....