Infusion Sets

ElleDee said:

I wonder if anyone has experienced any issues with any infusion sets . . . . I started on my pump, an Animas 2020, last week and have been having a reaction at the sites.

I am now having to change sites every day, to me this kinda defeats the purpose of the pump, however I still prefer this to MDI;s however, its looking likely that with these infusions sets anyway, I am going to have to change every 12 hours :-(

Has anyone else experienced anything like this, and do you think that it would be beneficial to possibly try another infusion set?

Thanks in advance

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Hi Elle,
you need to ask for some cavilon spray. (not cream) this is a barrier and will stop the allergic reaction to the tape, if it's the tape causing the problem. If it's the Cannula it's self ie as in the tethlon then change over to a metal cannula or visa versa.

I can assure you, you will not be allowed to change your cannula every 12 hours, you will bankrupt your pct doing that at £10 + VAT for each cannula. If none of the above works I suspect you will be taken off the pump due to cost so hope you manage to sort things out.

Ask your GP you can get the Cavlon spray on prescription, but make sure that it's the spray you get as it also comes as a cream... You can also use Tagaderm which is a clear fine plaster type thing, used in pressure sore care/prevention that also works well..

Thankfully Cannula's are actually Zero VAT rated, as they are medical equipment

If you go down to a 6 hour change, you get through them in a month :shock:

Another thing you can do, is give your pump rep a phone, if you ask nicely they might send you some samples of the other type of cannula you've got to try...

I'm surprised that they gave you so many cannula's from the word go, as sometime is take a try out of several, different cannula's ie, length, teflon, metal, angle or straight etc.. To find the most comfortable one..

Hi Elle,
yes you can buy the spray but at something like £11 a bottle best to go ask GP for some on prescription :shock:
What cannulas have you been given?

Thankfully Cannula's are actually Zero VAT rated, as they are medical equipment

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If you buy the cannulas yourself then yes they are zero rated but the PCT has to pay VAT on them as they do for all medical stuff including the pump.

ElleDee said:

Hi there, I have the Inset II infusion set. TBH I didn't expect to get as many things either and was shocked to get to the hospital and have 6 big boxes full of stuff waiting on me lol

I am also not using the pump fully yet, at the moment I am only using it to deliver background, so I am hoping that the reactions are either temporary or to the infusion sets, I have my fingers crossed its not a action to the insulin :-(

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Your health team need a kick up the bum it sounds as if you have about £2000 worth of stuff there. (18 months worth of stuff)So silly as no one knows how a new pumper will get on with the cannulas to start with.
Those insets are the most expensive and hidious things I have ever come across. I refused to use them. Even went as far as telling the rep where he could stick em. :lol:
As they are tethlon they are meant to be changed every 3 days.
They did tell you not to change the cartridge every time you used a new infusion set didn't they?
Insulin, why would you suddenly have an allergy against it if thats what you were using prepump?
Sounds to me as if your team are new to the game of pumping. Set the thing up to deliver the bolus as well and get on with things. All this should have been done on day one.

1st priority though is to stop the allergic reaction. So get on to you GP 1st thing monday morning to sort it out. (Cavilon spray)

As an added thought have you redone your house contents insurance? If not you need to with all that stuff in the house.

ElleDee said:

They did tell you not to change the cartridge every time you used a new infusion set didn't they?
Erm . . . . No I was given quite a quick 2 hour training session with my pump, and unlike most who get to take it away and "play" with it using saline I was hooked up and sent packing that day.

This is probably going to sound bad but I have no idea about the whole basal/bolus malarky and I am due back up to the hospital in a few weeks time to hopefully go through this and start using the pump fully.

I have been on it since wednesday and must admit that at the moment I am not seeing any drastic changes in my BG levels, but I suppose I probably won't until I start to use it fully

As for the insulin, I have had many problems with it in the past and have been known to react to it too :-(

I got a letter from the manufacturers advising of the need to put the pump on my insurance, so done it the same day LOL

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Hi Elle,
Sounds to me as if you have had disgusting care regarding your diabetes and pump transission. If you have no idea about basal bolus how do they expect you to be able to operate a pump? The pump only does as you tell it.
Insuring the pump is all very well but you also need to insure the supplies as well as that's a lot of money involved.
Again your team are very naughty in just dumping you on the pump with no time to play. I had mine delivered to the door played for a day and then plugged it in.
You should by now being doing basal tests and adjusting your basal pattern to suit your own needs.

If you are having problems with the insulin's try animal insulin instead. Don't let your DSN or anyone else tell you it can't be used in a pump. It can and is by quite a few pumpers, me included.

Read your manual and also do a search on the net for how to use your pump and set things up. You obviously have to do the work yourself as your team seems to be rather :thumbdown: