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Insight mechanical fault

lisacp

Well-Known Member
Messages
106
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Over the last couple of days my pump has been alarming and instructing me to change batteries and cartridge.
The first time this happened I changed both, the second time it happened I just changed the insulin as I knew the battery was fine.
After the second time on Thursday evening I thought I would call accu-chek the next day.
I went to bed Thursday night only to be woken up around 1am by the alarm telling me to change insulin and battery. Stumbled down stairs and changed the insulin. This was three cartridges in 3 days.
This morning I didn't wake up!
My children tried to get me out of bed but quickly realised I was hypo.
I did wake up but started to shout at them and throw things. I don't remember any of this but my daughter has since done a wonderful reenactment of events for my information lol.
I am so proud of them, they called my husband in work who was then able to call for help.
My father in law came round to find me naked except for my rain coat! Don't ask I don't remember I'm not sure I can ever see him again.
Called accu-chek today and told them what has happened they said they would send a new pump out tomorrow.
I spoke to my diabetes nurse afterwards and she told me to come up to the hospital as she had a spare pump and would be able to transfer my settings.
I asked her if problems with the insight were common and she said that it was giving her more problems than any other pump ever!
Not sure if the mechanical failure had anything to do with the hypo but just thought I'd share this story in case anyone else was having similar problems.
 
I am so glad you are ok and I'm sure your father in-law will understand ( I did giggle sorry )

Ive chose this pump as my option if I ever get it going, but reading all the problems with it I'm starting to wonder if i have made the wrong one
 
Hi @lisacp I hope you are OK now. For your peace of mind, will they share with you, what the issue was?
 
Gaz-M I'm glad I made you smile overall I am happy with the pump.
Not sure if it was to blame for this mornings drama.
Response from accu-chek was great.
Hypo Band UK
I have to send pump back they didn't mention giving me any feedback. I didn't think to ask!
My brain has gone on strike today
 
@lisacp I ask, as a colleague also uses the accu-chek and like you, thinks its great. However, two weeks ago he got woken at midnight with a low battery from the pump and like you changed all.

He then got woken at 3ish by his Mum because the HypoBand triggered. The HypoBand called his Mum, who jumped in her car, rushed to his home and woke him up. It was a hypo and his BG was 3.7. Regrettably for my colleague, he was then woken at 05:22 with a low batt on the pump. He came into the office looking like he had not slept.

He received a replacement within 48 hours but until this day, they will not inform him what the problem was.
 
well at least you are well and can talk about it all
 
I had a problem with the Insight in that the battery was dropping from 60% to empty with no warning. 20% warning appeared and then before I could change the battery it was at zero.

Called Roche, new pump arrived next day.
 
My daughter's Insight suffered the same - battery reported as OK but then dropped at an alarming rate over the next few hours. It appears that this is not uncommon for that pump - it stays at 100% for quite some time but once it starts to go below that you need to be careful as it goes down to 0 more quickly than you'd expect.

As for the three cartridges in three days, Roche put out a warning that the key-lock on the Insight doesn't work as well as it should and you can very easily deliver an unexpected, default, "quick bolus". The advice was to change the menu settings so this default value was as small as possible. Could this have been the cause of your hypo, you were giving yourself boluses whilst asleep?

PS - glad to hear that you're OK and that your family knew exactly how to sort you out
 
Glad to hear you are all okay.

If you are experiencing probs with batteries going dead etc all of these probs should also be put to the MHRA as well.... Not just Accuchek. They are mechanical failures. I cannot emphasise enough just how important it is to report them.
 
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