I've got a date to start pumping (sort of)

[LittleSue]

Evening all

One of the "pump" DSNs rang to say a pump has arrived and they think it's mine :roll: The one who does the orders is away. So until they know for sure, they've offered me a loan pump, either just to "play with" or to pump saline. I've chosen the saline, in the circumstances I think it's worth taking the chance of a "hands on" trial. I can get the hang of set changes without the added stress of going high if it takes ages the first time... and it's better than just waiting for something to happen! (Half-unit adjustments now seem soooooo inflexible!) Hopefully they won't want me using up sets pumping saline indefinitely, so that'll encourage them to chase up my order, if by any chance what's arrived isn't mine (maybe they were just stocking up with purple Veo's cos they're going to be this year's must-have cool Christmas gift :lol: )

Having resigned myself to weeks of waiting till the DSN got back, read her mail, chased the order and checked her diary, I'm now fizzing with anticipation. Again!

Turned a very frustrating day at work into something special. Just had to share.

I start with the saline next Tuesday morning

 

[louiseb]

thats great news that you are getting your pump.
I know nothing about insulin or pumps as im type 2 and use oral meds, but there are lots of pump users here who can help with any questions you might have when you start with the pump.

 

[ebony321]

Great news Sue

It's good you can trial with saline first too, get used to it a bit before you go live with insulin, just remember to take insulin with the saline!!

Let us know how you get on when your all hooked up, i'm sure you'll have plenty to talk about and many questions to ask too

 

[SophiaW]

Fantastic new!! Pumping saline we found frustrating because we just wanted to get going with insulin but I think it was worth getting in the practice without fear of the consequences of doing something wrong whilst we were learning. Really hoping that purple pump is your one

 

[LittleSue]

Really hoping that purple pump is your one

Me too!

It's bound to be strange injecting with the pump on as well. Just have to take my time over things and be methodical, I guess.

 

[ebony321]

I was using my remote with injections at first, so when i started with the pump for real it felt quite odd just doing the remote bit and not injecting.

Its quite interesting how different hospitals go about starting people with pumps.

best of luck when its pump day

 

[LittleSue]

Thanks ebony

They originally said I could go straight to pumping insulin if I wanted. Partly I'd like the security of a dummy run - last time I changed insulin, I needed only half the dose they estimated, which makes me cautious. This way I'll get used to basic tasks like boluses without my brain getting fuddled by high/low sugar. Hopefully having their loan pump and being in frequent contact will encourage them to sort out my own pump promptly.

I've been trying to explain the advantages to colleagues, one of which will be tiny dose adjustments. I know 0.25 is a quarter of a unit, but what is 0.025? I've seen it expressed as 25 one-thousands, but is that one 250th of a unit or is it one 40th?

 

[ebony321]

I think it's goodto be able to have a good practice run, get used to changing cartridges and sets, then when you go live with insulin you can concentrate on getting your basal and ratios right.

I would say 0.025 is a 40th of one unit, as 0.025 X 40 is 1.0?

 

[LittleSue]

I would say 0.025 is a 40th of one unit, as 0.025 X 40 is 1.0?

That's what I thought. That's the mimimum basal rate per hour, given every 3 mins (20 times per hour), so if we're right divide by 20 and that's 0.00125 units every 3 mins.... that x 800 is 1, so it's one 800th of a unit. 100 units = 1ml, so thats potentially a dose of one 80,000th of a ml every 3 mins, or adjusting the rate by that amount.

<<BAM>> the sound of my mind blowing

 

[ebony321]

Haha, i think that blew my mind too!!

I'm not sure if the pump still gives a dose every 3 minutes when doses are extremely low. the min dose for my pump is 0.1 i believe so it doesn't go as low as the veo.

It either like you say, keeps breaking down the dose every 3 mins, or if the pump isn't capable of breaking doses down past a certain number it will spread out the doses to a higher amount of minutes?

Does that make sense? I'm not sure how exactly to be honest..

 

[LittleSue]

Can't find anything in the manual about it how often basal be given at the minimum hourly rate. My dose won't be that small anyway, so I won't worry about it. Nevertheless, adjusting by 1/40th of a unit (0.025) is tiny compared to injections.

 

[LittleSue]

Got hooked up to the loan pump (complete with 'jelly beans' skin!) yesterday, with a Silhouette angled soft set. They were only going to provide one set, to pump saline for 3 days then stop and just practice setting basal rates etc. Luckily I accidentally dropped the little cover (to put back on for showering) on the floor, so she gave me another set so I could try the cover if I want to. Glad that happened, I was going to ask for another set to practice inserting.

Booked to start pumping Humalog in 2 weeks, Tuesday 26 July. Hoped it'd be sooner but the nurse who ordered the pump won't be back (to confirm the Veo that's arrived is mine) in time to start next week.

Now it feels like it's really going to happen!

 

[ebony321]

Hi Sue,

seemed to have missed your post before!

Hope it all goes well when you go live with your own Pretty purple Veo

I think it's rare to have doses so tiny that you would have to definately know that answer, you'd probably have to call the manufacturer to get a definate answer i think.

Just being able to dose in 10ths of a unit is great for me.

My doses are above average size wise so i think i'm better suited to my pump, but someone who's insulin sensitive, a child for example would do better on yours as it gives very small doses.

Keep us updated on how your doing, it's so strange to think a few months ago you didn't think you were going to get one any time soon then it's happened so quick!

 

[LittleSue]

It doesn't seem quick, but feels real now.
I'll keep you posted, don't worry!