Occulsion in Russia - why?

[MushyPeaBrain]

So I am stuck in Russia for the last part of our adoption and have just done my 3rd set change out here yesterday. All seemed fine and BG on target. Had breakfast today and noticed bolus stinging a little, but I get this sometimes anyway. Went out for lunch and started to do my bolus and hey presto pump starts alarming!! Very annoying as I had to prime as discreetly as possible and then rush back to hotel to try and sort out what's happened.

Basically the pump will only let me bolus a small dose of 0.5u before it alarms and says there's an occulsion. This has happened before, although not often, and I have no idea why. It's never air bubbles and after each alarm I have to prime. It's now impossible to use this site and I will have to put a new set in. The sites that this happens in have no scar tissue and I can certainly pinch an inch. They tend to be lower down on each side of my tummy. Does anyone else have this or know why it's happening?

Most days I love the pump but when it does this, especially when I'm in a remote area abroad, it really gets me down

 

[iHs]

I had all this with the Combo in December. What a nightmare :cry: :roll:

What I suggest you do is put the pump into stop mode and then take out the cartridge as that will be where your problem is. Look to see if there is a gap of air between the insulin and the luer connection (this might not be visable from just looking at the cartridge inside the pump). If there is, the piston will not be able to pump insulin through the tube and will alarm occlusion or failed delivery. What you will then need to do is refill your cartridge again with fresh insulin and do cartridge change. If it keeps happening, use a fresh bottle of insulin as sometimes too much air pressure in the vial causes the occlusions.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Mushy

Chnage everything if you can and make sure you report the occurence to your pump people on return to UK.

Even change your pump battery if you can buy another somewhere.

Trouble is with occlusions as I discovered with the flexilink plus's it can be the sets, when you get back see if you have started a new batch of sets, they should have batch numbers on them. See if changing to a different batch number will stop the occlusion.

Not much help whilst in Russia I know, but really do report the occlusion and what happened etc to your pump people on rturn even if you get it sorted out whilst in Russia. The only way these pump manufacturers know there is problems with sets/occlusions is if we report them....

I hope that you can get this sorted, as I know how much you want to concentrate on Russia rather than your pump.... I do so hope that everything works out for the pair of you....

Best wishes ...Sha x

 

[MushyPeaBrain]

Thanks for all the advice - I have an update that explains the first occulsion at least. BG reached 17 and so I did an immediate set change. On removing the old set it was a bent cannula, so bent that I am shocked it worked fine for the first 14 hours! :shock:

Anyway new set in, BG all hunky dory until at breakfast guess what? Occulsion alarm. Now this time it may have been the way I was bent while bolusing or my tubing caught up in my jeans. I went back to our room and fired in the remaining bolus no problem at all. BG are spot on. Waiting to see at lunch what happens but very nervous now.

Tomorrow I start a 19 hour journey home with a baby who hardly knows me so I can't in any way afford to have set issues :x

Insulin all changed, no air bubbles etc. However have started on new box of sets - the only box I have left out here. Hope it's not them!

 

[donnellysdogs]

Great news all round for you...so pleased for you...you must be sooooooo happy!!!!!!!

Best wishes Mushy- Sha x