Problems after contact detach set change

[MushyPeaBrain]

Hii Sophia. I may well take you up on the offer of sets but for the minute I think it is becoming dangerous for me to keep forcing the contact detach. I am waiting to hear from my DSN but have gone back to the Insets.

The Inset issues have always been caused by me. They kink because I am nervous and so don't always push the 2 sides equally or if I use them on my non-flat areas. I have no scar tissue anywhere I put sets and the area I had it in yesterday is between the ribs and waistline and is my best area for Insets.

At least when an Inset kinked the alarm went off so I always knew before my levels got too scary.

Yesterday the set was def leaking and Animas will investigare. However the first ones I tried were samples so should have been a different batch.

One thing it might be is the amount of insulin I take. Maybe even on slow the force is too much. Yesterday I had just shot through 5u when it leaked. I always have to have my animas on slow setting and with all sets I often get a buzz or sting when I bolus - especially for the first couple. I have just accepted that's me. However the teflon is really snug in my body and I have to really pull it out. A steel needle wouldn't have the same grip and relies on the adhesive pad. Who knows?

 

[iHs]

Mushy

Why don't you put an Inset in yr fridge for 24hrs to see if that helps stiffen up the cannula. Also, I never had any problems at all using an Inset but always inserted them standing up or lying down. A lot of it is overcoming one's fear of putting an infusion set in but if you want to use a pump, then there's no other way around it. It's either use a pump or use an insulin pen etc.

 

[MushyPeaBrain]

Thanks iHS - I've put 2 in the fridge ready for my next change.

So last 2 days on inset my BG has always been between 5.7-6.5 so my basal and carb ratios must be pretty much spot on. I am none the wiser as to why I can't use the steel needles.

Animas have no answer and my DSN just said to go back to Inset and cope with the odd kink

If anyone on here comes across anything that might shed light on this please let me know!!

 

[liklejojo]

Hi,

Your not alone on this one, i've had loads of problems with my sets. There's actually a post on here somewhere that I wrote about infusions sets kinking and not going in.

I'm on the medtronic pump and use the quickset cannula's but what started happening all of a sudden was similar to yourself, sugars sky rocketting after I changed the set however with mine, once i'd taken the cannula out it hadn't actually gone in in the first place, the tip was kinked.
I would then re do the set. My diabetes nurse switched me to another set - sillhouette, but it was really painful (the needle was twice the size) and it went in at 45 degrees so i would sometimes end up putting the needle in one bit of skin and it would come out of the other end i'd pinched. I decided to go back the the quickset cannula and back to the troubles of it kinking and me not knowing about it for maybe 4 hours, by which time I was 25-30+ and twice just narrowly escaped hospital which certainly isn't good.

I've ordered a new batch and so far no problems!! It could be that you have a bad batch??

I'm really deflated about it all really, I was almost contemplating going back to regular injecting. I keep saying to everyone, when the pump works its great and when stuff like this happens its poo!!

I hope this kind of helps in that your not alone, as for answers though I'm afraid I have none.

 

[jopar]

OK
So this is my routine for change - detach pump and remove old set. Shower. Sit around for 20 mins chilling pump free and then stick new set in. I always connect pump up completely and prime through needle 5 drops before inserting.

Now my BG readings are between 4-6 before this and fly up to 17-23 several hours after the change :shock: :shock: :shock:

Do you bolus the basal that you are going to miss? either before or after you detach or attach your pump?

As if your'll not this could be why several hours after you've bolused your BG shoots up, as missing a tad insulin now may not show it's true effects until about 2 hours later... This can create two problems the BG starts to rise and the body becomes more resident to insulin even though you got your basal back running, it's not enough to keep BG stable..

I would try and estimate how much basal you'll going to miss and bolus this first, keep a tight eye on your levels to ensure that you don't hypo.. As it may for you need to bolus what basal you missed when you reconnect your pump! Only way to find out is to experiement which works best...

I always leave my pump running when I've detached it, find it doesn't get bubbles or pull the insulin back up the tubing.. Maybe trying this way might help out a bit as well..

 

[MushyPeaBrain]

Jopar I did do this, as I had always shot 1u through the Inset to "clear gunk" as my DSN would put it.

In fact on the steel sets I doubled that shot and began a +80% basal 2 hours before yet still my sugars soared. This in ONLY on the steel sets.

On the Inset I have no BG issues unless the set kinks. Just seems I can't use steel but nobody can explain why :roll:

 

[jopar]

I'm confused by what you mean 'gunk' I've never heard of anybody being told to prime to remove gunk?

Their is only one type of insulin that can cyrstalise in the tubing very quickly but can't think of it off hand without looking it up, but I know that it's not animal insulin, and isn't novorapids, humalog or Andria (sp)..

If you leave your pump runing then the insulin is going through as per normal just not hitting the body, if you turn it off I know that some people say that they find that the air sucks back up the tubing slightly so prime this air out before attaching!

Not sure what conector your set use, but if it's a lunar then their are several of the manufacuters that produce this sets with this conector, so perhaps have a word with your DSN to see if you can try one of the other manufacturers sets instead...

Manufacturers aren't keen for us to use somebody elses but at the end of the day you've got to go with the sets that suit..

 

[MushyPeaBrain]

Jopar my DSN uses the term gunk to mean any tissue/blood/clotting that can occur just below the cannula. Not sure if it's true but on the course she told us to shoot through a small amount of insulin to 'clear the path' for the rest. :lol:

Since putting the sets in the fridge my Insets have worked so that is a positive and I want to work on tweaking my control.

However I am still none the wiser to why I have huge highs on steel sets. I have thought about trying other makes but when a friend sent me some rapid D sets the luer lock fitted but the wings on the side of the accuchek connector didn't fit in my cartridge cap and I would have to try and trim them each time. Also I prefer the animas wings that stay put to help removal. The only similar set in basically the same set under a different name as it's made by the same company so no reason it would be any different. Without at least a good idea of why it happened it's too dangerous for me to continue trying steel as having sugars in the 20s or more every other day is a serious issue.

 

[iHs]

Since putting the sets in the fridge my Insets have worked so that is a positive and I want to work on tweaking my control.

Well, if the Quicksets can be put in the fridge to stiffen the cannula, then it's possible to do this with other sets as well I should think. Pleased the Inset II is all ok for you Mushy )