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Too anxious to use pump?

MushyPeaBrain

Well-Known Member
Messages
647
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I've been pumping a year now and I'm wondering if I'm too anxious to use a pump. I could really do with some support and advice because I don't know what to do.

On MDI I really, really struggled to get control. My HbA1c was around 8 at my best. However I accepted this was my fate and overall didn't fret about being diabetic, just managed it the best I could. The biggest issue was my needle phobia and it could take me 20 minutes sometimes to bring myself to inject. I had a penmate (fires in the needle) which helped.

Started on the pump just over a year ago and had a really rocky start. Was VERY high, kinked cannulas etc and wondered what the hell I'd done going on one. However as things settled and with the help of this forum the pump started to work for me. Got to summer and started having kinked cannulas again. tried steel sets but wouldn't work for me and nobody could figure out why. Back to Insets but stored in the fridge, which seemed to work.

So I developed my pump routine, but one based on no trust. I change my set every third day and at lunch time. I leave the old set in not just past lunch but past dinner as an extra caution if my new set fails. I bolus into the new set to almost force a hypo to check it's working. Again no trust that most times it will just work.

I fire my set into the air once to check it works ok before I fire into me. Luckily this has showed up some faulty ones! I don't go out for the half day after a set change. I worry I'll be out and it will fail. So every third day the afternoon is spent at home hoping it's all ok.

I don't like to sleep on the set for fear I'll stop it working. I worry when my husband hugs me near the set he'll dislodge it. I don't move when doing a bolus in case it fails.

I was doing better. I could spot a failed set quicker etc and I was doing ok. Then I got some really dodgy batches of sets. Then I had 4 failed cannulas in a row. then I had a site just stop working in the night after 24 hours of perfect sugars. Now I'm scared. I don't trust the Animas sets and I don't trust my sites, even though I rotate really carefully.

I've hardly eaten over Christmas. I'm so worried my set will fail. If my BG goes a little high I start to panic. I don't want to feel afraid but I don't want to lose the freedom and control I have gained on the pump.

What should I do? I could really, really do with some advice.
 
I get like this, A LOT. I tend to take my pump off and have injections for 2/3 weeks then go back and try the pump again. I have changed my set a lot recently because I don't think they're working but then when I take them out the look fine they've just been hurting me. I can't lay on mine either incase it breaks it and I rarley go anywhere it all makes me paranoid!
 
I'm like this too. It's early days I know (pumping for 6 weeks) but I am beginning to wonder when I will start trusting the pump and not setting the alarm to check during the night and looking to see if it's still in place. I'm hoping that I will begin to have confidence in it but I thought I'd be more at ease with it already......but after 2 hospitals visits and sets that hurt.........I'm not (

Not sure what to do, so I'm afraid I don't have any answers for you.
 
took me a few months to get used to it, keep going
 
Candi-girl how do you calculate your insulin needs for MDI? My DSN didn't tell me how to work out the insulatard etc. How do you move across?

Riri I think you WILL feel better in a few months time. I hated the pump at first but as things settled and I got more used to it it was better. It's now just that I can't trust my sets, especially if they are faulty. Until then I mainly loved it. I just wish I could manage the way other people seem to.
 
I have never had a set failure in 2 1/2 years, I use tenderlink sets, identical to silhouettes which I insert manually. Quite frankly, the idea of firing a set in fills me with dread. Currently, I touch the needle onto the skin, if it hurts, I move it & usually see immediately that I have hit a capillary just under the surface which is what causes the pain.

I also don't worry about highs, I pretty much always hit double figures 2 hours after a meal, often 12-15, but it drops back without correction after 5 hours, so I just accept that I have slow insulin absorption, if I have a bigger bolus, I'd be hypo 4-5 hours after my meal, so I just accept the highs; there's nothing I can do about it. Last hba1c was 6.5, so I'm in reasonable shape.

Stay with it, perhaps try a manual insertion, see how that goes.
 
Cheryl I have reduced vision and so was worried I might not be able to use a manual angled set like that - what do you think? I particularly worry about getting the angle right.

When I tried steel sets I used the Animas Contact detach and found the manual insertion no problem. However my sugars reached the 20s every change and eventually I discovered leaking insulin. I think that the 6mm finer needle couldn't cope with the large and very powerful bolus from my pump. I have considered trying a different brand that might stick down firmer and therefore counter this. I loved the security of the set not being able to kink, although changing every other day was a pain.
 

It sounds to me as if you need to get your DSN or rep to check your insertion technique :?
I use an animas pump and the 6mm contact D infusion sets with no problems at all.
When you insert them make sure you push down firmly. I have to use a pick axe to remove the tape as well.
If you sweat a lot then use an alcohol swab to dry your skin first then insert the cannula. If that still doesn't work animas will provide you with some skin tac to use. That's as good as super glue.
There is also mefix tape which can be used to put over cannulas to stop them being pulled out.
I'm suprised you haven't been taught this as it's a basic safety. Also make sure you are not using any body lotion when having a shower just before a set change.
 
CarbsRok I'm very interested in your Contact D technique. With the batch I used I found that the sticky patch didn't hold as well as the Inset. I don't use any body lotion or anything that would cause issues and I don't sweat much either. I have never had an issue with the Insets sticking. I tried a Rapid D, although not attached to my pump, and that was stuck like superglue. I had to use Lift Plus to remove it! With the Contact ones I could feel them coming off as I bolused. I did push down hard to stick it too. I called Animas and they went through my entire technique and couldn't see a problem. Both sets are 6mm but the steel is finer and I have always had slight stinging boluses with the Inset. I have my pump set to slow.

The only difference is I pinched up a bit of fat to put the steel in, whereas I fire the Inset into flat skin. Could this be a problem? What do you do? Do you use the tape?

My DSN was unhelpful and told me to go back to Insets as they are more reliable. Animas even told me on the phone the Insets are better made as they are most popular :shock: Wasn't helpful at the time!!
 
MushyPeaBrain said:
I have reduced vision and so was worried I might not be able to use a manual angled set like that - what do you think? I particularly worry about getting the angle right
Click to expand...

The correct angle depends on how much of a fat layer you ahve of course (they say the angled set should go in between 30 & 45 degrees I think). I am fairly slim,. but what I do is sort of hold my thumb under the set as I line it up, this provides me with a guide for getting the angle right for me.

I got a new pump last week & was being shown the various sets available for use with it, the contraptions used to insert most of them looked horrendous. My DSN was of the opinion that, often, the needles are too fine which is what causes the kinking/failure. She demonstrated with a Mio set, which she fired into the air, even that needle was bent after firing and it hadn't even been fired into anything!

It might be worth asking for a few practice angled sets of different types to insert manually and get someone to watch you while you do it to see if you can consistently get the angle right and do it without pain and being too scared. It's easy to tell (if you can see well enough) as when you let go of the set, the needle handle should sit at about the right angle from your skin before you draw it out.

With reagards to sticking; I have recently been prescribed Cavilon spray which is meant to help the cannulas stick in place. I don't usually have a problem, but when on watesports holidays, the combination of sun cream, water & constant dampness where the cannula is under my board-shorts, I find that they continually sticking it back down again.

When I insert my sets, rather than pinching, I stretch the skin slightly between two fingers as I find it helps the needle break the skin. You could always try that too.

I do find the DSNs can be awfully rude to us when we are trying our hardest to take control of our lives. I oftent hink that they should be sent on more courses to learn how their dismissiveness & impatience with our issues can affect our quality of life. I'm lucky that I don't have any problems other than diabetes; reduced vision/mobility & the myriad of other conditions (associated or not with diabetes) must make life so much harder, yet the HCPs don't seem to take that into account. When things aren't working, it's our own fault for not trying hard enough. Perhaps they should try living the disease for a few months (instead of just wearing a pump for a few days) and see how it imapcts on our lives.
 
Animas would tell you how great the insets are as they cost a lot more than the contact D's :evil:
As to the stinging many complian about the speed of delivery which is causing the problem if bolusing a large amount. If that's your problem then do an extended bolus over 30 mins that should solve the problem.
Again re the lifting of the cannula, this has to be down to you. Simple reason is the cannulas are a medical device and have to reach a very high standard. Press firmly in the centre on the plasic to make sure you have pushed home correctly. Another option is using a longer cannula if you have a good covering. If related to twiggy then this wont help.
Sticky tape! I was advised to use as it stops sets being yanked out on door frames or animals and children accidently catching or pulling on the tubing if it has come untucked. (This is basic knowledge any pump trainer should have given you.)
As to the insets I told the rep what he could do with them when he demonstrated them to me :shock: In 4 years of pumping I have had 1 set failure which was my own fault. This is using cleo90's and contact D's
As each set costs on average £10 each I wouldn't be surprised if your PCT doesn't say something to you soon if you are going through them like there's no tomorrow. You need to get hold of your rep and get him or her to do a home visit. Sit down with him or her and go right back to basics.
 
Well, after using tenderlink sets (identical to silhouettes) for 2 1/2 years & never having a set failure, I tried the quicksets that the hospital gave me with my new pump. The first one was OK, but I changed the cannula yesterday & had a set failure (it was obviously kinked when I took it off). I had inserted it manually as I can't bear the thought of the isnerters, they lok like intrsuments of torture to me. Trouble was, I changed the set, had a couple of slices of toast & went out to a party. I then ate garlic bread, crisps & other such naughties over the next couple of hours when I started to feel like my bladder was going to burst. BG check followed: 27!!! I rushed home & subsequently failed to get the next two quickesets into me, so resorted back to my very dwindling supply of silhouettes. I just found that I didn't have a clue whether the quicksets had gone in correctly and with a BG now too high to be read by my meter (over 32 I think it just reads Hi), I was too scared to sit back and hope it was in properly.

I'd forgotten how much a bladder full of sugar hurts!! (not known that feeling since pre-diagnosis). So I've had a rubbish night's sleep getting up every two hours to check my BG & go to the loo as I'd drunk so much water. Luckily by this morning, I'd got myself back to 6.4.

I now only have 8 days worth of silhouettes left & am hoping desperately that my first order from Medtronic arrives very soon.

I can see now why people dread set failures so much, I felt awful!! I have clearly been lucky not to have to experience it over the last 2 1/2 years, I am definitely staying with the silhouettes & my nice comfy manual insertion technique now.
 
Cheryl I am in awe that you have managed to go so long without a set issue! I can't even imagine going 6 months without one, let alone 2.5 years. I would feel so differently about the pump if it was like that for me.

I have decided to be brave and try some new sets. I am petrified but I think I need to do it. I am going to get samples of the Inset 30 and the comfort, which is the same as your tenderlink ones. I am slim, although not skinny. I take size 10 and I can pinch an inch, just, so maybe I need to consider angled sets. People certainly seem to say they kink less.
 
Go for it Mushy (though it seems rude to call you that lol) the worst that can happen is that you don't like them, end up doing a quicker than expected cartridge change & revert to your old ones.

BTW, my silhouette supplies arrived today, great. BUT...the DSN ordered the wrong size cartridge for my pump. Grrrr! They ate hopeless administrators my DSNs! So it's back on the phone tomorrow to speak to Medtronic to get a rush job of the correct ones sent out before I run out in 10 days time. Hmph!
 
:thumbup:
Hi I have been an insulin dependent for 50 years and when i started injectingit was with 26g x 3/4 so you shood not be to afraid of aidusing the pen with the so fine needles
iam now using the pump and have been for12 years it;s great it brings back your life you do not have to live by the clock any more best thing for me but you do neen to test more often
vic







 
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