• Guest, the forum is undergoing some upgrades and so the usual themes will be unavailable for a few days. In the meantime, you can use the forum like normal. We'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

URGENT set change & could BG machine be broken?

MushyPeaBrain

MushyPeaBrain

Well-Known Member
OK so I'm worried tonight. I've done a set change this afternoon and then had lunch as usual. I normally have to bolus about 50% extra for lunch after a set change. Then I check BG after 2 hours and again 1 hour after that. The second result should be lower and I know the set is working.

So tonight after 2 hours BG 5.0

After 3 hours BG 5.1

At this point I got worried cannula had kinked so bolused extra which should have resulted in starting to go low. Instead 40 mins later I'm exactly 5.1 again.

So something is wrong but I don't know if it's machine or faulty set. There's no way to manually test with my machine and I have no strips except ketone ones with my ketone machine. It's Sunday so no way to get any. I'm scared and not sure what to do!!
 
OK so I used a control solution to check meter and it read 8.2, which is within range.

Then I did BG, an hour after last 5.1, and it's 8.3 :shock:

So if it's right I've gone up 3 in an hour with insulin on board, even accounting for stress. Thing is it's funny it's almost same reading as control test.

My pump has always done a no delivery alarm for kinks and it hasn't yet so either this is a first or the machine is playing up. Mind you with all the insulin I should be hypo by now.
 
Would your OH be willing to be stabbed..

As his BG's assuming he's a none diabetic should give a pretty normal reading and see if it changes compared to yours..

As what to do, well if you can't get a BG reading, If you've got a minor injury or A&E near you I would go and see if they can give you some urine dip sticks for testing for glucose (can't remember there names) won't give you an accurate reading as you get with a meter but at least it will ensure that you keep out of too much problems overnight and until you get your meter sorted in the morning..

Otherwise it's a case of using your ketone sticks, and keep checking to ensure that ketones aren't building up... No ketones then you can assume that your BG is reasonable and not getting out of control..

When you get your meter sorted, ask for a spare meter as well.. Should always have a back up meter as part of your kit
 
Thanks Jopar. BG dropped to 7.6 (I have eaten some dinner) so now I'm wondering if it's just an inefficient site. I did check hubby's BG and it was 5.8 when mine was 5.1.

We ordered the control solution as I kept using him :lol: and one solution failed to be in range last week. The machine also said hubby was 17 at one point but then he washed his hands and was 7. The meter is only about a year old :roll:

With regards to a spare machine I guess it has to be the same as the first due to only having prescription for one type of BG strips?
 
It's better to have a meter that takes the same strips as you have on perscription, more because doctors can be a bit awkward about prescribing two different type of strips...

But I know what you mean, it's scary when you don't know what your bG is and can't take on or having doubts to whether the meter you'll using is giving a good reading or not.
 
Well looks like it's the set :x

Eventually after stacks of insulin last night BG went to 3.3 so treated for hypo and woke up this morning with 5.5. All looked fine but didn't trust the set so luckily had left the old one in. Took my son to his baby group and I start alarming in the middle of it "no delivery". Reconnected to old set and tried again with new one when I got home. Alarmed again. So another set change for me today.

This is what I hate about the pump. It takes so long to fail and now I'm a mother it disrupts my son's life. Don't get me wrong, the benefits of it far outway a set fail, but I wish it would fail within 2-3 hours :roll:

Still going to get a spare machine though so at least I know my BG is right!
 
Just removed that set and it was kinked but in a curve so some insulin was still getting through :roll:

I think this is a problem with Animas. The bolus delivery is so powerful, even on slow, that it can push through kinks. However not all the insulin delivers so ages later I get a no delivery.
 
Back
Top