Insulin Pump
 

I never see anything on this group about pumping
insulin, so I thought I would post.
I just wondered if it was just me, or do many
other people have problems with their
pumps, reservoirs, or infusion sets?
For the last year I have been using a MiniMed 712
pump, and I have tried all of
the available infusion sets @ various canula
lengths, and had nothing but problems.
The pump rep recommended one type of set, and knew
nothing about the other sets.
In fact she wasn't even diabetic.
Some sets go in at a 45 degrees others @ 90.
lengths are 4mm-10mm. If you don't
have the perfect length and angle, it won't work.
What happens most all of the time is, I get air
through the bottom
of the reservoir and shortly after, it makes it's
way through the tube.
When there isn't air present in the tube and I
take a bolus for a small item like a
piece of candy, and do that 5-6 times within that
hour, my sugar goes high as if
I didn't take any insulin. On the other hand if I
just take the required dose for
6 pieces of candy at one time, it works fine.
In short, small boluses seem to be inaccurate and
minimed reservoirs leak air.
Last week I changed pumps to the Animas IR1250
which uses minimed infusion
sets, but the reservoir is made by animas, and
seems to work flawlessly.
(it's waterproof too!)

Gregory

On Sun, 27 Feb 2005 00:40:18 -0500, Gregory Poche >
wrote:

>I never see anything on this group about pumping
>insulin, so I thought I would post.
<snip>

>Gregory

Gregory,

Sorry, I can't answer your question because I don't have any
experience with pumps.

Several people who pump participate in alt.support.diabetes. You
might try reposting your question there if you don't get much by way
of answers here.

Rose

In article >,
Gregory Poche > wrote:

> I never see anything on this group about pumping
> insulin, so I thought I would post.

This newsgroup is about food and diabetics. For all kinds of
discussions about other aspects of diabetes, I recommend
alt.support.diabetes or misc.health.diabetes. Lots of discussions of
pumping on both those groups.

Priscilla
--
"And what's this crap about Sodomites? It's always Sodomites this and
Sodomites that. What about us Gomorrahians? We were there too; we
deserve some mention. Sodom always gets the credit, and Gomorrah always
does the work." - JohnN in alt.religion.christian.episcopal

I use the Minimed 715, there is a "trick" on the reservoirs, before you fill
them with insulin, slowly pull the plunger out while twisting or rotating
it, then do the same thing as you push in back in , do this twice, This
procedure will properly distribute the lubricant around the O rings that
seal the plunger. The lubricant can "pool" on one side if stored for prolong
periods or subjected to heat, as in a hot auto.


"Gregory Poche" > wrote in message
...
>I never see anything on this group about pumping insulin, so I thought I
>would post.
> I just wondered if it was just me, or do many other people have problems
> with their
> pumps, reservoirs, or infusion sets?
> For the last year I have been using a MiniMed 712 pump, and I have tried
> all of
> the available infusion sets @ various canula lengths, and had nothing but
> problems.
> The pump rep recommended one type of set, and knew nothing about the other
> sets.
> In fact she wasn't even diabetic.
> Some sets go in at a 45 degrees others @ 90. lengths are 4mm-10mm. If you
> don't
> have the perfect length and angle, it won't work.
> What happens most all of the time is, I get air through the bottom
> of the reservoir and shortly after, it makes it's way through the tube.
> When there isn't air present in the tube and I take a bolus for a small
> item like a
> piece of candy, and do that 5-6 times within that hour, my sugar goes high
> as if
> I didn't take any insulin. On the other hand if I just take the required
> dose for
> 6 pieces of candy at one time, it works fine.
> In short, small boluses seem to be inaccurate and minimed reservoirs leak
> air.
> Last week I changed pumps to the Animas IR1250 which uses minimed infusion
> sets, but the reservoir is made by animas, and seems to work flawlessly.
> (it's waterproof too!)
>
> Gregory

I use the Minimed 715, there is a "trick" on the reservoirs, before you fill
them with insulin, slowly pull the plunger out while twisting or rotating
it, then do the same thing as you push in back in , do this twice, This
procedure will properly distribute the lubricant around the O rings that
seal the plunger. The lubricant can "pool" on one side if stored for prolong
periods or subjected to heat, as in a hot auto.


"Gregory Poche" > wrote in message
...
>I never see anything on this group about pumping insulin, so I thought I
>would post.
> I just wondered if it was just me, or do many other people have problems
> with their
> pumps, reservoirs, or infusion sets?
> For the last year I have been using a MiniMed 712 pump, and I have tried
> all of
> the available infusion sets @ various canula lengths, and had nothing but
> problems.
> The pump rep recommended one type of set, and knew nothing about the other
> sets.
> In fact she wasn't even diabetic.
> Some sets go in at a 45 degrees others @ 90. lengths are 4mm-10mm. If you
> don't
> have the perfect length and angle, it won't work.
> What happens most all of the time is, I get air through the bottom
> of the reservoir and shortly after, it makes it's way through the tube.
> When there isn't air present in the tube and I take a bolus for a small
> item like a
> piece of candy, and do that 5-6 times within that hour, my sugar goes high
> as if
> I didn't take any insulin. On the other hand if I just take the required
> dose for
> 6 pieces of candy at one time, it works fine.
> In short, small boluses seem to be inaccurate and minimed reservoirs leak
> air.
> Last week I changed pumps to the Animas IR1250 which uses minimed infusion
> sets, but the reservoir is made by animas, and seems to work flawlessly.
> (it's waterproof too!)
>
> Gregory

Gregory Poche > wrote:
|| I never see anything on this group about pumping
|| insulin, so I thought I would post.

Could be because the group is alt.food.diabetic, not
alt.pump.diabetic. You might try taking your questions
to alt.support..diabetes or misc.health.diabetes, there
are a number of pumpers in both places.

BJ

Gregory Poche > wrote:
|| I never see anything on this group about pumping
|| insulin, so I thought I would post.

Could be because the group is alt.food.diabetic, not
alt.pump.diabetic. You might try taking your questions
to alt.support..diabetes or misc.health.diabetes, there
are a number of pumpers in both places.

BJ

Gee Gregory,
I am so sorry you are having an bad experience with your pump.
Even though I have only been pumping 2 days I notice far better
control, more comfortable in my own body and a nice level basal.
I have found my MiniMed to be waterproof and my mother who travels the
wolrd has never had a bit of a problem with one exception. She stayed
in Russia two days longer than she had planned and could not go to a
local pharmacy to get extra supplies although, they are available there
off the shelf with no script.
Things worked well as she went on to Germany. I love my MiniMed pump
and their service has been exquisite.
Their support for my mother has been constanst all over this world.
You will soon find problems with Animas as there are problems with all
pumps,,,,after all they only have a human to program them.
John