I just got an A33 error on my Paradigm Pump. It means that a sensor failed and therefore the pump is not functional. They will get me a replacement pump by tomorrow noon.
I am freaking out a bit because I didn’t have a backup plan, so I am all out of Lantus and don’t quite remember the whole shots process… gotta go back to it ASAP, so I will run to my doctor’s office. :S
sorry to hear about your pump. Looks like back to the old fashion way. At least they are getting you a replacement pretty quick.
Good luck
I realize I am not alone in this:
http://orsaaetas.blogspot.com/2006/07/as-good-time-to-start-as-any.html
Indeed the warning sign was that insulin (the past 2-3 times I was priming) was squirting out instead of dripping out… today it just gave me the A33 error and then rebooted itself.
When this happened to me–I initally panic’d—i have not been on shots since 1990—have never taken lantus—so in times like this, it is good to know diabetic’s that live close by that may have a ‘back up’ pump. A similar thing happened to me last summer, since i do not have a back up pump, i called my D friends and fortunately one of them had a back up pump and i got hooked up for 2 days while waiting for my new pump to arrive.
When I used Lantus it was 7 units at 7 & 7 I keep reminding myself of this in case I ever have pump failure. I keep Lantus around because that is what I use on my type 1 diabetic cat. He get 5units every 12 hours, of course he is not bolusing for meals but it seems to work.
Minimed is good about replacement pumps quick. I had one go bad a few years back. I just tested every hour or 2 & used shots to correct compensating for the missed basal. Its was approx 24 hours & went pretty good.
Today was a bit crazy, but things are leveling out. I saw my first value at 123 a while back. Earlier I was in the 200’s and 300’s.
My endo gave me a Levemir pen and a Novolog pen to get me through tomorrow @ noon. I now have the UPS tracking number for the pump, so things are moving. 
This is the first time I use Levemir, so that’s interesting too (I used to be on Lantus before).
Thanks to those who replied here and those who e-mailed/sent Twitter messages. 
When I went on my pump they had me write a 3X5 card of my current insulin usage I was using prepumping, I still have it and believe me I am not that orgainized(cannot even spell it.)
I was also told not to go on a basal insulin but just to shoot up every few hours with fast acting insulin as when you return to your pump you will still have that basal insulin floating around in you and you could go hypo upon hook-up.
End of May, my pump died and I shot up humalog over night setting my alarm every 2 hours to test. I did okay with it, but I was in panicsville at first, but somehow I had remembered the plan of just shooting up humalog and I thought about how much insulin my basal was set up every hour on my pump. It was kind of a guessing game, but it worked out okay.
Manny be careful when you hook back up and remember you might still have Levemir in you, so you might want to reduce your basal rates a bit. Pre-pump set up I had to wean off Lantus, cutting the dosage.
I will probably give myself half the morning dose of Levemir to minimize the chances of a hypo. OR, I could wait to hook up until later in the day and not rush things as soon as the pump arrives.
THX for the advice, amiga!
I did exactly that. Fortunately, the pharmacy just gave me some Lantus! It was something like 3 in the morning. Now, I have a script and some in the fridge for that dreaded A33!
However, I hope you enjoy your new pump. I took the opportunity to switch from gray to blue, and LOVED the clean, scratch-free new pump
Pumps do that sometimes. Since 2000, 2 Minimed pumps have died on me; MM had replacements out almost instantly. I simply went to MDI with the Novolog on hand.
That’s me too Manny! No back up plan til last week!!! Scary isn’t it??? I have been doing this pump therpy for so many years I had really never given shots another thought for so long! Now I am starting to again!!! HA!!!
What you can do is add up all your basal rates for the next four hours and give that amount via a shot of humalog or what ever quick acting insulin you use in your pump. Every four hours repeat the procedure and also give yourself via injections humalog insulin for everything you eat, ust as you would for a meal bolus. I know this means that you must wake up all night to give yourself basal shots… That is what I have been instructed to do. It is good for an emergency, but I personally have never had to try it. Good luck.
The only thing with that is I can not take ANY fast acting insulin even in my pump I use the longacting insulin. Found out YEARS ago I couldn’t take the fast acting insukin accordiny to my DR I’m allergict to it it will make me fall REALLY fast lke 1 minute later at 400 to below 20 then I have the lovely seazers! Some can take it and some like me can’t!!! Just too many years of having D !!!
What insulinDO you use in your pump and how fast does it work? Do you use regular? Just curious!
I dedicated this week’s podcast to tips in case of pump failure:
I can’t use regular of any kind it is the lovely NPH It works on me in about 6 -18 hours. Usually 18 hours the DR told me that it was one thing that made me hard to control b/c of the spikes and lows! But then again I have ALOT of scar tissue that will affect the asbortion rate! Thanks to our lovely Medicare System! They will only pay for so much and I wind up paying about $2000 a month just to be here and bug ppl ! HA! Really I just don’t want to see anyone else have the trouble I’ve had and am having. This is a VERY personal deiase and let’s just say mine has been a REAL pain sometimes! It’s not really from bad control it is just harder for me to get good control when usually around the middle to the end of the month there is nothing here to eat at anytime!!! My hubby and youngest can eat ANYTHING and I mean like a whole bag of chips and those frozen pizzas and not feel bad at all! As i know you know we can’t!!! HA!
Anyone who had a pump fail before and went back on the replacement pump:
Did leveling your sugars back on the pump take a ridiculous time? It’s been almost 7 hours since I plugged myself again and I can’t get my sugars below 200, no matter what I eat, no matter what I bolus.
Is this normal or could it be a bad site throwing things for a loop?
I did not have this issue when my pump failed. What was your bgs at when you started the pump site? Was it in the normal range or were you high going in?
I would definitely change the site and make sure all your settings are correct on the pump. Perphaps your Levemir ran its course, therefore, it will take an hour or two for your basal settings on you pump to “kick in”. Remember that the basal settings on your pump take about an hour to be running in your body.( not exact). Just like when you change your basals for exercise they say to start this about an hour before your exercise to begin. Hope that makes sense
Pain in the a$$. 
Karen
This has happend to me a few times. The worst was when I was in 8th grade on my class trip. We were in Pennsylvania, but my parents were in Wisconsin and we have no school nurse. So they loved the phone call with 3 days to go, “ummm my pump is broken” So I had to do shots till we got back, luckily I had packed my pens and lantus for just in case.