I'm interested in these Luer reservoirs you talk about I've never seen anything like that how are they different than any other reservoir?
The Luer is a type of connector. The end of the reservoir has a little nob you can screw into the female Luer connector on the tubing (as shown in the pic to the right).
Medtronic also used this type of connection for their infusion sets & pump reservoirs. Then they changed to their current proprietary connector when they introduced the Paradigm pumps.
The Luer is a common standard connector in the medical community. I believe that most of the other pump manufactures other than Medtronic continue to use a Luer to connect the tubing to their pumps reservoir. So if you wanted to use another manufacturer's infusion set with a Medtronic pump, you'd need a different reservoir with a Luer connector but which also fits into and can be used with a Medtronic pump.
But if you're happy with the Sure T and you solve your current problem, then I suppose that's a moot point.
No I like this “Luer” but I’m wondering if I could find one that could connect to my sure t or a similar site? This is interesting I’ll most def have to ask my doctor if there is a different type tubing I can use. This was really helpful and I like the pictures!
I never suspend either, like for a shower or any other reason (like I am low AND working hard). to your other question, I put sure-t's on my abdomen. Usually they don't hurt but sometimes they do. If they bug me too much, I move them. Either an IV300, or Skin Prep secures the set in its new location.
Thanks, I wear them on my hip but was wondering if anyone has worn these on their arm. I was thinking about trying there but a little scared. I have more fat on my hips than anywhere on my body which is why I wear them there. I know abdomen would hurt because of scar tissue. I do miss the days when I could wear sets on my tummy.
Hello, not having read the entire thread i might be repeating somebody elses tips, but do you fill your reservoir with room temp insulin or refrigerated? i find that if the insulin is too cold, air bubbles build up in the reservoir when it is adjusting to room temp, so i only fill my reservoirs with room temp insulin. i also use the Sure-T set and i absolutely love it, it is the best one in the world IMHO.
yay for sure t ;)
... i only fill my reservoirs with room temp insulin.
I am puzzled. Have you tried filling the reservoir from the refrigerated vial, letting the reservoir rise to room temp, & then force out any air which has come out of solution in the reservoir as part of priming the new infusion set?
For me this works better because I know if I left the insulin vial out long enough to warm up I would forget I had left it out ... It's best for me to not leave tasks dangling if I can avoid it.
My logic is that as long as there is pump pressure pushing insulin forward then there should be no way that air can enter.
I tend to agree with you. I simply assumed without asking about it that the pump was being suspended while disconnected. I suppose it could also possibly be that the basal rate is set so low that next to no insulin is pushed during the time disconnected.
Still & all it is puzzling. In the pictures of the Sure T the connector looks to be either the same as or at least very similar to the Silhouette infusion set's connector. I vaguely remember a very small amount of air showing up at the infusion set connector end of my tubing back when I used Medtronic's Silhouette infusion set. However, the amount was so small that I don't believe it ever affected my BG.
Note to self: I suppose I really should find a way to use up those 20 Luer-lok Silhouettes from 7 years or so ago I still have hoarded away. And there are also two of something called a Sof-set QR which I think were included in the box of with my (shudder) 507 pump in 1996. And three boxes of Medtronic Luer-lok reservoirs which fit the 507 or 508 pump which I keep around as a backup to my backup 722 pump.
I wonder if that "hoarders" show ever does one about pump users? But I digress ...
why not leave the insulin out to begin with. My god I've been doing this for over 35 years and I never have a problem with insulin that I leave out for many weeks at a time
Can you send me some of that set love? Lol I need all the pump supplies I can get right now with my new insurance plan. My last box of sensors was close to 1200 dollars. I just love those high deductables but I’m blessed to at least have insurance.
This is one of the main reasons I switched to the Omnipod and won't go back on a tubed pump. I would get air bubbles out of nowhere (I, too, did all the tricks that everyone suggested or claimed would prevent bubbles, to no avail) - and because of my relatively low basal rates, I would miss lots of insulin until I noticed the bubble. When I had to start setting an alarm to check if there were bubbles, I realized this was a big problem. No suggestions for you, just thought it would help to know others got bubbles even after doing everything correctly.
I don't really have bubble issues, so a couple of things to check. First, I'm not sure what it's called, but when you open your reservoir package, do you push/pull on the plunger 2-3 times before connecting it to the insulin vial? There's a tiny bit of lubricant in there, and this step helps lubricate the black O-ring in the reservoir so it moves smoothly.
Second, when I'm done filling my reservoir and before disconnecting it from the insulin vial, I tap pretty good on the reservoir 2-3 times to make any little bubbles rise to the top. Then I inject those back into the insulin vial and pull out more insulin if needed. I use my Silserter device for the tapping, but a hairbrush or toothbrush should work too. I'm thinking this step will help you avoid the bubbles at the connector area.
I have been using Medtronic pumps for 8 years and air bubbles have been a problem. When I first posted about it on TU, I was told they were not possible due to the O Rings--remember Challenger?
It is sporadic and I think it is the manufacture of the cartridges, as one shipment is fine, the next has bubbles. I have called them, but am always told what I am seeing is "champagne bubbles" which they think are not problem. I see larger bubbles. It is not in their books, so they ignore my observations.
Since I opened a new lot of SofSets, I went from a solid run of 120 for several weeks to a complete up and down. Even had a 280 reading. When I changed out the sets, there were large bubbles.
I used sofsets for years but after a bunch of no delivery issues that persisted through many months i nearly gave up pumping. someone on another site at the time mentioned Sure-T's, which I quickly obtained from MM. Thank god for those sets which are all I use now. I may get a no delivery once or twice in a year now. The SofSets would occlude one after the other. Plus they were uncomfortable. Do you have any issues whatsoever with Softsets?
I see larger bubbles. It is not in their books, so they ignore my observations.
Have you taken & sent them pictures of the bubbles? Pictures can help persuade and good cameras able to take high resolution photos are seemingly everywhere these days.
I don't notice any problems from air bubbles. I hold my pump up, with the tubing out the top, when I prime it. I tap the bubbles to the top of the reservoir and I think that this helps them get primed out of the thing when I prime it. I use Silhouettes w/ 23" or 32" tubing and have used my abdomen, legs, love handles, arms and chest and they all seem to work pretty well.
I pretty much don't run into technical problems with my pump hardly ever. It seems that Medtronic are sort of frowned upon sometimes, perhaps because they seem to be sort of forced on people by many practices, but I've found them very reliable and solid pumps. I went so far as to meet with the Tslim guy but was leery of pulling the trigger.
My endo wont provide prescriptions for Tslim. He doesn't like to get patients on new devices until they have been out for quite some time. These arent cell phones. :) I looked into the Tslim but after talking with the company to get detailed info on them, I decided the pump wasn't going to suit me. I forgot the particulars but there were some serious deal breakers.
Sure wish I could get a 640G pump!!
