I got my Ping started July 21st. I love it and love pumping but about my third week, I began occasionally getting air in my line. I has gotten progressively worse until it is constant and today they are giving me a loaner to see if it’s the pump. I believe it is at this point. Has anyone else had this problem with their pump?
Hi Karla,
I’ve had absolutely no problems like that with my Animas 2020 (Ping without the meter). The one time I had air in the line, I found that I had not screwed on the luer lock tight enough to the pump end.
I also make sure that every last scrap of air is out when I fill with insulin. Also make sure your insulin isn’t cold when you fill because that can cause ‘champagne’ bubbles which might translate to air in the line later.
When I prime I make sure to hold the pump with the line connection up, then I hold the other end of the line straight up in the air, so the prime has to go uphill. Nor sure if that helps anything, but that’s what I do.
When you take your pump off, do you suspend, or let the pump keep going? Maybe if it’s off long enough on suspend and the temperature changes… something is happening there?
It also might depend on how much basal you’re getting. If only a tiny amount, maybe that can be a problem.
Cheers…
Hi Karla…I’m sure sorry to hear you’ve still got that air problem. Holding the line straight up and pushing out a few drops while priming has also worked well for me (started doing that about 3 weeks ago). I’ve had almost no air in the line since then…
I hope that loaner pump solves your problem!!!
…Joe
Susi, thanks for the tips. I’ve talked to the Animas Helpline for weeks. Probably 20 times. I’ve tried every tip any of them gave me. When the Rep and my doctor saw the line and cartridge yesterday, they knew it was not me. However, I will try the “Uphill” method. I don’t know if I hold the pump upright to prime and nobody has given that tip yet. I will also hold the connection up. Never hurts to add another tip to my list. Trust me when I say this has been discussed and gone over by many techs, Reps, and CDE’s with Animas. Of course for a long while they thought it was my technique and I just figured they were right but at this point the fact that it got much worse with time makes it clear it is something else. I didn’t have any air problems the first couple of weeks so when I started, I thought I had some bad cartridges. It’s been a long journey and I wanted to share with everyone here so they don’t have to deal with what I had. Thanks for weighing in and I’ll add your trick to my cartridge technique.
Joe, thanks for always being there to support me. Yes, the problems persist but they took my pump to send it in and today I have a new loaner. It’s going to be nice to have a pump to depend on again. Mine was to a point I had to add some injections as it was always full of air and I wasn’t getting any insulin. By the way, for anyone out there who has had this problem, you do not get an occlusion alarm if blocked by air or I didn’t. Thanks Joe, for telling me early on to check my line for air if my BG goes high.
Hey Karla - I’m thinking perhaps it’s your pump that has been goofing up on you. I am like Susi - use the Animas 2020 (the unPING one ). Never had air in my tubing - I think it’s a fear for every pumper that we have that happen. One thing, I fill up my cartridge directly from refridgerated insulin - and never have had that “champagne effect” (didn’t know that this is what caused it). I’m just anal about beating the snot out of the cartridge to get any bubbles that appear in it - prior to placing the tubing on the cartridge, and priming it. I learned this way of “beating” from when I used the MM 522 - tho’ I find the Animas cartridge much easier to fill up and bang out any bubbles. Hope things go more smoothly - aka less bubbily with your loaner pump. That’s one thing I love about Animas. They get loaners to you FAST! I only ever get a loaner pump when I go on holidays - as a backup incase my pump goes on the fritz - and touch wood - so far - never had to use the loaner (tho’ I did feel like using it last time - as it was silver - and it would have look oh so nice with my evening attire I was wearing - since my pump is blue). I’m a vain creature aren’t I? Anna from sunny but coolish Montreal - aka The Trials and Tribulations of a Diabetic
Karla, it certainly sounds like it’s not you if you’ve tried all the tips. Hopefully a replacement will solve all the problems! Let us know how you go!
Anna, they do think it’s the pump at this point but I had a long road to get them to this point. Yes, they got the loaner to me fast after they FINALLY believed the problem was not me and after they had me change insulin due to mine being more heat sensitive which will cause bubbles, etc, blah, blah, and after I talked to no less than 20 techs at the helpline and tried all their tips. I understand why it went that way. I was a new pumper and I certainly understand that we have to learn all the techniques that are used for various infusion sets and the cartridge also. However, I had drawn up insulin on MDI for a long time and while the cartridge is a bit different, I think they possibly should have paid attention sooner. Part of it was my fault as I never mentioned it to my doctor until the week they decided to bring the loaner. Once I put the word out that my doctor SAW the air in the line for himself and I told him of all the problems, I had everyone paying attention and then got the loaner in two days. I only posted this to try to help others. While I believe this is a random problem that can usually be fixed by talking to a tech and working on your technique, I don’t want anyone to get to the emotional point I reached so hope this helps others.