Animas ping ... do you use 'suspend/resume'

Diabetes Technology Insulin Pumps
1

we’re finishing our saline trial with an Animas ping for my 6 year old. The trainer from Animas has been great, really helpful, able to communicate clearly with both adults and children, etc. The one weird thing that has happened in both of our sessions is that she is really (and mysteriously) adament that we not use the “suspend/resume” button on the pump. She keeps steering us toward using a temporary basal setting if Abbie has a low. When I pointed out that the video and material are really clear that we should use the “suspend/resume” for a low, she justs goes quiet. We really can’t get a clear answer out of her.

Any ideas? Do you need to reload/prime after a suspend/resume? or is she just being coy?

We’re about to start on insulin, so any info/insights would be a great help.

And THANK YOU! to everyone who responded to my earlier request of info on what to ask the trainer. Based on your great input, I did read the manuals and watch the DVD…although it took a few pots of coffee to stay awake through it all. Hubbie has suggested that animas hire a ‘naked trainer’ dvd to keep us adults awake, maybe we can add that to the list of suggested upgrades!

CH

2

Hi CH,

I’m going to give this a go. My pump start is in May, but I’ve read lots and have also been given direction not to suspend my pump to treat a hypo.

The point about suspend/resume is that what you do right now, in terms of giving insulin, has a peak effect in about an hour and a half. So, in many ways, there’s no point really if you’re hoping it will treat the hypo that’s happening right now.

The suspend won’t stop the insulin already in the body from the last couple of hours or so. There’s almost no point in using the suspend to treat a hypo.

Yes, reduce the basal if you need to, but most of the time you won’t need to.

By the time the insulin starts working from right now, depending on the insulin you’re using, could be 15-30 mins by which time, you’ll have already treated the hypo and be needing the basal again.

Think about when you’re treating a hypo and you’re on daily injections, and you’ve already got your day’s dose of Lantus or Levemir. You can’t stop that from working for the 12-18-24 hours it works, yet you can still treat the hypo.

The other problem with suspend/resume is that you may forget to un-suspend it, but I think that’s not the real concern.

What you don’t want to be doing is treating highs in 2 hours because there’s been no background insulin.

I hope this makes sense. If not, I’m sure someone else will come along and explain it better than I just did.

May I recommend you read, “Pumping Insulin” by John Walsh (and someone else). It’s well worth the read!

Cheers…
Susi

3

I started on and Animas 2020 (same as the ping with out the meeter) in Jan of this year. the only times that i have used the suspend/resume is when i down load my pump to my p.c. i was told by my CDE that most people do not use the suspend/resume.

Hope this helps.

4

Susi-
Great explanation I’d say. Your point about the delayed effect of any change to either basal or suspension is the key. I agree that forgetting to resume pumping is probably not the root issue, since the pump will continually remind the wearer of its suspended state by beeping and vibrating until someone notices. However, I’m speaking as an adult wearer. A child may not realize that the beeping and vibrating is something needing immediate attention.

Anyway, your discussion was a good reminder that when adjusting basal rates or making changes that affect background insulin, we always need to keep in mind the lead-time required for those changes have a noticeable effect on blood glucose.

Thanks,
Tom

5

The only time I use suspend/resume is when I un hook the pump and take a shower. I never use the temp basal for a low, I just treat it. I used the temp basal last night because my blood sugar was just higher than I wanted when I went to bed. Instead of bolusing I set up a temp basal.

There is really not much of a use for the suspend/resume except for when you un hook and download the pump to your computer. You don’t want the pump to still think you are getting insulin when you are not.

6

LOL - I just did exactly what Preta wrote above - put my pump into Suspend - since I was downloading to my PC (see endo tomorrow). That’s the only time I ever put it into Suspend. I have never put my pump into Suspend or to Temporary Basal for a hypo (is it in the manual? I’ll have to go look at that). I just treat the hypo - and retest abit later to make sure all is going well.

7

Thanks everyone! this all makes so much sense – why didn’t the trainer explain it that way??? she was just so strange about it that I thought there must be a catch!

CH

8

Thanks heaps Tom. I really appreciate the feedback. I haven’t started my pump training yet, but am reading everything I can get my hands on.
Unfortunately I have to wait 2 months for my pump because my DE is going away for a month and then we had to plan a day where my DE, another DE from another town, (neither are familiar with the Animas 2020 and want to learn with me) and the Animas Rep flying in from a major capital city, can all get together and get me started. I’m required to be booked in to hospital for the day, for a pump start. Would you believe my local hospital has never done one before? Too funny!
Susi

9

Hi all umm this is somthing I needed to learn myself and thank SFMAMA for the post.

That being Said I am not yet on the Ping and I will be in may. Does anyone have a phone number that I can call to recieve information on it … like give them my home address and they will send me a packet of information. The best way to reach me is by commenting my profile. But i will do my best to get back to this post to check.

Thanks,
Michael :slight_smile:

10

We use the suspend every 3 days when I change out the site and cartridge - that is so that we can upload the data. I sometimes also suspend when she takes a shower and i want to upload the data. Other than that we never suspend. One reason she might be shying you away is that it is easy to forget to resume. 2x I have forgotten to resume - not for all that long - but long enough for her bg to rise into the 200’s. I do lower her basal and can turn it off , , ,but at the end of the duration of the temp basal it will automatically go back to the regular basal settings for that time. So your child will continue to still get some insulin - even if you forget to “resume”. other than that I cannot think of a reason to keep you from using it. We do not load and reprime after a suspend - unless we get a prime alert - which has only happened once and had nothing to do with the suspend.

HTH

11

What is the reason for the hospital admission? We did our pump start (with my 7yo) at her school so that she could resume regular activity the same day . . .

12

I was also advised not to get used to using the suspend mode. I only do it when i unhook to take a shower, or when I’m downloading. Don’t worry, the pump is obnoxious enough to remind you to resume. I just don’t want insulin leaking on my dresser while i shower. When I exercise, i use a - 50% temp basal program for the period of exercise, and about 2 hours after. It automatically resumes normal basal presets. I know it all sounds very complicated and foreign right now, but give it a month or 2 and you’ll be pushing the buttons like you’d had it all your life. Good luck and keep us posted.

13

We actually use the temp basal alot for our daughter - however my DH almost NEVER uses a temp basal. I think in part it has to do with the fact that he can actually follow thru all the time with what he is supposed to eat. With Willow sometimes her basal is set too high due to her not wanting to eat. We are tweaking this right now to help with the times she chooses not to eat - but that is another post!! But the temp basal has helped me tremendously over the past week when she has decided NOT to eat dinner and goes to bed at under 100 - I am not comfortable with her going to bed under 150 - bc she generally wakes at 80. So I set her temp basal at -30% and that has kept her at a great rate all night. still waking at 80.

14

That’s just how it’s done in Australia. It used to be an overnight admission, but as I understand it, these days, most insurance companies only require a day admission. Maybe not all of them. Then again, I’ve not heard of doing the saline thing beforehand. There’s a specific protocol that has to be followed, with education started a few weeks before, required visits with a dietician, printed material about sick days, and so on. The start-day is totally intensive learning and monitoring.

I guess it’s not exactly answering your question about why it’s done this way. Maybe I’ll have a better answer after I’m hooked up.

15

I’ve read a couple of the posts that say you suspend while in the shower. Maybe my basals are just really low compared to everyone else but I’m never in the shower more than an hour ( and usually much less than that ) and if the amounts that leaks out is more than the condensation from the shower I would be shocked. I for one just detach.