Hello all again.
I have a new issue maybe some of you can explain something.
I’ve been having unexplained occlusion alerts for 4 days even after changing sites. Usually during bolus.
I called them they put me through all the stuff I already checked.
However it is intermittent.
But I ran into another issue that the guy in the phone kept avoiding and wouldn’t answer.
When I get this occlusion alarm, I bolus 5 units, and it delivers 2
I assume the tech support person had you do the restart thing, and then load a new cartridge with fresh insulin while checking carefully for air bubbles, and connect it to a fresh infusion set… Correct? If any of that doesn’t sound correct, I would start there.
The only oddball trick I know of that’s beyond the ordinary you probably already know is, did you clean the 6 tiny air vents on the backside? Center of the backside, near the charging port, where all the symbols are painted on. Just use a dry toothbrush to open the holes back up. If they get clogged, if affects the pressure sensor.
If you keep getting them, just call back. In my experience, tech support is overly happy to exchange pumps, but they’ve hired a lot of new support recently, and seems the newbies aren’t as knowledgeable/comfortable yet. I’ve had 2 tech support calls in the last few months that I didn’t think was up to caliber, followed by a call back to a more typically excellent person who fixed my problem one way or another.
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Live and learn! I was not aware of the six pressure holes. My Animas Ping had a pressure hole that needed to be kept clear of lint. But I had been instructed to just put the pump under the faucet because it was waterproof. I should have known to look for pressure holes somewhere on the t.slim. Thanks!
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You know technically the t:slim is water resistant. Basically water proof so long as you keep is no deeper than 3 feet for less than 30 minutes. I guess you could just wash it off. I’ve never heard Tandem recommend anything there specifically.
Maybe mine never seem to clog because I drop it in the bathtub so much. 
I did all the changing of everything now 4 times in 4 days.
They made me waste another set on the phone, but this is a intermittent thing. I just don’t believe I have hit 4 bad spots in my skin, in a row.
It’s irritating that they make you do all the things I already tried like I am a child with a learning disability. But I understand why they do that too.
Those holes look pretty clean but I’m going to clean them out anyway.
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I used to get these alarms with Medtronic. But it was rare.
6 months in tandem and it was fine until this week.
I went ahead and cleaned my pressure sensor and will hope for the best.
I did drop my pump and it crashed on that very same corner even w the case in it left a mark on the corner.
I’m wondering if I damaged it maybe.
I was told by Tandem that these holes were speaker holes and have nothing to do with a pressure sensor. But chances are someone else got told something different from Tandem. Lots of the time what you are told depends on whom you talk to…
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Happened again today so I think it’s not the holes.
I’m really thinking I damaged it when I dropped it.
I’m calling them again today
Just out of an excess of curiosity, did you get a replacement pump?
No. I realized that my sets were in places that were rather lean. I switched to fattier spots. The problem for me is when I deliver more than 5 units. It tends to over pressure. So when I need to take 6. I’ll take 5 then 1. But really if I’m in a good spot I don’t worry
Although I do not bolus as much as the OP, to add to possible solutions and the reasons for occlusion alarms with a Tandem t:slim X2 plus more lean sites than fatty sites for the infusion set …
I only use the metal cannulas.
Rarely, but sometimes, the occlusion alarms occur if I have left the infusion set in a lean-ish site a wee bit too long.
If the alarm occurred after bolusing, I try re-bolusing, but that is not often successful. I know the site is doomed.
More often it would occur during the night, when it is clipped to some clothes. I am a turbulent sleeper.
Sometimes it would occur during running, when I have the pump in a zippered punch in a thin running belt. That squashes the line.
If it occurs during the night or while exercising, it is mostly due, I think, to a stressed point in the line - I cannot see a “kink” but the white fuzzy areas in the line are noticeable.
From trial and error, I now always wrap some firm athletic tape over the line from the pump to beyond the lock.
I do not have to be too careful to get the end of the tape close to the pump. The problem seems to occur 2 to 10 cm away from the pump.
I think this has been close to 100% successful for avoiding line stresses leading to occlusion alarms.
