You are not limited to just one type of infusion set. Check with the educator or your doctor to see if they have samples that you can try. If not have your doctor write prescriptions for samples. Right now I have Insets, Inset 30s, Cleos, Accu-Checks and Orbit infusion sets in my closet. I have different length canulas, different colors and also different length tubing for the infusion sets. I use the different types on different places on my body.
I used Cleos when I first started pumping because that was the brand that my pump company suggested. I like them. I have never had any problems with them not sticking.
I got the Accu-Chek infusion sets at a Diabetic Expo. They are alright but not my favorite. I have problems keeping my blood glucose levels steady with them.
I have 2 Orbits that I have not tried yet because they did not come with an applicator and I am a little chicken right now. I figure before I do my next order I will try them out to see if I want to switch to them.
It took me quite some time before I got brave and started trying new infusion sets and once I did I wanted to try all of them.
I emailed my CDE to find out about getting other samples that neighborhood doesn’t carry. I want to try the orbit really bad! I hear nice things about them but neighborhood diabetes do not supply them.
Just an FYI - I had a really bad experience with neighborhood - they were unresponsive and uncaring, their timing was bad, and I just didn’t like it.
In terms of my insulin, I have learned that I must get it locally (Walgreens) and put it on auto refill, to avoid stressing that I won’t have what I need.
I will be doing autofill with walgreens. i for some reason have issues getting the insulin pens! They never have them in stock so I have to do it a week before I run out so I can get them in time. I only have to do one more refill on the pens before switching over. But how do I do auto fill?
Neighbhorhood hasn’t been too bad. They are a bit slow in getting the manufacturer receipt for the dexcom.in and as a medical biller I know it is not hard. Call dexcom, tell them what you need, and then submit it over to the insurance company. Oy. I need to email my rep on the sensor stuff as I need a refill. I know I need a new authorization and I am not sure whats going on with that. But I need more sensors by next week and before Friday as i am going out of town first thing in the morning that day.
Hi Amy
You can do auto fill either online (establish an online account) or by simply asking the pharmacist.
I developed a very good, cordial relationship with all the people who work at my Walgreens - to the point where they know my first name and I know their kids’ names. It helps - they are always willing to go the extra mile. As for making sure your pens are in, what they told me is that it usually takes 2 working days to get in the pens OR vials (which you’ll need for the pump), so allow for that if you don’t get on autofill. But I love autofill - that way, for insulin and for strips, I have extra because they crank it out on the first day the insurance will pay for a refill - and sometimes I don’t use as many strips or as much insulin as my RX allows for, so that covers the times that I use more.
hrm, I’ll have to do that with the vials as I wont be on pens for much longer. My other supplies will be coming from neighborhood. It will be nice NOT to have to go to the drugstore for pen needles, insulins, etc. Just for the vials.
oh that I know but the pen insulins. But it will be nice just to go for that instead of everything else. Well I have other medications too but for the diabetes part just the vials
Amy, you do want to keep some pens for when you have a problem with a site and need to do a correction by pen. Maybe the longtime pumpers can chime in here but I think that is something people do ongoing? In my first month I’ve had to do that a handful of times. I’m hoping it will get less as I get better with infusion sets and find the right ones, but I think you are always supposed to keep a source for injections. I suppose you could just use the vials and get syringes, but I had a nearly full box of pens and I’m used to them.
I have to refill my insulin pens anyways so I’ll have them. But I’ll have syringes as well for the vials. I hate syringes. I like pens better than that but oh well. I just hope to have success with the infusion sets and find one that works for me. So I do have a question, I presume in the needle of the infusion set holds the cannula inside the needle? I’m trying to figure out the breakdown of the infusion set.
That I know…But I am trying to figure out where the cannula is hiding in the infusion set. is it inside the needle or on the outside of the needle, etc.
Ah, that I don’t know. I’m not the most mechanical person in the world. Figuring doses and hourly basal rates and seeing patterns in numbers…that all comes easy to me. Doing insertion devices does not. After a month though it is down from an hour project I needed a cappuchino for, to fifteen minutes and I can pretty much anticipate each step though I’m still nervous I’ll forget something if I don’t follow the directions!
Zoe ive been use to inserting the dexcom sensor so i am not as nervous about the infusion set but at the same time I am. I like being mechanical. I like to know how something works. After I did the first insertion of the sensor I had to look at the mechanics of the inserter. I just had to! and i am just the dork who likes to know.
I think that’s cool, Amy, that you like to understand how things work! I think if you understand how something works you’re less likely to have problems because you know whythings are done a certain way.
Zoe my brain has always been like that. When I first made coffee, I needed to see where things went and how it was processed. I just like knowing what goes into something that works. It will make it easier on me knowing oh that is how its built or made, etc. Like the reservoir, I see in the video how it works, etc. So i understand it. When I first started on the pen, i liked seeing the wind up thingy going upwards, etc. I fascinated me.
Keep the Pens that are still “in date” for your emergency bag. If you have a pump failure while away from home, a pen is a great rescue device until you can get the pump back on line.
oo thats not a bad idea either! I wished that I did the pump when I moved back. I actually have humalog pens but they now expired. I am not sure what to do with them. do I throw them away?
