Hi,
We have just got an insulin pump for our 9 year old, it came a little earlier than expected (we thought that we had approx 6mts-1year further waiting list and then got a call to say it arrived) Our daughter is fighting it a little bit and the biggest problem at the moment is changing the set every 2.5 days as this is a big ordeal.
Just wondering if any one had any similar experience/advice??
all help appreciated
I usually change mine every 3-4 days, making it a slightly less big deal may help? Is there an issue w/ not enough “Gas in the tank” or something like that? I do notice that the control can be dicier on the last day, particularly in the summer it seems like? I also prefer the Sihouette sets to the other kind of MiniMed Sets, much more comfortable than the “machine” for me but I was pretty positive about shots. I have a 12 year old for whom many things seem to be ordeals and, unfortunately, we haven’t figured out the “magic bullet” for that yet.
It is a big ordeal for a child, just like giving the first insulin injections is a big deal for a child. Pretty much anything is a big deal! It’s just one of those things that you need to push through, and your daughter will learn it’s no big deal. Teach her about the benefits and the freedoms she’ll have with it versus MDI (was the pump her choice, or yours? I resisted for a long time… not giving in until I was in my 30s). It’s unfortunately one of those necessary “evils” that you, as a parent, may need to insist on. But she’ll laugh about it later. I still laugh at the thoughts of my mother chasing my scrawny 7-year-old-self around the house with an insulin syringe until she could tackle me, sit on me, and give me a shot. It was the only way.
But listen to what she says. If there’s pain or discomfort, that is real. You likely can’t feel what she feels, so if he set is inserted improperly, or at a wrong angle, or it’s not the best infusion set for her, the only way you’ll know is by what she tells you.
Thanks for replying, we were told to change the sets every 2.5 days (don’t think it’s an issue with the pump as it take 300 units ) so I can check with the hospital next week if we can extend it Will have to look into the different kinds of sets as it’s all new to us at the moment. I am going to sit down at pumpinc.com tonight to see if I can entice her to get some of the pump assessorries to entice her! Thanks again
Thanks Scot,
I think I will have to perserve with the pump, I keep reminding her about how the injections were such a big deal in the hospital when she was diagnoised but she was injecting herself by the time we left the hosiptal but it’s not making a difference. The pump prob came about too quickly as we not not expecting it and prob hadn’t talked to her enough about it (we didn’t want to push it too much so we just taked about all the advantages of it etc casually) One of my brothers friends daughter is going to email her about her experiences with the pump so hopefully that will help. Up to this she has been very good with injections etc so hopefully she will come around.
Thanks again
I also go 3 to 4 days, but I am aware of the potential change of the effectiveness of the insulin from day 3 onwards especially here in hot Texas.
Like Scott E said, talk about the benefits of pumping. I am a “51y/o kid” and resisted until I was 48y/o (became T1 at age 6). Guess I am a little crazy too for waiting so long to begin pumping. The only activity I have to kind of think about now is swimming - I cannot just “jump in!” Everything else is so easy. I can play, eat, not eat, etc when everyone else does instead of being more tied down to MDI. Yes, I had to learn (a lot) and figure out what works for me (lots of trial and error) but it is so worth pumping I sure do not want to go back to MDI.
Check with the pump company to see if they have samples of different sets recommended for kids and tell your daughter not to be afraid to try them because what works for me may not work for her.
Also, google for insulin pump places for things like belts (they have some so cool ones made for kids), skins for the pump, etc. - not just what may be on your pumps website for accessories.
Good luck!
Many parents use EMLA on the kids before inserting infusion sets. Plenty of good advice and experiences on http://www.insulinpumpforums.com/
especially on the Infusion sets subforum.
Almost all infusion sets are manufactured by Unomedical. Minimed uses their own brand names on the same sets.
Comfort = Minimed Silhouette
Inset II = Minimed Mio
and so on.
The only difference is in the locking system to the pump, Minimed uses their own lock system, all the other pump manufacturers use Luer lock.
http://www.infusion-set.com/index.asp?pageID=H58
http://infusion.marketport.dk/productselector/?show=yes&shop={1C2FC5B1-2B45-4267-AA34-E84E1D17E71C}&uid=&productgroup=5&cat=3
Many parents use contact/contact-detach/sure-t 6mm.