Hello
I am a diabetes educator and over the past 6 months we have been noticing that some of our stellar pumpers are reporting problems with unexplainable elevated BG levels. Of course, a billion things could be the cause but it seems more frequent among our “veteran” pumpers with normally very well managed levels who are ultimate problem solvers. Medtronic denies an increase in call volume related to this issue. Many pumpers may just correct an issue (change site and reservoir) and then move on with their lives without calling the helpline. So, we are trying to determine what, if anything, is different or if others in different states are experiencing the same circumstances.
Have you experienced more of the following over the past 6 months:
• No delivery alarms or no prime alarms
• Inability to fill a reservoir with insulin
• Motor error
• Extremely high blood sugars shortly after a set and reservoir change that do not seem to correct down in the normal (expected) amount of time
Any comments would be much appreciated!
THANKS
Jen
Not more than usual, no. When I experience unexplained highs, it’s usually about 2-3 days after the set change (quicksets). As you said, I just change the set at that point and move on. While I’ve noticed that this has happened more and more over time, it’s been a gradual change over years rather than a sudden change over months.
none of the above!
Yes
Yes
Yes
Sort of, but I’ve been fighting it with shots
I think that my issues have been with the reservoirs - at first I thought I’d screwed up the infusion sites, but after getting errors trying to prime a disconnected reservoir or two…
I have not called MM.
I reuse my reservoirs until the numbers wear off - years ago you couldn’t do that, they didn’t lube them in such a way as to allow more than one use or they’d jam. I rather assumed they’d changed whatever they are priming them with to make them not even work for one filling.
Maybe I should call, just to be counted.
BTW - I was an early adopter, I’ve been on the pump for more than 15 years.
Response from Canada : NO to above mentioned concerns…
Other than I am thinking my " honeymoon period with using Apidra since July 2010 " instead of NovoRapid is over…other story .
MM user since 2001 ; upgraded to Veo , Jan 2011 .
Nothing out of the norm. I had two bad reservoirs in the past year which created the no delivery alarm. Unexplained high’s due to the pump are rare. If so, I troubleshoot to ensure that the bolus and basal are working properly; if not I change to a new quickset. All else seems to work fine.
I am currently using an Animas PING, which I began using in October. Prior to this I used a Medtronic Paradigm 722. The reason I made the switch was that I was experiencing so many issues with reservoirs and getting no help from cust. service. I had major issues priming a new reservoir (would get no delivery alarms during an attempted priming), several times I had to trash the reservoir and try yet another new one. It was frustrating so I left their company/product.
None of the above for me.
Nope can’t say as I have any of the above going on
I just got mine and had to get a new one already due to Error A64
• No
• No
• No
• Yes, but not in the past 2 months. From roughly Sept-Jan I did. “Extremely high blood sugars shortly after a set and reservoir change that do not seem to correct down in the normal (expected) amount of time”
I never did call about it but my endo and educator were made aware of it.
Had one reservoir that would not even prime sometime in January but other than that none of the other problems.
MAJOR issues filling reservoirs…(I’ve called MM couple if times)
and yes issues getting unexplainable highs down…as usual, am blaming myself but after studying records last nite, not sure
This makes me think we should be asking/posting lot #s. Those of us with issues have the same lot# of supplies?
I have gotten my first no delivery alarms ever several times in the past month. I have 9mm quick sets with the longer tubing and have noticed that its no longer smooth but has a rough texture. Its been several boxes and my cde at the dr’s office says I am not the only one at their practice to have that. I swear my last box is full of dull needles also cause dang they hurt going in. No other differences other than that.
Hi, Jen: Over the five years we have been dealing with pumping, we did have problems on the Animas pump and I assumed it was a problem with the piston. With Minimed, I have noticed recalls at least twice due to malfunctioning batches of Quicksets. These sets are very popular so I wonder if it is a problem with the sets. We have always used sils and if she swtiches will try the Mios because I don’t trust the Quickset at this point. P.S. This could be easily trouble-shooted if the pumper were willing to try the Rapid-D set because with a needle set they would be getting the insulin and you could see if it is a pump malfunction. Minimed will help troubleshoot pump malfunction but if in doubt, I would switch out to a new pump. MM will replace.
We have thought of this too. If you call medtronic to report a problem - make sure you give them the lot number of the infusion set and reservoir - EVEN if they don’t ask you for it (which they should).
THANK you all for your excellent posts!
Much appreciated!
I have had none of the above except for one no delivery alarm during priming- that was caused by me not seating the tubing on the reservoir correctly and the needle didn’t pierce the septum, and wouldn’t allow it to prime. This was user error, and quickly corrected once I twisted the tubing on correctly.
No delivery–only on a prime. I reset the cartridge and it works fine.
None of the others have occured.
One thing I will add: I often notice bubbles in the cartridge a couple of days into a cartridge. I know they were not there when I filled and primed. I complained about this at another site, and was pretty much told I didn’t know what I was doing; the O rings will not allow air in from the bottom. I beg to disagree. I have had cartridges that got a lot of air bubles–not champagne size either. I have called MM but they also think I am nuts.
Have your partients check the cartridge occasionally for bubbles. They can cause a real high BG.
I thank you for mentioning air bubbles, T1F…I forgot to mention this in my response . I wish I could resolve the problem , even if I check regularly and get rid of the bubble …I seem to miss some ( during the night ) !
I am back to checking fasting basals and these bubbles are getting in the way , so to speak .