Over the past week, I’ve been receiving “No Delivery” alarms on my pump. It has happened while bolusing, while priming the pump, and even while the pump was not in use (just connected to my body). I contacted Medtronic and they overnighted a new pump to me, but I continued to get the same alarm.
I have tried changing my site after each alarm, making sure to move them to new places on my body. I have tried changing out the reservoir to a brand new one. I have even tried using different types of infusion sets (Mio and Quick Sets). None of this has helped.
When I called Medtronic about the issue, they had me disconnect everything, attach the plunger to the reservoir, and manually push the insulin through the tube until I saw insulin drip out. They assumed that there was air in the tube blocking the insulin from being delivered. This allowed me to finish priming the pump without seeing the alarm, but the alarm went off again hours later while the pump was simply connected to my body (not in use).
I’m at a loss. I don’t think it’s the pump and because I’ve tried different infusion sites, I don’t see how it could be the sites. I have been using an insulin pump for 15 years and this has never been an issue. Anyone know what I can do?
I’ve tried two completely different type of infusion sets from brand new boxes and I’m still receiving the alarm. At first, I was using the Mio sets. I thought something must have been wrong with them, so I tried the Quick Sets and got the same alarm.
I’m using brand new reservoirs, too. I have also tried moving the sites to parts of my body that I’ve never used before, like my leg and lower back. Nothing has worked yet and I’m completely lost as to what else I could try next.
You’ve run through just about every element in the system, including the pump itself (!), so it’s hard to come up with anything else to try. Nevertheless, there are still a couple of alternatives in the area of infusion sets. The two types you’ve tried are functionally the same, in that they both use 90° plastic canulas. A lot of people have, or develop, problems with their skin being too reactive to the plastic kind and find stainless steel sets eliminate the problem. And there are also angled sets, which enter a shallower layer where the structure of the dermis is less resistant to the flow and less likely to have scar tissue problems.
I went through a similar experience to what you’re enduring several years ago with the (short-lived) Assante Snap pump. There were a lot of great things about it but the one that was the biggest problem for me was that it used an optical system to detect occlusions that was hyper-sensitive, to the point where I was being awakened multiple times at night and my alarms were scaring my office-mates during the day. Just about drove me to tears.
In my case the angled sets fixed the problem. I realize the MedT pump is a different beast–it uses a pressure sensor not an optical one–but your description sounds so similar to mine that I can’t help thinking the fix may be similar as well.
Getting sample sets out of MedT directly is a bit of a struggle these days, but chances are your endo has lots of freebies, so I’d try asking her or him for one of each. Worth a shot (no pun intended) anyway!
What model of Med-T pump do you have? Have you read the user’s manual for anyplace it mentions a “no delivery alarm”? Have you done a Google search for your pump model number and a no delivery alarm?
Here’s one webpage I found doing a “no delivery alarm Medtronic pump” Google search.
This TuD thread discusses symptoms much like yours.
You may search the TuDiabetes site by clicking the magnifying glass icon in the upper right and then inserting a search term. “No delivery” for Medtronic pumps contains several entries.
I definitely want to try these, but I’m starting to think it’s a reservoir issue. When the pump is disconnected from my body and I do a test bolus of 5 units, it still gives me the “No Delivery” alarm. I’ve changed the reservoir entirely and tried reservoirs from different boxes and I’m still receiving the same alarm. The only thing that seems to be working right now is using the smaller reservoirs that only hold 1.8ml of insulin. The larger reservoirs are giving me the alarm. What are your thoughts?
Call them again and get another pump. As far as I can guess the only way to detect a NO DELIVERY is by excess current in the pump motor. You seem to have triple checked everything else so it’s time to start over.
All I can say is that once many years ago I did have a pump that seem to be the problem because once they replaced it I have very few problems with no delivery. It sounds as if your troubleshooting has narrowed it down
Then I would call Medtronic. There has been an issue with some of the newer pumps however, the older paradigm pumps are mostly immune.
Note: I am a Medtronic ambassador. My opinions are my own. They did not pay me to say nice things about Medtronic devices or the company. OK, they sent me a shirt and a cup but even I am more expensive than that.
What is your insulin delivery speed set to? I use to have it happen all of the time, whether bolusing or not, when it set to quick delivery. I belong to a couple of FB pages and people recommended setting it to standard and I never had an issue ever again. The only time I get insulin flow blocked now, is when I run the pump totally dry, which is about 15 units past 0. If you are set to insulin delivery quick, set it to standard. I use Mios and only use 12-20 units a day and have been using 600 series pumps for well over a year and a half (670 since Sept). Good luck.
This might not apply in your case because it sounds like basal is affected, but just in case. I use a Medtronic 630, and decided to change my bolus speed to quick instead of standard, then for the first time, started seeing this “No Delivery” Alarm. When I changed the speed back to standard I never saw the alarm again. This was only on delivery of bolus though, so I would not think it would affect basal. But check your speed and change to standard, and who knows, it might help at least. It is under menu - insulin settings - bolus speed (last entry). Doris seemed to have experienced an affect to both, so it is worth a try.
I love the fast delivery mode, but i suggest changing it back to the regular mode to avoided the alarms.
Note: I am a Medtronic ambassador. My opinions are my own. They did not pay me to say nice things about Medtronic devices or the company. OK, they sent me a shirt and a cup but even I am more expensive than that.
It’s the pump. I swear I try to double check to make sure its started and then hours later realize no delivery. I’ve been working so hard checking my sugar making sure I’m taking my insulin and this is so frustrating. It’s not anything you’re doing… it is this pump. I had to switch from my animas back to Medtronic’s because they went out of business. I have not in the 15 years I’ve had a pump ever experienced anything like this. It’s absolutely the pump. I’m so frustrated with it. I checked my sugar tonight and it was 250 so I bolused 70 because I was going to eat dinner. I’d looked down at it to double check and make sure it had started and put it in my pocket. Before I went to bed 4 hours later, I take a look at my pump and it says no delivery. My bs was 400. It’s the pump .
