So, after about 5 years of using a Medtronic Paradigm pump I have come across a problem that I cannot solve and, hopefully, someone can shed some light on my miserable situation.
About 4 weeks ago I began to get very high blood sugars when I would wake up. I would treat them and move on. I would start to notice that the infusion sight would begin to get sore before it was due to be changed. Usually, when this happens, it meant that there was some scar tissue or I had left it in too long. This was happening, though, way too early. Before long, I was getting the ill-fated “no delivery” alarms. At this time I also found bumps under my skin where the infusion sets were. Not scar tissue bumps but they were large and sore and whatever they were they were not there before the infusion set was put in. Medtronic had me switch out lot numbers of quick sets and then we thought that maybe I was allergic to the Teflon so I should switch to the sure-t since I can inject insulin , no problem. I was so excited to get the sample in the mail. I was the exact opposite of excited to get a no delivery alarm and a morning blood sugar of 586.
I just don’t understand what is happening on the inside of my body all of a sudden. Did I get a bad bottle of insuln? I feel like in the last four weeks I would have used more than one bottle of novolog. Could I be allergic to Novolog? The sure-t did not cause the pump bumps but the quick sets did. Ugh! I just want to be back to business as usual with my pump. I hate using needles! Any advice/personal stories are more than welcome!
it sounds like you may have fixed the issue already. That is the sure-t doesn't cause that in you but the older infusion set did. if this had been happening for a while, it's possible that it will take you body a bit to recover and dissolve the bumps back to normal. I know that sometimes when I test or put in a new infusion set, I get really close to, or right on where I have had one before. I'm not sure how I do this, but I'm pretty darn good at getting the same spots over and over. Could this have happened to you? I suggest you monitor closely and rub the bumps every day to help your body dissolve them. if they stay sensitive and don't get smaller, I'd call doc after a few days and have them check it out. I'm sorry that is going on. Ugh, the frustrations of being diabetic. All we want to do is be healthy and then we get complications like this, right? Ugh.. hang in there.
I don't know if this idea will be at all helpful or if you've tired it already but since you didn't mention it I thought I would. Have you used the same general area for your sites for a while? If you have maybe you could try using a different part of your body to insert them and see if that helps. I have been a Medtronic pumper for 3.5 years and I have always used my stomach/hips until the other day I put one in my leg and have had great success with it. I haven't had any problems using my stomach/hips but I want to use other options so that I don't start having problems. Whether or not this is helpful I really hope you can figure it out! hang in there! :)
Kelly that sounds like a nightmare! I hope you find something that works soon. I have a few suggestions that may or may not help. In 2011 I was having problems with quicksets. I called medtronic and mentioned the problems and they sent me some free samples of infusion sets. I am now using the mio with much less problems. What length cannula are you using? Medtronic has 6 mm and 9 mm cannulas and it sounds like the cannula length may be placing the novolong in the wrong spot (scar tissue, epidermis, muscle tissue instead of adipose fat tissue). This is even more important to consider if you weight has changed recently.
I would also use some new real estate for infustion sets in case you are hitting scar tissue. Everytime I get a no delivery I believe it is due to scar tissue. Also open another bottle of insulin, just in case that is the culprit.
This sort of sound like the blood cannula to me. I just pulled an infusion set because it was sore especially after bolus and my insulin activity was peaking later. Sure enough I pull the infusion set and there is blood in the cannula. I am not really sure why this happens, but when I get a poor infusion set I can survive but am fighting the 200s after almost every meal.
Are your highs in the morning predicatble or sproadic? If somewhat predictable you can consider basal rate changes and basal testing. If no deliveries occur enough you may want to set an alarm in the middle of the night to wake up and test as a 'just in case'.
If you are not using a CGM this may be a time to consider it. I have a ever changing dawn phenomena. Right now it is kicking in extra hard and I have been adjusting my basals up at night. 5 times in the past week it has alarmed and woke me up because I was over my high limit. If this happened to you, then you could test and treat as needed to hopefully avoid waking up so high.
