Prefilling pump cartridges?

Hello TuDiabetes community:

I use a Dexcom G5 and a Tandem tSlim X2 pump.

I just fell, broke my wrist and had surgery to install a plate.

While I think that I can do much of what is needed one-handed, filling cartridges looks to be the trickiest thing. I normally use 150-155 ml every 3 days. As I live alone, I want to minimize the number of times that I need to ask for help.

I am considering:

  1. Getting help prefilling several cartridges and storing them in the fridge.

  2. Filling each cartridge with 3 ml (a six day supply), but changing the tubing and inset every 3 days.

Has anyone tried something like this when you have been mechanically challenged? Or have any other tricks?

Thanks,

John

@John_S2
Sorry to hear about your wrist. Hopefully with the surgery and the plate it will heal well and give you good functionality back.

Here is a short thread on the subject which would tend to indicate no obvious issues. However bear in mind that you are not going to be able to get 300 “usable” units from the tslim after you get priming into account. So if you are really at 150 ~ 155 units every three days, you are likely to run a little short on day #6.

https://forum.tudiabetes.org/t/pre-filling-a-t-slim-cartridge/30828

Tim35:

Thank you for that link. I was unable to dig that up myself.

Note: 150-155 units last me about 3.5 days including air removal, line fill, etc. So I should be good to go.

Thanks again,

John

1 Like