Pump fails, but

I’m sure I could add this to a better topic, but I am at work and honestly because my pump decided to fail after me changing it just last night, I needed help with a question, before I go a throw a new one on.

If when I am making up a new pump so to speak after I fill it with the insulin if it decides it doesn’t want to work or sounds funny, I will get as much of the insulin I can get out an put it in the next new one, anytime after that like in this case I would normally just throw it out an make it all new, but with as long as I have been doing it that way, I’m having a growing concern of insulin being wasted, not so much the pump itself, as they are relatively easy to get “free” replacements with a simple call but insulin there’s no way to get anything out of insulin if you have to get rid of it, it’s gone.

So to sum that up, should I just keep doing what I normally do, or would any of you recommend because it’s only been a handful of hours to get what old insulin I can and mix it with some fresh in the new pump.

Hopefully I make sense, like I said I’m at work and just tried to type something up quick.

-ßðð

Are you using an Omnipod?

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Yes, I would say pod in my topic, but I was just trying to get an idea with all insulin pump users, not Omnipod.

But your question makes no sense if you are using a tubed pump. These normally last for 4+ years and the only thing you would change is your infusion set and reservoir every 2 or 3 days. If a set fails or works poorly with a tubed pump (which actually often happens), you just replace the infusion set, leave the reservoir in the pump, and attach the tubing back onto the connector on the new set. No insulin is wasted.

FWIW, as someone who often has issues with site irritation, I could never use a patch pump like the Omnipod because I need the easy option of swapping out the infusion set. I don’t pay for my supplies, which are funded by the NHS, but even so, I would be much more hesitant to swap out an expensive pod than a cheap(ish) set on the hunch that it isn’t working well. I rotate my sets every two days (they won’t last three) and although I( don’t keep records I would hazard a guess that at least one in five of my infusion sets don’t even last two days.

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I would take it you know what Omnipod is, I am talking about the Pod not the PDM.

I call the “infusion set/reservoir” a Pod, yes I have trouble here an there with the Pod and Omnipod in general but it is what I was an am looking for in a pump. But that again wasn’t the issue.

I understand what you are saying so maybe I should be directing this to Omnipod users, as I don’t use and haven’t used anything but for my reasons for years now.

My question was if you have a pump/pod whatever it is you want to call it, if you have to change the whole thing for whatever reason, fail or bad site, whatever it is, you more then likely have insulin still, so would you salvage it or toss it was my question.
Like I said if its within a couple of minutes, or when I am preparing a new one to put on, I salvage it, but normally if over a period of time, if I have to change it early, I normally just toss it. I don’t have to change it to much, but even so it will add up over time.

I get that for you as many others, you guys can salvage it because you have more parts and don’t change one entity, just wanted to see if anyone have had that question before, or general info.

Heck, I could go back to MDI but I feel that will be just as stressful.

When I used Omnipod, I did extract the insulin from the old Pod when it 'died early, using the fill device from the new Pod, so I used the “old” insulin immediately. I couldn’t pull all of it out, but got most of it. I never saw a problem with the insulin after doing this - even when it was a hot summer period.

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I’ve removed the insulin from a pod within the first day and used that (topped up with insulin from the vial) to fill a new pod. I personally wouldn’t withdraw it after one day, but that’s probably irrational and I’m sure you safely could.

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I think this really comes down to a personal comfort vs cost issue.

I assume this would equate differently for individuals based on their personality and fiscal situation.

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Personally, I would rather cut off my own leg with a chainsaw than go back to MDI :wink:

I didn’t mean to give you a hard time. Just that the question only really makes sense if you are using a patch pump. Interestingly some of the new patch pumps that are about to come onto the market (e.g. Cellnovo) have worked around this problem by using a detachable separate infusion set that is connected directly to the patch pump. It is possible to change the infusion set whilst keeping the pod/pump attached.

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Oh no, you are fine, like I said it was more so for a patch pump so to speak. And I agree, I don’t want to go back to MDI either, but it’s an option.

I used to extract insulin for failed Pods but it became unnecessary as we have been fortunate enough to always have enough insulin on hand and as @Thas mentions, I was never able to recover all the insulin. I became less inclined to extract Apidra when Caleb started using that, as for us it broke down more quickly than Novolog. Fortunately though, we don’t have many Pod errors, so it’s not often an issue.

It’s really quite notable the differnce in efficinecy bt tubes pumps and Pods. Caleb can use a reservoir for a tubed pump for a pretty long period of time all the way down to a couple of units. With a Pod you have a minimum of units required to activate it, and it must be pulled after three days. When Caleb was using five units a day, that was a waste of about 140 units at least for each Pod. We definite went through a lot of vials even with extracting insulin that we would not have if he was on a tubed pump.

Did the old pods require more to activate them? The current pods only require 80 units to activate.

You’re right. I was thinking 160 which is what I would fill Caleb’s Pod to when he got older. When he was little, we typically did closer to 100 just to be sure it activated - we learned getting too close to 80 didn’t always work! So more like 80 units wasted per Pod.

It’s been a while since I filled one as Caleb’s been doing it for years!! My mistake!

No worries. Wasn’t sure if there used to be a different minimum.

But it’s good that he is doing it anyway!

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