I am getting a little bit tired of this happening. I feel like I waste so much insulin trying to fix this issue. When I do a infusion set change, I change the tubing as well. I prime it and then do the cannula check. It is priming right but every once in a while it will say it isnt primed! I just changed everything yesterday and it was primed for sure. Today it says it isnt primed!
I am beginning to get very unhappy with Animas. I plan on emailing my rep as I do not hear on the phone well to complain about my concern.
Also my insurance will be changing soon (once I am approved) and wonder if I should tell Animas that my pump isnt working correctly and I've had it for 2 years. I can't get another one for 2 more years but yet I feel they should replace it as it just isnt working as it should.
Check the battery cap to make sure it is on tight. That was happening to my daughters and we found out the cap wasn't on all the way. If you can see any of the threading, it isn't on all the way. Hope that helps
hello Amy, our 6 and a half year old has been on the Animas one touch ping for 2 years now. In our experience, there are other actions that will cause your pump to give the message that it isn't primed. (removing pump and unscrewing cartridge to check for bubbles, pump battery changes to name a few) Have you tried calling the 1 800 number on the back of the pump. We have found the trouble shooters that answer our questions to be very helpful and we have learned a lot during these calls. I am not sure how long you have been on the pump, and I am sure you know this-but because I am a mom, I am going to remind you to protect yourself from accidental insulin bolus by being sure to disconnect yourself (not just suspending) before you look into what is going on with your pump and before you prime your line. I really hope you get some help with Animas. It can be frustrating when your day is interrupted with pump notifications! cheers. T1 Mom
If this still continues it is "NOT" the fault of the pump. Change your insertion point as the pump does not have enough strength to deliver into this area. You probably have some scar tissue at that area of your body. Try an area that has not been used for a while. This is a very common problem and a simple solution.
If you have had any alarms (for example occlusion, auto-off if pump has not been awakened in X number of hours) you have to prime. I was having various problems for over a month and after speaking with every supervisor at Animas call center, I asked to meet IN PERSON with a certified Animas pump trainer. Within 48 hours I was contacted by a trainer who met with me for 2 hours. We went over every small detail of prime/rewind, changing infusion site, technique, etc. It turned out the pump was NOT the problem ~ I needed to increase carb/insulin ratio, correction factor. Animas agreed, however, to send me a replacement pump (mine was just 8 months old) even before I met with the trainer. Ask for a face to face meeting with a trainer, especially if you have trouble hearing well on the phone. Best of luck!
I was told to do 2 things to ensure that I didn’t have priming issues. The first is to really push the cartridge in all the way when loading it. The second, as mentioned by others, is to make sure the battery cap is tight. Since I’ve been doing these two things I haven’t had any priming errors.
I was previously a Medtronic user and I was always warned not to screw on the battery cap too tightly. So I had to change my technique when I switched to Animas.
I suspend my pump when taking a shower then resume when I am done. Sometimes it will say not primed during that! I've already had my I:C ratio changed a few weeks ago and that didnt fix the issue. The correction factor was changed as well.
I do push the cartridge all the way every time. I always have the battery cap tight too where I have to use a coin to unscrew it. Its not too tight but snugged.
I change my spots every time. I primarily use my stomach as I use my arms and legs a lot. I dont like using my bum as when I was on shots that hurt the most. So I avoid that area.
Have you tried using a temporary basal of zero rather than suspending the pump? Maybe the pump software will interpret that differently and not require a prime again?
Or just not do anything when you shower and just let the pump run. That’s what I do.
Whenever I get this warning, I have figured out how to fix it: I make sure that the cartridge cap is screwed on tightly. Also I make sure the tubing is screwed tight to the cartridge when doing the initial load. I do not have this problem with the battery cap- only if the cartridge cap is not as tight as it should be. I then prime zero units after disconnecting from the cannula, and problem solved.
Hi Amy. I had this problem with an older ping I had. Does it give you the "no prime" warning repeatedly, like every half hour for awhile, or is it just after you suspend? The problem I apparently had was that I was screwing on the caps TOO tight, unlike what other people here mention. That can make a hairline crack in the cartridge/battery chamber which can cause this phenomenon. I read this in a warning letter Animas sent out back then (3-4 years ago?). Maybe they addressed this problem in newer pumps. I don't know.
I have this problem occasionally with my Animas pump. What I found is that sometimes the cartridge doesn't lubricate properly when it is worked a couple of cycles prior to filling. I usually work the cartridge three or four cycles prior to filling. I also replace the cap frequently and make sure the infusion set isn't placed in a place that can be pressured.
When it does happen, I usually just bolus a couple of units and eat something to compensate. Usually the prime isn't really lost, but the piston looses contact with the cartridge and sends a signal of not primed.
Yes, I know it is annoying, but it is something that can happen just by activity and movement. It reminds us that, although the Animas pump is pretty good, it is still a machine that needs attention occasionally to work properly.
