It would be interesting to see how many with good insurance coverage reuse the insulin and the cartridges vs those with large out of pocket expenses or no insurance. I know i used to throw it all out and reuse nothing when I had good insurance, Somehow with large out of pocket expenses, protecting the environment and not wasting looks a lot better
Well I have very good insurance and don’t change the reservoir until it is almost out (>7 units). On the other hand I wouldn’t think of re-using a cartridge or wearing a set for more than 3 days.
Rick - I don’t see how simply prming a new site from the old reservoir that is still sitting in the pump compromises the sterility.
Maurie
WOW Grego, how can you use a site for 7 days? Jamies bgs start to go up after 2 days and we change every 3 or sooner if she is going to high. We tried to go 4 days at the beginning and it just wouldn’t work, she was too high and sometimes got an infection at the site after removal.
I’m reading this thread with interest as I just started with a pump, and noticed how much insulin I waste. Perhaps I’ll change my mind when I get more confident with the sets, but for now it seems for me the solution is to put less insulin in to begin with. That doesn’t save on cartridges but my insurance is good and I was planning on a new one every 3 days anyway. I think I’d rather waste a bit than have something else to do every day or two. I know that isn’t exactly environmentally responsible. I would assume I can’t put cartridges in recycling if they still have any insulin. My local recycling just changed from accepting any plastic and glass to being specific about only plastic bottles.
Huh? I only use my site for 3 days. But if there is insulin left in my cartridge when I change it out, I tend to squirt the insulin back into the vial it came from. Maybe you were responding to someone else’s comment.
I used to use my infusion sets for 6 days with no problem with insulin absorption, but a few years later, I ended up with scar tissue that I have to live with. So the extra days were NOT worth it! 
I would like to say that the reason that I only change my reservoirs is to not be wasteful, but actually I find it much more convenient. A site change without filling the reservoir is MUCH faster. Instead of changing the reservoir every 3 days, I do it every 10.
I’m not trying to persuade you to do it my way 
I’m just saying that I find my way a lot more convenient!
I use a lot so I will end up refilling the same reservoir twice before the set change. I usually get down to near empty at set change time so I will use a new one. I have good insurance and I get four boxes with each order so usually have an excess of reservoirs. I change sites religously every three days.
You must either use very little insulin or have a large reservoir. I use 30-33 units per day and I have the 180-ml reservoirs. So when I do a site change, I need about 120 units of insulin for a 3-1/2 day supply (I change sets twice a week). I tried the math for filling the reservoir to capacity but it really didn’t buy me much and complicates my rotation/replacement schedule. So I end up replacing reservoirs at the same time I move the infusion site. I would very much like to go longer but haven’t figured out a reasonable schedule!
Mike,
I’m pretty well the same way as Karen’s daughter. I only fill up my reservoir with enough insulin to see me over 2-3 days (I average about 20). When I run out of juice - I just refill the cartridge with fresh juice (I do a no no - where I reuse the cartridge about 5 times - as long as it’s lubed up - I feel that’s okay to continue to use). I have heard of some D’s drawing up the insulin in the tubing (which in my case would have about 8 units) via syringe, and then putting it back into reservoir. Too much work for me. I’m lazy.
BTW, use the Contact Detach (or Sure T) - so I don’t have to fill up the cannula - as this is a straight needle inserted under the skin (I had allergic reaction to the Inset - so Animas sent me a box of Contact Detach to try out - and have never gone back to the Insets since). Hope this makes sense.
Hi Gerry! I use about the same amount of insulin per day, but I have a MM722 with a “300ml” reservoir. I’m able to fill it with about 275 units of insulin.
I would probably do the same as you, if I was using the 180ml reservoir.
i use 180mil and run 25-27 units a day. i drain it, refill and then switch my site a couple days later. that usually brings me to 7 days, plus or minus. i don’t adhere to a fixed sked. i do keep close track of my numbers and if they’re good (and they almost always are) i keep going.
I just started about a week ago so I am on my 4th set of both the infusion set and tubing. I plan on changing them at the same time, but I was hoping to not have too much of a waste. For example, yesterday I wore it for 5 hours extra than the 72 hour period they suggest so that I only had 1.5 u left. As someone who is rarely is home, is constantly distracted, and hates carrying around supplies, I plan on doing this for a while so that I don’t run the risk of running out. But who knows, after a few months I might use some of those tricks suggested by previous posts. I am still confused with refilling… do you keep that needle around? doesn’t your tubing get kinked and dirty?
If I’m going to work and have, say 10 units left, I keep it in but fill a new reservoir to full and take it with me. When the old one empties I switch it with the new, full reservoir. I use the old tubing and site. Works every time and it takes all of 30 seconds. I’ve been pumping for 13 years (MM, silhouettes) and it took me less than a week to realize that the guidance on changing all the pieces together was driven by sales reps and not clinical need.
do you empty and reprime the tubing or just reconnect to the new reservoir?
Do you ever get a little bubble in the tube when reconnecting?
don’t need to prime; the tubing is full from the previous reservoir. the pump forces you to prime but i usually stop after .5 units. i basically rewind the pump and slap the new reservoir in. never had a problem with bubbles in all these years.