Arggghhhhh! I cannot believe I hate my pump?!

[Admin]

I have been the biggest advocates of pumping and then I got one and to be quite honest it has been a bl**dy nightmare. For no reason I have had random highs of 18/19 - although the pump says it is working - and have had to give myself so much insulin it has been a joke. I have the spirit combo - and just don't know whether to continue with it - anyone else had ridiculous random high bs's???? Other times it is fine then out of the blue, my bs gets so high, like it isn't working. I regularly change the canula and have after a high epsiode and it has no effect - so it isn't that - I just cannot fathom it. At the moment I hate the rotten thing, yet I fought and fought for it and do believe they are the best thing. I am gutted. Anyone else had this experience?

 

[Freddie99]

Have you checked for ketones Admin? That could be part of it.

 

[bev]

YES YES AND YES!!!!!!!!!!

About 6 weeks ago I wanted to throw the pump out of the window! I hated it.
But, after speaking with Adrienne and lots of others i realised that it wasnt the pump - it was a combination of things.
Tiredness due to all the night testing.
I hadnt realised that A needed to change a canula every 2 days - instead of 3 - giving lots of unexplained high's.
I wasnt experimenting enough with Temp Basals - both higher and lower, and when i was, i wasnt being brave enough, only doing 20% at a time - not enough to really make a difference on small basals.
My brain was too full of information and instead of focusing on a couple of hours at a time - i was trying to change the whole 24 hours - and completely cocking up!

Then, i decided to take it one step at a time and start from the midnight basal and tweaked it from there. Once i had him waking up at 6 or 7 - i then focused on the daytime basals in sections of 4 hours or so - until i was happier with levels.
Also, sensors have been great for spotting trends that i hadnt known were happening.

I do know how you feel - because i was ready to give it up too. But apparently this is very common in the first few months of pumping - you get pumpers fatigue! Seriously, it is a known phenomenon - people get bogged down with it all and need to take a break and start all over again.

If you want to be 'Adrienised' - post up all your basals and ratios and I am sure she will have some great advice - not that your not capable of doing this - its just that when your in the thick of it - you cant always see the woods for the trees. This is what i did and she made some great suggestions - and its worked. I had 'missed' what was staring me in the face.

Also, how often are you changing the canula? Perhaps the canula your using doesnt suit you? We use quicksets - but Adrienne uses sils and loves them. It can make a huge difference to absorption.

Dont make any rash decisions yet - lets see what we can all do to help - i promise you it does get better. We couldnt have got through the last 2 weeks without the pump and temp basals.🙂Bev x


p.s. changing the set sends A high - so instead of using 0.3 units to fill canula - we have upped it to 0.6 units. This happens to lots of people after a set change.

 

[Shelb1uk]

I def dont hate my pump but I've deff had moments of despair in the 2 and a bit weeks I've had it!!! I say peservere and talk to your team...dont give up!!!!

 

[Viki]

I def dont hate my pump but I've deff had moments of despair in the 2 and a bit weeks I've had it!!! I say peservere and talk to your team...dont give up!!!!

I went through the same thing. But for me i was trying to change to much all at once, making lots of little adjustments and lost grip on what was doing good and what was bad.

I had to really go back to basics, mentally more than anything and remind myself that i could take my time in working things out and it wasnt a test!!

It can get a bit overwhelming especially when everything starts to go wrong and you cant get your head round why or where to start making it better.

Ive had a rough patch recently, lost the plot a bit and had crazy levels, particularly over christmas and new year but trying now just to start again right at the beginning and try not to let it get me down.

My pumping has been a bit 3 steps forward, 2 steps back. But i know ill get there eventually! Its still a hell of a lot better than I was on MDI!!!

 

[Admin]

Cheers chaps - I am gutted about the randomness and horrified at the 18+ readings, but will persevere! Am going to start changing things one at a time...

 

[Patricia]

Yes yes yes...one thing at a time, definitely. Sorry you're feeling this way. SUCH a drag for you.

Also, ahem...could any of this be related to hormones? No idea quite how it all works...but I do know FOR SURE that we go through very weird and illogical times of highs and spikes...and ALL we can put it down to are growth and other hormones.

How long since you had the bairn?

I would urge you to be Adrienne-ed if you can get her. Completely agree with Bev that sometimes you just need a bit of walking through things...And with a little one as well...Eek! Pumps *are* hard, esp at first.

Good luck. Hang in there.

xxoo

 

[Adrienne]

Hi Admin


Only just seen this, have been away for ages it seems but now back and in the swing of things.

If you want help I'll do my best, just shout.

Everything Bev says is right. There could be loads of reasons for your random high, not least food ! You learn so much about food. Some foods could spike you about 10 hours later so you just never know.

When Jessica has a set change she goes really high and I have once again started with a temp basal for an hour of 150% to get it sorted but it doesn't always and she sometimes still needs a correction later on.

Anyway hope you are doing ok now and as Bev says tweak one thing at a time. Are you happy with your canula? This is very important. The canula chooses you. We had silhouettes and moved to quick sets to try them but moved very quickly back to sils as had nothing but problems but Bev doesn't, they like the quick sets.

Good luck and take care and shout if you need help. 🙂

 

[Admin]

Since I posted that I have had great days - typical! Interesting about the highs after a canula change. I have noticed if I forget to change it starts going high...have been through everything to work out random highs and cannot come up with anything - which is why I am frustrated by it. I am completely convinced that the pump occasionally does not deliver - as I never ever had such high random readings whilst on injections. When it happens I have given myself correction doses and they do not work either. I have changed canula etc, still no change and then randomly it kicks in again. No rationale at all!

 

[Viki]

Have you called the pump company?

Might be worth them taking it in to have a look at it? (whilst giving you a spare obviously!)

I know with my company (Animas) your confidence in your own little pump, as well the brand, is really important to them.