Back-up plans in case of pump loss

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MaryPlain

MaryPlain

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
The insurance thread got me thinking about what I would do if I lost use of my pump for some reason.

For the first year or so I still had lots of Levermir and Apidra cartridges in the fridge so I'd have been fine, but now I've had the pump a while, although I could do injections of bolus insulin in case of pump problems, my repeat prescription for basal insulin lapsed and has been taken off as I didn't use it.

I wonder whether I should get some just in case, but it seems a bit of a waste as I'd probably end up throwing it away.

What back-up plans do others have in case they lose/damage their pump?

I'm not referring to problems which would be resolved by the pump manufacturer supplying a replacement, eg pump faults.
 
How about getting small amounts of the cartridges back on your repeat form and keep one day's worth in the fridge? My doctor has done that with steroids for me in case I have an athma attack and need to start the drugs before I can seek medical help.
 
I have my previous pump to use in case of emergency 🙂
You really should have some basal just incase your pump goes wrong though. It could be a very long wait for a replacement during Easter week or Christmas if things go wrong or even if it goes wrong on a Friday night it a long time until a replacement arives.
 
LeeLee said:
How about getting small amounts of the cartridges back on your repeat form and keep one day's worth in the fridge? My doctor has done that with steroids for me in case I have an athma attack and need to start the drugs before I can seek medical help.
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The trouble is the cartridges only come in packs of 6!

I suppose I could get a vial (I suppose Levermir comes in vials?) and some syringes... I will have to write my GP a note.

Going on the record of the past 4 years I'd be throwing away the vial as it reached its use by date, which annoyingly, is longer than the surgery will keep an item on a repeat prescription for, which means writing to the GP every time....

Is that what others do?
 
I would ask to keep your basal on repeats, we have kept the levemir on and have stash just in case.
 
MaryPlain said:
The trouble is the cartridges only come in packs of 6!

I suppose I could get a vial (I suppose Levermir comes in vials?) and some syringes... I will have to write my GP a note.

Going on the record of the past 4 years I'd be throwing away the vial as it reached its use by date, which annoyingly, is longer than the surgery will keep an item on a repeat prescription for, which means writing to the GP every time....

Is that what others do?
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What you could do is get some basal on prescription and if you don't use it by the time it has three months left to expiry then send it to IDDT:

http://iddt.org/here-to-help/helping-developing-countries

Then order some more. That way it won't be wasted. I've got some lantus to send them as I haven't used any since last April 🙂
 
I still have some (just about) in date Lantus from pre-pump. Even if I was completely without I guess I could cope with a 2 or 4 hourly mini injection of rapid (via syringe) to cover basal. From what I can tell pump companies are pretty darned speedy at shipping replacement pumps and/or it would not take many days (in an emergency) to get some Lantus - even if *shudder* that involved a lengthy trip to A&E/walk-in for an emergency script.
 
It's 2 hourly you inject to replace basal isn't it Mike? Just the same as basal testing through the night really LOL PITA. But yes, On weekdays I can get a same day appt at GP surgery otherwise weekends, BH or at night, walk-in centre which is vile but there you go. Even with a 5 or 6 hour wait which isn't unusual at ours, you wouldn't actually die before you got your scrip and anyway would probably have to wait till next morning by then, to get it filled. And at least every Sunday am and am BH Mondays, there always is an Emergency Pharmacy open SOMEWHERE in the city. Which the drop-in centre will know.
 
I've always had a back up plan of having syringes to hand so I can get short acting into me immediately if the pump fails/disappears. And then if it looked like I wouldn't be able to get a new pump within 24 hours I'd go to A&E/walk in centre to get some long acting.

The only time I've changed from that is when travelling in more remote places - eg Costa Rican rainforest, kayaking in Alaska - where I wouldn't be within easy reach of a pharmacy. Then I got some Lantus from the GP to take with me.
 
Northerner said:
What you could do is get some basal on prescription and if you don't use it by the time it has three months left to expiry then send it to IDDT:

http://iddt.org/here-to-help/helping-developing-countries

Then order some more. That way it won't be wasted. I've got some lantus to send them as I haven't used any since last April 🙂
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That's an idea, thanks for that, and for all other responses. I think the only thing that really frustrates is the fact that my GP surgery's system seems to have an automatic process which deletes prescription items which have not been ordered for a set number of months, and since insulin usually has a very long use by date on it, by the time the insulin is about to expire, it will definitely have gone off the prescription meaning I would need to get it put back on.

I see that most people don't bother with this on the grounds that in an emergency you could get a prescription filled. The only downside would be if the emergency happened over a long bank holiday I suppose, although as others have said there are always A&E - but would they give you basal insulin?

I suppose that I would prefer not to have to take a day off work to sort out my insulin requirements so the advice to make sure I have basal insulin in the fridge is very sensible. I wonder whether I'd be able to work out how much to take.....
 
I would not use A+E as thats just for emergancy's now.
I still have my nova rapid pen and have the cartridges, when i have had them a whil, i just use them to refill my pump cartridge. And if i go away, instead of taking a vial of insulin, i just take a pen cartridge.
 
megga said:
I would not use A+E as thats just for emergancy's now.
I still have my nova rapid pen and have the cartridges, when i have had them a whil, i just use them to refill my pump cartridge. And if i go away, instead of taking a vial of insulin, i just take a pen cartridge.
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That's fine for a day Megga, but if you're going to be without a pump for several days you're going to need long acting insulin. I can manage for a day injecting short acting every 2 hours or so, but much longer than that is going to become very difficult. I would consider a broken insulin pump with no long acting insulin and no sign of a new pump an emergency - and if I couldn't get long acting from a GP or pharmacist I'd be heading for A&E.
 
There doesn't seem to be much 'official' advice about this anywhere.

I have a background fear about this, owing to the fact that we spend our hols touring mainly in France in our motorhome and therefore of no fixed abode for weeks and weeks at a time. OK saying well the campsite will have a postal address - but we don't stay on campsites, we stay on 'Aires de Sationnement de Camping Cars' in France, called 'Stellplatz' in Germany etc.

Anyway, in late July 2000 (pre-pump) staying on a proper campsite in France my meter went on about Day 3, so I phoned em, they said new one in post tonight. 3 days later when still no sign of it, we went into a pharmacy in the town and bought a new one. We kept ringing the meter co, yes it had been sent, asking at reception, they kept checking the pigeon holes, nowt.

A fortnight later as we were paying to come home, the postie arrived and guess what? He had my new meter ......

And Roche don't do a loan pump. Unless anyone knows different? - I wish they did ......

We're going on hols for a couple of months some time this year and so I'm going to HAVE to get a new box of 5 Novorapid cartridges, at least 2 new boxes of needles and a vial of Levemir - don't mind having the latter by jab twice every day but I'm jiggered if I'm having all my boluses and correction by syringe for months and months.
 
Hi All

Just got back from a long stretch in the tropics and I'm trying to catch up. Pump clinic on Tuesday, but I haven't done my 'homework' (aka basal testing) so expect a slapped wrist from the doc and nursie. To the point:

When I got my pump (anniversary on 6 Feb) I was given a back-up pump in case anything goes wrong with the primary one. I understand that this is PCT dependent. I take it with me whenever I'm away for more than a few days, and it certainly gives me some sense of security when I'm away for a couple of months or more. It is programmed to operate only for a max of 6 months, so cannot be used for anything other than a back-up while the primary one is repaired or replaced. The only downside is that you cannot pre-program it with your basal rates, as the 6-month limit starts from the moment you insert a battery. You therefore need to keep a separate record of your basal rates.

For belt and braces I also take a few syringes and some Lantus.
 
Aaah - right! Useful to know that, thank you.

I'll ask about that then!

So far I've only had to cater for 3 and a half weeks so I've chanced it.
 
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