Choosing a pump cannula

[Flower]

I've been asked which cannula I want to use when I start using a TSlim pump in July. Is it just guesswork? I rang the company and was sent 1 of each to try and insert which is helpful but until insulin is being delivered through the cannula I won't know if it's the right one for me.

Did you get a selection to try at the pump training day - if you had one - or was it trial and error? Can I have more than one type available to order? Any advice on which cannulas you have got on better with for TSlim gratefully accepted although I know it's an individual thing on what works.

I use Mio Advance with my Medtronic and they are easy to insert, I tried the TSlim Autosoft which was very similar to the older style Mio and quite a faff.

Thanks 🙂

 

[SB2015]

I've been asked which cannula I want to use when I start using a TSlim pump in July. Is it just guesswork? I rang the company and was sent 1 of each to try and insert which is helpful but until insulin is being delivered through the cannula I won't know if it's the right one for me.

Did you get a selection to try at the pump training day - if you had one - or was it trial and error? Can I have more than one type available to order? Any advice on which cannulas you have got on better with for TSlim gratefully accepted although I know it's an individual thing on what works.

I use Mio Advance with my Medtronic and they are easy to insert, I tried the TSlim Autosoft which was very similar to the older style Mio and quite a faff.

Thanks 🙂

I hope that you find the new pump works well for you @Flower. Will you be looping with it?
I look forward to hearing how you get on.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I use Mio Advance with my Medtronic and they are easy to insert, I tried the TSlim Autosoft which was very similar to the older style Mio and quite a faff.

The autosoft is the only one like the Mio and I found it unusable so turned down the pump as they can't even be bothered to supply a cannula which you can self insert.
There are pictures on their website of the cannulas available and personally I think what is on offer is poor and disbars people with manual dexterity problems from using their pump.

 

[Flower]

I hope that you find the new pump works well for you @Flower. Will you be looping with it?
I look forward to hearing how you get on.

Hi @SB2015 I’ll be looping with it. I’m quite nervous about changing but I’ve had so many problems with Medtronic adhesive & cannulas I’ve decided to change. Im funded for Medtronic sensors so have been told that I can use Dexcom instead as I don’t have any hypo awareness. Hope it’s a good decision!

 

[Inka]

I’d try a few @Flower The cannula is an extremely important part of the kit. Like @Pumper_Sue i insert all my cannulas manually (I have a Dana pump). So, I’d go for the one similar to what you used before to start with, then have a couple more options to try.

I use different cannulas for different body areas. I like having a big choice, including steel and angled ones. I find quite often the pump manufacturers almost seem to hide their full range. It was only by probing on the phone, I found my latest one. They tend to push one type. So, try a few and keep your mind open. I’ve tried 4 types with my pump and have used them all on occasion.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I asked TSlim if they had a soft insert 90 degree cannula due to dexterity problems this was what I needed.

Oh yes they said so the pump was ordered time set up with DSN to change pumps when it arrived I was told there was no other 90 degree cannula unless I wanted a steel cannula.
I explained very politely where they could stick their pump, it wasted my time and my DSN's. So what is shown on the TSlim website is all that is available.

 

[Inka]

Bad that they said something was available when it wasn’t @Pumper_Sue It was partly your comment about not being able to manually insert their cannulas that put me off the T Slim. Cannulas will make or break a pump.

 

[Finn]

I've been asked which cannula I want to use when I start using a TSlim pump in July. Is it just guesswork? I rang the company and was sent 1 of each to try and insert which is helpful but until insulin is being delivered through the cannula I won't know if it's the right one for me.

Did you get a selection to try at the pump training day - if you had one - or was it trial and error? Can I have more than one type available to order? Any advice on which cannulas you have got on better with for TSlim gratefully accepted although I know it's an individual thing on what works.

I use Mio Advance with my Medtronic and they are easy to insert, I tried the TSlim Autosoft which was very similar to the older style Mio and quite a faff.

Thanks 🙂

I'm in Germany so my experience will be different, but I was given a box of Autosoft 90 (6mm cannula) at my T:Slim training. I asked my trainer what sets are the most common and they said most people use Autosoft 90s, so that's probably the default for new users.

After my training, I tried out a box of TruSteel. I found both Autosoft 90 and TruSteel work for me, so I use a mix of the two in various tubing lengths. I haven't tried other sets or cannula lengths yet.

I can request whatever (and however many) infusion sets I want, so it's easy to try out different sets, cannula lengths, tubing lengths and colours. Like I said, I'm in Germany. I'm not sure how ordering supplies works in the UK.

 

[SB2015]

Hi @SB2015 I’ll be looping with it. I’m quite nervous about changing but I’ve had so many problems with Medtronic adhesive & cannulas I’ve decided to change. Im funded for Medtronic sensors so have been told that I can use Dexcom instead as I don’t have any hypo awareness. Hope it’s a good decision!

I hope that you find the looping as helpful as I do @Flower.
it does take a bit of a leap of faith to trust it, but it is worth it.

I hope that you can get the issue around cannulas sorted and find one that works for you after all the issues that you had with the Medtronic ones.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

There’s a self insert angled one (varisoft) and a Mio-like 90-degree and 30-degree option (Autosoft) that I auditioned. I didn’t try the steel one.

I settled on the Autosoft 30s as I need an angled cannula, but was able to order a few of each to begin with to see how I got on.

The trickiest thing I’ve found with the Autosoft 30s is that the little fragment of sticky you have to initially tack the cannula in place can need to be straightened before you withdraw the inserter. Otherwise there can be just enough give to allow the cannula to pull out a little which caused a few ‘tunneling‘ fails early on. I make sure I put the front tab down tight now and have few issues

Still wish there was a silhouette style one with a reusable serter though. It’s all a bit wasteful having single-use serters all the time I feel.

 

[Inka]

What would be really good was if there was a big range of cannulas that fitted all pumps. It’s only money that stops the doing that, the same as with the insulin pens.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

What would be really good was if there was a big range of cannulas that fitted all pumps. It’s only money that stops the doing that, the same as with the insulin pens.

To start with there was what was called a Luer lock system in place which meant any type/brand of cannula fitted your pump cartridge, the greedy pump companies then decided lets rip everyone off and make the cartridges with our own patented connection so you had to buy from the pump company you had your pump from. It's called like it or lump it.