Help needed again

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Maryanne29

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
I've had my pump three weeks now and know it's very early days but I can't find an answer to this issue.

I go a few days with good results then suddenly it all goes wrong for no reason I can fathom. Yesterday morning was good on waking. Bolused for breakfast then levels started to creep higher until reaching 14.8 by midday. I was out at the time but gave an additional bolus to try and lower it but this did not work. Got home, changed the cartridge and infusion set, set tbr of +20%for four hours and by the evening it was 5.7. I had a meal which I could carb count accurately and went to bed with it at 7.7. At 3am it had risen to 11.8 so took 2 units. By 4am it was 12.8 so took 2 more units and set tbr for +20% for four hours. At 7am it was 5 .8 so got some sleep. By 9am it was 3.9.

I'm not sure what to do now. I will ring my DSN tomorrow. Could it be the cannula maybe? This is not the first time this has happened and I'm left feeling crappy after it.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated and thank you for reading this saga. :confused:
 
Hiya, it could be you have the wrong cannula type for your body which would cause unpredictable fluctuations.
If you change a cannula you do not need to change the cartridge as well unless it needs to be changed due to being empty. 🙂

Also as a matter of interest what did you have for your evening meal? Depending on what it was could have also give you higher readings than you expected.
 
The cartridge would have had to be changed today so did it anyway.
The only carbs I had for dinner were in the white rice which I checked out in the book. The rest was salmon and veg, no sauce.
I'll ask Accu-Chek if they can send me samples of their other canulas and try them. 🙂
 
Maryanne29 said:
The cartridge would have had to be changed today so did it anyway.
The only carbs I had for dinner were in the white rice which I checked out in the book. The rest was salmon and veg, no sauce.
I'll ask Accu-Chek if they can send me samples of their other canulas and try them. 🙂
Click to expand...

I would suspect your problem was the rice 🙂 It takes a long time to leave your system. Once you know what you are doing a bit more you will be able to use combi and extended boluses, which will solve the problem 🙂
Perhaps stick to simple cabrs and a set amount each meal time so you know what to expect blood sugar wise.
 
Hi Maryanne,

We used to find that we got good results on days 1 and 2 but unreliable results on day 3, so my son changes his cannula every 2 days for this reason. If you find your erratic BGs are always on set-change day, try changing it sooner.
 
I change the cannula on day two each time on advice from Accu-Chek and the dodgy results don't tie in with this. I am going to ask for samples of other cannulas to try though.
I think I hadn't realised how long rice takes to leave the system so will avoid it for now until I get into the other boluses.
I almost gave up this morning to go back to MDI but didn't and glad. I'll get there eventually!
Many thanks for advice 🙂
 
Maryanne29 said:
I change the cannula on day two each time on advice from Accu-Chek and the dodgy results don't tie in with this. I am going to ask for samples of other cannulas to try though.
I think I hadn't realised how long rice takes to leave the system so will avoid it for now until I get into the other boluses.
I almost gave up this morning to go back to MDI but didn't and glad. I'll get there eventually!
Many thanks for advice 🙂
Click to expand...

Pasta, rice and high fat meals are best avoided, until up and running and confident.
After lots of ups and downs I have found the angled cannula gets best results for me personally. Metal cannulas seemed ok to start with but soon went *it's up.
Metal cannulas need to be changed every 2 day's and tethlon every 3 day's and don't let any rep tell you differently 🙂

Rome wasn't built in a day and neither were basal and pumping all fixed in 3 weeks :D
It's a long term project with plenty of ups and downs.
 
Thanks for advice. I will avoid rice and pasta and prefer fresh food to fatty stuff. I'm going to try only eating things I can be sure of the carb content for a while to see if this helps. I know three weeks is a very short time but I get disheartened when I feel crappy with high BGs and find it harder to focus at work. BUT I am going to get the hang of this! :D
 
It was round about 3 weeks I was ready to put mine in the dustbin, Maryanne!

Persevere! is all I can tell you.

You WILL get it sorted.
 
Hi, I've been pumping only 3 1/2 weeks and my bloods are generally heading down with lots of hypos. The only high bgs have been as a result of dodgy cannulas (see my thread 'problems with infusion sets') and yes, high bgs make me feel sick and ill too!

I haven't done any basal testing yet, my pump dsn is taking things slowly along with my normal dsn, I have seen them about 5/6 times in the last 3 weeks, and they are always on the end of a phone if I need them, or email.🙂

Although I've had problems, I'm sticking with it for the long haul, way, way better than needles 🙂
 
Casper said:
I haven't done any basal testing yet, my pump dsn is taking things slowly along with my normal dsn
Click to expand...

I'm surprised to hear this, I thought one of the first things you had to do was ensure the basal was right before you could be sure your meal ratios were OK :confused:
 
Casper said:
Hi, I've been pumping only 3 1/2 weeks and my bloods are generally heading down with lots of hypos. The only high bgs have been as a result of dodgy cannulas (see my thread 'problems with infusion sets') and yes, high bgs make me feel sick and ill too!

I haven't done any basal testing yet, my pump dsn is taking things slowly along with my normal dsn, I have seen them about 5/6 times in the last 3 weeks, and they are always on the end of a phone if I need them, or email.🙂

Although I've had problems, I'm sticking with it for the long haul, way, way better than needles 🙂
Click to expand...

No 1 you need to tell Animas you have problems with the stick just in case it is a faulty batch.
No 2 Ask for other cannulas to try.
No 3 If you are having lows like that then you need to cut your basal asp.
 
Northerner said:
I'm surprised to hear this, I thought one of the first things you had to do was ensure the basal was right before you could be sure your meal ratios were OK :confused:
Click to expand...

There's no point in basal testing if faulty or unsuitable cannulas being used as the insulin absorption will not be accurate 🙂
 
Northerner said:
I'm surprised to hear this, I thought one of the first things you had to do was ensure the basal was right before you could be sure your meal ratios were OK :confused:
Click to expand...

I know what you mean, but I'm doing what I've been told - especially as I'm having too many hypos :(

Pumper_Sue said:
No 1 you need to tell Animas you have problems with the stick just in case it is a faulty batch.
No 2 Ask for other cannulas to try.
No 3 If you are having lows like that then you need to cut your basal asp.
Click to expand...

Sue, yes to 1 & 2, and will tell pump dsn again on Thursday. As far as 3 goes, constantly reducing basal rates in consultation with nurse. Soon won't be using insulin at all!!😱
 
Casper said:
Soon won't be using insulin at all!!😱
Click to expand...

I know, it is a shock to the system, isn't it!!

Sadly mine stopped going down when we got to 9u TDD basal, but that sounds a lot better than 20+ u !

Muggles apparently use up to about 20u a day of that foreign natural stuff that comes from their pancreases. Ugghh, so much more hygienic out of a bottle in the fridge !
 
LOL@Sedge!
Caspar I am surprised at how much my TDD has been reduced. From around 45 to 20u per day. Did they not drastically reduce yours?

I was most surprised at my ratios, from 1:5 to 1:15
 
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