Insulin pump burnout

[NARW]

Hi everyone! I'm new to the forum.

Just wondering if anyone else has any relevant experience they could share. I've been using an insulin pump and CGM device for over four years, and I feel like I've had enough - the relentless beeping (BM increasing and decreasing), need to recalibrate every few hours, change batteries, reservoir set and sensor, as well as occasional malfunctioning and inconvenience of actually having it attached 24/7 make me feel as if I've had enough. That said, I'm in two minds about going back to insulin injections as I've got used to CGM and the improved glucose control (mainly around frequency and severity of hypos). I was put on the pump because of frequent low BMs.

Has anyone else stopped using their pump after a long(ish) period of using it? How did you find it?

Thanks!

 

[NARW]

Hi everyone! I'm new to the forum.

Just wondering if anyone else has any relevant experience they could share. I've been using an insulin pump and CGM device for over four years, and I feel like I've had enough - the relentless beeping (BM increasing and decreasing), need to recalibrate every few hours, change batteries, reservoir set and sensor, as well as occasional malfunctioning and inconvenience of actually having it attached 24/7 make me feel as if I've had enough. That said, I'm in two minds about going back to insulin injections as I've got used to CGM and the improved glucose control (mainly around frequency and severity of hypos). I was put on the pump because of frequent low BMs.

Has anyone else stopped using their pump after a long(ish) period of using it? How did you find it?

Thanks!

 

[Inka]

Welcome @NARW 🙂 What pump do you have? What CGM? Why don’t you have a pump break - ie a holiday from your pump? I’ve had two or three of them over my almost 20 years of pumping. They’re good🙂 It’s different and I found my last one really made me appreciate my pump again when I woke up to a perfect flat line overnight (my insulin needs vary hugely through the night).

Are you looping? Why are you getting all the beeps?

 

[NARW]

Thanks for your speedy response, Inka! I have the Medtronic 780 with closed loop. I get the beeps when it goes low or high (both happen a lot even though I'm in range around 85% of the time). I like the idea of a pump break - maybe that would be a good idea before I make a final decision.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I get the beeps when it goes low or high (both happen a lot even though I'm in range around 85% of the time).

Can't things be configured so the system acts quietly most of the time? (So set the alarms at some wider range. I understand they're still critical to catch failures of various kinds.)

That said, I'm in two minds about going back to insulin injections as I've got used to CGM

Most of us using injections now use CGM, so there's no need to give that up.

 

[rebrascora]

I don't have a pump, just Libre which I absolutely love, but every now and then I get chewed off with it especially if my diabetes is misbehaving and I take a break from Libre. The first night without it is scary as it really makes you feel vulnerable, which I resent because it means I have come to rely on the technology too much. Then after another couple of days of finger pricking I start to miss my Libre and after a week I go back to it realising what a wonderful bit of kit it is and really appreciating it, now much easier it makes my life and how much better my diabetes management is with it. The saying "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" isn't just true about relationships!
Anyway, I am very much agreeing with @Inka that a pump break is the first thing to try and may make you feel happier about your pump after a week or two without it.

 

[trophywench]

I'd not be at all happy about anything 'beeping at me' unless it was in a circumstance when I actually could do anything about it. eg my BG meter - which I need to use to calculate a bolus or correction since for my pump (Roche Combo) the bolus wizard is on the meter not the pump itself, then by pressing a button on it below the word 'deliver' on the screen, it bluetooths the result of the calculation to the pump and delivers that amount of insulin. Anyway, I'd changed my cannula this morning and clearly my BG had increased more than expected but because we were toing and froing in and out the house packing stuff in the moho on the drive and doing some cleaning in there, I hadn't looked at my BG all morning since first thing and oo-er, pre lunch 17.4. Add the sandwich, OMG, 8+ units so delivered that and ouch, that stung! so hence I more than imagine probably means I didn't get much, if any, basal this morning. So - meter just beeped to tell me 1. to check BG following previous high result and 2. to change my cannula, which it does every couple of days, but anyway, already done that. So I 'flashed' my Libre - which said 11.3 and falling. So, that means I don't need to do anything else since that 8u pre lunch is clearly doings its bit, and will continue to work away at the actual lunch carbs while I sit here typing. Hence, rather than pressing a button on the meter 'Snooze' I pressed the other one - 'Dismiss'. S means it will beep at me again in another 10 minutes. D means I've shut it up - so it won't beep at me again for that partic reason.

Now - unless these closed loop systems have features like that, no way Pedro could I ever live with one. Neither could anyone who works in an office, is in education, goes out to the theatre, watches TV at home or anything else normal - so they surely MUST have in order to be of any use to anyone normal!!

Could anyone who actually HAS one please tell me it isn't just 'me being blooming awkward' ?

 

[Inka]

Thanks for your speedy response, Inka! I have the Medtronic 780 with closed loop. I get the beeps when it goes low or high (both happen a lot even though I'm in range around 85% of the time). I like the idea of a pump break - maybe that would be a good idea before I make a final decision.

Can you alter the Low and High alarms slightly? My CGM (Dexcom G7) has the ability to delay a High alarm to so that it’s not beeping for brief spikes, for example.

If the loop isn’t benefitting you, could you try the pump manually?

I’d definitely try at least one pump break if not two before you decide. Remember that the pump is your servant not your master, and that things can be adapted to fit your life not just followed because everyone else does it. If it was me, I’d stop the loop, try manual for some weeks, then try a pump break for a couple of months.

 

[Jenny101]

I started off with a Libreview 1 and shortly after was using an Accu-Chek Aviva Combo in September 2019. This all changed to Libreview 2 and a new Omnipod in April this year. The Libre2 was often giving incorrect higher readings and both the pump handset and sensor needed battery charging constantly. As I go on camping holidays quite a lot I could not assume that I could charge batteries, so I went back to blood tests and injections. I have been very happy both mentally and physically since getting rid of them. My blood sugars have actually improved and I'm having less hypos (Libre2 does not work for me) and I have had really good nights sleep as there's nothing attached to me. The battery charging and the alarms (mostly false) did my head in. I must stress, however, that the pump and Libre1 was an absolute necessity during my menopause years as my basal amount reduced drastically over a few years. I have often read that people have a pump holiday - perhaps you should try it, even if it is for a short time. We are all different.

 

[nonethewiser]

In 11 years not had a pump break, been libre user for some years & recently changed to Dexcom G6, on a bad day yes alarms can be annoying when they keep repeating for same high or low, myself I just turn them off until back in range, important thing for me is that they alarm in first place so can prevent or take action as needed.

Maybe pump cgm break might work for you to recharge your batteries @NARW , regardless hope you soon get things sorted.

 

[SB2015]

Thanks for your speedy response, Inka! I have the Medtronic 780 with closed loop. I get the beeps when it goes low or high (both happen a lot even though I'm in range around 85% of the time). I like the idea of a pump break - maybe that would be a good idea before I make a final decision.

I am using the same system as you. When I first started I was ready to throw it away but now a lot more ofay with finding ways round the problems.

A pump break can be good and on the odd occasions when I have been without looping, or without a sensor at all it makes me realise just how much I like looping.

If you want to keep with your pump and looping, happy to help with identifying changes that might try to reduce the alarms, such as :
- altering your alarm settings. What have you got these set at?
- changing your carb ratios. Are they different through the day
- changing the max basal per hour. This helped my pump to make more effective reductions.
- change your pre plus timing
- …
Has your team helped at all with the problems you are having with the system?

Having got this system working for me I have long periods in the day when I don’t even think about my diabetes. But I also did that in the early days when on Injections.

Whatever you choose to do, there is plenty of experience to tap into on here.
The most important thing is to find what is right for you.

 

[helli]

Neither could anyone who works in an office

I have noticed most people who work in offices nowadays wear headphones so would not worry about someone else beeping.
Maybe this is just a thing with techies but unless you want to talk (or be spoken to), you put your headphones on and concentrate rather than be distracted by others whether they are taking, singing, typing loudly or beeping.