My Pump Journey...17th Dec 09 onwards!!!

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Of course we want you to! And I think it is good to see a new "wave" of people document things.....you and Tom will be the new crowd!

Sorry to hear you have had a rotten time with the air bubbles. The are a couple of things you can do, will message you later (on lunch at work) but it will get easier. These syringes can be very fiddly and getting airbubbles out can be tiresome but it gets easier. At first I thought I was getting a lot of air bubbles in my tube but then I was realising that it was the tube marking when it bends etc. Its difficult not to get obsessive about it, but I find that the best way to do a quick check is quickly unclip it and run the tube through my fingers right up close to the laptop screen! The tube is then see-through and the bubbles dark and instantly recognisable.

I am not suprised you are so tired. It certainly is a lot to think about and to take on board. Are you managing your doses ok?

I think it is worth saying that you need a little emergency kit with you to avoid the panic of running home like you did! A reservoir, tube set and inserter, and the vial (remember it can stay out the fridge for a month) and I carry a syringe to use form the vial incase of a pump failure in my kit and a small battery....sounds like a lot, but actually it only takes a tiny amount of space. (Oh and a 20p! I discovered I couldnt open the battery bit the other day without it, despite having a battery! You live and learn!).

Have you got medical ID Shelley? Whilst you are undergoing all these changes it is worth carrying. I picked up a cutie and have "On medtronic Insulin Pump" inscribed on the inside from ICE GEMS just a couple of weeks ago.

With regards to the clip and the gym, remember (sorry is this excessive use of the word "Remember"? I hope I dont sound a nag hon, sorry) but that you want to avoid vibration of the insulin.....I dont wear mine in the gym anyway but I would avoid the powerplate etc. I like to enjoy my gym time as the only time I now dont wear the pump because I dont need it. You may find the same, Im sure its an individual thing.

Dont feel bad too if you ever feel a bit tearful with it. Just becuase you wanted it for ages does not account for the emotional turmoil of such a huge life change.....I felt wrong to be upset a few days in when I had waited so long to get it in my hands....

I think you are doing really well Shelley. Are you getting support from your fella? Its so important. Its so fantastic to hear great results already that you are conquering the dawn phen after all these years.....Im so happy you have seen some results so quickly- that is really encouraging.

Right, must fly. On lunch. Laters lovey xxxx
 
Lou you are a legend, your support has been greaaatttt 🙂 loves ya 😛

I was thinking about an emergency kit, by vial you mean novorapid yes???20p thing is handy too hehe!!! I do feel very 'safe' at home atm need to pack my medical kit really, got somethings but not insulin and tube set etc...

My current medical i.d is pannnnttttssss...is iced gems the place to get them then??

Rich has been great really interested and supportive 🙂 bless him!!!

My head is spinning cos not got enough supplies for the xmas break atm, is all in motion but the accu check company have messed me about a bit, should all be sorted by wed now tho with a bit of luck!!!

Have drawn up 2 carts of in sulin tho so they are in the fridge ready to use...so insulin can be in me handbag for a whole month then??? I am short on the lines and easy fill carts atm...arghhhh stressssss!!!

Bloods are good today tho so cant complain, up on 8.5....UNHEARD OF IN 3YRS FOR ME!!!

Am getting very used to wearing her too which is ace 🙂

Just need the supplies and I can relax!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
You know Shelley this all sounds just SO GOOD! Please congratulate yourself completely on all this! To see diffs in numbers so quickly is just great, great news...GOOD JOB!!!

We too have real set change/bubble hell at the moment, never having had much difficulty. Suddenly it all seems impossible. Sorry to hijack your thread for a moment, but do you mean Lou that you can keep insulin in the reservoirs? We've done this for the last week in an attempt to get them to 'settle' (do you think this is possible? It seems to sort of work...), but then today my OH said that he thought it wasn't good for insulin to be kept in the reservoir? Not as fresh or something?

ANYWAY. Go girl. You're doin great.

xxoo
 
Hiya,

Nope, just to clarify, I carry the actual vial of novorapid around with me, and one needle and syringe (the old orange top ones) to draw from it and inject incase of pump failure. I havent drawn them up in preparation.....Im not so sure about this. I know we have spoken before P about flimsy medtronic syringes, its just not something I'm happy to do I guess. I dont know what the offical take on it is, yay or nay?!.....but not for me!

With regards to the ID, Im sure you have seen various threads about the place but this is the one I bought and Im very pleased, especially the black letter engraving. I used to have an old hideous one but I am pleased to see those days are gone! New pump, new bling! http://www.icegems.co.uk/ladies-medical-id-jewellery/heart-of-gold-medical-bracelet.html

Im not sure how your company operate but medtronic will deliver to home, work or whatever address you choose so you may be able to arrange a christmas delivery address? I have taken deliverys in different places before. Normally you can expect a very good service from these companies, so dont be afraid to ask.

If you dont get supplies I would consider calling the DSN for a bit of clout with the company. They dont want to much up your first order as a new customer, but also the incovenience. Remember these people shouldnt be shut over xmas. With Medtronic if you call them after hours you get your call picked up from medtronic America! Someone at least takes the call.

I meant to find this link for you earlier, http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/6-PACK-SAMSUN..._MobilePhonesCasesPouches?hash=item2a035cc6f9 you can never have enough mobile phone socks to match you undercrackers! ebay gets addictive for accessories for the pump, search "mobile phone socks" and also "golla" http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38&_nkw=golla these are ADDICTIVE! Pimp that pump!

xxxxxx
 
Shelley we should all defo get together again soon, it was great meeting Lou at the last meet as id never met another pumper before then and not seen any other pumps except my own. As Lou said even the difference in clips had us ooo-ing and aaah-ing!!

Although i was a little bit shamed on the lack of supplies i carry round with me!! (I still havent sorted it out but i will i promise!!)

Im so pleased you are gettin on well. It is exhausting and i remember being caught completely unaware by how emotionally drained i felt by the whole thing. It was all so excitign in the run up and then so daunting and long term once i was plugged in!!

Happy first Christmas together :D
 
Thanks Lou, u really r a wealth of information, you should have your pwn website with a blog me thinks!!!!! Those bracelets look ace, gonna have to save after xmas first tho 🙂 I'l let you know when I get it!!

Hmmm I guess I could carry round a bottle of insulin, just hate having big handbags booo :(

Just got my del from Roche, only cos I chased them and got them to send it by courier hehehe...just waiting on the docs/ chemist now for my other bits in time for xmas...god the responsibilities of a Poppy are immense heheh!!

I shall look at the other links too Lou, thanks tons 🙂

Ah Viki we deffos neeed to meet up again, am gonna speak to Circle D about a London meet in 2010...altho Lou you said you were gonna try and make the 18th Jan Circle D...maybe you and Viki could come together...if you want to that is...will be more pumpers then, there are a few at circle d 🙂

All 18-30's are welcome to come btw....PM me if you want more info...

Support really is everything, and I'm loving this forum while I'm at the start of my pump journey...

Went to bed on 7.4 and got up on 8.4, unheard of for me for over 3yrs!!!! Still not feeling good on it, feel spaced out and just a bit odd most of the time, the emotional draining feeling is passing now, feel am adapting pretty well now, but the weekend was a nightmare!!!!!!!
 
Naughty Poppy :(

Hi all,

Yes that's right, it's 1.30 AM...which is y I'm soooo mad!!!!

Have been 4-8 bloods wise alllll day (yah) then got home at about 11.30pm tonight, blood was 16....so checked Poppy and there was a air bubble at the end of her line where it connects to me...so I primed it out and changed my cannula too (which bled)..

So plugged her back in and then was 18!!! More air bubbles but no ketones thank god...so decided I didn't trust any of her anymore and promptly changed her insulin, line and cannula (didn't bleed)

This was an hour ago and am now 11, altho when I unclick the cannula there are bubbles around the fork part of the cannula (bit connected to the line)...they keep reappearing...

Am firstly, frustrated, it' still all new and I don't take kindly to it all at this hour or when my bloods are high and making me feel sick!!!

I don't trust her and am too scared to sleep atm and don't feel I can go anywhere without supplies of everything :(

I have a few questions, mainly writing them to keep a record while I am thinking them, but if anyone can shed any light that would be amazing!!!

My Questions...


  • [*]Can I carry drawn up insulin around with me? if so for how long?

    • Is there a technique to reducing air bubbles?
    • Does it matter that I tend to wear her inside my bra next to skin, or inside a phone sock, will this affect the damn bubbles? i.e. heatwise?

    [*]Will it get easier or will I always be this scared? Is it normal to be scared and paranoid???

    [*]How do you remove the dirty black marks the cannula's leave?

    [*]Is there a way to remove them without pain/ bleeding?


I'm sooo sorry for the rant, just feeling really rubbish atm :( has helped me to put it into words...just feel so worried and stressed with the unpredictability :(
 
Hi Shelley

Firstly i want to say that i have been reading your posts with interest and i think you are doing a great job so far. You should be pleased with yourself. There is so much to learn so quickly. Please keep your spirits up as it will all become easier with time.

I cannot advise on all your questions but i did check with my son's dsn re drawing up reservoirs of insulin in advance (i thought this would be a great idea, especially for those 2am set changes!). She checked with the Medtronic rep who said 'no! Boo hoo! Apparantly it does not stay good for a month in the reservoirs like it does in the bottle. Ideally it would be discarded 3 days from being filled.

Another thing, if it any consolation to you, we have recently had a problem with high's for a day which resulted in a 1am set change which cured the problem. But there were no bubbles (we had been checking) and no bent cannula. So a mystery! I personally feel confident with the pump but it is the quicksets that i not confident with!

We have nightmare days or nights occassionally but most of the time all goes smoothly and on the smooth days the pump is ssssssssoooooooo much better than mdi. We just all need many more smooth days than rough!

Keep strong Shelley, you are doing all the right things. Keep posting because i am learning heaps from your posts and people's replies!

How are things today?

Mand 🙂
 
Thanks Mand, you are sooo sweet for asking the DSN!!! So am wondering if its ok to carry a non drawn up bottle of insulin around instead then????

Am feeling on edge today, mainly cos I slept thru my alarm due to a rubbish night and have tons to do today poppy and non poppy so feeling like I want to scream!!!! arrrrgggghhh there you go just did hahaah!!

Its sooo scary when the pump goes wronng and i guess i am feeling a bit tearful today :( just feel nervous when I'm not home with my mountain of supplies!! Staying at my boyfs tonight, first night away with the pump. My dad has been ace since I got poppy (I live at home still) so gonna be weird being away from him too!! God I sound like a needy idiot!!!!
 
Shelley, all your emotions and thoughts are normal so please do not worry. You are feeling understandably vulverable at the moment. All this is new to you and it is daunting. But, as i said before, keep strong because your confidence will grow and grow.

Each time i start a new bottle of insulin i leave it out of the fridge until it is finished (it is always finished before a month so it safe to leave it out). So it would be a good idea for you to do the same and just take it with you when you out and about, espcially overnight.

Why not buy a small, pretty make up bag or vanity case to keep your current bottle in and also keep in there a spare reservoir and quickset and quickserter. Then when you out and just grab the bag/case and go! I believe that the better organised you can be the smoother things will go. You will soon fall into a routine that suits you.

Chin up, deep breath and think positive! You can do this Shelley!

Mand 🙂
 
Patricia said:
You know Shelley this all sounds just SO GOOD! Please congratulate yourself completely on all this! To see diffs in numbers so quickly is just great, great news...GOOD JOB!!!

We too have real set change/bubble hell at the moment, never having had much difficulty. Suddenly it all seems impossible. Sorry to hijack your thread for a moment, but do you mean Lou that you can keep insulin in the reservoirs? We've done this for the last week in an attempt to get them to 'settle' (do you think this is possible? It seems to sort of work...), but then today my OH said that he thought it wasn't good for insulin to be kept in the reservoir? Not as fresh or something?

ANYWAY. Go girl. You're doin great.

xxoo
Click to expand...



I have a feeling that the insulin can 'stick' to the sides of the reservoirs. It would make sense as that is one reason it is recommended to do set changes every 2 days (3 tops) due to insulin bunging up the cannula (for want of a better word). I guess it depends on how long you keep the reservoirs filled ie days or hours. Hours wouldn't hurt I wouldn't have thought.

I would ask your DSN about keeping it in the reservoirs. I never have but have never had the need to, we have been lucky with bubbles and don't get them. I have a feeling that one of my friends fills hers a few hours before.
 
Hi Shelly

Well firstly I just want to say you have been doing great. Secondly just want to say sorry I have not been much help for you. I like to try to help but have had problems with my ezcema which is nothing in comparison to your diabetes but it has flared up and I've been in lots of pain so have not been around too much.

Ok your questions :

?Can I carry drawn up insulin around with me? if so for how long? No it doesn't like sitting in plastic, think Mand has answered this for you. I do believe you can draw up and leave them for an hour or so.

◦Is there a technique to reducing air bubbles? There is yes, its called gassing. I think Tracey does it now. There is a link on one of the threads to a You Tube on how to do it. Fiddly but works. I don't do this. Our DSN said for some reason some people are more prone to air bubbles than others. We are lucky and hardly have any. However every so often we get a huge one which I am always surprised at and wonder where the hell it came from. I leave it until it gets nearer the skin end and then do as you did and prime it out. Not sure why you changed your cannula at this point unless it was time to do so. I don't think there was maybe any need to. Bubbles don't appear due to a dodgy cannula. Don't worry about the bleeding, that does happen once in a while unfortunately both when taking a cannula out and inserting a new one.

◦Does it matter that I tend to wear her inside my bra next to skin, or inside a phone sock, will this affect the damn bubbles? i.e. heatwise? It makes no difference to where you wear the pump. Our DSN (who is fab and very very trustworthy) wears her clipped to her bra. Apparently the bigger the boobs the easier to wear it there !! She uses the clip it came with and attaches it to the middle front bit of her bra. It shouldn't make you get bubbles.


?Will it get easier or will I always be this scared? Is it normal to be scared and paranoid??? Hey you, its ok to be scared. This is a huge thing. Going on a pump is like starting over. It is not magic and it will not necessarily make things easier. The secret is that you have to trust your pump. Its too soon yet. Took me months to realise suddenly that I did trust the pump. That was the best bit of advice from our DSN. Trust the pump. You'll get there and you then won't be scared or paranoid as much if at all.

?How do you remove the dirty black marks the cannula's leave? Yes orange oil, would you believe. I have it from here
http://www.opus-healthcare.co.uk/lift.php I use the 100ml bottle. I put it on tissue and wipe it over and over and over the adhesive markings and it goes and smells nice and is gentle. Get free samples from that website. I still have the same bottle from 3 years ago.

?Is there a way to remove them without pain/ bleeding? Funnily enough I use another product from the same company above http://www.opus-healthcare.co.uk/liftplus.php I use the spray, again get a free sample. You can get this on prescription easily but get the free sample first. You spray it on, leave for say 30 seconds and peel off I then put some Tea Tree cream (from a health shop) on the area. It is a natural antiseptic and helps the marks and if sore.

You can't stop the bleeding. Generally it doesn't bleed for us but sometimes it does and sometimes it carrys on for ages. You just have to do what you would do if a cut, ie hold a tissue or something clean on it until it has stopped.

I hope some of that has helped you.

I do think you are doing great though and well on the way to trusting your pump, you just can't see that yet.

I have to be honest I used to carry all the stuff around with me. I don't bother now though if going out somewhere I know I can get home to relatively quickly ie shopping or restaurant. If I am going further afield over night I do, I take enough for a couple of set changes and also insulin pen and needles and Novorapid. I don't bother with the Lantus if just one night as I think I'll just deal with it with NR and will be back pumping the next day or home to where the Lantus is.
 
Wow thanks you guys...thats is all fantastic information 🙂 thank you so so much 🙂 what would i do without u 🙄

its the overwhelmed feeling thats bugging me!!! Am off to a xmas do tonight and a pantomime tom tho so just hope she behaves herself!!!

Have spent most of today in tears of frustration, but am hoping I have learnt enough for things to get better from now....

Thanks tons...gotta go tart meself up now hehe!!! Shall post as and when over the xmas break...merry xmas to you allll 🙂 xxxxxxxxxx
 
Go and have some fun. Stop worrying, the pump will fall into place and you will wonder what the fuss was about. Take care and seriously have some fun 🙂
 
p.s. will ask father xmas for some Orange Oil 🙂

I am so overwhelmed by all ure support and advice that I don't quite know what to say...THANK YOU!!!

Lots of festive love xxxxx
 
You are very welcome re the support. Now, get out there and have some fun!!!!!!!!!!!!

:D:D
 
Hi guys...merry xmas!!

Hope you have all had a good one 🙂

I have news....me and Poppy have finally 'bonded' hehe, i.e. I trust her now hehehe!! She was an angel on xmas eve, good on xmas day and up and down today (random 18 at 6am this morning) and on the whole I am sooo getting there...I still have tons to learn tho!!

Before I got her I was worried about wearing her, now I have her the reality is that it's trusting her thats the big hurdle!!!

Went to Boots and Holland and Barratt and no orange oil, they said use any oil so have been using olive oil till I can ord sum online hehehe!!!

Bubbles have been on and off but on the whole...feeling good!!

Have seriously over eaten the last two days but am loving the no needles, just loads of boluses hehe!!

Anyways must go and eat some more food hehe....x
 
Great news Shelley! So glad to hear you and Poppy have had a good first xmas together. Keep us posted in the new year. 🙂
 
Hi Shelley -- great to hear all this! I followed along over xmas, but couldn't sit on a computer long enough to respond...So glad it's feeling more comfortable though, a great relief.

Thanks too everyone for the info re filling reservoirs and leaving them to sit -- a NO, it seems! This is fine and makes sense.

For now!

xxoo
 
Poppy updates...

Hi all...

Feel like this is becoming my pump diary hehe! Get the urge to write every now and then!

Poppy was bad tonight, been feeling a bit under the weather today, and bloods went up to 13 at about 8pm, bolused twice and no change nor ketones, checked for air bubbles and then checked the cannula, there was blood inside the plastic!!! Freaked me out, quick cannula change sorted it though phewww!!! Really make me feel queasy though...another new experience to learn from!

My mind set with sugar levels has changed soooo much in the last 2 weeks! (is it really only two weeks!) before I had dawn phen, EVERY DAY FOR 3YRS...I could NEVER stay in single figures for a whole day and it demotivated me and made me think high sugars weren't so bad in moderation...but now I have consistent periods of decent levels, I find it outrageous when I am over ten hahaha!!! It almost panics me now!!

My hypo's are sooooo diff since the pump my warnings now don't come until 3.0-3.3 and even then sometimes I catch them by a chance finger prick...before Poppy my hypos knocked me out and held me back for 24hrs, major headaches, sleepiness and generally felt run down...now I am blase when I have hypos as I just feel a lil sleepy afterwards...no headaches and best of all I am back to 6-7 within an hour, and it stays there!! I no longer panick when I am hypo....altho it concerns me a lil that my warnings are not as strong till i am quite low???

Before I got my pump I worried about wearing it mainly, would it bother me? be comfortable? etc etc as well as DKA risks...however the reality I have found since wearing a pump is that the actual 'worry' for me was trusting the pump to work!!It took me about a week to trust her, and that was xmas eve!! It's a lot of responsibility for a lil machine!!!!!!

I also thought I would want to 'show off' my pump, and naturally friends and family are interested but I have felt quite 'hesitant' almost about doing so, I can't really explain why, but I can say that wearing my pump feels 'natural' and 'part of me' so it feel s a bit alien to say 'look at this' all the time...

I have found going onto a pump HUGELY emotionally, mentally and physically draining.....physically because my body has been adjusting to my new regime, mentally because of all the change and new learning, and emotionally because of all the positive / negative aspects....I soooo underestimated that this would be how I would feel...

I am irritated by the amount of stuff I have to carry around with me, my meter, monitor diary and remote for the pump is a given, then my emergency kit plus lucozade and ketones...am dreading a night out when I will want to take a teeny handbag...i cant streamline it though...doesnt feel worth the risk?

Am becoming an expert priming and air bubbles....am wasting less insulin each time!!! Xmas eating has made the effectivenes of my basal rate blurry so am looking forward to the new year for my routine and a chance to finely tune my basal rates 🙂

I am enjoying writing my experiences as it is good to sum up how I am feeling, I hope it is useful to some of you, but rem that these are just MY experiences...I may be the only one who feels this way hehehe..

Woaaahhhh this has been a mega update....just felt I had a lot to say...

Bye for now...lots of love from POPPY!!!
 
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