Pump failure, how long for replacement?

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Cate

Cate

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Evening all.

My pump has just failed, with a "button error". Medtronic 24hr support say it needs replacing but that they can't do anything and I'll have to wait till the uk office opens in the morning. Problem is that I don't have any basal alternative available, so can anyone tell me when I might be able to expect a replacement pump to arrive? If it won't be tomorrow I'm going to have to get to ooh doc to get some lantus prescribed.

Also, how much lantus would I need? No idea how they work it out and it's 8 years since I've used any.

Gah. Sons 2nd birthday party in the morning, too.
 
Hi cate.

Firstly, always have backups of everything! That's done with.

I would test every hour and inject small bolus equivalent to your pump basal rate and get some help for the party in case you go high or low.
You can't guarantee being well enough for it.

Realise the advice is a bit late but didn't want to leave it unanswered.

Hope you're coping. There's always A&E if needed.

Rob
 
Ring Medtronic as soon as they open. They can courier a new/spare/inthemeantime pump to you. Tell them you don't have any basal insulin. They might have to send it over from their stores in Holland, but if you keep at them they might be able to locate a spare one in the UK.
 
Sorry you had a pump failure :(
I suspect it will be monday if not more like Tuesday morning before you get a pump now as it will have to be delivered by courier.
Another option is to ring your hospital and see if you can borrow a spare! pump.
Otherwise it's a case of using your syringe and short acting until a new pump arrives if no basal available.
 
Mine died on Christmas Eve and I got the replacement the same day in the evening, and that was a Saturday. Hopefully you'll get yours soon.
 
Thanks all - my last lot of lantus was out of date, which I discovered whe I checked the fridge! And surely nobody has a reserve pump sitting about?! Fortunately there was enough left in the reservoir to leave my pump connected for basal delivery and use a syringe for the bolus. The pump delivery mechanism was working fine, but every time I touched the down arrow/light button it stuck on rather than released.

As it turns out, a replacement pump arrived by courier just after 11am today (party infill swIng lol), fantastic service and I'm very impressed. I've spent a while setting it all up - had forgotten quite how many settings there are! - and all appears well so far.

Shall be having a chat with my DSN Next week though!
 
All's well that ends well Cate !:D (is that copyrighted ?)

Pleased you got sorted so swiftly and understand about the lantus being out of date. Not sure how final the end date is but would only test it out in emergency.🙂

Rob
 
Hi Cate, glad all is sorted,
yes hospitals do have pumps for demo's so can be used in an emergency 🙂
I also have my previous pump as a back up and have no hesitation in using it when things go wrong.
That's great service from Medtronic as well.
 
Glad to hear it's all sorted..

If you ever get caught out again with your lantus and pump failure and only got quick acting insulin to hand, add together your next 2 hours of basal, then inject this amount of quick, round down your rather than up so if you end up needing 2.75 round down to 2u for to match the syringe.. Keep testing a keep repeating until either you get your pump or able to source some lantus insulin..

In one way I'm lucky as hubby is T1 also still using injections, and uses the same background insulin as I used, so don't have to ensure that I've got some backup or remember or need to check expiry dates, in an emergency I can swipe a cartridge of his... Thankfully haven't had to resort to that in 4 years of pumping
 
Thanks everyone - I'm really pleased (and relieved!) that it all got sorted out. Ellie that's really useful re the basal - won't help on the occasions when I'm only having 0.7u/h much, my syringes are in 2u increments. Maybe need to get some smaller ones in stock too!

Funnily enough I had an appointment with my DSN just over a week ago, and since my pump is coming up for renewal/funding review/etc (in November) I specifically asked about replacements, did they keep a spare in etc. They have no pumps available within the clinic, even for demos. And certainly when I went on the pump, a rep came in and brought the pumps with her for me to look at - but this was after I had already had funding agreed. No chance to look at one before funding was in place. I assume from what some of you have written that this is unusual?!

Plus, hopefully I can keep this replacement pump once I get a new one at the end of the year so I will have a back up in future. My last one failed right at the point where it was due to be changed, so the change just got brought forward a bit and I sent the failed one back.
 
They might do the same with this one too Cate ? - I dunno because the Roche pumps actually 'time out' when they reach the end of the contract so if mine failed 'now' the new one would still be pre-set to time out on the same date as the old one - unless it was very very close like your last one and repeat funding was already agreed, which Roche would know about, I suppose.
 
I very much suspect that if your pump is due for renewal/replacement during this year, your clinic will arrange for this one to be your replacement pump, if they still decide to go ahead with a new pump and funding, I very much doubt that you will be allowed to keep the pump as a spare..

With Roche, the old blue spirit pumps had a factory set end of warranty counter, which stops the pump being used past it's warranty unless it sent back to the factory to be reset... Hence why it was never popular in places like America..

The new Combo pump isn't factory set unless it's a replacement under warranty then they set the timer to run to end of the original warranty... I had to have mine Blue Spirit pump replaced Christmas 2010 and the warranty for this pump ran out this summer and that is what the clock is set too, but I like my Combo pump rather happy with it, and feel it's a waste of money to have to have it replaced for the sake of it, I'm quite happy to keep it until such point either it breaks or my next 4 years stint of funding runs out...

I'm at the pump clinic in April so need to remember to mention this, as the last thing I want to happen it to be without my pump for a few days..
 
That's interesting Ellie, thanks.

I only got mine last year and who knows what might be available in 2015? LOL I did think they still 'ran out' though - even though the date setting isn't accessible to the User.
 
Pumps have a 4 year warranty so if you haven't replaced the pump at the 4 year mark then the pump you are using even if only 12 mths old is not covered by warranty. So you stuck if it breaks. ( I know what I mean hope others do) 🙄

Roche pumps as Ellie say's do not have a timeout now. That is except for the loan pump that you can take on holiday to cover you for any breakdowns.
 
Cate said:
Thanks all - my last lot of lantus was out of date, which I discovered whe I checked the fridge!
Click to expand...

Glad Medtronic sorted you out so quickly. When I had a very similar problem, they were very good too and I got a new pump the following day.

But also...thank you - your post made me check the date on my lantus and my couple of spare cartridges are also out of date! Oops. Will have to order some more. Although having said that I think in a similar situation (ie a short period) I would just do multiple humalog injections.
 
Trophywrench

The date timer only shows up on the Combo if it's been set, it's under 'my data' on the pump, if using the remote it's pump>my data...

I know that back along, that some clinic's had decided that they wouldn't automatic renew pumps at the end of warranty but replace when a fault appeared, didn't go down so well with those who wanted to improve their pump spec's

Spec wise on insulin delivery of a pump, there isn't likely to be any real advances in this area, the advances in technology is now really based around the CGM side of pumps, more pumps with the ability enabled and better software communication between the two to deliver insulin more effectively..

As everything stands at the moment, opting for a CGM pump is not going to put people in a better position unless they are able to self fund this part.. And NHS funding will remain for many years to come 'Special funding' on individual cases. So even opted for CGM in case NICE Guidelines or easier access might be available in 2 or 3 years time really is a bit fool hearty..
 
Well that just tells me the manual hadn't been updated when I got mine last year then Ellie, because that's what my manual says. It also tells me that the User cannot access that info.

Please don't get me wrong! - I'm certainly not hankering after a different one or lusting for a CGMS (though, wouldn't it be nice! - but then so would a closed loop system :D which is getting closer but has reportedly been doing that for about 20 years or longer!)

Until the time comes I shan't be giving it a great deal of thought one way or t'other - and who knows what pump my hospital trust will opt for in 2015?
 
I haven't checked my manual to see if it's mentions it..

I should imagine if you started with the Combo pump, then unless Roche is providing you with a loan pump for any reason, the Date timer would never be set so would always remain hidden from view by the user.. Don't forget I can see it but I can't alter in anyway only Roche can..

Mind you Roche would say that they are honouring their side of the warranty to the letter, after all it does say that to use my pump past the warranty period I have to return it for a full service.. The date timer just ensures I follow my side of the warranty cause if I don't my pump will stop functioning when the counter it's zero.. Me I would say I'm being held to ransom! As to continual pump therapy beyond my initial warranty I am going to have to fork out more money for the privilege it to Roche or another pump manufacturer😱

GCM's in my case I can't see it making an over lot of difference to my control, but must admit it would be nice to borrow one for short periods every now and again for data collection...

Mind you wonder if the closed loop system is on the same road as the 'cure' for diabetes where in '89 I was told a cure was just around the corner funny enough my husband was told the same in '79 when he was first diagnosed it's turning out to one hell of a long corner!
 
Well they're actually playing with one at the mo in Oxford was it Alan - one of the 'News' stories of the other day.

Didn't know you'd self-funded Ellie.
 
Hi

I wish I had seen this. Medtronic UK read their emails on Saturday and Sunday mornings and have a courier on standby to bike out a replacement pump. If you had emailed them Friday night the person on call would have seen the email Saturday morning and hopefully contacted you and could have biked you a pump on Saturday.

Ring them asap tomorrow morning. Hope all has gone ok with the injections.
 
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