Pumps?

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cath12134

cath12134

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Does anyone use an insulin pump? If so which one and how do you get on with it?
 
Hi Cath, there are quite a few of us on here who use pumps. There is a pumping section of the forum - why don't you check it out. Was there anything in particular you wanted to know?

I'm sure this will get moved to the pumping section soon, but to answer your questions: I use an Animas 2020, and I get along very well with it! 🙂
 
Like Shiv says you might get more answers on the pumping board, but I have a Medtronic 722, used to have a Medtronic 522 and have been pumping for 7 years now - I'd never give it back, they'll have to fight me for it :D
 
Popped it in the pumping section as suggested so that it will get the full attention of all the forum's pumpy types 🙂
 
hi Cath

To answer your question, I've got the spirit Combo before that I had the old spirit pump

So as said plenty of pumpers on the forum I think that between us we cover the main pumps available.. So just fire away with questions about pumping you want to know

P.S

Welcome to the forum
 
Spirit combo here too, I love it. It's so much better than MDI, both in terms of control and in ease of use. It is a little more work to test and understand what's going on with your body, but that's also what helps to bring the better control.
 
I just got a reply from a friend with a pump who runs mountain marathons, to ask her advice on behalf of a young man with a pump for 3 months, who approached me at an orienteering race. His concern was about insulin lin freezing, as his drinks bladder tubing had done on a night race. My friend said cold wasn't a problem, as tubing stayed tucked into underwear, but running 17 miles in pouring rain without waterproof was - buttons failed, pump went crazy, and she had a very worrying 24 hrs until replacement arrived.
Perhaps if I didn't spend so much time getting wet, cold and muddy, a pump might seem more attractive for me - but that might not be Cath12134's life.
 
hi
im due to b put on the pump in the next couple of weeks,im a bit scared and dont know an awful lot about the pump
r u new to it to
julie x
 
I am really keen to try a pump but my main concern is that my insulin requirements are quite high, I take 5 injections a day (3 x novorapid and 2 x levemir) each around 44 units...would a pump be able to cope with thiis sort od demand?
 
Cath - Absolutely. You have to change cannula every three days, and my pump (Animas 2020) can hold about 200 units in its resevoir. Many people find that their insulin requirements drop on a pump as well.I haven't found this true for me, (mine has nearly doubled) but it does go that way for a lot of people.

Julie, I started on a pump in November. I like it very much (check out my blog for a few more in detail posts), but I was VERY anxious about starting on it. It will never be as bad as you think it will be 🙂
 
SacredHeart said:
Cath - Absolutely. You have to change cannula every three days, and my pump (Animas 2020) can hold about 200 units in its resevoir. Many people find that their insulin requirements drop on a pump as well.I haven't found this true for me, (mine has nearly doubled) but it does go that way for a lot of people.

Julie, I started on a pump in November. I like it very much (check out my blog for a few more in detail posts), but I was VERY anxious about starting on it. It will never be as bad as you think it will be 🙂
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Thanks SacredHeart, that information really gives me hope...unfortunately I suffer from great lumps on my injection sites - yes I do rotate regularly but can only use my abdomen because all of my other potential injections stes are too muscular.
 
I'm another Spirit Combo user and they hold 300 or just over. I was a 5 a day (3+2) on the pen although the total was only around 50.

I only load up 250 now though as I was lobbing a load of insulin, so you should be OK. If not it'll just mean an extra change and refill which took a buy at first but now it's a 5 minute job once you learn to organise yourself beforehand.
 
Copepod said:
I just got a reply from a friend with a pump who runs mountain marathons, to ask her advice on behalf of a young man with a pump for 3 months, who approached me at an orienteering race. His concern was about insulin lin freezing, as his drinks bladder tubing had done on a night race. My friend said cold wasn't a problem, as tubing stayed tucked into underwear, but running 17 miles in pouring rain without waterproof was - buttons failed, pump went crazy, and she had a very worrying 24 hrs until replacement arrived.
Perhaps if I didn't spend so much time getting wet, cold and muddy, a pump might seem more attractive for me - but that might not be Cath12134's life.
Click to expand...

Then someone has either a cracked pump or didn't use a water proof cover on it :(
Pumps leave the factory waterproof and can withstand a lot of wet. Including swiming the channel whilst wearing one. I live and work on a farm and am quite often wet and muddy. Pump has always been fine , I though have gone rusty over the years. 😱
 
Pumper_Sue said:
Then someone has either a cracked pump or didn't use a water proof cover on it :(
Pumps leave the factory waterproof and can withstand a lot of wet. Including swiming the channel whilst wearing one. I live and work on a farm and am quite often wet and muddy. Pump has always been fine , I though have gone rusty over the years. 😱
Click to expand...

Yes, I suspect the rain came once she was a few miles out and didn't want to return home, She's an equine vet, so probably well used to keeping pump working in muddy places where kicks are a possibility.
 
Pumper_Sue said:
Then someone has either a cracked pump or didn't use a water proof cover on it :(
Pumps leave the factory waterproof and can withstand a lot of wet. Including swiming the channel whilst wearing one. I live and work on a farm and am quite often wet and muddy. Pump has always been fine , I though have gone rusty over the years. 😱
Click to expand...

Hi Copepod/Pumper Sue,

I agree with Sue, it is highly unlikely that the rain would have stopped the buttons working. I think it sounds like coincidence and that there was probably another unrelated problem altogether. Alex has been out in all weathers, and played lots in the snow and got really cold and wet - without any problems at all. Also, dont forget that the Animas is actually marketed as a 'waterproof' pump and you can swim with it on. Medtronic arent allowed to say theirs is actually waterproof - I cant remember why - but they are waterproof and can withstand all sorts of useage. You can buy a waterproof 'spibelt' for pumps too.

Alex's reservoir holds 300 units. Most people find that they use 25% less insulin on a pump.

Copepod, I really do feel that if you tried a pump, you would really like it. I know you have reservations and worries about them - but I feel that you would get over them once you see what they are capable of.🙂Bev
 
Pumper_Sue said:
Pumps leave the factory waterproof and can withstand a lot of wet. Including swiming the channel whilst wearing one.
Click to expand...

Isn't that just certain pumps? I was told by the DSN I'd get away with a shower with the pump still on but wouldn't risk putting it on the side of a bath. I disconnect for a shower anyway as it's only a 10 minute job. And besides... I wouldn't know where to dangle it from!?!

Oi... That's your filthy minds, not mine! Heheh.
 
Copepod said:
I just got a reply from a friend with a pump who runs mountain marathons, to ask her advice on behalf of a young man with a pump for 3 months, who approached me at an orienteering race. His concern was about insulin lin freezing, as his drinks bladder tubing had done on a night race. My friend said cold wasn't a problem, as tubing stayed tucked into underwear, but running 17 miles in pouring rain without waterproof was - buttons failed, pump went crazy, and she had a very worrying 24 hrs until replacement arrived.
Perhaps if I didn't spend so much time getting wet, cold and muddy, a pump might seem more attractive for me - but that might not be Cath12134's life.
Click to expand...

Bev - Alex may be out in all weathers, but I really doubt he's run 17 miles in rain & driving rain in fells, nor run round Epping Forest for several hours on a November night, as the friends I was quoting did, nor run through pine plantations & fences as the younger pump user & I did at the orienteering race where we met.

I would consider a pump IF MDI didn't suit me so well, but why use so many more resourses for no advantage for me? That does't mean that I don't support anyone else who needs a pump.
 
Copepod said:
Bev - Alex may be out in all weathers, but I really doubt he's run 17 miles in rain & driving rain in fells, nor run round Epping Forest for several hours on a November night, as the friends I was quoting did, nor run through pine plantations & fences as the younger pump user & I did at the orienteering race where we met.

I would consider a pump IF MDI didn't suit me so well, but why use so many more resourses for no advantage for me? That does't mean that I don't support anyone else who needs a pump.
Click to expand...

Hi Copepod,

I think you have missed the point. It doesnt matter whether you are out for 7 hours in the rain or 17 hours in the rain - the chances of the pump failing because of the rain is virtually nil.🙂 You are right, Alex hasnt even tried orienteering - but he has put the pump through all sorts of adventures - including crawling through mud and rain for several hours and building a shelter from scratch in the forest and making fires and climbing trees - so much so that I couldnt even find a clean spot to test his BG without bottles and bottles of water to clean his hands - he he. When he played in the snow - it wasnt just for an hour or so - it was most of the day in freezing temperatures and he was actually using a 'bodyboard' for going down a huge steep hill at Avebury stones - so huge amounts of energy needed and lots of Temporary Basals - and the pump was fine. The point I was making was that pumps are much more robust than some people might think and the idea that rain would break the buttons just isnt true and I wouldnt want anyone who is interested in a pump thinking that this is the case.🙂Bev
 
Hi Cath,

I use a Medtronic Veo 554 which has a 1.8 ml reservoir and I can usually get about 175 units into that. Those reservoirs last me about two to three days usually and my cannulas tend to stay in for up to four or five days at the most. Given my line of work and my future line of work, I love the flexibility of the pump and all it's benefits. I've only had it fail on me once. I'm currently a bit under the weather and it's really good at keeping things under control for the time being. I can't get as tight control as I used to when I wasn't ill but I can get reasonably near it.

Tom

I forgot to add that I'm currently a health care assistant and soon to be student nurse.
 
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