Remembering Canula changes

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LaughingHyena

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Does anyone have any tricks or even and app they use to remind them when the canula change is due?

I think because it changes day each week I'm finding it hard to get into a routine with it and I'm worried I'm going to forget.

I wish the pump had an alarm I could set but it doesn't so that's out. Also for now I'm still working out how much insulin I need so I'm not confident with the idea of part filling the cartridge and letting the low insulin alarm remind me.
 
LaughingHyena said:
Also for now I'm still working out how much insulin I need so I'm not confident with the idea of part filling the cartridge and letting the low insulin alarm remind me.
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That's the technique I use, along with a '24 hours to go' early warning amount set as the low reservoir threshold.

Could you not use the daily average (over 14 days or whatever) to give you a basic idea of insulin usage? You could always try it for a week or two (carrying a spare everywhere with you... see how it works... then tweak those settings?

Do you find you have a lot of insulin left over at cannula change time? Do they begin to itch/feel uncomfortable at any point?

Failing that could you use a 'calendar alarm' on your phone (set one each time you do a change to remind you in time for the next)?
 
Having seven days in a week is pretty inconvenient isn't it! We used to really struggle to remember if it was set-change day, and eventually settled on a 2,2,3 pattern so that we always changed sets on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. The only flaw in this approach was if we had a problem with a particular set and needed to change it before the due date! Then later on it became apparent that the set that was left in for the full three days always resulted in higher BG levels on day 3. We switched around the change-days in case it was the day itself (Sunday) that he ran higher on, but saw the same effect on day 3, so now he has to be strict about not letting them go above two days.

However, 2,2,3 may work for you? 🙂
 
If your pump doesn't have an alarm for set change reminder then use a pen and mark the cannula with day to change it 🙂
 
Pumper_Sue said:
If your pump doesn't have an alarm for set change reminder then use a pen and mark the cannula with day to change it 🙂
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Wouldn't work if the cannula is on your butt! :D
 
I was in the same frame as you 3 into 7 doesnt go ?? I have a mobile phone with 7 alarms on it & is set each day i change sun,tues & fri. Good luck.
 
I look at the Reservoir started date on my pump screen and add 3 days on to the last date. It's not an alarm but as I look at my pump screens multiple times a day so far so good.
 
lol............usually I have no choice as its only got about 40-50 units left by the time day 3 is approaching.......:D
 
I have a pump diary, I write in the next set change day on that.

🙂
 
Same as Flower. Also I know that 100 units always covers 3 days so that's a routine I have got used to now. Change set and new reservoir together every 3 days. I also have my Medtronic pump set to alarm when it gets to 20 untis left. All angles covered 🙂
 
You can set the Combo meter/remote to either 2 or 3 days and it beeps at you on the appointed day every time you turn the meter on, you kill the beeping by hitting 'Snooze', and when you've done the set change, you 'Dismiss' it.
 
My first pump was a Cozmo, and you could set it for any length of time for a set change and the time as well. I used to set mine for every 3 days at 12 lunch time.

Having an animas now is a pain as no reminder function. I tend to put the day on cannula and leave a message on my computer.
 
I'm "lucky" because the reservoir holds about 300 units and I use about 90 units per day. Sometimes I change one before the other to avoid waste but they're usually in sync.

My biggest issue is avoiding morning changes that leave me rushing to get out the door to work 🙄
 
Ohh, lots of ideas, thanks. Glad to see I'm the only one having to think about this.

I like the idea of marking the canula itself, even if I won't see it when it's round the back. For now it will probably work though, I'm not yet coordinated enough to put it out of sight anyway!

I should try to remember setting the phone alarm too, I'm not that good at using it for a lot of things.

It sounds like once people are set up it's much easier to use the remaining insulin as a guide. Due to still getting set up, and getting an opportunity to test the pump through an illness (trying to look on the bright side🙂 ) that has been hugely variable over the last few weeks with anything form 40+ units to less than 10!
 
I use the calendar on my Blackberry

which reminds me to do a set change every 3 days which seems to work very well for me.
 
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Its interesting hearing people different ways of sorting 😎. My phone has seven different alarms on with different headings 1. doc/ Nurse. 2.Job to do. 3.Change pump. 4.Home time The last one the best being self employed 😉
 
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