Diabetes: Living With An Insulin Pump
More and more people with diabetes are using insulin pumps instead of daily shots to manage their disease. The pumps give them more freedom to eat, sleep, and exercise when they want. A pump can be an important tool in preventing problems like very low blood sugar. But using an insulin pump takes some getting used to. The more you learn about your pump and how to live with it, the happier you will be. Some people say choosing which pump to use is actually harder than deciding to switch to a pump in the first place. There are a number of insulin pump companies, and each pump is slightly different. Ask members of your diabetes team which pumps they recommend. If you have insurance, find out which pump brands are covered. Then ask those companies to send you information. Insulin pump companies also have websites where you can get all kinds of information. Your diabetes educator likely will have a variety of pumps that you can look at. Because improvements in insulin pumps are happening so fast, your local hospital may have open houses a few times a year so that pump makers can show their products and tell you how they work. Ask the company to send a sales representative to your home. That way you can see each pump you are considering, see how easy it is to program the pump, and learn how to give yourself a bolus (extra insulin). You should be able to try out the pump with saline solution. That way you can really see how it works and feels. The infusion site is the area on your body where you have attached your infusion set. Infusion sites can get infected, so it's important to know how to place the catheter correctly and to keep the area clean. Replace your infusion set every 2 or 3 days or as often as your doctor advises. Insert a new infusion set at least 1 in. (2.5 cm) Continue reading >>
- Relative effectiveness of insulin pump treatment over multiple daily injections and structured education during flexible intensive insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes: cluster randomised trial (REPOSE)
- Living with Diabetes: 6 Pro Tips for Managing Diabetes
- Comparative Effectiveness and Costs of Insulin Pump Therapy for Diabetes
Everything You Need To Know About Insulin Pumps
Everyone needs insulin to live. Insulin is a hormone that helps our bodies use and store the food we eat. People with Type 1 Diabetes no longer make insulin and have to give insulin in order to sustain life. People with Type 2 Diabetes don’t use their own insulin well, and over time can have trouble making enough. So, all people with Type 1 diabetes and some people with Type 2 diabetes need insulin. When people give insulin injections, they may take 1-2 injections of a long acting insulin every day and 3+ injections of rapid acting insulin for meals and snacks. The typical person with Type 1 Diabetes could take anywhere from 4-7+ injections a day. Many people currently give insulin through an insulin pen or a syringe. But, there is another option, an insulin pump. An insulin pump delivers rapid acting insulin in two ways. First, the pump is programmed to give you insulin every hour throughout the hour referred to basal insulin. Basal, think “base,” is the insulin your body needs even in the absence of food, it is also referred to as background insulin. This basal rate replaces the long acting injection that you take. Second, is bolus, this is the insulin you take for food or to correct a high blood sugar. If you get basal and bolus confused, think “bowl”, as in you eat out of a bowl, to help you remember bolus is for food. Once you are on a pump, all insulin is delivered through the pump and shots are no longer necessary. Components There are a few things necessary to make a pump work. When a pump is shipped to someone: they will also need to send infusion sets, reservoirs, and possibly batteries, depending on your pump. Let’s talk about each component. Infusion Sets An infusion set is the part that is actually inserted into the body and has tubing that conn Continue reading >>
Change Your Infusion Set Every Three Days?
Change your Infusion set every three days? I changed my site yesturday and will do so again on Tuesday. This is what i was told every 3 days and what i will do untill i am more comfortable with it. How are you doing? Im doing ok and better with numbers though i did have a 300 but noticed the tubing was kinked. So that is all I have had with the high. Take care. my kids tell other people not to poke the bear. The problem with going more than 3 days, is you increase your chance of developing areas with absorption problems, so you end up with areas that don't work well for pumping. I certainly don't want to create more problems for myself my going longer on an infusion set. I always fill my reservoir completely and after 3 days I have about 40 units left. Should I try to not fill the reservoir so full or just toss out a days worth of insulin? It's hard to estimate 40 units on the reservoir markings. D.D. Family T2 for 24 years, pumping 3/07/07,no complications I certainly don't want to create more problems for myself my going longer on an infusion set. I always fill my reservoir completely and after 3 days I have about 40 units left. Should I try to not fill the reservoir so full or just toss out a days worth of insulin? It's hard to estimate 40 units on the reservoir markings. The infusion set, and the reservoir do not have to be changed at the same time. I don't even try to keep them synchronized. The infusion set, and the reservoir do not have to be changed at the same time. I don't even try to keep them synchronized. Lloyd is true about this. With insulin left in a reservior, just leave on the old line, insert a new canula, attach, fixed prime, and go. In Rascal's circumstance of a kinked canula, doing this is the least disposal of perfectly good insulin. However, I h Continue reading >>
Important Safety Information
Animas® Vibe® Insulin Pump and CGM System Intended Use of System The Animas® Vibe® System consists of the Animas® Vibe® Insulin Pump paired with the Dexcom G4® PLATINUM Sensor and Transmitter. The Animas® Vibe® Insulin Pump is indicated for continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion for the management of insulin-requiring diabetes. It can be used solely for continuous insulin delivery and as part of the Animas® Vibe® System to receive and display continuous glucose measurements from the Dexcom G4® PLATINUM Sensor and Transmitter. The Animas® Vibe® System’s continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is indicated for detecting trends and tracking patterns in persons (age 2 and older) with diabetes, and is intended to complement, not replace, information obtained from standard home glucose monitoring devices. CGM aids in the detection of episodes of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, facilitating both acute and long-term therapy adjustments, which may minimize these excursions. Interpretation of results from the Dexcom G4® PLATINUM Sensor and Transmitter should be based on the trends and patterns seen with several sequential readings over time. The System is intended for single patient use and requires a prescription. Pediatric Use (2-17 years old) Consider the following for pediatric use of the Animas® Vibe® System. Refer to the Caregiver Warnings in the “Before You Begin” section of the Animas® Vibe® Insulin Pump & CGM System Owner’s Booklet for more information. Description of System The Animas® Vibe® System consists of the Animas® Vibe® Insulin Pump and the Dexcom G4® PLATINUM Sensor and Transmitter. The pump is used to deliver insulin continuously throughout the day (basal insulin), and to deliver a single amount (bolus insulin) at meal times to co Continue reading >>
Waltzing The Dragon
Common advice is to change the infusion set every 2-3* days if you are using a set with a flexible cannula (and at least 24 hours before the duration at which your blood glucose tends to rise). However, there is growing evidence that consistent insulin absorption gets sketchy after 2 days, and so stretching the period between set changes even to 3 days may lead to unpredictability in glucose readings. Also, the longer a given set is left in one place, the greater the chance of skin problems. Infusion sets with a metal (fixed) cannula should be changed more often than those with a flexible cannula. Common advice is to leave them in place for a maximum of 48 hours; less if you notice problems with blood glucose swings or discomfort. Of course, there is always the matter of economics. With the high price of insulin pump supplies, many users (especially those who do not have coverage under a provincial government plan or a private extended health care plan) may feel the pressure to stretch their dollars by stretching the time between infusion set changes. We cannot make this decision for your family, however, we encourage you to monitor blood glucose closely after the second day of a given set, looking for trends of rising blood glucose or increased swings. We also encourage you to consider in your decision the “cost” of high blood glucose, the stress of unpredictability, and the hassle of putting out diabetes-related fires. In the end, changing a set every two days may be of more benefit than cost. It makes sense in most cases to change the insulin in the pump reservoir/cartridge at the same time as you change the infusion set: every 2 (maximum 3) days. And there is more than just convenience at stake here. Insulin, when held in a plastic container, is not stable beyon Continue reading >>
When Should I Change An Infusion Set?
I have used an insulin pump for 15 of the 19 years I have had diabetes. How can I know when to change my infusion set? Because infusion sets are so expensive, I usually wait until I have two unexpected highs or about two to three days’ use before I change the site. Continue reading >>
Tips And Tools For Insulin Pump Use
Insulin pumps can be great tools for managing diabetes in people of all ages, including children, teens, and even infants. Because pumps constantly deliver a low level of “background” insulin, and larger doses need only be taken before meals (or to “correct” unexpected high blood glucose), they can allow a user greater flexibility with respect to meal schedules and food choices than conventional insulin injections. Pumps also deliver more precise amounts of insulin than can be measured with a syringe. And modern pump technology tracks how much insulin has been delivered, when it was delivered, and how much of it is still active in the body, so there’s less of a chance of taking too much and ending up with low blood glucose (hypoglycemia). (Click here for a list of insulin pumps that are currently on the market.) Clearly, all of these characteristics can help a person achieve optimal blood glucose control. However, an insulin pump is only a tool: It can’t think for itself, and it is therefore only as “smart” as the person who is using it. In the hands of a motivated, diligent user, a pump can be a very helpful and precise tool. In the hands of a user who expects the pump to do the work for him, however, it may help to control blood glucose levels no better than any other method of insulin delivery. Even with a pump, it’s still necessary to count the carbohydrates in meals and snacks, match insulin doses to the foods being eaten, monitor blood glucose levels frequently, and make adjustments to meals, exercise, or insulin doses based on monitoring results. Everyone who uses a pump should receive comprehensive training on how to use it. But no matter how much training you receive or how many instruction manuals you read, some issues don’t become apparent Continue reading >>
- Relative effectiveness of insulin pump treatment over multiple daily injections and structured education during flexible intensive insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes: cluster randomised trial (REPOSE)
- Long-Acting Insulins Useful Tools in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
- A Craftsman Blames His Tools: Blood Glucose Meter Accuracy & Long-Term Diabetes Control
Insulin Pumps: Managing High Blood Glucose
F A C T S H E E T F O R P A T I E N T S A N D F A M I L I E S Step 1: Look for simple solutions Did you forget your insulin bolus, or not take enough insulin with your last meal? If no, check for: • Kinks in the tubing • Leaks in the tubing • Poor connections • Sediment in the insulin • Infection at the insertion site Step 2: Give a correction dose Check your blood glucose. Give a correction dose using your pump. Check your blood glucose in 2 hours. If it has increased, give a correction dose with a syringe or injection pen. Use your usual short‑acting insulin and your normal correction ratio. Then, change your infusion set. If your blood glucose is holding steady, wait another hour and check it again. If still no change, give the correction dose. Do not give a correction dose if your blood glucose is already going down. Doing so may cause dangerously low blood glucose. Step 3: Troubleshoot technical issues If changing the infusion set did not fix the problem, call the 800 number on the back of your pump for help. If you can’t get your pump working again, ask for a replacement pump. Step 4: Take off your pump If your pump is not working or needs to be repaired, take it off and notify your provider. Use the same long‑ and short‑acting insulin that you used before you got the pump. Use the information on the back of this page to figure your insulin. An insulin pump can help you keep your blood glucose stable. But you can still have periods of high blood glucose when using a pump. This sheet will help you know what to do if this happens. Do you know your settings? Write down the current settings from your pump in the spaces below. Keep this sheet in a place where you can easily find it. You may not be able to get th Continue reading >>
Using An Insulin Pump
NovoLog® has been proven safe and effective for use in insulin pumps in children ages 2 and older with type 1 diabetes and adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Many people with type 1 diabetes use an insulin pump. What is an insulin pump? An insulin pump is a small, programmable, battery-operated device that delivers a steady, measured amount of insulin under your skin. You and your diabetes care team can program your insulin pump to deliver NovoLog® in constant “basal” doses throughout the day and “bolus” doses at mealtime. Insulin pumps may be helpful for people with diabetes who have more than one insulin injection per day, including some people with type 2 diabetes. Pumps provide continuous insulin delivery in small doses, similar to the way the pancreas naturally releases basal insulin. You push a button to release mealtime doses of insulin to cover food. They allow people with diabetes to take their insulin automatically, wherever they happen to be. Benefits of NovoLog® in an insulin pump NovoLog® is a fast-acting insulin that can be used for up to 6 days in a pump before it needs to be changed. The table below shows how often to change NovoLog® in a pump. Please be sure to check the instructions that came with your pump. Pump component Time frame before changing NovoLog® in reservoir Up to 6 days Infusion set and infusion set insertion site Up to 3 days NovoLog® in the pump should be discarded after exposure to temperatures that exceed 98.6ºF. Low rate of clogs in an insulin pump In a clinical study, NovoLog® was found to have a low rate of clogs when used in pumps. That's good news if you are already using, or thinking about using, an insulin pump. NovoLog® remains heat stable in pumps at normal body temperature (up to 98.6°F). This makes N Continue reading >>
- Relative effectiveness of insulin pump treatment over multiple daily injections and structured education during flexible intensive insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes: cluster randomised trial (REPOSE)
- Insulin Pump Therapy for Kids
- Comparative Effectiveness and Costs of Insulin Pump Therapy for Diabetes
Insulin Pump Overview
As people with diabetes know, keeping blood sugar levels in a safe range is extremely important. Good blood sugar control not only makes you feel well, but also helps prevent long-term diabetes complications, such as blindness, kidney failure and heart disease. People with type 1 diabetes don’t produce insulin, a hormone that helps the body use sugar (glucose), a key source of energy that comes from carbohydrates. If you have type 1 diabetes you must make up for the lack of insulin with insulin therapy. Meanwhile, people with type 2 diabetes produce insulin, but their bodies don’t use insulin properly, or they don’t produce enough insulin. Diet, exercise and medication can often work to control glucose levels. However, in certain cases, these measures aren’t enough, and insulin therapy is needed to better control blood sugar levels. While insulin can be given by self-injection, people who take multiple daily injections of insulinmay also consider using an insulin pump. An insulin pump provides continuous delivery of short acting insulin all day long. The insulin pump substitutes the need for long acting insulin. A pump also replaces the need for multiple daily injections with a continuous insulin infusion, and also helps to improve your blood sugar levels. How Do Insulin Pumps Work? Insulin pumps are small, computerized devices that mimic the way the human pancreas works by delivering small doses of short acting insulin continuously (basal rate). The device also is used to deliver variable amounts of insulin when a meal is eaten (bolus). The basal insulin rates are usually set up in your pump with your doctor, and you can have one or multiple basal settings programmed in your pump, based on your needs. You program the amount of insulin for your mealtime bolus di Continue reading >>
Insulin Pumps
What is an insulin pump? When you have diabetes and rely on insulin to control your blood sugar, insulin administration can mean multiple daily injections. Insulin pumps serve as an alternative. Instead of injections, the insulin pump delivers a continuous, preset amount of insulin, plus bolus doses when needed. Although you must still check your blood sugar levels, the pump can take the place of multiple daily insulin injections and help some people with diabetes better manage their blood glucose. An insulin pump is a small device that closely resembles a beeper or miniature computer. Slightly smaller than a deck of playing cards, the insulin pump has several key components: Reservoir: The reservoir is where the insulin is stored. It must be refilled periodically to ensure a steady stream of insulin. Cannula: A small needle and straw-like tube inserted in the fatty tissue under the skin that delivers insulin. The needle is withdrawn while the tube remains. You must switch out the cannula and its site periodically to reduce infection risk. Operating buttons: These buttons allow for programmed insulin delivery throughout the day and for programmed bolus dose delivery at mealtime. Tubing: Thin, flexible plastic transports insulin from the pump to the cannula. For some people, wearing an insulin pump provides more flexibility to administer insulin doses on the go without the need to carry many diabetic supplies. It also allows for a more fine-tuned dosing of basal insulin and possibly less structure around mealtime. Insulin pumps have two dose types. The first is basal rate, which is a continuous infusion that delivers a small amount of insulin throughout the day. This insulin helps keep your blood sugar levels stable between meals and at night. The other, called a bolus d Continue reading >>
Infusion Site Management And The Accu-chekâ® Ultraflex Infusion Set
The ACCU-CHEK Ultraflex infusion set offers multiple cannula lengths to optimize fit for various infusion sites and body types, including a 6-mm cannula length for children and lean adults. Using your infusion set correctly helps you get the best results from your insulin pump therapy. Soft cannula Length: Priming volume: 6 mm ~1.0 U1 8 mm ~1.0 U1 10 mm ~1.0 U1 Tubing Length: Priming volume: 30 cm2 12 inches ~11 U1 60 cm 24 inches ~11 U1 80 cm 31 inches ~14 U1 110 cm3 43 inches ~18 U1 1 U 100 insulin 2 Only available with 6–mm cannula length 3 Not available with 6–mm cannula length Benefits of site rotation • Lower infection risk • Optimized insulin absorption • Reduced potential for fatty tissue overgrowth, scarring and variability in blood sugar levels Site-rotation frequency • When using soft cannula, rotate your site every 48–72 hours • If you are pregnant, rotate your site every 24-48 hours Rotate immediately if: • Your blood sugar level is unexplainably high or your pump sounds an occlusion alarm • You experience pain, irritation or bleeding at the infusion site • Ketones are present in your blood or urine • Blood appears in the infusion set tubing or around the cannula Unexplained highs1 • If you have two unexplained high blood glucose readings in a row: (A) Check for ketones (B) Take a correction dose of insulin via injection (C) Troubleshoot pump • Disconnect infusion set • Check luer-lock connection • Check for wetness along the infusion set • Check for insulin odor Change the infusion site and reservoir using a new bottle of insulin if problem is found 7/20 Curve PatternHorizontal Pattern Zigzag Pattern Crisscross Pattern Rotating your infusion site is ess Continue reading >>
The Importance Of Replacing Your Infusion Set And Reservoir Every 2 To 3 Days
For better control and to maintain skin health, change your infusion set to help prevent: Cutaneous (skin) complications 1,2,3 Loss of glycaemic control 1 Lipohypertrophy (fatty tissue build-up) 3,4 t is also important to change your reservoir every 2-3 days as insulin may lose its strength over time, especially with and heat and agitation. As this happens, insulin becomes less effective and controlling your blood glucose becomes more difficult. Tips to Help You to Remember to Change Your Infusion Set and Reservoir on Time MiniMed® 640G Insulin Pumpers If you have a MiniMed 640G insulin pump make sure that you set your Set Change Reminder on your pump. To set your Set Change Reminder on your MiniMed 640G insulin pump simply scroll down on the main menu and select ‘Reminders’ and within this menu scroll down to ‘Set Change’ . MiniMed® Veo™ Insulin Pumpers To prevent you from forgetting to change your infusion set try this handy tip. Fill the reservoir up with enough insulin to last just over 3 days. If using 30 units of insulin per day fill the reservoir up with 100 units of insulin (If using the MiniMed Sure T® infusion set you would fill up for just over 2 days’ of insulin) You can programme the pump to sound a 'Low reservoir' alert before your reservoir is empty. You can select one of these warning types: • A specified number of units that remain in the reservoir. • A specified maximum amount of time that remains. This alert will show in the status screen. In addition, you can view the last time you changed the reservoir in the status screen (Press the escape button from the home screen) Simple Steps to Avoiding Infection Wash your hands prior to handling sets Thoroughly prepare site Check the whole infusion set for leakage Verify proper insertion A Continue reading >>
T:connect Application For Healthcare Providers
The questions below are frequently asked during customer service calls we have received. The answers are a summary only. The applicable product user guide should be consulted for a more complete explanation. In addition, the answers do not take the place of guidance or instructions you may receive from your health care provider. The information provided is not intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment or as a substitute for professional medical advice. If you still require assistance after consulting the guidance below, you may also contact our customer service team at (877) 801-6901. If you are having a medical emergency, please call 911. We have also created Quick-reference sheets that walk through how to use some of the most commonly used features of our pumps. They can be found, along with all the Tandem product user guides, on our Documents and Forms page. CHANGING SETTINGS How do I change my basal rate(s)/carb ratio(s)/correction factor(s)/target BG(s)? Click here for a document that walks you through the process for editing your Personal Profiles, which control all of those settings. My replacement pump shows “units” instead of “grams” on the bolus screen. How do I change it? Follow the above instructions to edit your active Personal Profile. Under “Bolus Setting” change Carbs to ON. How do I enter a BG without delivering a bolus? From the home screen, tap BOLUS Tap Add BG Using the onscreen keypad enter your BG Tap DONE If your BG is above your target, you will be asked if you would to add a Correction Bolus. Tap NO. If you have insulin on board, you will be cautioned your BG may drop low and advised to re-test BG as necessary. Tap the T button to return to the Home Screen. You will be warned that you may be in the middle of a process th Continue reading >>
How Long Can You Leave A Infusion Set Really In
Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community Find support, ask questions and share your experiences. Join the community how long can you leave a infusion set really in I recentely lost my bag at the airport with my supply of infusion sets for my medtronic pump. As my infusion set that was attached was giving me no problems and my sugar levels remained fine i assumed that it was still working fine. The advise is to change the set every 3 days. Are there any pumpers outthere that leave their infusion set longer in then 3 days without a problem. It is well known that the medical companies earn a fortune on the consumbles. Would love to receive your comments. Personally I change every 2-2.5 days. In your case it sounds like it was an emergency so a once off should be ok, I find if I leave it longer than 3 days the site gets tender... I have left mine a 4th day (teflon cannula) when I was tired after arriving back late from hols. There was no problem and the site looked perfect the next day (I always try and avoid changing my set late at night anyway in case of set change problems while I'm sleeping). I do find that some sites look reder than others sooner, so had it have looked red and felt sore I would have changed it that night or on day 2 even. I'm a bit of a sheep though and do as my DSN tell me so I normally stick to the guidance and change every 3 days. I've got a felling that I could get away with 4 days Continue reading >>
