[michael.bell]

Im hoping to start a little buzz and awareness for folks that have used, are currently using, or are considering using a paradigm medtronic pump. I have been pumping for a year and a half and i would love to share my experiences, and furthermore, i am excited to hear all of your experiences as well!! I hope we see some activity on this thread!!!

Michael

 

[Strawberry]

G-day Michael ~

You are a veteran with pumping compared to me as I started 8-20-2010. I've mostly had pretty good experiences - however the last few infusion sites I've chosen have not been very good. I end up several hours later with ridiculously high BG numbers. I had to change the infusion set, reservoir and insulin last night as ketones were getting to the 'large' size.

Please share your experiences, it would be nice to hear from you.


Strawberry

 

[michael.bell]

G-day Michael ~

You are a veteran with pumping compared to me as I started 8-20-2010. I've mostly had pretty good experiences - however the last few infusion sites I've chosen have not been very good. I end up several hours later with ridiculously high BG numbers. I had to change the infusion set, reservoir and insulin last night as ketones were getting to the 'large' size.

Please share your experiences, it would be nice to hear from you.

Strawberry

Hello to you as well Strawberry. Its great to connect with other people that have shared similar experiences as myself. I wouldnt say im a veteran, but i have had a year or so to get to know my pump a little bit, and im more than happy to share my experiences so far. Like any treatment for our disease, there is always ups and downs. And furthermore, on a pump it seems like you need to be scientist/mechanic/and problem solver just to get by. But i have to say with every day that goes by, we get access to new and innovative technology that gives us the ability to live long and healthy lives. Over the past few months i have started to see similar trends with my bg as you mentioned earlier. Bad infusion sites. Or thats what i assume, because when i change the infusion, my blood sugar will return to more normal numbers. So im currently in the process of trying different infusion sets to see if i can minimize my high bgs and oh, we cant forget the fun, the good old no delivery. Hopefully i will find a more suitable infusion set for my body type and lifestyle. Lets keep this thread alive so i can keep you posted with my results. For now i wish you luck with your fight! Remember optimist prevails!!! Stay positive and test, test, test.

Michael

 

[Strawberry]

Michael -

Richard from this forum uses the Sure-T infusion sets and really likes them. I've tried them as well and since the Sure-T has a steel canula they seem to be less irritating than the sets with teflon canulas. I don't know what they might be called in Canada, but that is what they are known by here in the U.S.

Strawberry

 

[michael.bell]

Michael -

Richard from this forum uses the Sure-T infusion sets and really likes them. I've tried them as well and since the Sure-T has a steel canula they seem to be less irritating than the sets with teflon canulas. I don't know what they might be called in Canada, but that is what they are known by here in the U.S.

Strawberry

At this point I am just starting to look. I appreciate your input very much, and I will be sure to check out the Sure-T to see if its available in Canada. Ill keep you posted!

 

[onaughmae]

Hello to you as well Strawberry. Its great to connect with other people that have shared similar experiences as myself. I wouldnt say im a veteran, but i have had a year or so to get to know my pump a little bit, and im more than happy to share my experiences so far. Like any treatment for our disease, there is always ups and downs. And furthermore, on a pump it seems like you need to be scientist/mechanic/and problem solver just to get by. But i have to say with every day that goes by, we get access to new and innovative technology that gives us the ability to live long and healthy lives. Over the past few months i have started to see similar trends with my bg as you mentioned earlier. Bad infusion sites. Or thats what i assume, because when i change the infusion, my blood sugar will return to more normal numbers. So im currently in the process of trying different infusion sets to see if i can minimize my high bgs and oh, we cant forget the fun, the good old no delivery. Hopefully i will find a more suitable infusion set for my body type and lifestyle. Lets keep this thread alive so i can keep you posted with my results. For now i wish you luck with your fight! Remember optimist prevails!!! Stay positive and test, test, test.

Michael

I still havent figured out why some sites work better for me and some dont. For instance, I know several people that love using their thighs...I have tried it a few times now and everytime I use my thigh I end up changing sites because my blood sugar gets high and it too difficult to control. I just seem to have really poor absorption there. I am just assuming that it is because my thighs are pretty muscular and maybe there just isnt enough SQ fat there (as compared to other parts of my body where I have plenty!).

 

[onaughmae]

Michael -

Richard from this forum uses the Sure-T infusion sets and really likes them. I've tried them as well and since the Sure-T has a steel canula they seem to be less irritating than the sets with teflon canulas. I don't know what they might be called in Canada, but that is what they are known by here in the U.S.

Strawberry

I use the quick-set and havent had any issues with it.

 

[Strawberry]

I think the Quick set is similar to the Sure-T in that they are both 90 degree (straight in) canulas. The Quick set has the teflon canula and the Sure-T has the steel canula.

I woke this morning with a BG of 174 (9.6) and cannot figure out why. Did not eat before I went to bed, nor during the night. My BG was high at 150 (8.3) before I went to bed last night and I have a headache this morning. Don't know if I'm coming down with something or not. See my doctor this morning, so maybe she will be able to help. With diabetes it is always 'something'

 

[Richard157]

I have used the Minimed 522 pump for 3.5 years. I had trouble with no deliveries near the beginning in 2007, due to scar tissue on my upper ab from many years of injections. The scar tissue is permanent and I can never use my upper ab agaon. I use the Sure-T sets with the 6mm metal needle, and place my sets on my lower ab, about 1.5 inches apart. I change sets every 3 days. If I go longer than 3 days I begin to have slower absorption and higher blood sugar begins to appear. After using my lower ab for several weeks, I switch to the fatty parts of my upper legs. That gives my ab plenty of time to completely heal, so that any scar tissue that has started to appear will disappear. Moving from lower ab to legs and alternating every six weeks or so is called site rotation. No doctor never told me about site rotation and scar tissue. That is why I have permanent scar tissue on my upper ab.

 

[michael.bell]

I have used the Minimed 522 pump for 3.5 years. I had trouble with no deliveries near the beginning in 2007, due to scar tissue on my upper ab from many years of injections. The scar tissue is permanent and I can never use my upper ab agaon. I use the Sure-T sets with the 6mm metal needle, and place my sets on my lower ab, about 1.5 inches apart. I change sets every 3 days. If I go longer than 3 days I begin to have slower absorption and higher blood sugar begins to appear. After using my lower ab for several weeks, I switch to the fatty parts of my upper legs. That gives my ab plenty of time to completely heal, so that any scar tissue that has started to appear will disappear. Moving from lower ab to legs and alternating every six weeks or so is called site rotation. No doctor never told me about site rotation and scar tissue. That is why I have permanent scar tissue on my upper ab.

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my earlier post "my intro... To diabetes". I took your suggestion and bought a copy of pumping insulin by john walsh, and started reading the intro. Thank you for that. I have a question though. What is your opinion on "using insulin". It is written by john walsh as well, so i was wondering if you have any input in regards to that book.
As for my pump, i am using the 522 and love it. But i realized from reading the intro of john walshs book, that i am not using all the features on my pump like dual wave and square wave boluses. Over the next few weeks i am going to try to use these features. I have a second training session with my medttonic rep to get some hands on training. I will keep you posted with my results. I feel that you can help me stay positive and stay on track. I look forward to hearing some of your stories and soaking in some of your knowledge. Thanks again. Talk soon.

Michael

 

[michael.bell]

I think the Quick set is similar to the Sure-T in that they are both 90 degree (straight in) canulas. The Quick set has the teflon canula and the Sure-T has the steel canula.

I woke this morning with a BG of 174 (9.6) and cannot figure out why. Did not eat before I went to bed, nor during the night. My BG was high at 150 (8.3) before I went to bed last night and I have a headache this morning. Don't know if I'm coming down with something or not. See my doctor this morning, so maybe she will be able to help. With diabetes it is always 'something'

Do you know anything about the orbit 90??? I liked the look of it???

 

[Strawberry]

Michael, the only thing I know about the orbit 90 is what I've read on their website. I've emailed the company three or four times asking how I might get either samples of their infusion set or how I might purchase a box of them.......absolutely no response!!! The orbit 90 does look interesting and if you find out anything about them, please come back and share with us.

 

[michael.bell]

Michael, the only thing I know about the orbit 90 is what I've read on their website. I've emailed the company three or four times asking how I might get either samples of their infusion set or how I might purchase a box of them.......absolutely no response!!! The orbit 90 does look interesting and if you find out anything about them, please come back and share with us.

I sure will! I just want to know if its compatiblr with the paradigm pumps? Ill let you know if i get any info!

 

[Richard157]

The "Using Insulin" book is the one I have not seen, but I think it has the same kind of information presented for people who use injections exclusively. It would not add anything to the picture, unless I am badly mistaken. If you want a second book try "Think Like A Pancreas" by Gary Scheiner.

I have used the square and dual waves when eating things that take a long time to completely digest or raise the blood sugar over a longer period of time. That would include pizza, Mexican and Chinese foods.

 

[onaughmae]

"think like a Pancreas" is an awesome book! I loved it. I use the dual wave fairly often...I havent used the square though. I really should try playing with that one.

 

[michael.bell]

"think like a Pancreas" is an awesome book! I loved it. I use the dual wave fairly often...I havent used the square though. I really should try playing with that one.

Ill be sure to get a copy of "think like a panceas" as soon as i finish reading pumping insulin. Im excited to try applying some of my newly found knowledge