Lesson Learned the Hard Way
Before I start. I just want to make one thing clear I love my Minimed Paradign Insulin Pump. This is the first time I ever had a problem with one of their help desk personnel. Usually they do everything they can do to help.
This is a lesson learned that I want to pass on so no one else will go thru this. I have been pumping for over ten years. My A1C is 5.8-6.0 the last ten years. Just for you newly diagonised this is a day by day trying to do the best I can. I know some here have lower A1C (mostly male) but everyone has to know what works for them and go with it.
I degress: Background information first:
I have been having problems with high blood sugar for the last month more than usually. So I made an appointment with my CDE to discuss what might be causing it. She and I discussed everything that was going on and looked at the Medtronics Carelink graphs for the last six weeks. She said everything over all looked good. She decided to down load my pump and see what if there carelink caught something that the patients didn't. However the pump left a lot of information empty that should have been there. She said that it was odd and to call Minimed to see if there may be problems with the pump. She and I discussed going back to my backup pump to see how I did with that before I contacted Minimed. So I went back to my backup pump (Paradigm 512) for two days. Everything went back to what I call normal. So I called Minimed help desk to ask for a replacement pump. Went through all the trouble shooting for about an hour. Was told that there was nothing wrong with the pump and that they didn't do replacement pumps. I was told flatly there was nothing they could do. I told them that I had went back to my old pump (Paradigm 512) and everything was back to
normal and I didn't trust the new pump (10 months old). I went from 21.05 basal units to 26.05 and was increasing daily and still had high blood sugars (190 - 300) I changed out the sure-t site every other day and half for over a week and finally went to changing them out daily with no effect.
I also switched out all my Novolog with the pharmacy. Nothing was helping. I had two alarm errors (A-Err and B-Err) they couldn't explain those either. They told me I was misreading them. However, when I went back to the Paradigm 512 it went back down to 21.05 and I was back to normal and no more highs (I used the same site and sure t just move it from one pump to another). After discussing this with the tech for over one hour I told him that I was not going back on the new Paradigm 522 pump I was staying on the Paradigm 512 and that Medtronics could explain the problem to my insurance company. He finally went to his supervisors and they told him to send a new pump out and for me to send the Paradigm 522 pump back so they could find out what the problems was.
Now for the lessons learned.
When I received the new Paradigm 522 pump on Friday,(They overnighted it) I thought I had transferred all the settings. However I forgot to shut off the Easy bolus. Last night when the
pump started beeping at 80 (my low blood sugar alarm) I checked my blood sugar with the meter and it was 90 so I went back to sleep, however, I must have hit the easy bolus and gave myself 8 units of insulin. If my dog hadn't woke me up an hour later I probably would not have woken up. He has been waking me before the CGMS wakes me with a low. I checked my blood sugar with the meter and I was at 57 and falling fast. That is when I noticed on the graph that I had taken a bolus at 1258. I thought what the heck I never take a bolus at 90. So I checked the bolus history and got the biggest surprise of my life. I had taken 8 units. I am not really sure what happen. Later during the day I checked the Bolus History again and here is what it had:
Type:
Total req: 8.0u
Total Del: 8.0u
Normal bolus: 8.0u
Delivered: 8.0u
Bolus wizard:
Est total: 30u
Food intake: 300 gr
Bg 84
Food 30u
Correction: 0.00
Active Ins: 0.00
Est time 12:58
I realized that if I had not put a Max Bolus of 8 I would have given my self 30 Units instead of 8 units and if Ducky had not woke me up that I would be another dead diabetic due to complications. I didn't realize that the easy bolus is automatically set and you have to turn it off. I was thankful that I had changed the Max Bolus to 8. In the middle of the night when you are trying to stop the alarm it is just too easy to hit that button.
Trying to eat 80 carbs to try to stay ahead of the 8 units was a nightmare I hate eating at night but I can't imagine trying to eat 300 carbs. I just thank God that I am still alive to tell my lesson learned. So others might be helped. Use your Max Bolus and turn off the Easy bolus. I know there are folks out there that use it . Not sure why. But we are all different. But please you folks that are new to the pump use your Max Bolus and turn off the Easy Bolus until you get the hang of the pump.
I don't want to scare anyone. Just make you aware. I love the pump and they will have to take it over my dead body. It has been a blessing for over the last ten years. Wish I had went on it sooner.
God Bless. I hope this message makes since. This is a small box to write in.
Jenni
This is a lesson learned that I want to pass on so no one else will go thru this. I have been pumping for over ten years. My A1C is 5.8-6.0 the last ten years. Just for you newly diagonised this is a day by day trying to do the best I can. I know some here have lower A1C (mostly male) but everyone has to know what works for them and go with it.
I degress: Background information first:
I have been having problems with high blood sugar for the last month more than usually. So I made an appointment with my CDE to discuss what might be causing it. She and I discussed everything that was going on and looked at the Medtronics Carelink graphs for the last six weeks. She said everything over all looked good. She decided to down load my pump and see what if there carelink caught something that the patients didn't. However the pump left a lot of information empty that should have been there. She said that it was odd and to call Minimed to see if there may be problems with the pump. She and I discussed going back to my backup pump to see how I did with that before I contacted Minimed. So I went back to my backup pump (Paradigm 512) for two days. Everything went back to what I call normal. So I called Minimed help desk to ask for a replacement pump. Went through all the trouble shooting for about an hour. Was told that there was nothing wrong with the pump and that they didn't do replacement pumps. I was told flatly there was nothing they could do. I told them that I had went back to my old pump (Paradigm 512) and everything was back to
normal and I didn't trust the new pump (10 months old). I went from 21.05 basal units to 26.05 and was increasing daily and still had high blood sugars (190 - 300) I changed out the sure-t site every other day and half for over a week and finally went to changing them out daily with no effect.
I also switched out all my Novolog with the pharmacy. Nothing was helping. I had two alarm errors (A-Err and B-Err) they couldn't explain those either. They told me I was misreading them. However, when I went back to the Paradigm 512 it went back down to 21.05 and I was back to normal and no more highs (I used the same site and sure t just move it from one pump to another). After discussing this with the tech for over one hour I told him that I was not going back on the new Paradigm 522 pump I was staying on the Paradigm 512 and that Medtronics could explain the problem to my insurance company. He finally went to his supervisors and they told him to send a new pump out and for me to send the Paradigm 522 pump back so they could find out what the problems was.
Now for the lessons learned.
When I received the new Paradigm 522 pump on Friday,(They overnighted it) I thought I had transferred all the settings. However I forgot to shut off the Easy bolus. Last night when the
pump started beeping at 80 (my low blood sugar alarm) I checked my blood sugar with the meter and it was 90 so I went back to sleep, however, I must have hit the easy bolus and gave myself 8 units of insulin. If my dog hadn't woke me up an hour later I probably would not have woken up. He has been waking me before the CGMS wakes me with a low. I checked my blood sugar with the meter and I was at 57 and falling fast. That is when I noticed on the graph that I had taken a bolus at 1258. I thought what the heck I never take a bolus at 90. So I checked the bolus history and got the biggest surprise of my life. I had taken 8 units. I am not really sure what happen. Later during the day I checked the Bolus History again and here is what it had:
Type:
Total req: 8.0u
Total Del: 8.0u
Normal bolus: 8.0u
Delivered: 8.0u
Bolus wizard:
Est total: 30u
Food intake: 300 gr
Bg 84
Food 30u
Correction: 0.00
Active Ins: 0.00
Est time 12:58
I realized that if I had not put a Max Bolus of 8 I would have given my self 30 Units instead of 8 units and if Ducky had not woke me up that I would be another dead diabetic due to complications. I didn't realize that the easy bolus is automatically set and you have to turn it off. I was thankful that I had changed the Max Bolus to 8. In the middle of the night when you are trying to stop the alarm it is just too easy to hit that button.
Trying to eat 80 carbs to try to stay ahead of the 8 units was a nightmare I hate eating at night but I can't imagine trying to eat 300 carbs. I just thank God that I am still alive to tell my lesson learned. So others might be helped. Use your Max Bolus and turn off the Easy bolus. I know there are folks out there that use it . Not sure why. But we are all different. But please you folks that are new to the pump use your Max Bolus and turn off the Easy Bolus until you get the hang of the pump.
I don't want to scare anyone. Just make you aware. I love the pump and they will have to take it over my dead body. It has been a blessing for over the last ten years. Wish I had went on it sooner.
God Bless. I hope this message makes since. This is a small box to write in.
Jenni
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Kristin on -
Jenni-- what a scary experience! Thank you for sharing your story. I may go turn off my easy bolus, but I will certainly check my max bolus.
Thank you for using your story to help others! I am so glad that you are OK.
Give Ducky a BIG hug!!!
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Permalink Reply by Lisa La Nasa on -
Wow, you had a very close call. So glad that everything is okay.
I'm having a similar experience with my new 522 pump- much higher basil rates, higher overall BG and much more insulin needed to get lower. I was also on all lot8 infusion sets- and I moved abroad in March so I was writing it off as bad infusion sets and stress of new homeland and new food. I have talked to Minimed tech about the problems I am having and they told me that any differences are probably not as great as I am relaying them, they have not had other complaints and that the settings of the 522 may be minutely different than the 512 that I had previously.
I wonder if there are others having problems with the 522. I have had mine since January 2009.
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Permalink Reply by Jenni on -
Lisa
I've had mine since Oct 08. Do you still have your old pump as a backup. Thats how i finally realized something was wrong. And had the alarm codes they knew nothing about. The new pump is working great. I am back to where I was when the other one started acting up. It was about a six week period started slow and just started getting worse. I was having to increase my basals daily plus chasing the highs with a correction bolus. I have been diabetic for over 33 years. Before I was on the pump they classiified me as a brittle diabetic. I spent a lot of time in the emergency rooms and hospital before the pump. I also noticed that when I was priming the pump or trying to remove bubbles it was taking more insulin to clear them than usual. For example what use to take 3 units was taking ahout 7-8 units. I also wonder if there are others having the same problem. You might want to check your alarm codes and see if there are any unusual alarms. I didn't realize I had them until they ask me to read them all my alarm codes with the dates and time. Don't forget to set your MAX bolus and if you don't use the Easy Bolus I would turn it off. Good Luck.
jenni
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Permalink Reply by Lisa La Nasa on
-
I have my old 512 with me- and I am also getting a new batch of insulin this week. I've been using a batch of bottles that I brought with me at the end of March.
I just checked my alarm codes and there is nothing unusual there. I did change my max bolus and turned off the easy bolus. Thanks for the reminder.
The amount needed to prime my new pump was the first thing I mentioned to Mimimed tech. I was told at that time that the 522's are just calibrated differently than my old 512. Very interesting. I am going to try to troubleshoot: First I changed to the new infusion sets- no difference in my BG's or the ammount of insulin needed. Next- new insulin. If there is still no change, I'll switch back to my 512.
I am due for an A1C. It's been 6 months, which is longer than usual for me. My numbers used to be between 5.8 and 6.5. I'm a little scared to see what they are now.
Thanks for posting your experience Jenni. This helps a lot and makes me think that I am not just imagining things!!!
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Permalink Reply by Joy on -
Hi Jenni,
I use a 522 pump.
I just became a member of tudiabetes and it's ironic that your storry was the first I read because I can totally relate!! And offer my solution. I had a scary night about 7 months ago, I woke to an alarm and tried to turn the light on the pump. I hit my ESC button instead and was clicking it - trying to scroll enough to get through the screens so I could try to go back to my ACT button in order to get the light. Finally, in the dark I got the alarms to go off and was going to go back to sleep. As I layed there I started to rethink what I had just done and got out of bed - turned on the light and low and behold I was watching my pump screen show a delivery! I disconnected so I could watch how much insulin I had accidently programmed with my easy bolus. It was 6 units!
I keep my pump in a leather case that has a transparent plastic window over the buttons. I can't feel the buttons very well underneath the plastic. (I have no neuropothy problems - the buttons aren't raised enough.)
My solution... I bought little gems at a craft store with self stick backs and attached them to my pump buttons. I love them!!! Guess I "bedazzeled" my pump. So now when I'm driving, or in a movie theater or meeting and can't look at my pump but want to hit a button for light or to turn off a alarm I can FEEL the buttons. I don't know if this will help you but it solved my problem. I also promised myself I will never hit a screen in the dark at night before I go back to sleep. I'll make sure the light on the pump screen is on or I will turn my room light on.
thanks for letting me offer this!
I have had no problems you mentioned with my 522 pump. I've had it for a while.
and I'm really glad that I lived through this too!
Joy
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