A bit frustrated

My pump problems started a few weeks ago. Sometimes the tube won't clip onto the insertion set, but usually my problem is a day after I insert it, I get a "no delivery signal" and then we have to start all over again. Sometimes 3 times a day!

The sets we're using haven't been recalled, but my mom and I are spending the day calling Medtronic and the clinic, trying to figure everything out. These two days have been... less than nice!

I've been high for a while, starting on around Tuesday. We started doing intensive testing to try to figure out if it was us or the basal. The night before Thursday, I went to bed around 130, at 2am I was 200-something, 5am (woke up confused and nightmarish) I was 120, but at 7am, I was back up to 200. We changed the basal and I went to school. We both thought I was fine.

At 10am Thursday, I was a little bit high, but nothing to be too worried about, so I corrected and didn't eat snack. At lunch I was 235. We didn't think this was a problem with the pump, but I went to the nurse to call my mom. We decided to just bolus and correct and keep an eye on it, but not 3 seconds later I got the "no delivery" signal again! So I disconnected and did a bolus and correction with a syringe. Now that the pump had done part of the correction, and I hardly ate my lunch, I expected to go low.

In the middle of math class, about 1pm, I felt really, really terrible and my friend told me to test. I'm glad she did, because now I was 380. yuck. My mom came to pick me up, but in the 20 minutes while I was in the nurse's office waiting, the nurse talked non-stop. With that high a blood sugar, I was ready to punch her in the face. :) I'm glad I somehow resisted that...

When we got home, I slept for a few hours and we got it down to 251 at 5pm. We were doing this all by shots. Finally, I went to bed at 106.

But (of course), I woke up at 210 and now, 2 hours later plus two corrections, I'm 220. We're waiting for the diabetes clinic to call back before we call Medtronic, but I'm home and feeling pretty gross, but hopefully we'll get this all straightened out soon! At least before we leave for New York on Sunday!

On a more positive note, my 1 year anniversary with type one was spectacular, with a surprise party from a bunch of people from my school! I had no idea and it was really fun :)!

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Comment by Kristin on December 18, 2009 at 10:27am: Hi Sloane! Sorry to hear that you are going through this. The good news is that the solution should be easy. I have only gotten no delivery alarms when I was using an infusion set that wasn't right for my body.

Are you using Quicksets? What probably happens is that when you insert the infusion set, the tube bends a little, which limits the amount of insulin you get. I used to have this problem when I used 9mm Quicksets. When I switched to 6mm Quicksets (with a shorter cannula), the problem went away completely. You should ask Medtronic to send you (overnight) some sample Sure T infusion sets. Many people who get no delivery alarms prefer Sure T brand sets.

The party sounds awesome! How cool!

Comment by Betty J on December 18, 2009 at 6:33pm: I got a new pump earlier this years and from the beginning I had problems with "no delivery". I finally realized it had to be the pump, so I returned it and the replacement works fine. Is this a new pump for you?

Comment by Amy on December 18, 2009 at 8:13pm: Hi Sloane! I am sorry you are having problems. I feel for you. I have had many times where I have encountered the same problems. For me it can be a few things.I have been wearing a pump for 13 years and when I get to thin I have to make sure I pick a site that has some fat. ( you look like you are thin also) Sometimes I have put it in to close to a previous site and may have inserted into scar tissue and then sometimes I am afraid to say I have not been able to figure out why because when I pull out my set the cannula is normal. I agree with Kristin to try the Sure T and if you are using the Quick Sets switch to the 6mm. You did not say where you are inserting. I have sometimes found that when I insert in my legs and I am exercising a lot that I do better in the high hip/buttocks area. Good luck and hang in there. Glad your party was fun and congrats on your 1 year!

Comment by Helen Doolittle on December 20, 2009 at 11:13am: Wow! you poor thing! I am thinking of going on the pump but when I hear about malfunctions like that, it scares me! I hope you get it all figured out soon. Let me know how it goes! This disease is a real struggle, isn't it?

Comment by Sloane on January 3, 2010 at 7:37am: Thanks everyone! The rest of that day, well, was awful- the diabetes clinic called once and said we should call Medtronic, who told us we had to call the clinic. By 9pm, I was 356 again and we called the clinic again, and just took out everything and went to all shots with Lantus. It really came at a bad time, because the day after we left for Pennsylvania, New York City and Boston! Since we were staying with grandparents for a week at the beginning, we thought our rep would be able to send out new infusion sets of a different kind. She said to keep on shots, and we're meeting with her on Tuesday to find a new type. She also thinks I'm too thin for the quick-sets. (We did a test and the pump is working itself. it's just the sets when they're in me) Everything was fine on vacation, until we lost my Lantus somewhere at a gas station in Pennsylvania (ah!) Helen- You should definitely try the pump! I just recently got mine, so we're still finding out what works and what doesn't for me. There are a bunch of options from here for what we can do about the infusion sets. The pump is really amazing and it really takes away a lot of hassle!