# Pumps?



## cath12134 (Apr 4, 2011)

Does anyone use an insulin pump? If so which one and how do you get on with it?


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## shiv (Apr 4, 2011)

Hi Cath, there are quite a few of us on here who use pumps. There is a pumping section of the forum - why don't you check it out. Was there anything in particular you wanted to know?

I'm sure this will get moved to the pumping section soon, but to answer your questions: I use an Animas 2020, and I get along very well with it!


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## Cate (Apr 4, 2011)

Like Shiv says you might get more answers on the pumping board, but I have a Medtronic 722, used to have a Medtronic 522 and have been pumping for 7 years now - I'd never give it back, they'll have to fight me for it


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## everydayupsanddowns (Apr 4, 2011)

Popped it in the pumping section as suggested so that it will get the full attention of all the forum's pumpy types


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## Ellie Jones (Apr 4, 2011)

hi Cath

To answer your question, I've got the spirit Combo before that I had the old spirit pump

So as said plenty of pumpers on the forum I think that between us we cover the main pumps available..  So just fire away with questions about pumping you want to know

P.S

Welcome to the forum


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## Ergates (Apr 5, 2011)

Spirit combo here too, I love it.  It's so much better than MDI, both in terms of control and in ease of use.  It is a little more work to test and understand what's going on with your body, but that's also what helps to bring the better control.


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## Copepod (Apr 5, 2011)

I just got a reply from a friend with a pump who runs mountain marathons, to ask her advice on behalf of a young man with a pump for 3 months, who approached me at an orienteering race. His concern was about insulin lin freezing, as his drinks bladder tubing had done on a night race. My friend said cold wasn't a problem, as tubing stayed tucked into underwear, but running 17 miles in pouring rain without waterproof was - buttons failed, pump went crazy, and she had a very worrying 24 hrs until replacement arrived. 
Perhaps if I didn't spend so much time getting wet, cold and muddy, a pump might seem more attractive for me - but that might not be Cath12134's life.


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## maylou (Apr 5, 2011)

hi
im due to b put on the pump in the next couple of weeks,im a bit scared and dont know an awful lot about the pump
r u new to it to
julie x


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## cath12134 (Apr 5, 2011)

Thank you


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## cath12134 (Apr 5, 2011)

I am really keen to try a pump but my main concern is that my insulin requirements are quite high, I take 5 injections a day (3 x novorapid and 2 x levemir) each around 44 units...would a pump be able to cope with thiis sort od demand?


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## SacredHeart (Apr 5, 2011)

Cath - Absolutely. You have to change cannula every three days, and my pump (Animas 2020) can hold about 200 units in its resevoir. Many people find that their insulin requirements drop on a pump as well.I haven't found this true for me, (mine has nearly doubled) but it does go that way for a lot of people.

Julie, I started on a pump in November. I like it very much (check out my blog for a few more in detail posts), but I was VERY anxious about starting on it. It will never be as bad as you think it will be


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## cath12134 (Apr 5, 2011)

SacredHeart said:


> Cath - Absolutely. You have to change cannula every three days, and my pump (Animas 2020) can hold about 200 units in its resevoir. Many people find that their insulin requirements drop on a pump as well.I haven't found this true for me, (mine has nearly doubled) but it does go that way for a lot of people.
> 
> Julie, I started on a pump in November. I like it very much (check out my blog for a few more in detail posts), but I was VERY anxious about starting on it. It will never be as bad as you think it will be



Thanks SacredHeart, that information really gives me hope...unfortunately I suffer from great lumps on my injection sites - yes I do rotate regularly but can only use my abdomen because all of my other potential injections stes are too muscular.


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## ThunderBolt (Apr 6, 2011)

I'm another Spirit Combo user and they hold 300 or just over. I was a 5 a day (3+2) on the pen although the total was only around 50. 

I only load up 250 now though as I was lobbing a load of insulin, so you should be OK. If not it'll just mean an extra change and refill which took a buy at first but now it's a 5 minute job once you learn to organise yourself beforehand.


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## Pumper_Sue (Apr 6, 2011)

Copepod said:


> I just got a reply from a friend with a pump who runs mountain marathons, to ask her advice on behalf of a young man with a pump for 3 months, who approached me at an orienteering race. His concern was about insulin lin freezing, as his drinks bladder tubing had done on a night race. My friend said cold wasn't a problem, as tubing stayed tucked into underwear, but running 17 miles in pouring rain without waterproof was - buttons failed, pump went crazy, and she had a very worrying 24 hrs until replacement arrived.
> Perhaps if I didn't spend so much time getting wet, cold and muddy, a pump might seem more attractive for me - but that might not be Cath12134's life.



Then someone has either a cracked pump or didn't use a water proof cover on it 
Pumps leave the factory waterproof and can withstand a lot of wet. Including swiming the channel whilst wearing one. I live and work on a farm and am quite often wet and muddy. Pump has always been fine , I though have gone rusty over the years.


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## Copepod (Apr 6, 2011)

Pumper_Sue said:


> Then someone has either a cracked pump or didn't use a water proof cover on it
> Pumps leave the factory waterproof and can withstand a lot of wet. Including swiming the channel whilst wearing one. I live and work on a farm and am quite often wet and muddy. Pump has always been fine , I though have gone rusty over the years.



Yes, I suspect the rain came once she was a few miles out and didn't want to return home, She's an equine vet, so probably well used to keeping pump working in muddy places where kicks are a possibility.


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## bev (Apr 6, 2011)

Pumper_Sue said:


> Then someone has either a cracked pump or didn't use a water proof cover on it
> Pumps leave the factory waterproof and can withstand a lot of wet. Including swiming the channel whilst wearing one. I live and work on a farm and am quite often wet and muddy. Pump has always been fine , I though have gone rusty over the years.



Hi Copepod/Pumper Sue,

I agree with Sue, it is highly unlikely that the rain would have stopped the buttons working. I think it sounds like coincidence and that there was probably another unrelated problem altogether. Alex has been out in all weathers, and played lots in the snow and got really cold and wet - without any problems at all. Also, dont forget that the Animas is actually marketed as a 'waterproof' pump and you can swim with it on. Medtronic arent allowed to say theirs is actually waterproof - I cant remember why - but they are waterproof and can withstand all sorts of useage. You can buy a waterproof 'spibelt' for pumps too. 

Alex's reservoir holds 300 units. Most people find that they use 25% less insulin on a pump.

Copepod, I really do feel that if you tried a pump, you would really like it. I know you have reservations and worries about them - but I feel that you would get over them once you see what they are capable of.Bev


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## ThunderBolt (Apr 6, 2011)

Pumper_Sue said:


> Pumps leave the factory waterproof and can withstand a lot of wet. Including swiming the channel whilst wearing one.



Isn't that just certain pumps? I was told by the DSN I'd get away with a shower with the pump still on but wouldn't risk putting it on the side of a bath. I disconnect for a shower anyway as it's only a 10 minute job. And besides... I wouldn't know where to dangle it from!?!

Oi... That's your filthy minds, not mine! Heheh.


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## Copepod (Apr 6, 2011)

Copepod said:


> I just got a reply from a friend with a pump who runs mountain marathons, to ask her advice on behalf of a young man with a pump for 3 months, who approached me at an orienteering race. His concern was about insulin lin freezing, as his drinks bladder tubing had done on a night race. My friend said cold wasn't a problem, as tubing stayed tucked into underwear, but running 17 miles in pouring rain without waterproof was - buttons failed, pump went crazy, and she had a very worrying 24 hrs until replacement arrived.
> Perhaps if I didn't spend so much time getting wet, cold and muddy, a pump might seem more attractive for me - but that might not be Cath12134's life.



Bev - Alex may be out in all weathers, but I really doubt he's run 17 miles in rain & driving rain in fells, nor run round Epping Forest for several hours on a November night, as the friends I was quoting did, nor run through pine plantations & fences as the younger pump user & I did at the orienteering race where we met. 

I would consider a pump IF MDI didn't suit me so well, but why use so many more resourses for no advantage for me? That does't mean that I don't support anyone else who needs a pump.


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## bev (Apr 6, 2011)

Copepod said:


> Bev - Alex may be out in all weathers, but I really doubt he's run 17 miles in rain & driving rain in fells, nor run round Epping Forest for several hours on a November night, as the friends I was quoting did, nor run through pine plantations & fences as the younger pump user & I did at the orienteering race where we met.
> 
> I would consider a pump IF MDI didn't suit me so well, but why use so many more resourses for no advantage for me? That does't mean that I don't support anyone else who needs a pump.



Hi Copepod,

I think you have missed the point. It doesnt matter whether you are out for 7 hours in the rain or 17 hours in the rain - the chances of the pump failing because of the rain is virtually nil. You are right, Alex hasnt even tried orienteering - but he has put the pump through all sorts of adventures - including crawling through mud and rain for several hours and building a shelter from scratch in the forest and making fires and climbing trees - so much so that I couldnt even find a clean spot to test his BG without bottles and bottles of water to clean his hands - he he. When he played in the snow - it wasnt just for an hour or so - it was most of the day in freezing temperatures and he was actually using a 'bodyboard' for going down a huge steep hill at Avebury stones - so huge amounts of energy needed and lots of Temporary Basals - and the pump was fine. The point I was making was that pumps are much more robust than some people might think and the idea that rain would break the buttons just isnt true and I wouldnt want anyone who is interested in a pump thinking that this is the case.Bev


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## Freddie99 (Apr 6, 2011)

Hi Cath,

I use a Medtronic Veo 554 which has a 1.8 ml reservoir and I can usually get about 175 units into that. Those reservoirs last me about two to three days usually and my cannulas tend to stay in for up to four or five days at the most. Given my line of work and my future line of work, I love the flexibility of the pump and all it's benefits. I've only had it fail on me once. I'm currently a bit under the weather and it's really good at keeping things under control for the time being. I can't get as tight control as I used to when I wasn't ill but I can get reasonably near it. 

Tom

I forgot to add that I'm currently a health care assistant and soon to be student nurse.


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## Pumper_Sue (Apr 6, 2011)

Copepod said:


> Yes, I suspect the rain came once she was a few miles out and didn't want to return home, She's an equine vet, so probably well used to keeping pump working in muddy places where kicks are a possibility.



I breed horses and my pump has taken a full kick before now and it didn't even bleep let alone crack. I own up to saying something bleeping rude to the equine involved though
Pumps are very robust though and it's amazing what they put up with.
I know you are very negative about pumps and it comes across very clearly in your posts, but what also comes across is the fear of the unknown. We all went through this before we started to pump. So my advice is don't knock it untill you have tried it


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## Pumper_Sue (Apr 6, 2011)

ThunderBolt said:


> Isn't that just certain pumps? I was told by the DSN I'd get away with a shower with the pump still on but wouldn't risk putting it on the side of a bath. I disconnect for a shower anyway as it's only a 10 minute job. And besides... I wouldn't know where to dangle it from!?!
> 
> Oi... That's your filthy minds, not mine! Heheh.



HI TB, all pumps leave the factory waterproof. Medtronic say there's is spash proof only to be on the safe side. I believe this is due to a slight problem with the casing where either the battery or cartridge cap is done up. Some people are over enthusiastic when tightening the caps so a stress fracure can apear.
As Bev say's though they are water proof.
I stood in a freezing cold stream up to my waist last winter for well over an hour trying to get a s*dding ewe out as she had fallen in and couldn't get out. Pump was under water as well. Again no problem with it.


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## Pumper_Sue (Apr 6, 2011)

TomH said:


> Hi Cath,
> 
> Those reservoirs last me about two to three days usually and my cannulas tend to stay in for up to four or five days at the most. Given my line of work and my future line of work, Tom



Tom,
just to give you the heads up on this...... you should not leave a cannula in for more than 3 days.This is detrimental to your health and could put an end to you being able to pump in the future.
Leaving cannulas in causes scar tissue build up thus no absorption, you are also leaving yourself open to infection as an added bonus.


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## Copepod (Apr 6, 2011)

Copepod said:


> I would consider a pump IF MDI didn't suit me so well, but why use so many more resourses for no advantage for me? That does't mean that I don't support anyone else who needs a pump.



Sue - I refer back to this post. Is that being negative?!? MDI suits me, so I don't want to convert anyone, nor so I want to prevent support for any pumpers. In real life, the people who share the same activities as me and use pumps are the ones who highlight the problems they've had.


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## shiv (Apr 6, 2011)

I feel this is going a bit off topic! 

Cath, was there anything else you wanted to know? My pump, like SacredHeart's, holds 200u and given primes etc, it lasts me about 4 or 5 days. I have the Animas 2020 which is marketed as being waterproof, which is going to be tested when I go kayaking next week! Cannulas are only designed to stay in for a max of 3 days (some are only 2 days, such as the Sure T) - as Sue points out, leaving it longer than that could cause problems below the skin that you can't see. Cannula changes can be nerve wracking at first, but you soon get used to them and I can now do a set change in just a couple of minutes.


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## Ellie Jones (Apr 6, 2011)

struth

If rain etc was going to knacker your pump I would have been right up the kiber without a paddle..  So would a couple of other pumpers I know...

Working in dog kennels boy did my pump get both a bashing in verious ways, but also got a soaking on a regular bases

As to a pump getting ruined by rain nah

There was a underlying problem with the pump for this to happen, if the rain get inside to take out the buttons, then there was either an hair line fracture somewhere on the caseing or things such as battery cover etc not probably tightened etc...

But as too pumping yes a lot of people are worried about the unknown aspects of pumping, like having it attached 24/7 etc, which is very natural I think we all had apprehensions of one sort or another, mine was having the pump working away over night!

Best thing is to try it, if you don't like it and decided it's not for you then hand it back...   But be warned there are very few people who actually hand them back though..


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## SacredHeart (Apr 6, 2011)

That's very true (about people handing them back). I did ask, because I wasn't 100% sure about it myself. I was told that there were about 100 people in my area now on pumps, and only 2 had given them back, due to (I'm told) very individual and understandable reasons. You can't argue too much with apparently a 98% satisfaction rate, I suppose.


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## buster01 (Apr 8, 2011)

I have a pump as well, I have a Paradigm mini med and I would 'nt give it back for anything. its really helping me through my pregnancy


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