# Pump stuff to carry around



## sacol4940 (Apr 19, 2013)

Sorry, it's me again!

I just wondered what everyone carries around with them each day for their pump?

And what do you carry it around in?

At the moment I'm carrying:

Blood Meter
Finger pricker
Pot of test strips
2 infusion sets - 1 with a line and 1 without
Insulin vial
Pot of ketostix
Infusion set inserter
Spare lancets
Couple of mediswabs
2 mini syringes
Dextro tabs

It's all in a make up bag at the moment, but it's a bit big to be carrying around all the time....


----------



## AJLang (Apr 19, 2013)

Could you not leave a "spares" kit at work so you don't need to carry it round with you during the week?   If I'm going out for less than two hours or I'm within 45 minutes of home then I just take my testing meter, finger pricker and test strips.  If further afield then it is
Insulin vial
Syringe thing for the reservoir
Two spare cannulas with tubing
Spare inserter
Batteries for meter and pump
 The key thing for undoing the battery case
Antiseptic wipes
Testing machine
Strips
Finger primer
Humalog insulin pen and spare needles
Levemir pen if I'm away overnight
I think that's it. And, of course, jelly babies


----------



## Pumper_Sue (Apr 19, 2013)

When out,
1 syringe
1 spare cannula and tube
Battery for pump.
meter lancet and test strips.
Glucose tab.
So only dif from MDI days in the cannula,tubing and battery


----------



## Redkite (Apr 19, 2013)

For my son, we don't tend to carry spare infusion sets and insulin vials around if out for the day, since if he has a cannula problem we can cover with novorapid injections until we get home.  For overnight and longer trips we have a VERY long list of stuff to take, but for day trips it's just:

Meter, fingerpricker, strips and lancets (all in one soft zipped pouch that came with the meter)
Injection pen with needles (with a note of the date the cartridge was last changed)
Spare battery for the pump
Dextrose tablets
Ketone meter plus strips.

I notice you listed ketostix.  We were told that these are not the best thing to use for pumpers, because they only measure ketones in the urine, indicating what the blood ketones were hours before, and with the pump you have no long-acting insulin, so any problem/blockage with the cannula could lead to ketones rapidly increasing.  You really need to be able to measure blood ketones - I would recommend you ask your team for a blood ketone meter, for which the strips are available in packs of 10 on prescription.


----------



## Lauras87 (Apr 20, 2013)

:O. I was curious about what you had to carry round with you but it sounds like its everything but the kitchen sink.

Am I being stupid but why do you need to carry your fast acting pen if you have syringes?


----------



## AJLang (Apr 20, 2013)

Hi Laura I'm not sure about others but the syringe thing that I'm referring to is for drawing up the insulin into the pump not for injecting.  A few years ago a nurse told me in very strong words that I shouldn't use a syringe and needle with a pen cartridge because the glass could shatter. I'm not sure how true this is.


----------



## Lauras87 (Apr 20, 2013)

AJLang said:


> Hi Laura I'm not sure about others but the syringe thing that I'm referring to is for drawing up the insulin into the pump not for injecting.  A few years ago a nurse told me in very strong words that I shouldn't use a syringe and needle with a pen cartridge because the glass could shatter. I'm not sure how true this is.



Ah that makes sense, thank you for explaining

I think ill need a bigger handbag for pump stuff


----------



## sacol4940 (Apr 20, 2013)

I don't carry a pen around, I just carry an old school syringe so that if my pump fails I can draw up insulin direct from the vial that I have with me


----------



## everydayupsanddowns (Apr 20, 2013)

AJLang said:


> Hi Laura I'm not sure about others but the syringe thing that I'm referring to is for drawing up the insulin into the pump not for injecting.  A few years ago a nurse told me in very strong words that I shouldn't use a syringe and needle with a pen cartridge because the glass could shatter. I'm not sure how true this is.



Not sure where they not that from Amanda?! Surely a pen cart is far less likely to shatter even than a sealed vial, since it has a moveable plunger at the bottom to adjust pressure?

I've drawn up with a syringe on a few occasions, and not had a problem - I will perhaps be a bit more cautious now though! (Just in case there's something in it!)

I take insulin syringes/vial as my emergency backup - I don't have a pen with any in date carts now anyhow!


----------



## everydayupsanddowns (Apr 20, 2013)

Lauras87 said:


> Ah that makes sense, thank you for explaining
> 
> I think ill need a bigger handbag for pump stuff


 

I seem to travel quite a lot lighter than many others here (one day this may prove to have been a mistake!). My 'more than 2h away from base' kit is one spare set, one reservoir, current 'in use' vial plus the emergency syringe and batteries for pump/meter. I figure if push comes to shove I can manually insert the set. If we are away overnight/set change is due, I'd take the serter too.

Fits in a case approx the size of a BG meter one (I also take BG meter/hypo treatment obviously!)


----------



## HOBIE (Apr 20, 2013)

I have testers in van,car & all over. No big bag to carry. Take spares when on holi & away working


----------



## Lauras87 (Apr 20, 2013)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> I seem to travel quite a lot lighter than many others here (one day this may prove to have been a mistake!). My 'more than 2h away from base' kit is one spare set, one reservoir, current 'in use' vial plus the emergency syringe and batteries for pump/meter. I figure if push comes to shove I can manually insert the set. If we are away overnight/set change is due, I'd take the serter too.
> 
> Fits in a case approx the size of a BG meter one (I also take BG meter/hypo treatment obviously!)



Mike you'd be shocked with what diabetes stuff I carry with me even when I'm less than 40 mins away from home 
1 bottle of lucozade
1 pencil case filled with gluco tabs, sweets & gluco juice
Meter, spare lancets, testing strips
Spare needles, 1 spare cartridge of novo & my pen

I feel it's best to be prepared  god help the person who ever robs me, they'll bounce off the ceiling


----------



## HOBIE (Apr 20, 2013)

I also have Gluco tabs on me. Plastic right shape box with 4 tabs in (cant remember were from but had for years). Ice .  You can get key rings etc from amazon  that you refill.


----------



## Lauras87 (Apr 20, 2013)

HOBIE said:


> I also have Gluco tabs on me. Plastic right shape box with 4 tabs in (cant remember were from but had for years). Ice .  You can get key rings etc from amazon  that you refill.



Ice?? As in case of emergency?


----------



## HOBIE (Apr 20, 2013)

"ice"  Put on your mobile phone with someone who knows what to do treating hypo.  (another way you might get help from someone). If your out of it emmergency services might look at phone to see who you are etc.  Hope so


----------



## Lauras87 (Apr 20, 2013)

HOBIE said:


> "ice"  Put on your mobile phone with someone who knows what to do treating hypo.  (another way you might get help from someone). If your out of it emmergency services might look at phone to see who you are etc.  Hope so



Ahhh, that's easy.
I hope if I was out of it the paramedics would look at my meditag or from getting my phone out, I hope the insulin pen case, BG case & BG diary would give them a hint


----------



## HOBIE (Apr 21, 2013)

Like you Laura i have a meditag. You have to help the people who are trying to help you


----------



## Lauren (Apr 21, 2013)

BG kit with 2 or 3 spare lancets inside
Pot of test strips if I'm running low
Novopen in its case with a vial of novorapid and a lantus solostar pen, and some screw-on needles, in case my pump breaks
Lucozade tabs

I have started to carry a battery in my bag too in case my battery goes while I'm out.

I did carry around a spare quikset and inserter but the set always got crushed under all my stuff so now I will just rely on my spare pens if my pump breaks while I'm out.


----------

