# Pump and work



## Sil123 (May 4, 2020)

Hello and thank you in advance for any help! 
I'm new to forums so sorry if this has been asked. Iv been diabetic for 10 years and I'm considering having a pump my levels have slowly been going up and feel I need a change and my nurse feels it will be good for me. My only concern is I am a mechanic and I'm worried about the pipe and needle getting damaged or in the way with my work. I have caught my Libre and damaged it several times but that isnt half as important! My question is has anyone with a similar job had any problems or found it was ok to work around it.
Thanks for any advice


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## everydayupsanddowns (May 4, 2020)

Welcome to the forum @Sil123

We had a member @HOBIE who worked as an electrician “up and down ladders all day“ who was a very enthusiastic pump user who had lots of tight spaces to get in and out of on site. Unfortunately he’s not visited the forum since December.

I’ve been using a pump for 8 years, and mine has always been pretty well protected when doing DIY - I feel much more likely to knock a sensor off my arm.

Maybe your DSN could let you have a spare infusion site or two to wear with the end of the tubing tucked in somewhere?

I think Omnipod (no tubing) allow you to register for a dummy pod or two to experiment with too?


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## Sil123 (May 4, 2020)

Thank you that's a good idea I never thought off trying a dummy pod. That will give me a good idea of what effect it will be before the big decision


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## stephknits (May 4, 2020)

I have an omnipodpump and yes, as Mike says, on the website you can order a dummy pod to try.  As it is tubeless, there is a lot of freedom in where you can stick it, so greater scope to find somewhere that works for you.  I have occasionally knocked it off, bit always carry a spare of needed.


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## Sil123 (May 4, 2020)

Thank you! I have checked my hospital website as it has a list off pumps and it doesn't look like the omnipod is an option but I will still get the dummy pod to get the feel of it and it gives me some ideas when I go back and see my nurse.


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## Inka (May 4, 2020)

I’m not a mechanic - far from it   - but my pump has had some challenges and stood up to them. I disagree about pods being more flexible as with my tubed pump I can move it numerous times a day, depending on what I’m doing. I generally wear it in a soft belt round my waist under my clothes. The belt is slightly loose so I can slid the pump behind me or to the side depending on what I need that moment. I also wear it under my arm, across my front, and on my thigh. 

The set even rotates too so the tubing moves around as well. I tuck the tubing in my clothes and it’s fine there. I honestly don’t notice I’m wearing a pump, and I like the flexibility it gives me and how normal it makes me feel. It’s controlled via my phone so I rarely have to look at it during the day.


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## Sil123 (May 5, 2020)

Thanks again for your reply, I will definitely try a dummy pump to some degree and see how it feels. I think it will be a challenge to get use too for the first few months buts like everything you get use to it  I don't even think about my injections its who I am now so I'm sure the pump will be the same.


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## SB2015 (May 5, 2020)

There are in general two sorts of pumps, with tubing and then the patch pumps with no tubing.

I am with @Inka and prefer one with tubing.  I tuck mine away but can move it around as necessary.  As I use one with Bluetooth connection (Accu Check Combo) I never need to get it out during the day and it just stays hidden beneath my clothing all day.  That might be an additional consideration for you.  Their new Insight is alaso bluetoothed and will soon be controlled by a mobile phone app.  There are similar ones that are also bluetoothed.  Others you need to access to deliver a Bolus but as you have seen this does not cause problems.

I looked at the Omnipod but as that is usually work on the arm I feel it would be similar to the Libre sensors and there would be a chance of it getting knocked off.  The new patch pump from Accu Check is such that if you knock the pump off it does not take the cannula with it so you just reattach it.  

There are loads of options to consider and using a pump does make life a lot more flexible.  When I switched my HbA1c dropped by 10.  It does take a bit of work to get it matched to your own needs but I would say that it is well worth it.


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## trophywench (May 5, 2020)

Sil123 said:


> Thanks again for your reply, I will definitely try a dummy pump to some degree and see how it feels. I think it will be a challenge to get use too for the first few months buts like everything you get use to it  I don't even think about my injections its who I am now so I'm sure the pump will be the same.



It is a challenge alright! ROFL

Loved my first one for a fortnight then started to loathe it because every sodding thing I needed to do - I didn't know how and it wasn't instinctive any more!  So I took a deep breath, gritted my teeth and (mentally) hissed at the few bits of foreign lousy plastic that if it thought IT was going to beat ME then it better have another think coming.

I'm due to have a new one (my third) later on this year!  LOL


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## Inka (May 5, 2020)

@Sil123 I was very dubious about a pump to start with but now I have one you’d have to fight me to take it off me! The ability to fine tune your basal is absolutely fantastic, and apart from the blood sugar control, it makes me feel more normal. I hadn’t realised how fluctuating blood sugars were affecting me until I got the pump.

It didn’t take months to get used to - the actual wearing of it took a few days and then I realised I wasn’t even thinking about it. The set/cannula changes were a bigger thing - mainly because I was worried about doing it wrong. But after a few goes it becomes second nature.

@SB2015 The Combo was my second choice (my clinic stopped doing the Insight because of the problems with it) but I was lucky enough to get the DANA RS which has blue-tooth and is also approved for looping, as well as being surprisingly light and tiny for a 300 unit pump.

@Sil123 The best thing you can do is ask your clinic which pumps they offer and then research them.


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## Pumper_Sue (May 5, 2020)

Another way of trying a pump is to use a yoyo. No playing with it though  use the string and attach to tum with a bit of tape and pop pump in pocket.
I worked on farms for many years with no issues. Pump was either in pocket or attached to waistband. I have never in all the years I have been pumping ever had an issue of it being in the way, or having the cannula pulled out. Simple trick if this aspect worries you is to put a bit of tape across the the tubbing near the cannula so any unexpected yank/snag doesn't pull on the cannula.


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## SB2015 (May 5, 2020)

Inka said:


> @Sil123 I was very dubious about a pump to start with but now I have one you’d have to fight me to take it off me! The ability to fine tune your basal is absolutely fantastic, and apart from the blood sugar control, it makes me feel more normal. I hadn’t realised how fluctuating blood sugars were affecting me until I got the pump.
> 
> It didn’t take months to get used to - the actual wearing of it took a few days and then I realised I wasn’t even thinking about it. The set/cannula changes were a bigger thing - mainly because I was worried about doing it wrong. But after a few goes it becomes second nature.
> 
> ...


Hi @Inka. What problems did you have with the Insight?  I am interested as I know one issue was that many found it slow in comparison to the Combo, but with the new app that should be overcome.  I use so little insulin that I am not worried about the small cartridge they have.


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## Inka (May 5, 2020)

@SB2015  Basically I hated it   It was excruciatingly slow. Everything needed charging every day. It couldn’t go five minutes without beeping and screeching about something. The promised reservoirs to fill with your choice of insulin never appeared (at the time I had it - I don’t know about now) and that was a big no-no for me.

There were also continuing alerts from Accu Chek about various problems eg the stupid thing giving you an unwanted bolus because you couldn’t lock that feature. The battery/charge was rubbish, and it seemed to have been rushed out with no thought - hence the continued alerts.

My clinic took mine back and didn’t give it to anyone else. I’ve had a variety of pumps over the years but that was the first one that made me cry with stress and frustration. I only had it a few weeks but fortunately I’d kept my old pump so went back onto that while I was waiting for a new pump to be sorted for me. I wasn’t the only one at my clinic who’d given it back apparently.

The pump I have now is fantastic and is my clinic’s most popular pump even though it’s quite new. I’d highly recommend it.


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## trophywench (May 6, 2020)

Everything absolutely doesn't need changing every day with an Insight.  The 1.4ml Novorapid Pumpcart is the only choice and 1.4ml lasts you however long it happens to last you - 4 or 5 days usually for me.  The pump itself uses an AAA battery, only the meter/handset needs plugging in to recharge its battery and mine lasts 2 days perfectly OK.  

I'm utterly confused about the comment re 'new App' though - are you suggesting that we could use our telephones?  How would they test our blood and thus automatically calculate what bolus/correction doses we need?


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## trophywench (May 6, 2020)

Dana Pumps - didn't know they were available again - wasn't that what you had originally @Pumper_Sue ?


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## Pumper_Sue (May 6, 2020)

trophywench said:


> Dana Pumps - didn't know they were available again - wasn't that what you had originally @Pumper_Sue ?


I had one and it went straight back as far to fiddly for me to use due to my finger dexterity. They are good pumps though and provided by Advanced therapeutics, who used to provide the Cozmo pump. Which imho was the best pump I have ever had.


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## trophywench (May 6, 2020)

Aaaah, knew Advanced therapeutics rang bells Sue!


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## Inka (May 7, 2020)

trophywench said:


> Everything absolutely doesn't need changing every day with an Insight.  The 1.4ml Novorapid Pumpcart is the only choice and 1.4ml lasts you however long it happens to last you - 4 or 5 days usually for me.  The pump itself uses an AAA battery, only the meter/handset needs plugging in to recharge its battery and mine lasts 2 days perfectly OK.
> 
> I'm utterly confused about the comment re 'new App' though - are you suggesting that we could use our telephones?  How would they test our blood and thus automatically calculate what bolus/correction doses we need?



Each to their own @trophywench I was asked my opinion and gave it. I didn’t want to use Novorapid and don’t think pumps should be tied to particular insulins; I don’t want to have to charge things every day or two; or keep receiving urgent alerts due to pump problems like the bolus issue. I wasn’t using hyperbole - it’s the first and only pump I actually hated.

I don’t know what you were referring to re ‘new app’ but my pump has an app on my phone and I control it with that. If I wanted to loop with it, it would be ‘ready to go’ and not need extra hardware or kit. If I was looping, obviously my blood sugars would be used as part of the calculations. 

If you don’t want to loop, then it’s a fabulous little pump in and of itself and can be used with any suitable insulin. I’ve been very impressed with both the pump and the company.


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## trophywench (May 7, 2020)

Of course, I have no objection to anyone saying what they think!  We'd all be poorer if folk on here didn't.  I already used Novorapid and a fair few people were already moaning about the Insight  when I had it but so far after nearly 5 years the only thing I absolutely agree with is that it is bloody slow and I've always said it was!

It was not you that mentioned the Insight having a new App - it was @SB2015.  

I still don't understand what you mean about the Insight alarming due to some bolus issue is all.  Simply trying to understand that.


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## Inka (May 7, 2020)

Thank you @trophywench  

The bolus issue and alert I was referring to were alerts from Accu Chek not pump alarms. I got email alerts about various issues with the pump, a particularly worrying one being the ‘quick bolus button’ (on the top, I think) that couldn’t be disabled and could potentially (or actually - I cant remember if they did had complaints from users) give the user an unwanted bolus eg if they had the pump in a pocket and knocked the button accidentally. Huge design fault IMO. That’s partly what I meant about it being rushed through.


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## trophywench (May 7, 2020)

Well since you have to physically also tell the pump how much insulin you want your quick bolus to contain prior to pressing that button, God (or possibly his disowned relative, F---) only knows how one might accidentally deliver an unplanned bolus!

Think the sky is more likely to fall in, really, on the whole.


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## Inka (May 7, 2020)

And yet Accu Chek sent out an urgent email alert about it...

You can’t be too careful with medical appliances.

Edited to add that I see they issued a Field Safety Notice for Insight Pumps due to the top button(s) not locking, and the latest alert was just over a year ago regarding key frames that some people had to fit to the pump to stop accidental operation of the bolus button. The email mentions they have received reports from some users so it’s not just a theoretical problem.


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## SB2015 (May 7, 2020)

At the last meeting I went to about my next pump, the Accu Check rep showed me how the new Insight will be linked to the mySugr app, and you will be able to manually enter you ur BG (taken from the Libre or a blood test). This will allow those using Libre to use that reading (along with the arrow) or a blood test.  This was one of my criteria.

The pump will then be controlled by the phone, via Bluetooth connection (another tick from me as I was my pump ticked away for the day and don’t want to have to get it out to Bolus).  This I am told has overcome many of the speed issues which were around the handset rather then the pump.  There will also be the option of choosing a speed of delivery for a standard Bolus, which is not available in the Combo.  Another of my criteria.

I was originally told I could have a Dana RS @Inka . Having spoken to someone using it he said he would give it back and go back to a Combo if he could.  He had got caught out as they use their proprietary batteries and he had two fail whilst he was away in the middle of nowhere.  I want a normal battery in my pump.

I was pretty much set on a medtronic, but as I have the Libre in NHS and the new insights will allow me to reduce finger pricking and make more effective use of this I am very happy to stick with Accu Check as it has the Bluetooth which the Medtronics don’t. Their support is excellent.

As @everydayupsanddowns says there are pros and cons for each pump and it is only for four years.


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## Inka (May 7, 2020)

Absolutely @SB2015 Theres no perfect pump and we all have different needs and priorities. Yes, the DANA RS batteries are a rarer kind (not AA or AAA) Apparently they’re an adaptation of an existing battery. The batteries are free. I get them when I order my pump supplies and I find they last around 6 weeks or more. I usually write a battery change in my diary and mark 6 weeks ahead as I always change them before the low battery alert. We were told to change the battery as soon as it showed ‘one bar’ out of 4, but I change it at around 6 weeks regardless. You can choose the speed of delivery for boluses. The rotating sets I mentioned have the plastic (Teflon?) cannula but there are other sets and cannulas including needle ones.

The DANA app is called AnyDana and there are videos on YouTube showing it. It allows me to do three different bolus types (just like the pump), to change the basal rates, do a temporary basal, etc.

I put that info for anyone interested not for you as you’ve chosen what suits you best - as we all should   I used to have an Accu Chek pump and agree their customer service is very good. It was just that specific pump I disliked so much.


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## Barbie1 (May 7, 2020)

I too have an Insight and apart from the speed of the handset bolus calculation I am more than happy with it. The buttons on the actual pump lock after about 10 seconds so there is no problem with accidentally giving extra. I have had mine about 2 years now.  I never knew there was a bolus button either.


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## trophywench (May 7, 2020)

Well you have to specifically set it up to do 'quick bolus' specifically so if you haven't missed it, frankly I wouldn't bother finding out how! - at least - that's my feeling!

In an effort to drag myself into the 21st century, I'm very tempted to see if I can try another Libre cos I know they changed the Algorithm and stuff not long after I tried it the last time, so dunno if the original handset would be able to update itself at this juncture, and be able to function, or what.


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## Lucy Honeychurch (May 8, 2020)

I would ask what pumps are funded by your CCG...initially I wanted to have the omnipod but it wasn't an option, only the medtronic and insight. I chose the insight as it's smaller and has the handset. I've nothing to compare it to but have never had any issues with it.


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## everydayupsanddowns (May 9, 2020)

I’ve split off the side-conversation about batteries into its own thread to keep the thread on track for the OP 









						Pump batteries from companies, or not?
					

The batteries are free. I get them when I order my pump supplies and I find they last around 6 weeks or more.  Lol at that :) They are not free your CCG is charged for them I can assure you.  All the pump companies provide batteries for their pumps at a price to the CCG. I was shocked at the...




					forum.diabetes.org.uk


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## SB2015 (May 9, 2020)

Now bringing this back to the original thread that @Sil123 posted ...

... you can see that people get quite attached (in more ways than one) to their pumps.

There are a variety of pumps including 
- pod pumps with no tubing which you could attach in a variety of places hidden away
- pumps controlled by a handset so no need to access during the day
- others which you need to access to do a Bolus but can then tuck away.

There are options to get a trial pump for some or you could try a yo-yo with the string hooked away somewhere.

Lots of options and all I would add is that once you have it set up to suit your needs (which you will have to tweak at intervals) it makes a lot of difference as it matches what you need rather than a best fit. 

I hope that helps you to make a decision


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