# Help please :(



## SilentAssassin1642 (Aug 12, 2010)

Hi all,me again

I am feeling like an emotional train wreck with this pumping buisness at the moment...


Overnight basals STILL playing up and I'm exhausting myself with it
Post lunch blood sugars of 19.2 today and no idea why...maybe it's something to do with my odd shift patterns at the moment?
I can't start basal testing during the mornings until I wake up on a decent level...and ideally I want to do that on a weekend...but I'm not waking up on decent levels. Even though I was 6.7 this morning I didn't really fancy basal testing whilst at work...
I'm exhausted. This pump is turning me into an emotional train wreck. I am fed up with it and want to smush it into a million pieces.
BUBBLES! I tried the degassing method this morning with a change and ended up breaking a cartridge...I think I took too MUCH air out of the vial and it was too difficult to keep the insulin in the cartridge...the bottom fell out and I got covered in insulin 

This is the suck. Anyone got any ideas? Nursey should be ringing tomorrow. But I doubt she'll catch me before work. I just need someone to tell me it will be ok and that its normal to have screwy levels at the moment. I'm so fed up of seeing those crazy highs, it's making the nueropathy flair up again and making me feel so angry and upset all the time


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## Chrissie (Aug 12, 2010)

Hi Sam

The first few weeks/months of pumping are tough!!!!! I know i wanted to chuck my pump out of the window several times in the early days & had lots of tears at the frustration of things being all over the place! But............ it does get easier & i love my pump now & would fight anybody who tried to take it off me 

You've got to stick with it, it will get easier!!!

I found shifts could cause havoc with my levels & set a different pattern for different shifts maybe its something you could discuss with your nurse.

I know that when i'm stressed my levels are all over the place so if your anything like me that won't be helping at the minute.

I know i haven't answered any of your questions but i hope i helped to reassure you that what your feeling at the moment is normal

Take care

Chrissie xx


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## Northerner (Aug 12, 2010)

Sorry I can't offer you any pump advice Sam, but hope tomorrow is better for you. All those swinging levels plus your current work schedule is a lot to deal with, so give yourself a lot of credit for how well you are coping with all this that is being thrown at you. I'm sure I can remember most of our past pumpers going through a similar initiation by fire, so hopefully they can offer some more pertinent help. {{{{Sam}}}}


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## am64 (Aug 12, 2010)

stick with it sam ...what you got to loose ??? back to the old regieme ? i can really comment re the ins and outs of pumps but i can give you some encouragement xxx huggsxx


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## Adrienne (Aug 12, 2010)

Hi 

It's ok and you will be fine.   

There I told you and I wholeheartedly believe that.  You are so new at this and clearly the basals aren't right.   If you want my help then I'll need some info from you.    I can give you an idea.

There is no point looking at the day time basals, you are right, until you have the nightime and waking basals ok.    So start with nightime first.   When are you testing, what times overnight?  I am hoping that to begin with you were told to test two hourly overnight.  By doing that, it gives you a good idea of where to tweak.    Let me know if you want me to take a look at numbers and times and basals etc etc.   

I don't log on always so you might want to email me as well or fb me just in case I don't answer you, then I'll come take a look.  

Chin up, take care, be strong, it does and will get better and be ok.


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## am64 (Aug 12, 2010)

brilliant adrienne i just knew you'd be around for reassurance xxx


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Aug 12, 2010)

thanks guys

adrienne I've pm'd you  oh and i should have mentioned I was told to just wake up once overnight...would I have to wake up every two hours and test? If so, then I'll have to wait until I'm off work next week/next weekend. I just don't think it'll work with my crazy hours at the moment


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## bev (Aug 12, 2010)

SilentAssassin1642 said:


> thanks guys
> 
> adrienne I've pm'd you  oh and i should have mentioned I was told to just wake up once overnight...would I have to wake up every two hours and test? If so, then I'll have to wait until I'm off work next week/next weekend. I just don't think it'll work with my crazy hours at the moment



Hi Sam,
You need to test every 2 hours throughout the night for a couple of nights to see if there is an obvious change in levels. You would be better doing this when your off work the next day as you will be shattered. Take it slowly - there is no rush - your doing brilliantly so dont lose hope and try not to throw the pump out of the window - it will be your best friend sooner than you think.Bev


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## Adrienne (Aug 12, 2010)

SilentAssassin1642 said:


> thanks guys
> 
> adrienne I've pm'd you  oh and i should have mentioned I was told to just wake up once overnight...would I have to wake up every two hours and test? If so, then I'll have to wait until I'm off work next week/next weekend. I just don't think it'll work with my crazy hours at the moment



Yep fraid so, that is the only way to get those night time basal's sorted, once you have them sorted you only need to test every so often at night maybe just to keep confirming all ok and no hypos or hypers.   Do it when you are off, as Bev says, you will be cream crackered.


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Aug 12, 2010)

bev said:


> Hi Sam,
> You need to test every 2 hours throughout the night for a couple of nights to see if there is an obvious change in levels. You would be better doing this when your off work the next day as you will be shattered. Take it slowly - there is no rush - your doing brilliantly so dont lose hope and try not to throw the pump out of the window - it will be your best friend sooner than you think.Bev



thanks bev. Erm...the only day off I have this week is sunday...after that I'm off for 4 days so I might do it wednesday night or is that too long to wait? 

I've just mentioned it to Matt and he's kicking up a stink about it


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Aug 12, 2010)

Adrienne said:


> Yep fraid so, that is the only way to get those night time basal's sorted, once you have them sorted you only need to test every so often at night maybe just to keep confirming all ok and no hypos or hypers.   Do it when you are off, as Bev says, you will be cream crackered.



eee gads. I don't get much sleep as it is lol, so I guess it would only work out as a couple of tests. Usually in bed by 11 and awake at around 6am on 9-5 days

I might do one saturday night and then sleep in on sunday morning.

I dunno

And I'll do one weds night too as am off thurs/fri and can take it easy with the packing.

It's just bugging me that Matt is kicking up a stink with it...


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## Adrienne (Aug 12, 2010)

SilentAssassin1642 said:


> thanks bev. Erm...the only day off I have this week is sunday...after that I'm off for 4 days so I might do it wednesday night or is that too long to wait?
> 
> I've just mentioned it to Matt and he's kicking up a stink about it



I've just pm'd you.

Ummm which bit is Matt kicking up a stink about?   Please tell me not about the two hourly testing?    Hold me back............  Tell him it will benefit him hugely if you get your levels right.   Your energy increase will know no bounds and he will be cream crackered then


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## Adrienne (Aug 12, 2010)

Or tell him to sleep on the couch for the nights you are testing and when he next wants help, you are busy .................


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Aug 12, 2010)

LOL ADRIENNE! It was actually regarding the testing. Until I snapped at him and told him if he doesn't want me to continue being a moody, angry mare like I am at the moment then he'll let me get on with it LOL!

To be fair, he never usually wakes up when I have to do a test anyway, he's just being a typical male  (no offence meant there guys! )


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## AmyP (Aug 14, 2010)

how you getting on now sam? i tried the de-gassing method as well and blood sugar rose to 14.8 (6.3 before) post canula change this morning...oh hello mr air bubble, nice to see you hiding there!  find it very odd you were only told to test once overnight, definitely do every 2 hours when you get chance. i'm still testing mine so don't worry about not having done it yet, you are not alone! hope you are feeling better x x


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Aug 14, 2010)

AmyP said:


> how you getting on now sam? i tried the de-gassing method as well and blood sugar rose to 14.8 (6.3 before) post canula change this morning...oh hello mr air bubble, nice to see you hiding there!  find it very odd you were only told to test once overnight, definitely do every 2 hours when you get chance. i'm still testing mine so don't worry about not having done it yet, you are not alone! hope you are feeling better x x



oh im still struggling...had another 19 today. Stupid pump. Yeah Julie said just to do a 3am test occasionally. Bit odd and Helen seemed to agree.

I struggled with the degassing to star with,managed to break a cartridge! But I haven't had any air bubbles since I did the full change on thursday


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## Adrienne (Aug 15, 2010)

Hiya

Now just to throw a spanner in the works here and to upset everyone (but I'm gonna say it), airbubbles in the reservoir and line, when preparing a set is down to the user (told you I was going to upset people) and nothing to do with anything else.   It is purely technique.   You don't have to fiddle around with the degassing process, you just need to practice.  

The slower you fill that reservoir the less bubbles you will get.   The stiller you keep the plunger in the reservoir the less bubbles you will get.  

Don't shout me all down here please, had a really really bad weekend.


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Aug 15, 2010)

Adrienne said:


> Hiya
> 
> Now just to throw a spanner in the works here and to upset everyone (but I'm gonna say it), airbubbles in the reservoir and line, when preparing a set is down to the user (told you I was going to upset people) and nothing to do with anything else.   It is purely technique.   You don't have to fiddle around with the degassing process, you just need to practice.
> 
> ...



lo adrienne, gotta admit even when i did the degassing I got a couple in the cartridge, one huuuge big one that always seems to creep in at the top  - but haven't had any issues since that first prime. Dunno if that's do with technique getting better or whether the degassing works


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## Adrienne (Aug 15, 2010)

heheheheh  you know whatever works is fine at the end of the day.  If you like degassing, stick with it, you have to do what is easier for you.


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Aug 15, 2010)

Adrienne said:


> heheheheh  you know whatever works is fine at the end of the day.  If you like degassing, stick with it, you have to do what is easier for you.



hehehe, too right  degassing is a bit of a palava i have to say


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## bigpurpleduck (Aug 23, 2010)

Hi Sam,

My best advice in the pump learning curve is try not to tackle everything at once. In attempting to sort out daytime basals at the same time as night time basals, you can have problems with upping insulin too much too quickly, & this combined with stress can make you yo-yo (speaking from experience!). I'm a complete stressball and was freaking out on my first couple of weeks. Tackle a bit at a time - definitely start with night-time by testing every 2 hours. Once this is sorted out & you can get a decent night's sleep without hypos or highs, you're much better rested to focus on the daytime.

With the airbubbles and sets - practice definitely makes perfect. If your healthcare trust pay for your reservoirs & sets, don't hesitate to use up a few by practicing. You'll get more and more confident every time.

Switching to a pump takes a lot of adjusting. I had several days where I hated the damn thing, & hated myself for deciding to go for it. Take your basals in bitesize chunks, take your time changing basals/bolus ratios, talk to everyone on here and don't be too hard on yourself. It will take a little while to notice a difference, but when you do it will be well worth it.

Take care, keep us posted & feel free to PM.

Em
x


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