# Has anybodys pump failed ?



## Jennywren (Oct 23, 2010)

After what happened to me during the night with my own pump , it got me thinking has anybodys pump ever failed etc ... and if so what happened i know we was told to keep spare pen refills i just like to be prepared for anything


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## tracey w (Oct 23, 2010)

No i havent had that and it would be very rare for it to happen.

I had a problem a few weeks back when all my levels were sky high, i tried everything, changed set, canula, insulin, because of my levels i couldnt think straight and told my dsn i thought i had pump failure.

She got me to come in straight away, it was my problem no the pump my basals all needed a radical change, in the meantime she called roche and was told no occurences noted of pump failures to date with the spirit combo.


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## Adrienne (Oct 23, 2010)

Yes we have.   We happened to be in Gt Ormond St Hospital having an MRI scan.   The pump went into the room, the MRI wasn't on at that point.  Jessica laid on the bed, we disconnected and I took the pump out of the room, so it was only in there for about 3 minutes and that 3 minutes was all it took for those huge magnets, which weren't even on, to break the pump.

We had nothing else with us but we went to our old ward and they gave us a syringe and NR and we injected some to cover a sandwich and get us home.

If we go on long day trips or away we always take injection pens and cartridges.

We got a replacement pump two days later.

There are lots of kids on the cwd list who have had mishaps with pumps and they all got replacements generally the next day.


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## Copepod (Oct 23, 2010)

Scary that even a not-switched-on MRI can have that effect on machinery. 

By chance, my only experience of an MRI scan, for a research study into hypoglycaemia, led to a nice experience this week. I had to go to hospital for an investigation test (which seems to have confirmed no additional problem, bt the way). A doctor (dealing with another patient) and I recognised each other - she'd been involved in the study. So, naturally, she asked what I was doing there, and when I explained the story, she confirmed my thoughts that the slightly odd blood test was probably due to running or something - she remembered that I couldn't do the 2nd part of the study, due to orienteering earlier in the day, but they hadn't said no running, and it was a very norml thing for me to do on a Wednesday evening. Anyway, we're still waiting for MRI time to complete the study. An unexpected benefit for me to see a familiar face, in addition to other helpful friendly competent staff, just because I'd volunteered for a research study.


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## Freddie99 (Oct 23, 2010)

I've nothad any failures yet. Although it's sad to say it, I am expecting failures. Something along the lines of hope for the best, prepare for the worst kind of thinking. I try to be as best prepared as I can be for what I think may happen.


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## Cate (Oct 25, 2010)

My pump failed, about 4 maybe 5 years ago.  When priming, the pump didn't pick up the fact that it was dispensing insulin, so in a 170 u reservoir I was only getting about 30-40 units of usable insulin.

Obviously I was on holiday in rural France at the time, and nobody had told me to ensure I carried spare pens/syringes (seems obvious in retrospect!).  I called Medtronic and was put through to the US careline and they arranged for a replacement pump to be sent to me, it arrived the following day.  They also sent a reply paid box to my home address, and I returned the faulty pump to them when I got back home.


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## litto-miss-loz (Dec 18, 2010)

hey all, just wondered should i be carrying my levimer pen with me aswell incase of emergency or is it ok just to carry my novorapid pen?? 

xx


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## shiv (Dec 18, 2010)

litto-miss-loz said:


> hey all, just wondered should i be carrying my levimer pen with me aswell incase of emergency or is it ok just to carry my novorapid pen??
> 
> xx



Depends how long you are away from home for - if you're just out for a day then I would say just Novorapid is fine (it will cover any food you eat and you can use it as a sort of basal). If I am going to be away from my supplies for more than 2 days I will take lantus with me 

For eg, I have been back at home with my mum for a week so I brought lantus and novorapid pens with me just in case. If I had just gone overnight I probably wouldn't have taken the lantus as I would feel happy using novorapid as a substitute for it - but do what makes you comfortable


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## litto-miss-loz (Dec 18, 2010)

shiv said:


> Depends how long you are away from home for - if you're just out for a day then I would say just Novorapid is fine (it will cover any food you eat and you can use it as a sort of basal). If I am going to be away from my supplies for more than 2 days I will take lantus with me
> 
> For eg, I have been back at home with my mum for a week so I brought lantus and novorapid pens with me just in case. If I had just gone overnight I probably wouldn't have taken the lantus as I would feel happy using novorapid as a substitute for it - but do what makes you comfortable



i see lol so if my pump was to fail, i could take a levimer jag straight away and just use novorapid to cover meals??


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## shiv (Dec 18, 2010)

I'm not sure to be honest! I don't know how, if my pump failed, I'd go about going back to MDI. I guess I'd take my old amounts until I could get some professional help from a DSN or the like?

Basically yeah, you're going from pumping back to MDI, so you'd be taking levemir and novorapid. But you have to be careful and think about what insulin you have on board left over from the pump etc - hopefully if it did happen you'd only be on injections for a day or two though so you could get away with it.


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## litto-miss-loz (Dec 18, 2010)

shiv said:


> I'm not sure to be honest! I don't know how, if my pump failed, I'd go about going back to MDI. I guess I'd take my old amounts until I could get some professional help from a DSN or the like?
> 
> Basically yeah, you're going from pumping back to MDI, so you'd be taking levemir and novorapid. But you have to be careful and think about what insulin you have on board left over from the pump etc - hopefully if it did happen you'd only be on injections for a day or two though so you could get away with it.



klkl thanks for the advice  before i only took 6 units of levimer anyway so i guess i would probs be ok going back for a day or two


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## bev (Dec 18, 2010)

This has happened to a couple of children on the list and what the parents do is to just give novorapid and check every couple of hours for half a day and then at nightime they give levemir and do MDI as normal until the new pump arrives. It is a good idea to download your basals/bolus/ratios and put them on the fridge for you to be able to work out your needs.Bev


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