Hi, My name is Toomshum and I recently joined the Pumps group.
I find that whenever I change my insertion site, my sugars shoot up to 300 and refuse to come down for 4 to 5 hours. Even corrections and higher boluses don't seem to work then, but show their compounded effect hours later. But after that, my bloodsugars stabilize and I don't have too much of problem for the next 3 days.
Has anyone else faced this problem? Please advice.
Yes - we have the same issue all the time. We had to up the prime - I just don't think the tubing gets all the way full. That was our issue at least. Let's see what others have to say!
Robnleigh is right. Try increasing your fixed prime by .5u or whatever your doctor suggests.
Another thing is usually when you put in a new site you remove the old one. Sometimes insulin given through the old site less than an hour before removing it leaks out. I tend to leave my old site on until a couple hours after starting the new one, to make sure all the insulin is absorbed.
I had the same problem, I am on an omnipod. I read some discussions and tried out a few things (mind you I was more comfortable trying them because of my CGM.....without it I don't think I would have been quite that daring). Since I can not increase my prime units, I basically increase my basal and give myself a bolus. For me that works. I would check with your doctor on what works best.
Thanks for all the advice guys. I'll start leaving on the old cannula for a few hours after the new insertion.
I'm using the Medtronics Minimed Paradigm Pump and I haven't used the fixed prime. I prime it manually until I see a few drops of insulin coming from the needle and then insert it. Is that ok or should I try the fixed prime?
You are correct to do the manual prime.
After inserting the new catheter, the Medtronic will prompt you to do a fixed prime. It is an automatic setting, usually .5 to 1 unit of insulin. If your pump isn't doing this call Medtronic customer service and they can help you get it set up.
I upped my prime to 2 units by trial-and-error and I do a full correction for whatever my blood sugar is at set change+2 hours, IE, not the suggested correction, the full correction ignoring IOB. for me, I believe that the irritation of a new set causes an allergic reaction, and my site gets very bad absorption for about 4 hours. PLEASE check with your doctor and don't make dosage changes unless you are very comfortable with doing it yourself. good luck.
Thank you Jenna and Joe,
I changed my set at 6PM yesterday and followed all the advice, leaving the old set for 4 hours, taking a full correction dose for my 211 reading and increasing the priming. My post prandial after dinner was an excellent 101.
Thank you all.