Just wondering if you have to suspend your pump after detaching it for a long day activity like swimming and summer outdoor fun?
I was told not to because it makes air bubbles - so then you get less insulin then you think when you put the pump back in
If you are detaching it for a long period of time, it's not a bad idea to do. If I'm taking a shower or something, I don't. but if I'm going to the beach and swimming or playing basketball I'll suspend it until I put it back on. If its a quick disconnect I usually don't. Only reason I do suspend it is not to waste the insulin. I would suggest that if you are disconnecting it for long periods, to make sure and test and give small boluses throughout the day (via the pump) to make sure not to 'run out of insulin' in the system. DKA can happen quickly, so be careful.
Savs - I have not heard that before, but maybe no one told me about it. I've had it off for a couple hours before with no bubble problems - have you personally had bubbles in the past?
I haven't noticed anything either - but last time I was at my appointment, the endo told me (because it said in there that i had it suspended for two hours) that it could potentially cause problems
Hmmm - thx for the info Savs! - i wasn't aware of that. I'm actually supposed to see my MiniMed rep next week. I'll pose that question as well. I know my endo has just warned me to make sure to unsuspend it once I put it back on but that was it.
well, you'll have to tell me the answer to that - I'm interested to know if its really as big of a deal as he made it out to be?
I will Savs - I will let you know 4Knicko what I hear. I'd also throw a call into your Endo just to see what they say. Like being on here, the more information the better!
I don't I do a temp. basal instead.
My trainer never said anything about the air bubbles forming. I mean I guess it could be a possibility, however it does not seem likely. I tend to take my pump off and suspend it when I shower. That is usually the only time I do it though. The only reason I do the suspend is to not waste insulin. Not that it would be much, but I am cheap and don't like to waste things such as this. However, as Doug said you really do not need to suspend for small things or quick removals.
For longer periods though or for a day I would suspend it, as long as you are covering yourself some other way. Again, why waste the insulin. Last year, I had a day trip planned to go water rafting. I had talked to my endo and we planned out a day of no pump, going back to the long lasting for the time being and just using the Humalog to cover stuff. It worked out well.
A while back, I was told to not suspend my pump too because of the air bubble thing. I think it may have been my mini-med rep too! But, honestly, I have always been confused about it because then why did Mini-Med ever even make the pump with the suspend mode!!
To be on the safe side, I just never suspend it anymore- plus, I had forgotten to unsuspend after a shower before and didn't even realize it until I started getting thirsty a couple of hours later (of course I didn't even notice the beep it sent off to remind me it was suspended- assumed it was low battery or low reservoir and that I could deal with that later)
Note: it was a real mental hurdle to get past that I was wasting insulin- along with the all the other insulin we throw out because of the pump- actually, it still really bugs me to waste insulin- but that is a small thing to get over in the whole scheme of things.
Please tell us what your Endo says. Thanks!
I was told that suspending it just wastes the battery and that I should just let it run because it's such a small amount of insulin being wasted anyway. I use suspend frequently. If I'm really low and am chugging juice I suspend my pump because I don't want my pump giving me more insulin while I'm trying to get my bg up. If I'm doing something active where I know my blood sugar is on it's way down but I'm still ok I suspend it for a little bit so I temporarily cut my insulin supply off. I use temp basal's too but suspend is nice and quick and easy. The only thing I hate about it is that you sometimes forget it's suspended because you don't really get any reminders that it's suspended. You hear a beep but it could be for low res, low battery, check bg or beeps to remind you you have a temp basal going on. I wish so bad that the pump had different beeps to mean different things - like applying a different ring tone to different calls on your cell. I also wish the buttoms were different - if you're fiddling with it in low light or while driving or just reaching down to esc out of check bg the buttoms are all too smooth and all feel the same. It would be nice to just reach down, feel for the different textures and take care of things that way. I haven't heard anything about the bubbles in the tubing.
nope you can just let the insulin drip fer a little while, thats what i do [:
I personally haven't noticed any big difference. You might want to do a fix prime unconnected before you hook up again either way though. The major deciding factor for me would be if I wanted to keep my bag from stinking of insulin, or if I was too lazy to do it (I'm normally too lazy)
We have not used the suspend mode but thinking about doing it in prolong activity. We often get air bubbles in his tubing specially when he's out in the sun. I don't know why but minimed rep. said that body heat can cause air bubbles in. It's frustrating sometimes but I am hoping now that they've recalled and changed our quick sets, that air bubles won't be our issue anymore.
i debated weather or not to say this because it i think it sounds a little vain!! But I always suspend no matter how short it will be off because it leaks a little insulin if its not suspended and I cant stand smelling like insulin. Its a weird fear of mine, I don't want to smell like it! If I dont suspend it then it leaks on the set and when i put it back on it is all over and I feel like i smell like it!!
uh hopefully not too vain!
oh not too vain, I can't stand the smell of it either, I just don't say anything in front of my son.
My brother suspends it anytime he takes it off of him. Just so it wont be leaking insulin. But his beeps when its suspended so you won't forget about it- at least his does.
What do you mean by suspend? I use a Cozmo pump, and whenever I disconnect, I go through the process of pushing all of the buttons and delivering a disconnect bolus. Is this what you mean? Even for short showers, I do a disconnect bolus. I never just take it off and leave it.
|†~*Sarah*~†|
Wow, I have never heard of all this bubble talk. I guess I should call my endo. I suspend for baths, swimming, etc. My sugar stays pretty steady after my suspending, but have to check for bubbles after being in the heat. I live in Fl. so I'm always out in the heat.
As far as the smell of the insulin I hate that too. It smells lika a band-aid but worse. Ofcouse as a nurse I can tell you there are alot worse smelling meds out there. ;)