Minimed Pump problems

[Anna Miller]

My name is Anna and I'm a 20yr. old female living in Hawaii. I've been on the pump for about 12 years and have been a diabetic for all most 16 years. I have been having problems with my insulin pump (Medtronic MiniMed Paradigm 715 Insulin Pump).  I just recieved a new shipment of infusion sets that have been bending when I insert them.  I've tried different infusion set's out of my 8 different boxes.  I have also put the infusion set's in and when I've taken them out the plastic cathidor has been fine.  My pump however has been saying no delivery and my sugars have not been registering on my glucometer. I've called the company and they say "it's not our product but the sites and the way you put the pump in". I've been doing this for the majority of my life. Diabetes is my life. I have changed my sites, given shots in the same sites as my pump (and my sugar goes down) however the pump isn't bringing my sugar down. (NO DELIVERY) This has been going on for about two weeks. I finally TOLD my doctor to put me back on Lantus and Novolog shots to regulate my sugar until my problem is solved or until I get more information on what is going on.
Has anyone had these problems or can anyone give me some idea of what I can do or what's causing the problem?  If so... I would greatly appreciate it!
Thank you!!!
Anna

[klkuhar]

I believe the problem MIGHT be that you are starting to develop scar tissue.  Even moving around your site, it HAS been 12 years, and scar tissue is going to develop.  This tissue is thicker and tougher, thus it could bend a catheter, and also make delivery of insulin hard or impossible.  I know it may not be the most comfortable thing in the world, but have you tried using your buttocks as a site?  The fatty tissue there usually takes well to insulin absorbtion.

[JOKO123]

I too had problems with the cathitor bending once it was in and it caused my ketones to rise and I obvioulsy got very sick and was in bed all day until my blood sugar came back down, but as you know, it drains you!
I called minimed to tell them that the pump had not been delivering any insulin ALL NIGHT because when I took the cathotor out it was bent in two and no alarm went off...
Basically they balmed it on me and said no alarm would go off unless the hose had a blockage  - that is BS, how the heck are you supposed to know if your pump is working through the night, unless of course you wake up from being sick!!  MiniMed has HORRIBLE customer service and really DO NOT OFFER any help!! They are horrible. I am not new to this either, I have been a Type 1 Diabetic for 30 years and I am 32 years old, just started pumping in Feb of 2007 and HATE IT...the only reason I am doing it to to even out my blood sugars as we may try to have a baby, with and WIHTOUT the pump my A1C have been in the 6 ranges...this is when being a dioabetic really sucks and really brings you down...

[Jaxigirl]

I was having the exact same problem with my infusion sets.  After being on the pump for 4 years, I had never had the problem of a bent infusion set.  In December and January I had 5 infusion sites that bent like an elbow after being inserted...resulting in crazy high blood sugars and ketones and throwing up and the whole nine yards.  I called minimed also, and they were not much help.

I changed my site to my hip where I did not have the problem quite as often.  I had recently lost about 10 lbs and my stomach had much less fat on it which was replaced with muscle.  I found that aiming for the very fatty spots on my body did not result in a bent site.  The lower stomach and butt were very successful.  Try this and see if it works.  I still have a bit of trouble anywhere on my stomach but not as often.

good luck!
Jaxi
20 yr old Type I diabetic
pumpin it up with Minimed Paradigm 715 Insulin Pump

[WAK]

When we had a problem with my daughters minimed pump, and they did not want to do any thing. Ii insisted on speaking with a manager and explained that we had no problems up to the point that it started and that they were playing with my Childs life.    They listened and got me the help I needed.

I would suggest that you insist on speaking with a supervisor and if you still do not get satisfaction ask for there supervisor.  Remind them that there is such a thing as a bad batch of sites etc.

I wish you luck.

[JDRF-VOL-SG]

I am the person assigned to answer questions today, and I can't help with this one, unfortunately. I cannot believe that the company is refusing to help with this problem. Is there another company that you can go to for infusion sets? It sounds as if the problem HAS to either be the infusion sets themselves or perhaps something has gone wrong with the pump (all machines can break). If you were a new pump user, then the person who said that the problem has to be your technique might be right. But you say that you have been on the pump for 12 years... this would indicate to me that you know how to insert an infusion set! I would call the company again and explain that you ARE experienced and demand to speak to a manager if you get no resolution on the issue.

I hope others will respond here and offer more suggestions.