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Trouble with quick set infusion sets

Does anyone have trouble with inserting the quick-set infusion sets.  My daughter is getting to the point where she dreads changing her site.  Sometime it takes us 3-4 tries to get a good site, without getting a "no delivery" error.  I am always with her and it seems like she is doing it right.
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Avatar universal
As far as pain at the insertion site. When I was young (a long time ago)I had similar problems. If your duaghter is thin you might consider using a shorter needle (6cm rather then the longer 9cm) if you haven't done so.  It helped me. I like the "soft sets" rather then the "Silhouette" as they insert at a 90 degree angle like the quick sets.  Use an auto inserter as it makes insertion less painful.

There was a FDA recall of the Quick Sets many months ago in the USA for the problem mostpeople report here. Mini/Meditronics had sent letters to all its users about the recall and how to return the quicksets and get replacements. Didn't any of you get the letter? I was curious whether or not MiniMed resold the defective quick sets to Europe as some company's have such awful practices.  MiniMed stated Europe follows the same high standards as the USA and would have gotten the recall as well.

Here's the MiniMed site about the recall:
http://www.minimed.com/QSP/qsp.shtml

Hope this helps your daugther in some degree.
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Avatar universal
I just (today!) switched from the quick-sets to the silhouettes. Three times in a row my cannulas had kinked (I inserted them into my lower abdomen--where the most fat is!) Each time, by the following morning, I had a "no delivery" alarm and I was going crazy.
I ordered the silhouettes, and although I think I may have inserted my first one at a slighly incorrect angle, there is certainly less pain and I don't feel that "pinch" when the cannula from the quick-set kinks! Although I do wish the inserter was a bit more foolproof and the needle is a bit intimidating at first!
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Avatar universal

I made the same experience with the Quick set (without plus) infusion sets, distributed by Medtronic Minimed, in August 2004.

I'm a 24 years old patient with chronic type 1 diabetes and I'm living in Germany. I had been using the Quick Set infusion sets for about 9 months combined with the Medtronic Minimed Paradigm 511E insulin pump. But then there occured many problems with a 10 p. box of Quick Set infusions sets, I bought in April 2004. Alltogether, five of the infusion sets' canullas bended under my skin, maybe because of defective adhesives, and the insulin pump failed to deliver insulin to my body. 3 times the insulin pump warned "Keine Abgabe" ("No Delivery"). But in one case the insulin pump didn't warn. My blood glucose level elevated to a lethally high level. After 2 days of sickness and pain I was hospitalized with a lethal ketoacidosis. I had to spend 3 days at the intensive care unit. The last of the 5 infusion sets which failed I injected - still at the intensive care unit, but after my blood sugar had been brought to a normal level again by the doctors - under the eyes of several doctors. They said, I did everything right, but one hour later my blood sugar level elevated again. I checked my infusion set. From the outside everything seemed to be alright and the insulin pump had not warned. But the canulla was bended again. Alltogether, only 3 of 10 infusion sets did their jobs.

It seems, possibly Medtronic Minimed not only has a problem with it Quick Set plus infusion sets, but also the same problems with the newly available Quick Set infusion sets.

I made almost the same experience some of you made with the company
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Avatar universal
My 11 year old son has had success with his Deltec Cozmo pump using Disetronic Rapid-D 6mm infusion sets (featuring a 6mm needle at a 90 degree angle).  He uses his upper buttocks, across one side, then the other, about 1 inch apart, for needle locations.  The set is put in place very quickly, with a swift "pat down", and doesn't bother him very much when it's put in place.  Afterward, he has no pain or discomfort for days, and has had no pump stoppage alerts due to the needle sets in over a year of using them.  He plays competitive basketball year-round, and occasionally gets knocked on his butt on top of the infusion site, which has caused some momentary pain due to the hard needle.  Other than that, he is very happy with the Disetronic Rapid-D 6mm infusion sets.  

You can check them out at the Disetronic website.  They are one of the lowest priced infusion sets. They can be purchased in boxes that include tubing with the luer lock connection.

The user would need to have some place on their body with a small amount of fat, like the buttocks.

My son has been successful using the infusion set for as long as five days each, and the tubing for as long as 15 days!  However, he usually tries to change his set every four days and the tubing every 12 days.  Sometimes the insulin isn't used fast enough, and we don't like to waste it (at $62.59 a vial), so he wears the set until the insulin is almost gone.
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Avatar universal
Thanks everyone for your input.

1. Steph usually inserts into her stomach.  We tried the thigh and she cried because it hurt so bad (she is 12, so this is NOT normal).  And then it bled like crazy, so of course we hit a vein.  She won't even think about trying it there again.

2. I don't think it is the pump, because after 3 or 4 tries, it works fine for her 3 days.  It is getting to the point where she dreads changing the pump.  I think part of it is, she is so nervous, she is tightening up her muscles.

3. At one point we had a box of quicksets that had 6 or 7 bent needles, that we sent back and got replacements.  So I do check for that before we insert.  I don't know what else to look for on the sets.

4. She has tried the silhouettes, she didn't like them either. I think the long needle was intimidating.

5. We have talked to her diabetes instructor, and even tried inserting in front of her, and she said we were doing everything correct.


I do think that the inserter is a BAD design.  Why can't they make it so she only has to push one button instead of two at one time.  We have also had trouble with her getting them pressed at the same time.

We will keep trying, because it still beats 5 shots a day.  I just feel so bad for her.  I hate to see her get so upset.

Thanks again!
Hugs
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Avatar universal
I went through the same thing. It happened for a couple of months before I just decided to give Yale (my diabetes place :)) a call. They told me of the numerous other people who had problems as well.

So...They just changed me from Quick Set Plus to the regular Quick Sets. I believed the recalled the Quick Set Plus as well.
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Avatar universal


I have to mention that my son was initially on the silhouettes and they really hurt him when inserting.  Possibly because of the angle.  I guess we have to say that everyone is different.  

I do agree with the great input that Galzee gave you about it possibly hitting a muscle.
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Avatar universal
Hello ShirleyB,

I am a volunteer here and need you to know that I am not a medical professional, so my input / advice is based soley on my own personal experience.  My son was diagnosed with type 1 at the age of 3.  (over 6-1/2 yrs. ago)  (He turns 10 in February)

My son started on the pump at the end of August and we love it.  He also uses quick-sets.  He uses the 6mm ones.  He will only let me insert them in his legs for now because one time we tried it in his stomach and blood squirted out.  Lately, we have had a couple of times where he complained of it really hurting when inserted (to the point where he cried)and then other times it barely hurts him, so we have kind of dreaded changing the sets because I never know when it will really hurt him.

He has never had a problem with a no delivery right after inserting.  So far, he has had only one "no delivery" and it was the morning following changing a set.  

Where does she insert?  Her leg?  Her stomach?    

Have you called a pump educator, pump specialist or the manufacturer?  You have the quick-serter, right?  

I am unsure what to tell you because we have not yet experienced this particular problem.  

Please elaborate a little and I will try to research this one a bit.

Warm regards
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Avatar universal
I read on another board that some boxes/batches of the QuickSets were, in fact, defective.  At very least, be sure to get replacements if you want them.  I'd likely press for a replacement pump at this point, however.  Problems tend to have a simple explanation.  Here are some alternatives explanations (in addition to the great simple-explanation post by Galezee).

Do you use the Serter with the QS?  As you know, the 90degree angle sets must be inserted with a quick motion.  I'm a long-time diabetic and have been pumping for close to 10 years.  I've never been able to take shots or to insert infusion sets quickly.  For many years, I used the Disetronic Tender.  It has a long insertion needle, but was very forgiving with my sloooow insertion procedure -- never crimped.

On another board, a mom was raving about the SQ serter, so despite ignoring her info for a long time, I finally decided to give it a try.

Another person posted that, upon verrry careful examination, she detected a hairline crack where the infusion set meets the pump.  The crack was on "pump side" not the infusion set.  If you see insulin or moisture in the pump, that would be an indication of that type of problem, too.

If the issue is because of either of these issues, you'll see quick positive results when you address them.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Dear Shirley B,
     I have heard of many people having trouble with the Quick set Infusion sets. My 17 year old daughter was one of them, also including some of her diabetic friends. She kept getting the NO DELIVERY alarm one day about 8 months ago. She was very upset because all of this occured during the day,  then she thought that she had a good site and in the middle of the night around 2AM it started alarming again. Luckily she woke up and heard the alarm. We called minimed because by that time her bg had sky rocketed and she had already changed her site about 4 or 5 times since earlier that day. Then they asked her to change it again. So she did and it still said NO DELIVERY. The gentleman told her that it was probably because she did not have enough fat on her body and all the site was doing was going in to her and hitting the muscle then kinking up. They decided that they would send her a different kind of site that would work with her body, the silhouette. It is a longer needle that goes in to your body at a 45` angle. It sounds very intimidating. It was for my daughter, but let me have her tell about it.
      The silhouette was something that I never wanted to try. This is because I remember seeing a camp councelor at diabetes camp show us how she canged her site and she used the silhouette. It looked so scary to me but I had to get over the fear because what else was I going to do. So I did it with a little help from the minimed people on the phone with me. Let me tell you, it did not hurt at all. I didn't even feel it go in! If you do decide to switch I would deffinately recomend the silhouette. It looks scary but it will never kink or hurt you. I promise it does not hurt! I wouldn't switch to any other site! :) ~Hannah~
       So this could be your daughters problem with the Quickset sites. Talk to your Doctor or call up minimed. I'm sure they would be more than happy to help you out.
I hope you have a Happy and Healthy new year!
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