Blog Entries With Tag: Animas 2020

Blog: Anna's Blog

From: FatCatAnna

Have you ever had a heart to heart talk with your pharmacist who delivers your “legal” drugs? I know that a few of my American D-mates only deal with online pharmacies – and I’ve always wondered about that – other than them telling you you’re not covered by your insurance – do you ever have a chat with someone who is wondering why you take the meds you do to maintain your health and knows what your talking about?

While I find the right dose with Synthroid for my thyroid aka Hashimoto disease  (hi yaaaa - karate chop to the head!!!!).  I’ve been requesting my GP to increase my dosage to get myself to a level of TSH that makes me feel happy – and she’s willing to go along with me as I experiment <lol> - which was my reason for my pharmacy visit at Costco today). I decided at the same time to order up some fast acting insulin since I was getting low on my current bottle (I only order up 1 at a time). I use NovoRapid, which I’ve been using for as long as I can remember, whenever it came onto the market (remember – I’ve been thru’ many vials since ’67 – I don’t have the memory to retain all the various types over those years – there’s better things to remember than … which one was I using back in 1984 – and who knows – some of you will remember what you used – me … nope … I just remember my fav bevy … Brador beer from across the river in Hull in the disco days – “ I want action – I got so much to give – I love the night life – I got to boogie “ .....

I paid up for all my goodies (of course – who doesn’t want to throw in a few bottles of test strips – let’s get the party going – whoot! whoot! long live the punctured fingertip). Then the cashier told me that the pharmacist wanted to talk to me before they handed over what I'd just paid for. Hmmm, only time they’ve done that is for a new med. What could it be?

Apparently, the pharmacist couldn’t understand why I had long lasting insulin on my file. I explained the story of George Michael – my Animas 2020 pump – being out of warranty – dying on Dec 31/15  - no longer using him when I went on airline trips with no warranty, etc. and having to resort to using the old – bend over –throw the dart aka needle into your behind like a pro dart player!!! Bull’s eye!!!  Along with my trial with Levemir insulin for my long lasting regime - which I didn't do so well with due to allergic reactions (that was new to her - and she was very interested).

All over, it was a very interesting discussion for us both - I learned a few things about her trade - and she too about what I do within the diabetic community aka DOC. She said she only knows what she learned at school about Type 1 diabetes – and talking to me – made her appreciate what we go through – and what works for each of us (no one system works for another person – we are all different with our control of our health).

And with this short little blog – I bid you adieu for the evening – while I prepare to head to Jenna’s Journey tomorrow – to put her to sleep for the winter months on her comfy little cradle that will keep her upright out of the water. It’s been a busy past few weeks getting her prepared for the winter. I am not looking forward to the next 8 months on dry land as you can tell. Sigh – dreaming already of next year’s adventures on her.

Blog: Anna's Blog

From: FatCatAnna

Most of you know, I started insulin pumping back in 2008 with an Animas 2020 after 40+ years with multiple dosage injections (MDI).  Sadly, with the problems over the years when I go on holidays with a pump – it often fails on me - and I have to use the loaner pump that all Animas owners with a warranty can take advantage of.  I also had always brought MDI back  up incase the loaner pump also crapped out on me (See NOTE¹).

On a recent trip to Martinique, with my assortment of insulin products I use for my MDI adventures - I experienced a little scare when it came to doing my basal injection with Levemir (I decided to give this a go again - doing 3X shots a day every 8 hours rather than the usual Lantus 2X a day regime). 

When I went to give my 14H00 Levemir injection with the NovoPen Echo (my American readers - it's now available in the USA as of January 2014) - like always - I went to prime the needle for injection.

Nothing came out.

I primed it again with 2 units instead of the normal 1.

Nothing came out.

I then started to panic.  Yes, I did have another 1/2 unit pen needle - the Novolin-Pen Junior - which has my NovoRapid in it for my bolus injections - but my mind wasn't thinking logically of taking out the vial of Levemir and inserting it into that pen. In cramped quarters on a plane – I just really was wanting to be a Princess!

Along comes my night in shining armor - my DH - saying something he'd said before when I used to fly with my insulin pump. 

"Air pressure in the aircraft may make the plunger mechanism go wonky"

Hmmm, I then looked down in the window where you can view  the insulin cartridge in the pen - and yuppers - the piston rod had gone back up to the top - even though earlier in the AM shot (in the airport before we left at the ungodly hour of 0600) - it had been in the correct position.  The plunger had actually retreated back to it’s base!

So, I pull pen needle apart, and get the piston rod to behave the way it should.  The one thing with the "improved" NovoPen Echo - is the rod seems more flimsy than the Junior pen I've been using for about 3 years (the piston rod seems more strong).  We're thinking maybe it's due to the Echo pen having "dose memory" of how much was injected and abit of an ability to tell you how long ago it was done (it's not the most precise for time of dose). 

After that - all was fine - and on return trip 3 weeks later (sigh - good bye warm ocean breeze and dolphins) - it never occurred.  Still - it makes me wonder - does this happen that often with an insulin pump - that the plunger mechanism can rewind itself back? 

In the meantime, I’ve posted to @NovoNordiskCanada on Twitter about this glitch that happened – and I’ll keep you posted with their reply. Hopefully if all goes well - compared to how it went with obtaining a 1/2 dose pen delivery system will be easier than it was last year! 

NOTE¹: Hmmm, this doesn't make an insulin pump sound very reliable does it - well - in my case - I sometimes think I've been jinxed - so don't worry - if you are new to pumping - just ensure you have every possible back up with you - incase something goes wrong – since without insulin – we are plain and simple - DEAD.  It's always better to be safe than sorry - and I can do it all in a carry on for a month  (I really should make a YouTube video on how I do this – it’s so easy - and trust me - I still bring more then I need even in a small space).  All the “legal drugs”  we have to tote along can take up space (what leave my sexy sandals behind?? NEVER).  Though some airlines now will allow an extra carry (e.g. tote bag that fits under seat in front of you) as long as it contains ONLY medical equipment (always check with your airline carrier first). 

Blog: Anna's Blog

From: FatCatAnna

Well, I did an infusion change on the fly in my car this past Sunday (okay - it wasn't on the "fly" - we did stop over as Salvador was screaming to fill him up with more "food").  I knew it had to be done eventually that day, so I was a smart cookie, and brought along the necessary bit's 'n bobs that are required to do this (I'm very bad sometimes, that I don't bring a spare infusion set, insulin with me, for those "what if's").  I am getting better with age in remembering to do what I preach!

I could have changed the infusion set in the loo at the Tim Horton's we stopped off at on our way home after checking out how Jenna's Journey is fairing during the winter months - but I have this thing about bathrooms and how clean they are (mine isn't much better ).  I tend to change my infusion set at home in the kitchen, where there is lots of sunlight - to bang out the bubbles in the insulin cartridge, along with splashes of grease on the counter from an earlier fry up (only kidding - sort of - I'm not one of your most uber fanatical clean gals - I do my best - as there is more to life then chasing dust bunnies around the house).

So, you will find at this link  a few pictures of how I did the change - complete with revealing my sexy muffin top.  I actually did have some better shots of my tummy after putting the infusion set in - but sadly - when transferring the pictures onto my hard drive - they went missing in action.  Lost in space time continuum - what more can I say - I fail miserably as a PC user.

In the end, due to the confined space in the car (wondering how it would have gone in my Smart CDI), the pictures that got lost, showed me putting the infusion set standing up outside the car.  I just couldn't do it sitting hunched over in the car seat.

So, have any of you done an infusion change or needle injection in an awkward place?  Would love to hear your stories!

Blog: Anna's Blog

From: FatCatAnna

Yesterday I had the car (yes – my diesel Smart has new engine and is working 100% - major test run will be done this weekend on trip to Ottawa).  I try to only use the car once a week plus  it’s a break from working at home where I have no human contact, except for my cats Mia (the black Burmese lioness now has a name) and Zorro (who got bashed up this week – I am vowing that he no longer go outside!).

My first stop off was a well deserved hair cut since I’d not had one since November.  I was beginning to look and feel like a cave woman.   When I was paying for it, I chatted with the receptionist who was cooking away with a bag on her head to restore the blonde to her hair.  She was telling me how her hair went prematurely grey at a young age, and how easy it was to be a blonde when you went that way (she had black hair originally).  I was commenting to her how grey only seemed to be coming out on the sides of my hair and that I was looking forward to one day going platinum.  She said “You’re too young to be thinking that way!”  I told her of my upcoming half a century birthday and she was taken aback by that.  She actually thought I was in my 30’s and she made me laugh.  I told her that I was a diabetic for most of those years and that I had a feeling that insulin was perhaps what preserved my youthfulness.  Low and behold, she told me that one of their hairdressers is also a diabetic, and had the “youthfulness” that I did (they all think she looked 12 years old).  Well, they weren’t far off; this cute little petite woman with a pixie cut came out of the back of the salon with such a glow to her.  I’d seen her (Celine) over the past 15 years and never knew she was a diabetic of 40 years!  The conversation went onto insulin being a youth rejuvenator, and then we got talking about my insulin pump (she’d seen one much bigger many years ago and was amazed at the size of my Animas 2020).  I showed her how I was connected to the pump with my infusion set and even better, I’ll be keeping her informed of when the Omnipod finally makes it grand entrance into Canada.  She is more interested in that type of tubeless pump then the one I was wearing.

So, after a brief chat, I walked back to my car to start another journey to my next destination with a smile on my face, thinking life is good (and this is coming from a gal that is fighting depression for the past month – I’m getting better – just taking time to work through life’s little ups/downs).

Blog: Anna's Blog

From: FatCatAnna

I’m still a newbie in the insulin pumping world, when it comes to other PWD (People With Diabetes) writing about their life with an insulin pump.  Take for example a blog post by Karen at  Bitter Sweet  – she is using virgin territory on her body – her stomach – to place her infusion sets now.  Due to using her tummy for years with MDI (Multiple Dosage Injections) – scar tissue had formed – so she avoided the area while it healed.  I’ve always considered myself lucky not to have “yet” experienced that – since I’ve been a human dart board for over 40 years – but then – I rotate, rotate – just like we do with our mattress (yikes – I think that needs turning over – pump up the muscles in the arm for that old heave hoe).

Last night it was infusion change time.  I only fill up my insulin reservoir of my Animas 2020  with enough to get me by for 2 days with abit to spare for those "what if's" – as I try to be diligent about changing the infusion site every 48 hours – so that scar tissue doesn’t form where  the infusion is set in.  Nondiabetics will be going – huh?  Well, anything you have lodged in your skin, in the same spot for a period of time, starts to develop a thicker skin underneath - aka scar tissue.  You can’t see this visually, but it’s underneath, and when scarring develops, if you MDI or place an infusion set in place, you’ll either feel it upon entry – ouch - from what I’ve read  from others or your blood sugars will go wacky due to the insulin not being absorbed properly into your body due to the thicker skin.  As George Simmons aka Ninjabetic  puts it – “ It’s a guessing game ”.

I’m not sure what happened last night with my infusion change.  I’ve been using a straight needle infusion set, called a Contact Detach / Sure-T.  It’s not got any fancy gadgets like some of the preloaded infusion sets have for automatically implanting into you – it’s just a 26 gauge needle which surprisingly enough I don’t feel when you compare it against the 32 gauge pen needles I use which are even thinner (the higher up the number in gauge the slimmer the needle).  The length of the needle depends on your fat composition – I am well endowed – so use a  8 mm length (I use 6 mm in my legs due to muscles there).  It’s inserted similar to how you would put a needle in.  Very  simple, and I have been using this since I have an allergic reaction to the Teflon cannula that I used prior to finally finding this type of infusion set.  Even better, this infusion set when removed leaves next  to no marking that it had been there – with the others  I used to have raised bumps that were itchy or bleeding when pulling out the infusion set for a change.  The other nice thing – I can see where it’s going – so I’m spot on with putting it in a good area of skin – though for some reason – yesterday that didn’t help me one bit.

So, here I am, tubing is primed, area for infusion set all clean, and I put the infusion set in.  Something didn’t feel right, it was as if I’d hit a muscle, since when I moved to place the other portion of the infusion set on my body, each move I made I felt this twinge.  I patted around the area, and it didn’t feel good.  The thing I like about this infusion set is that it can be removed and reinserted.  The manufacturer doesn’t recommend this, but I’d seen a friend of mine Nel Peach do this one time when she had a little emergency situation with her blood sugars going wacky – and her infusion set (a Sure T) had been in place for longer than it should have been.  Yesterday was the first time I’ve ever had to do this, so I was abit apprehensive, but figured …. “If Nel can do it, so can I!”.  So, I pulled the infusion set out, and went a bit over to where it had been originally.

Second try … NOT SUCCESSFUL.  Same feelings all over again where I’ve now placed the infusion set.  By now, I’m beginning to get upset, which I rarely do.  I called my hubby Mike over (he was doing some dry wall plastering) throwing out demands to him - I’d become a major at this point in time – as I was on a mission to get this infusion set in correctly.  Off he went to get some Skin Prep since the adhesive on the infusion set after being pulled out a second time was starting to lose its power.  By now I’m starting to weep abit, not because of pain, but frustration.  Is it scarring I’ve hit – despite this area not having been touched in almost 3 months?  Could it be muscles despite my stomach area being a belly dancers dream for wiggle jiggle with the Dance of the Seven Veils?  I was right pissed off.

In comes Mike with what I’ve asked him for and because his hands aren’t clean, I’m trying to keep the infusion set needle sterile and the tubing keeps on making it want to go another way to a surface that’s not good - grrrrhhh.   Now is the time I wish I had another set of hands, even if it would make me look like a freak.  The other thing that starts going through my mind, I’m 50 now, what will I be like 20 years from now when having to handle these little problems.  Not good to start thinking things like that is it?  I get on with the job of prepping the surface for Round 3 – fighting gloves on – this infusion set is going to work God dammit!!  In slides the needle, and it goes in like a well oiled cog, no weird feelings, I can move without feeling a tweak. 

I’ve felt around the area where I had the problem, which is only 1” away from where the failed infusion sites were – and don’t feel anything underneath the surface.  I’m hoping this is a one of thing or is something  that only occurs every 3 years (I started pumping in October 2008).