pulling insulin back into the cartridge
Dear Pump group,
I have been watching and learning for a little while, I’m one of teh few
pump users in the UK and I have a disetronic pump, I was wondering, somebody
posted a message about pulling insulin back into the cartridge from the
infusion set and then using a syringe. I have used a syringe to take
insulin from a cartridge when I had problems with the insert (only once),
but i don’t know how you would get to those 20 units in the tubing. Could
someone fill me in? Plus I would like to say to new pump users, my pump
allowed me to carry out 3 months of field research in the very basic
environment of Vanuatu (south pacific) right out in the bush on islands
where there was no electricity, we often had no cooking facilities, we were
eating dinner and going straight to bed at 7 pm and then we were walking in
the bush all day doing bird surveys. Never once did I have a serious hypo
or a high blood sugar, all thanks to the pump, I would have done it on
shots, but I would not have enjoyed it half as much and I would definitely
haev been less healthy. So go pump go!
Love
Nicola
January 15th, 2006 at 10:13 pm
Nicola,
You either hve to disconnect from the site or take out the infusion set to
draw the insulin back out of the tubing. If you have run out, the set is
pretty much useless anyway. I do not use QR sets, but if you do, disconnect
and do leave the old set in to prevent leakage at the site. When you take out
the old one, often there is a bit of clear liquid seeping out - that is
insulin that should stay in you. I often leave my old set in a couple of hours
until the new set *pools* enough to keep my BG level.
January 16th, 2006 at 2:26 am
I have a very easy way of doing this, but it only works with the bent
needle.
Simply put the bent needle in to the insulin vial, and squeeze the
plunger. Voila! The insulin is back in the bottle.
Not sure if this is a good practice, but it works.
David
January 16th, 2006 at 2:29 pm
David,
When you get to the bottom/end of the reservoir, how do you get the 20u in the
tubing back in??
Jan
January 16th, 2006 at 10:37 pm
Hi Nicola:
I have the Disetronic H-tron 100. Welcome to the list. To "recycle" the
insulin in the tubing, I just attach the cartridge to the tubing, and pull
back with the plunger. I usually use the cartridge for 2 weeks, so just
refill for the next reload. I don’t throw out the plunger, it stays with
the vial of insulin.
If you need insulin because the pump has acted up, I do the above and then
put the needle into the tip of the syringe and draw out what I need. But
luckily, I haven’t had any problem (knock on wood ). I’ve been using the D
for two years….I love the traveling you’re doing!!!! Pumpin’ is great!!!!
Joan :)))
January 17th, 2006 at 5:35 am
Nicola, I started doing that a few weeks ago when I realized I was
wasting perfectly good insulin every time I did a site change.
Sometimes there’s only 3 or 4 units left, but I take out the cartridge
and pull the plunger all the way out, which sucks the leftover insulin
back into the cartridge. Then I stick the new syringe (meant to draw
from the insulin vial) into the old cartridge, withdraw whatever insulin
is sitting there, and continue filling the new cartridge from the vial.
I was gonna ask on here if it’s okay to DO that, but was afraid somebody
would say "no." Probably a good thing to ask, though!
Laurie
HOME AT LAST now in bookstores
Silhouette Special Edition #1386
January 17th, 2006 at 2:52 pm
I reuse my reservoirs quite often. But I do like the idea if I’m away from
home and forgot to do a changeout that I have more than a day’s worth in the
hub (luer lock) and the tubing to give myself injections with.
Jan
January 17th, 2006 at 7:05 pm
I left out one important detail; you must remove the plunger first and
get some air in the syringe; then you can push the 20 u out with the air
into the bottle.
David
January 18th, 2006 at 7:07 am
Wouldn’t withdrawing the plunger also withdraw the insulin from the tubing at
the same time?
Jan
January 18th, 2006 at 11:20 am
Maybe, but it doesn’t matter.
David