Filling the insulin reservoir for my pump has become a bit of a game to me.
I always try to squeeze as much insulin as possible into the 1.76 ml vial of my Paradigm 515. I usually change my site when the reservoir runs out, so it's my way of sustaining my supplies for as long as possible.
I have targets that, in my mind, indicate my successes and failures.
If I have less than 150 units of insulin left after priming the infusion set and getting all the air bubbles out, I feel a bit deflated. Defeated. Akin to a blood sugar reading being out of range. Curses to the heavens!
Between 150 and 155 units is "okay". I can live with it. But it makes me determined to do better the next time. Between 155 and 160 units is even better.
When I manage to cram over 160 units, it is like getting an "A" in twelfth-grade calculus. I knew I worked hard for it, seeing the "A" (i.e., over 160 next to "Units Left") just confirms that it wasn't for nothing.
The very odd time, I manage to pack over 170 units into the reservoir. When this happens, I usually mutter "Yessssss" to myself, and do one of those on-one-knee, hand-pump things in my mind (think Tom Cruise on Oprah).
Silly, no? :)
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About Me
- LORI
- Ontario, Canada
- 30-something. Type 1, diagnosed 12/1992. Pumping since 2006. Married my amazing hubby in 2008 and we have been TTC (trying to conceive) ever since.
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- Artificially Sweetened
- Bad Decision Maker
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- Candid Diabetes
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- Chrissie's Diabetes Blog
- CuriousGirl
- Dee's Diabetes
- Diabetes Diary
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- Diabetes Talkfest Blog
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- Drea versus CGMS
- If you or a luv'd one has DY-UH-BEATUS...
- Infusion of thought
- It's My Blog and I'll Blog if I Want To
- JonahDiabetic
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- Mom Wants A Diabetes Cure
- My son has diabetes
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- orsa aetas
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- Progress Trumps Perfection
- PurpleHaze
- Ring The Bolus
- Rub Eyes When Needed
- Sara in West Palm
- Scott's Diabetes Blog
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- Six Until Me
- StickIt
- The B.A.D. Blog
- The Nefariouspoo of Sarah (diabetic musings)
- unbalancediabetic
- Up high ... Down low
6 comments:
My pathetic trick i s to fill the reservoir past the "fill" line. The pump won't accept a reservoir that full, BUT I then attach the tubing, and push the excess insulin into the tubing, as part of the prime. Then the pump will accept it, and I don't need to prime it via the pump option for prime. Sad, I know.
So how long does a fill like this last you?
At my rate, I'd get about 6 days out of one fill. Mostly I go for changing my site every 4 days, otherwise I can end up getting wacky results.
Megan - yes, I do that too! It's tricky sometimes though, making sure that the plunger at the end doesn't come out too far.
Bernard - I average anywhere from 40-50 units a day (depending on how carb hungry I am), so a reservoir lasts about 3 to 4 days.
OMG that is so funny! I get excited when i can get the whole resevoir filled too lol thats awesome. I though ti was the only one!
You guys would love my cartridges. They hold 300 units. Since I average 28 units/day, the trick is more to not put too much insulin in there.
I play this same game :).
Under 185 units is a failure.
Over 185 is a success.
And anything over 190 is a banner day in my world...
Those crazy things we do. :)
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