pump question...**please help**

[alisong0223]

So I ot my pump last tuesday (YAY!!!!!!!!!!!) But my pump specialist/diabetes educator says that I'm going to have to use it with saline (salt water) for a week and still do my injections before I get to use insulin with it. And I realllly don't want to do that. Did any of you have to do that before you started on your pump?

I'm going in later today to start with all the training and I'm going to ask her if it's completely necessary because I already know pretty much how to use it all, and I know how to read, so I can read pamphlets. I just hope she doesn't make me do that BS.

Thanks for reading this guys, and any responses you have would be absolutley wonderful!! <333

[nantomsuethom]

Thomas used saline in his pump for about a week also. It is good for practice. The first night he was hooked up (with saline) he pulled it out in his sleep because he was not used to having something attached to him. It also gives you a couple of times to practice changing your site before you have insulin in the pump.
I think Thomas' nurse looked through the history when we went back for the real stuff.

[faithe113001]

I used saline in my pump for 3 days before going on insulin. I know it's a pain, but it helps you learn your pump really well. That way you don't make a major mistake when you get the insulin in you.

[dana_beth]

when i go tmy pump i had to salt water 4 a week, i really didn't bother me, but everyone is different. And it really helped me before i started wit insulin........... Dana

[Hollyb]

My son went right on the pump with no saline trial. For a teenager, a week seems a really long time... Maybe you could talk them down to a few days?

[Tamara Gamble]

Hi, Using saline solution is pretty standard at the beginning. I know it seems rediculous. My son was frustrated as well. It's for your safety and every place has their rules. Stinks having to do both but it will benefit you in the long run. We just got back from New Hampshire. Plaistow area. Used to live there. Where you from. Tami

[butterflygal291]

i didn't have to, but i know people who had to

[sammie011791]

I had to for two weeks it was a real pain because i forgot either to give me the saline or the shot but i made it though it. I was also like 12 or 13. So maybe you could talk him into it for like a couple days!!!

[munchkingirl]

I did not have to start with saline, however I had to show my doctors that I am completely capable of taking care of myself. Keeping insane amounts of records and all of that on my own. Because I was 18 when I got it and they wanted to know I was going to be a responsbible adult with it. (I had really abused my diabetes when I was younger.) But yeah, like everyone else has said - Everyone has their own rules, and it seems to benefit most people who have the saline for at least a couple days.

[diamondback688]

i used saline for about a week when i got my pump...it really didnt bother me all that much, and like the other ppl said, it helps you so you dont make a major mistake when you start using insulin...

[DesertCoyote93]

When I first got my pump they put me on saline to.:)
I think that they do this just to get you used to having the pump.

[mischloss]

My son just on the pump and they told me that they used to do 2 weeks on saline but now are down to one week. It did help in getting comfortable with the site changes. And I made the stupid mistake of HOLDING DOWN THE OKAY BUTTON on our Animas Pump the first time I primed the tubing and not letting go. I didn't remember the "5 drops rule" and emptied the entire contents of the cartridge out on the kitchen table!!! Luckily it was saline but I would have been really ticked had I just used up like 100 units of insuline!!!!

Good luck with the pump. The one week will go by very fast, trust me! And then you will be an old hat at it!

[astodder]

Lela was supposed to do a weeks trial but they cut is back to 3 days when she showed how well she was doing (it also helped that she was totally motivated and called her endo every day!!!!) ha ha ha

[Nikki FM]

*Looks around all guilty-ish* I was supposed to use the saline solution, but I decided to use the insulin, it worked out fine, its meh little secret. But my peoples probably don't care now. *A little off topic* I love my pump, who dosen't love their pump?

[sa.rahbee]

hey!
im actually going through that waiting period right now. but i was have to switch the way i take my shots, so it's going to take a long time. then i go on sailine (spelling?) and then water.. it takes so long. at first i was really frustrated cuz i was like "why do i have to do this, it's such a waste of time" but now that i know i cant change it, i've just decided to test alot and keep my sugars at close to target as possible so that the wait may not be so long. just keep going, it'll get better soon.