EmmasMom
12-26-2006, 08:51 PM
Last week when I was inserting Emma's new sensor the needle stopped with only the tip in and 3/4 of it out. This was unexpected since I'm using an inserter that normally pops it all the way in.:confused: I thought the tape had managed to stick too soon and stop the needle from progressing further, so I carefully pulled the tape up and tried to advanced the needle. It was very difficult to get the needle to move deeper, but I knew I was no where near muscle so I just kept pushing until I finally got it completely in. It was almost like the needle was super dull. (I'm so glad I used numbing cream since I was all alone and trying to keep her still!!!!)
We had great results with the sensor despite the rough start, and it lasted 10 days. (my mother insisted that she needed a long soak in the bubble bath last night, guess what... a dead sensor by morning :rolleyes: Oh well!)
Well today it was time for new one and the exact same thing happened!!:mad: ARRGG! I don't understand what's going wrong. The inserter should push the sensor needle all of the way in, but it doesn't, and then I can hardly make it go further myself. Thank God my child is very patient, and very numb, because trying to shove a inch long needle into her hip over and over is a little nerve wracking!!
I called MM's help line where I got a "lovely" CSR who basically told me I shouldn't be using it on my 2 year-old because it's not FDA approved for children and that's why it's not working, so she had no advice to give me. I wanted to rip her head off!! She was trying to tell me that I can't use that length of a needle on a small child because they don't have enough fat... well B.S., most kids had to use that length of needle until a few years ago when they started making other options, (it's exactly like the comfort or silhouette), and I'll bet my 2 year-old has more fat than many 18 year-olds do. So she says I'm probably sticking it into her muscle. No, I'm not... I'm not stupid, I actually know a lot more about doing this than you do!!!!!!!!:mad: (yes, I actually said that)
This was my first bad experience with CS at MM, and I intend to let them know how unprofessional she was. If I they can't help me because she's under 18 they shouldn't have sold it to me!!!! I could tell by our conversation that she knew nothing about it, or about how the FDA works, or why approval for children takes longer. I also asked her if she knew when the new smaller "next generation" sensor would be released in the US, (since that one is supposedly better for children), and she said, "I don't know anything about a smaller sensor, I've never heard of that". So I said, "your reps are talking about it all over the country and your web-site says they've already been released in other parts of the world, and someone in your call center is rumored to be wearing one... you're sure you've never heard of it?" "Nope. They don't give us information until we need to know about it!" This is wear I decided to hang up.
I called my local rep, (and left a message) who's using it on her daughter so hopefully she will have some advice. I don't know if the sensor is more sensitive to scar tissue or if my inserter is faulty or my technique is bad or what but I actually had a nightmare last night about trying to stick Emma over and over with huge needles that wouldn't go in. I think I'm having post traumatic stress... LOL!
I HATE DIABETES!!!!!!!!!
Update!
OK my rep called me back, (within an hour)... I lOVE my rep! She's coming by tomorrow to bring me a box of 4 sensors and a new inserter. She said she would take a good look at Emma's hips and make sure there's no scar tissue building up, look for other site options and help me practice my technique, (she's also an RN, CDE). She thinks I have a bad spring in my inserter. She said the customer help line girl would be losing her job tomorrow... WOW! She too is the mother of a young child w/D who wears a MM pump and sensor, and she was horrified by the girl's comments.
OK I feel better!
Oh, she has no idea when the new smaller transmitter will be coming out either. She assured me that when it hits the market her daughter will be the first in line, so she'll let me know...
We had great results with the sensor despite the rough start, and it lasted 10 days. (my mother insisted that she needed a long soak in the bubble bath last night, guess what... a dead sensor by morning :rolleyes: Oh well!)
Well today it was time for new one and the exact same thing happened!!:mad: ARRGG! I don't understand what's going wrong. The inserter should push the sensor needle all of the way in, but it doesn't, and then I can hardly make it go further myself. Thank God my child is very patient, and very numb, because trying to shove a inch long needle into her hip over and over is a little nerve wracking!!
I called MM's help line where I got a "lovely" CSR who basically told me I shouldn't be using it on my 2 year-old because it's not FDA approved for children and that's why it's not working, so she had no advice to give me. I wanted to rip her head off!! She was trying to tell me that I can't use that length of a needle on a small child because they don't have enough fat... well B.S., most kids had to use that length of needle until a few years ago when they started making other options, (it's exactly like the comfort or silhouette), and I'll bet my 2 year-old has more fat than many 18 year-olds do. So she says I'm probably sticking it into her muscle. No, I'm not... I'm not stupid, I actually know a lot more about doing this than you do!!!!!!!!:mad: (yes, I actually said that)
This was my first bad experience with CS at MM, and I intend to let them know how unprofessional she was. If I they can't help me because she's under 18 they shouldn't have sold it to me!!!! I could tell by our conversation that she knew nothing about it, or about how the FDA works, or why approval for children takes longer. I also asked her if she knew when the new smaller "next generation" sensor would be released in the US, (since that one is supposedly better for children), and she said, "I don't know anything about a smaller sensor, I've never heard of that". So I said, "your reps are talking about it all over the country and your web-site says they've already been released in other parts of the world, and someone in your call center is rumored to be wearing one... you're sure you've never heard of it?" "Nope. They don't give us information until we need to know about it!" This is wear I decided to hang up.
I called my local rep, (and left a message) who's using it on her daughter so hopefully she will have some advice. I don't know if the sensor is more sensitive to scar tissue or if my inserter is faulty or my technique is bad or what but I actually had a nightmare last night about trying to stick Emma over and over with huge needles that wouldn't go in. I think I'm having post traumatic stress... LOL!
I HATE DIABETES!!!!!!!!!
Update!
OK my rep called me back, (within an hour)... I lOVE my rep! She's coming by tomorrow to bring me a box of 4 sensors and a new inserter. She said she would take a good look at Emma's hips and make sure there's no scar tissue building up, look for other site options and help me practice my technique, (she's also an RN, CDE). She thinks I have a bad spring in my inserter. She said the customer help line girl would be losing her job tomorrow... WOW! She too is the mother of a young child w/D who wears a MM pump and sensor, and she was horrified by the girl's comments.
OK I feel better!
Oh, she has no idea when the new smaller transmitter will be coming out either. She assured me that when it hits the market her daughter will be the first in line, so she'll let me know...