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Alert: Product and Recall NoticesTips For Preventing Moisture Damage To Your Insulin Pump
When you think of the upcoming summer months you may think of ice cold lemonade, sun tanning at the beach, and splashing in the water to cool down. I grew up in India and then Texas, so I’m no stranger to the heat. Now that I live in L.A. I live close to the beach but since I, like many of you, wear an insulin pump that is water-tight (not water-proof), I try to do what I can to protect my pink pump, also known as my best friend.
In my role at Medtronic on the Customer Experience Excellence Team, my number one goal is to make sure customers (like me) have a good experience. One side to this is to make sure we are all proactive and educated with tips that can make living with an insulin pump easier. I sat down with the 24Hour HelpLine Team to learn about how to prevent possible moisture damage during the spring and summer months.
If you wear your insulin pump in a place where it touches your skin, make sure the buttons on the front side of the insulin pump face away from your body. If you sweat more as the heat rises, this will put your pump at risk of being exposed to moisture so it will help if you wear it in a case for extra protection. We recommend looking into water-resistant materials, which you can find at a variety of places online. We also have a couple of options in our online store. Check out our sport case and nylon case.
If possible, keep your insulin pump away from water. If you are going to swim, you can use the quick-release feature on most infusion sets to disconnect for a period of time. If you are going to be active in water activities on a regular basis, speak to your doctor about what will work best for you. If you disconnect your insulin pump, make sure you keep it in a dry and safe place that is away from possible moisture. It’s also a great idea to create awareness for your family members and friends to know that your insulin pump is not water-proof. Although it may be funny if someone pushes you in the pool, this is not a good idea with an insulin pump and your loved ones should know that.
And last but not least, we do not want to forget about your infusion set and/or glucose sensor sites. We recommend you speak with your doctor about using tapes and adhesives with your infusion set or glucose sensor sites to help keep them in place when you are more prone to sweat. There are a variety of tapes and adhesives available, so see what works best for you. Some people find that using an antiperspirant on their site prior to insertion helps the tape stick better, especially during the heat of the summer (I’ve personally never tried this but hear it actually works!).
Here’s what you do:
1. Purchase a solid or spray antiperspirant without deodorant for site use only (no gels or creams). Sprays really work best-otherwise sticking can be an issue.
2. Apply to chosen infusion or sensor site and allow it to soak in for 10-15 minutes.
3. Cleanse site to remove residue from skin.
4. Follow insertion directions as usual.
5. Cleanse a solid stick with an alcohol wipe after each use.
For more information on water activities and tape tips, see the Help & Support section of our website. Once you have these tips down, enjoy your summer, and I will do the same!
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
– Medtronic Diabetes insulin infusion pumps, continuous glucose monitoring systems and associated components are limited to sale by or on the order of a physician and should only be used under the direction of a healthcare professional familiar with the risks associated with the use of these systems.
– Successful operation of the insulin infusion pumps and/or continuous glucose monitoring systems requires adequate vision and hearing to recognize alerts and alarms.
Medtronic Diabetes Insulin Infusion Pumps
– Insulin pump therapy is not recommended for individuals who are unable or unwilling to perform a minimum of four blood glucose tests per day.
– Insulin pumps use rapid-acting insulin. If your insulin delivery is interrupted for any reason, you must be prepared to replace the missed insulin immediately.
Medtronic Diabetes Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Systems
– The information provided by CGM systems is intended to supplement, not replace, blood glucose information obtained using a home glucose meter. A confirmatory fingerstick is required prior to treatment.
– Insertion of a glucose sensor may cause bleeding or irritation at the insertion site. Consult a physician immediately if you experience significant pain or if you suspect that the site is infected.
Please visit http://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/importantsafetyinformation for complete safety information.
Tags: insulin pump, outdoor activities, summer, waterproof
About Author
Naomi Kingery
Customer Experience DesignerNaomi Kingery Ruperto, also known as The Diabetic Diva®, was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 12. Through the years she has used her voice in the diabetes community as a blogger and the author of the Sugar Free Series, which includes Sugar Free Me, Sugar Free Teens, Sugar Free Support, and Sugar Free Journey. Her personal connection with Medtronic began in 2002 when she received her first MiniMed® insulin pump. And in 2009 she chose to build a career at Medtronic because of her passion towards the Medtronic Mission. Naomi works on the Customer Experience team representing the voice of the diabetes community every day. Outside of work, she loves her family, her church, her bulldog, and the color pink!
I’ve worn a pump for almost 22 years. Years back and with an earlier model, I used to have a sport case, that was supposed to be waterproof. I assume it doesn’t work more recent models? However, I recently went through a 2 day period where I waited out receiving a replacement after a malfunction. My doctor didn’t want me to mess with long-acting insulin, so I just tested every 4 hours and took the amount I would have had in a basal by injection. Realizing that I could do that let me think that is what I would do for water activities, just leave my pump safely on land and take injections as needed. It wasn’t fun testing in the middle of the night, but it was nice to know that it could be done. Anyone else do something similar?
I appreciate the information, but if the insulin pump is accidentally submerged – and shows evidence of water within the display screen – what should be done? Initially, the “ACT” button was not functioning – now (10 minutes later) everything appears to be fine.
@Paul It would be best for you to contact the 24 Hour HelpLine at 800-646-4633 Option 1. That team is better qualified to assess any damage to your pump. Thanks!
I am going on a cruise in three weeks and I am so disappointed that there is no way to waterproof the paradigm pump. After my doctor suggested that I move to shots on the days I wanted to snorkel, I started doing research… thinking surely, by now, there’s got to be a way to waterproof this thing! And I’ve come up with nothing. I absolutely LOVE my pump and MiniMed has always been very helpful when I’ve had to contact them, but the fact that MiniMed has not developed a way to waterproof it is a real shame. I found this thread in my search and realized it was written in 2011, but I still wanted to share my opinion.
My son is a lifeguard during the summer. He uses a watertight AquaPac pouch and a FRIO insulin cooling wallet (water activated gel – no refrigeration required) for his pump.
Thanks for the tip, LuAnn! Of course, since the products you mentioned are not made by Medtronic and have not been tested by Medtronic , we can’t speak to their quality or reliability. But thanks for commenting and we hope your son is enjoying his summer lifeguarding gig!
@ Dr. Choo Kee, thank you I am so glad you liked it!
@ Sandy, I’ve never been kayaking but did get to swim with dolphins a few years ago (I just disconnected my insulin pump and left it with my mom on the beach).
Kayaking with dolphins sounds amazing! Can we come? 🙂
I am into kayaking. I often kayak near dolphans and mantees so there is always that risk of getting my pump wet. It hasn’t happened yet, but I wish there was a water tight case for the Paradigm pumps like the waterproof, impact-resistant, hard plastic case for 50x series. Are there any plans to make such an item?
Wonderful information! Clear and concise. And so personal. Thank you to Medtronic for making the difference to millions!