Sarah Howard
Sarah Howard (nee Tackett) has dedicated her career to supporting the T1D community ever since she was diagnosed with T1D while in college in May 2013. Since then, she has worked for various diabetes organizations, focusing on research, advocacy, and community-building efforts for people with T1D and their loved ones. Sarah is currently the Senior Marketing Manager at T1D Exchange.
Sarah and her husband live in NYC with their cat Gracie. In her spare time, she enjoys doing comedy, taking dance classes, visiting art museums, and exploring different neighborhoods in NYC.
I had been filling it to the maximum 300 units but once or twice it seemed like the insulin was becoming less effective after 8 days. I know insulin is approved for 7 days in a pump but I usually don’t have problems going longer. Now I try to fill it with enough to last a week. I still end up with enough for 8 days most of the time. I hate filling reservoirs so I try to get away with as much as I can!
1st Fill is just short of 300, Second Fill is short of 275 as there is insulin remaining from 1st Fill. I replace the Cartridge next.
I change my sites exactly every 3 days, but change my reservoir every 6 to 7 days. I very seldom ever change them together at the same time.
What pump do you use? I used to use Medtronic pump. This sounds practical and a bit of a timesaver.
Same here. I use a Medtronic 770G and 300 units of insulin lasts 14–16 days. I cange my infusion set every 3 or 4 days (or whenever I have unexplainable, unresponsive highs). I use the same tubing for the whole reservoir. No problems w/ insulin getting old, stale, or less effective even though I live in sunny Florida and spend a fair amount of time outdoors.
I fill my reservoir with 250 units of insulin and use until less than 20 units remain. I do not reuse reservoir.
I am supposed to change my site every 2 days, but I already only fill my reservoir halfway, which lasts 3 days.
I fill the reservoir until it’s full. How long it lasts varies but I would say 5 days?
Omnipod has a 100 unit minimum per pod. I often have between 20 and 30 units left when pod has to be changed on day 3.
I use Omnipod 5. According to the manual it’s minimum is 85 units. That is when the beep occurs. I continue filling to 120 and have little left crossing the 3 day finish line!
“Exactly” might be better termed my goals! 3 days is best goal. My goal also is to have enough insulin to exceed 3 days. While never going to 4 days, my insulin needs vary.
My Tandemx2 holds 3ml in its reservoir. I fill it and how long it lasts varies with what I eat and do. I use every unit of insulin prior to changing my infusion set.
I try for 3 days, but it is never “Exactly.” In the summer time I fill less because of the heat. In the winter, I fill slightly more because I am less worried about the insulin durability.
More than 2 but less than 3. I run daily, and my sites (tandem) sometimes get irritated or start to fall off due to sweat (summer months, stomach/thigh locations). I fill to 120 units and sometimes have a little leftover. It really sucks having to change the site that frequently, and the fact that out of pocket costs are beyond ridiculous, but the pump is literally a godsend and I’d be lost without it.
I change my site every three days. I replace my reservoir when it is empty (and fill it with a 300 units of insulin).
This question doesn’t make sense to me, maybe someone can explain it better. When I change a pump site (infusion set) I do not change my cartridge as well. I only change my cartridge when it runs out of insulin.. then I fill it up and it lasts however many days it takes.
Me too
I always fill mine up with 300 U but it only lasts me 2 days. I have to refill again to get past 2 days or change everything out every other day.
In summer months, I try to fill my reservoir to last about 3 days: I have had trouble with insulin not working as well after getting hot. But in cooler months (like now) I fill it to at least twice that. But, in either case, I change reservoirs when it gets down to 4 units, which only occasionally occurs when I’m changing the infusion set every 3 days.
So, I accumulate extra tubing. One year I decorated an extra small Christmas tree with it: I though it was cute, but my family wasn’t impressed. I’ve also used it to improvise a clothes line while traveling.
In winter, I fill my Omni with the max and after the 3 days rescue any leftover insulin and use it in next pod. Sometimes I have none left. (thanksgiving!) other times I have re-used over 100 units. Seriously depends on what’s happening in life. (Summer is different. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m outside, but the insulin never seems as effective by day 3, so I’m less likely to fill to the max. Don’t want to waste that liquid gold.)
Like others, I fill my reservoir full & use it for about 9 days, changing the site every 3 days, reusing the tubing. Then I refill that reservoir again, 3-4 times. If reservoir & site happen at the same time I’ll even add extra insulin that will fill the tubing.
Diabadass, for sure.
I RARELY change/refill the cartridge when I change sites. Last time I changed sites I didn’t change pump cartridges until the following day.
But when I fill the cartridge, I put around 230 units in the cartridge and that’s enough to last me somewhere between 7 and 10 days.
Even when I lived in Southern Alabama working outside in +100 weather, even when pump cartridge didn’t need changing/refilling until day 11, I never noticed any difference in the Insulin effectiveness on day 10+ compared to the effectiveness of the Insulin straight from the Insulin vial.
I fill my reservoirs to the limit, which is 300 units. Occasionally I need to change the site because it gets “blown” and the insulin is less effective. Most of the time, however, I let it go until the insulin in the reservoir runs out without any serious effect. Typically it lasts five or more days.
I fill the cartridge with approximately 260 units and use it until there are less than 10 units left. I change the infusion set ever 4 days, usually twice before changing the cartridge. My activity level and amount that I eat has completely changed over the past three years because of pandemic isolation. When that changes it will effect my insulin usage and length of time between cartridge changes.
I am on Omnipod 5. If there is a significant amount of insulin leftover I will add it to my next pod. There is usually not enough to bother.
I just fill it. It could last up to 6days
More than 2, less than 3 days for the following reasons:
1) my tandem pump runs hot, but tandem insists it’s fine. I can never carry it in a pocket, etc., Only on a clip, exterior with air flow. My insulin deteriorates in less than 48 hours. No question. By then I’m running a higher temp basal. If I change the insulin, but not the site, and forget to try off the higher temp basal….I go low within an hour.
2) I need only 12u per day. Unfortunately I have to fill with 60u plus 10 for tubing. So my pump wastes half of my insulin.
I sometimes try to go 3 days, but really not worth the consequences.
It was nice to see the responses. I can now not waste so much of my insulin as my average daily amount is about 14units and I have to put at least five days into the cartridge for it to be accepted. The site can become irritating after four days or more.
I will try to fill it and use my cartridge more than once.
I put in 250 units at a time. Sometimes it lasts 2-3 days and sometimes it lasts 4-5 days. Obviously, I don’t eat the same thing everyday nor does my body utilize insulin the same everyday.
I answered, more than three but less than four days. However, I have skipped my lunch many times is the process of losing weight, so I may be able to squeeze four days if I need it to change the site when my Sensor is also due to be changed. If you are wearing a sensor and it needs to be changed every 10 days, but the Pump, sute needs to be changed every three days. So, I try to change my site every 3 1/3 days. Great for the vendors!!!
My site changes do not correspond with my cartridge refills. I change them both when they are empty/need to be changed.
The insulin manufacturer documentation states that it is good from 6-9 days in a cartridge depending on the pump approved insulin. For 30 years I have fill all cartridges full up every time I fill a cartridge. Sites are always changed every 3 days or so.
I don’t really calculate how many days; I just look to see when it is running out. Sometimes the only way I know to change is the low insulin alert. In the US, I would have to change every two or three days because my skin gets raw. I’m in Mexico and my skin doesn’t get irritated, so I just went four days before changing the site today.
I fill the cartridge completely and use until it runs out or until it will be difficult to change if I don’t change the cartridge now.
Unfortunately, I have to fill my cartridges with enough insulin to last me at least 5 days. If I fill it with less than that it won’t reach the minimum amount needed for the pump to recognize the new cartridge.
Tandem’s cartridge and infusion set design amounts to a lot of waste if you fill more than the 3 days (that’s all I can get a site to last these days). That’s assuming you don’t just change the site and not the cartridge (which is what I do). I load 200 units (5-6 days), so 2 site changes. Will account for high BG days and/or illness needs.