That’s great. I have the luer lock sets ready to go, and a box of the adapters on order. All I need is to get the heat shrink. Apparently the adapters will take up to 2 months to get here! In the meantime I am soldiering on with the Tandem Trusteel. I am having a bit of a reprieve as my last sets have been viable, and BG’s where I want them.
I am looking forward to trying your solution.
That’s what I was using when I had my Animas Vibe pump. Do you use an inserter?
Do you please have a link or suggested brand/type/ size? I Googled it and have no idea what to buy. I would like to order or buy some while waiting for the connection to come in the mail? Many thanks!
I am not sure of the sizes, but I can look. I got a kit that contained a bunch of different sizes and just picked the one that would fit!
Hi @Margoriebest and @pbloom209
Here is a video showing how to connect the Luer lock infusion set to the Tandem cartridge.
I have not used it in a pump. So this more of a proof-of-concept at this point. But maybe @elver will agree to try it with a pump?
@elver, I only have 1 adapter left. How about I send it to you, along with the rest of the Tandem stuff that you sent me which I did not use? That way you can try it all out.
Here is the video. Sorry, it’s not professional quality, but it gives the information and a demo.
Sounds like a project! Fun!
Oh thank you so much!
I am so in awe of you and others on this site. Your knowledge and tech ability and generosity is very humbling. Thank you.
Hi @Eric I am still waiting for my Vygon connectors to get here from EBay US.
In the meantime I want to have the shrink wrap ready. Can you please tell me what diameter you used? Looks like the smallest is 3 mm. Thanks
I am not sure of the diameter, but I think it’s 2mm.
I think this is the one I got and I used the 2nd smallest size in the box.
Thanks. Got some on order!
So @Eric 's science experiment has been deployed. @Eric was kind enough to send 1 already made example and pieces to make a 2nd complete set. I had an unexpected set change at 0200 hrs this morning and since I had obsessively examined the completed example and watched the above YT video I have some degree of confidence that I can replicate the set a second time so I deployed @Eric 's pre-made set this morning.
Takeaways:
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I needed 30.2 units to prime my set instead of the normal 12 - 17 (depending on set length). The insulin seemed to take forever to reach the Luer lock, but there were no apparent bubbles in the tubing.
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The process didn’t really change much (for me) if the set was pre-assembled. The amount of time was about the same.
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The entire set seems sturdy enough. Would it survive a snag or doorknob? Probably. A really serious yank? Anybody’s guess.
Thanks as always to @Eric for the creative solution and for the opportunity to be the Lab rat. If anything changes I will update the bullet points.
Update…
So the first set lasted around 20 hours before separating. I think I must have torn it while rolling over in bed. Darn!
The second set survived a doorknob and a ladder fall only to fall victim to my geriatric dog who became entangled as I was trying to leash her up for a walk.
I think this is a viable option for people that want sets that Tandem doesn’t offer. That said, they are definitely NOT as strong as the original Tandem sets, and they DEFINITELY won’t stretch!
Is the Animas infusion set much different than what you are used to using? Or is the big difference in the amount needed to prime caused by the adapter?
But I would guess the priming is not a dealbreaker as long as it does not leak, right?
So far no leaks. Tandem made a tubing size change when they went to the T:Lock connector to intentionally attempt to decrease the amount of insulin needed during priming . The T:Lock connector has a purposely very small bore as I recall. Personally my insulin priming dropped by 5 -10 units (or even more on some sets) when they changed away from Luer lock sets (though I do miss the flexibility of mixing and matching different mfr brands)
Funny because the change in tubing size is exactly what let’s us hack it back to Luer lock!
Yay!
It’s been 3 days. Status report please @elver!!
How did it work for you?!?
Does it get the stamp of approval for other Tandem adventurers, explorers, solutionists, miscreants, alchemists, and MacGyver’s?
Sir, yes Sir @Eric ! Right away SIR!, Lol!
Seriously though IMHO it is a solid solution with one caveat that you yourself pointed out. It is not as strong as the Tandem set.
The first set I used lasted 20 hours and separated at the heat shrink ( I suspect it got caught as I rolled over during the night and snagged).
The second set survived a doorknob and a ladder fall successfully. It did not however survive my geriatric dog who became tangled when I picked her her up to leash her.
Would I continue making hybrid sets? Given the OP’s initial ask and needs and if I was in the same situation, then absolutely! The hybrid set was a breeze to make after watching @Eric 's YT video. Definitely grip the ends towards the end to get things started. After that things were super easy. I brought water to a boil in a pyrex in the microwave beforehand so it was ready to go.
I also updated the bullet points on my original post before the experiment.
@elver, I’m sorry it did not stay together.
As with all things diabetes, there really is no perfect solution. We just look for the least crappy solution. It’s always a matter of tradeoffs. In this case the tradeoff is an infusion set someone may prefer but less durability.
Anyway, for everyone else that was looking into it @Margoriebest and @pbloom209 and others, there you have it. A first hand test from a wily pro - @elver.
Many thanks @elver for trying it out.
So my adapters and my box of shrinkwrap arrived yesterday. I was SO excited (sad, what?) and hopeful. I went against my own advice to myself and did the conversion late afternoon. As you’ve said it was a breeze to do. I took my usual evening meal bolus and bedtime reading looked so promising. Then when I was getting ready for bed, the connection had separated. So I did it all over again, with about 40 units prime just to be sure. This time the shrinkwrap didn’t seal around the narrow end of the connection. It did withstand a gentle tug so I wrapped some Fixomul tape around the shrinkwrap around the join and I think I went to bed but I may not have. I came to consciousness about 5 hours later. BGL 2.6 , just with-it enough to stagger to the fridge for my neat glucose. I have been SO lucky with exceptionally acute hypo-awareness, that this was the ONLY serious hypo. I have ever had. My husband was frightened and wanted to call an ambulance but I resisted and eventually recovered.
So I still don’t know what factor caused this to happen. Maybe the new set was working so well in comparison with the Trusteel that I was lower than usual and just went to sleep. Or perhaps because I was so tired I made an error when I did the change.
I AM going to give it another try, in about a week when I have the motivation to do so.
I think maybe the tubings might connect better if I make sure to push them in as far as possible.
Note to self:- next time start early in the morning!