pumps and clothing Options

[Manxman]

Paul,

Spibelts also work great for securing pumps snugly against your body. I have two that I wear during exercise or at night. I just have the regular basic one but they do have one for pumps now that would have a hole for the tubing.

http://spibelt.com/

Diana

After reading suggestions about this product from other members, I bought one. There is no "hole" for tubing- just the zipper that closes the pouch, and you wouldn't want to pass the tube through a hole. When you need to use the pump controls or see the screen, you need to remove it from the pouch on the belt. Having the tubing restrained by a hole would interfere with the amount of slack tubing for easy pump use. By laying the pump in the pouch with the tubing/reservoir on the top, you just zip up the pouch until the zipper allows just enough room for the tubing to emerge.

I will use this for exercise, and use it now at night to keep the pump in contact with my body, set for vibrate alarms. This is a well made product that works well.

[ncpumper]

Diana,

Thanks for the link!

Paul

[ncpumper]

I may have to get one with 2 pockets; 1 for Nipro pump/1 for dexcom. I hope this doesn't end up being a drag with 2 deals.

I am almost certain that the benefits will far outweigh the slight hassle of the 2 devices. LOL!!! I will definetely look more dorky than I already am all wired for sound and all! Add a cell phone in there and BAM!!

What was I thinking?n LOL!!

Paul

[Manxman]

Paul,
Although they have one model expressly made for insulin pumps, it is fairly roomy. I don't know how big your pump and Dexcom unit are, but the pouch on the pump belt is not only big, but stretchy too. I also remember that they make another belt with two pouches, not necessarily aimed at pump users.

[Michael-95037]

I'm not on a pump yet, but have 2 friends who are long time pumpers. One of them had a seamstress sew button holes into the front pockets of his slacks. He keeps the pump in a front pocket and runs the tubing through the button hole so the pump is completely invisible and his pockets don't tear.

As for me, I will probably just keep my pump clipped to my belt (until I get an infusion set ripped out).

-- Michael

[Manxman]

I'm not on a pump yet, but have 2 friends who are long time pumpers. One of them had a seamstress sew button holes into the front pockets of his slacks. He keeps the pump in a front pocket and runs the tubing through the button hole so the pump is completely invisible and his pockets don't tear.

As for me, I will probably just keep my pump clipped to my belt (until I get an infusion set ripped out).

-- Michael

I was musing about putting button holes in the skin-side of shirt pockets, but now that I am actually using a pump, I see that it will have to be a pretty sizable button hole. It has to be able to pass something the size of a nickel (coin) through the hole edgewise. That is the size of the plastic quick-disconnect used in the infuser sets (a half-circle the same diameter as a nickel with the same thickness, maybe a little thicker). If the quick-disconnect can't pass through the hole, you can't reconnect to the pigtail on the end of the infuser attached to your body.

I am currently wearing the pump on a clip attached to my jeans front pocket, pump on the inside of the pocket. I gently stuff the excess tubing into the pocket to reduce the chance of snagging it on anything. This summer, I would much rather carry the pump in a shirt pocket, and I will ask my wife to try out the fancy button holes that her new computerized sewing machine can make. Will try pocket T-shirts first, then may use the idea on snap-closure chest pocket casual over-shirts.

I am looking forward to your announcement that Morgan Hill, CA, has another insulin pumper. Good luck!

Dave

This post has been edited by Manxman: Apr 20 2010, 11:21 PM

[jbkjr]

As for me, I will probably just keep my pump clipped to my belt (until I get an infusion set ripped out).

-- Michael

I have only been pumping for 5+ years and i have only caught the tubing on a door knob twice. It doesn't catch as easily as you think it would. It did not rip the set out. I thought it should have but it didn't . I work outside in boats and in the woods and maybe i have been lucky but not snags thus far.

[Manxman]

I have only been pumping for 5+ years and i have only caught the tubing on a door knob twice. It doesn't catch as easily as you think it would. It did not rip the set out. I thought it should have but it didn't . I work outside in boats and in the woods and maybe i have been lucky but not snags thus far.

It is exactly your own lifestyle that you described that makes me want to carry my pump, especially the tubing, under my clothing. I'm not so much involved with boats, but with woods, for sure. I also have two 100+pound Wolf Hybrid dogs as well as a Siberian Huskey. Juneau, our girl wolf, has the habit of slapping your thigh or poking you in the stomach to get attention. Her huge claws seem to be instant death waiting for an infusion set. She is my main concern with trying to keep the pump and tubing shielded by at least a layer of cloth.

I am about to start chipping two year's worth of 10-20 foot long redwood tree limbs. I need to pay all of my attention to the chipper, and may not notice a branch snagging my tubing. Again, under clothing would be the ideal condition.

But, your reassurance does make me feel a little more secure. And, if I lose an infusion set, so what?

This post has been edited by Manxman: Apr 20 2010, 11:58 PM

[Arlene S.]

It is exactly your own lifestyle that you described that makes me want to carry my pump, especially the tubing, under my clothing. I'm not so much involved with boats, but with woods, for sure. I also have two 100+pound Wolf Hybrid dogs as well as a Siberian Huskey. Juneau, our girl wolf, has the habit of slapping your thigh or poking you in the stomach to get attention. Her huge claws seem to be instant death waiting for an infusion set. She is my main concern with trying to keep the pump and tubing shielded by at least a layer of cloth.

I am about to start chipping two year's worth of 10-20 foot long redwood tree limbs. I need to pay all of my attention to the chipper, and may not notice a branch snagging my tubing. Again, under clothing would be the ideal condition.

But, your reassurance does make me feel a little more secure. And, if I lose an infusion set, so what?

I wouldn't have a problem with losing an infusion set as long as I know it had fallen out. I've been pumping for 17 years and as far as I can remember I have had perhaps one or two infusion sets come out until two weeks ago. Since then I caught one on a cabinet knob and another on something else. Very annoying.

[Manxman]

Thanks Arlene,

It's the "knowing" that is the problem with country living and a Wolf pack as pets. Something is always going on that is completely distracting. As an engineer, it is always my intent to make disastrous events impossible to affect me. "Unlikely" isn't good enough. I will pursue the quest for pump and tubing being invulnerable to outside harm.

[Arlene S.]

Thanks Arlene,

It's the "knowing" that is the problem with country living and a Wolf pack as pets. Something is always going on that is completely distracting. As an engineer, it is always my intent to make disastrous events impossible to affect me. "Unlikely" isn't good enough. I will pursue the quest for pump and tubing being invulnerable to outside harm.

I usually tape only the Sure-T's and depend on the Sil tape alone but now I'm going to start putting paper tape on the Sils. The one I caught on the cabinet knob just came out too easily. The paper tape that I use to tape my transmitter and sensor before I cover them with Opsite Flexfix is pretty strong. I use the paper tape with Sure-T's. I guess I should be more careful about tucking in the tubing. I stopped using the 43" tubing a long time ago. Too much to tuck in.

[jbkjr]

It's maybe ----------- this much tubing that can get hung up. Mine comes out the pump and over the pants and under the shirt. I keep checking to make sure there is no loop that can get snagged. Been in several scuffles with drunks while working and nothing has happened. I cut fire wood with a chain saw. Use power tools all the time, rest assured I had concerns over the tubing til i got it and nothing has happened.

[ncpumper]

My clip busted yesterday and is a thousand wonders my pump is still intact. I was mowing several acres and just happened to see it dangling from the infusion set. Thankfully, I use the 18-23" sets!
That would have been hard to explain sending it back in a box in a million pieces after getting run over with a lawn mower... I ordered the spibelt today with the 2 pockets.

[Manxman]

My clip busted yesterday and is a thousand wonders my pump is still intact. I was mowing several acres and just happened to see it dangling from the infusion set. Thankfully, I use the 18-23" sets!
That would have been hard to explain sending it back in a box in a million pieces after getting run over with a lawn mower... I ordered the spibelt today with the 2 pockets.

That's a great illustration of the reason why I bought both the Spibelt and the Clip 'n Go pouch from the pump accessories site. I have found the Spibelt to be very comfortable in holding the pump on my left hip as I sleep either on my right side or stomach. The Clip 'n Go pouch is a very relaxed method of holding the pump in a very flexible way while keeping it in contact with my leg while I drive. Keeping the pump clipped in my pocket makes it feel binding, and it's hard to withdraw the pump from jeans while sitting and using the clip to hold it in place.

I have broken most of the plastic clips that came with cell phones in the past. The MM clip is better than those, but I still don't completely trust any plastic clip, and ncpumper's story confirms my suspicions. I don't regret my purchases, and I think that a lot of the pump accessories on the market are probably very useful. But, to each his own.

[Manxman]

After reading suggestions about this product from other members, I bought one. There is no "hole" for tubing- just the zipper that closes the pouch, and you wouldn't want to pass the tube through a hole. When you need to use the pump controls or see the screen, you need to remove it from the pouch on the belt. Having the tubing restrained by a hole would interfere with the amount of slack tubing for easy pump use. By laying the pump in the pouch with the tubing/reservoir on the top, you just zip up the pouch until the zipper allows just enough room for the tubing to emerge.

I will use this for exercise, and use it now at night to keep the pump in contact with my body, set for vibrate alarms. This is a well made product that works well.

Sorry everyone, in my post quoted above, I was mistaken about the Spibelt NOT having a hole in it for tubing. There is indeed a hole, plenty big enough to pass the quick disconnect half circle through it, which I completely missed. It is hidden in the folds of the stretchy pouch. However, IMO the hole is not of any use. You have to remove the pump from the pouch to read or use it, so you may as well lay the pump in the pouch with the reservoir and tubing facing up with the tube laying against the end of the zipper. As you close the zipper, there is enough space to allow the tube to remain untouched by the fully closed zipper.