Guidelines for temporary disconnection

Take it Off: Guidelines for Temporary Disconnection

Whether it's for a day at the beach or because you want to take a "pump holiday" - returning temporarily to injections can be easier when you establish a plan beforehand. The chart below offers guidelines to help you and your healthcare provider create a plan for you. Note: The chart assumes that you continue to use your pump insulin (most often fast-acting Humalog® or NovoLog®), but that you are taking it by injection.

Temporary Disconnection Guidelines
Time off Pump Necessary Adjustments
Up to 1 hour
  • Testing: Check BG before disconnecting.
  • Basal insulin: No injections required.
  • Exercise: Check BG before, midway and after exercise; monitor closely over the 24 hours following vigorous exercise. Decrease dose(s) (basal and bolus) accordingly.
  • Bolus insulin: Take injection (or re-connect/bolus) to cover carbs according to insulin-to-carb ratio and based on BG. Take injection(s) (or re-connect/bolus) to correct high BG using correction formula. If BG >240 mg/dl, check ketones.
Up to 4 hours
  • Testing: Monitor BG before disconnecting, before meals and at hour 3-4.
  • Basal insulin: Take injection equal to missed basal dose.
  • Exercise and bolus insulin: Follow advice above ("Up to 1 hour").
Overnight
  • Testing:Monitor BG before sleep, & set alarm to test every 3-4 hours.
  • Basal insulin: Every 4 hours, take injection equal to missed basal dose.
  • Exercise and bolus insulin:Follow advice above (see "Up to 1 hour").
Up to 24 hours (or longer)
  • Testing:Check BG before meals, every 3-4 hours & before sleep.
  • Basal insulin:Follow adjustments above (see "Overnight").
  • Exercise and bolus insulin: Follow advice above (see "Up to 1 hour").
More than one day
  • Testing:Frequent BG monitoring recommended for optimal control.
  • Basal insulin:For convenience, your health care provider may prescribe longer-acting insulin in place of fast-acting insulin.
  • Exercise and bolus insulin: Follow advice above (see "Up to 1 hour").

If you have questions about diabetes management while disconnected from your insulin pump, please contact your healthcare provider. For questions about using Medtronic Diabetes insulin pump features, please contact the 24-Hour Product Help Line at 1-866-948-6633 (toll-free).

Humalog is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly and Company.
NovoLog is a registered trademark of Novo Nordisk A/S.

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