Medtronic Insulin Pump Lawsuit: Recall of Quick-Set Infusions Sets for MiniMed Paradigm Insulin Pumps

Harvey Kirk

By Harvey Kirk
Posted July 13, 2009

ADD YOUR COMMENTS 58

Following the recall of Medtronic infusion pump Quick-set infusion sets issued Friday, the product liability lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are reviewing the potential for lawsuits on behalf of individuals who have suffered severe or fatal injuries as a result of the pumps delivering to much or too little insulin.

>>FDA LINK (7/13/2009): Medtronic Paradigm Quick-Set Infusion Set Recall

Late in the day Friday, Medtronic announced that approximately 60,000 Quick-set infusion sets used with the Medtronic MiniMed Paradigm insulin pumps could be defective and not work properly. Therefore, they recalled an estimated 3 million of the infusion sets with reference numbers MMT-396, MMT-397, MMT-398 and MMT-399 with lot numbers starting with an “8”.

The thin plastic tubes are used with the MiniMed Paradigm Medtronic insulin pump to deliver insulin to diabetes patients. The infusion set is typically replaced every three days. However, thousands of patients may have been sold infusion sets that may not allow the insulin pump to vent air pressure properly, potentially resulting in the device delivering too much or too little insulin.

Over or under delivery of insulin from an insulin pump could have serious and catastrophic consequences for diabetes patients.

MEDTRONIC INSULIN PUMP LAWYERS

Individuals have been told to stop using “Lot 8” Quick-set infusion sets and Medtronic is offering to exchange all affected products at no charge. However, for individuals who have been hospitalized or suffered severe injuries as a result of incorrect delivery of insulin from their pump, the recalled units should be saved until after it is determined whether financial compensation may be available through a Medtronic insulin pump lawsuit.

If you, a friend or family member experienced Medtronic insulin pump problems after using any of the recalled Quick-set infusion sets, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.

58 Comments • Add Your Comments

  • JAMES says:

    I WAS HOSPITALIZED IN JANUARY DUE TO KETOASIDTOSIS JUST ABOUT 1 WEEK AGO I RECEIVED AN E-MAIL ABOUT THE RECALLS OF PUMP SUPPLIES. I HAVE MANY MEDICAL BILLSFROM ICU AND THE WHOLE TIME I WAS IN THE HOPSPITAL. MY BLOOD SUGAR WAS EXTREMLY HIGH MY WIFE CALLED 911 WHEN I WAS UNCONSCIESE. I MISSED SEVERAL DAYS OF WORK AND MY FAMILY THOUGH I WAS GOING TO DIE. I WAS NOT STABLE FOR SEVERAL DAYS.

    Posted on July 20, 2009 at 10:09 pm

  • Kourtney says:

    I was recently hospitalized twice in the same month, both for complications from my diabetes. The first time was on the day of prom and my eighteenth birthday and I was told I had ketoacidosis so I was transferred to a larger hospital. The second time was a couple weeks ago. This time I had checked my sugar all day after feeling sick, and it stayed in the five-hundreds all day long. I would take the reccommended dose of insulin through my pump, but my blood sugar continued to rise. When it was up in the six hundreds I went to the hospital and told the doctors that I did not think my pump was working. I was transferred once again to another hospital about an hour or two away and they did nothing for me. I came in with a broken pump and left with a broken pump. I am glad to know what was actually wrong with it and I have experienced quite a few problems since and have not felt the same in a few months. I reviewed my infusion set box to discover that the lot number and reference numbers mach those above. I am a very young girl and I hate having to be hospitalized so much. I am missing out on everything and I know that one day these high blood sugars will take a toll on my body. My doctor told me that my age is on my side as of now but the damage will be present later on and it is something I can not take back. I hope there is sonething that can be done, as I am also paying for these infusion sets since my insurance does not cover the cost.

    Posted on July 22, 2009 at 10:27 pm

  • Toni says:

    While I did not experience anything extreme using the 8 series -however quite often after changing the set and primping my pump I would get very high blood sugars for about 8 to 10 hours (in 400s). Then finally it would get back to normal. I don’t know if the air pressure will got normal after a using it a while or not. I have been on a pump since 1983 and has been wonderful!

    Posted on July 26, 2009 at 4:28 pm

  • Dan says:

    My girlfriend was admitted for DKA, dehydration and projectile vomiting a couple of months ago. A couple of weeks ago I woke up in the middle of the night to find her dying from low blood sugars as a result of Medtronics’s defective Quick Set Infusion.

    Posted on July 28, 2009 at 8:51 am

  • John says:

    I woke up on fathers day sick as a dog. My blood sugars were over 500.I was disoriented, vomiting and barely conscious.My domestic pardner came home from church, found me and called 911.I was taken to the hospital and was in intensive care for 2days. I was release from the hospital on the fourth day.I was treated for ketoasiditosis.I did not understand at the time what cause my sugars to be so high.I had followed my normal regimentation and had changed my infusion set the day prior to episode.I did not realize that there was a problem with pump until I was release from the hospital.Approximatly 10 days later I get notification from medtronic that a recall for the supplies that I was using.

    Posted on August 4, 2009 at 1:16 pm

  • Timothy says:

    I was wondering why my sugar was over 500 many times because it had never happen before. I had to keep hitting the manual bolus button to lower my sugar. I have not returned my defective sets. One day it hit 600, and I almost had to go to the hospital. However after repeted bolus I lowered it to 200. Then I received the I am sorry note from Medtronics asking me to return the defective product that could have killed me!!

    Posted on August 10, 2009 at 3:50 pm

  • Tricia says:

    Andrew had a major grand mal seizure due to too much insulin delivered by the lot 8 sight. WE had to take him to the hospital for help where the doctor did not believe his seizure was caused by low blood sugar. He had never seen this kind of seizure before. I was astounded!! They treated him with IV and cereal and released him. I am mad! Andrew never got the note from Mini Med till the following week! I want them to pay for his medical expenses.

    Posted on August 13, 2009 at 11:46 pm

  • Susan says:

    Husband hospitalized for ups and downs, I am a wreck. 18 months of this and I finally wound up on Lexapro, he lost his job, had a wreck, I could not make sense of it since all had been great for 2 yrs….then suddenly big ugly push by supplier to send back infusion sets followed by letter from MM to they had defect. Didn’t someone know? I even called MM and asked if something could be wrong with the pump last year. Scary and very very stressful.

    Posted on August 16, 2009 at 3:45 pm

  • Vicky says:

    When my sugars wouldn’t get lower than 600 I started worrying about, “what did I eat, did I forget to bolus, is the injection site on scar tissue…what is going on?” I freaked and began injecting insulin “the old fashion way” finally after 3 hours and phone calls to the doctor, the sugars began to come down, but I did sit outside the ER in the event that after the 15th injection didn’t work, I’d go in. I am never that high and started second guessing my management. However, I did feel relieved when I received the recall notice and that it wasn’t my fault!

    Posted on August 22, 2009 at 9:32 am

  • Linda says:

    Like so many others who have commented on the site, I have been plagued with extreme blood sugar highs and lows with no apparent reason. Because I do not like waking up and looking into the faces of 911 personnel, and now having the fear of never waking up, I now wear a subcutaneous sensor to monitor my sugar 7×24. It vibrates or produces an audible alarm to alert my husband when my sugars go out of control. So far, with the “new” Quick-Sets, I have not had any unexplained raises or falls in my sugar levels.

    Posted on August 26, 2009 at 9:25 am

  • michael says:

    I have been on the pump for the last 2 years, I have had some issue’s like others. I had to go to the hospital after a very bad sugar low because my heart got a good work out from the low, those of you who have had these in the middle of the night and awake is this condition know what your heart goes through. If it had not been for my wife being there and taking care of me I do not know if I would still be here, I was unable to even get out of the bed. I called Med-Tronic and asked that I did not think it unfare to have the 24 box’s of LOT #8 I have recived in the last 2 years be replaced at no cost to me. I got their reply today. They think they are not responsible. Again I did have to go to the hospital the next day thinking I had a heart attack. I spent 2 days in the hospital under observation. And belive me that is not cheap. Now note I did not ask to be reimbursed for that cost just for the supplies that I had paid for that had put my life at risk per their letter that was sent with a new box of Quick-Sets. Am I the only one or did they not make this sound like the most important thing to ensure that you did not die in this letter.My wife has kept everything we have ever recived from Med-Tronic all the meters the box pump came in all the quicksets box’s, every E-Mail or letter sent. I don’t know why but I am sure glad she did. I do not care about their money I don’t need it, what I need is someone I can count on to be there for me with help with my health where the diabetes is conserned. We all know what the low’s and high’s make us go through, what about our loved ones who worry and have to put up with the BAD MOOD’s that we go through with it we have no control over it because we are sick. And do not understand be cause our mind’s are not working right, we become confusied, mad, crying, and sorry afterwards for our temper and the thing’s we have said or done when our mind’s we not right. Do we not have enough trouble with out HELP of this nature. We all need to speak to our local News and radio people to get the word out DO NOT TRUST these people $$$$$ is their game and not your well being. Also there is a state regularty commission for you state call them make a complaint call yor congress man anyone who has any clout that can help address this matter need’s to know and be held responciable for their help we pay their bill’s at home for them and they work for us. STAND UP and be counted.

    Posted on September 1, 2009 at 11:43 am

  • Jackie says:

    I have my 2nd MM pump, the Paradigm. However, I use the Silhouette Infusion set. I too have experienced unexplained extreme blood sugars. I am wondering if anyone out there has experienced the following problems with their pump sites: after 3 days, change the site but the old site (w/ band aid and antibiotic cream) have developed into a boil. This has not been fun! I would appreciate feedback. Thanks.

    Posted on September 1, 2009 at 3:20 pm

  • Alex says:

    I have had two insulin related attacks to my body in about 20 years. Since I started received bad infusion sites in January I have had about 8, of which I had to use glucagon shots to shoot my bloodsugar up and not having a fatal attack. The strain put on my family has been enormous, not knowing if I should be left home alone or not. One time, with just me and a friend at the house I started shaking and not making any sense not being able to talk. The paramedics were called and from the time this was happening til they got there I had been drinking juice provided for me by my friend since I was not capable to do this myself. Many headaches, seizures, and severe moments of confusion later, a recall notice and a set of new infusion sites wound up at my door when I was being given a glucagon shot. I do not find this acceptable for I have had injuries preventing me from school and every day activities. No serious injuries recorded but the frequent refills of glucagon shots and many injuries to the head and body.

    Posted on September 2, 2009 at 3:15 pm

  • Macy says:

    My sugar was over 500 many times because it had never happen before. I had to keep using the manual bolus button to lower my sugar.
    one weekend I was so high they call the ER my Ketones were so high the Dr said to my parents to give me shots every two hours. Because I was so high my mom took me to the Dr the next day and she inform us about the recall.
    My Mom call metronomic they toll her to send the Quick set # 8 she send one box back and then they send us a UPS box with the notification from medtronic that they were recalling lot 8 we send two more boxes back but the supply is so slow the my parents think that the shots are better I am only 14 but I feel bad for my parents because the are drowning in my own medical bills for experience highs to long .
    But medtronic does not care about us only about the money they make.

    Posted on September 7, 2009 at 3:54 pm

  • Michelle says:

    I have experienced similar situations. My blood sugar levels started rising to the 500’s and 600’s and I was not able to bring them down. I was so frustrated because this has never happened to me before. I’ve been on the pump for 9 years under good control, but during the past 6 months I have not been able to keep my levels under control. One time I woke up with cramps and vomiting and almost had to go to the hospital. I have called Minimed numerous times and all they say after running a test over the phone is that I need to change my quickset because it’s clogged. Finally in July I got the letter from Minimed explaining the defective “Lot 8” . I was glad to know it wasn’t my fault ! I have been so sad and frustrated that I am now having to take Lexapro. I have spent so much $ on Dr’s visits, ordering supplies earlier because of having to switch my Quickset so often. I have no idea how much damage this could have caused and it’s not fair! I have been diabetic for 32 years and this is the first time my A1c’s are over 8. I like to do sports and play USTA leage tennis and I can’t even do that anymore. I’m also missing work because I feel so sick everytime this happens. Minimed just replaced my last order (only what I had left from the Lot 8) and did not want to replace the Quicksets I had already used that almost killed me. I started using the new supplies I got and apparently they are also deffective. My pump keeps saying “No delivery”. I have changed my set 3 times between yesterday and today. On top of everything I have to pay $600 to Minimed because my insurance isn’t covering the supplies. They placed my account on hold because by the time I had to order supplies my balance was not paid off. I had to beg them to release the hold, but why should we be going through all this when they are the ones at fault. We are talking about our health and our future. I want to be able to see my grandchildren and that is why I have taken care of my diabetes for such a long time!

    Posted on October 5, 2009 at 12:39 pm

  • michael says:

    Michelle I came back to this site to see if anyone else was having problems with the lot 2 new infusion sets. I also am having trouble with them not giving the correct amount on insulin the same trouble that I was having with lot 8. Some time’s to little most the time to much and am having sugar low’s. I would like to take a shot of insulin and give a very large dose to who ever run’s this outfit and overdose them and see how they like what happens to them. This is getting to be a little to much to put up with. I am thinking about just going back to the shots, at first the pump was like a dream come true, I was taking 7 shot a day and not in controll, but the pump has brought me close to being in controll and it is nice to only have to every three day’s pop the infusion set on. But is it worth you LIFE, that is the question. And Med-Tronic does not seem to care about that. And is it not funny that no matter what you go to the Dr. for it is always blamed on DIABETES. And you are told you need to see your Endocrinology Dr. Beleave me I know the things it can cause. But not every problem we have is from our DIABETES. Thanks for letting me vent. My GOD bless all of you who are having trouble and this issue be resolved soon that we again begin to live as close to normal a life as we can. HOPE JOY and FAITH in JESUS be with all of you.

    Posted on October 15, 2009 at 4:09 pm

  • Stacey says:

    The lot 8 infusions caused me to have a seizure. My blood sugar reading was 15 when I got to the hospital. Doctors and nurses could not believe I was still alive. 3 days later the Fed Ex driver was knocking on my door with a package from Mini Med about the recall !! Does anyone know if there is a class action lawsuit for this yet?

    Posted on October 28, 2009 at 10:16 pm

  • Brigitte says:

    I have been on the pump over 6 years now and never had any problems. My control was always great. Only recently I have run into major problems. During the day twice my bloodsugar was over 600 for no apparent reason. It took a long time to get the sugar down again. Then one morning my bloodsugsr was 500 something that has never happened in the past. I got replacement sets for the lot 8 sets and am currently using lot ..7256. I am seriously considering going bakc to shots!!!

    Posted on January 3, 2010 at 12:07 pm

  • Kaylee says:

    I have only been type one diabetic for 3 years and was put on the pump 6 months after being diagnosed..in these few short years I have, many times, thought about switching back to shots. Even though the pump is more convinent, I was so much heathier when I was taking 10-15 shots daily. My A1C was remarkably lower as was my day to day blood sugars. I did not recieve the information about this recall until the entire box was gone! I am very dissapointed in the company. Though I never went to the hospital (because I am too stubborn) looking back at the month in which i used these ‘bad injection sites’ there were several times in which I should have. There were days which my blood sugar reached from 500-600. Hopefully something gets done about this issue!! An 18 year old should not have to go through this, noone should. We should be able to trust our supplier..however with every injection site I question their Quality.

    Posted on January 6, 2010 at 11:26 pm

  • JESSICA says:

    My brother kevin Died November 8, 2008 . After Kevin’s death they did a recall. To late for my brother but I hope to help save someone life. It is my familys goal to let the world know bout this. If you have any questions please go to our website. http://www.mothersagainstmedtronic.com/ We will have all the info that you will need and if you dont find what you are looking for we have a contact page. We are hope the set up chapters all over the U.S. Please if you would like to be a part of this let us know.

    Posted on March 4, 2010 at 3:58 pm

  • Russ says:

    We were alerted exactly one year to the day AFTER our son died of the problem with the pump. Before his death he was having extreme high’s and lows that his Doctors and employers dismissed as him not taking his disease seriously. We know now it wasn’t his fault but it’s still to late for him.

    Posted on April 20, 2010 at 8:34 am

  • david says:

    sounds like a lot of people are having problems with mm. although my wife does not use the same sets as the recall she constantly has problems with extreme blood sugars. the other morning after leaving for work her blood suger dropped dramatically. her driving became erratic and someone called 911 on her because they thought she was drunk.somehow she managed to pull over before she wrecked,although there was a scratch on the truck were she obviously hit something. if her blood sugar was fine when she left the house how could she be low to the point of affecting her driving within ten minutes.i dont know what kind of sets she used last but had problems with them, she called the wonderfull people at minimed and they basically told her to switch sets. also they did send her new sets for free. which leads me to believe that they are having problems with all ther sets. sorry about the rambling but just spent the last three hours feeding the wife mountin dew to get her sugar up

    Posted on May 29, 2010 at 4:57 am

  • Marilyn says:

    My brother Billy passed away this January, 2010, in the last year he must have gone to the hospital 6 times, because his sugar was sky high, or it was so low he almost went into a coma,
    The last time I saw him, he told me he was having trouble with his insulin, that it would get out of control, and he was having the hardest time getting it back down to normal, and controlling it was crazy. He said it would get so high, it was so hard to get it under control, that it scared him, It scared me to hear my brother say he was scared, I asked if he was ok, he said now I am, but it scared him when it got so high, it would just take so long to get it back under control, he said I do everything right, I don;t know what I am doing wrong. It just gets so out of control, My sister found him a couple of days later, in his bathroom., He had been diabitic around 25 years, He knew something was wrong,

    Posted on July 8, 2010 at 12:21 pm

  • Marilyn says:

    2nd letter, My daughters husband’s sister just got her recall notice in June 22, 2010, They have known of this problem since 2008. This is so wrong.

    Posted on July 28, 2010 at 3:09 pm

  • PAM says:

    i was hospitalized three times in 2009 in DKA, each time I spent several days in ICU. I had been on the insulin pump for two years prior with no problems. I have been diabetic since I was 10 and have never been in the hospital. I now am 46. Medtronics was contacted the first episode and they sent me a new pump. It did not solve my problem. I ended up back in the hospital 2 more times. I do not feel that 2 consultations with a salesman in the doctors office is enough education to be given when it depends on your life.

    Posted on October 2, 2010 at 5:19 pm

  • Steve says:

    Why all you folks with sky high sugar readings didn’t take insulin with a syringe is beyond me. Give yourself a shot and get to the Doctor, it’s really not that difficult. Use the settings in your pump and your glucose reading to figure out the dose.
    3 year pump user and love it.
    I’m not looking to sue anyone!!

    Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:43 pm

  • Ron says:

    Thanks for sharing Steve.
    I have been on the pump and Continuous Glucose Monitor for 3 months. Nothing but trouble with all of it. I have had Quicksets fail to work. Pumping dose after dose to who knows where. Steve, after you have given yourself many units, why would you resort to shots? That’s a great way to crash with way too much insulin.
    Last weekend my Quickset caused an onset of intense kidney pain. I thought I was having a Kidney Stone attack. I was heading for teh ER when I puiled the Quickset out and the pain instantly started fading.
    My CGM constantly discinnects. I have called Medtronic about it and they said radios and cellphones interfere with the device. Duh! They did not properly test this device before handing them out. Who doesn’t ahve a cellphone?
    It has lots of great features, but, it has some serious issues.

    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 4:15 pm

  • sharon says:

    My mother was a diabetic for 17 years taking 8 shots a day and in august of 2010 she went to the medtronic pump and was doing okay for awhile then in october the doctor put her on a stronger insulin, i think it was u-500. She wasn’t monitored on the insulin and wasn’t trained properly for the pump. She started getting migraines, disoriented, fatigue and losing her ability to walk. Sick for two weeks, doctor finally admitted her into the hospital then her blood sugar dropped to a 34 then it went up to 366 and almost to 400 and wouldn’t go back down. She was still having migraines and vomiting. Had mri’s and mra’s, sonograms and other tests. She was told that the pump may have a defect in it to where it was shooting too much insulin and was too strong for her body. She was getting insulin when she didn’t need it and it was going to her brain. She was told that half of her brain was dead. She was also told that every migraine she was having, was a stroke. Three days later, she had another stroke and went into a coma. She passed away on november 15, 2010.

    Posted on November 23, 2010 at 12:19 am

  • Gland says:

    I repeatedly had low blood sugars with no relationship to what I was eating or what had previous been working (basil and bolus) with my pump or to any change whatsoever in diet or lifestyle or exercise. Several times I was seriously disoriented and confused–causing harm at work and making driving unsafe. Other times I would have very high blood sugars, again with no reason. I did “fix” the high sugars with injections of insulin. But, I complained to my doctor and Metronic rep to no avail about what seemed to be spurts of insulin and slowing down of delivery. Life became a constant testing. Then the company did the recall. Finally.
    I do not want to sue anyone; but I do expect safe materials.

    Posted on November 23, 2010 at 11:02 am

  • Tiffany says:

    I am having a problem with inserting the infusion set and then noticing a few hours later my sugar going up to around 300 or 400, I then know something is wrong with the pump and decide to take a shot and change the infusion set out. When I pull it out of my stomach the tube is actually bent. Which is why I think I am not getting insulin. Anyone else had this problem?

    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 6:49 pm

  • Kristen says:

    Tiffany, I’ve had a similar problem with the Quick Set infusion sets and not using the insertion device, which I was told was not needed.

    Posted on May 25, 2011 at 12:45 am

  • Raymond says:

    I had many very high sugars, above 500, the candula would bend. My dr. finally took me off the pump.This was very exp. with all the med bills and now that the problem is supposed to have been fixed, they only will allow me $500 on a new pump. Hell no, and I guess I will stay on the needle 4 times or more a day. Thank you for letting me vent.

    Posted on June 2, 2011 at 7:22 pm

  • Marjorie says:

    I was in the hosp. in 2005 with DKA. My sugar lived in the 300-400’s. Initialli in the hosp. I left the pump on me, and my #”s were still awful. the doctor had me to detatch and began shots. My #’s came down and I was home in about a week. Started pumping again and my #’s were crazy until about 2010. My sugar is still high at times but not as bad. Just wondering if the effects I still have today is related to the pump? Could I still hace a claim? Wondering about the statute of limitations in OH since this was 2005?
    I stay mentally “foggy,” no stamina and my husband has to help with the house. Luckily, I’m in a career that I can sit at my desk and still do my work, though those around me are not aware of just how bad I am feeling.

    Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:50 am

  • Britanny says:

    I am 42 and have been on the medtronic paradigm for 2 weeks, and I have felt terrible. I and my rep (who is great, by the way) have changed by basal/bolus rates often, but we are now thinking that it’s my absorption that is the problem. After 30 years of giving shots (mainly in my stomach) I have much scarring. I don’t like not knowing if the place I am putting my canula is a place with scar tissue or not – how am I to know? My sugars last night went above 500 and this is horrible to me! I feel like having been on the pump for two weeks, may have caused me tissue damage that I was able to avoid during 30 years of insulin shots. Maybe I should to back to shots? The worst part is the severe lows, and having days when my blood sugar would go from one extreme to another. I am very frustrated with my pump and don’t know what I should do. I apologize that I am just kind of rambling right now.

    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 3:01 pm

  • c lemon says:

    I had the same problem with the tubing in 2010. My high blood sugars developed suddenly .It took about 2day for me to be right. I had to take several syringe injections. Now the insertion site cannula issue this is my 2nd time with this problem just recently 08/07/11. After several syringe injections having to go to work feeling lousy,tired no energy hard time focusing I had to leave workearly I came home change the site and found the cannula bent. the first time this happened it never inserted under my skin. What the heck is going on? Medtronic should be more responsible to their users.They provide a life sustaining service which I know i depend on.I now know I have to pay closer-much closer attention to my symptoms even though i have been a pump user for over 13 years.

    Posted on August 11, 2011 at 4:53 am

  • Debbie says:

    My son Kevin died November 8. 2008 This was before the recall. I did everything in my power to let the FDA know something was wrong. Medtronic didnt even care. I hate them.They have causrd our family terrible pain. My son was in the prime of his life. Kevin onhly had the pump for about a year and a half. I didn’t want him to get one but he was old enough to make his own choices. When he died his blod sugar was 1164. Yes , he lived alone went into a coma and died.Stay away from anything made by medtronic

    Posted on September 5, 2011 at 3:19 pm

  • Jeanette says:

    My nephew passed away on August 22, 2009! He had the medtronic insulin pump for one year, and was in the ICU five times during that time. He was only 14 years old at the time. His sugar was over 1200. Medtronics needs to pay!

    Posted on December 25, 2011 at 7:55 pm

  • Paulette says:

    My son has been using the Medtronic for 5 years. He has experienced many lows which caused ER visits. He would seize and dislocate one or both of his shoulders. He had surgery on one and is planning surgery for the other. I cannot say that his lows were caused by the Medtronic, however, weeks prior to the recall, he suffered 1-2 seizures a week. I am upset that I (or my son) did not investigate the situation further. I came to this site when I was checking on the J&J pump recall. You feel helpless in this situation because diabetics are dependant on these and other medical supplies. I won’t even go into how the drug companies’ main revenue is from diabetic supplies. Will there ever be a cure when the companies prosper so much from the disease?

    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 6:03 pm

  • Faye says:

    On 11/2/11 I was hospitalized for high blood sugars and dehydration for the fist time in 20 years. I was on the phone with MiniMed for 45 min yesterday asking for help and not once did they say anything about this problem and I am using lot 2. This is very scary and stressful.

    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 1:32 am

  • Michelle says:

    My son has had this happen several times and it seems to be the quick sets. Sometimes when I prime them it won’t go through and if you take the needle out of the reservoir and reinsert it then it works. Usually a large dose of insuline squirts out then. Sometimes it just won’t prime and then all of a sudden primes on it’s own. I think this happens and sometimes no alerts go off or he’s sleeping and doesn’t hear or feel the alert and then he’s getting no insulin and ends up with high sugars. Other times I believe it doesn’t come out then a large dose spurts out all at once and it causes lows. I don’t believe they’ve fixed the issues regarding these quick sets at all. I even called about this in July of 2010 and they sent new sets but haven’t fixed the issue in my opinion because it is still happening and his numbers have been quite erradic this past 8 months or so. His A1c was always good and that’s been higher also. Will be keeping any sets he removes if he gets any alerts and not sending them in to medtronic in case I need them for a lawsuit in the future. Thank god we have been able to fix his highs and lows without hospitalization but these swings in blood sugar are bad for his entire body. Thinking about putting him back on the shots though I know he will be very disappointed as he loves having the pump.

    Posted on January 30, 2012 at 10:34 am

  • John says:

    Have had Medtronics MiniMed Paradigm Pump 4 days. On the first night at 11:15 pm last Sunday (3/4/12) she had a BG of 207. We left it alone and went to bed. At 1:15pm I heard a moan. My wife was stone grey, not moving, staring straight ahead, not breathing,could not feel neck pulse. Injected glucagon. Woke up in horrible pain with a broken arm. In 40 yrs never had a diabetic seizure like this. Not a drop of sweat, no movement. Broke head of left humerus bone off. Getting ready for plates+screws or metal ball. When+how did she break it?

    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 11:48 pm

  • larry says:

    my father is on life support after having a massive heart attack. His sugar level was at 40 when found unconscious. We believe it was his pump pumping to much insulin.

    Posted on April 23, 2012 at 6:07 am

  • larry says:

    my father is on life support after having a massive heart attack. His sugar level was at 40 when found unconscious. We believe it was his pump pumping to much insulin.

    Posted on April 24, 2012 at 3:00 am

  • Cathy says:

    This is the 3rd day my husband has been in the hospital due to high blood sugar. His endocrinologist visiting him yesterday, and diagnosed the problem right away….there was a bend/kink in his infusion set that he just changed 2 days prior, and his pump was not giving him a “no delivery” warning!! So it was like he went without insulin for 2 days! I just spoke with him, and luckily his sugar is back down to an acceptable level but now I am concerned that he got a “bad batch” of infusion sets!

    Posted on June 9, 2012 at 8:16 am

  • dean says:

    My son 32 just died 8/23/12.He was on a pump too he’s Blood sugar would drop while he sleep, sometimes after he eats it would drop quick. How many more death must accure while this company and doctors promote this death product. Can’t Save my son life which I believe he would have live longer without the pump.

    Posted on September 6, 2012 at 10:02 pm

  • Don s says:

    I have a minimed 722, sometimes I may go a whole day eating whatever I like and take very very little insulin, other days
    ill take massive amounts of insulin and eat very little food. I’ve found the only way to control my sugars with his pump is to do a minimum of 20 blood tests daily, this morning 5:30am sugar 121, had a little milk in my coffee no food, checked sugar at work at 9am sugars 271? infusion set was only in for 1 day! theres gotta be a better way

    Posted on December 14, 2012 at 12:17 am

  • Kathy says:

    My husband had been on an insulin pump for 10 years. On Dec. 26th ablut 1:00 in the morning we were going to bed and he took his blood sugar it was 77 he got up to eat a cookie and some milk. At 4:00 he was having a low, I gave him a cookie and some juice and at that time his blood sugar was 22. He never woke up the next morning. When I looked the pump gave him 15 units at 1:30 in the morning.

    Posted on January 11, 2013 at 4:08 pm

  • John says:

    I have encountered frequent bending in my quick sets lately. I thought it may have been where I was setting them. I have been on the pump for 10 years and only just recently the last 6 months have I ever had this issue. It has occured over a dozen times. As soon as I feel my blood sugar rising after taking insulin and getting no results I swap out for a new quick set. And sure enough it will be a bend in the infusion. I always carry a spare with me now.

    Posted on February 2, 2013 at 1:12 pm

  • Betsy says:

    My husband has been on the pump for well over 15yrs. We have gotten NO NOtice at all. Only found out last week when we tried to reorder soft sets. Even then no one from MM would say why the soft sets were no longer available. He has had so much trouble in the last year its not funny. Midnight paramedic calls due to lows. (he tolerated very low lows – meaning he can talk to you at 23 then lower and convulses) He is having trouble with highs now to. What up with MM? Anyone know? Why are they not worried about their clients?

    Posted on August 4, 2013 at 10:32 pm

  • Mary says:

    My husband has a medtronics mini med with sensor. This is 2014 and there are still problems with the tubes. He never gets a warning of no delivery but after a day of highs he switches out his set. On two occasions his blood sugar was dropping and was not given any warnings with sensor.Just recently during the night the sensor went off, he looked at his pump and it said 6 units had been delivered. Just now looking online, I see this has happened to to other people.

    Posted on September 27, 2014 at 8:22 am

  • dave says:

    This is second time happend to me when I prime the Quick set tubing to relise the air sime kind of red blood like liqued come out from tubing, I called medtronic, they are sending me the shipping pkg, they wamts me to send them the effected prod, i took some pics.

    Posted on October 1, 2014 at 12:53 pm

  • ilene says:

    does anyone know what the alarm # A 47,A 33,A 17 does anybody know what those alarms stand for. it came up on my husbands pump???please if anybody knows please email me very important, thank you ilene metronic insulin pump 530 g pump

    Posted on December 25, 2014 at 11:07 pm

  • sean says:

    I just found out about this!! Whenever I’ve truednusing them (of in run out of my miis) I always have problems with my sugars! Is something going on about this?

    Posted on March 5, 2015 at 12:24 pm

  • Sheti says:

    Minimed is worth about 100 billion dollars. I believe they should care more about their products’ effectiveness mlrethan their profits. In my experience, they have withheld known problematic issues regarding thwir infusion set I am using. They should place in the headlines any problems their customers have. I would rather know of 2 possible problems I could have with a set rather than not know and be ignorant about it one when it occurs. Inadditin, the damage these problems cause would be avoider. Too many bouts of hi sugars cumulative damage to km the diabetic’s body over time.
    I have lived with dM type 1 for 40 years with no complications – a true miracle caused by sacrifice and discipline , but experienced my first bout of DKA due to bent cannula.. this same box of sets has resulted in 5 more before I stopped using that box of sets. Ha e not had another bent cannula with any other sets. makes me wonder if Medtronic is making changes to some of their products that may save money? It is not worth doing so. Many lives are at stake. I have used a pump for 16+ years with no death causing situations. Why would I treat my regimen any different? Minimed does seem to blame the patient rather than their product. I had a great success using pump and sets until Dec. 2014 when I experienced a bent cannula overnight that sent me into DKA FOR THE 1st time. They should be held responsible for their are n o warnings on their boxes or sets within boxes of possible bent canulla (which cannot be seen) and are never expected until it happens to you.

    .

    Posted on May 7, 2015 at 2:21 am

  • Misty says:

    Wow I just found out about this. I’ve been type 1 since age 6 (33 now). Been Medtronic pumping since 1999 and just recently switched to omnipod. I had an extreme low on Jan 20,2011 and woke my husband up having a grand mal seizure. I was seizing so hard that my left shoulder was dislocated by my headboard and it broke the big bone in the top of my arm. I had surgery with steel rod placement and my shoulder had to be entirely reconstructed with cadaver bone. It took 6 myths of therapy up get the use back. I went to bed with a very normal sugar and had eat a snack before bedtime. My sugar dropped very quickly and I’m wondering now if it may have been a pump or infusion set defect.

    Posted on June 30, 2015 at 8:05 pm

  • Julie says:

    I am a 58 year old female with Type 1 Brittle Diabetes. For over a month now, my blood sugars have been very high (over 400 – 588) and I always count carbs at meals to try to keep my sugars at a decent range. My symptoms were nausea,headaches and general malaise. I could feel/hear my heart just pumping like crazy. Because of the high sugars, I went through 3x the amount of insulin than normal. My average daily insulin usage is normally between 6-10 units. Obviously I’ve had to change my insets more often, and have found the cannula bent quite a lot.
    I heard about the recall on my local news last night. It’s extremely concerning and aim worries about DKAI have an appointment with my Endocrinologist in 10 days, will discuss with her at that time.

    Posted on October 3, 2017 at 10:11 am

  • Taisha says:

    My sister passed away in May 2017 The last day I laid eyes on her she was fine,she was being her usual self days later I get the news that she passed I deeply feel it had to do with Medtronic midimed pump.

    Posted on January 8, 2019 at 6:43 am

  • Jason says:

    Well Medtronic… You still haven’t fixed the quick-set problem.
    Does anybody else have quick sets that just “fall-off”?
    I have now had 14ea of these that just simply fall off due to a manufacturing defect.
    The little blue arrows which are visible for you to align your quick-set and turn it until it “clicks” into place are supposed to hold it firmly in place until you squeeze it and twist it to release it, are not holding the cannula in place, allowing it to literally, fall off and just hang wherever gravity takes it.
    I have great results with the MM when everything works properly.
    Unfortunately, the quick-set has a defect from the manufacturing facility.
    I have had to call Medtronic multiple times due to this failure.
    Their response is, “we’ll send you a box with a return label so it can be examined”.
    I have returned 2 of the 14ea defective quick-sets and am currently waiting for the 3rd to be sent to me for yet another return.
    Medtronic has been good about providing replacements, but there has been no follow up regarding their evaluation of the defective units I have returned to them for evaluation.
    What I am now doing, is squeezing the sides of the unused infusion set, spinning it to release it and returning it to it’s original position which should secure it in place, before I remove it completely from the original packaging. If the infusion set does not “lock” into place, i call MM immediately and insist they send me a return box so they can have their defective product back.
    Notice to all… read the package… it is NOT made in the USA…

    Posted on March 19, 2019 at 9:36 am

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