Insulin Pump Users

I went to see an endocrinologist about going on the insulin pump. She was
not 100% sure that it would be a good idea for me right now because she felt
my current insulin regimen wasn’t working for me and my diet is pretty
unruly (this I knew). She felt I needed to get on a better tract with the
insulin & carbo counting before considering me for the pump. My question is
this-were any of you told this prior to going on the pump? Were you on
multiple injections for awhile first? Were you carbo counting as well? I do
not doubt her wisdom -she is a very good Dr in NYC’s top hospital and has
many patients on the pump. However, I am wondering where some of you were at
before using the pump. I guess I assumed the pump corrected the "right
insulin regime" issue but I guess not. I am working on counting carbs rather
than calories and we’ve made some cahnges in the insulin.I am eager to use
the pump. It sounds like you all like the pump.-Rachel

And… this came in following:

FYI

I just tried to order the wizdom kit for my son. He has had diabetes
for 3 years and is 4 yrs old. The ADA told me that this is only for
newly diagnosed 11 - 16 year olds.

I got the following from another list:

The director of the camp mentioned that the ADA
was sending out diabetes kits for kids. The kits have information about
diabetes, but also some pretty cool games. One item looked like a good set
of juggling balls.

Chrissy,
I usually know them as Service Dogs. They are trained to serve their human
in remarkable ways - pick up things, alert knocks on the door, phone calls,
and lots more that Gail can tell you. I know Glory was $5,000. A beautiful
dog.
Jan

I just returned today from St. Louis to San Francisco, and when checking through
the airline security station at St. Louis, the alarm went off; the security
person standing there said immediately:

"No problem, this person has an insulin pump. Check the second station,
please."

I was directed to a second detector opening, and I passed through with no
problem.

I asked the security person how he knew I had a pump. His answer: "I am a Med
Tech as well as an inspector".

The pump was in my pocket, and I don’t think the tubing was visible, but he
figured it out immediately.
(more…)

Diabetes2000, The last about type 1
from this conference.

Diabetes is still in the whining phase. I just
finished reading a terrible article in the Western
Journal of Medicine. It was about the heroic
attitude of a man who had diabetes early in
the last century who went blind before he died
but got a great letter from Elliott Joslin
commending him for his attitude for the 30
good years before he went blind.

Get over it! That was history. History means it
is in the past - not now. I run into people
electronically and in the office every day who
(more…)

This came to me from an insulin pumper:

Lancets for Dinner, Anyone?

A few months ago, I moved a few of my Rx’s to a national
mail-order pharmacy. The scrip’s were for a new lancet
device, B-D Ultrafine II Lancets and control solution. One
of the "value added" services was an information sheet for
each product, which properly noted the name of the item sent
and which contained the following excerpts - same for all
three items [my editorial comments are noted in brackets]:

"Common Uses: ..used to treat high blood pressure"
[Presumably all those finger sticks helps to lower the blood
pressure -might help if you check bg’s every few minutes.]
(more…)

I just discovered this site last tonight and read through some of the
encouraging posts by experienced users. My brand new Disentronic H
arrived today. Just looking through the box with packs and packs of
tubes, needles, and misc. parts is very intimidating. I’m sure all
the pieces will fit together eventually. Just have to start with
Step 1 on page 1. Meanwhile, I’ll keep reading your posts and can’t
wait to get it up and running.
Linda

I am sure you are not all tea-totalers out there….

I would like a more definitive guide on how to sucessfully (occasionally) alter
my moods with alcohol. My main weakness is for microbrews, though often my wife
and I will split a bottle of wine. I know the beers are full of calories, yet it
seems all carbo-counting guides don’t let you include alcohol. I am also aware
of the rule: Go to bed with a glucose of at least 150 if you have alcohol on
board. I know the phisiology behind the rule.

What I would really like to see is a guide that would be specific for your
favorite poison on how to avoid glucose highs and lows.

Scott
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much room….

I’m cleaning out my *delete* file and came across this snip. For my BASH
(for newbies - I’m having an *event* to celebrate 50 years of life and
survival since dx - 11/00), an e-pal loaned me a book on DM she got on E-bay
printed in 1923. It says:
Part II contains an account of the different types of Diabetes Mellitus
and of the methods of distinguishing them, and an account of the treatment
of the disease.
A chapter has been added on the use of unsulin. It is much too early to be
certain about the best way of using insulin, but it is thought right to give
a provisional account at this stage of our knowledge.

And, as they say, the rest is history…..