Insulin Pump Users

I have been getting alot of replies to my postings, and things that are said
are positive encouragement.

BG’s still a bit out of whack, but I do not think it is anything to really do
with the infusion set. I couldn’t ask for it to be any more comfortable.

I am finding that Anything out of the ordinary seems to raise my sugar. I
just started a new job at a different school and I have been working
basically from 7 AM until about 9 or 10 at night. That is providing a lot of
stress. Although I feel very comfortable with the pump decision, it is not
helping the stress level.

I was really excited the first three days.

I started out with a .7 basal rate. Threw several reactions, but since I had
my carb tablets and was checking several times, that was not a problem. Did
lower to .6 and that ended the reactions. Now, I am having high BG’s and
have had to take a couple of the conventional injections.

The site changes have gone well, but the sugars are still out of whack. I
have not eaten much over the past couple of days.

And yes, I have been in contact with my doctor.

Starting to get a little discouraged. I was having better control with MDI.
I know it is way too early to let it bother me. I am sure things will work
themselves out.
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Boy, what an interesting bunch of digests!

I enjoyed all the responses to the "sneaking food" dilemma — every
thought I had while reading the original request was quickly posted by
someone else, along with some brilliant ideas I never would’ve come up
with.

Bart, congratulations on your startup…I hope it’s still going well!

Arlene, how did your return trip go (if in fact you flew home)?

Jan, I grinned at your description of meeting a fellow pumper!

Today is my two-month pumping anniversary, and I’m amazed both at how
fully it’s integrated into my life AND at how many things I still don’t
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Found this interesing… any ideas

Child Pumper Crisis: Sneaking Food

I have a five year old daughter, Dx’d 12/99, that went
on the pump mid-July. Since she is the first child her
age in her Endo group, they didn’t have any history to
start her out on ratio’s and such. Because of this,
they have been very conservative and slow about making
changes. As of today, we are still experimenting with
her ratio’s. When we approached my daughter about the
pump (she wanted one when I received mine, but we
wanted to make sure of her decision), we told her she
could have alot of treats she couldn’t have now, at
times, in-between meals she couldn’t do before. As
(more…)

I have a five year old daughter, Dx’d 12/99, that went
on the pump mid-July. Since she is the first child her
age in her Endo group, they didn’t have any history to
start her out on ratio’s and such. Because of this,
they have been very conservative and slow about making
changes. As of today, we are still experimenting with
her ratio’s. When we approached my daughter about the
pump (she wanted one when I received mine, but we
wanted to make sure of her decision), we told her she
could have alot of treats she couldn’t have now, at
times, in-between meals she couldn’t do before. As
soon as she started the pump she, of course, wanted to
start eating donuts, and treats immediately.
Unfortunately, they took away her snacks to try to set
the Basil ratio, and this gave her alot of anxiety. My
(more…)

I started with my pump therapy today. I went in expecting to start with a
saline solution today, but found out I would actually start with the insulin
today.

So far, everything seems to be as if it were meant to be. The insurance
approved it quickly. The insertions are less painful than my finger pricks.
My endocrinologist is one of the best diabetes specialist in the area (also a
pump wearer herself).

This is the first day of having to deal with the actual infusion site, but I
do not seem to have any problem yet, after having it inserted 16hours at this
point.

I do not expect everything to be perfect, but it seems that I am off to a
good start. A positive start is always good. I am sure it is because I took
(more…)

A vent or update of sorts on the *Fake* agency we have come up with on this
United Way speaking opportunity I told about a week or so ago. We met with
the VP again today, but first had lunch at a nursing home with my friend’s
friend so she could see how I wear my pump. The friend will be wearing a
TENS unit and didn’t know how. Like me, she doesn’t want to use a clip. At
lunch another resident ate with us. They saw me bolus and this lady said her
son has DM since 7 y/o, 36 now. She wondered why he didn’t know about
pumps - and his doctor happens to be my first nephrologist who threw me out
for not continuing with his Rx of Captopril due to it making me so ill.
This young man is on dialysis and is a double amputee. I cried later - that
could be me!!! 50 years of this is overwhelming, to say the least!!!!!!!!

I think Laurie was right. I came across this in the MiniMed pump magazine.
If Miss A really believed DM was the best thing that ever happened to her,
she wouldn’t have felt like she had lost her freedom forever. Yep, it was a
*marketing ploy.*
"Immediately after I went on the pump, I felt as if I had been given
a precious gift — the gift of life. I gained a sense of freedom that I
thought I had lost forever." Nicole Johnson, Miss America 1999

Having used the Life Scan Profile for several years now, I am finding it hard
to change. I received the accu check complete the other day. Was not
expecting it. I have not really had time to really get into it. At fist
glimpse, it seems a little complicated.

Would like to hear from others who use this and your critique.

Thanks,
Bart

This is my first week on the pump and to keep records of meds, carbs,
and blood sugars, etc. I’ve been using copies of a form given to me
by the CDE. It’s a standard-size sheet of paper and not real
convenient to carry around. I sure would welcome some suggestions to
make record keeping easier. Do you use notebooks or are logbooks
written for use with pumps available? Are there any computer
programs I could use to keep records? Will I always need to write
down every detail–or just in these first few weeks? I’m so glad to
finally be getting started. I wish I had done this years ago.
Thanks. Linda