Insulin Pump Users

More on cold storage of batteries:

The web site below seems to answer the question definitively. As the
temperature drops, so does the voltage available, and the
internal resistance increases. Thus, depending on the pump specifications,
performance will be affected by reduced temperature.
I have asked MiniMed to supply specific information on this topic.

The second chart below suggests that shelf life is extended significantly by
storage at reduced temperatures. If the batteries are
to be used within a year or so, it does not seem that the effect is significant.
However, for longer periods (like 5 years) the
effect is major.

David

On Refrigerating Batteries:

I thought that this topic has sufficient interest from this list to do some
research about what the technical literature says on the
topic. With the assistance of a physicist friend, we have determined the
following:

1. Perry’s Chemical Engineering Handbook.

There is no discussion about storage temperature, but when the go through the
thermodynamics it is clear that the voltage is
affected by temperature by virtue of the second law in which the term TdS
appears in the general energy equation. This is probably
valid during operation, and not storage.

(more…)

Hello,
Sue from Sydney here. I don’t post very often usually just read and
take in the information. But the other nigh I had to put new
batteries into my MiniMed 507, took them out of the refrigerator and
put the new one in and all the alarms went off and the screen went
blank. Took batteries out and waited 1 hour and put them in again
and some weird lettering appeared and alarms (like I have never heard
before went off. Contacted MiniMed Rep. and was told they would have
a replacement pump to me the next day so injected that afternoon and
night. When I got up the following morning decided to try putting in
the batteries again and everything was fine, except that all memory
had gone, time came up at 12:00, basals all gone and no memory of
last doses. It has been fine for the last 2 days so cancelled the
replacement machine. MiniMed Rep. suggested that it could have been
from moisture on batteries and it took overnight to dry out. I have
(more…)

Since diabetes is an auto-immune disease the following is good to know…..

Glandular,… you are right that many glandular diseases can be started by
auto-immune responses. That is all-ready
decided in the embryo. The developing embryo has three layers of cells; the
ectoderm giving rise to skin and nerves, then the mesoderm, it becomes
muscles, blood, arteries, veins and the heart. The third layer, the
endoderm gives rise to the lining of the stomach and intestines and related
glands and organs, including, YES the pancreas, thyroid gland and gastric
parietal cells. It appears that the immune systems of some people, for
reasons yet unknown, attack RELATED tissues. These are referred to as
clusters. So, we have to watch out for thyroid disease and adrenal gland
disease and any other related gland diseases as well. Not everybody reacts
to this but many do.

Does anyone know about the minimed 511 and if this new pump will becoming
out soon? I am looking at the D-tron or the 508 . I like the idea of rmote
for the 508 but the d- tron sounds like a better motor, better delivery
system less cloging no static electric problems and waterproof. HELP!

So far, so good. I’ve been ranging from 70 to 130 since Friday. My basal rate is
set very low (.2 units per hour) because I am still in the honeymoon phase. I’ve
been checking my blood glucose levels every two hours to ensure that the basal
rate is okay, and that I’m counting my carbs accurately.

I was discharged from the hospital Saturday morning. My wife and I went to a
movie and dinner last night. It was so nice to be able to control my insulin
intake immediately, instead of waiting to "settle up" later. Movie
popcorn…push the buttons to deliver 2 units. Appetizer at dinner…1 unit.
Dinner entree…3 units. Dessert…2 units. My 2-hour post meal reading was 103!

It feels fine. I have no problem inserting the infusion set. The biggest thing
to get over is stretching with the tape in place. I may have to shave my abdomen
to find more places sites without having the tape pull out the hair. I slept
just fine with it clipped to my PJs.
(more…)

BASH:
Started setting up the room Wed. eve. after mid-week service. Just some
tables, but it was a job (for the young men who helped). Went over Thurs.
afternoon and stayed until 8:30 p.m. laying out the display, putting cloths
on cardtables, etc. A professional trio volunteered to provide live music. I
got to bawl a lot at their rehearsal so when they really sang, I could
ignore them and do other stuff. Couldn’t handle it otherwise. 8^,,,,( Went
Friday to *finish* up (HA!) from 3:00-8:30. Today I looked at the display
table and saw a bottle of hairspray sitting there and knew I wasn’t anywhere
finished. LOL

I got my sleeping pills (30 Ambien) Rx filled. Pharmacist said my ins. co.
said I had 14 pills left. Huh? New Rx! No, 14 and it’s $40 co-pay. I asked
what it was if ins. didn’t pay. $40.69!!! I said I couldn’t do it, I needed
only one for last night. He gave me ONE. 8^)
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Jan, it’ll be fun thinking of you this weekend amidst all the fun of your
big event…here’s hoping everything goes wonderfully!

Laurie, wishing Indiana were a two-hour drive from Phoenix

I forget which one is the guitar pickin’ pumper, but a newly-dx’d DMer has
sore fingers from getting poked so much and wants to know a method to pick
the guitar without a lot of pain. Any help here?
Thanks
Jan