Insulin Pump Users

I don’t remember if I’ve intro. myself. I’ve been IDDM for 16.5
years. Complicated by thyroid issues for about 13 years. Been on the
pump for almost 4 years. Just recently upgraded to the MM508. My
blood sugars have always (and still do) bounced a lot. Part of the
problem is that I have some autonomic dysfunction which causes my
adrenal system to over-react, so when I have a low sugar my system
overcompensates and I tend to follow shortly with a high. This is
much better with the pump, although still an issue.

Anyway, my question is (although my control is acceptable) does
anyone have suggestions on refiguring basals and bolus ratios when
you can’t get through a 24 hr. period without a low (or high). I know
that the recommendation in Pumping Insulin is to do the testing
following a "normal" day. I NEVER meet that requirement.

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Chrissy, you might’ve gotten a ton of answers already (I’m on digest)
but yes, the 508 DOES let you bolus during a square wave. It won’t let
you do anything else, though, which is occasionally a nuisance — if I
want to check my units-remaining total or whatever, I have to stop the
square-wave and re-start it. Or else just wait till it finishes, and
then wonder what it was I meant to do after the beep… <g>

Laurie

www.authorspotlights.com/campbell

I am in the process of collecting anecdotal information about Endos and
other caregivers who are either not in favor of the pump for whatever
reason, or offer what might be considered poor advice. In other words,
I am trying to develop data which could be used to show that there
exists a significant group of professionals not up to the standard we
think is necessary for good care.

I have noted many allusions to this problem on the list over the past
year or so. Anyone who would care to offer comments, please email me
personally (or post them, if of general interest) with anything you can
offer. I may be in a position to get significant publicity on this
topic in a professional journal, if enough data can be developed to make
a case.

Wow, could I identify with everything you mentioned! After 41 years with
no complications, I couldn’t see why 3 shots would make my life better
– and told my husband, "I’d rather PUMP than do THAT."

This group was (and still is) tremendous at providing all the pumping
input you could ever want. But what really resonated with me was your
feeling of, "look, I’ve been getting by just fine for a long time so why
rock the boat?"

As much as I appreciate the pump, I _miss_ that feeling of long-time
competence (although frozen shoulder’s my only complication so far, and
I learned about THAT from this group). But it’s astonishing how much new
information is out there, which long-timers don’t always get because
we’re so used to taking care of ourselves and having more years of
experience than the doctors.
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Jonathan, thanks for reporting your abcess experience. I was like you,
never realized how bad things could get, and now I’m gonna take way more
precautions than before. While I’m sorry my learning came at your
expense, I REALLY appreciate your speaking up about it!

Laurie, who doesn’t believe "potential risks" until they actually happen
to somebody

www.authorspotlights.com/campbell

Hi. I’m new to this conference, but not diabetes. I’ve been
diabetic for, oh, 42.5 years. I live near Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
I teach
and do art photography and digital imaging.
I feel young, look good and, as one of the member’s noted recently,
thought that I was doing so well that I was fairly indestructible.
Not so, of course. Since last Spring I’ve learned that I have some
neuropathy in my feet, but not bad. My sugars have been all over the
place. The neuropathist suggested a book called THE DIABETIC
SOLUTION by Bernstein. It has its own diet solution to controlling
blood sugars, but what was most important to me was its explanation
of the difference between Type 1 and 2 diabetes, and, more
especially, how this malady works on the body. Insidious little
bugger.

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Pfutzner A, Berger S, Spinas G

[Medline record in process]

Since the publication of the DCCT results, intensive insulin treatment,
including continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII), has been
considered one of the best methods for near-normal insulin delivery. The
development of new, robust and easily programmable insulin pumps has led to
readier acceptance of this therapy by physicians and patients. In clinical
trials, CSII was found to be superior to multiple daily injection regimens in
many cases. Patients with unsatisfactory glucose control, frequent
hypoglycaemic events, and otherwise uncontrollable morning rises of blood
glucose may in particular benefit from insulin pump therapy. Glucose control
can even be improved in CSII if insulin lispro is used instead of regular
human insulin, as demonstrated in many clinical investigations. Possible side
(more…)

I left an infusion site in for five days (I normally change after
three). It has been very sore since I changed it three days ago. In
fact, the tissue under my skin is very hard (feels like a rock
underneath my skin) with about an inch diameter. It is painful to the
touch.

Is this normal? Has anyone ever encountered this?

Thanks,

Jonathan

My 13 year old daughter (diabetic since 18 months) started on a
Minimed 508 in October. We are having lots of problems getting things
regulated, especially in the AM. I read somewhere that to properly
set the basal rate, you can fast for a meal, and do readings every
hour. We mentioned this to our diabetic pump educator, and she said
she had never heard of such a thing. Is this a good way to go to set
the basal properly? Anybody have any insight on this?

The following news article could effect the possible strides that have
occurred recently in Diabetes research.

Bush opposes some cell research

Unclear whether he will act to stop certain stem-cell studies

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4 — President-elect George W. Bush’s spokesman said on
Thursday he opposes federal funding for fetal tissue research that uses
discarded human embryos but did not say whether Bush would move to stop such
research.
IT WAS UNCLEAR whether Bush actively plans to reverse National Institutes of
Health (NIH) guidelines issued in August that would allow government
researchers to use such cells from discarded embryos provided by private
researchers.
(more…)