Before I get started on the pump….
I have just been approved for the MiniMed 508 Pump… I have been
taking about 20U of Humalog before meals and 20U of Humulin N before
bed, and my blood sugars are not under good control. Also, I’m just
getting started with Carb Counting.
Question to Pumpers is: Knowing what you know now, what advice would
you give to someone who is just getting started with Carb Counting
and with the Pump???
July 12th, 2006 at 6:21 pm
I have been on the pump for approx. 4 months. One of the things I
find very helpful is my carb. counting book, it has fast food
listings and some other resturants .When you are checking the carbs
on food you have at home make sure you note the number of serving in
the container along with what the amount of one serving is. Make sure
you keep good records of what you are eating and you bg after eating.
I still have high bg when I eat chinese food since my husband loves
it I eat it about once a month but keep on trying something different
to determine how to keep my bg in line.
When I first went on the pump around 3 or 4 a.m. I heard a beeping
sound and could not finger it out. Then i relaized it was my pump
beeping -It seems that if I don’t touch the pump in an 8 hr period it
will beep so I know just touch the light button just before going to
bed and it is happy.
Good luck to you. I think you will be happy with the pump and see
better bg.
Mary
July 12th, 2006 at 10:12 pm
<< When I first went on the pump around 3 or 4 a.m. I heard a beeping
sound and could not finger it out. Then i relaized it was my pump
beeping -It seems that if I don’t touch the pump in an 8 hr period it
will beep so I know just touch the light button just before going to
bed and it is happy.
>>
Thats so if you had passed out or something if you dont touch any buttons for
a certain period of time the pump will quit giving you insulin. At least
thats what I was told. Chrissy
July 13th, 2006 at 8:57 am
To start with, READ! The labels on foods are an excellent source for the carb
amounts. Also, to start, be sure to measure everything. Pretty soon, you
won’t need to do this, and you’ll get pretty good at "eyeballing" half a cup,
etc. And finally, get one (or more) books that list the amount of carbs.
Many of these now even have listings for fast food places. And speaking of
eating out, be sure to ask the waitress what is in something or how it is
prepared if you don’t know. If you let them know it’s for medical reasons,
they are usually cooperative, even with "secret" recipes.
Patrick
The NC bluegrass pickin’ pumper
July 13th, 2006 at 5:46 pm
If you read your manual, you should be able to disable that function of an
alarm if untouched for xx hours. - Or, I think it can be increased. My 2nd
pump that I used for 9 years had that function and the purpose back then was
so *all that insulin* wouldn’t be going into you without you paying attention.
We had only one basal option then, too. There was no such thing as basal
fasting and adjusting rates. I did/do not use that function on my 3rd and 4th
pumps. (~_^)
July 14th, 2006 at 1:54 am
> Also, to start, be sure to measure everything. Pretty soon, you
> won’t need to do this, and you’ll get pretty good at "eyeballing" half a
cup,
> etc.
> Patrick
A half a cup is the size of a tennis ball; an oz. of cheese is the size of a
ping-pong ball; a deck of cards is the size of 3 oz. skinless/boneless
chicken; an average size fist is the size of a cup; an older-style mayo lid
(about 3" dia) is a 3 oz. hamburger (cooked); a slice of cold cuts is 1 oz.
(~_^)
July 14th, 2006 at 6:43 am
<< I did/do not use that function on my 3rd and 4th
pumps. (~_^)
>>
Jan,
My CDE said that that was in case you were unconcious (rare) so that if you
hadnt touched your pump in awhile it would stop the insulin delivery. Cause
if you had passed out from low sugar you wouldnt want more insulin to
continue to pump. I know this occurance is rare but I wouldnt want more
insulin pumping if this happened to me. Chrissy
July 14th, 2006 at 6:09 pm
If it’s set for 8hrs (or 10, 12, etc.) and you were passed out - wouldn’t by
the time it alarmed already be too late? Besides the liver will dump glucagon
(glycogen?) into your system and that’s why many people wake up high. If
basals are set correctly a person should be okay. When this alarm feature was
*new* on my 2nd pump my D.E. (no Certifieds back then) wouldn’t even talk
about it to new pumpers but promoted the Eugly pumps without the bells and
whistles. But back then people were *victims* of *runaway* insulin and they
wanted to make sure there was a stop feature. Pumps used to deliver insulin at
meal times, too - forcing a person to eat to match the clock. I can certainly
see the problem if one was sleeping in and the insulin was delivering for a
meal and they weren’t awake to eat. That would take up the 8 hours until
alarming. WE eat when we want to now and match the carbs to insulin. (~_^)
July 14th, 2006 at 10:59 pm
<< WE eat when we want to now and match the carbs to insulin. (~_^ >>
Oh thats interesting. Thanks. Chrissy
July 15th, 2006 at 6:54 pm
A little side note:
According to health care professionals, theoretically speaking, if you go
low, yes the liver will pump glycogen. But, if you have a low amount stored
by the liver and/or have been low for long enough to use up that "reserve,"
then you can still hypo.
If your basal rate(s) is (are) not set at a high amount, then even over an 8
hr period, you would be talking only a few units given out total, and then
not all at one time. Without insulin going in, the body naturally raises the
blood sugar level by using itself for fuel (this is why ketoacidosis can
develop without any or with too little insulin or if food intake is too
little for too long, and why when pumping checking urine for ketones when
+250 glucose level for more that 2 unexplained readings is so vital. If
tubing were clogged or reservoir empty and you hadn’t set correct reservoir
amount to get alert to low amount, since there’s no intermediate or long
acting insulin being used, only Humalog, ketoacidosis could develop in as
short a period of time as 4 hours).
Had asked about this when Hubby and I had looked over the MiniMed 508
features.
Marj
July 16th, 2006 at 10:49 am
<<
Question to Pumpers is: Knowing what you know now, what advice would
you give to someone who is just getting started with Carb Counting
and with the Pump??? >>
Be patient with yourself and learn all you can…time is on your
side…Joan:))