Pumping!

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Well its been an educational afternoon here at pump HQ!

"The Contour" distresses me somewhat. It sounds more like a womans sanitary product rather than a state of the art BM machine with transmmitter???

I have unwrapped everything, fiddled a bit and put it back in its box without using it. Perhaps Im just not ready for it yet. The user guide could cause a brain haemorrage, making your blood glucose the least of your problems. Perhaps I am overdosing on instruction manuals this week?

The remote control= interesting. U can only scroll up to easy bolus and have to 'Escape' if you go over the dose you want. This is judged by listening to the beeps go up in sequence equating to each increment. I would definately feel unsafe using this until I become more pump savy. Too much too soon for me so thats also gone back in the box too!

The medtronic manual I have been reading and I am taking note. Avoid electrostatic electricity, like lightening strikes etc and electricution........dammit! I am trying hard to concentrate on the more useful parts. I am abit confused by so many different variations of bolus but I am hoping this all gets easier over the comming days. We are doing Bolus Wizzard in clinic on Monday so hopefully that will get me going.

....back to the rest of the manual. It helps me avoid the housework 😉
 
Hi Sugarbum

I back off my hols and just catching up with everyone here. Have read your thread and you have really made me chuckle! I love they way your sense of humour comes through as you describe your experience so far! It is so good to see the funny side of things. I am glad that all seems to be going generally well so far. How are the nights now? That is the bit that concerns me about my son - will it distrub his sleep. Mind you, I think kids sleep much deeper that us adults.

Like the photos too! 🙂

Please keep posting. I am so keen to hear how you getting on and i wish you continued good luck! We will be able to compare notes soon. My son gets connected on Tue! Gulp! 😱

Don't ever lose your sense of humour! It is a great tonic. Thank you! 🙂
 
Hi Mand! et al!

Glad to hear you are back and had a good holiday, I was just about to read your holiday! I hope it has refreshed you all in anticipation of the big even on tuesday....😱

I am on the saline at the mo, tomorrow is the big switch over! We have our instructions, vial out of the fridge the night before (check), evening Lantus reduced by 50% (check)......oh, and how bizarre, hopefully my last evening lantus! That evening Lantus is the least fave of my diabetes things I have to do so I wont be at all sorry to see the back of that.

Today I went shopping and bought 2 cases/holders for my insulin pump. As you may have noticed their isnt a great amount of accessories on this side of the pond. If you want to have a look I bought two Golla mobile phone holders with caribos (? spelling!), pretty funky and then I just bought another on eBay this evening...www.golla.com if you think you might want to accessorise! I got mine in HMV.

I am sleeping better thanks Mand. The last 2 nights I clipped it to my knickers and slept well. Think the exhastion was a counter factor though.

So I am setting up here with the insuling at 0800 tomorrow, chaning the set and reserviour and then Im meeting for pump clinic at 9.45am. I will let you know how it goes!

Chat to you tomorow, but just in case I forget to mention, GOOD LUCK FOR TUESDAY!

Love lou x
 
Lou, just wanted to wish you all the best for tomorrow morning - hope all goes smoothly!🙂
 
yeah same here good luck for tomorrow x
 
Good morning Lou! Today is your big day! Hope your switchover goes well this morning! Look forward to reading about it later.

Tonight is my son's 50% reduction of Levemir, ready for his 9.30am pump start tomorrow. So we are right in there with you! Thanks for tips re accessories.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU FOR TODAY !!!!!!!!!!

🙂🙂🙂🙂
 
Sugarbum/rumpy pumpy,

Just to wish you a smooth day and hope you dont worry too much! If you have time let us know how it all goes today - i am taking it all in and getting loads of tips etc, although Alex wont do the saline start- so full-on insulin from day one! Cant wait. Good news that you have found a way to sleep without worrying about the pump!🙂Bev x
 
tataa Lantus, its been emotional

Hi all.

Many thanks for your good wishes!

I set up in my kitchen last night, put it all together and it went smoothly, full set change, cannula and reservoir, excellent! Then after I had eaten, bolused and was happy I WENT TO INJECT WITH THE PEN! I stopped myself in the neck of time, but theres something I hadnt thought about.....(without making myself sound like THAT nurse) but remembering not to inject. I didnt see that one coming! I will keep my voice down in case "Birk-in-head" thinks Im addicted to the good stuff!

Setting the vial up of insulin this morning was actually easy, much less messy than the saline which actually doesnt fit the needle to draw it up, so I changed the set, reservoir and bolused this morning without having a drama! I took half my lantus last night and woke up 12.4mmols, fine. Kept my 2:1 ratio and toddled off to the clinic.

I have been feeling fine with this, but yes it is reasonably unsettling. I use that word rather than stressfull as it isnt really stressfull for me. Put simply, its just change of everything you are used to! To me it is incomparable with starting injections and I remember that quite well, this is easier and the emotions are completely different. The experiences within the group have been different and for some it is harder than others obviously. I was warned this is like being dianosed all over again and I was very cautious waiting for the car-crash of emotions and my life to recommence the diagnosis 'turmoil' Part 2, but it hasnt happened (yet)......

......Oops I was just interupted there by my DSN doing a phone check, ahem! Could everyone step aside please? I need to push my way past to the top of the class! Huzzzah! She is happy. Next phone check at 10pm this evening (actually I forgot to do my 4pm because I was playing with all the free skins she gave me- ssSSh!). Yes, the pump is now pretty like a green leaf 😉. Yes thats right, I am 32 going on 12...

Today in clinic we did Bolus Wizzard and added in the Contour BM machine which bluetooths in your readings, a refresher on carb counting with the dietician and a lot of troubleshooting. Is it a coincidence that in the medtronic manual the "Rule of 15" (different treatment of hypos on pump) is on page 15, and "When things go wrong" is Chapter 13? 😱

Homework!
I have been told today to eat on even hours only- how does such a simple instruction monumentally mess with my mind?

Bolus wizzard- although do not use it all the time and ensure manual bolus.

"Step away from the needles"!( that was for you Birk-in-head!)


Hope you are all well. Thanks again for your support.

Love Louisa Medtronic 🙂
(just trying it out for size, its got more pazazz than my current surname I can asure you).

PS.

Bev... Great to hear things are moving with the pump. I am intrigued to know why Alex wouldnt get a saline trial if its ok to ask? I had 5 days and it was definately to my advantage. Lots of time to button press and practise bolusing etc. And to make mistakes...

Mand- may I offer a tip? Get your test strip supplies in now! I wasnt warned and the requirements are 2 hourly testing. Also I have made an appointment for my GP to change my prescription and its next week 😡 so I can add on vials of novorapid and get the new contour test strips. I should have been forward thinking and anticipated this last week. There are so many bases to cover in this game hey?!
 
Hi Louisa Medtronic (pretty good, i think!)

Fantastic post! Very positive and made me lol as i just love your sense of humour! I am absolutely delighted for you that all has gone well today. Well done you! Hope it continues well for you! I have everything crossed for you.

I understand what you mean about waiting for impact of 'starting again'. I think that is why i feel a little emotional because we were told it was like starting again and, emotionally, it took me back to two years ago and the shock and grief for my son etc etc. Anyway, i am so pleased for you that it has been a good experience so far. I guess they mean 'starting again' as in having to work out your insulin requirements.

Thanks for tip re strips! Will get stocked up!

Keep posting! Keep smiling! 🙂🙂
 
Hi Mand and Sugarbum

I have to confess, when E put in his first set at clinic, I had to fight not to cry. It felt *so* like seeing him do his first injections at hospital...
 
Hi all,

Slightly out of sorts this morning as I had a hypo last night 2.9mmols at 2:50am. Havent had one of those in a while! I gave myself an extra correctional bouls when my DSN called last night at 10pm and I think that was the offending bit of insulin. I am guessing (I had a large mash, meat and runner beans with a thin gravy) that this could be where Patricias street talk might come in, with some "dual waving" or "square waving", but we havent moved on to that yet.

I didnt abide by the new rule of 15, treating hypos on pump (it could be said I adopted my own rule of 85). After inital treatment I continues then to fill my face with 70gms of carbs as well. I was told yesterday in clinic you dont treat hypos with long acting carbs anymore.....I find this completely bizarre and unsettling. I may deviate from these rules (well, I did actually) but I had to do what I felt needed doing. I was feeling pretty dreadful as I hadnt been low like that in a while, I also live alone so Id rather "cover" myself so to speak and correct later. I would be interested what you as pumpers and parents do?

Anyway, good side is the corrections on this gizmo seem to work really well. Woke at 15.4 at 8am and corrected with a small 1.7u correctional dose (as insulin on board) and at 10am I am 10.9. For this time of day I cant imagine that control with a pen injection and then seeing the effect.

So great to hear this morning of Admins baby and also to think that Mand and son are in clinic- all very exciting. I am looking forward to her post this afternoon if she has a chance.

Hope you all well xXx
 
Hi

Oh dear poor you.

However there really is no need to have any long acting carbs for a hypo, just quick acting. Once you are back up so long as you know why you had a hypo and I believe you have discovered that you could have some free carbs but only about 10 cho maximum, more than that and you will go high as you did.

If J (my daughter) is about 4.5 and needs a boost, I may give her 10 free carbs but that's it.

Mash potato generally is like sugar, quite a quick acting carb. Don't forget everyone is different though. I have one friend where mash is just fine. For J is shoots her up immediately. A jacket is a slower release. Pasta and rice you will have to experiment and the general rule of thumb is start with 50/50 over 2 hours on a dual wave and see what happens. For pasta most people end up with a 30/70 over 3 or 4 hours. We don't though, J needs the whole bolus and then I have to set a temp basal of 160% for 2 hours for some reason.

You'll get there, just don't panic. I said to Patricia that the best thing my DSN said to us was 'trust your pump'. That is easier said than done but once you trust the pump it all clicks into place. You then won't start worrying about long acting carbs etc etc.


By the way the new way of dealing with hypos on BB (MDI) is no long acting as well, just quick acting like the pump. I don't recommend anyone does this until you have spoken to your team but that is what should be being practiced for people newly going on BB.

Well done, you are doing just fine.

🙂
 
Thanks Adrienne!

I havent had a hypo like that for a while so will be better prepared for the next here-on in. I do love my pump so I need to take your advice and trust it a little!

Thanks for mentioning the "free carbs" and reminding me of that. I need to revisit all these things and give it a bit more thought.

Thanks Adrienne for your reply,
Lou x
 
Hi

Don't know what you use as a hypo treatment Lou, but lucozade is the quickest by far followed closely by coke. We have started to try and use Sprite as it has to be better for you than coke. Lucozade is too fast for J (bit complicated but due to her little bit of pancreas left which wakes up at the most inopportune moments) so we use coke which is not good really but what can you do.
 
Oh dear Sugarbum sorry about the hypo :(. Big shame for you.

BUT like MDI or anything, there's so much learning involved...Confess we were totally freaked out when we started treating hypos with fast acting only -- yikes! But the point is the basal should hold you there. Our dietician explained it well: MDI at the moment must overload the background insulin in order to work at all and spread things out...SO a hypo requires a further boost of slow carb to absorb this extra background floating around. With a pump, there is theoretically no extra so no slow carb needed. We have certainly found this to be true, albeit unsettling. It may not 'feel' right yet for you either because your basal rates are in early stages still -- so obviously you need to do what you think feels right -- you know yourself. But our team made clear that the adjustment from slow to fast only was sometimes difficult.

We're finding a box of apple juice works extremely well for a hypo treatment, and one E prefers as he often gets thirsty and doesn't like fizzy at all. And they are portable!

It may be worth too asking your team about night levels at the moment. We are finally finding that bedtime levels of 6 are fine to leave -- but at first, we wouldn't go lower than 7, and would give some free carb. Another suggestion we've had from our team is to have more free carb (eg 20g or so) but bolus 10 of it or whatever, just to cover the extra and boost the levels a little.

Take heart Sugarbum. All will be well.

xxoo
 
Sorry to hear about your hypo, Lou. Hope you feeling better about it now. I having to get my head round no carb too. It makes sense it's just diffcult to break old routines. A few minutes ago i called to my son that is was time for his Levemir then laughed and said oops no need! Old habits die hard!

Anyway, Keep posting as i keen to compare notes!

Love Mand x
 
Patricia said:
How are you today Sugarbum?
Click to expand...

Hi Patricia, and all!

Doing well this morning thanks Patricia, and quite happy with the last 24 hours.

I am using the Medtronic Pump recording book and just done my daily phone check up with my DSN who is happy with numbers this morning. Thinks I will need a bigger basal than 0.55u/hr but not to adjust it as yet as it gives us scope to see where exactly I can adjust those basal units for a better coverage.

I murdered carbohydrates yesterday evening for my meal, and unuasually for me also pigged out on a big pudding (its all this not working makes me think about food!). I didnt correct as thats where I think the whammy causing the hypo the night before occurred. At midnight last night I was 8.4mmols! Fantastic! I also did a 3am (bizarrely I thought of Mand and my other 3am club buddies doing theirs!) and it was 7.4mmols. These are good numbers for me. On MDI my starting BM for the day would typically be 10-11mmols.

It seems as if you can see the fruits of your labour much easier on this? It is much more rewarding! I was saying that to the DSN. Also the functions allowing you to review your average carbs per day over a number of days of your choice, average bolusing and correction. Given the time, I really can see how much fine-tuning is actually possible. Are you finding this with E?

My DSN advised I dont work this week so I have been taking it rather easy, but today I have a few challenges on my plate! I am eating out this evening, Thai- not my usual first choice but sounds tasty all the same so I am preparing to be knocked completely off my game by a few grains of rice and some creamy sauces (GRRRRR!), I am spending my first quality time in a week with the other half who really hasnt taken on board any pump stuff (GRRRRR!) and then I am meeting his mother for the first time 🙂eek:GRRRR! not today?!) and we are going for a Thai! I must stop growling!

Additionally, I have decided not to drink alcohol either as that could muck my numbers up. But depends how the afternoon goes- that could be subject to change! 🙂

So its all good here. I have been told I shall hear from Medtronic after our supplies requests went off on Monday when we were in clinic and a delivery of the three month supply by the end of the week. havent heard from them as yet- hope they dont leave it until the last minute. How have you found your dealings with them? I am desperately hoping they are smooth operators, I have a very low tolerance for being mucked about with things like this. Patience!

How are you finding things now? I am following the thread avidly. There is a small medtronic family growing on here....!

Hope you and E are well, thanks for your support.

Louisa xx
 
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Hi Louisa

Great numbers! Yay!

We, however, did not join you at 3am 🙂)), though I assume Mand did... E's number last night was so good, and we knew if anything his basal was a little low, not a complicated dinner etc...so we all slept like proverbial logs. Still exhausted today though!

In answer to your thoughts: yes, the fine-tuning aspect of the pump is one of the best things about it, I'm sure. And the *immediacy* of the fine-tuning -- even changing a rate in the middle of that rate's timeframe will change it from that moment, not from the next time the rate occurs, if you see what I mean... (btw our experience with night corrections have been that *if* the basal is set okay, then small corrections work very well to get you in range. They don't seem to send E hypo, which is what used to happen on MDI and seems to have happened to you two nights ago. It's probably just while your basal rates are being fine tuned that night corrections feel dodgy?).

Re rice and stuff tonight -- I would ask your DSN if you can do a dual wave. Rice is always *certain* to mess E up, and the dual wave, while not solving rice completely yet, certainly makes it manageable. Our starting point has been set a dual wave for 3 hours, on a 30/70 (eg bolus 30% of the meal right away, then spread out the remaining 70% over the three hours). This might vary though, for instance if you are having a really *small* amount of rice, you wouldn't want it to account for the large proportion of the carb...E himself dosed lentils while away, figuring that they occupied only 30% of his total carb for the meal -- so he reversed the wave, giving 70% of the bolus right away, and spreading 30% out over 3 hours...It worked well.)

We have dual waved pizza, pasta, rice (and lentils!) from the first day on the pump. With rice we miscalculated once -- he needs longer than 3 hours for this -- and he hypo-ed two hours in...Anyway, I'd ask your DSN? Might help with what may be a semi-grueling time for you 🙂rolleyes🙂.

I think you're doing great, anyway. Even if things are messed up with dinner tonight, just remember that with such good nighttime numbers, you are already clocking up boosts for your hba1c -- 8 hours of it out of every day! We think about this when days seem to go pear-shaped: the nights are so stable and so often in range that they are the backbone of good numbers...

Let us know how it goes!
 
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