The 'New on Pump' thread!

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Thanks Northerner! I'm telling you, you would *love* the pump.

And yes, being able to send him off to school at a good starting point is fab. And not dealing with insulin resistance on top of it all, which we do know happens with him after just a few hours of being 14+...Stabilises everything much faster.
 
Hi Patricia

I read your last post with interest. After our training this morning and our experience so far, I can make much better sense of everything you write and it is so educational to me so thank you,as always.

I am totally in love with the pump already! Everything you said was true! It really is an amazing device!

I will regularly update my thread and avidly read yours.

Love Mand x
 
Yay Mand, glad to hear all positive so far. I read with interest too your experiences -- we are so lucky to have come to the pump so early that we had fewer routines to adjust...so your experiences are in some ways so different...

I sound positively evangelical. Must watch that.

Numbers yesterday for E were much lower, generally good, though rising a little after lunch. His temp basal ran out at 3pm, and his evening was quite good. Overall, a good day. We are taking a cautious approach and raising all the temp basals save the mid-morning one (where he has traditionally hypo-ed), and the last thing at night one (because his bedtime measurement was 6.8, perfect). We have though changed his ratio back to 1:12 from 1:14 for his morning snack (around the time he hypos, so lets hope we haven't got ourselves right back to it!). We're hoping this will set him up for lunch a bit better -- yesterday he went into lunch at 10mmols, unusual.

Woke this morning high -- 11mmols -- after going to bed on such a good number! Oh well. We were prepared to adjust the night basal after France. Will check everything with dietician today, and plough on. I feel sure we are almost there -- and anyway, can react with such speed and effectiveness that everything feels better.

Good news for E is a little respite from hypos since Saturday. This is unusual for him -- he usually swings around a bit, and wants low numbers so tolerates hypos. I'm glad to give him a break, myself...

Another thing: did set change last night, and it was a painful one. After 20 mins, still painful. After dinner, still unusually noticeable, so he took the decision to change it again. His relief was immediate. He will know not to use that place again -- probably just struck right on a nerve. But the lesson is -- trust the wearer! He knew it had to change, even though I was saying 'are you sure' and 'try one day' etc!
 
Oh bless him! He just knew it was not right, didn't he? so glad he got comy in the end. As you say, trust the wearer. I will remember that one!

How are his levels today? Have your adjustments helped?

Glad he having a break from hypos.

Our boys, and all diabetic children, are truly little stars. They have so much to contend with compared to other kids but lets hope it makes them better people. I say that as i noticed that since his diagnosis my son is more compassionate to people with problems whether they are physical or mental. I guess our kids have had to grow up and mature a bit quicker due to their diabetes but hopefully they will benefit from this.

Look forward to your next update!

Mand 🙂
 
Hello all

Levels were better generally yesterday, with a peculiar blip after lunch (similar to day before) -- everything except this two hour after eating set of readings in target. Yay! We think we will switch back to 1:10 ratio for his lunch. Good news though is that the mid-morning hypos seem cracked -- not one in several days now, which must be some kind of record!

Woke up high again today, so that's the proof then that his nighttime needs adjusting, which we will do tonight. Two nights ago he'd had quite a bit of cream in a smoked mackerel/potato bake (yum!), and we had wanted to make sure that yesterday morning's high wasn't a late kick of that. But clearly not!

He was so high (eg resistant) this morning (16), that a straight out correction plus breakfast didn't touch it 2 hours in -- he was still 16. HOWEVER: trust the pump. It wouldn't let us correct again of course, insulin still active, and 3 hours after dose he was down to 11.2! Have done a small correction again with a snack, and all should be well here on out...

Clinic today with dad. We'll see about when to do a fasting basal etc, which we expect to do soon. I think with the nighttime adjusted and with the lunch ratio shifted, we will be there.

It's worth saying though that E seems to be growing right before our eyes, so it's no wonder we are running to keep up! His shoes size seems to change daily...how irritating: bought a new pair of school shoes 4 weeks ago, just as big as we could get away with, and 1.5 sizes larger than he started with in Sept -- on Monday he announced that they felt weirdly small! Checked and there's room -- but only just. Obviously won't last him until the new year...!

AND just had to put a link into his new watch -- after only 2 months! Even the waistband on his underwear is suddenly too tight! Had to replace the whole lot this week...

All in all, though, I'm just so thankful that he *is* growing. I was terrified at diagnosis that on top of everything else, his maturing would be slowed. This is so common. I'm convinced that with the pump his health is that much more stable, the insulin is going in, he's eating to appetite -- and it's all working. He's gained 2-3kilos in the last 3 months, a little meat now on his bones, which he sorely, sorely needed.

Again, at the risk of sounding evangelical: bless the pump. One month in and I'm *certain*, we're certain, it's improving his overall health and outlook.
 
You are doing absolutely fantastically and talking like a true pump pro 🙂

You are going about it all brilliantly tweaking a bit at a time and its showing the results.

Yep 'trust the pump'. If the pump is wrong then it will tell you in the levels and you tweak, if its right then it tells you that as well with the great results.

Great stuff.:D
 
Excellent news, Patricia! So pleased for you all.

Three cheers for the pump!!!!!! 🙂
 
Mornin' all

After the 3am club last night, waking to Northerner's pump mums poem was a real boon! Great....

Numbers okay yesterday, though E is little cross cos they were high-ish -- but he had a clinic day (eg less active) and stayed on his normal school day pattern, so they *would* be higher...! Nevertheless, an okay day. And with the great clinic results (see other thread, yay!), all was well.

Last night though we had another high number blip: 14 at 9.45pm (two hours after last bolus) for which we corrected, 20 at 11pm -- for which we corrected massively (all using wizard)! By 12am he was coming down (phew, no set change necessary), to 15, and at 3am he was 10mmol. By this morning, he was 5.9, having upped his bedtime basal anyway as leftover too low from France...

A little bit head-scratching, this. A similar-ish thing happened on Tuesday night. A very late spike? And yet: nothing weird eaten. New potatoes... Our only thought is strawberries -- not sure if we had them Tuesday night as well...but we've been wondering last few times if these are weird for him, sending him high. We have strawbs, cream, and teaspoon of sugar, dose for about 12g carb...

Oh I don't know! The other thing for us to keep in mind is that this has happened both times on the same set: we change this evening. But why it would happen twice at night? If it's the set then it may happen other times? Who knows. Oh gosh, well there *was* that weird after lunch blip on Wednesday...

😱😱😱

Could well be once levels are set generally, all will become clear. Or not. 🙄

Expect today to be a little more even though, with a good start. A fair test of our new tweaks at the least...(Sigh. Famous last words!)
 
I am enjoying reading this thread, but don't have much to contribute as I don't pump.
I have found similar with strawberries, they raise my blood sugar more than the carb count says they should. I find I can tolerate most fruit without a problem but tend to get a spike with strawberries.

A general question, when on a pump is it constantly a case of tweeking or is there a point when things are well enough set that things don't change for several weeks.
 
Hello Nikki

Thanks! The strawberry thought is a *really* good one -- this would go some way to explaining something which has got us flummoxed. The carb count for them is low, but it would be interesting if they just seem to do something other than that. Helpful!

Re tweaking -- I think in theory things stay sane and settled after a while -- in so far as it ever does with D, I guess! I suspect though that with children it is more or less a constant fiddle, because they are constantly changing and growing and having different needs. They also don't tend to have as predictable lives generally maybe?

I would hope that E's basal rates will settle very soon. We were virtually there and then the hot weather came, along with France, and it was really all change. Now though we are nearly there again, I'm sure.

I think the idea is that ultimately the more you fiddle, giving little corrections and top-ups, the better, with the pump. This is what the consultant said yesterday. See a high number (over 10, I think Adrienne does), and correct. This keeps pulling things in, and will go some way to avoid the basal tweaking -- tiny boluses are very manageable. (No point in doing that constantly though, so the basal needs to be as near a dammit, as they say...).

Long way to answer your question!

Anyway, thanks for the heads up with strawbs. I think this might be the case....
 
sofaraway said:
I am enjoying reading this thread, but don't have much to contribute as I don't pump.
I have found similar with strawberries, they raise my blood sugar more than the carb count says they should. I find I can tolerate most fruit without a problem but tend to get a spike with strawberries.

A general question, when on a pump is it constantly a case of tweeking or is there a point when things are well enough set that things don't change for several weeks.
Click to expand...

Good question Nikki.

These boys are so very new and they will be tweaking for a while but E for not much longer they are nearly there.

Yes there does come a time when the tweaking gets less but it never does end. I can only speak where children are concerned of course (that includes teens). They are growing, everything about them is growing and they have growth hormones over night and then boom the teen hormones kick in but they can kick in from about 9 or 10 upwards and gets worse. It isn't until a child is a diabetic that you can actually see what is happening in their bodies due to the erratic levels. I haven't changed anything on J's pump for a few weeks now but yesterday changed the breakfast and lunchtime ratios, she needs more insulin. I probably won't touch it again for a while unless I need to tweak those ratios again.

As we have sensors we can download all the data onto my computer and I can see the daily overlay and graphs etc so weekly or two weekly I take alook and see if there are any trends I haven't spotted and I tweak if necessary.

It sounds full on how the others are describing it and believe me that is going through my head on a daily basis but it becomes part of your life, just like diabetes itself. So yes it gets easier but because you get used to it.
 
I don't even bolus for strawberries, unless she has a bucket full, they don't do anything to J at all. Funny isn't it.:confused:
 
Patricia said:
Hello Nikki

Thanks! The strawberry thought is a *really* good one -- this would go some way to explaining something which has got us flummoxed. The carb count for them is low, but it would be interesting if they just seem to do something other than that. Helpful!

Re tweaking -- I think in theory things stay sane and settled after a while -- in so far as it ever does with D, I guess! I suspect though that with children it is more or less a constant fiddle, because they are constantly changing and growing and having different needs. They also don't tend to have as predictable lives generally maybe?

I would hope that E's basal rates will settle very soon. We were virtually there and then the hot weather came, along with France, and it was really all change. Now though we are nearly there again, I'm sure.

I think the idea is that ultimately the more you fiddle, giving little corrections and top-ups, the better, with the pump. This is what the consultant said yesterday. See a high number (over 10, I think Adrienne does), and correct. This keeps pulling things in, and will go some way to avoid the basal tweaking -- tiny boluses are very manageable. (No point in doing that constantly though, so the basal needs to be as near a dammit, as they say...).

Long way to answer your question!

Anyway, thanks for the heads up with strawbs. I think this might be the case....
Click to expand...

Hi

Yes you are right with all that.

I do correct over 10. New pumpers start at correcting at over 14 then you bring that down gradually so you are tweaking the basals as you go as well. I have some friends who have been pumping longer (children) and they correct over 7 or 8 !! Oh to be that tight a control, how wonderful. With J I don't think we will get that good, we have a problem with 10.0!
 
Will bear the strawberry dilema in mind as we often have strawberries!

It must be so frustrating for you when things become a bit unsettled with all the effort you are putting in but i guess the problem is that 'life' doesn't stay the same each day so the goal posts are always moving! eg weather, trips etc.

As i am a step behind you, i do not have enough knowledge to suggest a solution to your recent 'blip' but i hope it settles down soon.

You are doing a fantastic job so please continue to be proud of your achievments so far! 🙂

Will keeping reading this thread avidly! 🙂
 
Cheers all --

Imagine correcting over 6 or 7! Wow! E would be in heaven with that, though; he really craves good numbers. Partly why the pump suits him I guess too, all the buttons...We have, off our own bat, started to correct anything above 10. Watch this space!


Mand, interesting thought about levels of frustration...I think that, although yes it is frustrating, it *always* feels within reach. So I'm much less *panicky* about everything, somehow. Last night was a pain in the butt, and E actually felt quite poorly and was very cross we made him do a ketones test etc when all he wanted to do was sleep -- but we *knew* that within an hour we would be able to decide whether it was a set change situation, or whether he was coming down and things were going to be okay with this one. This is a very different scenario than with MDI, where the time-frames are much longer, and the rate of absorption etc is so variable and unpredictable, that it just so often felt haywire. In these ways, the pump is utterly reliable. We are now coming to *believe* that we can get him down, whatever happens.

He had his first hypo yesterday evening in 5 days! This really is a record for him. A mild 3.8 one, box of juice and he was off...

If we were pinging all over the place like we used to -- hypo/hyper/hypo/hyper -- then any disturbance in the settled rates would be equally as stressful...but because we're not doing that any more, the blips are annoying (and mean no sleep!), but more like a puzzle than like the end of the world. We are coming to trust that with some work and engrained habits on his part, he can achieve and maintain good control.

On the way back from clinic yesterday, his father reports E's extreme relief at getting something like good control, and one he feels he can maintain. I think 7% is a very good rate for an adolescent, and he knows this. The aim is below 7.5% I believe...Anyway, he has obviously been quite haunted and upset inside, deep down wondering if he will *ever* get good control. And he is so clearly relieved, like if it's okay this time, it will be okay again -- maybe not always, but it is *possible*.

Again, the impact on his psychology and quality of life is really quite significant. We got out his old log books from November, and looked at how we were trying to dose him then: the same doses for each meal, chopping and changing, one up, one down...And he got quite sad. He said that he had *believed* our team, that he had taken it all in, tried his best, really struggled -- for nothing really, for methods that didn't work for him.

The first three months or so after diagnosis were a real pig's ear for us. We were working with the best information we could get, but we weren't getting the best information available. E has a buried disappointment that time was wasted then, time when he could have gained good control -- and he's resentful of it.

ANYWAY. Look to the future. Things are better now. We did literally days and days of research and this first step has proven to be the right one for him.

Phew!
 
Wow- it must be weird taking that reflective step, but I would suspect very useful. Its funny how when you look back (I have kept all my books as well) and I wonder how I ever functioned on 4/4/6 of novorapid! I did that for a very long time too, I know I must have done some damage over that time, but I honestly didnt know any better. Knowing your stuff now though Patricia really shows to have paid its worth ten-fold.

I am very empathetic to E and craving those good numbers! Perhaps for the first time I sense they are attainable! All the functions seem to make it achieveable for once. Its good he is seeing change, progress and identifying his own goals. How fantastic.

Hope you and the family have a lovely weekend!
Love Louisa x
 
Thanks Louisa, great to hear from you (and on the other thread too -- sorry Mand!). It's so hard to justify -- well impossible actually -- the varying levels of advice and care. I find it heartbreaking sometimes, and outraging...When so much is at stake.

Good luck with everything this weekend -- did you dual wave, by the way? Glad your numbers are feeling within reach, and more, that you are able to step away and into different things with confidence. Yay!

Sigh. Once again, feeling lucky....

xxoo
 
Hi Patricia,
I am finding all this fascinating! Also learning so much and hopefully it will be kept as a sticky so i can use it as a reference point?

On the subject of correcting - we always correct A on anything over 7. So do you mean its different on the pump? Dont you have to correct until its over 10 for a reason? Sorry i am confused!:confused:Bev
 
Patricia, so glad that things getting better for you. Good to look back and see the improvements. Please keep posting because i read your posts with great interest.
Have good weekend. x

Bev, we were told that to begin with we were only to aim to correct my son to 10 just to be on the safe side until we know how sensitive he is to insulin then, when we know, we to correct him to lower. I think it is all about playing it safe for the first few weeks. What is hard when starting on the pump is that you have to let all the old rules go and start on the 'standard' new rules then adjust things so they suit you individually. Hope i am correct in saying all that!
🙂
 
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