discussions
Type 1
| From | Replies |
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John Crowley |
John Crowley replied June 15, 2009 4:03 PM
First of all, welcome BLC!
BLC replied June 15, 2009 9:53 PM Thanks so much for your input. Your article was very interesting. Your son is very blessed to have a dad who is such an advocate for him. Thanks again for your response. |
Melissa Dawn |
Melissa Dawn replied June 15, 2009 5:25 PM
I'm sorry to hear the pump hasn't been super successful for you. I've been on the pump for about 2 years now and have watched my A1c's go lower and lower each time. Still, if you are having problems with it -- its your life and your body, so do what works best. If you are getting infections from the sites, that may be contributing the the higher A1c's.
BLC replied June 15, 2009 9:52 PM Thanks for your tips...I'll try some of those and see how they work out with me. I think a lot of my problem my just be regular, old diabetic burnout....I appreciate your reply. |
patb |
patb replied June 15, 2009 6:30 PM
My husband has been on the insulin pump for three years now he is not well controlled with it but loves the convenience of not having to take as many shots durning the day as before.
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Richard157 |
Richard157 replied June 15, 2009 7:38 PM
Last edited 8 months ago I have been pumping for 2 years and I have the best control I have ever had. The complications that I had before I started (neuropathy and retinopathy) were getting worse but they have now disapperaed. I don't have nearly as many highs and lows as I had before pumping. I see very few people on the diabetes websites who say they are doing worse while pumping unless they are still learning what it is all about.
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Sarguillo |
Sarguillo replied June 15, 2009 10:41 PM
Either method you choose and use, I hope you regain your control. Could some of your issues be in how you view your pump? To some, its a god send and works wonders for them. Did you expect it to be the final answer and let you relax your attention to what you eat? Or did you not learn how to program your pump correctly? Either one can throw you off your game if not taken into consideration. Please dont take this the wrong way, I am not pointing fingers at you, Just pointing out a few issues that I know have come up with other pumpers. I myself take shots and hope I can sustain myself on shots for as long as I can. I know one day I might be on a pump, it may or maynot happen. May you find your control soon. Good luck.
BLC replied June 19, 2009 4:09 AM Thanks for your reply. You know the more I think about it I really didn't have a lot of training on the pump. Most of my training was videos off the internet. And before getting on the pump I hated the idea of it. I guess that feeling never really changed. Thanks for helping me to look a little deeper into what may be the problem. |
Judimar |
Judimar replied June 16, 2009 4:50 AM
Welcome to DC!
ewskis replied June 16, 2009 5:27 AM You have probably heard this before. Think of your pump as a tool to help control your BG levels and get them in better control. For my self I have found that I am checking my BG more often that I did with MDIs I recommend that you talk with your endo or diabetes care provider to make sure your settings are correct and about the itching have you tried using a barrier under your set or something like an iv prep.
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lipsie |
lipsie replied June 16, 2009 9:12 AM
I am type 2 also and don't have any idea about the pump either but I also feel that it's your body and what works for one may not work for another. So on that note, speak to your doctor about changing back if thats what interest you. Good luck, keep us updated k? *Hugs* Sheila |
ali eletre |
ali eletre replied June 18, 2009 9:11 PM
BLC replied June 19, 2009 4:13 AM Thanks so much. Its so nice to get on here and see how other diabetics view my situation. I appreciate all of you so much. |
Amy Tenderich |
Amy Tenderich replied June 18, 2009 9:30 PM
I think it's perfectly fine to go back on shots if you are happier / more comfortable. I actually know quite a few people who've done that.
BLC replied June 19, 2009 4:13 AM I am really starting to think that is the best idea. Thanks for your reply. |
roger |
roger replied June 18, 2009 11:49 PM
this sounds like me but in my case it is my falt.the pump lets me cheet . i eat too much of the things i should not have and give my self a zap to cover it. is this what you are doing? also the dr told me the more insulin you use the more weight i would gane. as for the site change more often i try not to go over 72 hours and so i dont i do not put as much in to start so i run out befor i get to 72 hours. and after last scar over cancer.did not find any. i am trying to do better all the way around. but do talk to your dr even if it is just a call to let hin know how you are feeling becouse stress will make bg go up on its own . good luck
BLC replied June 19, 2009 4:15 AM Thanks Roger, I do feel the stress of just having diabetes and of course daily regular stress tend to shoot my bs up. I appreciate your response.
Amy Tenderich replied June 20, 2009 5:30 PM I've also heard of many people who say they "eat worse" on the pump, because it's "easier" to do so. I think each of us has to find our own individual best method of being a "good" diabetic best that we can on a daily basis -- whether that's the pump or no pump. |
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thomas draves |
thomas draves replied June 21, 2009 3:04 AM
I am 46 yrs old and have been type I for 6 yrs now. I use Novolog and Lantus, found that Flexpen and Solostar give me the ability to "shoot up in public" and not be stared at by everyone as a DRUG ADDICT! I love this freedom, I often travel on mass transit and can take control at these times. But my problem is A1C lowest I every got was 8.0, 30 stress filled days later was back to 9.2.
Richard157 replied June 21, 2009 2:48 PM Hello Thomas, I hope you get your pumping going smoothly very soon now. I have the MM 522 and got off to a very bad start because my endo in Poughkeepsie, NY gave me numbers to start with that were completely wrong for me. I had terrible highs for 24 hours and I went back on injections until I was normal again. Then I completely reprogrammed the pump with my own numbers even though I was new at it. After a few days things were much better. You have a good staff in Queens so you should not have this problem. The only other problem I had was with scar tissue. I have been Type 1 for 63 years and pumping for only 2 years. For the first 61 years I used injections and I almost always used my upper abdomen. Scar tissue had built up under the skin there and absorption of the insulin was slow and sometimes there was none at all. That caused a "No Delivery" alarm on the pump. I have permanent scar tissue on my upper abdomen and can never use it again. I now ROTATE between lower abdomen and upper legs. Rotation permits healing of one body part while the other is being used. I am no longer experiencing problems and my pumping is going great!!!
thomas draves replied June 23, 2009 1:53 AM thanks for the feedback i'm new in the neighborhood so i don't have this scarring problem but the insight that catheter doesn't need to be in stomach is greaT!!!!! will check into navigator too keep in touch! , i will
Least replied June 28, 2009 5:17 PM Hello Thomas,
Nan H. replied July 18, 2009 1:08 AM I have had a CGMS (Continuous glucose monitoring system) for 1.5 years now, along with the 522. First, the good news: I love it. My A1c went from 10.8 to 6.4 in about 2 months (I was 10.1, got the sensor a month later, and the next A1c was 6.4). It makes a huge difference in my life. However, there are significant differences to know about. A few comments for you:
roger replied July 18, 2009 2:12 PM 1-7 are fact have the same with mine but i can only use mine for the 3 days or i get a big red bump and starts to hurt after the 3rd day .i have tryed every thing to change this but on day 6 i have all i can do to take it out with out crying.but with being stuck to the 3 days i still do better with my bg becouse of it hope this helped
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Desdemona |
Desdemona replied June 21, 2009 9:31 PM
I used Minimed the first time I pumped. That lasted about 2 years. I had skin irritations, sites that bled, and was constantly told that I "can't take that cell phone in here" when I went to work(I was working at a prison at the time). It felt like I was on a leash. I've been on the Omnipod since October - my A1c dropped .2 in the first month. Maybe you just got on the wrong system? And, yes, you will gain weight if you're not EXCEEDINGLY careful! It's just too easy to get complacent. I'm not accusing you, OK? But sit back- take the emotion out of it- and take a long hard look at the problems you're having. Have you contributed to them? If the answer is no- then tell your dr. that you've changed your mind. You are the only one who has to live with your condition- and are the only one who's decisions count.
thomas draves replied June 23, 2009 1:51 AM well I will have to find out about this navigator and i greatly accept ur input. I'm also looking for both good and bad esponses/experiences with this/ these systems as they are new. My bg level is out of control. Minimed is coming and giving me a 2 hr orientation with this unit (mm522). my center at QHC has anywhere from 2 to 5 of the minirecorder implants every week. this gives a detailed mapping graph of bg levels over 24 hr period. and is analyzed with a patient sheet giving actual levels, what was eaten and what meds were taken. Mine wint haywire in afternoons, and usually stabilized in night or after morning dose of novolog. my monthly chart shows 2-5 days perfect and then days of off the wall. by the way this also seems to coincide with my bipolar and moods too, anyone else know about this or have similar problems?????
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anitamusser |
anitamusser replied June 23, 2009 2:27 AM
I am type 1 and on the pump. the biggest problem i have is the infusion sets. The little piece of plastic that goes into the stomach always seems to bend and does not let my insulin go thru. I have tried almost every type of site. I called the Diabetic Supplies company and they are going to send me a set where it is not plastic that remains in the stomach but a needle which will be much stronger and i think will work better for me
thomas draves replied June 25, 2009 1:43 AM well officially today i became apumper. I posed that question to my trainer and i was told that if we bend too much a site on the side may help and has helped some, the other thing that has caused problems like u described is pulling on the tube, r u using the 2' or the long tube. the 2 discussions i'm tracking helped give me some presight into possible problems and waht to ask and talk about. my sights are targeted to the cgm,,,, I NEED IT!
Richard157 replied June 25, 2009 6:51 PM Yes Thomas, when I was younger I ran higher on purpose while I was working on my house, mowing lawn, etc. My A1c's were higher then too. I am 69 now but I still work like that about 3 hours per day. Pumping has enabled me to stay in the interval 70-120 about 90% of the time when I am not doing all that work (winter time) and 70% of the time during good weather when I am much more active. |
king of hill |
king of hill replied June 30, 2009 5:21 PM
I have a discount supplier for insulin pump supplies. They accept payment from my insurance for full payment on my medtronic mini-med cartridges and infusion sets. Message me for info. |
Hello Everyone! I am new here and feel blessed to have found this site with such an abundance of information and support. I am a type one diabetic on an insulin pump but I don't know that I want to pump anymore. I had much better control on Novolog and Lantus shots. Since going on the pump one year ago this week my A1c had progressively increased. I think my A1c was somewhere in the 8s this time last year and at my last check-up it was 9.1...ugh. I am wondering what you all think about me asking my doctor if I could go back on shots. The pump seems to be a success for most people but its just not working for me....I seem to always be the exception to the rule...lol. Also I have horrible itching and minor swelling at my infusion sites and it drives me crazy. Once I remove my infusion set I can't help but scratch it. And recently got a small infection where my infusion site was (its better now). I just do not care much for the pump. I actually am using double the insulin on the pump than I was on shots. My doctor told me I would more than likely use less (once again...the exception to the rule). Since being on the pump I have went from 146 pounds to 182! The thing is always falling off me and the line is always getting caught in stuff. Should I ask my doctor about going back on shots? Thanks so much for everyone's support. You all have been a great help to me so far.