We saw my son's endo today and she said that we are going to try to 1/2 my son's Lantus (morning & eve.) to see if we can evade that nasty DP. If not, then the pump is going to be the only way for me to avoid getting up at 3:00 a.m. & again at 4:30 a.m. to give him fast acting insulin for his morning rises. Has the pump help you all with Dawn Phenomenon?
Nope, not this new pod/pdm. I think the "next" generation will, though (but I don't think it's even been submitted to the FDA yet. Anyone else know? Someone help me out here...). Medtronic is already integrated with their own cgm (not dexcom). I think the Animas Vibe is at the FDA for approval (already approved in Europe) and it is integrated with the Dexcom.
FWIW - I have both and it's not a big deal to have two contraptions, especially with the new g4 that has a longer range. The pdm does not need to be on my person and now neither does the receiver. I mean, it will be great when there is one less thing. But even right now it doesn't really cramp my style :)
Kate is right. This PDM will not have any integrated CGM technology. Perhaps in the future it will, but as she mentioned, that technology has not even been submitted to the FDA...so that's another way of saying it may be a few years :-/
Animas' next one should have dex integration (that's the last I heard, at least). MM has their own (the guardian or whatever they are calling it these days), so no, I don't think they'll ever "partner w/ dex" so to speak, b/c that's direct competition w/ theirs.
I did with mine, I have my basal set higher from 5-11am.
I haven't used Lantus since I started on the pod, I only use Humilog.
It fixed my dawn phenomenon completely. Well, that and a bit of work on my diet habits. :)
when we get the new system, are we required to turn in the old pdm or can we keep it as an emergency backup??
It's my understanding you can keep the old pdm, but once you run out of 1st generation pods, it will be of no use, b/c it will not communicate with the new 2nd gen pods.
whew! Thanks for helping me out there, Bradford :)
My DP kicks in most after I get vertical. My pump has definitely helped with DP - but ONLY when I stick to a schedule. For example, I bump up my basal rate 4 am to help when my feet hit the ground around 6-ish. However, I can have significant lows on Saturdays when I can stay in bed until after 7:30 or 8 because my verticality (is that even a word?) is delayed but the pump doesn't know that. It is still WAAAAYYY better than MDI, IMHO.
I wasn't required to turn in the old pod. The only backup functionality is to use it as a spare BG meter as it doesn't work with the next generation pods.
Ive got 9 boxes of pods in my closet so it will be a nice insurance policy.
As a parent I would say that the best thing about my son going onto a pump was freedom to feel more like other kids. He was getting tired of having to know exactly what he was going to eat before he ate. If someone hands out snacks somewhere it's so much easier to push a button than give a shot. At a buffet or potluck he could eat and then go back through without more shots. At birthday parties where multiple things were served at different times he could eat them when everyone else did. And for sports he can lower his basal so he's not nearly as likely to have to sit out for a low. (Especially swimming) I'll never forget the first day he was on the pump we were at my husband's work picnic and my son got his burger and side dishes on his plate and looked at me to say - "I'm going to decide about dessert AFTER I eat my dinner." It was such a small thing but it was huge to him. I say all that just to say that it was my son who decided on the pump. I was on the fence based on different things I had read - and I didn't even know which pump I thought would be best. We let him decide - I pointed out times when he wouldn't need a shot if he had a pump, but made it very clear that we didn't care what he chose. It was a full year before he decided that he would try one on, and about 2 seconds after someone put the pod on that he decided he wanted to wear it. (He tried the Animas for 15 minutes and for the entire time he wanted if off - so we didn't even end up trying that one)
Also - if your main concern is about checking in the middle of the night you might want to investigate a CGM before you try a pump. The new Dexcom sits next to my bed at night and is loud enough to wake me up if he goes high or low.
YES! My son has crazy dawn phenomenon, and we have his basal set extra high starting at I think 5AM until 10AM. He also has a higher i:c ratio for breakfast which helps with that as well. On shots he was always so high after breakfast, and now he still spikes but mostly in range.
Me too. I'm trying to decide how long I'll try to get my son to wear them before switching. I can't bring myself to throw away that many pods!
I have spoke to Insulet several times and the current date is late February/early March. I plan on going box to box with the pods until they are ready!
I am actually excited that the new PDMs will be able to be further away from the pod to deliver insulin (it is my son who is diabetic) AND that the canula is going to be colored (pink, I think).
You should definitely call Omnipod and give them your email as they told me that was how they would let me know about the new pods.
Canula is blu, there is a pink square under the shell that signs if the insertion spring has pushed the canula underskin.
I'm really at a loss here. I don't understand how you can just eat whatever you want with the pump? You don't have to count carbs? You still have to do a bolus before you eat right? Just like you would give an insulin injection before you eat or am I missing something that sounds really wonderful here? :)
No - we still count carbs, but you can bolus ten times in a row if you need to. So if my son checks his blood sugar at the start of a meal, he uses that number to calculate the first bolus. But then if he wants more, or a second course is brought out 30 minutes later - he doesn't keep checking - he just inputs the carbs and the bolus begins. It just makes snack times easier - extra boluses are a lot less stressful for my son than lots of extra shots.
Yes my daughter programs in higher insulin rate from 4am to 7am as she has dp also