Hi Sarasugar. AR said it so well. I remember when I wanted a pump that I hate-hate-hated that month's worth of logging, but once it was done I knew more about my own individual diabetes, and I was never required to log again. Still, I've logged for my own information a couple of times since when I hit a bump along the way, usually having to do with the food I was eating. In the end, the more you know, the better.
Why on earth would you want to make up your numbers? You won't have any success on a pump if you don't test regularly either. I would suggest you get your ratios, correction factors and fasting blood sugars sorted before you even think about going on a pump.
DKA on a pump can happen so quickly and if you aren't testing, you won't catch rising blood sugars or ketones and you will be in trouble fast.
I thought this was a joke post when I first read it!
I agree with that statement too, I think using a pump and NOT testing is way way more dangerous than when you are just guessing with shots. While my hypos seem to be less now that Im on a pump, they do seem to hit even faster now that I do.
I think for sarasugar to TRULY gain the most advantage from using a pump, that is going to be key, she really is going to have to test and test a lot for many reasons. I think though her reasons behind not wanting to test need to be understood, is it financial or more just not wanting to be bothered. Cause if its just not wanting to be bothered, the pump is not going to work well for her at all. If it's financial then she needs to seriously consider how she's going to finance all of this, even with insurance its more pricey for sure. And if its just a simple matter of not understanding, than she needs to understand and become educated.
That to could seriously impact ones desire for testing. It's hard to take good care of yourself, to take those extra steps, or to even care when your depressed if that is the reason.
Ok, I'm going to be a bit critical here. Please don't take these comments as a personal criticism, but a blunt statement of the way it is. You clearly know that it is wrong to just make up readings, it is deceptive. And the pump company wants to know your readings and dosing to properly set up the pump, so you know you don't want to give them wrong information and set youself up to be delivered a pump with wacko settings.
But the real problem? A pump is totally useless if you don't use it properly. And taking blood sugar readings is absolutely critical. It is useless to have a pump that automates everything for you and then feed it garbage inputs. You need to admit to yourself that part of the reason your A1c's have been so high is not that you didn't have a pump, it is because you didn't do the things you "must" do.
My advice to you. Admit to yourself that you need to modify your testing behavior. I don't care what you tell the pump company. Tell them you lost your fr*ggin log. Ask for a delay while you record precisely your blood sugars, meals and insulin dosing. If you can't do that, I have to question whether you are ready for a pump.
I know that is harsh. But a pump is only going to help you as much the effort you put into it. And not testing guarantees a pump won't work. Garbage in, garbage out.
I do hope you think about this and start testing as much as you need to. You really need to test 8-10 times a day. Morning, night and before and after every meal. To not do so is to drive down the interstate blind.
I feel ok very occasionally using "garbage inputs" on my pump, but it is sort of under controlled circumstances, or uncontrolled but monitored, w/ the CGM?
If I see my BG start spiking at the end of a run, I will hit it *before* get home as I thnk the efficacy of the correction bolus gets a boost from being combined with running. I'm sure the ADA/ AMA/ many people here would be at least moderately alarmed by doing that, particularly without testing (I don't always lug my meter when I run....sort of another no no...but I have lugged it enough to feel pretty decent about how I can perceive things to be working) but to me, it means less time waiting around for it to come down afterwards. Same thing when I get home from work, if it's running up, I'll 'nudge' it right away, before I test to calibrate if the scheduling is oriented towards calibration because I want a "tighter" calibration number.
None of this is scientific, more like approaching it like a party animal like 80s shoegazer legends Spacemen 3's immortal interview "if you listen to a lawnmower, it sounds cool and hypnotic. If you listen to it on acid, it sounds a lot better, if you listen to it on acid and sniff some butane it's amazing...that's what we want to sound like...". Not that I'm advocating dropping acid or sniffing butane but to approach insulin like the dangerous, psychoactive drug that with cleverness and also to pay attention to your feelings. I was a martial arts student when I got my pump and one of the head instructors came up to me the second day I had it (I took a day off to make sure I could work it ok...) and said "wow, you look a lot better". I don't pay all that much attention to how I look but I knew I felt better almost instantly. While testing is a PITA, being all over the place is a LOT more work. When I got stuff more stabilized on the pump, I was stunned to find out how much less work it was than shoot 'n crash management I'd done beforehand.
My take on this is slightly different, because before I got my pump, I made up readings regularly. I'd go through a month without logging, and then try to recreate the month in the last couple of days before I saw my nurse educator. I couldn't see the value of logging -- it was just another task. Then, about two months before I got my pump, I read something online that made me realize that I was going to have to come to terms with my laziness, as regards logging. Even after I was on the pump, I would skip logging for a couple of days. Finally, when I was assigned a low potassium diet, I got serious and started to log daily. I still slip, from time to time, but it's getting easier by the day to just sit down and do it. And you can have your pump use the provided software to track, as long as you don't have any form of MacIntosh computer. Best of luck -- I hope you find a happy medium!
I completely agree with everything that's been said here but I also empathize with you. I've been there done that in my younger denial stage years with reluctance to test and log. I too wanted something that was going to ease the burden of having to do these things and make it "easier". The sad reality with this disease is that there is no "easy" if you want to take care of yourself. I've come to terms with that and do what I need to do.
My suggestion would be two things: (1) Why don't you try a continuous glucose monitor first? That's what I'm doing before I move to a pump. You will still have to test but it will open your eyes about what different foods do to your glucose levels and how you react to insulin at different times of day. You could begin your logging routine with this. (2) Try wearing a trial pump with saline (or even more than one brand) before you make a decision. You will see the type of information that you have to be able to enter into your pump in order to help it help you.
I've always been a little afraid of going on a pump - I've been doing MDI for 25 years. I'm now about to take that step toward a pump but what you need to realize like a poster said earlier is that it's garbage in, garbage out with a pump. I wore one with saline as a trial. The pump will give you suggested doses of insulin for a meal or a correction, but if you enter the wrong number of grams of carb or you guess at your blood sugar without testing, then the dose it suggests will likely not be accurate. That's what scares me about a pump. What if I innocently screw up and cause myself a problem? Don't set yourself up for that.
Honestly I would encourage you to start testing and logging now but to wait until after you move to start with a GCM or pump trial instead of rushing into it. Moving is stressful and adjusting to new technology is stressful at first too.
I agree, those first few days, even weeks can be really stressful as they work to get your basal's set right, encountering infusion set problems etc. Please dont take any comments as personal criticism, but out of concern and wanting you to be successful. I have certainly in the past been there and done that, not wanting to be bothered with testing, eating whatever I wanted and its by some sheer stroke of good luck I am complication free because god knows I wasn't in good control. But if you take the time, test like everyone is suggesting 8-10 times a day, learn what food does to you, how your insulin reacts to it, when you do decide to go on a pump it will be a smoother process, and you will get much better results with it. Its a lot of effort and hard work, and you can't be lazy when you pump because sure enough that WILL land you in hot water, but if you put forth the effort you will be amazed at the results you get.
I don’t think a CGM will work very well without commitment to test and understand what’s going on. I have the MM one and it’s sort of finicky in that it seems to work much better when I don’t do anything too crazy and when I am careful for several hours before calibrating the thing. I agree that pumps require accurate data but, after years of overshooting and eating to catch up-- which worked ok A1C wise-- I ran into some issues with weight gain that have been a lot of work to fix. Testing is a lot less work than that!
Take it from me. Listen to what people are saying. TEST your sugar levels. Being on the pump is not a magic pill. You need to do the work. You will thank yourself later. Get your A1c at least to a 8 and work from there. I am in the low 7s but need to work to get under 7 and into the 6 range. Your quality of life long term depends on this.
My Endo's office downloaded my meter at the time for the readings and provided the rest of the required info such as being on shots for more than 6 mos., uncontrollable bg and ability to manage on ones self, etc. I don't think you can just make up the readings unless they will take a written log. Hope this helped.
I think with all the new uploads and programs available MOST if NOT all Endo's are downloading meter data when you go to appointments, Mine definately does. I think mostly because the meter doesn't lie. It shows EXACTLY what your blood sugar is, and how frequent you are testing. Mine doesn't even want to really see my own written records its hand the meter over the minute you check in lol. I log mine also, just so I can make notes so if my Endo has questions about why my BG was doing something on a particular day I can go back and see if anything out of the ordinary was happening then But yes my Endo would much rather have the meter data that is downloaded versus my own written log.
I'm just wondering what the reason for going on the pump is. Is it to get better control. The pump requires that you check your bs to adjust the basal rate and boluses. When you first go on the pump you have to check eight times a day. At least thats what I had to do. My A1C back then was in the 7s and my endo wanted it under 7. I know that you probably hate testing but if you don't when you have the pump you could have serious problems. My endo downloads my meter when I see her every 3mo. There are also online sites where you can type in your readings. For your question no don't make up readings..