New to the forums. 26 year old female, diabetic for 16 years. Recently switched from my tslim Pump to an Omnipod and Dexcom Cgm. I was diagnosed with gastroparesis about 2 years ago. At first it was severe, now there are good days and bad days. Since using my Cgm I’m noticing so many high spikes after meals and am curious how others determine when to give their insulin and if you do an extended bonus how do you manage it all. I’m feeling so hopeless and lost and would love some guidance. Thanks!
Hi. I’m Kim and am on the same pump and cgm and have gastroparesis. Some slowing of the digestive track and worse low parastalsis of colon. My doctors, several, in St. Louis were unable to help me and one referred me to the Mayo Clinic nearest St. Louis. Unbelievably helpful experience.
Any number of us might have suggestions but reading your post gave me a sense that you feel very alone. Know that you aren’t. I have it too! At times, most times, I redecide that this is the hardest complication I’ve had so far. And I too sometimes feel overwhelmed by the challenges and the discomfort.
My ways when I’m being a “good diabetic”… smaller meals, fewer carbs, waiting for eating til boltus is moving sugar down, chasing w glucose when food isn’t moving fast enough after blousing. But mostly trying to wear Diabetes more like a loose garmit. Doctors help me that way because they know that Diabetes with gastro is 21 dimensional tic tax toe.
I wish the best in your journey. Please know you aren’t alone.
Hi I had something like Gp last summer. I think it was the beginning of it. With stomach pain and nausea when I ate. I had to eat mostly liquids for a while and grind all my food up. It was awful. My Bg was crashing every time I ate and I was terrified to eat. Running high a lot which just makes it worse. I’d lost 15 lbs and ended up in the h with high Bg and very high ketones. I had eliminated gluten right after type 1 diagnosis but not for cross contamination. So people here told me to do that and I also eliminated all other grains.
Now I sterilize all my dishes in the dish washer, separate mine etc and I don’t eat out at all. Even a gf restaurant I found was still problematic for Bg. I’ve gained the weight back and things improved- it’s not perfect by any means but I’m not crashing every time I eat now. It’s still pretty miserable but I’ll take that over being terrified to eat and constantly crashing Bg. I can’t remember what I did about bolus then. I think just delayed bolus and increased basal as needed extended boluses are confusing and never worked for me.
I’ve also eliminated many other foods due to the d and Bg.
Hi there new to the forum im 27 and have had type 1 diabetes for 16years also diagnosed with gastropareasis in 2012.i have had the electronic pacing device fitted. Has anyone also got the pacemaker and controlling theyre diabetes with a pump? If so would you say its easier to control everything with the pump
Hi all, I commented on another post here about perhaps looking into a clinical trial for Diabetic Gastroparesis. Not everyone is into the idea of participating in clinical trials, but for those potentially interested --you can see trial site locations and if you qualify for participation by following this link StudyKIK
Worth a look! Love this forum, though.
After being on a pump for 15 years, I finally am learning, with regard to my own body, how to use the extended bolus to more closely model the type of food I am eating. Though we are taught to take insulin according to the carbs we are eating, glucose levels also depend on the fat and protein in the meal. Protein takes roughly 2 hours for its full effect on the glucose level, and fat takes about 3-4 hours to have its full impact.
Just tonight I figured out how to divide my insulin up for pizza. While that depends on how much of a pizza is cheese (and I don’t have meat in my pizzas), I am doing quite well with a 50/50 split, that is half the insulin as a bolus and the other half an extended bolus lasting 3 to 3.5 hours. One positive outcome of doing this is your insulin bolus doesn’t have as big a short-term impact and you don’t need to eat as much food with fat in it.
There is an acclaimed book called pumping insulin that can give you good insight.