Going Un-Tethered!

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1

I will be vacationing in San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico in April, and realized I just don’t want to be dealing with an insulin pump (where to wear it with a bathing suit, heat considerations, keeping the infusion set from falling off from the heat, keeping my pump safe if I want to swim, etc.

So I’ve decided to go back to multiple injections while on vacation. When I was on multiple injections, the insulin I used was ultralente and humalog. Lantus and Levemir were not available in Canada at the time. Ultralente was a bit of a hit or miss for me at times, as it would have a gradual peak between 8-18 hours, causing unexpected lows. It will be interesting to see how a long-acting insulin like Lantus or Levemir will work.

I’ve been reading about the “Un-Tethered Regime”, by endocrinologist Dr. Steve Edelman at http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/clinic/untethered.htm , which has some great tips on how to go about moving back and forth between multiple injections and pump therapy safely. Over the next while before going on vacation, I will give it a trial run, and will blog about my results.

2

That is a great idea. I was in St. John a few years ago and thought I could manage all of the swimming by disconnecting and reconecting every time I got out of the water. I had not planned on the sand. After 1 day I took my pump off and went back on Lantus. I would suggest that you start back on injections before your trip so you have some idea about your dose. Have a great time.

3

Just an FYI, I was on Lantus before I started pumping and the Lantus did not last 24 hours for me, but worked well by splitting the dosage and took every 12 hours. Good luck and that might be my plan for my beach vacation this year, because pumping and sand/swimming is a pain, but eating out and shots is a pain too, ahhh!!!

4

I will go back on injections before the trip so I can ensure my dosages are on track.

Splitting the Lantus dosage is a good tip, thanks!