I just got approved to start pumping in May. Of course I went with the Animas ping because it was my favourite from the get go. Does anyone have any suggestions for when you’re just starting out?
Congratulations, Hanna! I would definitely suggest getting the book, Pumping Insulin by John Walsh and also looking at the Ping Workbook online. You'll get the actual manual when you get your Ping. Also, I suggest asking for a variety of infusion set samples so you can see which works best for you.
Thanks for the reply. I’ve been trying to get a pump since last July. Seeing as I was only diagnosed in April of last year they made me wait a bit. I’ve done tons of research so I’m surprised I haven’t come across the name of that book. I will definitely have a look. As for infusion sets I am going to try out quite a few. They’re hard to gauge unless you’re actually wearing them. Thanks again.
You can get the book at the Diabetes Mall. It is an etail org started by John. I think the website is diabnetesnet.com - but I'm not sure. Anyway, it is excellent and a new edition just came out. What I like best about pumping is the itty bitty doses possibloe. You get all the insulin you need - you don't have to eat up to it. You'll know ow much is on board and you can nip rises and lows in the bud. COngrats and enjoy it
Thank you so much.
I started with the ping 5 years ago and still love it !
Getting in the pump was the best diabetes related decision I’ve ever made, and I really like the Ping. As far as advice goes, just try to be patient as you figure out the right levels and settings for you. I remember it being a bit of a rollercoaster for a while, and it was hard not to get a bit frustrated. That may not be your experience, but just in case…
Glad to hear it!
Fabulous thank you. I think it’s cool with the really tiny basal increments but I don’t understand how my doctor is going to be able to figure out something that precise.
This is way too basic an explanation, but lets say that you are currently using 24 units of lantus/levemir a day as your longterm insulin, that works out to 1.00 an hour. Then say, you go low overnight - usually between 2:000 and 4:00 am. So your basal rate will be 0.80 units an hour during that time. Then say you have the dawn effect so you go back up to 1.00 units and hour or even 1.20 units an hour from 4:00 to 8:00 in the morning. And then say, you walk (through the snow ha ha) 10 miles every morning to work. SO your basal rate goes backdown. And thenfor your correction and meal boluses, you'll probably start with your same ratios that you used on MDI. Lots of testing and tweaking will get you where you need to be. Your needs change over time and Pumping Insulin book will help you tweak overtime. Even though it seems like a ton of work, I would never go back to injections -I'd have to be offered gazillions of $ to switch back.
Don't give up if at the start your BG is all over the place & sets seem to keep failing, there is a lot to learn & it takes time to adjust all the pump settings to your needs. Just hang in there you will love it in the end. I went through a horrible 1st 3 months & nearly gave up now 6 years later you couldn't pay me to give up my pump
Of course, here is the really critical question: What color did you choose!
Bottom line, Hanna: Your doctor isn't going to figure it out; you are! Generally doctors or pump trainers start you on a basal dose some percentage less than currently (usually around 25%). They divide it evenly by 24 hours. Then it is up to you to figure out during what time periods you need more or less insulin and to divide it up into "time zones" and increase or decrease each by .025 at a time until you get it where you want it. This is why people say it takes time to get doses stabalized.
Wow. Thanks for the info. That makes sense.
Pink. Lol I’m not much of a girly girl but I was drawn to the pink one right away.
I am sure it will take me a little while to adjust. That’s typical of anything. Thank you or the tip.
Best decision I ever made regarding my diabetes care was to go on an insulin pump. I started with the Animas 2020 and later upgraded to the Ping.
Before my first pump even arrived, I had downloaded the Pump Workbook from the Animas site. I read through the entire workbook and did all the exercises. When I had my first meeting with my pump trainer there was very little to do. They calculated my initial basal rate, I:C ratio and ISF and sent me on my way with saline for a week. After that I was ready to go. I found doing the workbook exercises to be a big help. I was making my own adjustments within a couple weeks.
A few months after that I purchased the Pumping Insulin book Zoe recommended. It has a wealth of information especially for fine tuning your pump settings. It's definitely worth buying.
Best of luck to you on your new adventure. It can be frustrating at first but stick with it and you'll be amazed at your control.
To tag onto Phil's comment about saline: Some people have said they thought it was a waste of time to be on saline and they were anxious to get going on insulin. I personally found it very useful. I spent the time programming in all the settings following the Manual and seeing what everything did and how it worked. That way I got all that button pushing and learning done before I was actually on insulin.
Yeah I definitely figured that I would need to get really in tune with my body and figure out what I need and when.
I already did the workbook too. Very useful. I like hearing stories from people who have had great experiences with their pumps. Thanks.