I just started on my first pump this Thursday and immediately noticed that my insulin seems to “work better”. Yay for me!
Normally when I wake up and correct, it takes hours for my BG to slowly meander down to where it belongs, with my Dexcom reporting a right arrow the entire time. Now, I correct and I see a real dip when the insulin starts kicking in, around 1-2 hours.
I am starting to wonder if it’s due to the pump, or that the infusion site is not on my lower abdomen where I would often inject. I have severe internal abdominal adhesions, from stage IV endometriosis. I have a nice layer of fat above it, but if you press on my lower tummy, it’s hard as a rock underneath.
Anyone else have abdominal adhesions from surgeries and have you noticed that it impacts your insulin absorption?
So happy for you and your early success with the pump! I do certainly remember from when I was a pump user, absorption variability due to variances in body real estate “lumps and bumps!” There was no magic trick other than just learning over time which areas/site to avoid and which worked like a charm!
Best of luck with your new pal and again…so happy you are noticing a positive impact already!! Yay for you indeed!
Good for you! Finding a compatible insulin delivery system is always nice. I’m a big fan of insulin pumps and I hope it works for you as well as it has for me. I found my control stepped up a lot once I learned how to adjust when needed (change basal rates, insulin to carb rations, insulin sensitivity factor) and I understood how to deliver extended bolus for high protein/fat meals.
Absorption is always a big issue with insulin, injected or pumped. One thing you might be seeing is the extended release of basel insulin. It is almost impossible to get precise blood sugar control with either a long-acting insulin or many separate injections of short-acting insulin. As you experiment with sites, you will likely see better and worse absorption depending on the location.
I like my back the best as a pump site, given the number of injections and pump sites over the years. I encourage you to test some different sites out and see what works best.
Wasn’t sure if this was a blip or not but for over a week now my TDD has gone down from 120+ to <90. I am so glad that I didn’t go for the larger t:flex, as now I can get 3 days out of my t:slim cartridge which I never expected!
