I hate to say it, but my first day on the pod has been horrible. BG’s ranging from 68 to 306.
I met my CDE and a clinical tech person from Insulet at 8 am and was pumping by 8:30. My lantus ran out that morning and at 8:30 my BG had risen to 199. I left CDE at 10:00 with instructions to go about my day and only eat what I could assure the total carbs were—no guesswork. Home was an hour away so the first thing I did was get a snack–37 carbs --bolus taken.
Checked BG thirty min after and BG was 233. pod gave me a correction
ate lunch and should have checked Bg then but trusted things were more in line. I figured 50 grams for my large burger and Ketchup–bolus given
One hour late BG 228–Bolus given
2:00 306 Suggested Bolus 3.3–I increased to eight (My old scale on MDI would have said 10 units but I knew I was still getting basal and had bolus active.
2:45 Finally going down 271
3:30 129
4:15 84 Going to far
4:30 68 treated low 15 grams carbs
5:00 85 Going to eat bolus given for 45 carbs
5:42 147 Bolus given--------going back up
7:30 235 Bolus given
8:30 215 Bolus given
We are checking the basal rate tonight so I will check at 12, 3, and 6 and not eat anything else tonight. He wants me to do this at night for three days. I hope he sees that the basal is to low after one night. He told me he was being conservative on the settings, but at this rate I will again have to up the bolus to get lower sugars
I know some are going to ask about my settings
One basal 1.2 units per hour
Insulin / Carb ratio 1 to 9
Insulin Sensitivity 31 (one unit lowers BG 31 points)
Robin, it seems like your settings aren’t right (no kidding, right?). I’m guessing your basal is too low and your insulin to carb ratio is off too. My only suggestion would be to try and wait 3-4 hours between boluses to help correct your insulin sensitivity and insulin to carb ratios. Hopefully your CDE can get your settings in the ballpark tomorrow so the wait between boluses won’t be so painful.
hey! is this your first pump?. Im pretty sure everyone has this problem when they first start pumping just wait it out! after a few days with the pump I was able to see how I reacted to certain things and I have a different basal rate for a bunch of things and my readings are awesome! I hope you get it soon! if you have any questions I can try my best to answer them
Yes it’s my first time pumping. And Yes I can tell my basal rates are off. I crashed low all night. I got up at 12, 3, and at 6. And now this morning I seem to be climbing back up, but not as sharply as yesterday.We’ll see what happens. I am glad I’m not working today.
I agree with JohnE and Kenny, this is typical for new pumpers. Pump therapy (CSII) is a lot different to your body than MDI (multiple daily injection), and your body has to adjust. For example, when I was on injections, my typical meal-time doses of Novolog were in the 10-20 unit range. On the 'pod I seldom get a bolus higher than 7 or 8 units. Also, the continuous Novolog basal is a lot different than Lanuts or Levimir, a lot more like a healthy body.
The CDE is “right” to start with conservative numbers, as high BG is a lot less dangerous in the short term than low BG; s/he doesn’t know your level of hypoglycemia awareness and they don’t want you dropping into the 40s a couple hours after you turn on the pod and are driving home Give the CDE and your endo Dr. time to make appropriate adjustments based on observations and data. Most importantly, don’t get discouraged!
Today has been much better. I e-mailed my CDE my records and he called back with a different nighttime basal, but he feels that insulin carb ratio is to early to adjust. I was at 208 at 2:30 two hours after eating.
It does feel nice not to give myself so many shots during the day. Well I have to go my 16 year old son just told me we’re feeding the trumpet line before the game.
If this helps - I started on the pod a couple of weeks ago - couldn’t get below 200 -
by the third night I was throwing up…
BUT - then we started fine-tuning the basel - and also moved the bolus around a bit.
For the last four days - I have not gone above 150 - and under 125 most of the time - I cannot believe it.
This is amazing - my last A1C - was over 8. So - I was not the most complient patient.
I have had diabetis for over twenty years. And lots of time I have felt really alone with it.
Now I feel like I have a little friend hanging out with me, guiding me.
So - give it a chance - it takes some time to get it adjusted for you.
But its worth it - no shots - and so easy to get some insulin.
Used to be sometimes I’d just nibble something and thing "oh it wasnt much - I really don’t feel like bothering with a shot."
Now I can just press in the amount for every little thing and keep the BS’s in line.
Hang in…
Better times are coming…
Susan
Well congrats. I just started on the POD on the 15th also. I must say it’s weird not to be giving myself injections…but I’ll get used to that. So far my numbers have been great. I’ve gone low ( 53 & 62 ) twice.Otherwise the highest I’ve been was first thing today, I was at 94. Everything I’ve read & everyone I’ve talked to have told me that it will take a while for things to settle down. My Endo told me that at the start my numbers would probably go up for a while till all the tweaking was done. I’m hoping that I’m pretty much good to go now, but we will see. Hang in there.
Go ahead Mike. Great numbers. My CDE called me this morning and we changed my insulin carb ratio and today has been great…not perfect but great. I never would have imagined having this much control.
QUESTION: I used to be able to feel a low coming from a mile away(mid 80’s). Since on the pod I have checked BG and have seen 70 and 60+ and have not felt the shakes right away. Am I weird??? Is this common??
It kind of worries me too. I don’t want to not wake up because I am low.
congratulations on the pod! i resisted at first, but i’m so glad that i did it. it is so nice to have a constant (more natural) stream of insulin. i had some really bad lows on lantus, so the pod has helped with that. i have noticed that when i do have a low now, it does not smack me upside the head. it’s more like a feeling of blahhhh. most of the time if i forget to reduce my basal for exercise, i tend to go low.
my endo had me do a cgms from their office for 3 days and it showed that i was going into the 50’s around 2am every night. we adjusted my basal rates and it really helped. could you do that? i did it about 2 months after i started on the pump, so i was surprised that something needed to be adjusted. i thought everything was cool, but it wasn’t!
I started pumping under family doctor’s orders. I can’t get into my Endo until January. So I am not sure if he has a CGMS system for fine tuning.
I’m with you on the exercise thing. Today my family and I rode bikes for 14 miles and I initially set my basal back by 20% and I went low. Then I reduced by 30% and ate lunch and went high a little. I set everything back to normal and after we got home I napped and then showered. Started feeling the low in the shower and checked BG, it was 42. I went into a “hypo rage” and ate way too much. and went back up.
My definition of a “hypo rage” : When a diabetic goes into a severe low where anamal insticts take over and you can’t stop eating even though you know you’ve consumed enough. Or maybe I’m completly mental.
Seriously, I think it’s because you want it to be over that you tend to overeat. It’s tough to eat 15 grams and wait 15 minutes when you feel like crap.
Give the CDE and your endo Dr. time to make appropriate adjustments based on observations and data. Most importantly, don’t get discouraged!