So I’ve been pumping saline for two weeks and I officially started using insulin today. It’s going good except I keep getting low. I have been lowering my units per hour little by little.
I started at .95 units per hour and now I am down to .75 per hour and still slightly low.
Did anyone else experience this when they first started? Any advice? Should I just keep lowering the amount of insulin per hour?
Thanks!
Congratulations!!! Welcome to the club!
If your Diabetes Educator didn’t lower your basal by around 10-25% for starting the pump, then you’ll find this happening. Also if your basal/bolus wasn’t quite right on MDI. Or if you didn’t have good control in the weeks before. It’s then much harder for them to work out what your pump starting rates should be. Absorption is also better on a pump.
My DE got it almost spot on for me and I’m still working with her to make tiny adjustments here and there.
I’ve been on a pump for 8 weeks now (Animas) and I’m loving it to bits. I now have different basal rates for different times of the day… my lows are around 6-8pm and my highs are around midnight-2pm, so my basals reflect that.
Also, don’t forget, any adjustments you make now will have an maximum effect over the next 1-2 hours.
If you’re not eating and not giving boluses, then you may be right that the basal is too high for you at this time of day. At least with a pump, you can make tiny adjustments. Do you need to call anyone before making adjustments? I don’t know how it works in the USA. But clearly if you’ve been given permission, you should pull your basal down slowly until you’re within your target range 2 hours later.
What confuses things is if you’re eating as well. It could be your I:C ratio is off, or even your ISF. Only you would know which of these are possibilities.
First couple of nights, try to wake in the middle and test to make sure you’re not going low. It’s a bit nerve wracking the first couple of weeks. You fingers will feel like pin cushions from all the testing!! But it’s so worth it!
Good luck!
Amanda,
Susi has already provided great tips. You are on the right track. You may want to visit with pump educator or CDE about “testing basal rates”. It is tedious, and takes a while but worth the effort. I have to do it a few times a year, such as when seasons change or when weight drops, etc. Another great resource for pumpers is book called “Pumping Insulin” by John Walsh, P.A., CDE (and fellow PWD). I’ve been d since '74 and pumping since '92 but have learned tons from the book. Mine is the fourth edition published in 2006 so you want to make sure you get the most current edition. Not sure he has updated since mine but it be worth checking.
I’m now on a Ping and love it because it allows for very small increments of bolus and basal adjustments.
What is your degree in and what type of job are you hoping to find? Good luck with that!!
Thanks ladies.
Yeah so far lowering the basal rate per hour to .75 has worked for me. I woke up a 131 and I am still 136. The .95 was way high for me. I was 50, 71, 74 all day yesterday. My doctor said it was ok to lower it if I was getting low.
The only thing I am worried about is when I work out I tend to go early low during and after for a couple of hours. My doctor said to lower the rate by 40 percent so hopefully that will work good. We will see.
My degree is in Psychology: Child/adolescent development and I am looking for a job in teaching infants/toddlers or becoming a counselor/advisor. Thanks for asking!
I set a temorary basal rate at minus 50% about an hour before i work out and have it last for 4 hours. This keeps me pretty level. Still, check your BG half way through your exercise period and keep some glucose tabs, gel, banana, whatever close by. Don’t forget to check again when done. Congrats on the new pump. You’ll love it.
Thanks David.
I set it back 50 percent today about 20 mins before I worked out and I still got low. I’ll try an hour before next time. That makes a lot more sense! haha.