I am considering an insulin pump and I am looking for some advise. Some of my history is: I am Type 2 diabetic, my A1C is 6.1, I take 4-5 injections of humalog per day averaging 45 units total and I inject 15 units of lantus per night. I am 6 ft. tall, weighing about 150 pounds, with very little body fat.
I am interested in which unit that you think would be best for my situation. Should I even be on a pump?
Thanks for your time and I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Jimmer
If you want it and can afford it then sure im 5 10 170 and my only fat is my stomach which is where my pump goes also ive heard more good reviews for the ping then the omnipod
I agree with Andrew about the Ping vs the omnipod.
Did you see my response on the main board, Jimmer. Several things in your post made me wonder if you have been tested to see if you are in fact Type 2 or Type 1. If you are in fact, Type 1 it would make getting the pump covered by insurance a lot easier.
Thanks for your quick response. I do have a question - What would make you think that I am a Type 1 diabetic, as my diabetes was adult onset, one year ago? Do you think that I am taking too much humalog a day, too little, too much lantus, too little lantus to make you think that I am a Type 1? A little more information about me: two years ago I was 100 pounds heavier than I am now and may have had diabetes that whole time. It was not until I became ill with other things that the diabetes was diagnosed. Any insight would be appreciated.
some adults have type 1 and also 1.5 though 2 is more common for them you should get a double check to make sure though
Weight loss makes it sound all the more like type I, I was 53 when diagnosed and was suspected of having type 2 because of my age, but really had type 1. During a period of 2 weeks I lost 20 lbs and it was decided that I had type 1. When I think of type 2, I think of weight gain. Just my experience and opinion. Billie
Sounds like me. I’m 5’9" and at the time of diagnosis, wore a size 8 or sometimes a 10. That’s definitely NOT over weight. I lost 20lbs also, which prompted the diagnosis of diabetes. Because of my age (a woman never tells) they said that I was type 2. None of the usual type 2 meds worked and my bg levels continuted to elevate. It was not the case. I went to an endocrinologist who said that I was type 1…dropped the Meteformin and the other drug–can’t recall what it was…put me on an insulin pump (Omnipod). My A1c is now 5.9 and has been for quite some time.
I had narrowed my pump choices to the Ping and Omnipod. I chose the Pod because I didn’t want the tubing. I love it!!!
I was misdiagnosed Type 2 solely because I was 58 years old. After 15 months on oral meds doing fine, my numbers started to rise…and rise…and rise. I did a lot of research and realized I was LADA/Type 1. I made a list of five things that let me know that. When I finally did get in to see an endo she just looked at my list, checked off all five and said, “You are Type 1”. Here are the five things:
- Thin. (Lost 40 pounds at and after diagnosis).
- Short time to need for insulin (Type 2’s can go years if not decades)
- Insulin sensitive - took a relatively low dose compared to type 2’s
- another autoimmune disorder (thyroid)
- low c-peptide.
In your original post, Jimmer you listed 1-3.
Janice,
I am glad to hear that you are doing well. Thanks for the info., I am too leaning toward the Pod.
Jimmer
Billie,
Thanks for response, I appreciate your feedback.
Jimmer
Andrew,
I agree from all of the feedback that I need to take a second look at the diagnose, Type 1 or 2. Thanks for taking the time to respond.
Jimmer
Zoe,
I assumed that when my endocrinologist told me I was Type 2, that is what I was. At first, I didn’t contribute my weight loss to diabetes due to other things going on in my life. After some research and the information I have learned from this discussion board, I am going to ask for a “re-diagnosis”.
Take Care,
Jimmer
Jimmer -
Read the book “Diabetes Solution”! Believe me, you will really appreciate the info I’m a retired med. chemist and I’m still waiting for Dr. Bernstein (author) to say something that I didn’t think was appropriate. Billie
Zoe- Ditto on 4&5. If I had to make a choice of having type 1 or type 2, type 1 is my preference. I also am hypo thyoid. Billie
Sorry to sound a dissenting note but I can check 4 out of 5 on that list (everything except number 4) plus the joy of being diagnosed in full DKA in the emergency room.
However because I tested negative for antibodies, some of the doctors insist on calling me Type 2 on paper. In practice it makes no difference as they have treated me as a Type 1 from the beginning and I got all the right treatment that I needed. These doctors’ official line is ‘clinically and operationally you are a Type 1 but because you don’t have antibodies, we are ticking the Type 2 box’.
I appreciate I live in a different health system from most of you, where such box-ticking has no implications on insurance coverage or treatment given. And I’d encourage you to investigate if your diabetes is of the insulin-deficient or insulin-resistant variety - a distinction which I find much more useful from ‘Type 1’ vs ‘Type 2’. Have a look at Melitta’s excellent blog post on insulin-deficient diabetes.
I don’t really consider that a dissenting note, Lila. There are always exceptions to every rule, or people who don’t fit into neat categories, and as you said, your own situation is ambiguous. But you are getting the treatment you need, which is, of course, what’s really important.
You are right, that in the U.S. with our very broken health care system having a type 2 rather than a type 1 diagnosis can mean certain signicant reductions in services provided, most notably number of test strips allowed and pump approval.
Whatever you choose to call it (Type 1 and Type 2 are the broad categories currently in use - each way has its flaws, for example some type 1’s develop insulin resistance and many type 2’s eventually become insulin deficient) Jimmer is someone who could benefit on getting his diagnosis clarified.