Symlin and insulin pumps?

My Doctor threw into the whole fun pile of stuff I currently have going on medicine-wise, the possibility that I might be a good candidate for taking Symlin.

Sounds like a wonder-drug, but I'm cautious with medication.
Firstly, the cost. I already take (if you include insulin) 3 different prescription medicines. Symlin would be a 4th.

He also noted that it is injected with a pen device.

I'm on a pump and so this just was a near instant no from me. I'm not going back to shots. Did that for 18 years, so I audibly said "boo, no I don't think so", but also said I'd like to think on it.
My endo did mention that they had pump designs in the works where Symlin and insulin were delivered together in the same device but it was way way off.
The FDA people will no doubt have that decades away.

I came home and searched for information on the stuff, to hear that most seem to inject, but some actually use a pump to deliver Symlin alone.
This got me to thinking why you can't just mix the two in the same reservoir if they are to be injected together anyway, so I search on that and sure enough, some people seem to do this.

Are there any known huge no-no's to doing this? I'm going to go back in 4 weeks to give him a verdict, but I think if the possibility of keeping my dosing to one device is possible, then I may be a lot more interested than if I was pumping but shooting up with another medicine too.

Does anyone have any experience or information on this possibility?
Is this possible? Does it 'mix'? Does it settle...Does it hurt either drug/hormone?

I have no idea how you would do that. How would you control the dosing?

I did a 6 week trial on Symlin so I can give you some thoughts about it. For me, it didn't work because I was taking it to lose weight and I lost none. But it did cut by about 40% the amount of insulin I took. it also somewhat reduced spikes but my control was already good and the difference wasn't great. Bottom line is it works wonders for some people, some people have bad side effects and can't tolerate it and others it does nothing for. But it also is very complicated to take and I would be pretty amazed if your doctor knew much about dosing as even the Symlin people weren't much help when I called. I figured it out - like everything with D - by trial and error. It takes time to find: the right dose of Symlin for you, the right timing of your insulin boluses and testing (which changes totally using Symlin) and the right reduction of insulin. By the way I found I could use the full Type 2 dose, not the half dose recommended for Type 1.

If you are either struggling with controlling your blood sugar, want to control weight or both it is worth a try for you. If you're doing ok I personally wouldn't bother. But I would think twice, maybe three times about putting Symlin in your pump. Like I said, I have no idea how that could possibly work dose-wise. There is a Symlin group on here, and I think I remember they've even discussed Symlin and pumps so you should join, but really I wouldn't combine Symlin and insulin in your pump without a doctor's go-ahead. And if you read my posts on here you know how rarely I say that! About anything!

I don't know anything about it all, including how it's dosed.

I did just find out that you don't even use it unless you eat more than 30 carbs.

I really don't think this one is going to happen.
It would take some miracle drug to get me back to doing shots again, and this one sounds like it's just a shove in the right direction...for some.

It's true that I do have issues with larger amounts or fast acting carbs, but I've taken to low carbing.
If I'm super boring with what I eat my insulin sensitivity goes right up again.
This means I would have to switch back to a regular carb filled diet to make use of the Symlin.
The weight thing...I could possibly lose 15 pounds and I'd be as low as I'd be comfortable being, so I presume this means I don't really need to lose weight either to the degree it's touted as being a help for.

I don't see this one happening.

My Endo is a little trigger happy with prescribing. I'm aware of this, and I've read others mention it in reviews of him. I've been without CGM sensors for a couple of months due to minimed screwing up, and my A1C was pretty dire as a result, hence this Symlin suggestion...Even though I did tell him the reason why it happened.

I imagine once my A1C drops back down again as I'm back to my regular routine, he will see no use for it. Maybe.

Ugh, it would be nice to have more faith in his motives.

It sounds like you just answered your own question! It's good that you know your endo is a bit trigger happy with the meds (aren't most doctors?). Then you can take that into account.

When I used it I just went ahead and used it for all meals even if they were under 30 (I eat under 100 a day but my breakfast is always the lowest). You say you only have 15 pounds you want to lose. when I tried it I had gained back ten pounds of the 40 I lost at diagnosis and still felt fine about my weight; I just didn't want to gain anymore. It barely even worked for that. (for me, anyway, other people have success).

It sounds like you have really worked out your issues on your own and congrats on that. Sometimes I think doctors - even endos - just don't get that Type 1's have variations and that we get outselves back on track just fine on our own. Good for you!