well we'll see. the papers are going to my doctors today to sign, then im gonna fax them next week to animas.
It would make sense to have a low carb diet as this will help stabailise our BGL's and your insulin requirements would also be lower. Both of which contribute to a healthier you, a lower HbAic, healthier baby and hopefully not too big a bub!
I know when I fall pregnant I will be adhering to a low carb diet for this very reason.
Hope this helps.
my doc faxed the papers yesterday and Animas called my mom's house and left a message for me to call a rep they put on my case, and to call her about setting up an account. i left her a message cuz i didnt get the number and stuff til after their office hours.
whats this account thing??
Batts, I realize I am a little late coming to this party but here are my 2 cents worth. Like you, I was very nervous about being "hooked up to a machine" 24/7. Let me tell, ya, you get used to it in a huge hurry. After a week, I didn't even think about that anymore. My endo at the time I got my pump, a minimed 522, made me do finger sticks every 2 hours 24/7 for 3 months prior to getting my pump in order to figure multple basal rates so giving too much insulin too little insulin was not really a huge problem, we just tweak it here and there as needed. A far as the bruising, in the 6 years I have been pumping, I have never had a bruise. In order to bruise, you have to hit a vessel and a large enough vessel to cause what you are describing is pretty hard to fing on the belly. I am pretty thin, and so I use a 6mm cannula and 23inch tubing. I have accidentally knocked my pump out of the clip or some such thing from time to time and have had the dumb thing hanging from the set and it has not pulled out... you really have to work at it. The only time I ever had trouble with that was when I tried to use my thigh as a site. I wear my jeans too tight for that and I was always pulling the set out when I pulled my jeans down to pee. So I use my belly or butt instead and no more problems with that. Sex?/ unclip and go in the blink of an eye. I usually wear my pump clipped to my panties at night, right in the crease of my leg and groin and it never bothers me, but I have slept in the buff a lot as well, and it really has never been a problem. During the day, I either wear it clipped to the watch pocket of my pants or in my bra, no one sees it there. When I worked in the medical field, I cut a small slit in the inside of a scrub pocket and threaded it through, no one ever saw it or the tubing that way. I now also have a cgms, and although I am not completely thrilled with another piece of hardware, you will have to pry both of them out of my cold dead hands. I cannot imagine ever going back to shots, even a pen. It has made my life so much easier!
the sales rep in my area is going to put me on a saline trial so i can get used to having something attached to me..we'll see how it goes.
Sounds awesome Batts !!
I can't wait to see how this goes ...
i've made a blog for my experience. only has one post right now, but i'll start blogging regularly during my trial.
if you feel like checking it out: http://pump.nataliewoods.com
Regarding Sex---
Sometimes I disconnect, sometimes I don't. It only takes a second to disconnect and I can do it just as easily when disrobing, you know? If I don't disconnect, its possible that the wire gets in the way or the pump does, but disconnecting it and throwing it off the bed usually solves that problem. I've disconnected for the middle-of-the-night romp and forgotten to reconnect before, but whenever I forget to reconnect, a quick correction bolus is all I need to get back on track.
All in all, the pump is really not a big deal when it comes to the love-makin' department. I recommend the pump for the myriad benefits.
Tim
Hi Batts -
Sleeping - Personally I unclip my pump while I am sleeping. I have found that it cause me more injury when clipped on to my P.J.'s. If you roll over on it, no big deal. In 15 years I have never accidental bolused in my sleep, and I roll around a lot. When sleeping with someone else- I have never had it to be a problem during spooning or him rolling over in the middle of the night on my pump. The pumps are pretty strong and like I said rolling on them has never caused me, my husband or the pump any damage.
Exercising- If my sugar is on the low side I disconnect while exercising. If my sugar is normal/higher I clip the pump on the back of my pants so it will not get in the way of my work out. When doing sit ups and things of that nature I lay the pump beside me. I do not swim, so I cannot speak to that, however like you I have heard that most people disconnect. I do believe that the Ping is water proof though. As far as Mosh Pits go, I use to do quite a bit of that in college. Never once had a problem with my pump in a pit. I was kicked in the head at An A Perfect Circle concert and passed out in the mosh pit, so my pump survived longer than me. Pockets are a good place for a pump in a mosh pit, at least for me.
Tubing - Ah yes our favorite part ;) I do not like the tubing either (mostly because I am allergic to mine). It does suck, I am not going to lie to you. It is just one of those things you have to get use to. As far as being pulled out, yes it can happen. I would say in 15 years it has happened to me five times. So it isn't a weekly occurrence but it does go on. What happens more so than the tubing getting pulled out is that it gets yanked on. Example if I un clip while I am chillin' watching a movie and then firget to clip again before standing up...Ouch! But the set is still in.
Sex - Alright for real now our favorite part ;). I disconnect for sex almost every time. For the middle of the night romps you talked about; those would probably be times when I wouldn't disconnect. It varies though. I personally don't like to be connected because I am naked and the thing feels like it is weighing me down. When I disconnect the site is still in my stomach, I usually use the area right above my hip bone. During sex it is being touched and there has never been a problem reconnecting or it falling out. It doesn't hurt when touched etc.
Insulin - I do not know the answer to this, however I can tell you that it has never happened to me with any pump I have had. I do not like the idea of rely on a machine, machines fail. Honestly though as much as I dislike relying on something else it has never given me a dose of insulin that I did not tell it to give me.
I hope this helps :)
well..the moment has come folks.
my insurance has approved the $7k for a pump(since my at 100% coverage at the moment i wont be paying a 20% deductable!)
talked to anthony a few mins ago and now can't focus on work...will be getting hooked up on a saline trial tomorrow after work for a week. eep.
will call animas tomorrow encase they haven't heard from my insurance company but put off setting up training until i've had the trial for a week.
keep posted if you want on my blog as i will be starting to post daily after i get hooked up tomorrow evening!
http://pump.nataliewoods.com (opens in new window)
Hey Batts!
I loved your post. I am new to the medical acronyms. But I'll tell you this... I have been on injections since 1988. I have had both good and bad control. I am looking into the pump... the VA is trying to tell me they need all this tracking on paper from me on my food intake to see if my sliding scale and carb to injection ratios are correct. I am also turning 40 this year.
Frankly I am a hard headed, rebelious SOB and I resent the VA telling me what I need to do. However, I just want tighter more consistant control and will try what ever will work. If I stay on injections... cool.. if not that is cool too. And you seem like you have a great head on your shoulders. Do what you think is best for you right now. I think the month trial is a brave step.
Papa Jon
Don't kick yourself! :-)
Hey Batts,
I love Victoria .. I go to Sooke a bit to visit friends.
I had the same concerns about the pump, esp. the tubing. When I got my pump, it sat in the box for 3 months - I just looked at it. But now after 10 years with it, I have no problems ... hope it's working out for you!
Scott
Hey Batts,
I used to be on the disetronic h-tron plus pump from 98 to 2001 before i started having seizures and it was recommended that i stop using the pump. In a way i wish i was still on the pump becuase of the level of control it gave me versus insulin shots. My hemogolbin A1C's ran 6 to 7.6 when i was on it. Since i have gone back to shots they been between 8 to 10. The downside to pumps i would have to say from personal experience was the site changing and the irriation i would get from leaving a site plug in too long ( more then 72 hours) in one spot. Sleep was never an issue as i had a night time basal amount set that kept me from going into insulin shock. They usally make you spend a couple days monitoring your bloodsugar 24/7 to get those basal rates right. Then they make adjustments for food intake(carbs) and activity. You can always detach the pump for bathing, swimming or intimate activites. Really what it comes down to is whether or not you think you have enough control over your diabetes without the pump or whether you believe it may give you more control. Only you and your doctor can make that kind of determination. I hope that helps....
[quote user="Scott"]
Hey Batts,
I love Victoria .. I go to Sooke a bit to visit friends.
I had the same concerns about the pump, esp. the tubing. When I got my pump, it sat in the box for 3 months - I just looked at it. But now after 10 years with it, I have no problems ... hope it's working out for you!
Scott
[/quote]
haha how random is that! sooke is alright, i went on a photo adventure with a friend of mine who is now living in sooke...to east sooke(he'd never been before either haha). crazy nice mansions up there! and a random llama farm?!
it's going alright..but it's still not perfect. i've got a link in my siggy with a blog i've got going about it if you're read and want something to read! haha
[quote user="Michael Nichols"]
Hey Batts,
I used to be on the disetronic h-tron plus pump from 98 to 2001 before i started having seizures and it was recommended that i stop using the pump. In a way i wish i was still on the pump becuase of the level of control it gave me versus insulin shots. My hemogolbin A1C's ran 6 to 7.6 when i was on it. Since i have gone back to shots they been between 8 to 10. The downside to pumps i would have to say from personal experience was the site changing and the irriation i would get from leaving a site plug in too long ( more then 72 hours) in one spot. Sleep was never an issue as i had a night time basal amount set that kept me from going into insulin shock. They usally make you spend a couple days monitoring your bloodsugar 24/7 to get those basal rates right. Then they make adjustments for food intake(carbs) and activity. You can always detach the pump for bathing, swimming or intimate activites. Really what it comes down to is whether or not you think you have enough control over your diabetes without the pump or whether you believe it may give you more control. Only you and your doctor can make that kind of determination. I hope that helps....
[/quote]
sleep has been weird, i'm still trying to figure out my over night rate, so since i got it..i've been getting up at midnight, 2am, 3am and sometimes 4am to test. it's been brutal for sure. i think i have it perfect now..one more night of testing and i'll know if bumping it to the original 0.9u/hr is gonna work.
still trying to figure out my daytime. haven't even TACKLED weekend basal rates though! i seem to start off good in the morning, and despite my overall basal rate(28u) being almost as much as i was on with lantus(32u) i spike in the afternoon.
the sites are starting to bug me, i only have two spots i can put them right now..my lovehandles and it's driving me nuts when i'm wearing some of my work shirts. some of them don't cover it, so instead they start lifting up and it's just plain annoying. i'm hoping to get a thigh-it or leg-it and try that for when i'm at work.
i've had less "highs" for the most part..but i'm still in the high single digits. =/