# The Pumpers Thread!



## Northerner

This is a thread for all you pumpers - new, potential or experienced - to post. But do not feel you are limited to using this thread - you can still use the messageboard as normal to start new threads and ask questions, moan, whinge, scream, laugh and pontificate!

Happy pumping!


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## bev

Thanks Northerner - but where has Patricia's thread gone? I had hoped to be able to refer to it in the next few days! I feel 'lost' without it!Bev


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## Northerner

bev said:


> Thanks Northerner - but where has Patricia's thread gone? I had hoped to be able to refer to it in the next few days! I feel 'lost' without it!Bev



It's still there bev, just set free from its moorings!

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=2420


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## Mand

Oh I just found this! I hope this works well. I will post on here in future instead of my other 'started on pump' thread. 

Thanks Northener!


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## Mand

UPDATE

Hi everyone

Well, with our scary experience well and truly over (see my former thread 'started on pump') all has settled down again well. Achieving good numbers generally though still get the odd high (but easily corrected on pump) and having mild hypos when out playing with friends so we now have to start using temp basal if he knows he likely to be active. 

We went through a phase a couple of weeks ago with him saying that the pump was bothering him at night. He kept turning over and lying on it or it fell off the side of the bed etc. I was a bit worried about this but now he has stopped saying anything and is cetainly sleeping well! 

I am not a good sleeper and i am so jealous of how a child sleeps so deeply. We check his blood in night and he generally sleeps through it! If he too high we bolus him down with the pump and he sleeps through this too even though it makes little beep noises. A couple of nights ago i had to wake him to get him to drink a little fruit juice as he only 4.1 and the next morning he could not remember it!

Of course, sometimes he wakes but on the whole he sleeps through. So he is fine (I am shattered but i'll survive!).

Thinking of Bev and A today and wishng them good luck!

Lou, how's it going? xx

Adrienne, are you still around? 

Love to you all, Mand xx


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## Steff

hi all just wanted to say i shall be reading through and chipping in when ever i can x


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## Patricia

Hi all!

Thanks Northerner, look forward to using this...I shall use this thread too about pump matters now...

Mand, glad all has settled down. We had a spectacularly weird night last night -- talk about shattered -- but I shall post it separately as folks may have more general thoughts...

Are you bolus wizard-ing yet?

Steff: great to see you!

And yes, luck to Bev and Alex today. Want to hear about it all!

xxoo


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## Mand

Patricia, Just read about your experience on other thread!  What a night! You must be shattered! You have my full sympathy! Grab a nap if you can! Can't offer any advice re your night but we have odd nights or days that there just is no explanation for. Providing they few and far between i think we just have to put it down to one of the delights of diabetes!! 

Not using bolus wizard yet but getting good numbers generally still. His dsn on a three week holiday at moment but i think we will be learning it on her return. But not sure. I have avoided certain foods so far so perhaps i should try them and see what his numbers are like then try the foods again when been taught wizard to compare difference?

Hi to everyone reading this thread. x


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## bev

Hi all,

A is pumping!!!!!!!

The best thing that happened today was that at lunchtime we went to the hospital canteen and A did his first bolus for his food of sausage chips and beans - and he just sat at the table and pressed the buttons and off he went! Then after eating he turned to me and said 'mum i am so happy' - and he just sat there grinning! He loves the pump and i havent had a look-in yet! All i did was the set change and he has done it all.

I have a few issues with our team - they say we only need to check through the night for a couple of nights!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We will ignore this advice as i think its stupid! We will be checking for as along as it takes to be happy with his levels.
They want us to wait a few months before using the bolus wizard - we will leave it a few weeks - but then i think we will have to start it - also the dual wave etc - it seems silly to have these tools and not to use them.

A also gave himself a correction as he hadnt had his levemir this morning so was 13.9mmols! He was still grinning as he didnt need to inject! 

All his ratios have changed and he is on 25% less basal than normal - so we will have to get our heads round the new numbers.

Also at lunch the carbs meant he should have had 4.75units of bolus and he was about to round it up when he realised he could actually DO 4.75units accurately!These tiny amounts are amazing. The only problem is he will probably spike due to the chips - but we can correct - no worries - just cant wait to use the dual wave etc..!

Is anyone using the meter that comes with the pump or do you use your own?
Not sure whether to change from the nano - but then the pump can 'read' the meter it comes with - so not sure!

Will update as necessary - or ask questions as necessary!Bev

update - 5.4mmols AFTER CHIPS!!!!!!!!!!!! but i suspect his ratios need tweaking - unless of course this is just because he is pumping and he wont get the usual spike?


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## Steff

yayy helloo bev well done on the first pump post hehe , pleased so far so good like i said earlier i cant help with the pump etc etc but i will start reading the thread and giving the odd words where ever possible x


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## Patricia

Hey Bev, well done! And well done to Alex! Yay! It's just magical feeling, isn't it, esp at first. Lovely...

YES get up and test. This is worth it to get the basal right.
YES start wizard when you want, in my opinion. Why leave so long? Sounds mad to me. (sorry, judgmental!)

NO we don't use the Contour -- E likes his meter for the moment, and thinks it no hassle to type in the bgl. That's the only thing the contour will do as far as we know, read it remotely. Also we didn't like the HUGE pot of test strips. The Exceed has them all flat in foil, much easier for his pocket.

(btw, what is the Nano like? Neat? We are looking for something smaller than the Exceed if poss...)

Good job! Keep us up to date! 

xxoo

p.s. envious of the small increments of insulin -- the medtronic 7 series can only do units to tenths...


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## Mand

I am sooooooooooo pleased for you and A! It's great, isn't it! My son also thinks it fantastic to press a button instead of injecting! 

Yes, you do need to kinda start again re insulin needs but it does not take long due to the knowledge you already have. Like yours, our dsn seems to think it better to wait a while before learning wizard. Her point was that it is best to get him stable on the basics then start messing about. So we still not using it yet. I am happy with this as we getting good numbers generally. However, Patricia is successfully using it so i think you should just do as you want. See how you feel as you go along. 

We choose to stick with my son's usual monitor rather than to swap to the one that came with the pump. As Patricia says, the only advantage of the one that comes with the pump is that it talks to the pump to give the bgl but it just as easy to put it in manually, i am sure. 

Well, i wish A all the best with his pump. Please keep us posted on his progress. 

I agree with Patricia, the night testing needs to be for more than a couple of nights. 

I will be thinking of you at 3am!!!!!!!!!!! Now, thats the down side! But only a temporary down side!!

Love to you both,

Mand xx


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## Northerner

bev said:


> ...The best thing that happened today was that at lunchtime we went to the hospital canteen and A did his first bolus for his food of sausage chips and beans - and he just sat at the table and pressed the buttons and off he went! Then after eating he turned to me and said 'mum i am so happy' - and he just sat there grinning! He loves the pump and i havent had a look-in yet! All i did was the set change and he has done it all....



This brought a tear to my eye bev - so pleased for you all! Who would have thought just a few short months ago you'd be happy and smiling like this? Terrific!


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## sasha1

Hi Bev and A ...

OMG ... I'm sooooooo pleased for you both  .... 

A ..... Your a star .... 

Heidi
xx


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## Twitchy

bev said:


> A did his first bolus for his food of sausage chips and beans - and he just sat at the table and pressed the buttons and off he went! Then after eating he turned to me and said 'mum i am so happy' - and he just sat there grinning! He loves the pump and i havent had a look-in yet! All i did was the set change and he has done it all.



Bless him!!  I'm so pleased for him!  I bet you feel over the moon!  (I'm sat here literally trying - not very successfully - not to blub having read that (damn pregnancy hormones, grr!! ) - what a brilliant, wonderful lovely thing for you to hear him say!!!

You're making me soooo jealous!!!  Really, really hope it's everything you both wanted!  I'm so pleased for you!!


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## aymes

bev said:


> The best thing that happened today was that at lunchtime we went to the hospital canteen and A did his first bolus for his food of sausage chips and beans - and he just sat at the table and pressed the buttons and off he went! Then after eating he turned to me and said 'mum i am so happy' - and he just sat there grinning!



Aw Bev, you've got me crying too now!! So pleased for you both, a little jealous too it has to be said but I'm working on it!


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## tracey w

Bev and Alex, fantastic! so happy to hear that Alex is happy, and he is taking control too, wonderful, you must be so proud. It is you afterall who has given him this confidence.


pump alert!
I have good news too, have a date for my pump, 8th september 

been running round the house and jumping up and down like a loon, good job im on my own! Officially excited now that i know its truly happening!!


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## Steff

tracey w said:


> pump alert!
> I have good news too, have a date for my pump, 8th september
> 
> 
> congrats woooo thats great news tracey , well done x


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## tracey w

steff09 said:


> tracey w said:
> 
> 
> 
> congrats woooo thats great news tracey , well done x
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thank you Steff!
Click to expand...


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## katie

I'm so glad Alex is happy, it will be great for him. It's nice to see he is taking charge too


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## sofaraway

Thats great, seems like he it is really going to boost his confidence and will have some time before starting school to get the hang of using it. 
I would be using the wizard straight away, maybe thats because I would be grateful for it to do the work of the calculations.

Have a question for you pumpers- when you go to eat and need a correction, the pump will recommend a dose to correct and cover the food, so does it just show the total dose it wants you to have or does it show the split aswell. 

Great news tracey


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## Patricia

Wow wow wow -- love this thread!

Congrats Tracey on your date -- wonderful news.

Sofaraway -- yes, the pump wizard lets you know what is correction and what is bolus. The correction, btw, is either way -- taking account of starting too low (according to your targets) OR starting too high. We have just moved E's targets to 6.5mmol lowest, and 6.5 highest... This seems to work well so far. We found that with a higher target (eg 7.5) he kept ending up around 9 or 10 too often? Maybe all in our imaginations...

The main thing about night-testing Bev in my opinion is to feel satisfied that you know the effect of whatever rate you are on. What you want is a 'flat' basal, of course, which is usually very attainable -- but you may need to make very small adjustments to know this. We test for every unusual situation, eg funny foods, change in basal rate, end of dual wave, etc..., usually around 3am, though sometimes we will stay up until 1am or so to test the end of a dual wave or a late meal, and then leave it.

At the moment we are testing at 7am and 9am regularly, trying to work out why he sometimes rises between these times, and sometimes falls. We were under the misapprehension that he was consistently 'waking' high -- whereas it turned out that his 7am reading was very stable, the same as through the night; it's the later one which is irregular...Believe it or not, we have moved a basal rate here from .75unit/hr to .80unit/hr THREE times, and each time there is a HUGE reaction! Annoying. I want some smaller increments! Waaa! (Eg this morning we went back to .75/hr because he dropped on .80/hr yesterday morning quite significantly. Well this morning he rose 2mmols! Argh.)

I digress...

Bev and Alex, well. It really *is* something to celebrate. And a gift you've worked hard to give Alex. We felt that way anyway, quite tearful. We wanted it for E so much, knew it was right for him. And the helplessness around diagnosis is really profound; all of our abilities to make it right just go out the window. Getting a pump is for some one way of doing something significant, that has real results and benefits for most. It's a great relief to do it, and see how it changes things. Well done, again!


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## Northerner

tracey w said:


> ...pump alert!
> I have good news too, have a date for my pump, 8th september
> 
> been running round the house and jumping up and down like a loon, good job im on my own! Officially excited now that i know its truly happening!!



Tracey! That's brilliant news! You sounded a bit despondent earlier with all the uncertainty - what a great lift for you! I can see this new pumpers thread keeping very busy!


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## bev

Update:
Slightly concerned he has had 2 x hypos this afternoon . A 2.3 and a 2.8mmols. I suspect it is because his ratio is wrong.
If you use the 500 rule - then his ratio should come out at 1:27 - but for some reason the hospital have told us to do all his ratios at 1:20. I think they do this as a starting point and then tweak - but after he has had 2 x hypos i am fairly certain that he needs to change his ratio to 1:27.

It does seem like tiny amounts - so i would be interested to know what others ratios are?

Also not too happy that we dont have a mobile number to ring anyone (just ring the ward and ask them to page). I did this before as i was concerned that maybe his basal was set too high and the consultant (not the one we see normally) told us to give him a free carb - even though your not supposed to give slow release carbs on the pump - so bit confused?

I am going to do a 1:27 for dinner tonight as i think its safer - i would rather he was a bit high than having hypos.

For info:

His average TDD was 24 units.

Take away 25% (this is because you use less insulin on a pump)

This gives 18.

500 divided by 18 = 27.7 units of carbs for 1 unit of insulin.

His old ratios were 1:10 1:15 1:10 - so i think they just took the middle ground and chose 1:20 - but i am keen to get things right from day one - so did you change your ratios very soon or stay with what you were told?

Tracey - WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am just so pleased for you - you will absolutely love it - A said he loves being able to discreetly press a button and no-one notices. Usually i put my big handbag on the table if we are in public for privacy - but today in the hospital he just did it without caring! I feel very excited for you too!

Patricia, I thought you had the medtronic veo the same as ours? Our increments go up in 0.025 units - doesnt yours or am i confused?

Thanks everyone for all you kind words - it means a lot and makes us feel like your family!Bev


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## tracey w

Northerner said:


> Tracey! That's brilliant news! You sounded a bit despondent earlier with all the uncertainty - what a great lift for you! I can see this new pumpers thread keeping very busy!



yes, thanks again everyone for your kind words. I am not very good at being patient but in this case i had no choice.


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## Mand

Fab news Tracey! Really pleased for you!!!! 

Bev, we started on 1:15 for all meals and 1:5 for correction. I very quickly changed this, espcially for breakfast which is now 1:7. Other meals and snacks are 1:10. We now correct 1:5.

We were opposite to you as my son ran too high to start with so we worked on bringing him down till we got it about right. 

I think you will need to keep a close eye on him tonight if he going so low. 

You need to know whether the basal is wrong or the carb ratio. Difficult one. You really need to get the basal about right before you know if your carb/insulin ration is working. Perhaps keep settings as they are for now and reduce his carb/insulin ratio. Perhaps he could have a carb free breakfast or lunch tomorrow (eg ham and mushroom omlette) so you can see how his blood sugars are with only the basal in his system.

Good luck tonight. Love to you both. xx


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## Mand

Northener, this new thread is great! Many thanks! xx


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## tracey w

Wow, all these new ratios, will they go through this with me it all sounds very confusing 

Can someone please tell me why you dont give slow carbs after a hypo? is it because you adjust your basal for a hypo? When obviously you cant for mdi. thanks


good luck tonight Bev, afraid i cant help you but you are helping me!


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## Sugarbum

OMG!!!! This thread!!! There have been like, 30 posts or something since I logged on last night on this pumping malarky!!!

I hope I can remember everything I wanted to write!

Firstly and most importantly the fantastic news of new pumpers, Bev and Alex today and Tracey W with a date! Thank god tracey. Now there is a date you can get in the zone. I have suggested reading lists for you!

Bev I am ultra excited. I am abit overwhelmed actually with what to write. I am so so so so pleased. It means so much for you both and I cant quite put the words together for what I want to say.....but I am glued so keep posting! I second, third and fourth patricia's words of pumping wisdom. Her thread is the mantra to why we all gotta move earth and moutain to get out of bed at 3am. I am 2 months in and I will still do a 3am probably about twice a week. Bev, you are in the club!

I am disapointed bitterly you have no 24 hour contact. Appauling. Dont forget to use the medtronic 24 hour number as well if you need it (I think at night it goes straight through to the USA).

So much to say, yes, Bev, what colour did Alex get? (this is of whopping importance to me!).

Re the countour. Ridiculous name (you know what I think- it sounds like a sanitary towel) ridiculous monitor. I wouldnt rush to change. The bluetooth I admit is great but it takes 3 seconds to enter in his own BM, and he doesnt need to do that every single time, especially if you arent using the Wizzard so dont rush to it. I have used several metres over the years and the usability of this one is awful. I cant scroll and understand what i am reading like the others (I wish onetouch was compatable with medtronic here like it is in the USA). 

Mand I am glad to read your updat and hear you are ok. Patricia, with reference to your awful night, I cant find your thread! I will get in search to get myself updated. Hope you had a fab holiday.

Phew, I bet that wasnt everything I wanted to add but nevermind!!

Love to all xx


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## tracey w

Sugarbum said:


> OMG!!!! This thread!!! There have been like, 30 posts or something since I logged on last night on this pumping malarky!!!
> 
> I hope I can remember everything I wanted to write!
> 
> Firstly and most importantly the fantastic news of new pumpers, Bev and Alex today and Tracey W with a date! Thank god tracey. Now there is a date you can get in the zone. I have suggested reading lists for you!
> 
> Bev I am ultra excited. I am abit overwhelmed actually with what to write. I am so so so so pleased. It means so much for you both and I cant quite put the words together for what I want to say.....but I am glued so keep posting! I second, third and fourth patricia's words of pumping wisdom. Her thread is the mantra to why we all gotta move earth and moutain to get out of bed at 3am. I am 2 months in and I will still do a 3am probably about twice a week. Bev, you are in the club!
> 
> I am disapointed bitterly you have no 24 hour contact. Appauling. Dont forget to use the medtronic 24 hour number as well if you need it (I think at night it goes straight through to the USA).
> 
> So much to say, yes, Bev, what colour did Alex get? (this is of whopping importance to me!).
> 
> Re the countour. Ridiculous name (you know what I think- it sounds like a sanitary towel) ridiculous monitor. I wouldnt rush to change. The bluetooth I admit is great but it takes 3 seconds to enter in his own BM, and he doesnt need to do that every single time, especially if you arent using the Wizzard so dont rush to it. I have used several metres over the years and the usability of this one is awful. I cant scroll and understand what i am reading like the others (I wish onetouch was compatable with medtronic here like it is in the USA).
> 
> Mand I am glad to read your updat and hear you are ok. Patricia, with reference to your awful night, I cant find your thread! I will get in search to get myself updated. Hope you had a fab holiday.
> 
> Phew, I bet that wasnt everything I wanted to add but nevermind!!
> 
> Love to all xx



What a lovely post you are so very kind!   have ordered pumping insulin from amazon tonight( on oh credid card, lol, thts whats is for, not told him yet, he he) 

look forward to hearing more from you and Bev and Alex in coming days. Sooooooooo happy tonight, celebrating with glass of red, any excuse


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## Patricia

Good grief what a busy thread!!!

Going kind of backward through then: Sugarbum, my awful night is on the 'weird high' thread from yesterday, didn't put it on my own thread cos thought it would spread beyond pumping...And I *did* put a couple of (long) posts (!) on my thread re the hol and what we learned, so you may find it useful...

Tracey, hope you enjoyed your wine -- even in the land of any excuse, there isn't a much better excuse than getting a pump date! Also, somewhere in my thread is the thinking behind only using fast-acting on the pump: this is because on MDI the background insulin is always more than it needs to be, because you have overshoot in order to provide cover, and because it doesn't have a completely flat profile. So in a hypo situation you need the long acting carb to cover the background insulin. On a pump, in theory the background is completely flat, so you only need the short acting in order to pull your bg back to that level. Once it's there, it stays. Actually, this more or less does work -- and if it doesn't, then your basal's set too high!

Saying that, Bev, in the early days esp, we used free carb quite a bit on the pump, while we tried to establish the basal rates. So it's not like it's never used. We've also used free carb when we forget to set a temp basal for exercise etc...

Okay now, Bev and Alex: agree with Mand that you *must* get the basal right if you can at all first, unless you are certain that the ratios are the mess up (eg he's hypo-ing around two hours after eating). I'm confused though about what your ratios actually are:  The ratio system for the pump is as far as I know along the same number lines; for example on MDI E's breakfast ratio was 1:5 -- on the pump it's gone between 1:7 and 1:8. 

I feel like a fool but I don't know the 500 rule! If we used it as you say, then our ratios would be completely different...but what I think is actually happening here is maybe a confusion over what percentage of the overall (TDD) is used for the basal, and what percentage is used for the ratio? If you look at how much levermir A was on, take away 25%, then divide that by 24 (hours), then you will have a guesstimate for his per hour basal rate. Have they given you one rate, or several for different times of day? It's this rate which may need looking at if he's hypo-ing a lot? 

If A's ratios were as you say on MDI, then I'm not surprised they went for 1:20 to start -- we started all of ours on 1:10, which was the highest ratio for E across the board on MDI. So they've started high. It looks to me like it's more possible it's his basal rates which are wrong -- what are they? At what times of day did he hypo?

If it's any help E hypo-ed on and off all through the first two days -- his basal rates were generally too high, and we quickly reduced them ALL across the board by .05unit/hr, so that we could work down to good numbers rather than propping him up!

Presumably you set ratios, basal rates, with the hospital? And it's all written down? 

This brings me to your appalling support. I simply can't believe you don't have a mobile. We phoned every day at 7pm and in the first few days, at 7am as well. This is appalling. The ward, as you know, will know nothing.

I'm really feeling for you, Bev. To be straight on insulin AND with little support is a unsettling start I think. Do you have your consultant's email? Can you impress upon him that you need more support? I think you do. Changing basals, which is what it looks like you need to do, is hard to do on your own. We didn't do anything without clearing it for at least two weeks. I'm wondering if you could do with speaking to another pumping parent? Let me know.

I'm thinking of you. We too are back in the 3am club, once again tracking pasta through with gritted teeth. We *will* get this! We are going to try 30% bolus up front, followed by the 70% on an 8 hour dual wave...Something like the equivalent of 150% basal rate...What do you think, Sugarbum?! From last night's debacle (why we did what we did, I don't know. We weren't thinking straight, and did a bunch of things we *know* don't work! Argh. But it is now super-clear that a 3 hour dual wave actually doesn't work very well for us with pasta, and that chances are, if he starts around 5mmols, doesn't have a pudding -- he will crash at 5 hours. Duh. We also now are very clear that the rise from pasta *is* over about 8 hours. At 3am he was 14mmols (having been 1.9mmol at 11pm!!). We corrected fully, and he was 4.7mmol at 7am, which suggests he didn't rise at all during the intervening 4 hours) -- it's 8 hours. Do we do an 8 hour dual wave, or a 6 hour one because of the lasting effects? Who knows.

Bev: let us know how the night was. We're here. I'll keep checking today.

xxoo


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## tracey w

Patricia, thanks for your post,

helped me understand a lot, thanks for answering my question too.

enjoyed the wine thanks, slight headache today, but was worth it


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## Mand

Glad you enjoyed the wine, Tracey! 

Patricia, i agree with Tracey, your post is very imformative. Sorry to hear you back in the 3am club! Feel for you!

After chatting with my son's dsn we have decided to opt out of the 3am club for a couple of weeks unless he waking on bad level. This is because he does not seem to be establishing a pattern so we just not getting anywhere. His levels are between 6 and 12 but with no consistant pattern so it just not worth wearing myself out with the 3am check everynight when the readings not too bad and even if we change the basal we will have ups and downs. Also i am absolutely shattered and his dsn concerned for my well being. She thinks it ok to not do the 3am until he begins back at school (when all will change anyway!) unless he waking much too high or low.

So i am not going to set a 3am alarm unless i feel it is necessary (Phew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) but if i happen to just wake up anyway around that time then i will check it.

But generally all going well. Numbers still sssssssssssssooooooo much better than when we were on mdi, my son happier with pump rather than injections, highs and lows easily corrected and life just that bit easier. 

So, Bev, how was your night?????????????? xx


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## Patricia

Mand, I'm glad you're going to get a break. Phew. You need one. We are on our knees from the last two days, never mind waking EVERY night. A week at a time or so is enough for us...!

And you're right, of course when school starts all will change. Argh!

Are you using increments in as tiny amounts as they will go on the Veo? Maybe this will help night even levels? We are really feeling a lack of smaller increments for this weird 7-9am thing, which again has foxed us today (4.7mmol at 7am; 7.7 at 9am! Without breakfast. When we add another .05 at 8am for an hour, he goes straight down too much!)...And no, Bev, we aren't on Veo. We are on the one before, Medtronic 7 series minimed. Just missed the Veo!

Bev, we wait with baited breath. How are things?


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## bev

Update:
TIRED!!!!!!!!!
2 x hour checks throughout the night - phew!
12 oclock = 9.4
3            = 8.7
5            = 10.3
7            = 13.8mmols


He is obviously having a growth spurt early morning (dawn phen) - but we will have to see patterns for this.

Patricia, on re-working the basal rates we realised that he should be on .328units per hour and NOT .375!!!!!!!! So i rang the dsn who agreed that the maths was wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!So now we have changed it to .328 - hopefully he wont hypo after lunch etc. But we will have to sort out the growth spurt in a few days - it gets complicated doesnt it? Big thanks to you Patricia, if you hadnt made me question the maths then we would have carried on in ignorance!

I also asked for a phone number for emergencies and i got the consultants home phone number - so feel reassured now in case of emergencies!!!!!phew.

WE LOVE THE PUMP - I WOULD RECOMMMEND THEM TO ANYONE WHO HAS ANY DOUBTS AT ALL - BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

e.g. the other night on mdi he had fish and beans - he spiked to 18mmols
Last night he had same meal - he was 10mmols 2 x hours later! Hoorah!!!!!!!!!

IT SAVES LOADS OF TIME - I CANT BELIEVE HOW MUCH TIME WE SPENT ON INJECTIONS ETC! ITS DISCREET!


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## aymes

bev said:


> I also asked for a phone number for emergencies and i got the consultants home phone number - so feel reassured now in case of emergencies!!!!!phew.



Well done you, they certainly don't give those out easily!!


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## Mand

Excellent numbers for your first night, Bev!!! I am SSSSSSSSSSSSOOO pleased that you are happy with the pump. I feel exactly the same! 

Keep tweaking those numbers and keep us posted! You have my full sympathy re the tiredness!!

Patricia - Yes i need the rest. Yes, as we have the veo we are able to go up in very small amounts at a time (0.25) which is great and really helps to stop you going from one extreme to the other!


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## bev

Patricia- i thought you had the veo too? Confused!!Bev


----------



## Patricia

Bev, BRILLIANT! I am so pleased for you. What a very good start...delighted. It really is amazing. The time and effort saved is extraordinary, and the control is just so much more *transparent*.

Well done on getting the consultant's number -- damn right!

And hope the new basals help! Glad to have raised the flag, anyway...

We are NOT on the VEO -- just missed it! Sniff. But in two parts of the day we feel the increments would be so useful, bit cross...we can't go any finer than .05 of a unit for the basal...and for the morning rise, we really need something finer. Sigh. We'll see.

Consultant on Thursday -- gulp! After such a good HbA1c the first time, we are all a little nervous for this time. There have thankfully been many fewer hypos, and the numbers really *should* be quite good, but I suspect we are back up to between 7.5-8? Have run higher generally...On the other hand, he's growing like NOBODY's BUSINESS. Which is good news.

Bev, so glad to hear from you. Look forward to your next post.

xxoo


----------



## Mand

Good luck for Thursday Patricia! Let us know how you get on! xx


----------



## Becca

As on the other children's forum someone mentioned this site for holding insulin pumps:

http://www.spibelt.com/spibelt.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8MHED1tj5Y

It holds the pump and supposedly doesn't bump up and down when running etc...We have a right problem with Rs pump pouches at school, whenever she's running around the playground or jumping etc...they keep flying up and down which she's not happy with.  Even if she's just clipped the pump on her trousers it will keep flying off  

Anyway, have ordered too so fingers crossed they work.  It's free shipping at the moment as well.


----------



## Sugarbum

*Thread Burn!!!*

I'm feeling the burn here people, Ive just read 3 pages and YES I have taken notes!

I am also admist a extremely distressing dual wave. I have just had 40% of an inital cracking strop and I shall have 60% of a bloody square bad mood over the next 5 hours....know what I mean?  I debated the dual for so long my dinner went cold. I quite often find myself in this dilema. Then I decided I wanted to cancel it, bolus the lot and go CONTROVERCIAL and temp basal instead but got completely baffled how much insulin I'd already given. Blimey O Reilly!

On that note Patricia, I think your suggestion of the pasta dual was excellent at approx 150% of the basal! I would be really interested in your stats following that and to know the grams etc. I would be temped to go over the 8hours and not the 6 but Im not able to back that up with anything sound confused I love your perserverance!

I was wondering, as I know we have all got different bumph, if anyone had the "how to test your basal" tables? It popped in my mind when Mand was saying about not establishing patterns at the mo and not doing 3 am at the mo. I have these test sheets with 4 hours blacked out for carb free and when to test on it if anyone wants them. It just shows you what hours to do. Not the most exciting read (zzzzZZZZ) but a good test. PM me and I can scan and email if anyone wants them.

Bev I am so impressed on your first night numbers. I also hypo'ed 2 point something in my first 24 hours and I think mental stress and a bit of excitement also had something to do with it. You are doing well. How is the monkey case fairing up now its in use?! I have found myself in the habadashary dept of john lewis yesterday buying myself elastic and velcroe, what have you started?  I will post my results!

Just a quick one about a weird thing that happened to me today. At 6am when I got up I checked my BM (washed hands of course) and BM 26.0mmols  instant disbelief and rechecked again 12.1 (which is now still high to start in the morning with now. Corrected from the 12.1 but annoyed. That is the second time the contour has thrown a wrong number at me this week. The other thing is the pump picks up the reading and that will muck me over on carelink on my averages and gets right on my nerves. I dont like having an unreliable metre, obviously, makes me nervous. Any suggestions? Perhaps I should get on the blower and get some test solution, although Ive only had the meter under 2 months. 

How has the day been Bev?

Ive eaten 100gms of carbs in one sitting and feel like I need to hand myself into the police. Just incase my DSN has tapped into this- ITS YOU WHO DOES THAT TO ME! And you know it!

Right, Im outa here!
Lots of love xx


----------



## Mand

Lou, great to hear from you! You had me smiling as always! 

We have not even been taught bolus wizard yet so not used it so unable to give you any advice re your experience. Gosh, it does sound a little complicated! Keep going, my friend and hopefully you will get it cracked!

As for your meter, it does sound a bit dodgy! I would get that sorted, especially as you had washed your hands but got a wrong reading of 24! We chose not to use the montitor that came with the pump as we happy with the one he uses and the only advantage was that the new pump would talk to the pump but i can see that has drawbacks! Definately recommened you order some test solution. We test ours every month (and the spare monitor). 

On that note, i would urge everyone to test their monitors regularly because i know of someone who was getting perfect blood sugars for several months but was feeling unwell and losing weight. When she went for her hba1c it was very high! To cut a long story short, her monitor was not working properly and only giving a small range of incorrect readings! Scary! 

Lou, how are you getting on with the Carelink? I managed to get mine up and running, thought it was very clever how the pump 'talks' to the usb stick but i cannot make heads nor tails of the info! Perhaps i need to go through it with his dsn!!

Do let us see the results of your needlework! I think Bev has started a new craze! 

Talking of Bev, how are you and A doing? How was last night?

Mand x


----------



## Patricia

Lou, thank god for your post this morning! Has made me smile a great deal, and with our recent dual wave disasters (yes, one two nights ago matched by last night's total wipe out...), my heart is with you on this one.

Argh! Is it worth it?!!!! Answer: yes, has to be. Refuse to go through life not having pasta or rice. Just refuse.

Will return to fill in details later -- house needs hoovering before guests and meanwhile the cat has produced a hairball by the front door AND managed to step on a wet watercolour painting...things to do, therefore.

Last night we tried the 30% up front, 70% over an 8 hour dual wave. Suffice to say all looked quite good to 4 hours, then at 6 hours was 18! Did not correct, thinking this is a learning experience, aha the spike is at 6 hours, how fascinating...Then at 8 hours still 18! Crumbs. Corrected. One hour later (insulin resistant, clearly, just like two nights ago with the STICKY BUN extravaganza), was still at 19! ACK ACK ACK. Corrected again, of course, and then one hour after was down to 10mmols. Two hours after that he woke on 3.8, feeling pretty rough. Meanwhile we've had virtually no sleep. And have a hospital appt today with the most awful numbers and weird hypos...Want to lie down and die. So embarrassing.

We're TRYING to get it right. Worst thing is, we are with a WONDERFUL hospital. BUT we know we are beyond their expertise with this. They will not suggest anything we haven't thought of, we suspect. It's all trial and error. And each trial means an all-night party.

ARGH.

Sugarbum, I'm also going to take a leaf from your book and jump onto some US pumping forums when I get the chance. Suspect experiences there will be more helpful.

So what this means so far (too muzzy to really know yet) is that we ended up running about a 200% basal for the whole 8 hours, and the spike was still out of control. We have learned that the major spike occurs way later than we thought, anyway...at six hours he still needs a lot of insulin...

So first thought is we might try 20% up front, followed by 80% over six/eight hours. Any takers?

Crumbs. Time to hoover. And I've given detail anyway. Sorry.

Hey, what's this with the needlework? What have I missed?

xxoo


----------



## tracey w

Morning Lou, hope you are well, you do make me laugh!!

Wanted to ask if it is hard/easy to get used to having the pump attached 24/7

At the moment thats the one thing that im thinking about the most, my life will never be the same again 

but I know in my heart it will be so worth it. after reading all these posts it seems so hard to ge the numbers right, like starting again eh?


----------



## Patricia

Howdy Tracey

Completely understand nerves around all this -- and can only say something from my parent point of view, Lou better placed of course! E has never been bothered by the pump in anyway that he expresses. Only difficulty was going swimming, which he has now got over completely. Anyway the set looks like a plaster really...

The other thing is that there is nothing stopping you going back to MDI if the pump bothers you! Not as far as I know, anyway.

Finally, I think that numbers for certain things are hard...But I suspect that adult pumping is generally more straightforward, certainly for 'easy' food and straightforward days. Even we dealing with teenage hormones have managed to get the basal and straightforward dosing sorted pretty well quickly. It's the hard stuff we are struggling with -- pasta, pizza, rice and chips...

Also, the pump is so flexible and responsive that I'm afraid it does become a bit of a lure to constant fiddling...We always want to get it 'right', plus my son's needs are constantly on the move. I suspect that it's a little more stable for an adult?

I don't know if you read about how starting on a pump can be for some people like being diagnosed again...And I hear a little of that in your voice maybe? Completely with you!

Take care.


----------



## bev

Update : really tired!

Levels through the night are increasing from 4am onwards - so we are going to increase the basal for those few hours - how brilliant is that? On mdi we were just stuck with whatever we had injected the night before!
The dsn has told us to do this - but she hasnt told us what time to do it from? I am thinking that we should change it at 3 - so it will have an effect by 4 etc? What are anyones thoughts on this?

Also, we had a slight trauma this morning. Just before leaving the house for a day out i decided to just check the canula site - i found there was some blood in the housing part. Rang dsn who said if his numbers werent high then probably ok to leave until tomorrow to change set.
So then decided to do bg level and he was 19!!!!!!Checked for ketones - none. Phew. So decided to do set change earlier than expected. Took canula out and a big droplet of blood followed together with what i think was a drop of insulin! So quickly changed set and then tested - he was 22!!!!!!!!!

So we have learnt that we need to check site before we leave the house - and that we need to be fairly quick doing set change as levels will increase even in that short space of time!

I spoke to Adrienne who said that some children can only take 2 days of set being in - others can take 3 - so maybe A can only take 2? The canula wasnt bent or anything - so not quite sure what had happened. Felt a bit nervous doing the set change as i did the first one in hospital with advice etc!

Great tip off Adrienne, she said that lots of childrens levels rise with a set change - dont know why - but she suggested putting a temp basal on for a couple of hours of 150% to help counteract the high. Will have to remember that if it happens again.

Really looking forward to playing with dual waves etc - cant wait! Hope your all ok.Bev


----------



## tracey w

Patricia said:


> Howdy Tracey
> 
> Completely understand nerves around all this -- and can only say something from my parent point of view, Lou better placed of course! E has never been bothered by the pump in anyway that he expresses. Only difficulty was going swimming, which he has now got over completely. Anyway the set looks like a plaster really...
> 
> The other thing is that there is nothing stopping you going back to MDI if the pump bothers you! Not as far as I know, anyway.
> 
> Finally, I think that numbers for certain things are hard...But I suspect that adult pumping is generally more straightforward, certainly for 'easy' food and straightforward days. Even we dealing with teenage hormones have managed to get the basal and straightforward dosing sorted pretty well quickly. It's the hard stuff we are struggling with -- pasta, pizza, rice and chips...
> 
> Also, the pump is so flexible and responsive that I'm afraid it does become a bit of a lure to constant fiddling...We always want to get it 'right', plus my son's needs are constantly on the move. I suspect that it's a little more stable for an adult?
> 
> I don't know if you read about how starting on a pump can be for some people like being diagnosed again...And I hear a little of that in your voice maybe? Completely with you!
> 
> Take care.



thank you, im a mixture of excited and aprehensive


----------



## sasha1

Hi Bev ... 

Just wanted to say how amazing you are doing ... 

As peeps know I've only a little knowledge on the use of pumps ... but must say thank you to all who post on here ... I'm learning so much from you all .. 
Glad you and A are ok .

Heidi
xx


----------



## Mand

Bev, I so understand your tiredness. I have been getting up at 3am since July 7th and was so shattered that i taking some time off, providing he goes to bed on a good level and wakes up on a good level.

In a wierd kinda way you do get used to getting up but it certainly takes its toll!

Scary experiences are all part of the learning curve - as i have learned! if things go too smoothly then you will never be prepared for the dramas so i try to see the dramas as education that hopefully you can avoid repeating. 

But it is SSSSSSSOOOOOO exhausting trying to be one step ahead and preparing for every eventuality!

You are doing a great job Bev. A word of advice, do not strive for perfection. I have had to learn this lesson. Diabetes just does not lend itself to perfection which is something i struggle with. My sons dsn knows i am a bit of a perfectionist and works with me to come to a compromise between the reality of diabetes and my high expectations. Sigh! 

xx  xx


----------



## Becca

bev said:


> Update : really tired!
> 
> Levels through the night are increasing from 4am onwards - so we are going to increase the basal for those few hours - how brilliant is that? On mdi we were just stuck with whatever we had injected the night before!
> The dsn has told us to do this - but she hasnt told us what time to do it from? I am thinking that we should change it at 3 - so it will have an effect by 4 etc? What are anyones thoughts on this?
> 
> I spoke to Adrienne who said that some children can only take 2 days of set being in - others can take 3 - so maybe A can only take 2? The canula wasnt bent or anything - so not quite sure what had happened. Felt a bit nervous doing the set change as i did the first one in hospital with advice etc!
> 
> Great tip off Adrienne, she said that lots of childrens levels rise with a set change - dont know why - but she suggested putting a temp basal on for a couple of hours of 150% to help counteract the high. Will have to remember that if it happens again.
> 
> Bev



Bev, it sounds like you're doing a fab job!  Well done, the first few weeks of pumping are tough but just think how far you've come.

With regards to the basal adjustment, what were you told about how long the new basal change will have affect?  We were told 1-2 hours but we have worked out for R that it takes 2 hours so for us if R was rising around 4am we would change the basal at 2am....It's all trial and error.....

R's set stays in for 3 days, did A bang it or anything?  We sometimes have to do a quick set change of R has bashed her's as blood starts to appear in the set.  Once, when the set was in her buttocks she fell over right on her bum and we could see we needed to do a change....

LOL!  R i know is in the minority, she has hypos after set change, we have to change the fixed prime from 0.3 units to 0.1 or 0.2 units.  Maybe you could increase the fixed prime instead of temps?  Just a thought...

You're doing a grand job


----------



## aymes

Hello pumpers!

Wanabee pumper here, hope you don't mind me tresspassing! I'm finding this whole thread so interesting.

Hoping someone might be able to offer me some tips. I have my next review at the hospital coming up and am planning launch my bid for a pump. Now I know the NICE guidelines are a guide as opposed to hard and fast rule but it's unlikely (fingers crossed) that my a1c is going to come into the guidelines. However I think I may be eligible on the hypos issue. I regularly go through periods when I have hypo after hypo that seem to come from nowhere, for example this week I've had 8 since Monday. These often come from nowhere and do have an big affect on my day to day life for example through lack of sleep, can't do exercise, weight gain from treating them etc. I've never had a hypo that I haven't been able to treat myself though so I suppose what I'm asking is have any of you got a pump on the basis of having hypos and if so how did you find 'disabling' was defined. Really any tips you think might strengthen my case. At the moment I'm doing lots of research to make sure I'm totally clued up before I go. I also aim to make contact with Input if necessary once I've spoken to the consultant. There are two consultants I may get when I go and a really think my success is going to depend on which I get...


----------



## bev

Hi Aymes,
It was the chap from INPUT - John Davis - who gave me the amunition i needed to get a pump for A. He is brilliant and if he cant get you a pump - then no-one can! I would strongly recommend you contact him BEFORE your appointment - he will have the right information for you and the right way of saying it! Childrens guidelines are different from adults - but John knows about the adults side just as much. I think there is a phone number on the site - if not send an email - thats what i did. Also have to say the CWD list helped me a lot too. Good luck and let us know what happens. I think you would love the pump - A loves it already - even though we have had a very eventful evening - but i will post that tomorrow - i am soooooooooo tired -but waiting up until the first check at 12 - then 3 then 7am..........yawn......hooray for Adrienne..........she saved the day.............Bev


----------



## tracey w

aymes said:


> Hello pumpers!
> 
> Wanabee pumper here, hope you don't mind me tresspassing! I'm finding this whole thread so interesting.
> 
> Hoping someone might be able to offer me some tips. I have my next review at the hospital coming up and am planning launch my bid for a pump. Now I know the NICE guidelines are a guide as opposed to hard and fast rule but it's unlikely (fingers crossed) that my a1c is going to come into the guidelines. However I think I may be eligible on the hypos issue. I regularly go through periods when I have hypo after hypo that seem to come from nowhere, for example this week I've had 8 since Monday. These often come from nowhere and do have an big affect on my day to day life for example through lack of sleep, can't do exercise, weight gain from treating them etc. I've never had a hypo that I haven't been able to treat myself though so I suppose what I'm asking is have any of you got a pump on the basis of having hypos and if so how did you find 'disabling' was defined. Really any tips you think might strengthen my case. At the moment I'm doing lots of research to make sure I'm totally clued up before I go. I also aim to make contact with Input if necessary once I've spoken to the consultant. There are two consultants I may get when I go and a really think my success is going to depend on which I get...



Hi aymes, in my experience i do agree it totally depends on the consultant! Mine is great and could totally see how a pump would help me and my lifestyle, he could see my motivation and understanding of the pump and what it could do for me. when i applied my hba1c was above 8, then came below, i was told by nurse that dafne was a success and therefore didnt fit the criterea. Luckily the consultant was still totally for the pump and i showed him my diary and examples of my hypos, not disabling in the fact i cant treat myself, however some i dont feel until below 3, and on some occasions take a while to come back up from them. I told him how scary that was for me and that it was affecting my life in that i was worried when they woud happen and so when im at work will make myslef high as scared of being low. Sorry to waffle, just wanted to say put your case forward, i know you will have everything documented etc. Really hope you  have an understanding consultant, fingers crossed for you.


----------



## Mand

Hi Aymes

I cannot add anything to what the others have already said, but i just want to wish you good luck with your request for a pump. 

I can understand that they are not for everyone, but for my son the pump has improved the quality of his day to day life and also is helping his long term health as his levels are so much better on it. 

Do keep us posted on your progress.


----------



## Patricia

Hello everyone

Aymes, wishing you luck with your request -- it sounds like you have a good case, but I know very little really. The chap Bev suggests is apparently wonderful, and it's not like you don't have something to work with, you do. And remember that if the consultant says it has to happen, the local authority can't refuse it.

Bev, you are doing SO WELL. From now on out for a good while, you will meet situation after situation that is new, and the most exhausting thing is dealing with a new thing time and again. But you're using your resources in all ways, and getting great results -- already! Wonderful.

We were told an hour lead-in for a change in basal to have effect. In practice we think it's more like 45 mins for us.

On another note, had another good hospital visit yesterday. They didn't do HbA1c -- only 6 weeks since last, but looked at his spreadsheets and thought things looked marvelous, we were using the pump intensively as intended, and achieving great results. Consultant said that maybe one or two teenagers in their care would be achieving the numbers E is, SO he was very keen that E now learn to relax a little. Took a few mins to say exactly what Mand said a couple of posts ago: watch the urge for perfection. This is something I need to listen to as well. Got the DCCA (can't remember if this is the exact acronym) graph out and showed how a reduction from 9% to 8% is very significant for long-term risks, and that a reduction from 8% to 7.5% is fairly significant, that 7%-7.5% is a small but probably worthwhile reduction in risks, but that below 7%, certainly below 6.5%, the graph is practically flat.

I've seen these figures before of course, but I think the consultant's point was that striving for the tightest control possible is counter-productive, that quality of life etc must enter into it. And he was keen to make E look at quality of life. Which has actually been good for him, I think, but the consultant rightly intuits that E is an achiever, and ambitious, and a perfectionist in some ways, wanting to get things 'right' (where does he get that from I wonder?), and is heading him off at the pass. A good doctor.

Other useful thoughts:

1) the erratic rise and/or fall between 7-9am is down to growth hormones as we thought, and it is usually quite unpredictable. No kidding. So yes it will sometimes rise and sometimes fall, and that's that. We just have to react to the situation as it is, and don't expect the basal to be able to tackle it in detail.

2) We are going to get the use of a CGM for at least a week to try pasta lots of times, to see if we can track it all through without this getting up every hour on the hour business...As suspected, no suggestions for regimes here, but a 'you're doing well, keep going' thing.

3) At our request, the consultant had a quiet talk with E about his developing fear of night hypos. E is afraid he will die in the night, because he has never woken up from a low number, rather we have found it in our system of checks. The doctor spoke of the likelihood, his own experience, and what would happen if a low did occur for a while. He said he could only talk in terms of probabilities, and that what is most likely to happen if he were low is that he need the help of someone else, eg his parents or a friend or partner. And that this is the way it was. These are hard things to know, for us and for him, of course. We are coming around to the truth that E can go very low sometimes, lower than would be expected from the situation, though apparently with no ill effects eg little muddling or stress...This is particularly true of the low numbers, strangely. So the doctor also said that if this at all becomes a pattern, then CGM may be necessary for him to stay safe. So. We'll see.

***

So at the end of the day: we fervently hope and believe that an effective loop system will be available soon. My gut says E will not really rest well (not to speak of us) until this time. Perhaps even before he goes to college, in five years?

Finally: normal meal last night, and all slept LIKE LOGS. E on 12mmols this morning, after going to bed on 7.5mmol. Sigh. Time to look at that nighttime basal AGAIN! Had thought it was sorted for a while. But NO point in messing with dual waves when night basal is not secure.

Over and out! 

Thinking about everyone: always good to hear from you.

xxoo


----------



## Patricia

Forgot to say something about the set change -- that's a bit rough, Bev! Heavens. I guess another thing to consider eventually is whether another type of cannula would be better for Alex?


----------



## Steff

Hi there pumpers hope you dont mind the post x
Just wanted to say Aymes good luck with your quest for a pump I wish you the best of luck ,Id like to say while in here, everyday i follow this thread i dont post i just scan through and I must say i commend each and everyone of you either if your on a pump or your child is on a pump , it must be a struggle at times and i dont have a inch of a clue what it is like but you all do a sterling job .Im so pleased and proud I am included in the forum where you lovely people post you're all amazing people xx


----------



## Mand

Oh Steff, what lovely words! It is great to have non pumpers read/post on this thread too! x

Patricia, glad hospital app went well. You are doing sssssooooo well. That is great that you are going to get cgm while you sort out the pasta. Will be interested to read your results.

Oh it makes me so sad to know that E worries about dying in the night. I hope it is a phase that passes and that his confidence grows in time. But it is a hard thing to get to grips with, I know.

Glad i not the only perfectionist! I am learning to be less so. I think i have a much better balance now between keeping his levels good and him having a good quality, normal as possible life. But it takes some practise! 

The hard thing about being a carer, rather than the person with diabetes, is the responsibility. I feel i can't take my eye of the ball because he could suffer, not me. I can't really explain what i mean but maybe you do understand anyway. 

Anyway, we are doing fine at the moment so nothing to report. Still not been taught bolus wizard but getting good numbers anyway. Having said that, i do avoid certain foods eg pizza, so i guess we need to learn it soon. 

How's it going Bev? Thinking of you both. x


----------



## Mand

*Set change*

We did a set change yesterday. When my son removed the old cannula he was left with the usual round circle marks but also there were two pin head sized blisters. Has anyone experienced anything like this? I presume they will just disperse. I will have a look when he wakes up this morning.

Usually the set changes go well but he does not like doing them. Yesterdays was not good because he was tired (been to a sleepover the night before and got very little sleep!). He was hesitant pressing the quickserter so it didnt work properley and we had to re-do. At this point he got upset and the problem is that when this happens he loses his nerve a little. Anyway the second attempt did not work either and he ended up just sitting down and sobbing. (Just when you think your heart can't break anymore, it does!). 

We allowed him to eat his tea without the pump on to give him time to calm down. Which he did. After eating he tried again and all went well. Phew. 

Apart from that, all still going well. Running a bit low too often during last few days so need to keep an eye on this. 

I am enjoying my break from the 3am alarm!  But when he returns to school will need to start again for a while as we need to see how the school routine affects him. 

How is everyone doing?   xx


----------



## bev

Morning everyone!

Becca, no A didnt fall or anything - he has also had another canula that has a spot of blood showing - so he is either prone to this - or he needs to try another canula. Will ring medtronic and ask for a variety!

Steph, of course you can post on this thread - sometimes it takes someone who isnt directly involved to see the bigger picture and tell us where we are going wrong! Thankyou for your kind words too.

Patricia, your right - we will encounter new experiences for the next few months - and i should just let it wash over me - its a learnng curve as they say!

Mand, I totaly empathise with you about your son getting upset. Poor little thing. We had the same thing happen on friday evening- decided to do a set change as blod in canula and he was 15mmols - but the dinner was cooking and i was on my own - it took me 4 goes at it - and for 3 of them the pump was saying NO DELIVERY - i even rang Adrienne as i was panicking - she calmed me down and told me to start all over again. It turns out i wasnt screwing the end of the tubing onto the resevoir properly - because i was panicking etc.. Poor A was crying his eyes out thinking the pump had broken and i was all of a dither! I felt so RUBBISH afterwards i couldnt stop hugging him - i felt so sorry for him and i just hope it hasnt frightened him about set changes.
I hope your son has recovered from the worry Mand?

Not sure about blisters - might be better to just leave them unless you have something sterile you can pop them with.

The nighttime testing has been very telling. A rises from about 10pm and keeps going until he wakes. Last night he was 12 at 12pm and then 17 at 3am and 15 at 7am - so we just corrected. I want to increase his nightime basal but dont know how much by. Whilst i do have the number for the consultant - i am reluctant to ring as i feel awkward doing so. I think i will increase the basal by a tiny amount tonight and see what affect it has. How many basals do you have Mand - and all pumpers?

Hope your all ok.Bev


----------



## Copepod

*blisters*

Another non-pumper's comments - sounds like that's acceptable?
Agree about not bursting blisters unless essential, but sometimes better to pop than allow to rip open eg on feet, although I know that's not what Mand meant. However, one advantage of diabetes is that I always have "clean not sterile" lancets or sterile fine pen needles to deal with any blisters on my feet or for anyone else. I guess that the blisters Mand is talking about are result of adhesive removal? With feet blisters, once I apply tape, I leave it on until it either drops off or I can soak off in a bath - which is usually required for muscle aches, too. Anyway, continual application of adhesive, as well as permanent connnection to a machine are among the reasons why I don't want a pump. But, for those who don't get adequate control with injections, they're great.


----------



## Patricia

Hello all

So glad to hear from everyone, as usual!

In a rush though, so will return in detail to this tomorrow or later today... Mand, sorry about the blisters -- never had them. Could be the plasters as Copepod says. Have you tried that spray beforehand? We no longer use it because it doesn't seem to make much diff, but it might be worth it...

Bev, adjusting basal: we adjust by 0.05u/hr at a time, and this usually has a noticeable effect. Alex is on even lower basal increments, so I guess I would go for a very low incremental change first, then do the tests. So for instance if he's on .325u I guess I would go to .330 or something...He's very sensitive to insulin, yes? E is too, but is obviously a larger person overall so has more...See what Adrienne thinks?

I'm sorry about the horrible time with the set change. We've had this once, and it was horrific. I don't mind telling you that all of us ended up in tears, being strong til it was in, then just broke down when E went off to do something else. So much is at stake in this situation. It's dreadful.

Mand, it *is* the responsibility. We can let all manner of things go for ourselves, but not when it comes to our children. It's this brick wall of duty/obligation/love; there is no choice, and oddly, we don't want a choice. Except possibly for us to be able to take it all, and them carry nothing.

For now!

xxoo


----------



## Sugarbum

Hi everyone, 

I think we need a group hug??? I am abit emotional myself this morning and just checked my BM and it was 17mmols. I am still unhappy with my meter (mental note I am going to phone them after I have written this). 

I have just read and got myself up to date and there has certainly been some things going on in the last few days. A lot of emotions. 

You guys teach me so much about caring and courage its unbeliveable. You have no idea how much you enrich this experience. Diabetes can be hard but I have met so many lovely people along the way and you are all so strong you give me a lot of courage to get on with it. Sometimes I do think, "What would Patricia do"?, "What would Mand do?" and so on. Your posts are so good to read, I really am grateful for the support they give me. Enough of my emotional, high-sugared babble!

Going back to Tracey W a couple pages back, I completely understant your anxieties. I do have to say though I think there is little in words that can ease this until you actually get the pump and see for yourself as I think it is very individual. Sleeping took me 3 nights to master, and all-in-all that isnt bad. I bought a pile of cheap vest tops from New look at ?2.99 and clip it to my shoulder strap. Its not revlolutionary but works for me. Of course, sometimes i will roll on it and it wakes me up, but thats not a problem. You will find somewhere for it all times, when you get going on it there isnt much you cant conquor. I think these anxieties are so normal and healthy. This will be one of the biggest things going on in your life. As patricia highlighted, and I have heard many times too, it can take some people back like a NEW diagnosis. Its not had that effect on me but I think Ive had so many knocks lately I wasnt expecting it too. I have to say, (and Im sorry I do bang on about this one), but I think I was eased through the process so well by my excellent DSN that the "abandonment" feeling I had after my initial diagnosis (have some insulin etc and get on with it! Bye!) wasnt there with the pump. I was FULLY supported and this to me is the essence of working my way through a difficult process. Waiting so long didnt do me any harm either, despite my lack of patience getting me down. Time is great to consider the adjustment. Have you been on amazon and ordered the "Pumping demystified"? A small very easy read, but a MUST! I think it is a good prompt to get your support networks in place and get "in the zone"! not long now Trace, remember we are here. You are always welcome to PM me if you want to.

Aymes, I am very pleased you are thinking pump! I echo the advice of the before me, call John! Stay calm and concise and get your point accross. I dropped my hba1c after dafne and then ironaically the second I didnt meet the criteria was the second they acknowledged that and let me in anyway. Dafne research shows that the majority (I cant recall any stats) will drop their hba1c after the course. After one year that is when people generally plateau or climb back up in their hba1c result. So, If the pump is likely to benefit you then push for it, a1c shouldnt be a yes/no definative. I would advise you (although I know you are sensible anyway aymes!) to go in with an up to date glucose monitoring diary to show your hypos/swings. It also gives an insight that you have a certain amount of diligence to write them down and work at things- a pump critera that you are willing and able to make the effort and attend the education needed for pumping. Do keep us updated, I wish you luck!

Bev it sounds like you are going hell for leather and doing a sterling job! Well done. I am so pleased you are pumping and I hope it sontinues to go well. 2 days seems a short time to keep the set in but if that is what works best then I agree and go with it. The blistering I dont know about. I find the marks from removing the sets stay for a very long time. I change my set every three days and they dont heal for a long time. I often count the spots I am left with! At the moment there is 12, so thats a good months worth. Never had blisters but have been advised to watch out for abnormal things like that. My DSN tells me she has someone who is allergic to plastic and the adhesive dressing who has a unique cannula instead so even if A has sensitivity I would think there is something that could be done about it. (As I am writing this I am actually wondering it is was mand who wrote about blisters? Sorry if it was.....).

Patricia, I am competing in the sewing stakes.....I am going to do some this afternoon. On that note, I went to a wedding yesterday and worse a very fancy dress. I bought myself a garter off of ebay (?1.99) attatched it to a suspender belt (dont ask!) and it worked all evening. I even manged to tear up the dancefloor in a very unlady-like fashion and although it had a mind of its own at times, it stayed with me throughout. Huzzah. A little mark of sucess!

Right, time to clean this monterous mess up that I call my flat. Thats the shame of living alone, I have no-one to blame unless there has actually been a robbery???

catch you later xxx


----------



## sasha1

Hi All .....

I'm sending you all big ((((((HUGS)))))) ... and to say I think you are all brilliant and amazing pumpers and pumper mum .....  

I have been popping on and reading how things are going with you all ... and must thank you for all the information and knowledge you are sharing with each other ... but also to us peeps who dont pump or only have a limited understanding of them.

Heidi
xx


----------



## Northerner

Hi guys, reading everything with great interest - thank you for sharing your trials and tribulations, thoughts and successes with us!


----------



## Patricia

Lou you do make me laugh! Lordy. Heidi and Northerner, always good to see youse...

Aymes, to further support what Lou says -- I am certain that our commitment, and E's evident commitment to better numbers, that swung our shared care and pump approval. the hospital said they'd never seen a child so sure in what he wanted, and why. So they were behind us all the way. Your records will be very good evidence of this.

E keeps his sets in 3.5 days with no problems. This is mainly because we *knew* that every three days would go completely beyond our control. We have very busy, very erratic, outside of business hours lives, as do our children, and we knew we'd lose track of it all if we didn't make the changes the same times of the week. Every other day changing seems a bit rough Bev? I suspect it can get a bit better than that for him with another type of set...

Lou: tea tree oil cream? it works very well for us, and if anything, E's marks are healing faster and faster -- don't know why. Better control? Seems far-fetched, but maybe...

Okay, bye!


----------



## bev

We have managed to leave his set for 3 days and it was ok. No blood in canula. I am wondering whether it was just beginners nerves etc? Will give it a few more days to see how other changes go.
How long does it take medtronic to send supplies? Just realised we only have 3 or 4 sets left and its bank holiday - so will have to ring them on tuesday morning.

Just had an odd 18mmols out of the blue - checked set fine - ketones 0.3 - lots of water. He last ate 4 hours before this - so not sure whats going on. Oh, as i am typing this i have just remembered that Adrienne told me that quite often children go high after a set change - which we did this lunchtime! Can you hear the cogs going round in my blonde brain? 

Also we have increased his basals from 9pm to 8am to 0.400 - it was 0.375 - so hopefully this will have some impact - and we will keep at it until he is under 7mmols in the morning.

I dont know why i feel like this - but - i feel an enormous amount of pressure to gain great levels - because we are pumping! Even more so than when on MDI - its as if i will feel even more of a failure if his levels are still erratic! Does anyone else feel this pressure?

Although i have to say that he isnt 'swinging' from high to low like he did on MDI. He has only had 3 hypos in 5 days - which to me seems ok as its all new to us. I will say that even though the night levels are too high - they remain absolutely constant - well they rise very gradually due to DP - but i mean from about 10pm they stay the same until the dreaded DP at 4am!

Hope all ok.Bev


----------



## Sugarbum

Hi Bev,

What happened to me was the hospital set up an account for me and then I was told by my DSN to call their number (Ive added them in on my friends and family!) and get my order in. This was the day after starting pump. I got the supplies the following lunchtime by courier, a good service. Three month supply. Told by medtronic woman to place my next order one month before running out. I would get straight on the phone Bev, get your order in!

Hope you ok. Remember they are 24 hours number etc.

I had that blood in the set thing one time. It really nerved me! But I never had it again. I did have a sharp pain that time and looking back I think I should have gone ahead and just changed the set anyway. My numbers went high. Well, you live and learn hey?!

Can I just mention Bev, I feel the same about pressure to get great levels. I dont have "great levels" now, I am 2 months pumping tomorrow. But they ARE better than what they were. I, as a person managing my diabetes better than before. Let us think of this as a marathon, not a sprint! We will get there eventually Bev (just dont get there before me!!!)

Keep up the good work
L xx


----------



## Mand

Morning everyone!

Bev - My son recovered well, thank you, after the bad set change. But we have to change again today as we do it every two days and i know he will feel a little bit of anxiety. Hopefully all will go smoothly first time so it restores his confidence. Sorry to hear about your similar experience on Fri. Gosh, it does tug at those heart strings! 
We have 5 basal's set at the moment. How many do you have?
Please do not feel pressure to do well on the pump. Maybe part of the pressure is caused by some of us saying we are doing well. But can i re-assure you that while my son's levels are hugely better they are not perfect. We rarely have a perfect day. But we have good days and much improved days. I do not think diabetes lends itself to 'perfect' levels. All you can do is your best. And Bev, you are definately doing your best so please take comfort and strength from that. 
I ordered 6 months supply for the pump stuff and have freed up a kitchen cupboard for the stuff. I am keeping an eye on it and will (try!) to re-order in time! But it certainly bulky stuff if you short on space! I not tempted to order 12 months supply! xx

Copepod - Yes, I think you are right that the blisters were caused by adhesive removal. We left them alone and the next morning they had 'popped' or 'dispersed' by themselves. xx

Patricia - not tried the spray for before insertion. What is it called?  I sent for the free sample of spray to use for removal and we do use that. I think we will see if it happens again and if it does then get some advice from his dsn. xx

Lou - as always, your post had me smiling! Hope your flat now spick and span! Thanks for the recommedation of Pumping Demystefied. Glad you have sorted out the pump and your sleeping. Also glad you danced lots at the wedding! xx

Tracey - As Lou said, anxiety about the pump is quite normal. I do hope you have success with it. I look forward to hearing all about how you get on. xx

Over and out! Love to you all. xxx


----------



## bev

Hi all,
Mand - we just have 2 basals at the moment.

BUT - i have just sent him out on his bike with a TEMP BASAL of 70%. This is pure guesswork and i have no idea whether it will work or not - but you have to try somewhere dont you!Bev


----------



## Patricia

Good move Bev! Go for the temp basals! We have five basal rates for per 24 hours at the moment, but two different patterns -- one school, one holiday and weekend. They don't vary that much, just to take account of different eating times and waking times really...

Like Lou, the hospital gave us a number to ring along with all the product codes, and when we rang through we had already been registered etc so just ordered. We ordered four months (four boxes of each), and it took two days I think. Great service.

Name of spray Mand: Cavilon (barrier spray).

Still struggling with pasta! Argh! More later...

xxoo


----------



## bev

http://www.diabetes-insulin-pump-therapy.com/high-blood-sugar.html


Found some useful info on this link for pumpers!Bev


----------



## Becca

Hi Bev

Just got back from a break and it sounds like you're doing really well   Brilliant that you're beginning to try the temps, i'd be lost without them 

R has 5 basals in 24 hour period but i think i'm going to have to review them...Or wait till she's back at school.  Her control has been awful over the summer holidays   We had 2 weeks of swine flu coming and going....2 weeks holiday away....2 weeks of cold (how ill can one child be in two months!!!?!?!) and we're now here, back to school next week.  Not sure if it's the things she's been doing or something else....

Was wondering about active insulin...How long is everyone's set for?  R is 4 but i'm windering if it should be 3....


----------



## Becca

windering?!?!?!  Teach me to type and not read before sending   Obviously meant wondering...


----------



## bev

Hi Becca,
Thanks so much for your support - it really means a lot! I was wondering about the active insulin myself. I think A's is set at 4 - but i dont know how to check that? I asked ours dsn - but she didnt know. 

When you do a temp basal - do you do it by %?

I took a guess and did 70% - and he was between 3.9 and 9 for the 2 hour bike ride - not great - but a lot better than when on MDI.

I have tried to give him pizza without a spike tonight. I gave him 60% up front and then 20% after an hour and then will give him the remainder in the last hour. So far he hasnt been above 8.9mmols - FOR A PIZZA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We havent been taught how to dual wave or anything yet - so just experimenting myself! Does this sound right to you Becca?

I hope poor little R starts to feel better soon - maybe being back at school will help sort out her levels!Bev


----------



## Becca

I might email R's team and see what they think about the active insulin or get Pumping Insulin out and have a read   Do you mean check on the pump where the active insulin is or how to check if the active insulin is right?  LOL! Sorry got confuddled 

We do temp basals by % although i always check on the ESC key when i've set it to see if it's ok, sometimes i do a % and actually note the % is not varying from normal basal or is too much (depending on what basal it is)  Does that make sense?!  

Well done on the pizza and the bike ride   It's fab not having the spike and being in control of the levels to some extent, it's so trial and error though and just keep writitng all this down so you know what you did last time 

I hope being back at school sorts R out although we'll have the obligatory stress; excitement and anxiousness of a new termfrom her (bless) which means 200% temp basals coming up....I see mid Sept before levels back to 'normal' argh!!!!


----------



## Adrienne

Patricia said:


> At the moment we are testing at 7am and 9am regularly, trying to work out why he sometimes rises between these times, and sometimes falls.



Hi

At the FFL (Friends for Life Conference) we have just been too, one of the things I learnt was that everyone (us non diabetics) have the dawn phenomenen as well but especially kids and teens - both diabetic and non.  This means that levels will generally rise, just slightly, in the early hours and so this will sometime make the levels higher in the morning.   I always thought this was just people with diabetes but nope its people without as well but it is more pronounced with diabetes.    Hope that helps a bit.


----------



## bev

Hi Becca,

I meant both! I dont know where to look on pump for active insulin - and i dont know how you work it out!

Also, what do you mean by 200%basal for school?Bev


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> The nighttime testing has been very telling. A rises from about 10pm and keeps going until he wakes. Last night he was 12 at 12pm and then 17 at 3am and 15 at 7am - so we just corrected. I want to increase his nightime basal but dont know how much by. Whilst i do have the number for the consultant - i am reluctant to ring as i feel awkward doing so. I think i will increase the basal by a tiny amount tonight and see what affect it has. How many basals do you have Mand - and all pumpers?
> 
> Hope your all ok.Bev



Hiya Bev

These are all of Jessica's basals for a school day (she has slightly different times in the morning for weekends and holidays due to getting up later).

Time    insulin
0000    0.30 
0200    0.25
0400    0.35
0500    0.85
0930    0.10
1300    0.55
1700    0.55
1930    0.45
2100    0.20


Just to run through those and the reasons behind them. 

At about 3 am she dips a bit so we set a 0.25 at 2 am but then she shoots up so needs the 0.35.    Jessica gets really really really high mid morning spikes, always has so the 0500 rate of 0.85 is the highest of the day to combat a spike at 10 am.  It will no doubt need to go up by next week to 0.90.  We reached 1 unit at one point but that had to come back down after a few weeks.

However with the 0.85 going in she hypoed by 11.15 or noon so 0930 at 0.10 seems to stop the hypo.

If you wonder why we have the 1700 in there as it is the same 0.55 as the 1300 it is because we have only just increased the 1300 from 0.45 and no doubt the 1700 will need increasing at some point so I've kept it there.

Jessica is not getting enough basal insulin at the moment across the board so please don't start comparing.   The idea was just to show you how many basals she has and why.   Some people have only 4 basals and that works for them.

Bev - only ever go up in small increments.  I think you have the Veo so you can go up in even smaller ones ie 0.025 is that right?   We only have 0.05 and I use that but sometimes even 0.025 would make a difference.


----------



## Adrienne

Becca;55797Was wondering about active insulin...How long is everyone's set for?  R is 4 but i'm windering if it should be 3....[/QUOTE said:
			
		

> Hiya Becca
> 
> Hope your holiday was good.  We never did get in that visit.   I text you last week actually to say I was free last Friday but you were away so no doubt didn't get it and couldn't meet anyway !!!!
> 
> Some interesting info for you to think about :
> 
> I have it on good authority that nowhere does it state that it has been proved novorapid is ever 3 or 4 hours.   It is about 5 hours and so the active insulin should be set ok at 5 hours and that you need to look at your ratios and basals.    I merrily told someone on the email group a while ago that ours was set at 3 hours and has been for over two years and still is.   She queried with the hospital (same as mine) and was told the above.   I didn't understand so rang and confirmed the above.    But was told that people work it out different ways.   So apparently there is no need to alter from 5 hours and change the other stuff instead !!!
> 
> Not sure if that will help you or hinder you but thought I would tell you anyway seeing as how we are great mates and you wouldn't shout at me


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Hi Becca,
> Thanks so much for your support - it really means a lot! I was wondering about the active insulin myself. I think A's is set at 4 - but i dont know how to check that? I asked ours dsn - but she didnt know.
> 
> When you do a temp basal - do you do it by %?
> 
> I took a guess and did 70% - and he was between 3.9 and 9 for the 2 hour bike ride - not great - but a lot better than when on MDI.
> 
> I have tried to give him pizza without a spike tonight. I gave him 60% up front and then 20% after an hour and then will give him the remainder in the last hour. So far he hasnt been above 8.9mmols - FOR A PIZZA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> We havent been taught how to dual wave or anything yet - so just experimenting myself! Does this sound right to you Becca?
> 
> I hope poor little R starts to feel better soon - maybe being back at school will help sort out her levels!Bev



Bev you do make me laugh even though you are being serious.   

The pizza spike, if its gonna come, will be between 4 and 8 hours after eating it not in the first 3 hours.  Hopefully if your workings out are right then there will be no spike.    Are you not using dual wave then?  I take it you found out how much it wanted to give and split it between 60% and 20% and 20% and are just bolusing on the hour with a normal bolus for a three hour period.  Is that right?

Try the dual wave.    It takes you through it step by step.  It would have asked you the time ie three hours and then what percentage.  Well you would have done 60/40.  The 60% would have gone in straight away and the other 40% over the next three hours.    It is easy to do but hard to know what to do.    I was taught always try 50/50 over 2 hours first and see what happens.  You soon learn.

I think the insulin activity is on the last menu, Jessica is in bed so I can't check yet.   You can change it but I wouldn't without speaking to someone.  That is a bit of a biggie.

Sounds like you are doing just brilliantly.


----------



## Becca

LOL Adrienne!!  No that helps  Course i wouldn't shout at you!

That's interesting about the 5 hours.  I wondered about if it wasn't the active insulin but then most of her ratios or basal would have to change - that just seemed weird.  But then, wouldn't surprise me.  I think i need to sit down and look at things again, and of course, wait for school to begin.....

The break was good, i didn't get your text?!  Will PM you my mobile just in case you've got the wrong one!

Oops


----------



## Adrienne

Becca said:


> LOL Adrienne!!  No that helps  Course i wouldn't shout at you!
> 
> That's interesting about the 5 hours.  I wondered about if it wasn't the active insulin but then most of her ratios or basal would have to change - that just seemed weird.  But then, wouldn't surprise me.  I think i need to sit down and look at things again, and of course, wait for school to begin.....
> 
> The break was good, i didn't get your text?!  Will PM you my mobile just in case you've got the wrong one!
> 
> Oops



Hiya
Jessica's need to all go up but I'm having to do it slowly slowly and it is painfully slowly.   There has been emails about it and I sent a copy of her latest download to the list.   Its not good but its so damned hard with Jessica.  One of the others (with two boys) suggested if it was one her boys then she would put on a 110% temp for 24 hours and see what happens !!  I like that idea but am gonna run it past our fab DSN on Wednesday, she is coming to the school on an inset day to talk to every single teacher and TA !  She is sooooo great.


----------



## Becca

bev said:


> Hi Becca,
> 
> I meant both! I dont know where to look on pump for active insulin - and i dont know how you work it out!
> 
> Also, what do you mean by 200%basal for school?Bev



Hi Bev,

I think it's on the bolus wizard setup screen, you should be able to review your settings?

When R starts school terms she gets all in a dither and her levels shoot up.  It has been known that she has her normal bolus or dualwave for breakfast and then has 200% temp basal on top for one hour  (which for her at that time of the morning might be 0.90 units an hour) just so it matches the adrenaline rush she gets when she gets in the car and through the school doors   Utter madness....


----------



## bev

Update,

The split bolus for the pizza worked!!!!!!!!!!

60% upfront then 20% an hour later and then 10% 2 hours later and then 5% 3 hours later. This was all guesswork and i am not sure if it was the way we spaced it out or the fact he had been exercising on his bike in the afternoon - but it worked - he went up to 8.9mmols but then at 12pm he went down to 3.6mmols - so not sure if we should have given the last 5% or whether it was the effect of the exercise. We chose to give the 95% because he was lowish before bed - and i am glad we did or he may have had a bigger hypo.

Next time we try it i think we will do it on a day when he hasnt been cycling so we can get a clear picture of what is actually happening.

We havent been taught the bolus wizard or dual wave yet - but i am looking forward to trying it if these are the sort of results you can get!

Adrienne, i do know what you mean about the pizza hitting after 4 hours and up to 8 - this has happened to us before on MDI - but for some reason last night it either didnt peak or we happened to get the dosing correct - not sure really - just happy that it worked.Bev


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Update,
> 
> The split bolus for the pizza worked!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> 60% upfront then 20% an hour later and then 10% 2 hours later and then 5% 3 hours later. This was all guesswork and i am not sure if it was the way we spaced it out or the fact he had been exercising on his bike in the afternoon - but it worked - he went up to 8.9mmols but then at 12pm he went down to 3.6mmols - so not sure if we should have given the last 5% or whether it was the effect of the exercise. We chose to give the 95% because he was lowish before bed - and i am glad we did or he may have had a bigger hypo.
> 
> Next time we try it i think we will do it on a day when he hasnt been cycling so we can get a clear picture of what is actually happening.
> 
> We havent been taught the bolus wizard or dual wave yet - but i am looking forward to trying it if these are the sort of results you can get!
> 
> Adrienne, i do know what you mean about the pizza hitting after 4 hours and up to 8 - this has happened to us before on MDI - but for some reason last night it either didnt peak or we happened to get the dosing correct - not sure really - just happy that it worked.Bev



Brilliant that is great.   People would think we were completely nuts getting excited about something like this wouldn't they?

I really don't get why you and I think Mand as well, have not been taught the bolus wizard.  Dual wave I can understand I didn't use that for about 4 months but bolus wizard is one of the points of the pump.   It is more exact.   We were taught that as part of our two days of training, one day one week and the other day the next week.   We have only ever used the bolus wizard from day one.  Oh well I guess hospitals do it differently.


----------



## Sugarbum

Bev, just a quick note!

On the veo if you are using the blus wizzard it will always tell you how much active insulin on board you still have (depends as well what setting you have entered for your active insulin. My insulin is entered as lasting 5 hours in my settings).

At any time if you press ESC from a clear screen you will get your current status. Scroll down and you will see the active insulin, if you have any dual waves running then how much you have had or is left etc, how many units left and I think mine is also now predicting my mood 

Adrienne, I didnt get blus wizzard taught to me until 3 weeks in! Nightmare. I also didnt get to change my basal at all, what hard work!

Oh well! x


----------



## Patricia

Hello all

Well I'm rather dizzy with all the info and changes and good stuff on here, so I'm just going to blast through a bit...

All going well this end anyway, though two days ago was a day of a million hypos -- four actually. Little idea why except a combination of factors: E out all day with friends, and despite setting temp basals and doing his best to estimate carb, probably it all just got a bit mixed up...So that he was dragging through low for quite a while, despite a whole tube of dextrose over the day. Poor thing! And this also caused a low in the night, which he actually woke for -- for the first time ever. So he had a QUIET day yesterday!

Numbers since then have been fine, very good really. We are avoiding pasta because we're so tired! 

Night basal now fixed, though I have a niggle about dropping a little between 3 and 7am. Not sure. Tested at 3am last night (steady from 11.30pm), but by 8am he was 3mmols lower at 4.1. Didn't test at 7am (too tired!), and he has been both rising and falling between 7 and 9am as I wrote before, so we're not quite sure *where* we are that time of day...ANYWAY. Almost there. But may need a slightly lower basal between 3 and 7am...

THEN we'll attack the pasta afresh. 

I second everyone about bolus wizard: wonderfully accurate. Once you are using it Bev you will find the accuracy amazing, esp for insulin sensitive A, I'm sure! How's it all going, by the way?

Mand, okay?

Lou?

Feeling a bit down, as you can probably tell. Will pass. Wish we didn't have to think about this all the time. It's so much better, but still a pain for all sometimes!!!

Sigh. 

Bit overwhelmed btw about the active insulin thing...We are set at 3 hours in order to be able to correct, which we were finding we couldn't do to our satisfaction. I'm wondering if stable adults are maybe okay set at 5 hours? I can't really imagine going that long, or being able to finesse levels so finely so as not to need to correct...?

For now!

xxoo


----------



## bev

HI Patricia,
Just wanted to say i feel for you - i too am feeling a little down - have had some fluttery feelings in my heart and the gp is sending me for an ecg.

I am fairly sure its due to stress - and my stress is about diabetes. I just cant seem to turn off from it - i even dream about levels and canulas and infections etc...So i understand you completely. I cant offer you any advice unfortunately - but i am starting to think its just the bodies way of dealing with the shock of one of your children being diagnosed. I think at first you just 'get on with things' - because you have to... Then i think when you start to 'relax' a little is when your body finally decides to complain- and this is when stress and depression hit. Hopefully this will be a minor 'blip' and we will get back to feeling normal again. I hope you have a better day tomorrow.Bev x


----------



## Sugarbum

Patricia said:


> Hello all
> 
> Well I'm rather dizzy with all the info and changes and good stuff on here, so I'm just going to blast through a bit...
> 
> Feeling a bit down, as you can probably tell. Will pass. Wish we didn't have to think about this all the time. It's so much better, but still a pain for all sometimes!!!
> 
> Sigh.
> 
> 
> xxoo




Hi P,

Sorry to hear you are feeling abit down and as well, tired. I expect you are exhausted. I dont doubt how much effort you put into all this, and maintaining a health family life/balance as well must draw on your resources.

Can I make a suggestion? I would love to see you resurrect you old thread. I miss it. I think there is a different feeling reeling off on your own line and think you benefited from a more focused support from everyone (as did I!).

I guess I am feeling abit out of the loop at the moment. Ive had a very emotional week (I might PM), absolutely dreadful numbers and Im not relishing in this thread so much! I find it too much to read and to reply too. I also feel abit overexposed....! There are 88 posts on here and it has been veiwed 1,222 times I think it was. Makes me shy  Please no-one be offended if I dont post so much on this one as before, I need to replenish my energy 

And to top it all off.....Ive just eaten pasta. Enough said anyone??!
xx


----------



## Northerner

Hi guys, so sorry to hear that it all seems to be hitting you at the same time, but I guess you all pretty much started on pumps around the same time too (except bev, who I suspect 'in her head' started at the same time as the rest of you in terms of thinking about it and trying to understand it!)

I take Lou's point, and if you would like, I can certinly 'unstick' this thread! As I said before setting it up, you are all very welcome to continue in your own threads if that is what you prefer. 

Hope that levels stabilise and things pck up for all of you, and bev - hope the ecg goes OK - had quite a few of those in my time and can even recognise an inverted t-wave!

Take care all


----------



## Sugarbum

bev said:


> HI Patricia,
> Just wanted to say i feel for you - i too am feeling a little down - have had some fluttery feelings in my heart and the gp is sending me for an ecg.
> 
> I am fairly sure its due to stress - and my stress is about diabetes. I just cant seem to turn off from it - i even dream about levels and canulas and infections etc...So i understand you completely. I cant offer you any advice unfortunately - but i am starting to think its just the bodies way of dealing with the shock of one of your children being diagnosed. I think at first you just 'get on with things' - because you have to... Then i think when you start to 'relax' a little is when your body finally decides to complain- and this is when stress and depression hit. Hopefully this will be a minor 'blip' and we will get back to feeling normal again. I hope you have a better day tomorrow.Bev x




Oh no, I feel awful I didnt pick up on this bev in my last post, I had completely missed it, so sorry (saw N's ref to it above). Bev I hope the ECG goes ok. Do you get an interpreatation immediately? (you could always ask northener! ), but seriously I hope its ok and these anxieties work their way out of you soon and the ECG is nothing serious. 

Northener, you do make me laugh with your Twave inversion! Inferior leads? What are you like?

Please dont take my downer on thread as more than a blip and I hope I dont bring people down with my gripe, sorry guys. I also appreciate N that you look for solutions to make things easier amongst us and are happy to try new things like a sticky thread and  see how we get on, so please dont listen to me whine! I havent had a single figure BM since saturday and I think I am just stroppy...just tell me to pipe down!

So my pump is clearly on strike....how is everyone else doing??

xxx


----------



## bev

Thanks Northerner and Sugarbum!

Northerner, if you dont mind could you give me an idea of what it entails to have an ecg? If you prefer - and you dont mind - could you pm me? Thanks.

Lou,
You mustnt worry about being negative sometimes - its very normal. If you have had double numbers for a few days - no wonder your feeling out of sorts! I was feeling like this in the morning - A woke on 11 - again!!!!

So i kept ringing the dsn - i was determined to get some advice! Anyway, she has advised increasing nightime basal, and once we have that under 8mmols - then we will start changing some of his daytime basals - she said its better to do it in blocks of 4 as we can get a much clearer picture of whether its the ratios or the basal thats wrong. She also told me not to worry and that it can take a couple of months at least to get into some sort of routine that we are happy with.
Do you still have good support from your team? Perhaps you could run through your levels with them and try to get to the bottom of whats going on? I hope you get things sorted very soon - it must be awful to be 'high' a lot of the time.

I must admit i think our team have been lacking in support - but hopefully things will improve once we start to see better levels. Hope you have a better day tomorrow Lou and all!Bev xx


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Thanks Northerner and Sugarbum!
> 
> Northerner, if you dont mind could you give me an idea of what it entails to have an ecg? If you prefer - and you dont mind - could you pm me? Thanks.
> 
> Lou,
> You mustnt worry about being negative sometimes - its very normal. If you have had double numbers for a few days - no wonder your feeling out of sorts! I was feeling like this in the morning - A woke on 11 - again!!!!
> 
> So i kept ringing the dsn - i was determined to get some advice! Anyway, she has advised increasing nightime basal, and once we have that under 8mmols - then we will start changing some of his daytime basals - she said its better to do it in blocks of 4 as we can get a much clearer picture of whether its the ratios or the basal thats wrong. She also told me not to worry and that it can take a couple of months at least to get into some sort of routine that we are happy with.
> Do you still have good support from your team? Perhaps you could run through your levels with them and try to get to the bottom of whats going on? I hope you get things sorted very soon - it must be awful to be 'high' a lot of the time.
> 
> I must admit i think our team have been lacking in support - but hopefully things will improve once we start to see better levels. Hope you have a better day tomorrow Lou and all!Bev xx



Hiya Bev

Sorry you are not feeling quite right, I agree it is no doubt stress related.  People (not everyone on here of course) have no idea how stressful it is seeing your child suddenly get a condition he/she will have for ever.  It doesn't bear thinking about.   I saw a DVD today at a school training session and the bit where a couple of mum's said something about their child just made me cry.

Good luck and I hope its nothing to worry about.   Take care.


----------



## Mand

Hi everyone

I am feeling very emotional too at the moment. It just all seems so much and there is no 'day off'. Then i get upset because i realise that, for my son, there will never be a day off and i find this fact very hard to deal with. I know it is the same for all of us. 

I comfort myself with the thought that our kids probably do not feel the emotions that we do and never will. It is our maternal feelings that the diabetes is getting at. We never signed up for this but we got it anyway. No point in asking why us because there are no answers.

The daft thing is, is that my son is so happy! He leads a very full life and has so many friends. In fact he not here right now as he at a sleepover. 

Perhaps it is because they are returning to school soon that is making us so emotional too. I always get a funny feeling in my tum as school return date looms. I think it is a throwback to my own school days! 

I have to confess that i feel a bit guilty as not sure this new pump thread is right for everyone and i originally supported the idea. I supported the idea because i was concerned that i would no be able to keep up with everyone's individual threads so thought it good idea to all be in same place but maybe on reflection this not such a good idea? 

Lou, i know what you mean about feeling exposed. I guess we are always exposed really as we never know who is reading. Feel free to pm anytime. xx

I always here for anyone who wants to pm.

Lou, Patricia, Bev - I send you all a hug. xx


----------



## Becca

Mand said:


> Hi everyone
> The daft thing is, is that my son is so happy! He leads a very full life and has so many friends. In fact he not here right now as he at a sleepover.



Oh i so know this feeling.  When i have my down days, people always tell me how R is so happy and people comment to me what a lovely child she is, how happy, friendly, giggly, well etc.... I know all this but sometimes i get so frustrated. 

Another family member who told me to 'have a break' from diabetes, that i think about it too much, find something else to do etc...quite oftens tells me how happy R is, that her diabetes doesn't affect her etc....The problem is, like all our kids, they are who they are, they cope so well with their diabetes, they are well etc. is because of all the hard work that us as parents put into it.  I take the diabetes off of R because at 7 she doesn't need to be weighed down with it all.  She's had it since 3, she has it for the rest of her life, so i see it that i should support her until she's ready herself.  The trouble is, good intentional, family friends etc. sometimes don't see that.

Sorry turned into a ramble.....


----------



## Steff

good morning pumpers/parents to pumpers

i'm sorry to see you all seem to be having a bad time of it lately it must be so hard to keep positive, how is everyone feeling this morning bev how are things? x


----------



## Patricia

Hello all

Oh my, seems we are all in the same boat! Northerner, appreciate your gentle and sympathetic nurturing...

First, Bev: I'm so sorry about the ecg deal. Oh dear. I do hope too like everyone that it passes without any indicators of anything. But I think you're right to identify stress in all this. As Adrienne says, the relentless and often devastating nature of all this just doesn't ease, really, being parents. For me, the agony of the constant decisions at the moment, the balancing of my welfare against E's, is really quite wearing...More on that later...

I guess I would say Bev what do you do for yourself? If as we all hope nothing particularly concrete shows up on the ecg, it'll be worth looking at how you can give yourself the occasional break. I confess that if I ever feel in the clear, children settled or in school etc, I do things like a) go to the gym or for a swim, unscheduled! b) go for an hour around the town c) meet a friend for coffee or indulge in the sending of many texts to friends...

It's so hard to find space in all this. Always hard as a parent who cares and is attentive to their children, but more so within the vigilance necessary in managing diabetes. What are your hobbies? Loves? Passions? What have you had to give up that you can get back to?

I'm speaking to all of us, perhaps...And I think that the beginning of school year stuff is hard, very hard. Autumn is a melancholy time generally, as well as an uplifting one, with a particular poignant slant of light, etc...I personally have already begun to dread the darkening days, and the fact that we enter yes another year with this day to day thing -- which we have yet to really feel on top of.

Lou -- what's up with your numbers, darlin'? It must be so frustrating and cross-making. What about women's cycle stuff? Know *nothing* about it from experience, but could that be a part? Or just worn out, stressed? 

Mand, do PM. I feel worried about you.

Last night was a case in point that we just can't know it all. You will all know that we are in the position of running and stopping to keep up with E's growth and sudden shifts and spurts...Numbers since the Day of Four Hypos have been very good, but the last two days I've had sneaking nighttime basal issues... thinking he actually *was* dropping between 3 and 7am...Well last night, he was 12 at 11pm (baked potato anyone?), long after active insulin was a factor. Pump wanted to correct fully. As is our practice for nighttime, we under-corrected by about a third. Despite real exhaustion, we knew we had to check things at 1.30pm -- which I duly did: 6mmols. Blast! The last two nights had, in my memory, seen him drop about 3mmols, and I felt I just couldn't take the chance at that number until we knew for sure. On the other hand (thought I, in the middle of the flaming night!), if he *wasn't* dropping, 6mmols is a very good nighttime number...Around I went for 15 minutes. Finally woke OH. We decided we *didn't* really know if he was dropping, so left it, and that setting a temp basal would defeat the purpose of trying to understand what was happening at night...

Half an hour later I was still talking myself around to the wisdom of this, so decided to play absolutely safe and set an alarm. I couldn't leave him. And I reasoned that having a reading later would be useful anyway...

So up I got at 4.30am, reasoning that if he *were* dropping as I thought, the other nights showed it was after 3am, and that I would catch the drop before it got bad. Lo and behold, he was 4.3mmols. Blast again. Woke him up for some juice. Thought about temp basal. Rejected it, as we would be moving at 7am anyway (first day of school for my daughter!). At 7.45am he was 4mmols -- at this point, we set a temp basal because he really couldn't face juice. At 9am he was down to 2.9. Treated it. By 10am the temp had had some effect, and he was up to 9mmol. Needless to say, we haven't treated this, giving breakfast and let's just see where the heck we are when the dust settles and the temp is now OFF.

Argh. Clearly the nighttime basal is too much. This morning the numbers have gone into the computer (while I took daughter to school) before OH went to work, and we are lowering the early morning basal, as I suspected might be necessary two days ago. But it's just so hard to KNOW until he's gone through so much! This has been one of the hardest things for me all along -- he needs to suffer to some degree before we really understand anything. I mean, how unfair is that! *Every decision is taken in hindsight.
*
We've also decided that with another reading like 12mmol at 11pm, we will just pop in one unit rather than some fancy calculation of 1:4 correction (which is what we did last night to arrive at under-correction figure from pump) -- and LEAVE it. He would have been fine on 7 or 8mmols all night, even with a slightly unstable basal. There's room to drop there. BUT we were trying to do it right, rather than just do a balanced best...

Cripes. That's my rant. So the day in front of me is another exhausted one, where I can't seem to do anything other than the bare minimum. And with his return to school looming on Monday, I feel quite defeated what levels to start with, etc...So tired of him being put through the mill, not to speak of us! Yet we haven't ever properly stabilised. I *know* this is partly his age and stage -- but am dreading the next round!

***

Lou, I know what you mean about the thread. I miss it too really, can't seem to get the 'narrative' going again on this more general one. I'm not sure how much it matters, but maybe it does? I'm also now thinking seriously about resurrecting my own blog, which began to deal with diabetes issues back in March, but has languished since. I guess you guys might as well know if you don't already that I'm actually a writer, teaching writing at university...which is why some kind of record of all this I think is paramount for me, important to my own reflection, recovery and understanding maybe?

And of course the strength gained from others, from sharing, has come to mean more and more. A dialogue is important for that, whether through a forum or through comments on a blog...

I've also started a book on all this, if you want to know the full truth!

So -- what should be do?

I'm kind of too tired to think straight. Northerner, do you have thoughts? Everyone else?

Bev, I confess, to missing a record of your own trials and tribs regarding pumping. You are doing such a good job, with successes and setbacks, and I'd love to read more about it all...

I'm waffling now. 

xxoo


----------



## Patricia

Sorry Becca and Steff, we were obviously cross posting while I took yonks on my huge tirade...

Yes Becca, exactly. Our kids are who they are because we are desperate to take what we can off them. And we don't realise or don't see how we need to find small, low impact breaks, until we are almost at wit's end...

Thanks for thoughts, Steff


----------



## Mand

Patricia, so you are a writer! Now I know why your posts are so well written and so informative! Please do not be worried about me. I just having a down day. I guess we all get them from time to time. xx



> Another family member who told me to 'have a break' from diabetes, that i think about it too much, find something else to do etc...quite oftens tells me how happy R is, that her diabetes doesn't affect her etc....The problem is, like all our kids, they are who they are, they cope so well with their diabetes, they are well etc. is because of all the hard work that us as parents put into it. I take the diabetes off of R because at 7 she doesn't need to be weighed down with it all. She's had it since 3, she has it for the rest of her life, so i see it that i should support her until she's ready herself. The trouble is, good intentional, family friends etc. sometimes don't see that.



Becca, I understand how you feel and agree with you. We do not take our eyes off the ball so that our kids are able to. xx

Bev - How's it all going? 

We had another bad set change. Odd, really. I think i will have a chat to my sons dsn. 

Mand xx


----------



## Adrienne

Mand said:


> We had another bad set change. Odd, really. I think i will have a chat to my sons dsn.
> 
> Mand xx



Hiya Mand

Anything I can do to help?  Why the bad set change, was it the set or was your son not liking it?  I'm here if you need me.


----------



## bev

Hi all,

Thankyou all for asking - i took myself off to A&E this morning - i couldnt wait until next wednesday for the ecg - too worried! Anyway, after an hour on it they said i have something called 'ectopic rythm'! Apparently it happens to a lot of people and the more you think about it the more pronounced it becomes! So i am going on a 24 hour thingy to check whats happening - but she said it can be due to stress.....
I feel a bit too tired tonight to comment on everyones latest - sorry. Patricia, your right, i do need to start hobbies etc - i used to love the gym and swimming and anything creative - not done anything for *me* for ages.Bev x


----------



## Patricia

Adrienne -- such a lovely post. So sound. Mand, take her up on it! Hope things improve. I know you're strong -- but lean on folks! You're sounding quiet, and we care.

Bev -- well done for taking yourself off to A & E. I've heard of an ectopic rhythm, though for the life of me can't remember what I know about it, if you see what I mean...At least doesn't sound horrible, though a bit unsettling, certainly. Re hobbies, how about we make a bet that we each need to do something for 'me' (eg, uh, you!) in the next few days, like by next Tuesday?

I declare that I will get down to some proper writing. And go into town to look for long sleeved tops!

Any other takers?! Mand, Adrienne, Lou?

xxoo


----------



## Becca

LOL!  I've had (as Adrienne knows) a business venture going round my head for the past 4 years!  So many things have come along and it's always stopped it...diabetes being one of them...I really should get it going, just need the motivation.  You're right though, need something


----------



## Adrienne

Becca said:


> LOL!  I've had (as Adrienne knows) a business venture going round my head for the past 4 years!  So many things have come along and it's always stopped it...diabetes being one of them...I really should get it going, just need the motivation.  You're right though, need something



Yes Becca you bad girl, get to it.  Your business venture is a superb idea and you are definitely the person to do it.   What is the matter, no time on your hands (said very tongue in cheek )


----------



## Mand

Patricia - Ok. I am going to book a pedicure for next week when the kids are at school/college. I love pedicures but they are a rare 'me' treat. Also i have neglected my Spanish studies recently so i will get back on track. My lessons start again soon so that will get me focused. 

Adrienne - My son does get a bit anxious when changing the cannula. Sometimes when he presses the quickset button it does not work properly so we have to start again and because his anxiety has increased then sometimes it goes wrong again. 

Also at the last change when he removed the old cannula it bled lots and this freaked him a little. Any idea why this would happen? 

Also twice now his blood sugars have risen very high (26 yesterday ) and it is because the cannula not gone into his tummy properley so insulin not getting through.

The pump itself is working fine and he loves it but the set changes are becoming a bit of an issue. 

Bev - Glad you got checked. Keep us posted. 

Just checked my son's blood (hence me up at this hour of the night!) and it was 7.7 so that's pleasing. Right, back to my cosy bed! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Mand xx


----------



## Mand

Hi Steff. Yes, everyone does seem a bit low at the moment. How are you? How are things going? xx


----------



## Adrienne

Hiya Mand

I've answered each bit next to it for you (easier for me.......!)

I'm normally around if you need me.   If I'm not then maybe let Bev know and she can always get hold of me.  We chat a lot (which is just fine Bev by the way). 





Mand said:


> Patricia - Ok. I am going to book a pedicure for next week when the kids are at school/college. I love pedicures but they are a rare 'me' treat. Also i have neglected my Spanish studies recently so i will get back on track. My lessons start again soon so that will get me focused.
> 
> Adrienne - My son does get a bit anxious when changing the cannula. Sometimes when he presses the quickset button it does not work properly so we have to start again and because his anxiety has increased then sometimes it goes wrong again.   this is just practice and age.    It is all so new to him that he will be anxious.  Does he let you do it sometimes, maybe you could share the load so to speak.  Jessica won't swallow tablets and has to take loads so it is a real problem when we are out as I have to empty the capsules, mix with boiling water and then cold, then she drinks.    I have promised her whatever she wants when she can swallow all the tablets well.  Its not her fault but it means she will concentrate more.  She wants a fish tank !  It could have been worse but I will get her a fish tank for her bedroom !  Bribery works wonders and could mean your son will concentrate harder and not panic so much beforehand as there is a goal to all this.
> 
> Also at the last change when he removed the old cannula it bled lots and this freaked him a little. Any idea why this would happen? This sometimes happens and no need to worry.  Sometimes I find that blood and watery stuff which I take to be insulin pops on out as well.  Just wipe it all away.  Don't forward there is blood around the area where you are sticking this canula in and you never know where it has hit really.
> 
> Also twice now his blood sugars have risen very high (26 yesterday ) and it is because the cannula not gone into his tummy properley so insulin not getting through.  This can be very normal.  What we have found is that some children the levels shoot through the roof like my daughter and some children go down (think this could be Becca's daughter)  After each set change I have to put on a temp basal of one hour at 150% sometimes I have to repeat it.  Some people have to put on a lower temp basal.  Keep track and maybe it won't always be the cannula, it may be the anxiety and adrenaline has caused the levels to go up.
> 
> The pump itself is working fine and he loves it but the set changes are becoming a bit of an issue.  Bribery bribery bribery.   Before diabetes bribery is thought of as maybe a cop out.   It is so not.  With Jessica's sensors which hurt a bit, we had a goody bag with hair clips etc in which she dipped into after each sensor change.  We don't any more.  Bride your son with something he wants to focus on maybe 6 good set changes and he gets a DS game or something.
> 
> Bev - Glad you got checked. Keep us posted.
> 
> Just checked my son's blood (hence me up at this hour of the night!) and it was 7.7 so that's pleasing. Right, back to my cosy bed! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
> 
> Mand xx


----------



## Mand

Thanks a million Adrienne! You have put my mind at rest re the changes and given me good ideas! I will try the bribery/reward treat too. So glad i shared this concern. 

I currently give my son a ?2-extra-pocket money reward each week if he has been responsible for checking his blood regularly, especially when out and about without me and he if has done his best to get good levels. It seems to be working so far.

No, i do not take a turn re using the quickserter. I will suggest it. When he was on mdi i used to do his levemir in his bottom each night to give the other injection sites a break. He did all his own novorapids though. He was happy with me doing the levemir so he might allow me to do the quickserter.

His levels are not quite as steady as they were at the start but he returns to school next Tues and i know things will change so i not trying to get too good this week but once he back next week i want to really try to nail these settings! So i will be posting some more questions on here and it would be great to have your feedback.

Thanks again Adrienne. x


----------



## Adrienne

No problem Mand, anytime.  If I can help you or anyone with the pumps I will.


----------



## Patricia

Hello again all

Everyone sounding a bit bouncier maybe? Great advice Adrienne.

Well our end after three very good days of numbers had this weird all day slightly high day yesterday. Sigh. For absolutely NO reason. It's this sort of thing which is head-scratching. Just 9s,10s,12s, and one 14 before bed, correcting each time of testing but to no real effect!...But it's just outright mystifying. When NOTHING has changed, and nothing different. He said he was very tired all day -- but cheerful with it. Wonder if it's just growing. Don't know what numbers today are yet -- my turn to be at work.

We made a couple of useful changes last night though, worth mentioning:

1) the medtronic and no doubt others can do different correction ratios! We have been thinking about this, so have now put in 1unit:3mmols for daytime, 1unit:4mmols for nighttime.

2) the medtronic etc can also have different targets for different times of day. We had recently switched targets back to 6.5mmols - 6.5mmols (eg no higher or lower), but have been finding that nighttimes are just too unstable in terms of correcting for that...Generally, the pump is not good for us when correcting and the lower target is quite low -- we frequently end up at 5.5 with a 6.5 target -- fine in the day, but not at night. So we've changed it to 6mmols - 6mmols in the day, and 7mmols - 7 mmols at night, after 10pm. 

Both of these changes were put into use already last night when he was going to bed on 14mmols. As we said we would, we *way* undercorrected what the pump suggested, and then got up at 3am for a check. At 3am he was still only 12mmols, but our experience has shown that his sensitivity to insulin decreases from 3-7am, so we applied the full correction suggested. At 7am he was 5.9mmols. So our correction factor at night is probably not quite 1:4 and not quite 1:5, unfortunately, which is kind of what we figured. We were 'aiming' at 7mmols and ended up essentially on 6mmols. Still, not too bad.

Okay, must work!


----------



## bev

5.3
4.1
6.9
6.5
3.8

3.5
7.4
7.1
4.8
7
4.3
6.9
3.7
9.5

Hi all,
The above numbers are off A's meter for the last 2 days at school! I am really pleased with these numbers - its a dramatic improvement to what he was on MDI. Some need tweaking - but on the whole we are pleased with them.
The only *problem* i have is that we havent changed any of his ratios - but werent getting these numbers at home - so it seems he will definately need a school pattern and a weekend pattern - so more sums!

The breakfast 'spike' seems to have been wiped out - but - he is 7mmols at the 2 hour check - so he is having a cereal bar to put him on to lunch - and at lunch he has been 6 or 7 - so no idea what he would have been without the cereal bar. I suppose its better to let him have the bar than be up into double figures though!

This morning he woke on 3.7mmols so i think we may need to lower his basal for 2 hours before this as he was 7mmols at 3am........so not sure if the DP has stopped or whether he is just settling in to the newest basal...

Hope your all ok?

Patricia, I was planning to go on a bike ride on monday - some *me* time - but i have to go on another ecg - but i promise i will make every effort to do something for myself next week!Bev x

p.s. I forgot to mention that i didnt know the pump can do different corrections depending on what time of day - BRILLIANT! I am always nervous about night time corrections aswell - i dont sleep if i correct at night! So this will help enormously - thanks Patricia. Now all i need to do is learn how to use the bolus wizard.......


----------



## Adrienne

The corrections factor on the Medtronic is called the Sensitivity on the bolus menu.

Jessica has three :

0000     10.0
0600     6.0
1400     14.0

It just goes to show how sensitive she is at late aftenoon/night time compared to the day time.


----------



## Mand

Hi everyone

Yes, Patricia, I definately feeling bouncier! 

Bev - Good readings overall. Good luck with the tweaking!

We had good day today. I took my two kiddies clothes shopping. I penniless now but there wardrobes are sorted! 

We shopped till we dropped! We had a McDonalds for lunch and took with us the list we had printed from their website re carb values of their food. My son was 5.5 two hours after bolusing for lunch. Fab!

My daughter starts college next week and we are all so excited for her! Her wardrobe now sorted. Thank goodness! SO important when you are 16!

I bought myself new pj's from M&S. Is that cosy or just plain sad!!! 

Until soon! xx


----------



## Becca

Grr!!!  My last post went 4 times and then i deleted one and they all went - argh!

Anyway, here goes again.

Rose's basals in morning are:

0600 - 0.45U
0900 - 0.25U

However, by mid morning she is up in the mid teens again, i don't want to add to the 0600 basal as she will be crashing too much by the time she wakes up, does anyone have a basal within an hour of each other?  Say, if i set another at 0700 for 0.5 or 0.55U?  Or is that overkill?

I don't particularly want to alter the bolus either 1:16 at the mo.  She crashes by lunchtime then and then i am just feeding the insulin


----------



## Adrienne

Becca said:


> Grr!!!  My last post went 4 times and then i deleted one and they all went - argh!
> 
> Anyway, here goes again.
> 
> Rose's basals in morning are:
> 
> 0600 - 0.45U
> 0900 - 0.25U
> 
> However, by mid morning she is up in the mid teens again, i don't want to add to the 0600 basal as she will be crashing too much by the time she wakes up, does anyone have a basal within an hour of each other?  Say, if i set another at 0700 for 0.5 or 0.55U?  Or is that overkill?
> 
> I don't particularly want to alter the bolus either 1:16 at the mo.  She crashes by lunchtime then and then i am just feeding the insulin



Hiya Becca

This is Jessica's, I know she is older but this works and Jessica had huge huge midmorning spikes and crashed by 12 noon.

On a school day she used to have a 6 am basal but we took it back to 5 am for the 10 am spike !!!  So we have

0500  0.85
0930  0.10
1300  0.55

etc etc

So she needs a lot more at 5 am to sort the huge spike but we worked out we needed to cut right back at 9.30 am due to the midday crash.

For you my personal thoughts are to leave the basal levels but as a starter take the 6 am back to 5.30 am.    See what happens and then back again to 5 am.    Or you could increased the 6 am to 0.5 but decrease the 9 am to 0.20 or even lower.

Hope that gives you some ideas.

x


----------



## Adrienne

Mand said:


> Hi everyone
> 
> Yes, Patricia, I definately feeling bouncier!
> 
> Bev - Good readings overall. Good luck with the tweaking!
> 
> We had good day today. I took my two kiddies clothes shopping. I penniless now but there wardrobes are sorted!
> 
> We shopped till we dropped! We had a McDonalds for lunch and took with us the list we had printed from their website re carb values of their food. My son was 5.5 two hours after bolusing for lunch. Fab!
> 
> My daughter starts college next week and we are all so excited for her! Her wardrobe now sorted. Thank goodness! SO important when you are 16!
> 
> I bought myself new pj's from M&S. Is that cosy or just plain sad!!!
> 
> Until soon! xx



Mand the carbs for MacDonalds are on the back of the tray mats.  All the carbs except for maybe the one off flavoured McFlurrys.

For MacDonalds we use a 50/50 for an hour due to the fat content and it seems to work.   Don't forget to count the ketchup and sauces (though I'm sure you didn't)


----------



## Becca

Adrienne said:


> For you my personal thoughts are to leave the basal levels but as a starter take the 6 am back to 5.30 am.    See what happens and then back again to 5 am.    Or you could increased the 6 am to 0.5 but decrease the 9 am to 0.20 or even lower.



Thanks Adrienne   Trouble is we've done that before (adding to the 0600 basal) and she starts to crash around 07.30 when she's getting up.  Mind you, that was a few months back and things change so much that it might work now!  Will give it a go, if not will think about another basal.  Ta


----------



## Adrienne

Becca said:


> Thanks Adrienne   Trouble is we've done that before (adding to the 0600 basal) and she starts to crash around 07.30 when she's getting up.  Mind you, that was a few months back and things change so much that it might work now!  Will give it a go, if not will think about another basal.  Ta



Then what is the basal rate before the 0600.  It is that one that may need to go down to stop the 7.30 am crash.   You may need to decrease the one before that to sort 7.30 am out and increase the 6 am to sort the spike out.

Bloody diabetes, pain in butt eh !


----------



## Becca

Adrienne said:


> Then what is the basal rate before the 0600.  It is that one that may need to go down to stop the 7.30 am crash.   You may need to decrease the one before that to sort 7.30 am out and increase the 6 am to sort the spike out.
> 
> Bloody diabetes, pain in butt eh !



Ah but here lies another problem, overnight, we've been testing at 2am and 5am and 7.30am and she's stable.  Completely.  Hasn't deviated much, maybe 0.5mmol/l, that's it.  So, it makes me loathe to touch anything before as it seems to be working - argh!

You're right, nothing is easy with diabetes, grr!!!

Thanks for the help


----------



## Patricia

Confess I feel mightily relieved reading everyone else's minute tweakings to get on top of x or y...Not just me! So important, but often just *perplexing* as all get out. Good luck with it all Becca.

Bev, what fab numbers! You are doing so well! You must be so delighted. It *is* hard work, isn't it? But I'm hopeful for you that A will stabilise (unlike E, who hasn't really stood still now since the very early days, alas) for a while so you can enjoy it all. (Get that bike ride in -- Tuesday morning?!)

Mand: you've given me an idea re pjs. I've had the same draggy ones for years, and as we're getting up so much, they are getting a lot of use (instead of nighties, that is). Time for some new ones! And I remember months ago, the pedicure -- envious of this. I have dancer's feet, quite like the idea of it, but am too embarrassed!

Delighted about the shopping and the McD's: all this helps normality. Well done. How are your nights going now you are not getting up? Okay?

This end we have good news and slightly confusing news: great news is that yesterday was the other half of the shared care clinic day (eg the home clinic) -- and E's HbA1c has gone down to 6.8%! Hurray, hurray! This is the first one all on the pump, and the one with the holiday, the adjustment to vacation, lots of weird growth numbers and not a stupid number of hypos. We are thrilled for him, but more to the point he is completely chuffed, and was boogy-ing around the kitchen last night doing a 6.8% rap...This kind of result I know makes him feel he can carry on. The only reason he keeps going really is because from the beginning he has been completely set on good control. His most disturbed and upset times come from his worries over his future. So his relief at making headway is palpable.

Now to the argh news: he had another day of slightly high numbers, eg 9s, 10s, 11s, and then last night was 17! So seeing as that was the second day, we are now coming to the conclusion this is another spurt, not just a coupla weird numbers...Thing is he starts school on Monday, and we are thinking we are going to have to re-design everything anyway, go back to the school pattern and adjust...who knows what will happen? Annoying!

However, ANOTHER piece of good news is that our nighttime corrections seem to be working well. I'm still convinced he needs one at like 1unit: 4.5 mmols (rather than 1:4), but hey. Anyway, for this 17mmols at bedtime we for the first time that time of day fully corrected (it was so high that our experience says if we didn't it down fast it would stay there a while due to resistance). Exactly two hours later we had managed to stay up (12.40am!): 11mmols. He had a lot of room therefore to drop (and knew he would, a bit, because he doesn't seem to really peak until 2.5 hours after a bolus AND his higher basal had only just come in at 12am) if needs be, so we left him and actually got SOME SLEEP. At 7am he was a glorious 6.1, when the target is 7mmols. So again, that's all good.

Becca: what's your business venture? How about by Tuesday make some decisions about the first/next step?!

Adrienne: what are you going to do for yourself? You slog your guts out. Take a break.

For now!

xxoo p


----------



## bev

Woooooooooohooooooooooooo!

Brilliant hba1c E!!!!!!!!!!!!!Well done to you and of course to your parents for the tiny bit of input they have been giving! lol.

You must be so happy all of you - this is a number i dream of. A was 9.6 back in May - then the day he started on the pump he was 9.1 - so we are hoping that this will improve dramatically on his pump! I have to say the May hba1c - we were struggling with morning highs and it took us 2 months nearly to get him down to a nice 7 on waking...he is so insulin sensitive that any tiny change makes a huge difference....mdi was just so hard and unpredictable....

Anyway, isnt it lovely when they wake on a good number?This morning A woke on 6mmols and he had been fairly steady all night (apart from a 4.9 at midnight which we gave him a biscuit and milk for) - it does give you a lovely start to the day.

I am worried about the morning basals. A is 7 or 8 two hours after breakfast - brilliant - but he is having a cereal bar and then he is still only 7 or 8 at lunch time - so my question is : should i lower his basal for the period between 10 to 12 so he doenst *need* the cereal bar? We havent actually left him without the cereal bar (only 2 days atschool) - so not sure if he would actually hypo - but i think he worries that he may and as its a new school etc - i think he is being ultra careful. I think we havent got used to the idea that on a pump you cna stay fairly stable at the same level for hours...

Patricia, yes i will try to go on a bike ride next week - i need to! You *must* go for a pedicure - i am sure your feet are fine and if not i am sure they have seen worse!It will make you happy and you deserve some of that!

Mand great news about the mac! Hope you enjoyed wearing your pj's!

Lou - where are you? Hope your ok and tackling your high levels? Bev x

Hope everyone else is ok. Bev


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> I am worried about the morning basals. A is 7 or 8 two hours after breakfast - brilliant - but he is having a cereal bar and then he is still only 7 or 8 at lunch time - so my question is : should i lower his basal for the period between 10 to 12 so he doenst *need* the cereal bar? We havent actually left him without the cereal bar (only 2 days atschool) - so not sure if he would actually hypo - but i think he worries that he may and as its a new school etc - i think he is being ultra careful. I think we havent got used to the idea that on a pump you cna stay fairly stable at the same level for hours...



Hi Bev

You are right and that A shouldn't need to have a cereal bar mid morning.   If you want to sort out a 12 noon drop you look at 2 hours before so again you are right and maybe need to put in a lower basal at 9.30am or 10 am until 12 noon.   You can but try these things.   If it doesn't work, try something else.

Jessica is on a 0.85 at 5 am for her mid morning spike but at 9.30 am she drops down to 0.10 as she would also be hypo by 11.30/12 noon.


----------



## Adrienne

Patricia said:


> Adrienne: what are you going to do for yourself? You slog your guts out. Take a break.
> 
> For now!
> 
> xxoo p



Great HbA1c Patricia.

As for me what do I do for me?   Umm gotta think here.   I treat myself to the chiropodist every 3 weeks, she is now my friend !    I started get hair dyed two colours again but ever 10 weeks as it is not cheap !   Apart from that my aim in life appears to be fighting for our type 1 kiddies.    I am part of the UK Children with Diabetes Advocacy Group.   I have a meeting with the Head of the Paediatrics at the PCT in two weeks.  They need a rocket.   I think we have decided the care where I live is one of the worst in the UK (seriously it is)  Luckily we go to London so it doesn't affect Jessica.  I have spoken in two schools re diabetes and think I may have to go to another in the not to distant future.    I run a charity www.hi-fund.org which is Jessica's real condition.   I work from home (would rather not work but needs must).

I desparately need to lose weight big time but that is the only part of my life that is not controlled and I think that seems to be my release, it is a problem though.   

But apart from all that I'm very happy.   I'm single and I love it.  I have no-one else, except Jessica, that I need to think about, we do what we want to whenever we want to.

Oh and its on the cards for me to be a qualified pump trainer.   I would be doing it for the London hospital which means that more people in my area could be under the London hospital but I could do the training locally which would be better and mean better lives for more kids.  This is in the pipeline and with the hospital's legal team to iron out the nitty gritty bits.  I can't wait.

I don't have time for anything else


----------



## Mand

Hi everyone. Great to read all your updates!

Patricia - Fab news re E's hba1c! Well done to all of you! Makes all the effort worthwhile! Keep tweaking those numbers! I have booked my pedicure for next Friday! Can't wait! I can assure you that i do not have pretty feet so don't be shy - go book yourself one! You will feel like you are walking on air for days afterwards!

My new pj's are real cosy - especially at 3am this morning!!! We not night testing generally till next week but if i happen to wake (as i have done last couple of nights then i check him anyway). I not a good sleeper generally anyway.

We had a good set change this morning (phew - what a relief) and numbers been good since. 

Bev- glad it all going well in general. A really interesting post.

Adrienne - good news re pump trainer! Hope you manage to fit in a treat at sometime. 

Well, we all certainly seem to be in better spirits which is good news!

Hugs to you all. Mand x


----------



## Northerner

Great to hear all your good news my friends! What a great HbA1c Patricia - I soooo understand how he feels and how good news can make you so much more confident and far less fearful of the future - long may it continue, and may all you brilliant parents be rewarded with fantastic numbers for all your hard work! And I'm up to 91% on my JDRF target with several weeks left to go - that's practically enough for a cure, surely? Well, maybe not quite, but your generosity means we will be a little bit closer.


----------



## Mand

Thanks Northener! So you nearly there! hope you make 100% soon. A Cure? Oh that would be heaven! But in the meantime thanks for what you are doing! How's the injury? I hope you well on the mend!


----------



## Patricia

Thanks for lovely words all -- so glad to hear from everyone. Except Lou: are you okay?

Everyone's plans for 'good things' sound fab. And good that today at least there are some good numbers floating around! This end we did 125% temp basal because he rose AGAIN but then at lunch mildly hypo so took it off...Been better this afternoon. Clearly will need to tackle it, but today was clean out the shed day, and it was horrendous -- spiders as big as your hand. Dire. The children were very good, but it was yucky...so that's enough hard work for one day...

Adrienne, all sounds so good for you. Glad to hear about chiropodist and hair! All deserved. Re losing weight: you mention this quite a lot. I'm wondering if you've reached the point where feeling bad about it is outweighing the feeling that you don't have time to do anything about it right now? You really could do without beating yourself up about it... What would be your first gentle (and not time-consuming!) step?

Really excellent news about pump trainer. Really, really good. So appreciate that you are there, and people like you. Truly.

I am feeling 'loved up' at the moment about this forum and support in general. I'm not a clubby person -- AT ALL -- but as time has gone on I realise how thoroughly I value your advice and support. It makes literally ALL the difference. So thank you.

xxoo p


----------



## Adrienne

Patricia

I always talk too much about my weight.  I get told off by one lady.   I always feel I have to say something before anyone else does but why would they and anyway you guys can't see me !!!  Bizzare.    I reached the point of feeling bad about it a long time ago but something is stopping me.   I seen numerous counsellors about it.   Next stop gastric band but I won't.  That won't cure my head and who would look after Jessica and supposing it went wrong so its down to me.

We both need to do more exercise so after the weekend we are supposed to be getting walking (which I hate but hoping to learn to enjoy).  Thanks for your concern.


----------



## Sugarbum

Hi girls!

I am here, dont worry! (I saw a reference earlier incase that sounds big headed!). I am also slowly crawling my way out of my pit of doom which I have been in for the last week so I will join you for the reprieve of good spirits! (not a 100%, but getting there...).

Bev, going back a few pages now but I was blown away by your numbers there.....staggering. Like you say, needs a tweek and here and there but I think thats always the case. Great news though Bev, well done to you both. Quite possibly you never received the same support as some of us so I think with these numbers you have got off to a great start. Glad you took yourself off to A&E as well and I hope your symptoms get better.

Patricia! You are a writer! I thought as much- but I am kicking myself for not suggesting it as I would have loved to done the I GUESSED IT now! I definately would like to read whatever it is you are producing on all this! Great HbA1c too, takes a huge effort so I hope you will take some credit too.

My numbers are getting back on track abit in the last 24-48 hours...I am basilling enough for all of us at the moment. I think with my new job I am having to rethink the whole basal situation completely....I was a hamster running in a wheel in my last job and I supose having given it some thought I shouldnt be at all suprised that in prison no-one can RUN- even me! (I shall need to keep a real eye on the effect this will have not only on my sugars, but also on my weight). I have a tendancy to put it on abit. I am predicting my right bicep for a start, my keys are really heavy 

So I found out this week I have time allocated in the new role (all of the healthcare service sector where I have started is being revamped) to develop different chronic disease nurse led clinics, so I am bagging diabetes! I was willing to fight tooth and nail for it! I think I could make it really good but there is so much to think about. Also I am going to need to get an awful lot of people on my side as well as the boys themselves so we'll see. But I feel great about this...now all I need is to work out how to go to the toilet at work without weeing on my chain and keys  too much info?? (just checking you are still reading )

Can I ask the medtronic lot (I think that is most of us hey?!) have you had any problem getting skins? (the plastic pattern covers for the pumps). Medtronic dont let the consummer purchase them, even on your personal account (which I have set up), they insist on sending them to your DSN and he/she gives them out. Well my DSN hasnt been issued with them for the VEO which is really irritating. I even wrote to Medtronic (a hobby of mine) asking them to send some to my DSN! But alas, no reply.... It wouldnt bother me to pay for them- but you cant!

Anyway, enough rambles.....!

Love to all xxxxxx


----------



## Northerner

It will be great if you get the diabetes gig Lou! I remember reading somewhere a while ago a letter from a prisoner (maybe in Balance?) saying how it's very difficult for Type 2s to keep good control in prison as they aren't afforded the test strips etc. that are provided for Type 1s. Just thought I'd mention it!


----------



## Sugarbum

Yes I remember this N! Either in last issue of Balance or the one before. My plan is to use this letter somehow resourcefully as I found it rather interesting myself. Perhaps in a discussion group, generate a forum for the guys to give me info on their experiences of managing the disease in prison, before I can guide a productive clinic based on their needs. I have a lot of ideas, but I cant be too pushy or the boys will think they are being dictated to and wont respond. 

I predict there will be some responses to that letter in the next issue so I am keeping an eye out! Thanks for letting me know anyway though-its always good to have extra eyes out for stuff! Hope your training is going well, havent checked out your blog this week but will do again v soon


----------



## Patricia

Hello all!

Adrienne -- I'm always here for a place to lodge thoughts if you want. I imagine you have plenty of people in your large network, but just in case! Walking sounds a good start. Do you have an ipod? Confess that I can only STAND the very boring gym work etc if I listen to music or a podcast. This could be a retreat for you, some space? Gastric band sounds mega-drastic as you say, and if you know there's other stuff going on, I think you're wise to wait. Have you ever found a counsellor you click with? With everything you are dealing with day to day, you have to find someone who *really* understands: otherwise it's like you constantly know more than they do...

Bev: meant to say that with numbers anything LIKE you are getting at the moment, A's HbA1c is bound to keep getting better. I really think so. They are great numbers, with room for some higher ones too without a heart attack worry... I hope you're finding the pump flexible though; it's obviously helping so much with his sensitivity and highs etc...

Sugarbum: GREAT to hear from you! Sorry I didn't give you the chance to guess my profession...! I haven't yet figured out what this book is going to be, but I'm writing it. Think it important to just plough on for now. Suspect that interaction with others, such a the forum and the other email group, will somehow play a part. Coming to this kind of realisation of community has been rather major for me, and I think is major in being able to cope with diagnosis, maybe? anyway...

Very good news about your hopes for the new job. As I PM'd, I worked in prisons for about five years, and it remains the most satisfying and sometimes the most difficult stuff I've ever done. Don't let the turkeys get you down -- and I'm not talking about the inmates, I'm talking about the prison structure! 

Re your numbers: sounds like you are getting more control -- but I'm sorry it's been a rough time. Hypo in Dorothy Perkins. Lordy. 

Here yesterday was a better day generally for numbers though it seems a bit hazy, what with the spiders and all...Woke on good numbers this morning, but has since gone up a little, as before...Sigh. Setting up the school pattern tonight, so we'll see what tomorrow brings!


----------



## bev

Hi all,
Just thought i would give you an update.

A now has 5 basals! How amazing is that?

12 midnight to 8am = 0.475 (for dawn phenomenon)
8am - 9.30 = 0.375
9.30 - 12.30 = 0.300
12.30-9.30pm = 0.375
9.30 - 12 midnight = 0.400

How does this compare to everyone elses?
We have been playing with temp basals too - mostly worked - but need to be a bit braver!

Just looked back on his levels over the past few days - he hasnt been above 12.2mmols ( i know this is still very high - but in comparison to what he was like on injections its low!) in 39 tests! This is amazing for A. On mdi he would regularly be up in the high teens after eating food!(keeping fingers crossed it stays this way).

We are only doing half the stuff on the pump that is possible - we are still waiting for training on the bolus wizard etc - so i am feeling very upbeat about it all today! I will be very honest here and say that in the first couple of days - i thought we had made a terrible mistake - his levels were 20 and over sometimes and it felt like he had just been diagnosed and we didnt know a thing! But looking back it was because his basals were very out - and his ratios were too- so we didnt stand a chance really! 

I must say - we havent had much help from our team - 2 phonecalls maybe - i made them! I dont think i could have coped without this forum and the other list i am on - so THANKYOU - and a huge THANKYOU to Adrienne - she stupidly gave me her phone number and i have used it! She always manages to keep me calm and think about things logically.

How is everyone else today?

Patricia, you will be pleased with me - i did something for *me* today!
I went to a car boot sale and bought a 1950's enamelled bread bin - its beautiful - but needed a bit of painting to cover a few rust marks. I have painted it and i am going to use it for A's set change things! I used to be very creative and today i enjoyed myself so much - i even forgot about diabetes for a couple of hours whilst painting! I didnt want his things to be in a 'medical box' type thingy - not because i want to hide it - just because i think it will make him feel better if things are blended in so to speak. It will look lovely in my kitchen.

Bev x


----------



## Becca

Aw Bev that sound fantastic!  You're doing so well and i think it's only natural to think have you done the right thing.  I think we've all probably been there.

Rose's basals are:

0000 0.20
0600 0.45
0900 0.25
2000 0.50

There is a long gap from 0900 to 2000 that used to have other basals in but they've gone, probably come back when she starts school.

I did think about tinkering with the basals to increase to stop a 10am spike and adding one in between 0600 and 0900 as i had put in earlier posts but im glad i didn't!  For the past two days she's been in the 3s around 10am  - eek!

Well done on what you've done so far!


----------



## Patricia

Morning all --

Bev I'm so pleased to hear about your painting experience...It doesn't take much, does it, to remind us of who we are...I have come around to feeling that we also owe it to our children to try to do something that keeps us in touch with ourselves...Although it's hard to do and justify sometimes I think. Hopefully the bread bin will be just the start for you.

I've done something slightly wacky that I hope was a good move: I've joined a choir! Ack. I used to sing in my teens -- loads -- and I've got good friends who for years have been saying on and off I should join their choir -- a small village one they run -- so this year I've thought hey, I'll do it. I can't even read music anymore, so am rather shaking in my boots... But it's a definite 'me' moment!

We're also thinking about getting chickens, but that's another story...

Our basals are:

2400: 0.80
0300: 0.75
0700: 0.75 (kept this even though same cos anticipate change for school)
1000: 0.40
1200: 0.70
1500: 0.45
1900: 0.70

Or something like that. This is the school pattern from memory...but seeing as this is the first day back, it's anybody's guess how it works out. We anticipate amalgamating some of them. Generally it's not far from what the holiday has been, but times are different... Ratios are 1:7 from 6.30am to 10:00 am; 1:11 until 12:00pm; 1:10 until 6pm; 1:9 until 10pm; then 1:11 until 6.30am. 

I think. Something like that!

Numbers slightly weird again yesterday, but this seems par for course. A couple of hypos, not sure actual source... We tried rice for lunch for the first time in ages, 3 hour dual wave 30/70, and unfortunately the same sort of pattern of lows happened with this as happened last week when he was at friend's and had very little rice (and carb counted by sight)... We haven't really 'done' rice yet, but clearly this is a problem. On a three hour dual wave with rice, he seems to go low at 5hrs 15 mins or so, which is way after he would go low with a three hour pasta dual wave (4.5 hours there).

Any thoughts? What do others do with rice?

Nighttime basal still messing us about a bit, will probably have to lower again, argh. He's consistently dropping, and while that's dealable because we know it, it's not ideal. So he had 20g free carb on 5.2mmols before bed last night, and woke up on 8mmols. Clearly there's been some movement up and down!

Okay, for now. Fingers crossed he doesn't hypo all day on first day back!


----------



## Adrienne

Hi

Rice is another tricky b****r.   We used to use 30/70 for three hours too as we found Jessica would go hypo immediately after eating it.  But we then changed it to 30/70 over 2 hours which was better.

However we have gone back to the drawing board for everything now and started again.    We are doing 50/50 2 hours for pasta and I will also do 50/50 for 2 hours for rice when we have it next.   What rice and carbs do you use?   We use Basmati (second best to brown and I hate brown rice) and we use 30 cho per 100 grams.


----------



## Patricia

Thanks Adrienne -- that's exactly the carb we use: basmati, 30g CHO/100g. Can't stand brown rice either!

Am I right in thinking that if E is hypo-ing after the dw, at about the peak (theoretically) of the 'end' of the dw insulin, then there's too much going in over too long? Maybe we should try 50/50 too...

Such a shame that all these healthy foods are so hard to dose, grr...


----------



## Adrienne

Patricia said:


> Thanks Adrienne -- that's exactly the carb we use: basmati, 30g CHO/100g. Can't stand brown rice either!
> 
> Am I right in thinking that if E is hypo-ing after the dw, at about the peak (theoretically) of the 'end' of the dw insulin, then there's too much going in over too long? Maybe we should try 50/50 too...
> 
> Such a shame that all these healthy foods are so hard to dose, grr...



It looks like that.  There are few things you could try.  Firstly make it 30/70 over 2 hours and see what happens at the 5 hour mark.   If that doesn't work then maybe try 40/60 for 3 hours and then 2 hours, if they fail then yes go back to 50/50 for 2 hours and start again.

If he is hypoing at 5 hours then it is what happened 2 hours earlier which is the problem, in theory so if the dual wave is finishing at hour 3 by making it hour 2 instead you could either eliminate the hypo or hypo could happen at hour 4 !    By trying the 40/60 over 2 or 3 hours not as much is going in over the period so that may well work.

Each child is very different and it is a question of trial and error unfortunately.


----------



## Patricia

Thanks Adrienne -- yes it's the balancing of it isn't it. I've never heard of 'starting' at 50/50 for 2 hours -- but of course this makes sense. We have been wondering where to begin if we have to start all over...

What's confusing about dw of course is that the insulin is going in the *whole time*, so it's mysterious really why for us 'end of dw' hypos are the most common, eg 1.5 to 2 hours after it ends! Why not in the middle of the dw?!

I think you're right though and we need to see if he can 'take' more up front. His numbers were good yesterday, maybe even low-ish (6 and 7mmols) during the dw, so maybe it will work...What number, btw, do you try to aim for during a dw? My instinct says more like 8 or 9, but I'm not sure why...

p


----------



## Tezzz

Adrienne said:


> I always talk too much about my weight.  I get told off by one lady.   I always feel I have to say something before anyone else does but why would they and anyway you guys can't see me !!!



I've seen you and *you look* *lovely* Adrienne.

Honestly. 

Don't feel bad.


----------



## Patricia

Aha! brightontez, you the man. I've just seen your HbA1c -- wow! Must have missed the post...Congratulations.

Adrienne, take notice!


----------



## Adrienne

brightontez said:


> I've seen you and *you look* *lovely* Adrienne.
> 
> Honestly.
> 
> Don't feel bad.



Ok then !  How have you seen me, have me met and my memory is being c**p  but thank you.


----------



## Tezzz

Adrienne said:


> Ok then !  How have you seen me, have me met and my memory is being c**p  but thank you.



I'll PM you Adrienne.


----------



## Adrienne

Patricia said:


> What's confusing about dw of course is that the insulin is going in the *whole time*, so it's mysterious really why for us 'end of dw' hypos are the most common, eg 1.5 to 2 hours after it ends! Why not in the middle of the dw?!
> 
> I think you're right though and we need to see if he can 'take' more up front. His numbers were good yesterday, maybe even low-ish (6 and 7mmols) during the dw, so maybe it will work...What number, btw, do you try to aim for during a dw? My instinct says more like 8 or 9, but I'm not sure why...
> 
> p



Hi   I think the reason why the hypo (or even hyper) is at the end of the dual wave is because of the way that particular food works.   For us rice would give us a hypo immediately after eating if we bolused the whole lot beforehand as we found rice doesn't start to work quickly (but that is just us!)  With pasta a high would happen 2 hours or more later because that is how pasta works, a steady rise which can peak at about 4 to 6 hours later after eating.   Therefore as the dual wave works its magic after every bit of insulin that goes in a bit more the 'peak' will not happen.   Does that make sense?

However get it slightly wrong, exercise not taken into account or forgotten about, any number of things and that magic is on the slide down and bang you have a hypo.

I think that anything under 10.0 during a dual wave is a jolly good reading this new into pumping.    Even after 2 3/4 years that would be jolly good for us as well.


----------



## Adrienne

brightontez said:


> I'll PM you Adrienne.



Please do, I'm intrigued now.


----------



## Sugarbum

Wotcha all, Im pumped off!

Ive come home in my lunch time (on a skive, who knew you could get out of prison so easily?!) but me and the pump are NOT speaking today.

Ive just done a rapid set change. I found it unattatched this morning (dont know how long for) reattached 4 times, thing just kept falling off wouldnt click- what is that? Thats has never happened before. I changed the set yesterday and I didnt notice anything funny. I was 13.4mmols before lunch so higher than expected due to this I assume. I havent knocked it, there is nothing funny looking about it.

I panicd when this kept happening! I have just set changed at home (preferred) although I had the stuff on me (of course!). Now I am worried I am going to get parranoid about the thing clipped on all the time now....

Does this happen to everyone else??

Oh well, back to work and then the gym. Woop!

Hope you have all had a great weekend xx


----------



## Tezzz

Adrienne said:


> Please do, I'm intrigued now.



I just sent you a PM.....


----------



## Sugarbum

brightontez said:


> I've seen you .



Haha! Proper spooky tez!


----------



## Patricia

Gosh who knew such goings on could happen here...

Lou: eek! No we've never had one 'fall off' in any way -- though we have had one 'not go on' properly after being removed, and then one that uh, wouldn't come off...

What we did in all cases we could was change the little connecting tube thingy rather than the whole set (to avoid another hole in the tummy!) -- this only worked for the one that wouldn't go back on, obviously...!

Thanks for thoughts re dw Adrienne -- yes the physics of the insulin fighting off the peak of the food makes sense to me, but I can only think of two reasons for hypo-ing after the official 'end' of the dual wave: 1) a 'double peak' which is what I think we have with pasta -- eg there is a good amount of food going in for the first three hours, but then everything sort of stops, so the tail end of the dw hits with no food. With us, we only know it's a double peak because it rises at 6 hours! 2) the dual wave is continuing too far after the peak of the food (and too much insulin in the dual wave, perhaps?)

SO: with rice I think the latter is true, as neither time in last week has E shown signs of rising much later. With both rice and pasta in the past, he hypos badly with whole bolus up front...

Phew!


----------



## Mand

Hi everyone

We had one that would not go back on Lou! So frustrating! We ended up changing the set. Have not a clue what had happened! 

Well our numbers are ok generally wth the odd one too high and hypos here and there. But he returns to school tomorrow so i am hoping to really get stuck in to getting better figures all round as he will have more of a routine.

It's odd hearing you all talk about dual wave etc because we still not taught this and i have not attempted it by myself. During this school term i would like to learn it (will be talking to his dsn next week).

Anyway, not much to say apart from we ok and i am enjoying reading all your posts. 

Mand xx


----------



## bev

Hi all,

After me being so smug yesterday - today A has had 2 x hypo's...

One before lunch - even though i have decreased his basal for this time (changed it today). But it was after p.e. - he did have a cereal bar though - so dont know if it was the basal not low enough or the cereal not enough!
Think i will leave it as is for tomorrow - no p.e. - and try to see if this was a blip.
Then he just had another one (3.4) at the 2 hour check - so again - not sure if it was his meal and maybe delayed spike (although only had beans on toast and a yoghurt) - will have to see if this is another pattern tomorrow. 
I think its being at school that is doing it - he seems to be even lower. Today he woke on 7 - then he was 7 at the 2 hour check and then the hypo - then he was 5 coming home from school - then 6.5 when he came home from singing lessons - so all in all very pleased with the numbers apart from the 2 hypo's.

Today i had another one of these ecg things - the nurse said it showed a possible problem on the left side - but may just be the ectopic rythm thing?
Have to go to cardiac clinic. Little bit worried - but glad i am being checked.

Anyway, A asked me how it went and i gave him a brief idea - but not to worry him. He said to me 'mum - you need to stop worrying about my diabetes now - i am on a pump - and i am a big boy - so i want you to start relaxing'. It made me want to cry that he is worried about me! He is only 11 and has a lot to cope with and he was just so thoughtful and caring.
Sorry for rambling. Bev

p.s. Forgot to say that we have had one that fell off and we dont know how long it was off - but no more than half an hour as he had just got out the shower - but a bit worrying though!


----------



## Mand

Oh bless him, Bev. He sounds like a little darling. So loving and caring (wonder where he gets that from! ).

I hope all turns out to be ok with your heart. Perhaps you should listen to your lovely son and relax a little. Easier said than done, i know. But you must take care of yourself too, as well as of A.

Take good care, Bev. xx  xx


----------



## Sugarbum

*Stick the kettle on, its a long one....*

ITS ALL ABOUT ME! Sod diabetes, I think I have an attension seeking problem! 

WARNING: The whole post is likely to be about ME ME ME!

So, having ONE drama a day simply is worth getting out of bed for, I like to have 2 (or more). After I had the set change, exactly the same thing happened again to me. AGAIN! AND TO ME! AGAIN! Could I have a faulty batch? Is my subcutaneous fat completely full to the top after 5 years of injecting insulin in to it? Have I reached 'full capacity'? What is with the POPPING OFF all of a sudden for goodness sake???

Well, here comes the science bit.....

So the only theory I have (have I gone mad?) is the cannula is on my left, and that blue bit is pointing right (stay with me here....) so the line goes towards my belly button and then back round the corner because I was wearing a pouch on the left and it had to double back on itself. Was the direction of the line releasing it off the cannula?  Although I was always sure it was very robust (I think Gasman dangles a small child off his or something), my bathroom laboratory style tests show it in actual fact ISNT and in actual fact the bloody thing when you move the line and dont touch the round bit- pops off like billeo. It unclicks just from the line moving. So this has really put the cat amongst the pigeons. I know you are supposed to point the blue bit the direction of whatever, but I dont wear the pump in the same place each time, so I probably need four cannulas in at once for a north, south, east and west locations then (If you think I have lost it, imagine how my DSN feels???).

I am admist another experiment this evening, (which I like to affectionately call "PATRICIA V's PASTA" ) and I am trying out only eating pasta on gym days, post exercise, with a bolus and no dual wave (hisssssss.....)/temp basal. I am thinking that 24 hours of elevated metabolism will aid the blood sugar. It doesnt really help your cause patricia, but there's no "I" in "team" I dont want you to feel you are flying solo on this one. I will be your wingman. Im with you Patricia, even in these desperate times of BAD  BAD pasta.

SO SOME MORE ABOUT ME THEN! Tomorrow I am going on some exciting GI Jane style work training in the army grounds which I think will be fun. When the going gets tough and all that, I hope the tough dont start "popping off" their cannulas!

OK, ok ok.... enough about me. How are all the muskateers?

Adrienne, are you being stalked by Tez? 

Patricia, Im more worried you and E are being stalked by carbohydrates...

Mand, how goes it love? xx


----------



## insulinaddict09

*Hellooo Everyone , Ive just sneaked in to say :::
GOOD LUCK TOMORROW TRACEY !! PUMP DAY WOOOOO!!! *


----------



## Sugarbum

bev said:


> Today i had another one of these ecg things - the nurse said it showed a possible problem on the left side - but may just be the ectopic rythm thing?
> Have to go to cardiac clinic. Little bit worried - but glad i am being checked.



Hey Bev,

Sorry to hear that and I know its hard but try not to worry more. Think of it as a double reassurrance, in the clinic you will be seen by a cardiologist and that (obviously) is the best person to have look at you and your ECG's. It is considered really the norm if you have a slightly abnormal one, like your eptopics, just to get the best opinion. In the mean time, try not to worry and relax like A says! ......he sounds like a very lovely young man!

Take care of yourself xx


----------



## bev

Thanks Lou,
Very kind of you to give me your support - and good that you say its considered normal if you have odd rythms.

Just to say also that A had a twisty thing come off yesterday - i wonder if they have a faulty batch?Bev


----------



## Adrienne

We have literally changed to quick sets on Wednesday last week.   We are on our third.  All are very hard to put on ie attach the bit with the tube onto the cannula.   They are really stiff before the turn around.   I'm wondering if I have a dud batch.   Jessica's friends one was not so stiff.



No Tez is not stalking me.   He read Jessica story from the link I pasted which then had a link to the Sun newspaper which we were in a few years ago.   I look a lot different then than I do now but it is me.   By the way I wasn't page 3 !!!


----------



## Mand

Lou, you have me laughing out loud as usual! I do love the humour in your posts! You are a tonic!

But I am sorry to read out the problems with the cannula! How very annoying! Mind you, from reading what everyone else has said, plus taking our own experiences into consideration, the quicksets do not seem so robust and not without their problems. So i do not think the problem is you, i think it is with the sets!

I wish you and Patricia good luck in your fight with pasta! 

Please keep us posted on your progress wth everything!

I am fine thanks, my kiddies too. My daughter started college yesterday and my son returns to school today. 

Mand xx


----------



## tracey w

insulinaddict09 said:


> *Hellooo Everyone , Ive just sneaked in to say :::
> GOOD LUCK TOMORROW TRACEY !! PUMP DAY WOOOOO!!! *



thank you!!!


----------



## Patricia

HOW can so much happen overnight?! I don't know where to begin...


----------



## Patricia

oops. So didn't know where to begin, actually accidentally hit the wrong button  .

*First,* Tracey, best of luck. Please keep us up to date with how all is going. We are thinking about you! 

*Second,*Bev: I'm sorry the ecg thing is continuing to worry. The absolute last thing you need. Listen to your boy. His numbers are very, very good. You are doing the right thing by leaving things another day and seeing how it goes. You don't need to jump on things instantly. Just try a few things out in time and see how it goes. _A's numbers are good. Now take a breather._

*Third,*Mand: I'm a bit bummed for you that you are still in the land of no dual wave etc...! You are doing so well you deserved to 'graduate' weeks ago! I've forgotten when you say you are seeing the DSN...Anyway I think you should be as forthright as you can bear to be...How many others are on pumps in the clinic? Maybe it's their own lack of confidence? Anyway hope school starts well. And that college is good for your daughter. What a step!

*Fourth,*Adrienne: pleased Tez is your friend! Always nice to have a boost!

*Fifth, *Lou: I was almost in a heap with laughter over your post. Honestly. I have just got back from the gym (and boy was it boring and difficult) where I met a friend who I haven't seen in a while. Ended up crying for some reason, suddenly things a little on top of me...so feeling a little fragile, and then you make me laugh. Thank you! 

Everyone and cannulas: we've had stiff ones (steady on), but no popping off ones. That is a cause for concern, indeed. I think you must be right, the tubing is 'unscrewing' the cannula, no doubt too easily. It *could* be that you need another kind of set? Not sure what's available? OR you may have to give in and always point the blue thing outward? That's certainly what we were told to do, depending on the side of the tummy -- maybe it's for more than convenience?

But hang on a minute: E sleeps with his just floating free, tossing and turning and all twisted up, and has never encountered a problem. You'd think  if they were going to pop, that would make it happen...Hmm. What's your dsn think? Is s/he experienced enough to have a view?!

***

First day back at school yesterday produced a distinct lack of numbers to be getting on with -- bassoon lesson in the middle of break so no test and no snack, but anyway 7.7mmols by lunch so that's not too bad. 6.6mmols at home. And 5mmols before dinner, 9.3 at 2.5 hours after dinner. Woke on 7.5mmols this morning. God knows what's happening between all these times, but at least he didn't have to deal with going low amidst all the faff of the first day back, which was our big concern.

We are steering clear of PASTA for a couple of days so that he's not up and down like a yo yo and neither are we. But we miss it *dreadfully*. We shall have to address by the weekend. Can't survive!

How did the straight out bolus go Lou? E would hit the floor with that, I'm sure...

Appreciate your support in the pasta corner. Together we will conquer or anyway subdue the pesky slow carbs...Sigh. So prefer the evenness of no pasta or rice, but actually just can't make it without either for long. SO BORING BORING BORING: new pots, mash, dauphenoise, oven chips, more new pots. Fried pots. I mean, potatoes potatoes! Sick of them. You have to have some kind of piece of meat or fish with them, or a pie...YAWN. Long for broccoli and blue cheese pasta. Bacon olive onion pasta. Courgette and garlic pasta. Spag bol. And rice: chili con carne. Chicken and pea risotto. Prawn risotto. 

Going crazy. Anyone want to join me?!

***

By Tuesday then everyone was supposed to schedule or do something for themselves -- Tracey, insulinaddict, Lou, don't know if you picked this up along the way...but I declared that we all needed something, pretty much whether we did or not, so hey...

Anyway. Just to report that although I've not managed to write properly, I've *thought* a great deal about my next steps, alot. On the long-sleeved top front  I've purchased THREE. Whether they will all do the job who knows, but they are arriving by post I hope today. And, as I say, I've joined this -- gulp -- choir.

Bev and Tracey: esp thinking of you both as you go through medical stuff. Keep us informed.

xxoo


----------



## bev

Hi all,

Thanks for the advice about the basals. I think i will do what Patricia says - leave it a day or two to see if there are any patterns. I am just impatient - and after MDI it seems that at least getting levels within range is do-able!

We have found with lasagne that it works if we give 60% upfront - then 2 hours later 20% and then if required 2 hours later the remainder ( we are often finding that he doesnt need the full last 20% - not sure why - but we then give him either 10 or 5% depending on his level). Of course there isnt a huge amount of pasta in a lasagne - and we arent using dual wave or anything yet...

Patricia, does E like pearl barley? A hates it - so i dont know what the affect of spiking is - but thought it may be worth a try?
The other night i made a pearl barley rissoto - it really does taste like rice - but it is much better for you as its full of fiber!
Just boil it for 20 minutes - then add to pan with good quality sausages - so minimal fat content - then add shredded white cabbage - salt and pepper -  and keep adding chicken stock until its all absorbed. Well this is how we like it - but perhaps you could use chicken or lamb and of course any herbs and spices as you like! Just be careful of the fat content of the meat used as it may delay absorption and create a late spike! Also adding mushrooms will help E to feel full - so he may feel like he has had his 'rice/pasta hit'!Bev

p.s. Forgot to add - yes i am going crazy too so i will join you! Also i am feeling very guilty about restricting things off A's diet - just because i cant get a handle on the spike - so we have had good numbers - but sometimes its because i wont do pizza's or pasta etc - especially if i feel tired and dont want to test through the night! (or should i say do *extra* tests as i already test at 12 3 and 7).


----------



## Becca

LOL!  I'm getting sooo lost in posts at the mo but just a thought about the quicksets...have you contacted Medtronic?  (You may have and i've just not read it - doh!)  It may be a faulty batch as you say.  A while ago, Rose's tubing actually came away from the reservoir so pump was not connected to her at all!  eek!  When i rang Medtronic they said this was the 2nd to happen in a few weeks so tehy decided to recall that particular batch.


----------



## Mand

Patricia, Bev - you are making me hungry with all your food talk! I am a little jealous though as sounds like you can both cook. I do cook but I am not a natural so desperate to improve. In fact, it is one of the things i am going to concentrate on now kids at school/college. I have so many cook books but where to start?! Also, I want to cook low fat, low sugar, low carb but child friendly as well as adult friendly, filling, not too fancy so practical! Do such recipes even exist?????????? 

Not sure how many on pumps at our clinic, Patricia. I had said i would give my son's dsn a ring when he back at school a week or so to enable us to decide where to do any tweaking. At the same time i will ask her about bolus wizard etc etc.

I really want to get stuck in to better numbers now he back at school. and to learn how different foods affect him.

Sorry to hear you feeling a bit low at the moment, Patricia. Anything in particular? Feel free to pm anytime. Glad you bought your new tops. Hope you enjoy wearing them. I am really looking forward to my pedicure on Friday morning!

Hi to you all. Hope everyone ok. 

Mand xx


----------



## Mand

Hi Becca
Our posts came in at same time! Good idea re phoning Medtronic.


----------



## Patricia

Hello again everyone

Two out of three tops workable -- not bad!

The truth is Mand I just *love* food...I don't actually cook it! My husband does. He is a brilliant cook and does it every day. I of course can do the basics, but don't really enjoy it and end up in a kind of ambivalent flap...Bev on the other hand obviously *does* cook -- and I confess I like barley v much, sounds just yummy... But the one time we tried it, E couldn't actually get it down...Bleh. AND he doesn't like mushrooms, though will eat them under duress...

Mand, don't know what to tell you about food... I guess I would start with the more straightforward but tasty things like Nigel Slater (okay, his stuff is sometimes quite high fat, but it's GOOD food and the recipes are common sense, not too flaffy... )Also we now use quite a lot of Gordon R -- the simpler stuff, like Sunday Lunch etc...We have found Delia generally (later stuff) a little fussy, Nigella even fussier but good for parties, and lots of hoopla around the writing so irritating sometimes. We also have the great big fat Italian cookbook which is just FAB but probably pretty darn overwhelming. I can't read it without giving up.

Try Nigel. He also makes filling food. This probably doesn't mean low carb, but he understands that people like to eat and enjoy their food. You may be able to adjust things anyway...

Re feeling fragile: I'm not sure why. I think that sometimes I just keep things at bay, won't let my heart turn to the grief I still feel...And then it just jumps on me when I try to be honest with a friend. I'm not a very surface-y person generally, so find it difficult to have an insincere conversation any time...And for some reason today I just felt sad for what our family has to go through. And she could do nothing but say she was there and...but there's the added grief of speaking to other parents without these difficulties, isn't there? Her son used to be one of E's closest friends (they now go to diff schools)...and her life is so different from ours in so many ways...

ANYWAY. 

Keep in touch about the cannula thing. Back to work.


----------



## bev

Hi all,
The 'nice' consultant has just rung me out of the blue to ask how we were getting on with the pump! After discussing various tweaking problems - he asked me if there was anything i would do differently on a pump start -i said actually yes there is -i would have liked a lot more support - you are the first person to have rang me to ask how things are going! He had been away on holiday - so was only back to work today - he couldnt have been nicer and invited me to send an email with all my views on the pump start - good bad or indifferent - as he said they need to learn what works and what doesnt!

I am so pleased he asked me and took an interest in what i had to say. He said he is always happy to discuss changes and any improvements that are needed as he wants to offer the best care for our children - otherwise they wouldnt be doing their job! How refreshing! Now all i have to do is send an email that doesnt criticise our team too much! He also said dont worry about being critical - he values parents views and we wouldnt be treated any differently if we felt the need to complain etc...

If it helps other families going through this then i am only too pleased to help where i can - its just a pity things werent right for our pump start.Bev


----------



## sasha1

bev said:


> Hi all,
> The 'nice' consultant has just rung me out of the blue to ask how we were getting on with the pump! After discussing various tweaking problems - he asked me if there was anything i would do differently on a pump start -i said actually yes there is -i would have liked a lot more support - you are the first person to have rang me to ask how things are going! He had been away on holiday - so was only back to work today - he couldnt have been nicer and invited me to send an email with all my views on the pump start - good bad or indifferent - as he said they need to learn what works and what doesnt!
> 
> I am so pleased he asked me and took an interest in what i had to say. He said he is always happy to discuss changes and any improvements that are needed as he wants to offer the best care for our children - otherwise they wouldnt be doing their job! How refreshing! Now all i have to do is send an email that doesnt criticise our team too much! He also said dont worry about being critical - he values parents views and we wouldnt be treated any differently if we felt the need to complain etc...
> 
> If it helps other families going through this then i am only too pleased to help where i can - its just a pity things werent right for our pump start.Bev




Hi Bev ... 

Thats fantastic news .. that your lovely consultant has taken the time to phone you ... I give him a gold star .... 

Absolutely vitally important that all families and diabetics should have this kind of support ... 

Heidi
xx


----------



## bev

Hi all,
Thanks Heidi!

Quick question : when you do set a temp basal - do you also give a snack for the exercise?

A wanted to play football - so set a temp basal for 1.5 hours of 60%. After half an hour he came in on 2.3mmols. I thought the point of the temp basal was to be able to cope with exercise?Bev


----------



## Patricia

Hi Bev

For us it depends on E's starting level. If he's 7 or below, we give a snack for exercise, THEN set temp basal for at least a couple of hours, depending on type and duration of exercise.

It takes at least an hour for a temp basal to have effect...So you *could* start a temp basal ahead of time, I guess, if you knew he was going to play...Otherwise we do need carb to cope with exercise is starting level isn't high-ish. E is guaranteed to go low or nearly go low if he starts around 6 or 7mmols...

Any help?!


----------



## Becca

Hi Bev. like Patricia says, temp basals don't work straightaway, the temp basal you set for 1.5 hours will have an effect that much on from when basals affect A.  So after the half an hour when he came in the temp basal wouldn't have taken effect yet.


----------



## bev

Thanks Patricia and Becca!

He was 7 before exercise - so i should have given him a snack - i will remember for next time!Bev


----------



## Patricia

We keep forgetting to check even though we *know* we have to! Argh.

Another good number day for E, brilliant until -- 15 before dinner! Huh?! When he was 5 almost the same time yesterday.

I smack my hand against my forehead. Who knows? Whacked a LOAD of insulin into him and he just kept on eating, bolus-ing like mad, dinner then pudding then actually a packet of crisps. Fortunately it's early so if it hits hard, we will have plenty of time before bed.

But suspect just some kind of hunger/growth thing. Argh, again.

The roller-coaster is leaving from this location every five minutes. Hold on.


----------



## bev

Patricia,
It is so annoying when this happens isnt it? Like you say - its probably a growth spurt or a sign that ratios may need tweaking?

The best bit of advice i took from the DUK weekend - was that - there *is* always a reason for either high or low levels out of the blue - the hardest part is trying to pin it down to something! Of course it could be hormonal as E is the right age for this. Also just excitement or feeling anxious at being back at school?

We are on the 'basal rollercoaster' at the moment - i thought we had it sussed - but it seems not - so have spent half an hour trawling through his log book to try to indentify by how much and when to make the changes.

Hope you can get to the bottom of why E was high.Bev x


----------



## Patricia

Thanks Bev -- I can't tell you what a difference it makes to speak to someone who understands!

I hear what you're saying (as they say in the US!) about reasons for highs and lows. My prob is that I could half kill myself obsessing about what it might be. So sometimes I have to say okay we'll wait and see if it shows tomorrow -- then we'll do something about it. Otherwise I really do sometimes wonder if I can think about anything else...

Saying that, prob not lunch ratio as was 5 hours before! Though if he'd eaten everything in his box (I always send him with extra, separately counted) but didn't take account of it...See! That's what I do. I'll ask him and he'll say no because I've never known him to do that. And he didn't have a snack when came home. AND although I remembered he should test, I forgot to remind again and we didn't...So don't have a true reading of lunch...

And then he was ravenously hungry. Practically emptied the house. 

Confess with finding patterns I absolutely have to use the spreadsheet I sent you -- I can't keep figures 'lined up' otherwise, into times of day, and can't spot anything. Do you line things up according to times of day and testing? 

Good luck with all that. Did he hypo again today?

xxoo


----------



## tracey w

Hi all 

Well got my pump, and almost needed a truck to get everything home lol, what a lot of stuff, thats without the insulin, canulas etc

not live yet, have sooooooo much reading to do, have started, got to play with pump and wear it, but not attached as they had no saline 

to be honest im not going to wear it as they had no belt clips either, so can basically only put in bra or pocket and the tubing will be just hanging?

the rep from roche was very good though, and it seems i have to take tiny steps, just bolus, use pump, no handset allowed yet. Can understand why but not allowed to use anything other than standard bolus when i begin next week so may be a long haul.

Fantastic piece of kit i must say and cant wait to get fully operational. The rep was saying the life is 4 years and then you can keep using the pump or change onto something else, she was saying that things will be changing in pumping world over next few years, but was not allowed to say, all very exciting stuff im sure though. Hope ive not bored you all!


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> Hi all
> 
> Well got my pump, and almost needed a truck to get everything home lol, what a lot of stuff, thats without the insulin, canulas etc
> 
> not live yet, have sooooooo much reading to do, have started, got to play with pump and wear it, but not attached as they had no saline
> 
> to be honest im not going to wear it as they had no belt clips either, so can basically only put in bra or pocket and the tubing will be just hanging?
> 
> the rep from roche was very good though, and it seems i have to take tiny steps, just bolus, use pump, no handset allowed yet. Can understand why but not allowed to use anything other than standard bolus when i begin next week so may be a long haul.
> 
> Fantastic piece of kit i must say and cant wait to get fully operational. The rep was saying the life is 4 years and then you can keep using the pump or change onto something else, she was saying that things will be changing in pumping world over next few years, but was not allowed to say, all very exciting stuff im sure though. Hope ive not bored you all!



Excellent.   Naughty they didn't have saline or a clip, they normally come in the box with the new pump !   What pump have to got?

I know with Medtronic in the next year or so they are bringing out the patch pump which is supposed to rival the Omnipod but be much smaller, the Omnipod sticks out from the body far too much.

When are you going live on insulin?


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Excellent.   Naughty they didn't have saline or a clip, they normally come in the box with the new pump !   What pump have to got?
> 
> I know with Medtronic in the next year or so they are bringing out the patch pump which is supposed to rival the Omnipod but be much smaller, the Omnipod sticks out from the body far too much.
> 
> When are you going live on insulin?



the rep said all the boxes (think was 100) been sent with no clips, but will bring one in few weeks, no saline bit poor, would have been good to practice properly.

I have the spirit combo, like the fact of wireless handset, takes 315u insulin so only need change approx every 6 days, delivers insulin every 3 minutes not hourly, and increments are vers small, not sure of numbers but go up in small increments not doubles. Yes she said there would be changes in next few years, i mentioned the omnipod and she said we would never get a liscence for those but im sure there will be more and more improvements for pumpers!

Go live next tuesday.


----------



## bev

Great news Tracey! But if i were you i would ring medtronic and tell them you need a clip before you go live - it will help you until you decide where your going to keep it (pocket or bra or wherever).

Patricia, if E is showing signs of more hunger than usual - could be hormones and growth spurt perhaps?

A didnt have a hypo at school - but he was 4 at the 2 hour check - so he had a cereal bar - then he was 6 ( i think) at lunch. So tonight i have changed his morning basal from 8am to 12noon and hopefully it will stop the low - but i have trouble thinking of such small numbers - when he was on mdi it seemed easier to think in terms of half units or whole - but these quarter ones dont seem to register in my brain! I think i have number dyslexia!

I often read this pumpers thread and chuckle to myself - i think if someone came accross the forum by accident - they would think we were talking a whole different language!

On another note - on the other 'list' we are on - it seems that everyone is buying a product called 'spibelt' - sports belts that stop the pump from moving when being active - think i might get one for A as his night time one that i made moves around a bit too much!

www.spibelt.com   i think is what the site is called - thought the pumpers may be interested.Bev


----------



## Patricia

All so exciting -- great to hear from you Tracey! Like everyone says though, bit poor no clip or saline. Sorry little disappointing for you. Drag. When is saline coming?

Re the amount of kit: find a cupboard (or a bread bin, like Bev!). It doesn't get any better. 

I'm quite interested in those tubeless pumps, yes, but like everyone says, omnipod too big. Medtronic one *looks* better, but still from picture, quite big? What we are *most* interested in of course is anything that begins to close the loop...

Well E came down to 4.8 quite happily, has just propped up with apple juice (I'm thinking yay early night) then said he was hungry. AGAIN! Damn. So a 1 unit bolus with some yoghurt and honey should keep him around 8/9mmols, which is what we are starting on at the moment bedtime, because he's dropping a little overnight... So my guess is, yes, growth! 

So it'll be a midnight bed for us, what with the 2.5 hour check. Which is better than it has been, admittedly.

I know what you mean about numbers Bev. I actually have some kind of weird block once we get to 3 decimal places...I don't know how you are keeping track of it. I guess I would do something really foolproof like write out a list of the increment possibilities for diff times of day, to keep track of what's more and what's less!

Spibelt thingies -- I can see the attraction, but E is into this free and easy sleeping thing, so the pump just floats around. He never clips it at night. But it would drive me crazy as a woman in a nightie -- the belt would DEF be the answer...

Night!

xxoo


----------



## Becca

bev said:


> On another note - on the other 'list' we are on - it seems that everyone is buying a product called 'spibelt' - sports belts that stop the pump from moving when being active - think i might get one for A as his night time one that i made moves around a bit too much!
> 
> www.spibelt.com   i think is what the site is called - thought the pumpers may be interested.Bev



Hi Bev

I posted this a while back on here i think, def. is a good idea if belts are how you want to wear it.  Rose loves her's and i think running and jumping in the playground (and just generally being 7) will be a bit easier without the pump unclipping or her pouch flapping up.  When she tried it on this evening for the first time and i told her to jump up and down, mid air she automatically went to hold it and was so pleased that she didn't have to.  Just goes to show you what she's been doing automatically for the past year or so   At least this will make it easier for her  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8MHED1tj5Y is a good clip on them 

For anyone else there's free shipping at the mo and other codes as well


----------



## Adrienne

Becca said:


> Hi Bev
> 
> I posted this a while back on here i think, def. is a good idea if belts are how you want to wear it.  Rose loves her's and i think running and jumping in the playground (and just generally being 7) will be a bit easier without the pump unclipping or her pouch flapping up.  When she tried it on this evening for the first time and i told her to jump up and down, mid air she automatically went to hold it and was so pleased that she didn't have to.  Just goes to show you what she's been doing automatically for the past year or so   At least this will make it easier for her
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8MHED1tj5Y is a good clip on them
> 
> For anyone else there's free shipping at the mo and other codes as well



I agree Becca they seem great.  Lots on the email list have had theirs already haven't they and love them.  I've ordered two for Jessica, adult size mind you !

Patricia, Jessica never wears a belt at night, she also has the pump just lying loose and she is the world biggest fidget!   However these spibelts are going to be for the day.  Great for playing sports and running as they don't bounce around like the other belts.


----------



## tracey w

bev said:


> Great news Tracey! But if i were you i would ring medtronic and tell them you need a clip before you go live - it will help you until you decide where your going to keep it (pocket or bra or wherever).
> 
> thanks Bev, good idea, when i get round to the  telephone numbers, i will call roche( ive got the spirit combo) i will call and see if i can get a clip. Lets see how good the service is, been told its excellent, lets see


----------



## tracey w

hello Patricia, no saline coming im afraid, lets just say i think some hospitals are more pump savvy than others, but im just so pleased to have got one and the rep and pump nurse are lovely and more than helpful so im sure i will be fine. Just need to stay chilled about it all, something im not good at im afraid.


----------



## Mand

Good to read all your posts. Glad you pleased so far with pump Tracey. Look forward to hearing when you go live. 

Can someone please talk me through what to do for a pe lesson. We have never used the temporary basal. So would like to give it a go. His pe lesson is tomorrow morning at 9.30am.


----------



## Patricia

Morning all

I take your point Adrienne about the spibelt -- hadn't really thought of that properly...I'm wondering if it's worth getting one as a standby. Because he's a teenager, he spends *most* of his time slouching about, and doesn't ever do more than a fast, cool slope when in a hurry...However, when we are on holiday etc or out walking/bike riding, I can suddenly see how this will work...

Tracey, sorry no saline. But if Bev can make it without saline on someone else (ack!), then I'm sure you'll be fine with a live start. Come here for support!

Chill-wise: I'm not good at this either so don't know what to say! My answer to everything is in times of stress always try to do something that brings you contentment. What's that for you?

Numbers-wise, we allowed a 10mmol reading to track through one last time, and he woke on 8.8. So in fact he's pretty stable, though too high. Now we can start letting him start the night lower. We really want things around 6mmol, so will aim to start the night more at 8mmols...

He is *exhausted*. His poor body just hates the early rise, and wants to stay up late, so it's all topsy-turvy. He could barely move this morning; we had a brief fear that he was very low...but no, he was just completely shattered.

For now!

xxoo


----------



## Patricia

Sorry Mand, didn't see your post re temp basal...

What we normally do is:

He tests before the lesson. If 7 or lower, he eats something. He removes his pump and does the lesson. He reconnects after the lesson, and tests again. If he's actually quite high, 9+ or so (maybe he didn't do much, or it was the 'short intensive bursts' kind of lesson), he corrects and does not set a temp basal.

If he's in range, he sets a temp basal on 75% for two hours. If he's low, he deals with that AND sets a temp basal on 75% for two hours.

In all of these cases, he stays alert and ready to set either a temp basal, or a lower temp basal, at any time if he's fighting lows.

Several times he has *believed* he's okay through much of the day, riding around 5mmols. But then when he gets home he just goes down, and feels pretty grim. So he now almost always sets a temp basal, even if he feels fine, after PE, because it seems that it *always* affects him (unless, as I say, he didn't do much and is tangibly higher than expected).

Hope that helps?


----------



## tracey w

*Im so impressed*

Yes Im so impressed with roche,

taking Bevs advice i phoned the 24 hour careline as i had no belt clip in my pack. Told the guy i had only just registered a few minutes before online. Not a problem, he said he would already have all my details, and he did! 

He even called me Tracey  i liked that. Certainly will send you a clip out today, was there anything else he could do for me?, I mentioned that i had read i woud recieve some nutri scales if i sent my letter by fax, but would they know who i was just from my name? of course they would! How lovely to get great service!


----------



## Patricia

That's fab news Tracey -- must say that I think the pump companies are completely aware of how vital all of this kit is, and really get their service together. I have nothing but praise for the three encounters with medtronic: each time stuff was with me almost instantly, and they were so pleasant and lovely on the phone!

Good for you.


----------



## Mand

Thanks Patricia. Will give it a go. How you feeling today? x 

To all pumper moms - Do you work? I work 10 hours a week in an office (9am to 2pm two days a week). The rest of the time i am mom and housewife.


----------



## Becca

Hi Mand

Nope don't work, used to but since having second child have been a stay at home mum  and then problems with schools so it wasn't an option....  have 4 year old who is starting big school in January so then will have to rethink what i'm going to do.  I really need to set up my business and i hope with the time that i will have will be used well


----------



## Adrienne

Hi

I am supposed to work 16 hours a week from home as a legal secretary for my dad.  I used to run the office before I had Jessica.   I'm a single mum so can't actually go out to work as I end up in school and we are under 3 or 4 different consultants so are in hospitals a lot.

My dad doesn't send me much work so I spend most of my time campaigning for better paediatric diabetes services (along with Becca).   However my office is having a new server installed today and apparently I can see it remotely so that means I'll have to be working again properly rather than intermittently!

I'd rather not work, I'm knackered but needs must.


----------



## Becca

Adrienne said:


> My dad doesn't send me much work so I spend most of my time campaigning for better paediatric diabetes services (along with Becca).   However my office is having a new server installed today and apparently I can see it remotely so that means I'll have to be working again properly rather than intermittently!
> 
> I'd rather not work, I'm knackered but needs must.



Hi Adrienne

It's funny isn't it.  I don't count the campaigning side of stuff or work on diabetes but you're so right it does take up a lot of time and it is kind of like work, hadn't thought of it till now.  

OMG!  When i think about it it adds up to a lot!  So, by saying i don't work i actually am a secretary for the local children's diabetes group; campaign nationally and locally for better care in Essex for children with diabetes in schools (am now on working party working alongside CC, PCT and other parents now); did the campaign for Change4life this year; did the Artificial Pancreas trial (or rather Rose did!); am working on diagnosis stories with an organisation hoping to highlight better care and lastly did filming for DUK last week.  So looking at it, i do think i could do with a break from diabetes?!?!?!


----------



## Patricia

Good grief you all! Wow, what a lot of involvement. It *is* work.

Yes Mand I work, at least three days a week, but with very flexible university schedule. In term time with marking etc I am actually full time, but in the summer I just work part of each day not on holiday. And at Christmas and Easter, long breaks!

I also do a fair amount of free lance work, visiting writer stuff, readings and workshops. My husband and I pretty much split everything we can, but he has a much more demanding job of late and is out every day usually for ten hours or so, which didn't used to be the case, alas. He is also an academic, but in music. 

So I do much of the child planning and organising, the domestic stuff that takes up so much time! And we split as much as possible the rest.

What with all the diabetes care and thought space it takes up, I certainly feel I work much more than full time anyway...I thought I was frantic before! Now I've let balls drop all over the place, and just accept that this will continue to happen. I can't do everything, and know where my priorities are.

Good luck with the temp basal, Mand!


----------



## bev

Hi all,
This afternoon after lunch A had rugby.
Set a temp basal of 70% for 3 hours. Starting 1 hour before the rugby.
A was 8.8 before removing the pump as had not long eaten lunch. Left it off for 40 minutes - no snack or drink - then when he put it back on he was 13.2 - didnt bolus as he thought he may go down - but then another hour later he was 15! So bolused - but cautiously in case there is a later drop from rugby.
Does anyone have an explanation? Thanks. Bev


----------



## Patricia

Ergh, what a shame it didn't work like a dream...Several things occur, all of which will just need working out over time, trial and error. Argh.

1) Lunch didn't get covered properly because of the temp basal AND pump off so soon after lunch?
2) Need a higher temp basal for rugby?
3) Do not need a temp basal for rugby because one of those intensive things?
4) Excitement playing rugby etc?

I guess I would experiment with those things...

On the plus side, he considered bolus-ing and didn't, thinking he would go lower (good decision!), then later did bolus (good decision!). All the best it can be in these circumstances.

Has he dropped at all?


----------



## bev

Patricia said:


> Ergh, what a shame it didn't work like a dream...Several things occur, all of which will just need working out over time, trial and error. Argh.
> 
> 1) Lunch didn't get covered properly because of the temp basal AND pump off so soon after lunch?
> 2) Need a higher temp basal for rugby?
> 3) Do not need a temp basal for rugby because one of those intensive things?
> 4) Excitement playing rugby etc?
> 
> I guess I would experiment with those things...
> 
> On the plus side, he considered bolus-ing and didn't, thinking he would go lower (good decision!), then later did bolus (good decision!). All the best it can be in these circumstances.
> 
> Has he dropped at all?



Thanks Patricia,

Doh! I hadnt thought of the first one - cant believe i hadnt!
It makes sense though - too soon after lunch combined with the temp basal - too little insulin overall i think.

Hmm...there will be rugby for the next 4 weeks - so i will have to try something new next week.
I havent *actually* been told how to use temp basal or by how much to increase or decrease - so will try to do some research.

Perhaps  - take pump off for the 40 minutes - then when pump back on do a temp basal then of 70%? Its all complete guesswork isnt it?

I gave him 1 correction when he came home - didnt realy work - then he needed a set change - so stayed at the same level 15! So just corrected again before evening meal. He has just gone to bed at level 5 - so i gave him one biscuit and a small amount of milk because i dont know if the affects of the rugby will catch up with him later as it seems to have been overshadowed by the 'fake high' - does that make sense to anyone?

I agree with you Patricia, i think A made a good choice about not bolusing etc - i am always impressed with how much he understands about the 'bigger picture'. I often think that as our children are that bit older than primary school children (i.e. 4 or 5 year olds) they are obviously a lot more involved so i think in a way that it is 'better' for them to have got diabetes at this age as they can take it all in and make good choices. I would imagine it would be difficult for a diabetic child who has always had a parent make decisions to suddenly be expected to take over control of their own diabetes.

Of course i dont mean its 'better' - i just mean that it is probably easier for an older child to get to grips with all the decision making.

I think all our children are brilliant and i am very proud of all of them and all the mums who try to make their childrens lives easier.Bev


----------



## Sugarbum

WOW!

A lot of stuff has been going on....


TRACY!
Fantastic to read everything and because I hadnt heard of the roche pump I have googled with what you wrote and have read all about it, with a little jelousy I have to say! Sounds like it is very similar to the US Animas Ping, which I have to say if it were available here in the UK I would be SERIOUSLY interested. I had no idea about this pump so thanks for getting me into a really good read. I am gripped. PLEASE post- you made a ref at the end of one I read about your pump saying you hoped it wasnt boring- I can assure you I am very genuinly interested how you get on with this. This is an excellent feature. Dont get me wrong, I love pumping but my instincts are that the meter control on this is going to be so fantastic for you and I really wish I had that. Im pretty sure I would LOVE it! So excited for you...

Bonus that Roche have good customer care. Pleased to hear that as that is something you should not need to worry about while you have this going on.

I would how ever love to do something criminal to your healthcare team  I am absolutely baffled beyond belief that someone could not get you some saline and instead decided the better option was to torture you by giving you the pump without getting going. Speachless, and to be honest, shocked!

I cannot live without the clip- I hope they get that to you asap, if not I would chase up. I can not imagine it without- it is essential!

Is this pump big? Heavy? I couldnt see the spec. But it is interesting the large reservior and canula being in for 6 days how that works out for you. 

Sorry i will stop waffling on Trace, but please do (if you dont mind!) keep us updated- I really hope everything goes ok and any support we can offer please ask. Good luck, and enjoy!

***

Random- but do any of you eat white pasta? I had dinner with the girls last night, cooked by them and we had a white spag with a red wine bolognese sauce. Ice cream for pudding. I estimated, dual waved (sorry I didnt mean to swear) bolused again for the ice cream in the middle of the square (again another random guess). Got home at midnight and tested, 15 at the end of a 3 hour square and didnt correct as I had a lot of insulin on board and had eaten the ice cream much later so expected a peak. 1.5 glasses of white plonko later and woke up 6am for work at 5.4mmols. BINGO! So, turns out a whole load of guessing and no measuring or applying ANY theory whatsoever has turned out a good result. Ive never really got into white pasta....is this the secret? (or is it operating your pump under the influence?). BTW Patricia, ignore Mondays experiment about eating pasta only after the gym, dire BM and clearly I need to get out more... Back to the drawing board.

****

I wish I could offer some support on some of the things over the last few pages. I suppose I dont really have the words or the solutions that help, but I do read it and take it all in. If I had the ability to I would love to take some of this stuff of your shoulders...big hugs to all.


Bev- I love temp basal. how do you find the explanation in the manual? It was Patricia and Adrienne if I remember correctly that encouraged me to give it a shot, although I dont go by percentage, I have set mine up on units and find that approach easier (for me). Good luck. Sounds like you are doing really well hun. 

Sorry, I just looked back and its a really long post! Apologies xxx


----------



## Northerner

Sugarbum said:


> ...Random- but do any of you eat white pasta? I had dinner with the girls last night, cooked by them and we had a white spag with a red wine bolognese sauce. Ice cream for pudding. I estimated, dual waved (sorry I didnt mean to swear) bolused again for the ice cream in the middle of the square (again another random guess). Got home at midnight and tested, 15 at the end of a 3 hour square and didnt correct as I had a lot of insulin on board and had eaten the ice cream much later so expected a peak. 1.5 glasses of white plonko later and woke up 6am for work at 5.4mmols. BINGO! So, turns out a whole load of guessing and no measuring or applying ANY theory whatsoever has turned out a good result. Ive never really got into white pasta....is this the secret? (or is it operating your pump under the influence?). BTW Patricia, ignore Mondays experiment about eating pasta only after the gym, dire BM and clearly I need to get out more... Back to the drawing board.
> ...



That paragraph would have been gobbledygook to me a couple of months ago, this time it just made me laugh!


----------



## Adrienne

Becca said:


> Hi Adrienne
> 
> It's funny isn't it.  I don't count the campaigning side of stuff or work on diabetes but you're so right it does take up a lot of time and it is kind of like work, hadn't thought of it till now.
> 
> OMG!  When i think about it it adds up to a lot!  So, by saying i don't work i actually am a secretary for the local children's diabetes group; campaign nationally and locally for better care in Essex for children with diabetes in schools (am now on working party working alongside CC, PCT and other parents now); did the campaign for Change4life this year; did the Artificial Pancreas trial (or rather Rose did!); am working on diagnosis stories with an organisation hoping to highlight better care and lastly did filming for DUK last week.  So looking at it, i do think i could do with a break from diabetes?!?!?!




Err hello what about you and Rosie being the trial for the closed loop system, that is a huge biggie and a way forward for so many people.    

I think you're terrific and you have had your fair share of shite this year as well and you still carry on.    

from the Mutual appreciation society........... !


----------



## Adrienne

Sugarbum said:


> ***
> 
> Random- but do any of you eat white pasta? I had dinner with the girls last night, cooked by them and we had a white spag with a red wine bolognese sauce. Ice cream for pudding. I estimated, dual waved (sorry I didnt mean to swear) bolused again for the ice cream in the middle of the square (again another random guess). Got home at midnight and tested, 15 at the end of a 3 hour square and didnt correct as I had a lot of insulin on board and had eaten the ice cream much later so expected a peak. 1.5 glasses of white plonko later and woke up 6am for work at 5.4mmols. BINGO! So, turns out a whole load of guessing and no measuring or applying ANY theory whatsoever has turned out a good result. Ive never really got into white pasta....is this the secret? (or is it operating your pump under the influence?). BTW Patricia, ignore Mondays experiment about eating pasta only after the gym, dire BM and clearly I need to get out more... Back to the drawing board.
> 
> ****
> 
> 
> 
> Bev- I love temp basal. how do you find the explanation in the manual? It was Patricia and Adrienne if I remember correctly that encouraged me to give it a shot, although I dont go by percentage, I have set mine up on units and find that approach easier (for me). Good luck. Sounds like you are doing really well hun.




Hiya

We like wholewheat pasta but we eat white pasta too and we don't find it does anything different in Jessica.   We have gone back to basics with the dual wave ie 50/50 over 2 hours and so far so good amazingly.  No doubt it will change again soon.    We are also doing that for rice and that too worked the other day.  Again amazing.

Sugarbum you are so right, this diabetes malarky is about guessing sometimes, it is pure trial and error and you can do this on a pump much easier than injections.



Bev - the temp basal, as Sugarbum says is guessing what is right for you.   Remember though if you have a small basal, which I think A has, then temps of say 70% and even 50% will do nothing to alter what the basal is.   I have to use a lot of 0% just to make any sort of difference.    I use % rather than units.  That is what we are all told at our hospital.  If you just think that 100% is what you are on, 200% is double and 50% is half.    So if the basal is 1.0 u at anytime then on a 200% you will be getting 2.0 u, at 50% you will be getting 0.50.   At 25% you will be getting 0.25u (I believe as I think you are on the VEO!)   and so on.

For PE we never know what she is going to do so if over 14.0 we have to give half of what the pump says it wants to give regardless of IOB (if it wants to give the lot no problem but the IOB may mean nothing so we give half anyway to get insulin the cells).    We then see how energetic PE is and generally put on a 0% for an hour.    You may find a 50% for 2 hours works or 25% for 1 1/2 hours or 60% for 3 hours etc etc.  Again it depends on the amount of basal.

Not sure if that makes sense or not.


----------



## Becca

Adrienne said:


> Err hello what about you and Rosie being the trial for the closed loop system, that is a huge biggie and a way forward for so many people.
> 
> I think you're terrific and you have had your fair share of shite this year as well and you still carry on.
> 
> from the Mutual appreciation society........... !



Aw thank you   Much needed lol!


----------



## tracey w

Sugarbum said:


> WOW!
> 
> A lot of stuff has been going on....
> 
> 
> TRACY!
> Fantastic to read everything and because I hadnt heard of the roche pump I have googled with what you wrote and have read all about it, with a little jelousy I have to say! Sounds like it is very similar to the US Animas Ping, which I have to say if it were available here in the UK I would be SERIOUSLY interested. I had no idea about this pump so thanks for getting me into a really good read. I am gripped. PLEASE post- you made a ref at the end of one I read about your pump saying you hoped it wasnt boring- I can assure you I am very genuinly interested how you get on with this. This is an excellent feature. Dont get me wrong, I love pumping but my instincts are that the meter control on this is going to be so fantastic for you and I really wish I had that. Im pretty sure I would LOVE it! So excited for you...
> 
> Bonus that Roche have good customer care. Pleased to hear that as that is something you should not need to worry about while you have this going on.
> 
> I would how ever love to do something criminal to your healthcare team  I am absolutely baffled beyond belief that someone could not get you some saline and instead decided the better option was to torture you by giving you the pump without getting going. Speachless, and to be honest, shocked!
> 
> I cannot live without the clip- I hope they get that to you asap, if not I would chase up. I can not imagine it without- it is essential!
> 
> Is this pump big? Heavy? I couldnt see the spec. But it is interesting the large reservior and canula being in for 6 days how that works out for you.
> 
> Sorry i will stop waffling on Trace, but please do (if you dont mind!) keep us updated- I really hope everything goes ok and any support we can offer please ask. Good luck, and enjoy!
> 
> thanks for your support! I was disappointed that i couldnt get started to if im honest, and im not prepared to stick it in a pocket with the tube dangling to nowhere as they wanted. We(there are two of us starting on pump), wouldnt be starting on tue if we hadnt pushed,every date i gave was a problem, we were looking at end of october in the end  And dont even get me started on getting the script for insulin, not achieved that either and been to gp, phoned gp 4 times and left message for dsn to re fax script, sooooo stressful in between working full time!
> 
> And am now worrying as have no consumables and wasnt told how to order them, will have to wait for tuesday i guess. The pump was the same size and weight as medronic and animas when i saw them altogether.
> 
> Anyway off to chase script again, am off today, I need to make sure i get it today.


----------



## Patricia

Becca, I didn't know you and Rosie were on the trial for the closed loop until your post -- our heroines! We are itching to get involved with all this. I'd be interested to know how it went, seeing as we are in the same clinic...Anyway we saw the JDRF report at the day in April and it looks so promising. Even a closed loop at night would be such a step...

ANYWAY. So much...

Um, Bev re temp basal: I think you're right, and try setting a temp basal after the pe. We've never tried before it to be honest. And Adrienne's point about exactly how much diff various levels make is good to remember...But too, A is very sensitive to insulin it seems to actually quite small adjustments *may* make quite a difference? 

Another spanner in works is that it's possible the basal is suddenly a bit out...Keep track of same time today and tomorrow...I can't tell you how many times we've thought it was this or that (bolus, temp basal, slow food) and really the basal has changed because he's changing. SO frustrating, and feels so stupid...So often all these things seem to happen in some weird coincidence, like a red herring...

Sugarbum, good to see you! Re pasta, we are purists. We always have white and none of us can stand the 'other stuff'. Like you, we have done some fairly random things and found them to work surprisingly well. One of them we now have down to a system of sorts, having tried it again last night (spag bol! so good!): back to the 30/70 3 hour dual wave (argh), but we UNDER estimate what we know the carb is by about 20%. We then correct 8 hours later. How wacky does that sound? But for the moment it keeps us from getting up all through the night...

So numbers went like this: before dinner, 4.9. At 3 hours (end of dual wave) 11.3 (a little high, but hey). THEN 2 hours after end of dual wave, 6.6! THEN two and half hours later, seven and a half hours after eating, was right up to 14mmols. FULLY corrected, and woke on 7.7mmols. 

We are now convinced that there's a 'double peak' at work, one rise mainly fueled by the sauce, and the second peak coming in not quite sure when (around six hours?), which is most of the pasta. I think we can safely say we know this now, but the problem is how to manage it? This method only gets us up once, but he's still high for at least an hour either side, so it's not ideal at all...

If we understood more clearly how high temp basals worked with him, that would be interesting. But clearly he actually doesn't need much extra insulin at all between the first and second peaks -- indeed, traditionally he has hypo-ed there, and now we can see why -- so a temp basal can't be set from the outset...Which means we will always be up in the night, even if just to set the temp basal going!

The under-estimating of carb for the dual wave just means of course that the 'rest' of it is picked up in the correction later -- but it feels pretty random!

I find the 50/50 two hour thing interesting Adrienne -- glad it's working! I'm thinking this end too that if it's mainly the up front bolus which is of benefit in the three hours of the dual wave, we could do with a higher bolus over a shorter time, thus keeping numbers under 11mmol -- and then put in the other 50% or so starting from five or six hours in?

Oh, who knows!

What happened with your up front bolus Sugarbum, on Monday was it? You said it was NOT the way to go...what happened.

btw completely agree with Lou here: we want to know how you are Tracey! Gripped by another type of pump! yay!

This end just another case in point for the wild and wonderful life that is diabetes: yesterday at exactly the same time as the major high from the day before, E was LOW. Not hypo, but dragged around the 4s for some time. Both days I've traced back through his food and bolus, and there's nothing up there. No exercise different. I mean, HONESTLY! 

Two days before that he *was* a little low -- 4 again -- at the same time. So it could be that that's the true number, and needs tweaking! We'll see. Other than that and the 14 from the pasta in the night, all well...

Mand, thanks for asking: feeling more accepting. I just find same-age children conversations hard sometime...Do you?

xxoo


----------



## Becca

Patricia said:


> Becca, I didn't know you and Rosie were on the trial for the closed loop until your post -- our heroines! We are itching to get involved with all this. I'd be interested to know how it went, seeing as we are in the same clinic...Anyway we saw the JDRF report at the day in April and it looks so promising. Even a closed loop at night would be such a step...



Hi Patricia, Rose did two overnight trials this year.  She was an absolute star and we are very proud of her.  I was umming and ahhing over whether she would do it - what 6 year old would volunteer to be cannulated?!  But she loved it (not the cannulation lol) she loved the attention she got from the nurses and what she was doing.  I've got more info if you want it but don't want to bore you...


----------



## Mand

Gosh! so many posts! But all good stuff! My apologies if i miss anything.

Well, I take my hat off to all you moms who work or who do wonderful work like Adrienne and Becca! Take a bow, moms!

Can i ask a Q as i bit confussed.

We usually bolus after a meal so my son can eat to apetite but i have read that it is better to bolus in advance if poss. I want to try an experiment to test my son's blood an hour then two hours after bolus/eating to compare bolusing before eating and bolusing after eating (are you still with me!!!??).

Today he checked his blood before eating eve meal (4.1) then boused 7.5 for eve meal but took half an hour to eat it. When is one hour after? Is it one hour after bolusing or one hour after finishing eating?????????????


----------



## tracey w

Becca said:


> Hi Patricia, Rose did two overnight trials this year.  She was an absolute star and we are very proud of her.  I was umming and ahhing over whether she would do it - what 6 year old would volunteer to be cannulated?!  But she loved it (not the cannulation lol) she loved the attention she got from the nurses and what she was doing.  I've got more info if you want it but don't want to bore you...



I have heard of closed loop system but have no idea what it is? Can anyone explain to me please, thanks


----------



## tracey w

Mand said:


> Gosh! so many posts! But all good stuff! My apologies if i miss anything.
> 
> Well, I take my hat off to all you moms who work or who do wonderful work like Adrienne and Becca! Take a bow, moms!
> 
> Can i ask a Q as i bit confussed.
> 
> We usually bolus after a meal so my son can eat to apetite but i have read that it is better to bolus in advance if poss. I want to try an experiment to test my son's blood an hour then two hours after bolus/eating to compare bolusing before eating and bolusing after eating (are you still with me!!!??).
> 
> Today he checked his blood before eating eve meal (4.1) then boused 7.5 for eve meal but took half an hour to eat it. When is one hour after? Is it one hour after bolusing or one hour after finishing eating?????????????



personally for me, 1 or 2 hours would be after i finish eating to decide absorbtion of the food, so if i eat a big meal or a couple of courses for example and have bolused before, i would think right thats two hours after food, but my insulin has been active for 2 and a half hours, hope that makes sense.


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> I have heard of closed loop system but have no idea what it is? Can anyone explain to me please, thanks



Becca will no doubt go into it in more detail but it is a the next stage really in diabetes care.

At the moment the best thing on the market is the Medtronic Paradigm Real Time (or Veo now of course) in conjunction with the sensor and transmitter.  The sensor takes sugar levels every 5 minutes and the transmitter sends the results to the pump so we can see on our pump screen what Jessica is supposed to be.    However the sensors take readings from what is called the interstitial blood and is not as accurate as capillary blood from the finger tips (and various other places) so you still have to reply on finger pricks.

The closed loop has the pump and sensor and transmitter.   But some clever foreign chappies (I've heard one talk and he is amazing) have written an alogarhythm (spelling) which is a computer programme.  So the transmitter no longer talks directly to the pump.   Instead it will go via the alogarhythm which will be in a handheld device and it will do some working out.   ie if too low then it will talk to the pump about maybe stopping for a bit or lowering the insulin intake.   If too high it will tell the pump to increase the insulin etc etc.   I don't know what it actually tells the pump, Becca will know this as she has seen it work on the adorable (she really is) Rose.

When we had the session with this clever chap the thing that stuck out for some of us who use sensors already was how can we trust this way of doing it if the sensors are not accurate.  On Jessica they are not accurate like finger tests, sometimes they can be way off, we use them as guides and trends.    He said that at the moment it works if you are asleep, laying still, not doing anything etc etc and I presume this is why they are doing the tests overnight.

He said they need to make the sensors more reliable.    I agree.

One of our other friend's daughters tested them last year I think and she was on Newsround if I remember rightly.   I guess Rose must be the second batch of testing as they have maybe tweaked some stuff.

It is so very exciting for us all.   This will be our children's future with type 1.


----------



## Becca

tracey w said:


> I have heard of closed loop system but have no idea what it is? Can anyone explain to me please, thanks



Hi Tracey

Rose took part in the closed loop or Artificial Pancreas Trials, and had to wear a sensor and a different pump.  

The sensor talked to the computer and depending on blood levels the computer told the pump to give or reduce insulin.  No intervention/button pressing etc...is done (which is very odd!)  The big problem is the algorithms and trying to take into everyday events that affect control.  

Not sure if that's any help?


----------



## Becca

LOL!  My post was too late, and you explained it better lol!!!  The other girl you mentioned took part in a 'manual' closed loop (I think!)  The sensor spoke to the computer,the computer suggested what to do and then someone intervened and told the pump.  The new trial this year looked at closing the loop without any intervention which is what happened with Rose.


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Becca will no doubt go into it in more detail but it is a the next stage really in diabetes care.
> 
> At the moment the best thing on the market is the Medtronic Paradigm Real Time (or Veo now of course) in conjunction with the sensor and transmitter.  The sensor takes sugar levels every 5 minutes and the transmitter sends the results to the pump so we can see on our pump screen what Jessica is supposed to be.    However the sensors take readings from what is called the interstitial blood and is not as accurate as capillary blood from the finger tips (and various other places) so you still have to reply on finger pricks.
> 
> The closed loop has the pump and sensor and transmitter.   But some clever foreign chappies (I've heard one talk and he is amazing) have written an alogarhythm (spelling) which is a computer programme.  So the transmitter no longer talks directly to the pump.   Instead it will go via the alogarhythm which will be in a handheld device and it will do some working out.   ie if too low then it will talk to the pump about maybe stopping for a bit or lowering the insulin intake.   If too high it will tell the pump to increase the insulin etc etc.   I don't know what it actually tells the pump, Becca will know this as she has seen it work on the adorable (she really is) Rose.
> 
> When we had the session with this clever chap the thing that stuck out for some of us who use sensors already was how can we trust this way of doing it if the sensors are not accurate.  On Jessica they are not accurate like finger tests, sometimes they can be way off, we use them as guides and trends.    He said that at the moment it works if you are asleep, laying still, not doing anything etc etc and I presume this is why they are doing the tests overnight.
> 
> He said they need to make the sensors more reliable.    I agree.
> 
> One of our other friend's daughters tested them last year I think and she was on Newsround if I remember rightly.   I guess Rose must be the second batch of testing as they have maybe tweaked some stuff.
> 
> It is so very exciting for us all.   This will be our children's future with type 1.



thanks for the explanation, sounds good. I guess the key will be when the sensors become accurate. I thought the veo can stop insulin at the moment though if the bg becomes too low?


----------



## tracey w

Becca said:


> LOL!  My post was too late, and you explained it better lol!!!  The other girl you mentioned took part in a 'manual' closed loop (I think!)  The sensor spoke to the computer,the computer suggested what to do and then someone intervened and told the pump.  The new trial this year looked at closing the loop without any intervention which is what happened with Rose.



thanks for both the replies, i have heard it mentioned but never fully knew what it was, i do now!


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> thanks for the explanation, sounds good. I guess the key will be when the sensors become accurate. I thought the veo can stop insulin at the moment though if the bg becomes too low?



Yes you are right.   You have to manually set what you think is too low though.  They were suggesting 2.6 eek or similar.   I would have to set Jessica's at about 5.0 mmol as when the sensor says she is 5.0 she is generally 3.0 ish.     The alarms for just being too low are still not loud enough, they didn't increase them in the VEO which is so stupid.   BUT if no-one intervenes as they haven't heard the alarms then the pump switches off and that siren is then extremely loud and the whole street can hear it.


----------



## Adrienne

Becca said:


> LOL!  My post was too late, and you explained it better lol!!!  The other girl you mentioned took part in a 'manual' closed loop (I think!)  The sensor spoke to the computer,the computer suggested what to do and then someone intervened and told the pump.  The new trial this year looked at closing the loop without any intervention which is what happened with Rose.



Sorry Becca.  I sat here merrily tying and answer and got over half way and thought Becca can answer this, its her baby but I written so much I just stopped and posted it.  Whoops.

I didn't know that about the first trial.   I guess they are getting better all the time aren't they.   They just need to sort these damn sensors out.


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Yes you are right.   You have to manually set what you think is too low though.  They were suggesting 2.6 eek or similar.   I would have to set Jessica's at about 5.0 mmol as when the sensor says she is 5.0 she is generally 3.0 ish.     The alarms for just being too low are still not loud enough, they didn't increase them in the VEO which is so stupid.   BUT if no-one intervenes as they haven't heard the alarms then the pump switches off and that siren is then extremely loud and the whole street can hear it.



sounds very exciting for the future


----------



## Becca

Adrienne said:


> Sorry Becca.  I sat here merrily tying and answer and got over half way and thought Becca can answer this, its her baby but I written so much I just stopped and posted it.  Whoops.
> 
> I didn't know that about the first trial.   I guess they are getting better all the time aren't they.   They just need to sort these damn sensors out.



LOL!  Oh no you explained it so much better


----------



## Sugarbum

Adrienne said:


> Yes you are right.   You have to manually set what you think is too low though.  They were suggesting 2.6 eek or similar.   I would have to set Jessica's at about 5.0 mmol as when the sensor says she is 5.0 she is generally 3.0 ish.     The alarms for just being too low are still not loud enough, they didn't increase them in the VEO which is so stupid.   BUT if no-one intervenes as they haven't heard the alarms then the pump switches off and that siren is then extremely loud and the whole street can hear it.



Oh Adrienne, that is so true! It must be really hard to hear the alarms in your situation on another person when they arent right next to you....I was extremely disapointed at the alarms on the veo, I couldnt believe it. Sometimes, most of the time actually, I dont hear them, never at work- it simply is too noisey. Out of interest I would be curious to hear what Tracey thinks of the Roche pump alarms when she gets going....


----------



## Adrienne

Sugarbum said:


> Oh Adrienne, that is so true! It must be really hard to hear the alarms in your situation on another person when they arent right next to you....I was extremely disapointed at the alarms on the veo, I couldnt believe it. Sometimes, most of the time actually, I dont hear them, never at work- it simply is too noisey. Out of interest I would be curious to hear what Tracey thinks of the Roche pump alarms when she gets going....



In a year or two they will have the My Sentry out and you can hear all the alarms magnified - especially useful if not in the same room as you but also for people who are alone or even just deep sleepers.  You will need the sensors though !


----------



## randomange

Adrienne said:


> The closed loop has the pump and sensor and transmitter.   But some clever foreign chappies (I've heard one talk and he is amazing) have written an alogarhythm (spelling) which is a computer programme.



Sorry, I don't have anything to add to the pumping discussion at the moment  But I took part in a study for the artificial pancreas project a few months ago, and it was run by a foreign guy who had designed an algorithm for it, and I wonder if it was the same man you heard speak? 

The study I took part in was a manual closed loop system like Becca was talking about earlier, but it was during the day, and they were getting us to eat a large meal. He (I think his name was Dr Hovorka, but I might have that wrong) said that they were trying to figure out what happens in a normal daily routine, and how that affects the algorithm. The one that I took part in involved eating, and I know they have others planned to look at things like exercise and alcohol.

I have to say, the whole thing was really cool  One day my glucose was too high, and another day it was too low, and the algorithm told them exactly what to do each time. You could watch the predicted line from the algorithm, and what your blood glucose actually did, and they were a perfect match. This was using actual blood tests rather than a sensor, but it gives me confidence that they're heading in the right direction!


----------



## Becca

randomange said:


> Sorry, I don't have anything to add to the pumping discussion at the moment  But I took part in a study for the artificial pancreas project a few months ago, and it was run by a foreign guy who had designed an algorithm for it, and I wonder if it was the same man you heard speak?



Hey

Yep def. Dr Roman Hovorka, this clever man:  http://www.mrl.ims.cam.ac.uk/staff/PI/Hovroka/ 

It was amazing wasn't it   Did you have a flat profile during the day?


----------



## tracey w

Sugarbum said:


> Oh Adrienne, that is so true! It must be really hard to hear the alarms in your situation on another person when they arent right next to you....I was extremely disapointed at the alarms on the veo, I couldnt believe it. Sometimes, most of the time actually, I dont hear them, never at work- it simply is too noisey. Out of interest I would be curious to hear what Tracey thinks of the Roche pump alarms when she gets going....



well so far, when ive been "practising", they seem quite loud, all the beeps and vibrations are adequate. they seem to get louder too if you dont stop them.


----------



## Mand

Good morning everyone!

Thanks Tracy. So you mean that you start your one hour or two hour count from when you finished eating and not from when you bolused? I guess often there will only be a small difference anyway, it is just that sometimes he is a bit slow eating. 

Thank you for the posts re the closed loop system. Interesting stuff! Gosh, it does give me hope for our lovely children! 

I agree that the alarms are too quiet on the Veo. 

Off for my pedicure this morning, Patricia!


----------



## Patricia

Wow, morning all!

I'm thrilled by this discussion re the closed loop -- we're up to date with it etc, but it's just so GREAT to see folks who have actually been doing it -- Rose and Randomange! Yay, and well done. We're absolutely CERTAIN, like everyone, that this is the future of t1 diabetes therapy...And it gives us such hope. When I'm at my worst, worrying horribly about E going away to uni and having to deal with all this, I just think well in five years, who knows where we will be? Would certainly have thought smaller more accurate sensors, at the very least. 

So anyway. Panics me just to think about it.

Yesterday was a hypo day for E -- we think we've figured out why. But by the end of the day he'd had four. Ugh. This does seem to happen with him unless we really catch it quick: once he's had more than one, he seems on a spiral...

In short: did everything right for PE except was 7.5 half an hour before at break and hadn't eaten anything. He prob should have eaten. Also, he knew he was going hypo at the end of PE and didn't stop cos almost over .

(This hypo was made much worse by the fact that he'd badly skinned his knee in rugby, and then proceeded to whack his head on the fire extinguisher. AND all his friends had gone ahead. AND he was teased. AND of course he was a little muddled and low. My heart broke for him yesterday. He hated it. We are now working out ways to let his classmates -- even those not his friends -- understand what's going on.)

Like a good boy though he put himself on a temp basal for two hours and went to lunch. However all this was not enough to counteract, and he ended up hypo again in maths I think two hours later. (Apparently the teacher is on the VERY dull side, and he was behind anyway with all the testing, and so he's a little confused in top set maths now...This is the first time diabetes has properly interfered with learning, and I'm feeling cross about it! )

By the time he got home he was nearly low again, had 5g of free carb. An hour and a half later, before dinner, he was actually hypo again. (This basal has now been changed, as I thought yesterday would be necessary: 3 out of 4 afternoons he's gone low if not hypo from 4pm onwards...).

For dinner we were scraping the barrel and had pizza with bells on: goats cheese, tomato and asparagus. The bases were cheese and tomato, store bought. None of us could remember what we do for him with pizza, so we dual waved it for 2 hours. Mistake. He hypo-ed again at 2.5 hours, treated, went to bed on 6.6, and woke up on 9.3! Clearly, like with pasta, he rises very late with pizza -- the bedtime reading was taken 4 and half hours after eating. 

We *should* have tested in the night to see if/where he rose, but we are all fighting mild colds, and shattered, so didn't. 

Sigh. I wish oh I WISH we could figure out a way to treat these late rises! The problem is, there's the bolus up front, seemingly a complete break with very little extra insulin needed, then a time when insulin is needed, like another three hours after that! Any ideas?! (Obv we can get up in the night and set up temp basal or dw, but good grief!)

Am chasing our team today for sensors. These I believe will help us identify the actual timing...?

***

We haven't yet had any alarms etc because we are not on sensors. I'm envious of those on Veos for the shut off facility, and Tracey for her 'louder and louder Roche' . We have two years I believe with the medtronic 722...

One thing that has happened which I completely forgot about until now: *DO NOT LET THE BATTERY RUN DOWN!* What I mean is, we have decided to change it when it gets to 3/4 empty.  Reason: three weeks ago, E went to bed as usual, no alarms or beeps. When I went in to wake him eight hours later, we both heard strange noise...He said 'I think I've been hearing that all night, dreaming about it, it sounds familiar, I'll remember what it is in a minute' (!). Traced it to pump: NO DELIVERY. _For the last two hours, we figured out!_

So the battery had gone from no warning to completely empty in six hours. *BEWARE! *Our previous experience with battery change had been some vibrating alerts for a while before, then we changed. But clearly these alerts do not last long!

(btw: bgs not as bad as you'd think from that experience: put him on 150% temp basal for a couple of hours, and he was only a bit high for half of the day...)

Enjoy your pedicure, Mand!


----------



## Adrienne

Patricia said:


> Wow, morning all!
> 
> I'm thrilled by this discussion re the closed loop -- we're up to date with it etc, but it's just so GREAT to see folks who have actually been doing it -- Rose and Randomange! Yay, and well done. We're absolutely CERTAIN, like everyone, that this is the future of t1 diabetes therapy...And it gives us such hope. When I'm at my worst, worrying horribly about E going away to uni and having to deal with all this, I just think well in five years, who knows where we will be? Would certainly have thought smaller more accurate sensors, at the very least.
> 
> So anyway. Panics me just to think about it.
> 
> Yesterday was a hypo day for E -- we think we've figured out why. But by the end of the day he'd had four. Ugh. This does seem to happen with him unless we really catch it quick: once he's had more than one, he seems on a spiral...
> 
> In short: did everything right for PE except was 7.5 half an hour before at break and hadn't eaten anything. He prob should have eaten. Also, he knew he was going hypo at the end of PE and didn't stop cos almost over .
> 
> (This hypo was made much worse by the fact that he'd badly skinned his knee in rugby, and then proceeded to whack his head on the fire extinguisher. AND all his friends had gone ahead. AND he was teased. AND of course he was a little muddled and low. My heart broke for him yesterday. He hated it. We are now working out ways to let his classmates -- even those not his friends -- understand what's going on.)
> 
> Like a good boy though he put himself on a temp basal for two hours and went to lunch. However all this was not enough to counteract, and he ended up hypo again in maths I think two hours later. (Apparently the teacher is on the VERY dull side, and he was behind anyway with all the testing, and so he's a little confused in top set maths now...This is the first time diabetes has properly interfered with learning, and I'm feeling cross about it! )
> 
> By the time he got home he was nearly low again, had 5g of free carb. An hour and a half later, before dinner, he was actually hypo again. (This basal has now been changed, as I thought yesterday would be necessary: 3 out of 4 afternoons he's gone low if not hypo from 4pm onwards...).
> 
> For dinner we were scraping the barrel and had pizza with bells on: goats cheese, tomato and asparagus. The bases were cheese and tomato, store bought. None of us could remember what we do for him with pizza, so we dual waved it for 2 hours. Mistake. He hypo-ed again at 2.5 hours, treated, went to bed on 6.6, and woke up on 9.3! Clearly, like with pasta, he rises very late with pizza -- the bedtime reading was taken 4 and half hours after eating.   Pizza is worse than pasta with most people.  The spike can be anything up to 8 hours later so beware !
> 
> We *should* have tested in the night to see if/where he rose, but we are all fighting mild colds, and shattered, so didn't.
> 
> Sigh. I wish oh I WISH we could figure out a way to treat these late rises! The problem is, there's the bolus up front, seemingly a complete break with very little extra insulin needed, then a time when insulin is needed, like another three hours after that! Any ideas?! (Obv we can get up in the night and set up temp basal or dw, but good grief!)  You could always try a low temp basal but for longer ie temp of say 135% for 5 hours and see what happens.
> 
> Am chasing our team today for sensors. These I believe will help us identify the actual timing...?
> 
> ***
> 
> We haven't yet had any alarms etc because we are not on sensors. I'm envious of those on Veos for the shut off facility, and Tracey for her 'louder and louder Roche' . We have two years I believe with the medtronic 722...
> 
> One thing that has happened which I completely forgot about until now: *DO NOT LET THE BATTERY RUN DOWN!* What I mean is, we have decided to change it when it gets to 3/4 empty.  Reason: three weeks ago, E went to bed as usual, no alarms or beeps. When I went in to wake him eight hours later, we both heard strange noise...He said 'I think I've been hearing that all night, dreaming about it, it sounds familiar, I'll remember what it is in a minute' (!). Traced it to pump: NO DELIVERY. _For the last two hours, we figured out!_ This has got to be an error and I would phone Medtronic.   You should have about 12 hours left when it flashes up low battery.   We have gone out for a long day with a low battery warning and if it flashes at school first thing she is fine and we change it when she gets home.
> 
> So the battery had gone from no warning to completely empty in six hours. *BEWARE! *Our previous experience with battery change had been some vibrating alerts for a while before, then we changed. But clearly these alerts do not last long!
> 
> (btw: bgs not as bad as you'd think from that experience: put him on 150% temp basal for a couple of hours, and he was only a bit high for half of the day...)
> 
> Enjoy your pedicure, Mand!




Hiya

I've answered above in red any of your queries, just ideas really.

Jessica had three hypos on Wednesday at school and three yesterday.  She does not feel any hypos and it is purely catching them with finger tests.

I think it is because she has changed sites and uses her tummy but that has taken a week to kick in though.    I've changed one basal this morning to see what happens but they have fruit testing at school this morning so will not doubt wreck my investigations


----------



## Patricia

Gosh Adrienne thank you so much! I was going to put a pizza query up on the other board, but this is enough to be getting on with...8 hours! No wonder he showed no sign of rising after 4 and a half...Okay, we'll try to track...

I've been wondering about the low-ish temp basal too...Again, we'll have to track this through, so we'll wait for the energy to come back! I like the idea of something over 125% but less than 150%; the former we've done once and it's very gentle for us, but the latter had a fairly strong effect (when the battery went!).

Speaking of the battery: erk. Should have thought of this. I'll ring Medtronic. We haven't yet run out of battery again. Of course it would be pretty poor if that's the best it can do...

So do you mean that the change of sites has changed the absorption? This is interesting because E deliberately went further around the side of his tummy on the set change Wed night...Hmmm...

Fruit, eh? That'll be interesting!

Thanks again...


----------



## Adrienne

Hiya

The tummy is renowned for being the fasting absorbed area to inject.    A friend of mine when her daughter was on MDI used to use the leg for Lantus and various other places for the novorapid.   When the girl ate pasta or pizza or any long acting food she injected in her arm as it is slower and any quick acting food ie mashed potato etc she used her tummy as it rapidly absorbed.

Generally you need a whole cut down of basal rates when the site is on the tummy compared to the butt


----------



## randomange

Becca said:


> Hey
> 
> Yep def. Dr Roman Hovorka, this clever man:  http://www.mrl.ims.cam.ac.uk/staff/PI/Hovroka/
> 
> It was amazing wasn't it   Did you have a flat profile during the day?



I did! It really was amazing! The first day (there was two separate days) I ran a little bit low to start off with, which he figured was some lantus still kicking around and messing things up, so he readjusted some things to take that into account, and they kept me between 5 and 6 mmol/l for the rest of the day.


----------



## Adrienne

*Low temp basals*

Sorry Patricia, forgot to say.   These low and high temps it all depends on what basal they are on in the first place.    Jessica is on 0.10 for about 4 hours at one point so no low temp would work except a 50% which would be 0.05 u or a 0 % which would be 0.00 u. An increase would be ok but don't forget it is all only on 0.05 units (I think E is on the 722 isn't he - the VEO has 0.025 which is great).    So an increase of only 110% may not alter.    It might be worth asking your DSN about this, or the Medtronic reps.


So if for example you have a basal rate of 0.40, then a 150% temp would make it 0.60 and a 200% would make it 0.80 but what would a 110% do, would it keep it at 0.40 or would it take it up to 0.45 or 0.50.  And lowered temps are even harder.   A 50% would take it to 0.20 and a 25% would be 0.10 but what would a 20% be or a 65%.  Does it round it up or down !


----------



## Adrienne

randomange said:


> I did! It really was amazing! The first day (there was two separate days) I ran a little bit low to start off with, which he figured was some lantus still kicking around and messing things up, so he readjusted some things to take that into account, and they kept me between 5 and 6 mmol/l for the rest of the day.



That is amazing stuff and something to look foward to.


----------



## Becca

randomange said:


> I did! It really was amazing! The first day (there was two separate days) I ran a little bit low to start off with, which he figured was some lantus still kicking around and messing things up, so he readjusted some things to take that into account, and they kept me between 5 and 6 mmol/l for the rest of the day.



Wow!  When Rose did the second overnight there was a guy in who's profile was flat as anything, they said that most of the adults were like this on the colsed loop


----------



## Patricia

Adrienne said:


> Sorry Patricia, forgot to say.   These low and high temps it all depends on what basal they are on in the first place.    Jessica is on 0.10 for about 4 hours at one point so no low temp would work except a 50% which would be 0.05 u or a 0 % which would be 0.00 u. An increase would be ok but don't forget it is all only on 0.05 units (I think E is on the 722 isn't he - the VEO has 0.025 which is great).    So an increase of only 110% may not alter.    It might be worth asking your DSN about this, or the Medtronic reps.
> 
> 
> So if for example you have a basal rate of 0.40, then a 150% temp would make it 0.60 and a 200% would make it 0.80 but what would a 110% do, would it keep it at 0.40 or would it take it up to 0.45 or 0.50.  And lowered temps are even harder.   A 50% would take it to 0.20 and a 25% would be 0.10 but what would a 20% be or a 65%.  Does it round it up or down !



Thanks Adrienne, yes that makes sense -- hadn't thought about it quite that way. I forget that the .05 of a unit applies to all adjustments too...E's basals range from .35 to .8, with the average probably around .7. Okay, we'll have a think...


----------



## Patricia

randomange said:


> I did! It really was amazing! The first day (there was two separate days) I ran a little bit low to start off with, which he figured was some lantus still kicking around and messing things up, so he readjusted some things to take that into account, and they kept me between 5 and 6 mmol/l for the rest of the day.



Wow. Please may it come soon.


----------



## insulinaddict09

*Hello Girls >>> I was just wondering if Tracey knows when shes "going live " yet?? 
I hope you all and the  pumping children are doing well *


----------



## Mand

Hi all

Patricia, the pedicure was heaven! My feet are now soft and my nails are pink with sparkly bits on! What a treat that was! 

Well, my son a bit up and down since returning to school. Too many hypos so need to sort this out. But i feel very focused, so looking forward to smoothing things out.

Set changes going smoothly now. We changing every two days but hope to extend this if poss. The last couple of times we left it more than two days his blood sugars rose. But was that just coincidence? Anyway, when he seems more stable, we will experiment.

Hope everyone is ok and all the kids are settled at school.

Mand


----------



## bev

Hi all,

A is having hypo's at 11am and 11pm - so have drastically reduced his basals.

Adrienne, saw your post about changing to tummy - i was going to try this at tomorrows set change - can you tell me what sort of drop you need for basals? Also presuming it will affect the ratios? Really annoying as we seem to have got some great numbers lately! Not sure whether to try it now - but it would be easier for him when is is doing rugby etc...

Had some lovely levels over the past few days - nothing over 8mmols.

Have got the waking level down to 4.3 - but it was 3.9 yesterday morning - whilst i am happy for him to be waking on this i am a little concerned that perhaps he has stopped dawn phen - or that we have tweaked it so that we are just getting good levels - but that maybe we need to decrease a tad?

What levels is everyone else waking on generally?

I have to say his levels seem very good and i keep pinching myself that it is so good! It seems really annoying that i was doing exactly the same on MDI as i am with the pump - but not achieving such good results!

Question about basals - is it safe to run a basal as low as 10%? I ask this as tried a 40% for 3 hours for cycling and he still needed 2 cereal bars and a small can of coke! But a bit wary of decreasing it so much that it becomes dangerous?

Hope your all ok and enjoying the lovely weather.

I threw caution to the wind this afternoon and went for a bike ride - because the fluttering has gone from my heart and the weather was so lovely - still waiting for an appointment at the clinic!

Patricia, i keep meaning to say 'well done' for joining the choir! I have been watching bbc2 about the chap encouraging singing in inner cities etc - wonderful stuff!Bev


----------



## bev

Patricia said:


> Wow, morning all!
> 
> I'm thrilled by this discussion re the closed loop -- we're up to date with it etc, but it's just so GREAT to see folks who have actually been doing it -- Rose and Randomange! Yay, and well done. We're absolutely CERTAIN, like everyone, that this is the future of t1 diabetes therapy...And it gives us such hope. When I'm at my worst, worrying horribly about E going away to uni and having to deal with all this, I just think well in five years, who knows where we will be? Would certainly have thought smaller more accurate sensors, at the very least.
> 
> So anyway. Panics me just to think about it.
> 
> Yesterday was a hypo day for E -- we think we've figured out why. But by the end of the day he'd had four. Ugh. This does seem to happen with him unless we really catch it quick: once he's had more than one, he seems on a spiral...
> 
> In short: did everything right for PE except was 7.5 half an hour before at break and hadn't eaten anything. He prob should have eaten. Also, he knew he was going hypo at the end of PE and didn't stop cos almost over .
> 
> (This hypo was made much worse by the fact that he'd badly skinned his knee in rugby, and then proceeded to whack his head on the fire extinguisher. AND all his friends had gone ahead. AND he was teased. AND of course he was a little muddled and low. My heart broke for him yesterday. He hated it. We are now working out ways to let his classmates -- even those not his friends -- understand what's going on.)
> 
> Like a good boy though he put himself on a temp basal for two hours and went to lunch. However all this was not enough to counteract, and he ended up hypo again in maths I think two hours later. (Apparently the teacher is on the VERY dull side, and he was behind anyway with all the testing, and so he's a little confused in top set maths now...This is the first time diabetes has properly interfered with learning, and I'm feeling cross about it! )
> 
> By the time he got home he was nearly low again, had 5g of free carb. An hour and a half later, before dinner, he was actually hypo again. (This basal has now been changed, as I thought yesterday would be necessary: 3 out of 4 afternoons he's gone low if not hypo from 4pm onwards...).
> 
> For dinner we were scraping the barrel and had pizza with bells on: goats cheese, tomato and asparagus. The bases were cheese and tomato, store bought. None of us could remember what we do for him with pizza, so we dual waved it for 2 hours. Mistake. He hypo-ed again at 2.5 hours, treated, went to bed on 6.6, and woke up on 9.3! Clearly, like with pasta, he rises very late with pizza -- the bedtime reading was taken 4 and half hours after eating.
> 
> We *should* have tested in the night to see if/where he rose, but we are all fighting mild colds, and shattered, so didn't.
> 
> Sigh. I wish oh I WISH we could figure out a way to treat these late rises! The problem is, there's the bolus up front, seemingly a complete break with very little extra insulin needed, then a time when insulin is needed, like another three hours after that! Any ideas?! (Obv we can get up in the night and set up temp basal or dw, but good grief!)
> 
> Am chasing our team today for sensors. These I believe will help us identify the actual timing...?
> 
> ***
> 
> We haven't yet had any alarms etc because we are not on sensors. I'm envious of those on Veos for the shut off facility, and Tracey for her 'louder and louder Roche' . We have two years I believe with the medtronic 722...
> 
> One thing that has happened which I completely forgot about until now: *DO NOT LET THE BATTERY RUN DOWN!* What I mean is, we have decided to change it when it gets to 3/4 empty.  Reason: three weeks ago, E went to bed as usual, no alarms or beeps. When I went in to wake him eight hours later, we both heard strange noise...He said 'I think I've been hearing that all night, dreaming about it, it sounds familiar, I'll remember what it is in a minute' (!). Traced it to pump: NO DELIVERY. _For the last two hours, we figured out!_
> 
> So the battery had gone from no warning to completely empty in six hours. *BEWARE! *Our previous experience with battery change had been some vibrating alerts for a while before, then we changed. But clearly these alerts do not last long!
> 
> (btw: bgs not as bad as you'd think from that experience: put him on 150% temp basal for a couple of hours, and he was only a bit high for half of the day...)
> 
> Enjoy your pedicure, Mand!




Hi Patricia,

I have just read about the hypo that E suffered - the poor little thing! I feel so sad for him - it must have been horrible - and then to be teased for it! I know he isnt mine - but my heart breaks for him too and i just want to give him a big hug. I am sure he has had some off you!
Do you know what level he was?

I think it prudent to let his classmates know what they could do for him when like this and muddled.Bev


----------



## bev

insulinaddict09 said:


> *Hello Girls >>> I was just wondering if Tracey knows when shes "going live " yet??
> I hope you all and the  pumping children are doing well *




Sorry just seen this Anne Marie - your so thoughtful - thankyou. A is doing great thanks - read his thread he has put on the general message board.
How are you? Bev x


----------



## Mand

Bev, Sounds like things are going pretty well on the whole and i am ssooooooooo pleased for you and A! 

Patricia, I second what Bev said, sorry to hear re E's hypos and the thought of him being teased just reduces me to tears. How are things now? x 

Hi AM. How you doing?


----------



## tracey w

insulinaddict09 said:


> *Hello Girls >>> I was just wondering if Tracey knows when shes "going live " yet??
> I hope you all and the  pumping children are doing well *



hello, next tuesday all being well.


----------



## Mand

Good luck for next Tuesday, Tracey!


----------



## Patricia

Wonderful Tracey -- next Tuesday!

Mand: glad pedicure did the business. *I* want pink sparkly toes!

Bev: sorry about the recurrent hypos. We have frequently had this prob with E I'm afraid, both with MDI and pump...But with the pump of course it's so flexible, so I'm sure you'll be able to make some headway into it. Have you set up a different weekend pattern for him? You may find his needs a little different...But you have my sympathies.

We too are slightly in hypo land -- two or three yesterday. One was a mid-morning one (3.5 hours after eating) at the same sort of time he was low the day before (rugby!). So we are adjusting that. The late afternoon adjustment we did (.05u) resulted in him being 13! instead of 4.5. I mean, I ask you?! We'll leave it and see what happens Monday. He had a friend round and might have been wound up...

The other two hypos were a chip problem...Interestingly, we discovered last night that the *type* of oven chip can affect the digestion -- so, the organic straight cut ones from Sainsbury's (our normal sort) seem to go through pretty much okay. Last night we had to have Sainsbury's American style ones; they are an even thinner cut, and considerably more carb per 100g, which confused us. BUT he hypo-ed and we had to prop him up twice from these chips...Live and learn. 

We fully expect him to be high this morning, but opted not to wake him up last night after his full week at school. He was shattered.

***

I *think* he's fine re things at school. We are gently working our way round to seeing what if anything he'd like to do about a little educating of the masses...It's a hard one to figure. These boys are not his friends, and the last thing he wants is to appear to be anything other than 'matter of fact' about his diabetes. It matters to him a lot that he handles things in such a way, to the point where he will massively skim over having had a hypo if he's around a friend. He will tell us, but just to keep us informed. He won't talk about it in any detail. Understandable. But this means we have to tread carefully.

What I have done though is arrange for a new pump care plan to be sent to us via our home team. We will figure out a way to get it into the school and through to the appropriate teachers esp. Yesterday one of his new teachers clearly did know what was happening, and allowed him to step out of class (no bags in the room, but his bag just outside the door) and return with the testing kit, treat the hypo, simply saying when asking permission: 'absolutely -- do whatever you need to do'. This is all E needs to hear and know day to day, so that felt fine with him.

Just remembered your other question Bev: E usually wakes somewhere around 5.5-7.5, ending up one side or the other of this once a week or so. We've had spells of him waking lower, but a couple of times he woke up at under 4 and ended up a big groggy and low for much of the morning. We also worry that if this happens too often his awareness will be affected? Not sure if this is right...

Okay, all for now. Hope everyone okay?

xxoo


----------



## Patricia

Oo -- and I forgot to say Bev -- well done on bike ride! Yay. I'm glad the flutters have subsided for the moment. Really glad. Hopefully the ride will have done you good in lots of ways.


----------



## Mand

Morning all!

Well, i decided to give pizza a go last night for the first time since my son on the pump. Two hours after he was 7.7! Then at 11pm he was 4.5 so had one jelly baby. He woke at 9am this morning on 7.2. I did not use dual wave or anything as we not been taught it yet, just did a straightforward bolus. 

Was this just luck or is pizza something that will not be a problem for him?? I guess i have to do it again and see! 

How are you all? Hope you enjoying this lovely bit of sunny weather! 

Mand xx


----------



## Sugarbum

Mand said:


> Morning all!
> 
> Well, i decided to give pizza a go last night for the first time since my son on the pump. Two hours after he was 7.7! Then at 11pm he was 4.5 so had one jelly baby. He woke at 9am this morning on 7.2. I did not use dual wave or anything as we not been taught it yet, just did a straightforward bolus.
> 
> Was this just luck or is pizza something that will not be a problem for him?? I guess i have to do it again and see!
> 
> How are you all? Hope you enjoying this lovely bit of sunny weather!
> 
> Mand xx



(Woops, I accidentally pressed something on the keyboard and lost my reply---?! sorry!)

These are great numbers mand, especially as you achieved that without dual wave. You must be more on track with your basal rates than perhaps you may think. Great work.

I went to Strada on Friday night and had a pizza, dual waved and then bolused again for a peice of Tiramasu (oh yes, I enjoyed every mouthful!). the next morning I was 9.5mmols, which isnt bad. Thinking back to MDI, I would have been in some serious trouble. Again, not sure how much this was to do with theory of the bottle of vino collapso- but as Adrienne said earlier in the week, sometimes it can only be guesswork. Thanks BTW Strada for not providing any nutritional info in the restaurant....I hadnt planned on eating there unfortunately! (It was yummy though).

You must be really pleased with this though Mand? Are you feeling the pump is working for you both now more than perhaps the other way round? I am starting to relax more myself (she says--I am just about to upload my Carelink data, standby!).

Patricia, sorry to read of E's hypos. I hope this is still a transition period of returning back to education. Great bev you have been out on the bikes! and moreover that you havent noticed the "flutter" of late. Im pleased. Becca thanks again for the Veo info, I have written the display message in my book.

I myself have been trying to single handedly conquor the world of DIY! With sucess so far but now I have to clear up the aftermarth. Gym later and coffee with a friend who needs propping up after having her car towed for ?250 outside the hospital last night! Im on standby with CHOCOLATE!

have a good day, love to all xx


----------



## Adrienne

Hiya

Well we have had a nightmare time since Wednesday.    Jessica had three hypos at school, then one at home, all in the low 3's.   On Thursday she had another three hypos at school.    Both days I had run 0% basals, then 10% basals, gave free carbs etc etc.

Friday, 4 hypos, in the low 3's.  I decided it was because the canula was now in the tummy but it had taken a week to settle down !

Friday I rang the hospital and she agreed with me the tweaks I had again made.

We were away at the weekend.   On Saturday 4 hypos, all in the 2's, lots of free carbs again, lots of 0% temps and 20 % temps etc etc.   We stayed overnight at friends and at 9 pm on going to bed she drank two pints of water.  She was 25.9 !!!!  I corrected but carefully as I just couldn't let her go hypo again.    Unfortunately she then had  wet bed which is most unusual for her even when high !!!!  Luckily we were sleep on our new camping blow up bed so didn't damage anyone else's stuff.  

I then upped every single basal where all the hypos had been and she woke today at 11.4.  Ok, bit high but at least not hypo.

Then guess what, 2 hypos before we left and one on the way home  !!!!    Arrrrgggghhhhhh

So am making sure she is higher before bed and will download all latest data and glucometer and speak to the best nurse in the world tomorrow.


I now do not think it is her site.    There is no way after all the free carbs she has had and all the coke that she would have had all these hypos.   I really think the 2% of her pancreas that is left has decided to come and join us.    However it doesn't work like a normal pancreas.   If it has woken up it just kicks out insulin in gushing torrents whenever it feels like it !!!

Oh well I guess we will see what happens. 

So


----------



## bev

Oh no Adrienne!
How awful for you and J. A has also been in hypo -land for the last 3 days - and i am CONVINCED it is because i put the set in his tummy as opposed to his bottom. I have lowered all basals and halved his meal ratios - and given extra carb snacks - but he is still hypoing!

I wonder whether it is the site for J too? Obviously she does have the added complication of her tiny bit of pancreas - poor poor J. And poor poor you too! 

It seems to be for A that if he has a couple of hypo's in a particular day - it seems to start a pattern of them for the following days.

Sorry i have no advice as your the expert - but i just wanted to say i am thinking of you both and hope that tonight she is a lot higher.
Lets hope the great DSN can shed some light on things? Let us know how things are tomorrow - will be thinking of you at 3am in the morning when we check A.Bev xxx


----------



## sasha1

Hi Ladies ...

Sorry to hear all the little ones are having hypo horror's ... Sending you mum's big ((((((HUGS)))))) ... and too say you are all brilliant ...  ...

I have just spotted Patricia's post about E's hypo at school and being teased about it .... I so feel for you as a mum and E over this one ... We had the same with Nathan not long after he went back to school after diagnosis ... Like E it happened in rugby .. unfortunatley Nathan collapsed and wet himself ... ambulance was called ... etc etc ... You can imagine what happened after this .. as Nathan was already being horrifically bullied ....  .... Children are cruel and infact are vicious sometimes ... but its ignorant they fear what they don't understand .. I know that is no excuse ... After Nathan's hypo and the direct actions of some after ... several pupils were excluded for the day and put into isolation on return until they had completed a very long essay on diabetes .. the condition, treatment and what they could do to help in situations like this ... 

Heidi
xx


----------



## tracey w

Sorry to hear about all th hypos with Alex and jessica 


Hope things get better soon


Lou, am a bit confused which canula to go for, was wondering if you can give me any advice being an adult pumper. have put in the flexlink 8m today, but was quite painful to be honest, wondring if the tenderlink less painful, what do you use, and what have you tried??


----------



## Sugarbum

sasha1 said:


> Hi Ladies ...
> 
> Sorry to hear all the little ones are having hypo horror's ... Sending you mum's big ((((((HUGS)))))) ... and too say you are all brilliant ...  ...
> 
> I have just spotted Patricia's post about E's hypo at school and being teased about it .... I so feel for you as a mum and E over this one ... We had the same with Nathan not long after he went back to school after diagnosis ... Like E it happened in rugby .. unfortunatley Nathan collapsed and wet himself ... ambulance was called ... etc etc ... You can imagine what happened after this .. as Nathan was already being horrifically bullied ....  .... Children are cruel and infact are vicious sometimes ... but its ignorant they fear what they don't understand .. I know that is no excuse ... After Nathan's hypo and the direct actions of some after ... several pupils were excluded for the day and put into isolation on return until they had completed a very long essay on diabetes .. the condition, treatment and what they could do to help in situations like this ...
> 
> Heidi
> xx



Oh my goodness Heidi. In such a small posting that was a shocking window in to the worry which you must have for your young one in school....as if bullying isnt dreadfully awful anyway. I have ((((((HUGS))))))) for you sweety. I hope this situation never rears its ugly head again. I am so sorry to read it. Goodness knows the worry you went through with this.

Oh Adrienne. All these hypos....its so hard. I hope you are getting your team support and that the tweaking is going ok. Again, I am thinking of you to and handing the HUGS out! Its all I can do! I hope things return to some stability asap, it must be very worrying.

Bev, you are on the HUG list too! Dont think you have escaped! In your case though its still experimental, keep trying the temp basals out and seeing how they work for you. I am still mastering mine but when they have worked they have really worked for me and I absolutely love it.

I hope Monday brings good things for us all, less hypo's at least 

xx


----------



## Sugarbum

tracey w said:


> Sorry to hear about all th hypos with Alex and jessica
> 
> 
> Hope things get better soon
> 
> 
> Lou, am a bit confused which canula to go for, was wondering if you can give me any advice being an adult pumper. have put in the flexlink 8m today, but was quite painful to be honest, wondring if the tenderlink less painful, what do you use, and what have you tried??




Hey Tracey! Sorry I missed that, we were typing at the same time!

I use the Medtronic quickset and Im afraid it is the only one I have tried. Apparently it is the most robust (but I wouldnt know) out of the medtronic ones. I use the 9mm on the 23" line (I nearly hung myself on the 43", but its good for some). What has suprised me is when you take the needle out, it is BIG! When you remove the actual cannula a few days later it is SMALL!

I think we are using different sets/supplies. I assume the sets you have mentioned are roche manufactured? And Im afraid these arent what I use.

Are you finding them painful throughout or just on insertion? I think it was Adrienne (she has some good tips!) who mentioned somewhere in the thread about using ice cubes to numb the area, may work for you in this scenario? It may be something you want to discuss with you DSN about what you can do. I have been extremely lucky as I find the quickserter machine (it pings it in) easy to use and fortunately, the cannula insertion pretty painless. Make sure you have the right cannula/needle length appropriate for your tissue fat as I am sure you know. I am quite a chunky monkey thus I find myself using the 9mm  But thats great as the needles I was using on the MDI were 5mm and obviously too short.

Hows it going Tracey? I am thinking of you and your live start date. Are you using the saline in the pump at the moment? Last I hard you were saline deprived.

The other thing is I am not familiar with who else on the forum is using to Roche and might be able to answer your question about the sets? It may be worth putting a new thread question out there? Possibly the mums may know other pumpers they are in contact with on the other forums...

Anyhow, great to know you are experiementing and getting going on it all!

Love L xx


----------



## tracey w

Thanks Lou, you do make me laugh, nearly hanging yourself on longer line he he 

no saline, just wanted to insert a canula so i know what it is like before i have to do it on tuesday infront of dsn and another pumper! Have been told is my choice which one to use, so have just been reading up on them? No saline 

Am keeping canula in till tuesday, to make sure no reaction etc. Although it hurt and could feel it for about an hour, could not feel it after that. think was just a shock as size of needle seemed so much bigger  Anyways,only 1 more lantus to go, wont be missing that one at all 

do you ring medtronic for all your supplies?, again not been told much re this, think will ring roche tomorrow and order stuff.


----------



## Steff

hi gals sorry i have not popped in for a wee while now im back after a little break, sorry to hear some of been having it tough of late xxx how is everyone this fine Monday afternoon? ((((((((hugs)))))))


----------



## Adrienne

steff09 said:


> hi gals sorry i have not popped in for a wee while now im back after a little break, sorry to hear some of been having it tough of late xxx how is everyone this fine Monday afternoon? ((((((((hugs)))))))



Well we woke on 22.8 eek.   No idea why, thought maybe dodgy canula but doubted it so corrected.  Down to 19.8, then back up to 21.8 when arriving at school.

Jessica's carer has just rung as I told her if not down by lunch I would collect her for a set change.    She is down to 9.0 but feeling horrid which I imagine she would due to the big drops and the high numbers.    We'll see how it goes.  They have a lovely furry rug in the classroom so while the rest of the class are at library this afternoon, they might let Jessica lie down !!!!!

I'm in the middle of filling in charts to send to our team for some help !


----------



## Steff

Adrienne said:


> Well we woke on 22.8 eek.   No idea why, thought maybe dodgy canula but doubted it so corrected.  Down to 19.8, then back up to 21.8 when arriving at school.
> 
> Jessica's carer has just rung as I told her if not down by lunch I would collect her for a set change.    She is down to 9.0 but feeling horrid which I imagine she would due to the big drops and the high numbers.    We'll see how it goes.  They have a lovely furry rug in the classroom so while the rest of the class are at library this afternoon, they might let Jessica lie down !!!!!
> 
> I'm in the middle of filling in charts to send to our team for some help !



hope they do hun , hope lilun starts to feel better soon  i never quite know what to say as im clueless on pumps but what i do know is i am i quick learner


----------



## Patricia

Oh Adrienne, how rough! Good luck with it all -- such a roller coaster for you. Oh lordy.

Jessica's nine, isn't she? Hormones may be playing small havoc? Certainly my daughter is already showing signs...

xxoo


----------



## Adrienne

Patricia said:


> Oh Adrienne, how rough! Good luck with it all -- such a roller coaster for you. Oh lordy.
> 
> Jessica's nine, isn't she? Hormones may be playing small havoc? Certainly my daughter is already showing signs...
> 
> xxoo



Oh yes hormones, lovely things, I'm sure they have something to do with it.  I think this is a knock on effect from the lows or something, not really sure.   I can dish out the advice no problem but sometimes I just hit a brick wall and need to ask for help myself which I am doing and am waiting for the team to get back to me.


----------



## Becca

Adrienne said:


> Well we woke on 22.8 eek.   No idea why, thought maybe dodgy canula but doubted it so corrected.  Down to 19.8, then back up to 21.8 when arriving at school.
> 
> Jessica's carer has just rung as I told her if not down by lunch I would collect her for a set change.    She is down to 9.0 but feeling horrid which I imagine she would due to the big drops and the high numbers.    We'll see how it goes.  They have a lovely furry rug in the classroom so while the rest of the class are at library this afternoon, they might let Jessica lie down !!!!!
> 
> I'm in the middle of filling in charts to send to our team for some help !



Oh poor Jessica!  Same here though, Rose woke on 15.3 ?!?!  Down to 10.1 by 10am and by 11.30 5.4.  Growth hormones???  Was thinking it was the set but maye not....

Are Jessica's sites ok?  not lumpy?


----------



## Patricia

Did you all change patterns for the weekend, then back to school one? Maybe patterns are more different than you think this time round? 

What do I know -- heck!

I'd be interested in knowing if there's a sudden shift if the weather shifts in the autumn too, like in the spring... It's certainly cooler and blowy here...

Then again, I can't really think today. You have my sympathies though!


----------



## Becca

Hi Patricia

How you doing?  I've just replied on the other thread, hope things are ok.....

The bizarre thing about Rose is that she has ALWAYS needed more insulin for school and less at the weekend.  However, over the past 9 weeks, it's gone the other way around!  Less at school, more at home.  Not sure what's going on...

You're right about the weather though, with it being a tad cooler our bodies do change and i wonder.........


----------



## Adrienne

Becca said:


> Oh poor Jessica!  Same here though, Rose woke on 15.3 ?!?!  Down to 10.1 by 10am and by 11.30 5.4.  Growth hormones???  Was thinking it was the set but maye not....
> 
> Are Jessica's sites ok?  not lumpy?



Hi

Its a worry isn't it.   Jessica has never had lumpy sites, she is really lucky.  Just two differences since Wednesday before last and that is using quick sets and not silhouettes and having them on her tummy instead of bottom.  It took however 5 days before the hypos started last Monday !!!!  Then the highs.

Hope you sort Rose's levels out ok.


----------



## Adrienne

*Canulas in the fridge*

Hi

This is a reply to my email from one of the most knowledgeable mums I know.  She has two children with type 1 and is amazing (Becca and Bev will agree with me here I'm sure).  I asked her to explain what she actually does ie just the canula in the fridge or fill the reservoir and put that in the fridge:


"No problem. I am putting the individual little plastic cases with just the quickset snuggled inside into my fridge door - not the cannula and not disturbed from the plastic pot. I could put a whole box in, but given my children's and mine gargantuan appetites there is no room!

One son goes and gets it out just as I call him for a set change. It doesn't make it hurt more or anything.The DSN told me it gives the plastic a little more integrity as it goes in and helps stop kinks. Other than that we would have to try a different set and one son, being very afraid of change, would not tolerate that without upset.

Hope that helps"


----------



## Patricia

Thank you Adrienne! And I've just spoken to our local DSN -- she says that the quicksets *do* have a tendency to do this (ack!). One of her children has just moved to silhouette for that reason. She also said they have a tendency to do it more on slim, more muscular people....


----------



## Adrienne

Patricia said:


> Thank you Adrienne! And I've just spoken to our local DSN -- she says that the quicksets *do* have a tendency to do this (ack!). One of her children has just moved to silhouette for that reason. She also said they have a tendency to do it more on slim, more muscular people....



Hi

Have just remembered was told by our fab DSN that most hospitals now use the 9mm and not the 6mm.   The 6mm were found to kink and bend on anyone, whether small, large or whatever.   She said most hospitals now only use the 9mm and I guess that is why silhouettes are used on young children and extremely skinny people !


----------



## Adrienne

Patricia said:


> Did you all change patterns for the weekend, then back to school one? Maybe patterns are more different than you think this time round?
> 
> What do I know -- heck!
> 
> I'd be interested in knowing if there's a sudden shift if the weather shifts in the autumn too, like in the spring... It's certainly cooler and blowy here...
> 
> Then again, I can't really think today. You have my sympathies though!



Hiya

We have a pattern A for weekends and holidays.   The only difference is the morning :

Standard for school or early get up at weekends ! (this just the period that is different, the rest is the same on both patterns)

0500  0.85
0900  0.05
1300  0.55

Pattern A  (used for weekends and holidays when getting up later than school time but still around 9 am ish give or take 30 mins) :

0600  0.95
0930  0.05
1300  0.55

That did all work for us till this last week !!  Hopefully it will work again soon.


----------



## Patricia

Adrienne said:


> Hi
> 
> Have just remembered was told by our fab DSN that most hospitals now use the 9mm and not the 6mm.   The 6mm were found to kink and bend on anyone, whether small, large or whatever.   She said most hospitals now only use the 9mm and I guess that is why silhouettes are used on young children and extremely skinny people !



Hmmm, we are using the 6mm. What are you using at the moment, everyone?!

The response from our other team re kinking is that yes you can try the fridge, but that it quickly warms in the body anyway so the fridge does not prevent a later knock etc. 

E's levels are going up, for some reason! Argh. My husband had to do the set change last night, and he's just said it was a bit stressy, so we can't count on this change absolutely...On the other hand E was surprisingly high two days ago at this time, so maybe it's just a basal question...

He also doesn't feel great. So maybe he's coming down with something.

xxoo


----------



## bev

Oh no Patricia! Lets hope it is just his pattern and you have the basals wrong? I hate it when this sort of thing happens - i am always tempted to change site - but then i worry if its late in the day and there is a problem with the new site! Nighmare! I do hope his levels start coming down. We are battling hypo's still....Think i will reduce all basals overall as he has been on the lower side for a good few days now.

Let us know later if E's levels are coming down. Bev


----------



## Adrienne

Patricia said:


> Hmmm, we are using the 6mm. What are you using at the moment, everyone?!
> 
> The response from our other team re kinking is that yes you can try the fridge, but that it quickly warms in the body anyway so the fridge does not prevent a later knock etc.
> 
> E's levels are going up, for some reason! Argh. My husband had to do the set change last night, and he's just said it was a bit stressy, so we can't count on this change absolutely...On the other hand E was surprisingly high two days ago at this time, so maybe it's just a basal question...
> 
> He also doesn't feel great. So maybe he's coming down with something.
> 
> xxoo



I would change to the 9mm immediately.  Ring Medtronic and see if you can change the boxes you have.

When you do a set change do you put on a temp basal if he tends to go up.  We do a 150% for one hour, probably I need to do it for 2 hours but haven't tried that yet.


----------



## bev

Hmm..we have 6mm aswell. I might ring medtronic and ask them to swop.Thanks for all this info Adrienne!Bev


----------



## bev

Just to let you know - another young child on the other forum has just spent a couple of days in hospital - with dka! His canula was also kinked!Bev


----------



## Patricia

Morning all,

Sorry to miss this conversation last night. As you can imagine, we were in bed before 10pm! Then up at 1am, 2am and 6.30am...

E's numbers still not stable from late yesterday. 12mmol at bedtime. Correction did nothing, and he was 16 (!) 3 hours later, at 1am. Then did correction, and he was down to 14mmol in an hour. THEN did another correction and temp basal 120%, and this morning he was still only down to 12mmol.  I've corrected this and and re-instated the temp basal. He says his throat hurts. He *was* quite wiped out yesterday, off and on...but we put it down to going through so much the night before...

Things like this are just crazy-making, aren't they?! We *know* his cannula was kinked and insulin wasn't going in. And now, coincidentally, he seems to be coming down with something! No wonder it feels impossible to tell the wood from the trees sometimes with this condition!

PLUS (selfishness coming in here), because we can see if he's sickening for something (most children would go to school feeling a little draggy), it's an extra day when the world stops and he's home, even though tomorrow and/or the next day will be when whatever it is actually hits... 

***

I'm going to ring medtronic Adrienne, and see what they say. I'm also going to contact our team again and see what *they* say!

Bev, I've seen the one child who was in hospital the same night as E on the other site -- exactly the same, but not a pump user. You mean, there's another?! What is it, the weather?!

It's pouring with rain here and I'm incredibly behind with work. My energy is sapped, I have deadlines and I'm tired of diabetes. It is just absolutely *constant*. Moan over!

Someone tell me some good news! 

xxoo


----------



## Adrienne

Hi

I think there were three in hospital, E being one of them.   There are two on the list.  What a coincidence and nightmare, it rarely happens that any are in hospital.    The one boy who went in on Sunday morning was actually in DKA  eek but is ok now and home.

It certainly sounds like E is coming down with something.    I thought Jessica might be yesterday but would have had to send her to school anyway !!!  Bad mum 

I have a meeting with the Head of Paediatrics of the PCT this morning which covers Eastbourne and  Hastings.   They need a rocket as the care is allegedly appalling (have to say allegedly just in case anyone reading!), info for schools is really really bad, pumping is non existent and they still put children on mixed insulins purely 'it is easier for the school'   arghhhh give me strength, so I'm off to sort it out !   No idea how long they will give me.   It has been suggested I lock the door and put a chair under it and talk until they agree to everything.


----------



## Patricia

Adrienne, go get 'em girl!. Let us know how it goes.  I so admire this sort of work -- suspect that's what I'd be doing if I didn't have other work I'm locked into...Yes, put the chair under the door. Grr..

Was J high this morning as well? We've had times when we *thought* E was coming down with something, but it seems to go away...This time though he *is* draggy.

I'm going to pop onto the other list and see whether those children have gone to school!

xxoo


----------



## bev

Patricia,
I understand exactly how you feel - just when you think you have a handle on things with diabetes - something else rears its ugly head!

When you said that E's levels yesterday were still on the high side - i wondered whether he was coming down with something. I suppose the up-side is that E can catch up on much needed sleep and you will be on hand to monitor his levels - much easier than if he were in school. 

I hope you can get to grips with your deadlines. Your not being selfish worrying about deadlines etc - this is your life and you shouldnt feel guilty for wanting things to be calm and normal. I think we have all felt this at one time or another! Whether its due to diabetes or other problems - sometimes we just want things to be calm. I would imagine E feels bad being off school if he is anything like A. Hopefully this is just a 24 hour bug and things will settle down soon.

Always remember your a great mum - and your doing the best you can.

I do hope you have a nice uneventful day today.......

p.s. book yourself in for that pedicure - you deserve a treat!


Adrienne, I have wished you good luck on the other forum - but i will say it here aswell in case you missed it!

If anyone can get through to these people - YOU can. You always phrase things in such a way that people feel motivated to do better! And keep the door locked until they understand! Good luck and well done for trying to make things better for all children.Bev x


----------



## Northerner

bev said:


> ...Adrienne, I have wished you good luck on the other forum - but i will say it here aswell in case you missed it!
> 
> If anyone can get through to these people - YOU can. You always phrase things in such a way that people feel motivated to do better! And keep the door locked until they understand! Good luck and well done for trying to make things better for all children.Bev x



Hear hear!!! Hope all goes well Adrienne, and that they see sense and think about the children rather than budgets and inconvenience (risking a child's future health and quality of life so it doesn't inconvenience the school? It's immoral!)


----------



## Steff

good luck adrienne hope all goes well


----------



## Sugarbum

Hi all, 

I am really sorry people to hear all that is going on at the moment, big hugs again! Adrienne, I hope Jessica is better and all your worries of those persistant hypos are subsiding. Were your team helpful? How did you PCT meet go? Just where on earth do you find the time and energy?  (girl, you make me look bad...!).

How is E patrica? Are also very importantly, you? You sound worn and I realy sympathise, so much going on. Is E actually coming down with something now? Thats such a shame but be mindful of yourself as well that you dont catch it- always so easy when you feel knackered and on the low side. Take care. I think you have done so well this week, such stress and worry. Its no suprise you feel as if you have had enough of diabetes, who wouldnt! the night time checks must be leaving you sleep deprived too. I hope things get back on track ASAP- much love. Having had this happen this week, do you get an appointment with your team? Some sort of follow up?? I hope there is some support being offered to you.

Tracey W how you going girl? Any developments?!

xXx


----------



## Adrienne

Hi

My team are fantastically helpful and have put the hypos down to going back to school.   I tend to agree actually !!   They are seeing loads of it, phone calls and emails daily with lots of hypos.    We we have pulled right back with a basal in the morning but upped them in the evening as she was going higher overnight !!!

They really are the best.


----------



## Adrienne

I have just posted this on the email site re the PCT meeting.  :

"Well my eyes have been truly opened today at the meeting.    Two of the local support group ended up coming with me which was great.    We are three very different people with the same agenda.   

The lady was very nice and totally agreed the care for children is diabolical in this area !!!  She said that she had had a big meeting with the adult consultants including the two paed ones back in June.  She asked them to do a business plan.  She spoke to them two weeks ago asking where it is, she has given them a further 6 weeks.   She said that if they can't provide better care, and we are talking just basic stuff here, she will outsource to other areas in the rest of the county.   She mentioned one place which is perfect really, they are already pumping and it is accessible to all of the whole county.

However she wasn't aware that there was no DSN at all for either hospital and she said she would get one and make phone calls today.   She said she would ring the hospital trust and if they can't provide someone then she will purchase another one for another area until we are sorted.   This is how the money works, ie she purchases time from elsewhere.     We are worried and told her that the trust could produce a non specialist which is very worrying.     She was clearly being told different to what we were being told by the teams and she took that on board as well.    She knows this is all priority.   She has apparently argued till blue in the face that both hospitals can put people on a pump and she would 'buy in' a dietician to help with the carb counting and she mentioned a good one I know.   However she is being told by the consultants that they will not put people on pumps.    We however, are being told by the consultants that the DSN (who has been seconded for a year and is rubbish anyway) won't put people on a pump until have a full team.   PCT lady said she can't supply a full team yet as no-one pumping so that is why she would buy that in per person to begin with.   Once pumping is up and running then we will get a full team.   We have a pyschologist in place apparently.   However people aren't told that at clinic, I didn't know !!!!

The worst bit of the meeting or rather the most enlightening bit of it was that the two paed consultants are not paed consultants  eek.  They are adult consultants who do the children as well.    This is why they have no child friendly 'speak',   care for adults is so different for children.  I was shown (another meeting this afternoon) a level book by a mum who is fighting to get her daughter off mixes.  The levels were consistently in the 20's and she had been told that was normal and ok !!!   She knows its not so is being supplied with a retired DSN to go through 4 injections.   How bad is that. 

She took the details of the RCN contact re glucagon and agreed it should be in all schools.   She said the trouble was that they didn't have a childrens community nurse team to do any training.   I told her the DSN should be doing this along with care plans.   She said they should all have care plans, I told her none of the children did unless the schools asked for one and the parents did it !

Anyway it went well.    I asked for time scales and we shall see.    She is going to organise a big meeting for us and the key players from the PCT, the hospitals trusts and the consultants.    Should be interesting stuff.   At least we know we are in agreement.

Thanks for all your help and I'll keep you posted.


"The information in this e-mail and any attachment(s) is intended only for the individual or entity to whom it is addressed.  It may contain privileged and confidential information that is exempt from disclosure by law and if you are not an intended recipient, you must not copy, distribute or take any action in reliance on it."


Interesting stuff eh.   I'll keep you posted.


----------



## Adrienne

Has anyone rung medtronic or their teams re the 6 mm and 9 mm sets ?  Any outcome !


----------



## bev

Hi Adrienne,
I rang my team today and asked about the 6mm v the 9mm. She did say that quicksets can kink a bit more than others and suggested trying silhouette. She said she wouldnt advise 9mm as they are too big for Alex - his is a bit skinny and she thought they may be a bit too big. She is asking the pump rep for a few so we can try them out.
She said yes to putting them in the fridge.

It sounds like you have made a great start with trying to sort out all the problems at your local hospital. At least the woman seemed to be on your side and listened to the problems - i really hope she can come up with the goods! Its one thing promising the world - and another one not delivering!

Well done Adrienne - you really are a breath of fresh air and truly inspirational!Bev x


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Hi Adrienne,
> I rang my team today and asked about the 6mm v the 9mm. She did say that quicksets can kink a bit more than others and suggested trying silhouette. She said she wouldnt advise 9mm as they are too big for Alex - his is a bit skinny and she thought they may be a bit too big. She is asking the pump rep for a few so we can try them out.
> She said yes to putting them in the fridge.
> 
> It sounds like you have made a great start with trying to sort out all the problems at your local hospital. At least the woman seemed to be on your side and listened to the problems - i really hope she can come up with the goods! Its one thing promising the world - and another one not delivering!
> 
> Well done Adrienne - you really are a breath of fresh air and truly inspirational!Bev x



Hi

Thanks Bev.

I personally prefer the silhouettes.   They are flatter against the skin than the quicksets.

However you have to have the inserter at the right angle (not a right angle ) which is tricky ie not on the flat foot and not on the tip but in the middle somewhere.    We changed to quicksets purely so that Jessica could think about starting to insert them herself.  There is no way she would be able to do the sils, none of the kids on the list can, I don't think.


----------



## tracey w

Sugarbum said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I am really sorry people to hear all that is going on at the moment, big hugs again! Adrienne, I hope Jessica is better and all your worries of those persistant hypos are subsiding. Were your team helpful? How did you PCT meet go? Just where on earth do you find the time and energy?  (girl, you make me look bad...!).
> 
> How is E patrica? Are also very importantly, you? You sound worn and I realy sympathise, so much going on. Is E actually coming down with something now? Thats such a shame but be mindful of yourself as well that you dont catch it- always so easy when you feel knackered and on the low side. Take care. I think you have done so well this week, such stress and worry. Its no suprise you feel as if you have had enough of diabetes, who wouldnt! the night time checks must be leaving you sleep deprived too. I hope things get back on track ASAP- much love. Having had this happen this week, do you get an appointment with your team? Some sort of follow up?? I hope there is some support being offered to you.
> 
> Tracey W how you going girl? Any developments?!
> 
> xXx



Hello! Well im officially a pumper now 

Going ok, have had a hypo before tea 3.4 grrr but i think the pump is amazing. Gave extended bolus with tea over 45 mins, how cool. Hope everyone doing ok, gonna catch up with threads now. DSN ringing ME at 8.30, wow


----------



## insulinaddict09

*Congrats Tracey  I'm really pleased for you honey  *


----------



## tracey w

insulinaddict09 said:


> *Congrats Tracey  I'm really pleased for you honey  *



thank you!, will be over in one liners in a bit to see what you  have all been up to!


----------



## Northerner

tracey w said:


> Hello! Well im officially a pumper now
> 
> Going ok, have had a hypo before tea 3.4 grrr but i think the pump is amazing. Gave extended bolus with tea over 45 mins, how cool. Hope everyone doing ok, gonna catch up with threads now. DSN ringing ME at 8.30, wow



Excellent Tracey, the very best of luck to you m'dear!


----------



## tracey w

Northerner said:


> Excellent Tracey, the very best of luck to you m'dear!



thank you!


----------



## Adrienne

Great news Tracey, I'm so happy for you and glad you like it.


----------



## tracey w

thank you everyone!


----------



## bev

Hi Tracey - i bet you feel like its christmas! A couldnt stop grinning for days! Keep us updated when you can.Bev x


----------



## Sugarbum

Patricia said:


> Someone tell me some good news!



No word of a lie, I swear to god I just farted and my pump alarm went off!  What does this mean?


----------



## bev

Just taken off the set from A's tummy - first time in this area as usually does bottom. The whole area where the adhesive was is red roar - is there anything i can put on it or is there an easier way of getting the thing off other than dragging it? He didnt show any problem on his bottom - it seems his skin is so smooth and sensitive on his tum it looks like a layer of skin has come off!I vaguely remember someone said they use a spray for something - is it to remove the sticky around the canula?


Lou, you give a whole different meaning to the phrase 'pumping'..........Bev


----------



## Northerner

Sugarbum said:


> No word of a lie, I swear to god I just farted and my pump alarm went off!  What does this mean?



Are you sure it wasn't a smoke alarm? Or an air-raid siren?


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Just taken off the set from A's tummy - first time in this area as usually does bottom. The whole area where the adhesive was is red roar - is there anything i can put on it or is there an easier way of getting the thing off other than dragging it? He didnt show any problem on his bottom - it seems his skin is so smooth and sensitive on his tum it looks like a layer of skin has come off!I vaguely remember someone said they use a spray for something - is it to remove the sticky around the canula?
> 
> 
> Lou, you give a whole different meaning to the phrase 'pumping'..........Bev



Do you know funnily enough we have this as well, it is much redder on the tummy than bottom.

However we use Cavilon spray on the site before putting the canula on, it is a barrier.    We also use Lift Plus spray to get them off. 

http://opus-healthcare.co.uk/liftplus.php 

We get the 50 ml spray.  You can get a free sample from this site but it is also on prescription.

We then use Tea Tree cream on the area and it all seems to work ok.


----------



## Adrienne

Sugarbum said:


> No word of a lie, I swear to god I just farted and my pump alarm went off!  What does this mean?



I think the scientific answer is that it means you need to turn the alarms off !!!!!!


----------



## Becca

bev said:


> Just taken off the set from A's tummy - first time in this area as usually does bottom. The whole area where the adhesive was is red roar - is there anything i can put on it or is there an easier way of getting the thing off other than dragging it? He didnt show any problem on his bottom - it seems his skin is so smooth and sensitive on his tum it looks like a layer of skin has come off!I vaguely remember someone said they use a spray for something - is it to remove the sticky around the canula?



Hi Bev, do you put Cavilon spray on before you put the set on?  Also, we put tee tree cream on a site when it comes off 

Do you use any adhesive remover to get the set off?  We use lift plus sachets, wipe on the sticky part of the set, wait a few seconds and it peels off easily.....


----------



## Becca

HAHAHA Adrienne we cross posted


----------



## Steff

tracey w said:


> Hello! Well im officially a pumper now
> 
> Going ok, have had a hypo before tea 3.4 grrr but i think the pump is amazing. Gave extended bolus with tea over 45 mins, how cool. Hope everyone doing ok, gonna catch up with threads now. DSN ringing ME at 8.30, wow



pleased it going well hun xx


----------



## Adrienne

Becca said:


> HAHAHA Adrienne we cross posted



That is cos we are fab together and great minds think a like. 

Thanks for your help this afternoon.    I was with a mum who has girl diagnosed in June who is still on bloody two injections a day and being told by our crap team that numbers predominantly in the 20's is ok !!!!!!!   She had never heard of ketone monitors and was having to go to school on a daily basis when they rang to test the girls urine.  

She is begging for MDI and finally they are supposed to be sending a retired nurse to see her this week !  Retired nurse, they are really pulling the stops out here.


----------



## Becca

Adrienne said:


> That is cos we are fab together and great minds think a like.
> 
> Thanks for your help this afternoon.    I was with a mum who has girl diagnosed in June who is still on bloody two injections a day and being told by our crap team that numbers predominantly in the 20's is ok !!!!!!!   She had never heard of ketone monitors and was having to go to school on a daily basis when they rang to test the girls urine.
> 
> She is begging for MDI and finally they are supposed to be sending a retired nurse to see her this week !  Retired nurse, they are really pulling the stops out here.



Oh god!  That's ok, was on a school trip to the local museum with Rose.  Couldn't think at first, had to get it out to look


----------



## bev

Becca said:


> Hi Bev, do you put Cavilon spray on before you put the set on?  Also, we put tee tree cream on a site when it comes off
> 
> Do you use any adhesive remover to get the set off?  We use lift plus sachets, wipe on the sticky part of the set, wait a few seconds and it peels off easily.....



Hi Becca and Adrienne,
I dont use anything to either put it on or get it off! Havent been advised to - but i will ring them up tomorrow - A says it hurts more taking the canula off than it does putting it in! The site looks like a burn - and i am wondering if he is allergic to the adhesive - i am allergic to the non-allergy stuff - so i am wondering if he takes after me. But if he is - what can we do? Is there any anti-allergy stuff for a canula? Can i buy these things over the counter as i know it will take ages for our dsn to advise the gp?Thanks. Bev


p.s. Have just sent off for a free sample - thanks Adrienne! x


----------



## Sugarbum

bev said:


> Hi Becca and Adrienne,
> I dont use anything to either put it on or get it off! Havent been advised to - but i will ring them up tomorrow - A says it hurts more taking the canula off than it does putting it in! The site looks like a burn - and i am wondering if he is allergic to the adhesive - i am allergic to the non-allergy stuff - so i am wondering if he takes after me. But if he is - what can we do? Is there any anti-allergy stuff for a canula? Can i buy these things over the counter as i know it will take ages for our dsn to advise the gp?Thanks. Bev
> 
> 
> p.s. Have just sent off for a free sample - thanks Adrienne! x



Might not be any use (as you say the dsn needs to advise) but I know medtronic do some kind of canula for skin problems/reactions according to my DSN. Perhaps put a call in for advice to medtronic or a free sample or something? Havent seen one- only heard in pump clinic someone is on one who is completely allergic apparently.

Tracey- I am very happy! Great news and it seems as if most of us went hypo on the first day oddly....but still. Great you have joined the pumping world. Do you have the clip yet and your supplies sorted? I know you were worried....

Northener- Ive really let myself go into prison life. What can I say?


----------



## tracey w

Sugarbum said:


> No word of a lie, I swear to god I just farted and my pump alarm went off!  What does this mean?



aaarh, he he you are outrageous Lou ! did it come up with pump fault?


----------



## Sugarbum

tracey w said:


> aaarh, he he you are outrageous Lou ! did it come up with pump fault?



....no, just a lot of air bubbles!!!

hows it going, T? x


----------



## tracey w

Sugarbum said:


> Might not be any use (as you say the dsn needs to advise) but I know medtronic do some kind of canula for skin problems/reactions according to my DSN. Perhaps put a call in for advice to medtronic or a free sample or something? Havent seen one- only heard in pump clinic someone is on one who is completely allergic apparently.
> 
> Tracey- I am very happy! Great news and it seems as if most of us went hypo on the first day oddly....but still. Great you have joined the pumping world. Do you have the clip yet and your supplies sorted? I know you were worried....
> 
> Northener- Ive really let myself go into prison life. What can I say?



yes i have clip and all supplies, phoned yesterday and delivered first thing this morning!


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Hi Becca and Adrienne,
> I dont use anything to either put it on or get it off! Havent been advised to - but i will ring them up tomorrow - A says it hurts more taking the canula off than it does putting it in! The site looks like a burn - and i am wondering if he is allergic to the adhesive - i am allergic to the non-allergy stuff - so i am wondering if he takes after me. But if he is - what can we do? Is there any anti-allergy stuff for a canula? Can i buy these things over the counter as i know it will take ages for our dsn to advise the gp?Thanks. Bev
> 
> 
> p.s. Have just sent off for a free sample - thanks Adrienne! x



Cavilon spray in a 28ml bottle is very expensive.  It is approx ?11 to ?12 and you can buy it from chemists, I had to once as we had totally run out and I needed it there and then as Jessica comes up to the canulas.    However one of the email group can't use it as her sons come up to the cavilon.  But I say give it a go.


----------



## tracey w

Sugarbum said:


> ....no, just a lot of air bubbles!!!
> 
> hows it going, T? x



good thanks, at 10 thought "oh dont have to do lantus injection", super


----------



## Sugarbum

tracey w said:


> good thanks, at 10 thought "oh dont have to do lantus injection", super




Do you know, I think that never goes away! I used to take mine at 10pm and I think about how lovely it is not to all the time. I used to HATE lantus!

Glad everything is going well xx


----------



## Mand

Hi everyone

Tracey -glad it going well so far! We thought it fab too when we did not have to do Lantus anymore! Especially if you go out in the eve - you do not need to take the jabs with you and keep watching the clock! Yipeee!!!!
Hope it continue to go good for you! 

Bev - we ordered a sample of liftoff spray.We were sent a small spray can and some wipes My son uses them and it does help. 

Lou - Hilarious! Hope it less windy with you today! 


Not much to report from me. All going well. Running too low generally at moment since returning to school so need to do a little tweaking. 

Encouraging my son to bolus before eating as much as possible. Do you all generally bolus before or after eating?


----------



## tracey w

OMG 

Just thought id share my numbers, after my teatime hypo

2 hourly from teatime, 8.5, 8.6, 8.4, before bed 8.9, this morning 8.8 unbelievable, dont know when i have ever had that. Lets hope it continues


----------



## Mand

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great numbers!

Well done and let's hope it continues!


----------



## Steff

woooohhoo great numbere tracey well done


----------



## Adrienne

Great numbers Tracey.

Mand we always try and bolus up front now, the difference it makes is just unbelievable.   We used to bolus during or after but changed a month or so ago and it is very very different and so much better.


----------



## Patricia

*Some kind of OCD attempt to impose structure on my post...*

Morning all

So much ACTION here!!

*First*: Tracey, well done! Yay team! Brilliant numbers and wow. The same happened with us. One thing I will say, not to put a damper -- but our team indicated that after the first 24 to 48 hours sometimes things need tweaking much more, because by then all the long-acting is out of your body...so don't worry if things seem to go a little unstable in the next day -- nothing is wrong!  Such good news though and so pleased for you. Look forward to hearing how things go...

*Second*: E hasn't come down with anything! He's back at school today. He was droopy yesterday morning, but perked up through the day. He has been doing corrections and on temp basals CONSTANTLY since the weekend...on the other site, it seems that one of the DSNs said that after an event like at the weekend, there can be quite a lot of insulin resistance...My money is on that. The numbers without correction are coming in 12-17 ish, which is WAY higher than usual. So we are correcting and temp basaling...hopefully it will end soon. Either that or something about the whole thing has precipitated a leap in insulin needs, and we just change his basals permanently!

*Third*: support. Well Lou, thanks for asking. We've been in touch with both our teams, and they have been sympathetic and we've had hyper treatment protocol discussions etc. Neither mentioned any insulin resistance though, which would have helped  !

*Fourth*: cannula discussions. Both of our teams have heard of this, and both consider it to be fairly rare, though some have more troubles than others. Both said for us to keep going as is for a while, but that if a switch is necessary, this will be obvious. One team I thought was particularly astute: she said that it's perhaps best for E to come to the decision to change things if there are recurrent problems, rather than for us to weigh in there. Obviously if we have problem after problem we'll all act fast, but her wise thoughts were to always allow E independence where possible, trust him to come to decisions about aspects like this, involving change and his body, wherever possible. I thought this was good advice for dealing with a teenager.

*Fifth*: more cannula. Re the 9mm vs 6mm, heard from only one team so far. She was the 'wait and see' one, as above, and thought it a possibility. She *did* say though that in her experience most older teens and adults switch to silhouettes. They aren't as aesthetically pleasing in that they use up more area, but they stick out less so that makes up for it a bit. They are, however, easier to see whether you've got it right or wrong...

*Sixth*: more cannula!!! Both teams thought the fridge idea was a bit useless, I'm afraid. Their view was that the difficulties at insertion were about slight shifts in angle from 90 degrees -- this can make the cannula go in slightly askew, which sets up the possibility of a kink. They couldn't see how refrigeration would help with this. On the other email forum too, there seems to be a difference of experience and opinion: many have been using 6mm sets for years with no difficulties. And one person indicated that with quicksets you can get a 'feel' for whether it's in right or not, and that this improves with time... Certainly with that set and E, it hurt him quite a bit when he stood up -- which is very unusual. He's also become quick and casual with it all, and was also trying to work around the side of his tummy more, so MAY not have had it completely flat?

*Seventh*: we now no longer use the cavilon OR tea tree, often. Somehow it's all worked out, almost like he's become used to it?! He and I both have the same 'allergic to the non-allergenic' plasters as Bev, and this was one of my unspoken fears about the pump -- that it would turn out to be a miserable experience. However this has not been the case. So I would try not to freak out Bev. Give it some time. In hospital he had an ECG -- and was violently allergic to the stickies, coming up in red welts! They were mega-surprised. I'm not though -- when I had my C-section with him, I had horrible blisters from the bandange. They didn't believe me, and were shocked when they took a look . HOWEVER, the tummy is no doubt quite sensitive, so maybe just try the aids (the spray and the wipes?) and keep going for a bit. As I say, we now often as not use nothing.

*Eighth*: Adrienne, I am so in admiration of your strength and resolve in all this. And it really couldn't get much more important. Thank you so much for doing this work, for persevering, and for looking after those who don't have access to looking after themselves. It is no doubt thankless and shattering at times...But they clearly need you to fight for them. So well done. I'm staggered and gutted for the families who don't have the care we do. Numbers in the 20's. Imagine how absolutely dreadful the kids feel, their quality of life. They must just think that this is how life feels, and how they will feel forever. It's an uphill battle, being that high, so exhausting and emotional. It's heartbreaking, just unforgivable.

*Ninth*: Mand, Bev and Adrienne, hope those hypos and highs are beginning to sort! Wearing. I feel for you! We have asked E to stay in touch today, feeling on tenterhooks. At school on a temp basal all day. Eek.

*Tenth*: Lou, you are killing me. A little later, we should start a 'funny pump' thread, like the 'test strips show up in the strangest places' one ages ago...

*Eleventh*: I am surrounded by work. Damn. Thanks for all your support!

xxoo


----------



## Adrienne

Patricia said:


> *Ninth*: Mand, Bev and Adrienne, hope those hypos and highs are beginning to sort! Wearing. I feel for you! We have asked E to stay in touch today, feeling on tenterhooks. At school on a temp basal all day. Eek.



Hiya

We are still having the odd hypo (maybe one a day) and have cut right back on the basals early morning but added to them in the evening.   Our fab DSN is brilliant and said this was classic 'going back to school'.   Every September they see it, they get loads of phone calls about too many hypos.    Figures I guess.


----------



## tracey w

huya everyone, been a bit higher today, to be expected i suppose.

have changed my basal for two hours around breakfast as this is where i spike, so will see what happens with that tomorrow.

Adrienne, glad j been having less hypos,


----------



## Patricia

Quiet on here yesterday...everyone okay?

Glad all well Tracey and glad your team helpful Adrienne -- thank goodness.

This end E's numbers have continued to be on the high end, but overnight it looks like he started to even out at between 3am and 7am. He has been on a temp basal constantly, from 120 to 140%...This morning we have lowered it to 110%, given night numbers. We'll see!

We are starting to approach school issues -- will keep you posted.

Oh yes, and don't know if I've said, but we have SOLVED (for the moment) one type of pasta dosing: pesto pasta or pasta with basically no sauce (bacon olive onion etc), we have got to 20/80 dual wave, 6 hours! Numbers have three times been fabulous with this. Prob is that it's only feasible at lunchtime because of the length of time that checks are necessary... Again, we shall see!

Tonight we are having rice. Gulp.

xxoo


----------



## Steff

good luck with the rice patricia , how is everyone ? x yes it was quiet in here i have subscribed to this thread and my emails usually choc a block with this but yesterday was not x


----------



## bev

Hi all,
Yes it has been a bit quiet....

Patricia, good news about the pasta success! We had a small breakthrough yesterday - i let A have a Macdonalds - gave 50% then 3% 2 hours later - then oddly - he didnt need the rest? He was 5mmols after 3 hours and should have had one unit - but i know if he had - he would have been very low - so didnt bother.His numbers remained under 8 - so pleased with that.

Feeling a bit sad today. Yesterday A was very angry and upset (he had been shouted at for a minor thing) - but the way he reacted to this was awful. He became very upset and almost uncontrollable - very upsetting and not really like him - he is ALWAYS happy and positive - so a bit of a shock. I am thinking it is a delayed response to his diagnosis - not sure? Or maybe starting at secondary school and the pump and its all got on top of him. I felt like a tyrant who has made her sons life hell - honestly - that is how upset he was - my daughter had to come in the room and help calm him down. I never want to see him like that again. When he was calm he threw himself on my knee and sobbed for an hour. He couldnt stop hugging me and saying how sorry he was and how much he loved me and that i was the best mum in the world. I think he shocked himself as he was behaving so out of character. I couldnt sleep all night for worrying about it all. Its just heartbreaking....

Today he has CATS tests - so i dont know how he will be, although he seemed quite calm and happy this morning. He gave his sister a longer than usual hug and said he was sorry about last night. Has anyone else had this sort of thing from their child? Or have any adults any memories of feeling like this? Of course it may not be diabetes related at all - it could be hormones....

On another note - as he had been suffering so may hypo's last week - i have decided to run him a little higher just in case he starts to lose hypo awareness - but not sure if i am running too high or not? I have let him wake on 9 and go to bed on 9 - what does anyone think to this?

Also he is having a day out with school tomorrow. Its a full-on activity day with obstacle course etc... So am thinking 40% for the whole day -any thoughts? I haven done many temp basals yet - so not confident about the %'s!

Also, i stupidly decided it was a good idea to decorate the lounge - i just heard the phone ring in the other room - so put paintbrush down and hopped it to the other room ( large house) - just got to phone and missed it - did 1471 - school!!!!!! Then heard mobile going off ( mobile in lounge so ran back) - panicking!!!!!!! Managed to pick mobile up before they rang off - it was the firstaider telling me not to worry about A and his CATS tests - the examiner had put him at the back of the hall and let him have his bag and also timed the second part of the exam to coincide with his 2 hour check! Also one of the invidulators(sp?) knew him from his primary school and was keeping an eye on him for me. Phew!!!! I wont tell you the things that had gone through my head in those minutes between each phone call!!!

I think we all need a night at the cinema - any good films on?Bev

Hope everyone is alright and Tracey - your numbers are brilliant - you must be so pleased!

Patricia, I blame you for me decorating - you have triggered the creativeness in me! lol.Thanks. Bev x


----------



## randomange

bev said:


> Feeling a bit sad today. Yesterday A was very angry and upset (he had been shouted at for a minor thing) - but the way he reacted to this was awful. He became very upset and almost uncontrollable - very upsetting and not really like him - he is ALWAYS happy and positive - so a bit of a shock. I am thinking it is a delayed response to his diagnosis - not sure? Or maybe starting at secondary school and the pump and its all got on top of him. I felt like a tyrant who has made her sons life hell - honestly - that is how upset he was - my daughter had to come in the room and help calm him down. I never want to see him like that again. When he was calm he threw himself on my knee and sobbed for an hour. He couldnt stop hugging me and saying how sorry he was and how much he loved me and that i was the best mum in the world. I think he shocked himself as he was behaving so out of character. I couldnt sleep all night for worrying about it all. Its just heartbreaking....
> 
> Today he has CATS tests - so i dont know how he will be, although he seemed quite calm and happy this morning. He gave his sister a longer than usual hug and said he was sorry about last night. Has anyone else had this sort of thing from their child? Or have any adults any memories of feeling like this? Of course it may not be diabetes related at all - it could be hormones....



Bev, you are an awesome mum *hugs* I definitely remember things like this when I was younger, sometimes related to diabetes and sometimes not. I remember one time my mum gave me into trouble for eating some sweets, and I threw the world's biggest tantrum.  There was no particular reason for it, just one of those times when everything gets on top of you and a little thing sets you off. I was a good natured child, but I do remember having fights about stupid things with my mum during that age, and it didn't have any effect on our relationship, and I still think she's fantastic. 

A has a lot going on at the moment, and he's getting to that age where hormones are starting to kick in, and I think it's natural that there will be times when things like this will happen. It won't make it any easier or nicer, but I think it's normal! 

Also, the school sound like they're right on the ball! What an excellent place.


----------



## Mand

Patricia - good luck with the rice! Hope the school issue sorting goes well. 

Bev - Bless him! It could be hormones or just things on top of him or he could just be tired - I know my two are tired now they having to get up early again. There body clocks had changed quite a bit during the hols. I guess perhaps he needed to vent some emotion. Hope he feels ok today. 
I can imagine how your mind was working between phones ringing! It is always so natural to think the worst so i am glad it was all ok.

Tracey - Hope it all going well still.

I have not been posting so much recently, partly because i have been doing overtime at work so not at home so much and also because we plodding along ok at moment so not a lot to report. My son was feeling a bit upset the other day about having to keep testing his blood at school so i h
gave him a bit of space for a day or two and he has cheered up. I think sometimes they just need a bit of space to get their heads round things. 

Do you bolus before or after eating generally? We have started bolusing before as much as possible. 

Adrienne - i think his blood sugars might be better since bolusing before eating. If we not sure how much he going to eat, do you think it a good idea to bolus before eating (but deliberately under bolus) then bolus the balance after eating when we know how much he really needs?

Hi Steff. Hope you keeping well. 

Hugs to all 

Mand


----------



## lesley1978

Hi All,  

haven't been on the site for a few weeks so thought I would catch up with how the pumpers were getting on.  Wow, so much to read through!!!!  I got to the end anyway!  Sorry to hear about all the lows and then the highs!!!!  Diabetes really stinks!  

Don't know whether you remember but I had just started going through the consultation for a pump and my consultant agreed to it at the beginning of August.  Wierdly enough, my sugars weren't too bad after that (do you think the evil db heard what the consultant said????)  Anyway, nothing much happened between then and now apart from me getting an appointment to see the dietician which I am seeing tomorrow.  Anyway, I have received a letter from the hospital for an appointment to go and see the pump nurse at the pump clinic to have a "chat".  I am excited but worried that I might have to put my case forward again (even though the consultant said I WILL get a pump).  My appointment is a week on Tuesday so I suppose I'll have to wait and see.  

Tracey W, can you shed any light on what happens now as I see that you are also from Warrington so I presume that your pump nurse was Angela?  (that is who my appointment is with).

Sorry to go on for sooo long but after trying not to think about it for a while it has suddenly landed with a big bang!

Lesley x


----------



## Steff

good luck lesley with appointment to see dieticians tomorrow and also fingers crossed for the pump, nice to see you back btw xx


----------



## lesley1978

thanks for the welcome back.  I am certainly going to make more of an effort to get on here more often!


----------



## Steff

lesley1978 said:


> thanks for the welcome back.  I am certainly going to make more of an effort to get on here more often!



lovely piccie lesley


----------



## lesley1978

steff09 said:


> lovely piccie lesley



Why thank you steph.  I am currently in the process of losing a bit of weight though, getting married next august!  Wondering how my pump will get on underneath my wedding dress!


----------



## Steff

lesley1978 said:


> Why thank you steph.  I am currently in the process of losing a bit of weight though, getting married next august!  Wondering how my pump will get on underneath my wedding dress!



aww well i know from what i read they can be some nice discreet ones , thats wonderful news on the wedding congrats x and good look with losing weight


----------



## Northerner

lesley1978 said:


> thanks for the welcome back.  I am certainly going to make more of an effort to get on here more often!



Lesley! Great to hear from you again, hope the 'pumpers' can help you out and that all goes well!


----------



## tracey w

lesley1978 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> haven't been on the site for a few weeks so thought I would catch up with how the pumpers were getting on.  Wow, so much to read through!!!!  I got to the end anyway!  Sorry to hear about all the lows and then the highs!!!!  Diabetes really stinks!
> 
> Don't know whether you remember but I had just started going through the consultation for a pump and my consultant agreed to it at the beginning of August.  Wierdly enough, my sugars weren't too bad after that (do you think the evil db heard what the consultant said????)  Anyway, nothing much happened between then and now apart from me getting an appointment to see the dietician which I am seeing tomorrow.  Anyway, I have received a letter from the hospital for an appointment to go and see the pump nurse at the pump clinic to have a "chat".  I am excited but worried that I might have to put my case forward again (even though the consultant said I WILL get a pump).  My appointment is a week on Tuesday so I suppose I'll have to wait and see.
> 
> Tracey W, can you shed any light on what happens now as I see that you are also from Warrington so I presume that your pump nurse was Angela?  (that is who my appointment is with).
> 
> Sorry to go on for sooo long but after trying not to think about it for a while it has suddenly landed with a big bang!
> 
> Lesley x



hi Lesley, good to see you back. i have sent you a pm


----------



## lesley1978

thanks trace, I have pm'd you back but I didn't put on my pm that i wanted you tell me any predicaments which you may have had!  its sooooo wrong!  if we all lived in america then we would all be on them and at the end of the day, we all pay enough nhs contributions from our wages so why should we be denied what we deserve to have a normal life?????  It so gets me wound up!


----------



## tracey w

lesley1978 said:


> thanks trace, I have pm'd you back but I didn't put on my pm that i wanted you tell me any predicaments which you may have had!  its sooooo wrong!  if we all lived in america then we would all be on them and at the end of the day, we all pay enough nhs contributions from our wages so why should we be denied what we deserve to have a normal life?????  It so gets me wound up!



yep i agree, unfortunately it doesnt work like that,


----------



## lesley1978

arrrrggggghhhhhh it gets me so annoyed!!!  why should we have to justify ourselves???  I am so scared that my "chat" will result in a big fat "NO"!


----------



## Sugarbum

Hi all,

I just read a few pages, so I am sorry if I miss anything or anyone out!

Oh Bev, I am so sorry to hear about this episode with A. You too sound very upset about it. I dont know anything about teenagers (apart from having being one several moons ago) but I have to say I didnt deal with my diagnosis for about a year and a half, when it all went wrong for me. I 'thought' I had already dealt with it, but I was just functioning and being practical- in a sense I was doing what needed to be done and just getting by. Maybe A does have a delayed reaction to it all? Perhaps exam stress is just manifesting? I find it very hard to concentrate since diabetes....or perhaps he is just being a teenager. And of course, sometimes we all just need a bloody good cry. I really hope you are all ok.

Lesley, I dont think we have met or chatted before so I shall say hi! Would like to know how you got on and interested to hear about news on the pump front. I recently went to a wedding, posh frock and all that jazz so I might PM you about my efforts to scafold that pump in rather that scare the hell out of anyone about what I did! but dont worry, you can wear it discreetly!

So, we havent talked pasta for a few pages people, let us recap!  
I felt a bit crap today as I hypo'd this morning post a massive technical drama. To break it down, I went to the gym yesterday evening, trained hard for one hour and then ate late.  I murdered the pasta at 9pm and dual waved. I took 6.6 units initally (cant remember the percentage) and then square waved 10 units over 5 hours. Then my pump started alarming as that changed the estimate time of my syringe finishing from 12 hours (change when I wake up) to 5 hours (2am). Could I change that dual wave once I had set it? I couldnt do it so I had to go SUSPEND. Then I did a set change and reservoir  I would never have meant to do this BEFORE bed and then re-programmed a square wave, my maths was shots to bits by this point....because I had decided to go over 5 hours that late I didnt check my BM and woke up at 6am in hypo at 2.4mmols. I even know I was out of it because instead of opening the fridge to get my lucozade, I remember tapping my pump on the fridge door for a while trying to get in before I realised what I was doing.  Stupid, It was my own fault. I was experimenting and gave myself way too much insulin at a stupid time of day that I wasnt willing to check my BM afterwards. What a plonker.

So I have spent the day feeling abit 'hungover' in that way after a bad hypo that you dont really fully recover. My "challenging" client group today picked today to excel in their capabilities, and to be quite frank this Coldplay concert on Absolute Radio is really starting to depress me! Moving swiftly on!!!

How did the rice work out for you Patricia? There are obviously things brewling with E being back at school and I hope everything is ok. 

My second lot of Medtronic supplies have arrived. Thats nearly three months I have been pumping  I am none the wiser to the 8 bags of air they have sent in both boxes. Are they trying to make the box lighter? 

Ho-hum, sorry that was a long one- but I feel better for it, thank you! xXx


----------



## bev

Hi Lou,

A is only 11 - so not a teenager yet thank heavens!

Although you made me laugh about knocking on the fridge door - its dangerous! You silly moo! Dont ever do a set change before bed unless your prepared to check every hour!

A was a lot happier tonight and is looking forward to his day out tomorrow.

Bev x


----------



## Patricia

You do *absolutely kill me* Lou. Cripes. Are they trying to make the box lighter?! Nothing to do but put your head down and laugh...

But Bev. I'm so sorry about last night. It's gut-wrenching, horrible and makes you rage against the world. It may not have had anything to do with anything specific, or anything he could name...but it sounds like it all just got to be too much. Just too much. A is so happy, so calm and accepting, from what you say...that I imagine sometimes it all collapses. The only thing I can add is that certainly a month or two after starting pumping, we all kind of relaxed, and then things got worse in our heads for a bit, esp E, who felt he had nothing in the future. He was grumpy and more upset with the big D than he'd ever been. What has helped us is good HbA1c. When is A's next one? ... Just to say too that you are being a good mum just by being there. He will always remember that you were there for him in every situation, even when he didn't know what was wrong. 

Mand, I think your idea of space is very wise, VERY wise. My other half is good at sensing this with E. I am bad at it, often fussing far too much. Sometimes people just need space. You good mum you!

Lesley, I don't think we've met either -- hello! I'm interested to hear your pumping thoughts -- and don't get me started on fair/unfair. We had an easy ride compared to practically everyone on here...but I know that the tension around the whole issue is ridiculous. Just look at other countries! You want to scream...

Lou, I'm sorry about your messy hypo. What a flipping drag. I'm glad (of course) that it worked out okay, but sorry you had to feel bad. And hell, sorry you had to do it at all! This is what I dread with E, this responsibility. At least now we can always take it off him, and remember to test, and get up, etc...Ergh. Sorry.

Tracey, I want to know how your adjustments went? Are you still feeling positive? Are you in touch with a DSN for advice? This does seem crucial...

Here numbers were back down today -- as predicted! Clearly something weird was up with E from the weekend, and today every number was in range with a 110% basal. So tonight he is off the temp. We have *tried* rice at 50/50 over 3 hours. Last time we did rice we did 30/70 over 3 hours, and he hypo-ed at 5 1/2 hours. I've just checked at 2 hours, and he's 7 something. Fingers crossed. That seems  *little* low for mid-dual wave...We'll then get up at 3am and see if he's risen.

Adrienne, I hope J is a bit more stable for you? Becca, how are you?

Over and out, all. Bev, I'm thinking about you in particular tonight. Our precious boys.


----------



## Adrienne

Hi guys

Sorry I didn't message you last night Bev, early mornings, late nights and the flippin builders in so I'm knackered.   Sorry Alex was feeling so awful.  This is one this we will never be able to understand as mums without D.  How the hell they feel.   The others on here can tell us till they are blue in the face but we will never get that feeling, we feel something entirely different which is also hard to explain.    He'll be ok, its not even a year.   Not sure whether you noticed but others do something on diagnosis day every year.  Some say its a celebration and others just mark the occasion by going out somewhere for a meal or something.    Do you think Alex would like to do something like that?   

I asked Jessica once but of course her diagnosis day was the day she was born so she decided to celebrate pumping day each year which is 14 December, it will be year 3 this December.

I hope you are ok Bev.   Sorry I couldn't take your call the other day, where was I, can't remember now, oh yes I was in a maths lesson I think at school.  How lovely for me, NOT !!  Hope you got it all sorted.   Remember though, anytime and if I can help and speak I will.

Jessica is ok now ish.   We have cut right down on morning basals and increased evening basals, she was just hypo but has been playing after school with a friend.

Anyway I'm knackered and off to bed.   Night x


----------



## Adrienne

Damn forgot to say we did pasta tonight.   We did 80/20 over 3 1/2 hours.    She has just gone a bit low so maybe 3 hours would be better but it worked.  I'm going to try that for a while now.


----------



## bev

Thanks all for your kind words - i really means a lot because you can all relate to how things are with diabetes.

Adrienne, I had never thought that J had not ever had a diagnosis day - but of course it was the day she was born....I am in two minds about what to 'do' on Alex's diagnosis day - not sure whether to mention it to him in case it upsets him even more - i may just be guided by him -thats if he remembers!

Also, just to say i dont really comment on J's highs or lows - not because i dont care - just simply because you already know everything and i feel i have no wise words to add! But i do feel sorry for her having all those hypo's and then the crazy highs.......have you got to the bottom of it yet? Is it simply being back at school do you think?

I had rung you the last week because our 'nice' consultant wanted to know exactly what sort of support other hospitals offer to their pumpers - I had complained to him that i felt abandoned (he had been on holiday when we started pumping) - so he invited me to send an email detailing what sort of help i would have liked and what sort of help all the people on the 'list' get when they first start pumping. I sent him the email and he was really grateful - so were the DSN's - they told me they are going to show it to the PCT to help get more funding for more staff - and they told me that they do realise that they are not giving the amount of support they would like to give and they feel really bad about it! They want me to keep them updated with what other teams offer as they want to improve their service - so i am happy with this - even though i was a little worried that i would be labelled as troublesome - but they have all re-assured me that they value my input as they need to see it 'from the other side' as it were.

A has gone on an adventure day today - so set a 45% temp basal for the whole day - its a very active type day - not sure if this is right - we will see later on!Bev


----------



## tracey w

morning all, Lou you crack me up, hypos not funny i know, but you are girl! 

well first cannula change went smoothly, its the set change im morenervous about but sure i have nothing to worry about.

Yes numbers getting higher, 16.9 at 1 am crickey, so corrected and was 12.9 at 3 am and 11.8 at 9am.

dsn away until wed but she called me last night to check on me and reassured me im doing good and is a slow process of investigation and changing basals slowy, so will have to keep correcting for now, have changed a morning basal but still high, she said to leave for 3 days before changing it a gain. Oh and she gave me her mobile if i need it, not had that kind of attention before 

sorry to hear about A bev, and the other traumas that seem to be going on, again i dont comment as i dont have children and you are all great mums and doing the right things all the time.. Only thing in common to me is the diabetes and yes it can just hit you when you dont expect and make you a little teary, angry etc. I know your kids are so very lucky to have you all as parents and your support is wonderful. have a good day all


----------



## Patricia

Hi all

Quick touching base...Tracey, very glad to hear from you -- and glad you have so much support. This is just vital, I think; otherwise it's all a bit much! Personally though I don't think it's worth waiting three days between adjustments -- I think this is a leftover from long-acting insulin days. With both seriously out of range highs and scraping the barrel/mild lows, we adjusted daily to avoid them the next day, on the advice of our dsn/daily contact...With the more medium numbers -- 9s & 10s say, we will even now often wait two or even three days to see how it pans out. I don't know what others think, and how you feel about tweaking without knowledge of your dsn...Lou, you're a bit of a rebel, what did you do?! 

Congrats though Tracey on successful cannula change -- yay! It gets easier.

Bev, I'm glad A feeling better. It's so hard. I hope the day goes well for him, and that the temp was at least in the right ballpark! I know the feeling...

This end I'm pleased to report that rice was *surprisingly* okay last night! He was *not* high in the night nor this morning. WHAT? However, he was a little low at two points: 4.7 at beginning of meal; 7.4 or something 2 hours in. Then he went to sleep so we couldn't test right at the end of the dual wave, waited, then at 4 hours he was a little low, 4.8. Woke for juice and a tiny biscuit (only about 8g carb total). Then got up two hours later and he was 5.4. Gave a little more juice (like, 5g) and he was 5.2 this morning.

Last night we did 50/50 over 3 hours. We will try next 60/40 over 3 hours (to lower the dual wave insulin going in), because that's a manageable time frame for us to do the testing, and hope for the best. I fear he may hypo at 2 hours with a 60% up front bolus, but maybe not. Last night he started quite low anyway, so it could be that on a more typical starting number like 6, a 60% up front will be fine. Anyway the good news is he didn't wake on 14, which he has always traditionally done.

Dare I say it: we feel we are beginning to actually *undersand* dual wave, eg what to change to a different hoped for effect! Not that it works all the time, but suddenly the principles of it are becoming clear...

Okay. Phew.

Oh Mand: forgot to say that yes we almost always bolus before a meal, and if he's high and we catch it a few mins before eating, we punch in the whole lot with correction so that he might have a chance to be lower when the food goes in.

Very occasionally he'll say he's not very hungry and we'll see how much he eats before bolusing. And rarely he's not really enjoying the meal, and we'll let him leave it and 'top up' with a biscuit or some juice or something...

Obviously in a buffet or party situation, it's completely different. That's difficult!

xxoo


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Thanks all for your kind words - i really means a lot because you can all relate to how things are with diabetes.
> 
> Adrienne, I had never thought that J had not ever had a diagnosis day - but of course it was the day she was born....I am in two minds about what to 'do' on Alex's diagnosis day - not sure whether to mention it to him in case it upsets him even more - i may just be guided by him -thats if he remembers!
> 
> Also, just to say i dont really comment on J's highs or lows - not because i dont care - just simply because you already know everything and i feel i have no wise words to add! But i do feel sorry for her having all those hypo's and then the crazy highs.......have you got to the bottom of it yet? Is it simply being back at school do you think?
> 
> I had rung you the last week because our 'nice' consultant wanted to know exactly what sort of support other hospitals offer to their pumpers - I had complained to him that i felt abandoned (he had been on holiday when we started pumping) - so he invited me to send an email detailing what sort of help i would have liked and what sort of help all the people on the 'list' get when they first start pumping. I sent him the email and he was really grateful - so were the DSN's - they told me they are going to show it to the PCT to help get more funding for more staff - and they told me that they do realise that they are not giving the amount of support they would like to give and they feel really bad about it! They want me to keep them updated with what other teams offer as they want to improve their service - so i am happy with this - even though i was a little worried that i would be labelled as troublesome - but they have all re-assured me that they value my input as they need to see it 'from the other side' as it were.
> 
> A has gone on an adventure day today - so set a 45% temp basal for the whole day - its a very active type day - not sure if this is right - we will see later on!Bev




Ha see Bev.  Told you not to doubt yourself ever.   You are a powerful person.  I love that word.   Someone told me I was powerful the other week and when I thought about it, yes I am.   I have helped to move things and am doing it where I live now.    You are as well.   Your whole team are not learning from you and want to learn from you.   What an honour.   They have 20 odd on pumps but it seems no-one has spoken out until you !!!!  Well done.

I hope A has a lovely day today.

Jessica has been chosen to do a presentation today to the class.   She has chosen.......wait for it........diabetes !!!  She has taken Rufus bear, Ruby bear, Pumpernickel the pumping monkey, books, a clay pump, her real condition's leaflet etc etc.   She has 45 minutes to talk.   She has taken 4 different make of finger testing kit and was looking forward to it.   She will be just finishing it now.   I'm very proud of her.   But you know what, like mother like daughter.  I love standing up and talking to a room full of people and educating them about diabetes.    That's my girl


----------



## Patricia

Hey Bev and Adrienne

I'm proud of you and your children on your behalf! This is good, good news -- that you Bev are using your experience, and Adrienne, that your daughter has inherited your power. 

I ended up in a conversation with the mum of a friend of my daughter's (sorry) in M & S last week...And it was a sort of upsetting conversation, I was tearful, etc...(I think I wrote about it here). But what she said at one point really stuck with me. I was saying, 'you know, we as a family didn't need to learn a lesson about appreciating what we've got! We know what we've got. I am thankful every day and always have been, so I don't hold with this you grow stronger from meeting challenges thing...We didn't need to. I'm strong enough.' ANYWAY, she said, 'well, maybe this has happened not in order to learn something, but in order to teach it. Maybe you are supposed to do something with all this in the world.'

I was floored. I barely know her, and I'm not a big believer in pre-destination -- but I think she's right. I'm sure she's right. And have felt quite empowered ever since the conversation...


----------



## Sugarbum

Quick start writing Patricia! 

I think the essence of what this lady said to you you may have already have known this. I feel this sentiment- I think someone needed to say it directly to you to realise. You already do help people by writing about your experiences the way you do, but also when you have previously spoken about getting something down on paper I dont think you realise that not only do we enjoy what you write, you capture us completely, like in your thread (I dont know why Im telling you this, you're a writer- of course you do!)....


----------



## Patricia

I feel all touched, Lou -- thank you. Sniff. It's one thing to know how other people's work affects you, but another thing entirely to know how your work affects others. Usually I write with the feeling I'm just putting my two pence in, and hey it's important to me, and if someone is affected, that's a plus...But with writing about diabetes, it's a bit different. I've done a lot of it recently, and am thinking of lots of ways to use it -- out in the world. It's no longer that I think it would be kinda nice for people to be affected -- _People need to be affected._. Both as a way of connecting and exchanging support/solace, and as a way of gaining understanding about something which is so little understood.

Sigh. I did need to hear it Lou, and probably as you say from someone who is not directly involved. I know in my heart this is what I am doing for the next few years at least.

***

Tiny update: good numbers yesterday across the board. 

My husband and I went out together to a dinner party for only the SECOND time since diagnosis 10 months ago!  

All was well. E was 10.1 at bedtime, and corrected. We tested him 1.5 hours later and he was only down to 9mmol, so we thought a *tiny* fudge and went to sleep...At 7am tested him, and he was 4mmol. Oops. Not dreadful, just a bit of a drop really, unexpected. Suspect the correction continued to work a bit...bringing him down to perhaps 6, and then maybe his basal's slightly off...? Will put the numbers into the computer, but then again his levels have not been wildly stable since the weekend so I guess we'll have to wing it and wait for a pattern to emerge...

Looks like another 3am test tonight! Oh well, one night's respite was good.

How is everyone else? A's day?

Tracey, you hanging in there?

xxoo


----------



## Mand

Gosh Patricia. What an interesting conversation with your friend! But i think she has a point and i am delighted that your writing could be of help and support to others. How nice that you went out with hubby! It is so important to do stuff like this. 

Hope you are getting on well still, Tracey and hope that Lou, Bev, Becca and Adrienne and all you other pumpers and pumper moms are doing ok. 

I am going to study my sons readings this weekend and see what i can tweak for school next week. He seems to be still too high after breakfast, despite changing to 1:6 for breakfast! Will try 1:5 now. Also seems too high before lunch so might need to tweak this basal. Other numbers generally good though. 

As he has been going to bed on good numbers and waking on good numbers generally, i have not been night testing but i think i will do so next week to check he not going up and then back down.

I have had 4 weeks rest from night testing which  has been bliss but i need to do it again but only to check. If all ok then i shall stop again. Fingers crossed for good readings!!

Hope you all have a good weekend.


----------



## bev

Hi all,

A had a great day yesterday - his levels ranged between 6 and 11mmols. NOT ONE HYPO!!!!!!!!Really pleased with this - i had only guessed at 45% temp basal - so its good to know i am getting a 'feeling' for it now!

(read my thread called 'made me sad' - awful....

Patricia, even before we 'officially' knew that you were a writer - i suspected you must do something with words! Everything you write keeps me enthralled - which is amazing in itself as i very rarely finish a book as i get bored so easily - so to keep me interested takes a lot!(although strangely i have nearly read every page of the Ragnar Hannas book!) Like Lou said, you probably were thinking along this way even efore this lady said it out loud - but its great that she did as it probably helped to clarify it for you....

Adrienne,
I take my hat off to you and J - i could NEVER speak in front of lots of people! Thankyou for telling me i am powerful - its a lovely thing to say and it did make me feel a bit proud of myself! I told A what you had said and he said 'well you are mum - and you should be proud of yourself'! Then he said ' mum i think Adrienne knows more than the DSN's - so why isnt she one'? - so Adrienne how about it? I know we would choose you if you were!
How did J's talk go at school? She sounds very confident - this is great for a 9 year old.

Lou, Mand, Tracey and everyone else - i hope your levels are good and your having a nice day - its really sunny here.....Bev x


----------



## Adrienne

Mand said:


> Gosh Patricia. What an interesting conversation with your friend! But i think she has a point and i am delighted that your writing could be of help and support to others. How nice that you went out with hubby! It is so important to do stuff like this.
> 
> Hope you are getting on well still, Tracey and hope that Lou, Bev, Becca and Adrienne and all you other pumpers and pumper moms are doing ok.
> 
> I am going to study my sons readings this weekend and see what i can tweak for school next week. He seems to be still too high after breakfast, despite changing to 1:6 for breakfast! Will try 1:5 now. Also seems too high before lunch so might need to tweak this basal. Other numbers generally good though.
> 
> As he has been going to bed on good numbers and waking on good numbers generally, i have not been night testing but i think i will do so next week to check he not going up and then back down.
> 
> I have had 4 weeks rest from night testing which  has been bliss but i need to do it again but only to check. If all ok then i shall stop again. Fingers crossed for good readings!!
> 
> Hope you all have a good weekend.



Mand

Don't forget, it might not be the ratios, could be the basals which could deal with the post breakie spike ! x


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Hi all,
> 
> A had a great day yesterday - his levels ranged between 6 and 11mmols. NOT ONE HYPO!!!!!!!!Really pleased with this - i had only guessed at 45% temp basal - so its good to know i am getting a 'feeling' for it now!
> 
> (read my thread called 'made me sad' - awful....
> 
> Patricia, even before we 'officially' knew that you were a writer - i suspected you must do something with words! Everything you write keeps me enthralled - which is amazing in itself as i very rarely finish a book as i get bored so easily - so to keep me interested takes a lot!(although strangely i have nearly read every page of the Ragnar Hannas book!) Like Lou said, you probably were thinking along this way even efore this lady said it out loud - but its great that she did as it probably helped to clarify it for you....
> 
> Adrienne,
> I take my hat off to you and J - i could NEVER speak in front of lots of people! Thankyou for telling me i am powerful - its a lovely thing to say and it did make me feel a bit proud of myself! I told A what you had said and he said 'well you are mum - and you should be proud of yourself'! Then he said ' mum i think Adrienne knows more than the DSN's - so why isnt she one'? - so Adrienne how about it? I know we would choose you if you were!
> How did J's talk go at school? She sounds very confident - this is great for a 9 year old.
> 
> Lou, Mand, Tracey and everyone else - i hope your levels are good and your having a nice day - its really sunny here.....Bev x



Hiya 
Thank you very much A but please tell him I have friends who know so much more than me.   I could never be a nurse.  I would have to do 3 odd years training and then only be a DSN if there was a job available so not on the cards.   I would love to do something like that though and there are talks about me doing something but can't say anymore than that for the moment !!

I'm so pleased that levels were better for A.  x


----------



## Sugarbum

Adrienne said:


> Hiya
> Thank you very much A but please tell him I have friends who know so much more than me.   I could never be a nurse.  I would have to do 3 odd years training and then only be a DSN if there was a job available so not on the cards.   I would love to do something like that though and there are talks about me doing something but can't say anymore than that for the moment !!
> 
> I'm so pleased that levels were better for A.  x



Now stop woman, dont torment me!!!
You would be a fantastic DSN! You could always do an accelerated nursing course which is now only 2 years and bobs your uncle. OR YOU COULD STOP TEASING US AND SPILL WHAT YOU'VE GOT LINED UP!!! V. exciting!

Not much to report from me on the pump front this weekend as I seem to be stuck somewhere between D.I.Y and hell.....oh, and a new basal rate but that wont matter as I have just eaten a monumental dose of pasta and chocolate pudding over X Factor with the girls...and the plonk- you know how it is  
xXx


----------



## Patricia

Morning Monday all

Lou, we too were glued to X factor -- some good people this year, methinks! 

Bev, so glad numbers are looking/feeling better. A relief for you I know.

Adrienne, I'm with Lou on this, but understand that sometimes things have to stay quiet for a while! Anyway I hope it's good for you and what you want, and what you are good at. That would be great.

Mand, hope this week is a stable one for your son...

Tracey: how goes it?

Becca, haven't seen you in ages. And howdy everyone else too.

Greetings overwith, just popping in to say that all is well this end too. Had a couple of interesting things over the weekend: one, did rice again and this time a much bigger portion along with chili con carne. We changed it to 60/40 over 3 hours and it kind of didn't work! Hypo at 2 hours (up front bolus too much), and a late rise of some sort. Of course we'd had to treat the hypo, so that was 20g of juice floating around unaccounted for, so who knows the effect of that...Anyway have come to two conclusions: *FIRST*, that 50/50 is better, but to avoid a late night low of last time (started at 4.8mmol, went to 4.0 at 5 hours), will try a little free carb with meal if starting level is low. If starting level higher, will try the 50/50 3 hour without free carb and see what happens.

*SECOND*, we may need to limit the meal size in terms of carb. We exceeded his maximum insulin dose with this one, (not for the first time; we do think this needs changing), but it was over 100g cho only rice -- and this may just be the limit? I've heard others on this board say that a big whack of carb is just too much even though in theory if the dosing works for a smaller dose it should work for a larger one...Anyway we will try to limit next time, and see.

We also had a 'change the set just in case' scenario yesterday. Did set change at 5.30 ish. (First error: for some reason did not test before doing so!) Hour later was 11.6 or so, unusual. Corrected. Then time for bath. When got out (40 mins after correcting), was 12.5. Made him wait for dinner for a few minutes, and then was not going down (13 or so)...SO did a quick set change just to be sure. The set had hurt going in, and upon occasion afterward, unusual. We then overrode the pump's understanding of active insulin on board, and bolused dinner with a correction. An hour later he was the same as when he started, so we concluded that the insulin was working. In two hours he was at 9, and at 7 in 2.5 hours etc...

Who knows if there was some kind of malfunction? But when the set came out , it was a bit bloody, which has never happened. And it had hurt. So better safe than sorry, as it were. All sorts of other things may have interfered -- the set change itself, the bath, etc -- but we really didn't want a repeat of last week! So we waited at every stage to make sure the insulin was actually going in. 

*LESSON*: always test before a set change. We always do, except for this time (!). And we would have known from that if the first reading of 11.6 was actually out of kilter or not, particularly as he doesn't tend to rise from a set change...

Oh, and one more thing: does everyone else keep the old set in for at least an hour when you change? We were advised to do this for two reasons: one, so that it could be used again if something went wrong with the change; and two, to allow any tiny amount of extra insulin caught in the cannula to go in... I've often wondered if part of why E doesn't rise is because we always leave the set in...but then again, maybe everyone does this?!

Bye for now...


----------



## Becca

Hi Patricia and everyone 

Have been busy trying to set up my business venture and it's all looking very promising if not a bit scary!  eek!

We've been struggling with Rose at the moment, she's become quite ''stable'' at the moment and it's very odd, she's having days where she stays under 10!  That's not like Rose at all, so i think her little body is a bit confused as she feels low but isn't - in 6s or 5s.  We've had a few low hypos though and so have adjusted basals which have now made her 12mmol/L at 10am this morning (school phoned) so think i should have left the basal and just touched the bolus....we'll see.  Rose has had a period of about 3 weeks now of good levels and it's really odd, long may it last but i have a feeling we've had a good phase which is on it's way out.


----------



## randomange

Hello everyone, I hope you're all well!

I got an email from my DSN today to say that I have been put on the list for a pump!  I'm trying not to get too excited as I have no idea how long this list actually is or what happens next, but at least I've been approved by the consultants!

I'm sure I'll be reading my way back through this thread for all the great advice that's on it - I'll definitely need it!


----------



## bev

randomange said:


> Hello everyone, I hope you're all well!
> 
> I got an email from my DSN today to say that I have been put on the list for a pump!  I'm trying not to get too excited as I have no idea how long this list actually is or what happens next, but at least I've been approved by the consultants!
> 
> I'm sure I'll be reading my way back through this thread for all the great advice that's on it - I'll definitely need it!



WOOOOOOOPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am so pleased for you - if i can give you a tip - start keeping very thorough notes - it will help to work out the 'new' basals and ratios for the pump. Also, keep checking with them to find out if and when they have applied for funding and when you know that - ring the PCT yourself to check they have the paperwork - if i hadnt done this we would still be waiting now!

A has been running higher after evening meals (10 or 12)- so i thought i would increase his meal ratio. But, have done this tonight - changed ratio from 1;15 to 1;12 - big mistake - he has had 2 hypo's since eating! I wouldnt have thought it would have made such a big difference - but obviously it has - so will be re-thinking the basal instead i think.

No other news really - how is everyone else?Bev


----------



## katie

I have a friend who's on the pump but might swap back to MDI because his infusion set sites start to bleed after a day.  Anybody heard about this problem?  Just wondering if I can point him in the direction of some advice.


----------



## Mand

Hi Patricia, Bev, Becca,Adrienne, Lou, Tracey and everyone else.

So good to read all your updates! 

Good luck Randomange! Will keep fingers crossed for you. 

Well, my son was running high after breakfast so changed the ratio but now he hypo after breakfast so have put ratio back to what it was and increased the basal instead. Will see what tomorrow brings!

Good set change today! Patricia, i have never heard about leaving old one in for an hour. Interesting!

Not a lot to say at moment but thinking of you all. 

Mand x


----------



## Becca

Patricia said:


> Oh, and one more thing: does everyone else keep the old set in for at least an hour when you change? We were advised to do this for two reasons: one, so that it could be used again if something went wrong with the change; and two, to allow any tiny amount of extra insulin caught in the cannula to go in... I've often wondered if part of why E doesn't rise is because we always leave the set in...but then again, maybe everyone does this?!
> 
> Bye for now...



Hi Patricia

We do keep the old set in purely, like you say, because of the small amount of insulin that might be caught in the cannula that hasn't gone through yet.


----------



## Becca

LOL!  Sorry Mand cross posted with you!   As i mentioned to Patricia we still keep the old set in for an hour or more.

Katie - has your friend tried other sets?  Or different length cannulas?


----------



## bev

I keep A's in for an hour - it gives us a feeling of safety that if the new one fails - we can quickly revert to the old one until we see what the problem is. Then we test after an hour and he has always eaten so we know that the new set is working.

Adrienne, we got the sample of lift off spray that you mentioned - great stuff - no red skin or soreness like before - so thankyou!Bev


----------



## tracey w

randomange said:


> Hello everyone, I hope you're all well!
> 
> I got an email from my DSN today to say that I have been put on the list for a pump!  I'm trying not to get too excited as I have no idea how long this list actually is or what happens next, but at least I've been approved by the consultants!
> 
> I'm sure I'll be reading my way back through this thread for all the great advice that's on it - I'll definitely need it!



well done, thats great news


----------



## katie

Becca said:


> LOL!  Sorry Mand cross posted with you!   As i mentioned to Patricia we still keep the old set in for an hour or more.
> 
> Katie - has your friend tried other sets?  Or different length cannulas?



hi becca, he is going to try a different infusion set.  I will ask about cannula length, thanks


----------



## Sugarbum

How is everyone?! 

I am very tired and may not have taken everything in even though I read the page several times so apologies in advance again...(I think-if I remember- there is a thread running on diabetes and memory loss, perhaps I should pitch up there???)...

I'd love to say its all good but having a small strop. My numbers after a hiccup or two are pretty damn good for me now, sometimes my BM even makes me laugh its getting that much better. But I am annoyed as I went to the gym today after work, 6pm with BM of 7.7mmols. So I ate a 2 finger Kit Kat (no insulin, pump off etc). Got on the treadmill and did 4km and then a small cycle and could start to feel myself go....tested and was 4.1mmols. So I had to eat another 2 finger Kit Kat (15gm/107 cals) and stayed off my pump for another hour. I get annoyed as I had to leave my work-out early (I would've done more) and had to eat either side so virtually wipped out any effort made. Got home and cooked, 5.4mmols before meal. Ive been below 8mmols all day- this never would have been me on MDI so I really am grateful...just flamming pee'd off - girl here needs to shift some weight!

Randomange- great news! Keep us posted. I am really, really pleased for you, well done luv.

Mand, its a game of two halves isnt it?! Do you know I never really have got the tightest grip on wether its the ratio increment or the basal adjustment- just trial and error I guess. I hope you get it sorted out. How many patterns do you run? I am not on any, I seem to have plateau strangely. How are you feeling about it all a couple of months in? I cant seem to qualtify wether it has gone quickly or slowly for me, I wonder how you feel...

Adrienne, thanks for the intel (see how Ive picked up the prison lingo ) I am no longer tormented, just extremely pleased =)

Another small GGGGRRRRRRRR today was that a little while back I got myself on the email volunteer list for the JDRF (after Bev went to that great research talk that time) and it was lovely to hear from one of the ladies there today asking if I could help with the 'Walk for a cure' in Greenwich park in October. BLOODY WORK! I am so disapointed and there is no chance of a swap. I would have loved to have helped. There's nothing for it, my next boyfriend will just have to be a rich one so that I can give up work and do all the things I want to do =) dammit. 

Bev I like that spray too. I also have the blue one from the sample that you can spray on before you ping your watsit in, makes it stick on better (Im hoping that is what its meant for and its NOT spray glue ). Fantastic. I was told to leave my canula in till the next meal, but that one is filled as the same priority as changing my lancet, he he.

Can someone clarify for me that active insulin does not include your basal? This confused me at 13:00 today when I had nothing at all on board. Surely the basal was with me, no? 

Hope you are all well. Becca Im going to PM you for your intel now seeing as Adrienne broke under interigation!

Patricia hope you ok and behaving yourself woman 

Lou xx


----------



## tracey w

bev said:


> I keep A's in for an hour - it gives us a feeling of safety that if the new one fails - we can quickly revert to the old one until we see what the problem is. Then we test after an hour and he has always eaten so we know that the new set is working.
> 
> Adrienne, we got the sample of lift off spray that you mentioned - great stuff - no red skin or soreness like before - so thankyou!Bev



I think its a good idea to keep the old canula in until you are sure the new one is working, will do that from now on.

First set change this morning, very stressfull, silly really. Had drawn up insulin last night and left out of fridge as thought would be quicker as up at 6am for work. No bubbles etc. Put in reservoir and began to prime, big massive bubble, dont know where the hell from, so started panicking thinking not priming, tapping not going through , so take it all out and open new cartridge so that i could push out bubble for goodness sake, then primed again. Was worried that i had not done it right and waiting for alarm all morning to say occluded or whatever it would say, but didnt, phew.

then hour later felt low on way to work, pulled into services, 5mmol, never been that after breakfast, so had biscut and waited till bg up before driving, was late for work, stressfull morning or what.

Not sure what caused low? Either morning basal kicking in or stress? usually go up with stress though. will see what happens tomorrow morning before making any changes though. Rambling now, hope everyone ok?

Also, forgot to prime 1 unit, but as i went low, dont suppose it mattered this time, also put on temp basal for 3 hours as was working, was 7.8 after so bit confused now, aint easy is it?


----------



## Sugarbum

Hey Tracey!

Can I ask what you temp basaled to??

Dont stress hon, you are doing fabulous xx


----------



## tracey w

Lou, can i ask a question about excercise. I have been told not to do any yet while getting used to things, had it officially so not my fault 

anyways, when i spoke about excercise, dsn said never to switch off pump  now am confused as this would make sense to me, but she said you need to take on carbs every 15 mins instead?? but like you said, defeats purpose if your filling your face while excersising (why cant i spell that word?)

have you been told to take off pump or is this just whats good for you?


----------



## tracey w

Sugarbum said:


> Hey Tracey!
> 
> Can I ask what you temp basaled to??
> 
> Dont stress hon, you are doing fabulous xx



ah thank you, i put on temp of 50% for 3 hours as was panicking was going bit low.


----------



## bev

Hi Tracey,
It could be that for you - a set change makes you go low. It does for Becca's little girl (i think unless i am confused and its someone elses daughter) - but if it happens at your next set change - perhaps you could set a low temp basal for an hour or so?Also, its a good idea to eat straight after a set change as you will know if it is working or not.

Bubbles.........pain in the neck - its the one thing i hate about set changes. So today, i decided to put a little extra insulin into the reservoir (usually put 200 in) - so put approx 230 in and flicked like mad and then when all bubbles at the top - just used the plunger to push all the bubbles out and through the tubing - until i could see it was bubble free. Does that make sense?It is a little bit of a waste of insulin - but it makes the whole thing a lot quicker and less stressful.

Sounds like your doing great - so well done Tracey!

Lou, pity you cant help with JDRF - but maybe you can on another ocassion. Well done for volunteering!Bev


----------



## Sugarbum

My DSN  says I can do either. I take it off purely because I dont need it on. The exercise is my pump (holy **** Ive just quoted my DSN!). I dont need any insulin while I am running. 

The other thing of concern is vigorous shaking can apparently affect your insulin and I like to use the powerplate in the gym and I prefer not to take the chance. I also dont know my insurrance implications of breakage in the gym.

I temp basal to 0.025 and leave it in my locker. According to thou holy DSN you should still have small movment in tube to prevent it clogging rather than switch off.

Its nice to to exercise and not worry about damaging it, forget it is there-because it is the ONLY time it isnt!

I didnt gym for the first 2 weeks as DSN told me not to. I was always BADLY effected by insulin and lantus after gym in the night, my biggest problem. I know I am complaining today, but really you will find exercise so much easier on the pump. Im enjoying it so much now I exercise every alt day now, something I couldnt have coped with before.

Great to hear from you. Sorry you had a crap first set change.

x


----------



## tracey w

bev said:


> Hi Tracey,
> It could be that for you - a set change makes you go low. It does for Becca's little girl (i think unless i am confused and its someone elses daughter) - but if it happens at your next set change - perhaps you could set a low temp basal for an hour or so?Also, its a good idea to eat straight after a set change as you will know if it is working or not.
> 
> Bubbles.........pain in the neck - its the one thing i hate about set changes. So today, i decided to put a little extra insulin into the reservoir (usually put 200 in) - so put approx 230 in and flicked like mad and then when all bubbles at the top - just used the plunger to push all the bubbles out and through the tubing - until i could see it was bubble free. Does that make sense?It is a little bit of a waste of insulin - but it makes the whole thing a lot quicker and less stressful.
> 
> Sounds like your doing great - so well done Tracey!
> 
> Lou, pity you cant help with JDRF - but maybe you can on another ocassion. Well done for volunteering!Bev



thanks Bev, i will see what happens next time. Can i ask what happens if you get a bubble in tube, will the pump stop? Or will it pump the bubble through but obviously you dont get that amount of insulin?


----------



## Sugarbum

bev said:


> Hi Tracey,
> Bubbles.........pain in the neck - its the one thing i hate about set changes. So today, i decided to put a little extra insulin into the reservoir (usually put 200 in) - so put approx 230 in and flicked like mad and then when all bubbles at the top - just used the plunger to push all the bubbles out and through the tubing - until i could see it was bubble free. Does that make sense?It is a little bit of a waste of insulin - but it makes the whole thing a lot quicker and less stressful.
> 
> Sounds like your doing great - so well done Tracey!
> 
> Lou, pity you cant help with JDRF - but maybe you can on another ocassion. Well done for volunteering!Bev



Hey lady! How big is your reservoir Bev? I have the 1.8ml. Sounds like you have something different. I find the reservoirs abit flimsy, what do you think?? The plunger lets air in if it isnt even all the time....GRRRR! xx


----------



## tracey w

Sugarbum said:


> Hey lady! How big is your reservoir Bev? I have the 1.8ml. Sounds like you have something different. I find the reservoirs abit flimsy, what do you think?? The plunger lets air in if it isnt even all the time....GRRRR! xx



I have 3.15ml 

ok am bit worried as can see a bubble in the tube, am tired and want to go to sleep? will i have to sort this in the night do you think??

I DONT LIKE BUBBLES


----------



## bev

If you get a bubble in the tubing - you need to get it out - or you will miss that amount of insulin - if it is a big bubble - then it could be an hours worth of insulin! Just unplug the pump from canula and prime through the tubing until you can see the bubbles coming out the end. The pump wont tell you that you have missed any insulin - your levels will tell you! Sometimes though it can look like a bubble - but in fact its just a line on the tubing where you have lent against something. But if in doubt - get the bubbles out!Bev


----------



## tracey w

bev said:


> If you get a bubble in the tubing - you need to get it out - or you will miss that amount of insulin - if it is a big bubble - then it could be an hours worth of insulin! Just unplug the pump from canula and prime through the tubing until you can see the bubbles coming out the end. The pump wont tell you that you have missed any insulin - your levels will tell you! Sometimes though it can look like a bubble - but in fact its just a line on the tubing where you have lent against something. But if in doubt - get the bubbles out!Bev



thanks for clearing that up! It is only like two small bubbles, but at first i thought it was like you said, something in the tubing? Think i will prime just to be safe, only 30ml tube (how short are they, no likey)


----------



## bev

Sugarbum said:


> Hey lady! How big is your reservoir Bev? I have the 1.8ml. Sounds like you have something different. I find the reservoirs abit flimsy, what do you think?? The plunger lets air in if it isnt even all the time....GRRRR! xx



How very rude! I think its a 300ml reservoir - we got the bigger one as A will be growing through teenage years and his insulin needs will probably triple!
Yes the resevoirs are a bit flimsy. Before you start - do you move the plunger in and out a few times? I do and it seems to make it a smoother ride if you see what i mean! I do wish the resevoirs came ready filled - like the cartidges are - would take the stress out of it all!Bev


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> WOOOOOOOPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> I am so pleased for you - if i can give you a tip - start keeping very thorough notes - it will help to work out the 'new' basals and ratios for the pump. Also, keep checking with them to find out if and when they have applied for funding and when you know that - ring the PCT yourself to check they have the paperwork - if i hadnt done this we would still be waiting now!
> 
> A has been running higher after evening meals (10 or 12)- so i thought i would increase his meal ratio. But, have done this tonight - changed ratio from 1;15 to 1;12 - big mistake - he has had 2 hypo's since eating! I wouldnt have thought it would have made such a big difference - but obviously it has - so will be re-thinking the basal instead i think.
> 
> No other news really - how is everyone else?Bev



Hiya Bev

When you tweak ratios only do 1 or 2 maximum at a time.   I would have gone down to 1 : 13 firstly.   If I have ever done 3 or more then we too have had hypos.   It really does make a difference.


----------



## Adrienne

katie said:


> I have a friend who's on the pump but might swap back to MDI because his infusion set sites start to bleed after a day.  Anybody heard about this problem?  Just wondering if I can point him in the direction of some advice.



Possibly not inserting them at the right angle if not using the inserters.   Maybe he is hitting the wrong place.    I would suggest he tries different areas.   If he is using his tummy, then tell him to try his backside, his legs or even his arms if enough fat !   Probably bottom first, then legs and then arms.

Maybe the sets are the wrong size, ie the tube inside is too long.  Maybe he needs different sets.   Each pump has different types.

That is purely my opinion, no idea if it will work.


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> I keep A's in for an hour - it gives us a feeling of safety that if the new one fails - we can quickly revert to the old one until we see what the problem is. Then we test after an hour and he has always eaten so we know that the new set is working.
> 
> Adrienne, we got the sample of lift off spray that you mentioned - great stuff - no red skin or soreness like before - so thankyou!Bev



No problemo.

I never used to keep the sils in, I couldn't, I needed the space.  Jessica had a sensor on one bottom check and the canula on the other so there was not enough space.  Now she has the quicksets on her tummy, then yes we keep them in but not for an hour I have to say, sometimes 10 minutes, sometimes 30 minutes, depends if the new set has gone in ok and doesn't hurt but Becca is right, its all about the tiny bit of insulin that could be left in the tube.


----------



## bev

Adrienne said:


> Hiya Bev
> 
> When you tweak ratios only do 1 or 2 maximum at a time.   I would have gone down to 1 : 13 firstly.   If I have ever done 3 or more then we too have had hypos.   It really does make a difference.



Thanks Adrienne, that makes sense. I think i need to get out of MDI mode. If i changed anything on MDI - it was hard to notice much of a difference  - his levels were erratic anyway - so hard to notice minute changes. But i will try tomorrow with maybe a 1:14 instead of the 1:12. Too much of a jump your right.Bev


----------



## tracey w

OK have primed and the "bubbles" did not move, guess was just a mark after all.

but was a good thing as i had no idea that i could prime without a set change, i know sounds stupid, but its all learning at the moment. thanks Bev and Lou i have learnt a lot tonight. good night all xxxxxx


----------



## bev

tracey w said:


> OK have primed and the "bubbles" did not move, guess was just a mark after all.
> 
> but was a good thing as i had no idea that i could prime without a set change, i know sounds stupid, but its all learning at the moment. thanks Bev and Lou i have learnt a lot tonight. good night all xxxxxx




Your welcome! But i now have a question - when you re-attach are you supposed to 'fill canula' again? Or dont you need to? Confused myself now! Bit tired - waiting to do a check on A - could sleep on a washing line........Bev


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> I keep A's in for an hour - it gives us a feeling of safety that if the new one fails - we can quickly revert to the old one until we see what the problem is. Then we test after an hour and he has always eaten so we know that the new set is working.
> 
> Adrienne, we got the sample of lift off spray that you mentioned - great stuff - no red skin or soreness like before - so thankyou!Bev



No problemo.

I never used to keep the sils in, I couldn't, I needed the space.  Jessica had a sensor on one bottom check and the canula on the other so there was not enough space.  Now she has the quicksets on her tummy, then yes we keep them in but not for an hour I have to say, sometimes 10 minutes, sometimes 30 minutes, depends if the new set has gone in ok and doesn't hurt but Becca is right, its all about the tiny bit of insulin that could be left in the tube.


----------



## tracey w

bev said:


> Your welcome! But i now have a question - when you re-attach are you supposed to 'fill canula' again? Or dont you need to? Confused myself now! Bit tired - waiting to do a check on A - could sleep on a washing line........Bev



hmm dont know? wont there still be insulin in the cannula? or is there backflow or something, seem to recall, know what you mean am v tired too. Will have to ask about that, dsn away till wed, night. xx


----------



## Sugarbum

tracey w said:


> I have 3.15ml
> 
> ok am bit worried as can see a bubble in the tube, am tired and want to go to sleep? will i have to sort this in the night do you think??
> 
> I DONT LIKE BUBBLES



I think Northener should write us a poem on bubbles- I hate them too 

Tracey you gotta get those bubbles out!

Can I give you a tip (you'll prob think I am mad but hey, works for me!) check your line everytime you come online, run the tubbing line right up close to the laptop screen and those air bubbles are so much easier to see! I was taught to do it on a dark surface- couldnt see anything!

Is your line really 30mls? How long is it?

Bev, thats a large reservoir- impressive! A is too young for all those bad jokes that spring to mind!


----------



## Adrienne

Sugarbum said:


> I'd love to say its all good but having a small strop. My numbers after a hiccup or two are pretty damn good for me now, sometimes my BM even makes me laugh its getting that much better. But I am annoyed as I went to the gym today after work, 6pm with BM of 7.7mmols. So I ate a 2 finger Kit Kat (no insulin, pump off etc). Got on the treadmill and did 4km and then a small cycle and could start to feel myself go....tested and was 4.1mmols. So I had to eat another 2 finger Kit Kat (15gm/107 cals) and stayed off my pump for another hour. I get annoyed as I had to leave my work-out early (I would've done more) and had to eat either side so virtually wipped out any effort made. Got home and cooked, 5.4mmols before meal. Ive been below 8mmols all day- this never would have been me on MDI so I really am grateful...just flamming pee'd off - girl here needs to shift some weight!
> 
> Can someone clarify for me that active insulin does not include your basal? This confused me at 13:00 today when I had nothing at all on board. Surely the basal was with me, no?



Hiya

Sorry about the rubbish numbers at the gym.  Have you thought about having gulps of lucozade instead of the food.    On a pump you don't need the long acting like on MDI, you could make do with the quick acting and then put on a lower temp basal.

Some people, if they know they are going to do exercise put on the lower temp basal an hour or two before they actually go to the gym.   

You are right, the active insulin does not include the basal


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> First set change this morning, very stressfull, silly really. Had drawn up insulin last night and left out of fridge as thought would be quicker as up at 6am for work. No bubbles etc. Put in reservoir and began to prime, big massive bubble, dont know where the hell from, so started panicking thinking not priming, tapping not going through , so take it all out and open new cartridge so that i could push out bubble for goodness sake, then primed again. Was worried that i had not done it right and waiting for alarm all morning to say occluded or whatever it would say, but didnt, phew.
> 
> then hour later felt low on way to work, pulled into services, 5mmol, never been that after breakfast, so had biscut and waited till bg up before driving, was late for work, stressfull morning or what.
> 
> Not sure what caused low? Either morning basal kicking in or stress? usually go up with stress though. will see what happens tomorrow morning before making any changes though. Rambling now, hope everyone ok?
> 
> Also, forgot to prime 1 unit, but as i went low, dont suppose it mattered this time, also put on temp basal for 3 hours as was working, was 7.8 after so bit confused now, aint easy is it?



Hiya Tracey

Some people go low after a set change, some go high.   My daughter rockets up but Becca's daughter goes down.  You could be a down person, if you get my meaning 

You did great for a first set change.


----------



## Sugarbum

bev said:


> I do wish the resevoirs came ready filled - like the cartidges are - would take the stress out of it all!Bev



Two words for you love, "DRAGGONS DEN"!!!!!


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> thanks Bev, i will see what happens next time. Can i ask what happens if you get a bubble in tube, will the pump stop? Or will it pump the bubble through but obviously you dont get that amount of insulin?



No idea if anyone has answered this as I haven't read on 

You are right with the second bit.   The pump will push the bubble through so you will be getting air instead of insulin.

Just remember that while the bubble is at the top of the tube, near the pump or even halfway, you are still getting the correct amount of insulin.  It is only when the bubble is at the body end you have a problem.  If I see a bubble in Jessica's tube and its up the top, I know that I have another few units before I need to unplug her and prime it through.


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> hmm dont know? wont there still be insulin in the cannula? or is there backflow or something, seem to recall, know what you mean am v tired too. Will have to ask about that, dsn away till wed, night. xx



This is always up for debate on our email group.  Some do a fixed prime and refill the canula, others don't and don't have the need to.   I think the majority don't.   I don't, I just reconnect and it is always fine.  I think this one is trial and error and is personal to each individual.


----------



## Becca

Crikey, it's busy on here tonight   Must go through and read properly instead of skimming....lol!

I have been so stressed tonight with other stuff that argh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's better   Anyway, i cannot believe that after having such steady levels with Rose after changing basals she has gone the other way.  She's happily sleeping a 17mmol away at the mo....Hmmm...i can't believe that 0.05 unit makes that much difference, but obviously does....think i might have to change the bolus instead....

Yep, it's Rose that goes low after set change, just to buck the trend


----------



## Becca

bev said:


> Your welcome! But i now have a question - when you re-attach are you supposed to 'fill canula' again? Or dont you need to? Confused myself now! Bit tired - waiting to do a check on A - could sleep on a washing line........Bev



Hi Bev, when we re-attach after skooting out bubbles we don't fixed prime to refill canula as knwoing Rose it would send her low.


----------



## Becca

Talking about bubbles, i know i've said about it before but there is the degassing methos which gets rid of them.  Time consuming but does the job....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwbelFCNGz4


----------



## Becca

Sugarbum said:


> Becca Im going to PM you for your intel now seeing as Adrienne broke under interigation!
> 
> Lou xx



LOL!!!!!!!  What for though?


----------



## tracey w

Sugarbum said:


> Two words for you love, "DRAGGONS DEN"!!!!!



I was told by the rep that there will be cartridges very soon, but the americans are getting them first. when i asked dsn how soon is very soon, she said, couple of years


----------



## tracey w

Sugarbum said:


> I think Northener should write us a poem on bubbles- I hate them too
> 
> Tracey you gotta get those bubbles out!
> 
> Can I give you a tip (you'll prob think I am mad but hey, works for me!) check your line everytime you come online, run the tubbing line right up close to the laptop screen and those air bubbles are so much easier to see! I was taught to do it on a dark surface- couldnt see anything!
> 
> Is your line really 30mls? How long is it?
> 
> Bev, thats a large reservoir- impressive! A is too young for all those bad jokes that spring to mind!



well put it this way, I wouldnt be able to reach my set to the laptop, just about reaches to belt. Is ok, but i ordered 30 and 60cm lines, prefer the 60 at the mo though, as keep feeling im gonna pull it out whern i go to loo, as keep forgeting to unclip from me belt,


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Hiya Tracey
> 
> Some people go low after a set change, some go high.   My daughter rockets up but Becca's daughter goes down.  You could be a down person, if you get my meaning
> 
> You did great for a first set change.



thanks Adrienne, you may be right, will see what happens next time


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> This is always up for debate on our email group.  Some do a fixed prime and refill the canula, others don't and don't have the need to.   I think the majority don't.   I don't, I just reconnect and it is always fine.  I think this one is trial and error and is personal to each individual.



thanks again, you are all so very helpful. Well think must have been a mark on tubing as still there in same spot , oops, think am so paranoid about blasted bubbles.

but at least now i feel confident that if i do get a bubble, i can just disconnect and put in prime and reconnect up. I honestly thought once you were connected that was it and the pump would fail. So much to learn.


----------



## Sugarbum

Becca said:


> Talking about bubbles, i know i've said about it before but there is the degassing methos which gets rid of them.  Time consuming but does the job....
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwbelFCNGz4



Thanks for this Becca, I have just watched it back. So, now I know what de-gassing is!

Its strange I had never heard of this before this thread. Looks time consumming but I will give it a shot. Thanks for this link because I might keep the video rolling while I do it just for promting. I take it this is working for you?

Cheers Becca x


----------



## Freddie99

I've just been taking a look at some of the videos about inserting the infusion sets. I like the look of it and it doesn't seem anyway near as bad as I thought I would be. I haven't, to my shame read through these posts but I will do in the near future. I'm begining to swing towards pumping myself.

Tom


----------



## lesley1978

randomange said:


> Hello everyone, I hope you're all well!
> 
> I got an email from my DSN today to say that I have been put on the list for a pump!  I'm trying not to get too excited as I have no idea how long this list actually is or what happens next, but at least I've been approved by the consultants!
> 
> I'm sure I'll be reading my way back through this thread for all the great advice that's on it - I'll definitely need it!




Wahayyyyy, great news!!!!!  hope your wait isn't too long!  I have my appointment with the pump nurse on Tuesday so will have to see how that goes!  

See if you can get in touch with someone from your area to see how long they had to wait!

Gonna catch up on the rest of the posts now.

toodle pip
x


----------



## Becca

Sugarbum said:


> Thanks for this Becca, I have just watched it back. So, now I know what de-gassing is!
> 
> Its strange I had never heard of this before this thread. Looks time consumming but I will give it a shot. Thanks for this link because I might keep the video rolling while I do it just for promting. I take it this is working for you?
> 
> Cheers Becca x



Hiya, we used to do it and it worked really well.  I have a friend who swears by it and they don't get any bubbles.  Trouble is it's time consuming - i really need to get into a better routine and make the time to do it


----------



## randomange

Thanks for the good wishes everyone 

Bev - I've been keeping pretty thorough logs for while now (I'm a scientist, I like collecting data! ), but I think I'll take your advice and start writing down everything I can - anything that will help!

Lesley - I'm trying to get in touch with a girl who was put forward a month before I was to see what's happening with her. I'm finding it difficult to get any information out of the hospital itself, which is a bit frustrating! Good luck with your appointment!


----------



## Patricia

Add my good wishes to them all randomange! Look forward to hearing all about it...



randomange said:


> Thanks for the good wishes everyone
> 
> Bev - I've been keeping pretty thorough logs for while now (I'm a scientist, I like collecting data! ), but I think I'll take your advice and start writing down everything I can - anything that will help!
> 
> Lesley - I'm trying to get in touch with a girl who was put forward a month before I was to see what's happening with her. I'm finding it difficult to get any information out of the hospital itself, which is a bit frustrating! Good luck with your appointment!


----------



## Patricia

Howdy all

Crumbs, does no one sleep?! Amazing...

Right: exercise. Sorry a bummer Lou. WHAT a drag for you. Only thing I can think is exactly what Adrienne says -- lucozade OR a temp before getting there. Tracey -- we always take pump off for exercise unless kicking football around etc and not very intensive...We always temp basal at 75% afterward for 2 hours at the moment...

We have been having serious bubble problems as well -- E does all his own stuff, and his frustration levels are sky-rocketing...Bev, we always shoot insulin through, but I like the idea of sending through a lot rather than just a little -- just a little sometimes leaves the damn things there, sitting right at the top happy as Larry... Maybe a goodly number of units will slaughter ANY bubble! And yes Lou: the plunger, the plunger! ARGH! *How* can something be made that just lets in squiggles of air if not done exactly right. ARGH!

I'm interested to hear about the cartridges: at last set change E was railing on about this, saying it's so simple to do, why is no one doing it, this is ridiculous, etc...Must admit this had never occurred to me! On the other hand, he *is* much more business oriented than I ever will be, so I guess it's the way he thinks.

Yes: Dragon's Den, anyone?! We will join up! Shall we go and present our case, and get the US distributors on board?! Come on!

And had NO IDEA that you could prime a bubble out of the tubing...sheesh. Have never done it. Imagine we would not need to then follow with a fixed prime, because we were advised not to fixed prime when changing the reservoir without changing the set (rarely necessary). But I shall remember this -- THANK YOU!

So glad to see everyone on this thread -- hi Tom!

Adrienne: I'm *dying* to know what you have up your sleeve! Becca: you too!

Tracey, you are doing brilliantly I think, as everyone says. It must be quite an adjustment...well done! Sorry for the stressful set change and the stressful morning... 

*** 

This end number-wise all is well. A little low yesterday afternoon, no idea why. And games today etc, so we'll see!

Meanwhile my daughter is home with suspicious symptoms, tamiflu in the house now -- but we're not giving it to her. She's just a bit poorly, not awful, but with all the symptoms, only milder than I expected. 

And meanwhile, I go away for 9 (!) days at the beginning of October. ACK ACK! I pray we don't all come down with something, AND that things are even for OH when away. It's hard work, as we all know.

Over and out for now!

xxoo


----------



## Patricia

E just back from school...to further complicate the exercise issue, he encountered 2 hours of football today (had forgotten about it, so not discussed with us!), and decided (rightly) that he just couldn't leave his pump off for two hours. So he tested and set himself a 60% temp basal for that two hours and afterward for an hour...This was having already set himself a 75% temp basal after rugby in the morning! AND he's still on a dual wave from lovely pasta salad at lunch!

So far so good. He's on 5.3, and will reset the temp basal when it runs out, prob only to 75%. But late pm is a low time of day for him , so best to play a little safe...

SO: possible to do lots of combinations of things. Proud of him for thinking it through, and for actually doing it. 

Bev, I forgot to say well done for guesstimating A's busy adventure day at 45%. Clearly a good thing!

bye --

xxoo


----------



## lesley1978

Tracey,  you seem to be doing so well with your pump!  you certainly seem to be getting the hang of it!  

I have been running so high for the last two mornings, haven't got a clue why but they have taken me ages to get back down!  This morning I woke with a 21.8 and yesterday was a 22!!!  But at the weekend I was struggling to stay above 4 on Saturday, or was it Sunday!  oh I don't know, I am so tired and have a bangin headache!  hope they settle down soon.  I am hoping that the pump will help to alleviate some of the randomness which I get!  Roll on Tuesday for my pump nurse appointment!


----------



## tracey w

lesley1978 said:


> Tracey,  you seem to be doing so well with your pump!  you certainly seem to be getting the hang of it!
> 
> I have been running so high for the last two mornings, haven't got a clue why but they have taken me ages to get back down!  This morning I woke with a 21.8 and yesterday was a 22!!!  But at the weekend I was struggling to stay above 4 on Saturday, or was it Sunday!  oh I don't know, I am so tired and have a bangin headache!  hope they settle down soon.  I am hoping that the pump will help to alleviate some of the randomness which I get!  Roll on Tuesday for my pump nurse appointment!



Thank you Lesley,

It is so difficult I know, lets hope all goes well with your meeting. I am there thursday, going through my wireless handset, which is also my new meter. Not been allowed to touch  it yet!


----------



## tracey w

Becca said:


> Talking about bubbles, i know i've said about it before but there is the degassing methos which gets rid of them.  Time consuming but does the job....
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwbelFCNGz4



this video is ust not working for me, will try later thanks


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne, have just been reading what you said on Katies thread and the spikes after meals. 

I too have huge spikes after meals, mainly breakfast and lunch, in the past if i upped my ratio i would crash by about 3 hours. I am still having big spikes, 16.6 after breakfast today and 15 after lunch. when i spoke to dsn she talked about changing basals rather than ratios, and i will try and discuss it with her on thursday when i see her. She also said i need to bolus at the meal, wheras i was taking my breakfast insulin 30 miins before to avoid the spike. 

but i am a little confused as i eat breakfast and lunch at very different times as i work shifts etc. So what i think im trying to say is how can i have fixed basals for these times if im not necessarily eating at those times?? 

ps i was 6.7 at lunch and 5.9 at tea, so come back in range at 4/5 hours. hope you can help me as this is THE thing i really want the pump to sort out for me.


----------



## lesley1978

tracey w said:


> Thank you Lesley,
> 
> It is so difficult I know, lets hope all goes well with your meeting. I am there thursday, going through my wireless handset, which is also my new meter. Not been allowed to touch  it yet!




Good luck for Thursday Trace.  Bet you can't wait to start messing with your new gadget.  Did you have a choice of pumps to choose from?

Lesley


----------



## tracey w

lesley1978 said:


> Good luck for Thursday Trace.  Bet you can't wait to start messing with your new gadget.  Did you have a choice of pumps to choose from?
> 
> Lesley



yes, when you get funding it is up to you which pump you want, they will show you the animas, medtronic and spirit combo, but you can choose.


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> Adrienne, have just been reading what you said on Katies thread and the spikes after meals.
> 
> I too have huge spikes after meals, mainly breakfast and lunch, in the past if i upped my ratio i would crash by about 3 hours. I am still having big spikes, 16.6 after breakfast today and 15 after lunch. when i spoke to dsn she talked about changing basals rather than ratios, and i will try and discuss it with her on thursday when i see her. She also said i need to bolus at the meal, wheras i was taking my breakfast insulin 30 miins before to avoid the spike.
> 
> but i am a little confused as i eat breakfast and lunch at very different times as i work shifts etc. So what i think im trying to say is how can i have fixed basals for these times if im not necessarily eating at those times??
> 
> ps i was 6.7 at lunch and 5.9 at tea, so come back in range at 4/5 hours. hope you can help me as this is THE thing i really want the pump to sort out for me.



Hi Tracey

I hope I can help - Becca, maybe you can tell me if you think I'm right or suggest something else.

Your shifts are, I suppose, going to be a bit like school and weekend.   We have different patterns for both these scenarios.   For us it is about having a lie in at the weekends if we can, although not any later than 9.30, 10am at a real push.    On the Medtronic you can have three patterns, the standard and pattern A and pattern B.    So you could in theory have three different variations of your basal for you different shifts.

Ok breakfast.   This is how it has worked for Jessica for months and months and how I managed to get the spike down.    Jessica always had huge spikes up to the 20's.

So her school pattern is this :    She has breakfast at approx 8.15 am and her insulin for that she bolus's just beforehand.

0000    0.30
0200    0.25
0400    0.35
0500    0.85
0900    0.05
1300    0.55
etc

The 0500 basal used to be at 6.30 am instead.    We even went up to 1 unit at one point but she still spiked and crashed at 12 noon.

So we took the basal down but made it earlier by half an hour and the spike started coming down.    We eventually found that having a really high basal started at 5 am seemed to sort her spike out at 10.15 ie two hours after breakfast insulin.    However she then crashed big time.    We therefore ended up with another basal at 9 am of the smallest increment our pump allowed us to stop the 12 noon crash.    Originally we had a 10.30 am lower basal but she still crashed so we brought it back half hour at a time and finally settled at 9 am to stop the 12 noon crash.

All very complicated but it worked.    Normally whatever you do with a basal will have effect approx 2 hours later but for some reason our mornings to not follow that pattern at all.

For us it was a matter of playing with the basals.

So you could play around with your basals to see what works best for you and you can then manipulate the timing of that to suit your working hours and meal times.

Hope I have helped and I hope I have explained it ok.   Don't forget this is just my experience.   I have heard others say the same but I don't think anyone has as early a high basal as us.    Most seem to be around the 6.30/7.00 am mark.


----------



## Becca

Hi Adrienne, looks good to me, we do exactly the same:

00.00 0.20
06.30 0.45
09.00 0.25
20.00 0.45

Bolus are:

06.30:  1:15
10.00 1:30
11.30 1:22
18.30 1:28

we have a big basal coming in from 0630 for Rose to cope with the 10am spike and it seems to work, we have to haul back on the basals from 0900 though to avoid a crash.  Her bolus for her mid morning snack is almost half beacuse again she would hypo.

As Adrienne says, can you set up different patterns for the shifts you are on?  What shifts do you do?


----------



## lesley1978

tracey w said:


> yes, when you get funding it is up to you which pump you want, they will show you the animas, medtronic and spirit combo, but you can choose.



how long did it take for your funding to come through?


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Hi Tracey
> 
> I hope I can help - Becca, maybe you can tell me if you think I'm right or suggest something else.
> 
> Your shifts are, I suppose, going to be a bit like school and weekend.   We have different patterns for both these scenarios.   For us it is about having a lie in at the weekends if we can, although not any later than 9.30, 10am at a real push.    On the Medtronic you can have three patterns, the standard and pattern A and pattern B.    So you could in theory have three different variations of your basal for you different shifts.
> 
> Ok breakfast.   This is how it has worked for Jessica for months and months and how I managed to get the spike down.    Jessica always had huge spikes up to the 20's.
> 
> So her school pattern is this :    She has breakfast at approx 8.15 am and her insulin for that she bolus's just beforehand.
> 
> 0000    0.30
> 0200    0.25
> 0400    0.35
> 0500    0.85
> 0900    0.05
> 1300    0.55
> etc
> 
> The 0500 basal used to be at 6.30 am instead.    We even went up to 1 unit at one point but she still spiked and crashed at 12 noon.
> 
> So we took the basal down but made it earlier by half an hour and the spike started coming down.    We eventually found that having a really high basal started at 5 am seemed to sort her spike out at 10.15 ie two hours after breakfast insulin.    However she then crashed big time.    We therefore ended up with another basal at 9 am of the smallest increment our pump allowed us to stop the 12 noon crash.    Originally we had a 10.30 am lower basal but she still crashed so we brought it back half hour at a time and finally settled at 9 am to stop the 12 noon crash.
> 
> All very complicated but it worked.    Normally whatever you do with a basal will have effect approx 2 hours later but for some reason our mornings to not follow that pattern at all.
> 
> For us it was a matter of playing with the basals.
> 
> So you could play around with your basals to see what works best for you and you can then manipulate the timing of that to suit your working hours and meal times.
> 
> Hope I have helped and I hope I have explained it ok.   Don't forget this is just my experience.   I have heard others say the same but I don't think anyone has as early a high basal as us.    Most seem to be around the 6.30/7.00 am mark.



thank you! yes it does make sense, but i need everything explaining to me so that i understand it, and you do that so well.

I can have 5 different basal patterns on my pump but only using the one at the moment. I have already upped my basal from 0.4 to 0.5 from 4 am until 8 am as i found that i was rising after 4 am and my work bfast spike is at around 9.15/9.30 ish, so the 8am will still have an effect at 9? However only been couple of days and nt had bfast at that time every day, today a lie in and bfast at 9.30.

So you are saying, to set pattern 2 for days off or late shift to higher basal up to maybe 10 am, as will have effect until 11 am? And still keep higher basal from 4am to cope with dawn spike i get?


----------



## tracey w

lesley1978 said:


> how long did it take for your funding to come through?



very quickly! I spoke to consultant secretary who confimed it but they didnt action it for ages, so annoying


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> thank you! yes it does make sense, but i need everything explaining to me so that i understand it, and you do that so well.
> 
> I can have 5 different basal patterns on my pump but only using the one at the moment. I have already upped my basal from 0.4 to 0.5 from 4 am until 8 am as i found that i was rising after 4 am and my work bfast spike is at around 9.15/9.30 ish, so the 8am will still have an effect at 9? However only been couple of days and nt had bfast at that time every day, today a lie in and bfast at 9.30.
> 
> So you are saying, to set pattern 2 for days off or late shift to higher basal up to maybe 10 am, as will have effect until 11 am? And still keep higher basal from 4am to cope with dawn spike i get?




As an example.    For a school day we use the basal I said before (standard pattern) :

Breakfast at 8 to 8.15 am
0000 0.30
0200 0.25
0400 0.35
0500 0.85
0900 0.05
1300 0.55


For a weekend (pattern A) :

Breakfast at 9.30 am
0000  0.30
0200  0.25
0400  0.35
0600  0.85
0930  0.10
1300  0.55
etc

There is not that much difference on our patterns.    She eats breakfast an hour later so the 5 am basal becomes 6 am on pattern A.    The 9 am 0.05 on standard becomes 9.30 am and 0.10.    We tried 10 am but that didn't work.   She also uses less brain power at the weekend than at school so is not exercising and so needs a bit more insulin ie 0.10.   By 1300 however we are back to normal.


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> As an example.    For a school day we use the basal I said before (standard pattern) :
> 
> Breakfast at 8 to 8.15 am
> 0000 0.30
> 0200 0.25
> 0400 0.35
> 0500 0.85
> 0900 0.05
> 1300 0.55
> 
> 
> For a weekend (pattern A) :
> 
> Breakfast at 9.30 am
> 0000  0.30
> 0200  0.25
> 0400  0.35
> 0600  0.85
> 0930  0.10
> 1300  0.55
> etc
> 
> There is not that much difference on our patterns.    She eats breakfast an hour later so the 5 am basal becomes 6 am on pattern A.    The 9 am 0.05 on standard becomes 9.30 am and 0.10.    We tried 10 am but that didn't work.   She also uses less brain power at the weekend than at school so is not exercising and so needs a bit more insulin ie 0.10.   By 1300 however we are back to normal.



ok, so your 5 and 6 am are to cope with breakfast and not dawn phen? sorry i am confusing myself. Was thinking of setting pattern two now for tomorrow as working in the afternoon, gonna leave all the same but up 8 and 9am, i can set mine hourly. does that sound right?


----------



## lesley1978

All this temp basal and different basal patterns seem very complicated.  I must admit that I am a little scared of getting used to doing it and trying to get it right if hopefully I get my pump.  I suppose though, its similar to adjusting my MDI at the minute.  


Tracey, you really seem to be getting the hang of it!

How did everyone else adjust to it?  Is it really daunting?


----------



## tracey w

lesley1978 said:


> All this temp basal and different basal patterns seem very complicated.  I must admit that I am a little scared of getting used to doing it and trying to get it right if hopefully I get my pump.  I suppose though, its similar to adjusting my MDI at the minute.
> 
> 
> Tracey, you really seem to be getting the hang of it!
> 
> How did everyone else adjust to it?  Is it really daunting?



your right it is complicated, but adrienne and the others are so good and explain things really well. I have learnt everything about my diabetes on thos website. when i was diagnosed i was on two injections, feeding my insulin, was not told about carb counting, mdi pumps or anything, have larnt it all on here. And my dafne course too, again only heard about that on here as well.


----------



## lesley1978

tracey w said:


> your right it is complicated, but adrienne and the others are so good and explain things really well. I have learnt everything about my diabetes on thos website. when i was diagnosed i was on two injections, feeding my insulin, was not told about carb counting, mdi pumps or anything, have larnt it all on here. And my dafne course too, again only heard about that on here as well.



I am exactley the same.  didn't really get told much by the borough to be honest.  just got told low sugar low fat high carb and off I went.  When I went to see the dietician last Friday she said that I was carb counting really well and know exactley how to adjust my insulin and wondered how I had 'self taught', to which I replied, the internet!  Thank the lord for the wonderful net thats all i can say!


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> ok, so your 5 and 6 am are to cope with breakfast and not dawn phen? sorry i am confusing myself. Was thinking of setting pattern two now for tomorrow as working in the afternoon, gonna leave all the same but up 8 and 9am, i can set mine hourly. does that sound right?



Why not.   It is trial and error and all about the timing.   It may necessitate a few more finger tests until you have tweaked it to perfection (I wish!).

Yes the 5 and 6 am is all to do with the breakfast spike.    The higher basal at 4 am I would think is needed because of the dawn phenononem (!)

With the dawn phen, what you have to bear in mind is that everyone even non diabetics get it but it is normally more pronounced in people with diabetes but not all !!!  You might not have it !

Good luck and let me know how you get on.


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Why not.   It is trial and error and all about the timing.   It may necessitate a few more finger tests until you have tweaked it to perfection (I wish!).
> 
> Yes the 5 and 6 am is all to do with the breakfast spike.    The higher basal at 4 am I would think is needed because of the dawn phenononem (!)
> 
> With the dawn phen, what you have to bear in mind is that everyone even non diabetics get it but it is normally more pronounced in people with diabetes but not all !!!  You might not have it !
> 
> Good luck and let me know how you get on.



thanks again, unfortunately i think i do. did a basal test overnight few days ago, 

10 pm 9.7
2 am   8.7
4 am  8.2
6.30 10

this was on my initial basal of 0.4 for 24 hours. So have upped to 0.5 from 4am,

have decided to set temp basal of bit exta when i get up tomorrow, around 9 ish for  a few hours, if this works will set on pattern, sounds like a plan

i know it all takes time and you have years of experience, for whch i and many others are very grateful, xxxx


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> thanks again, unfortunately i think i do. did a basal test overnight few days ago,
> 
> 10 pm 9.7
> 2 am   8.7
> 4 am  8.2
> 6.30 10
> 
> this was on my initial basal of 0.4 for 24 hours. So have upped to 0.5 from 4am,
> 
> have decided to set temp basal of bit exta when i get up tomorrow, around 9 ish for  a few hours, if this works will set on pattern, sounds like a plan
> 
> i know it all takes time and you have years of experience, for whch i and many others are very grateful, xxxx



Sounds like a very good plan.   

Are you only one one basal and just added one more so now on two?  I personally don't understand DSN's who start people of like this.     From what I can remember we were put on four different ones throughout the day.  The DSN rang me every night at 7 pm and we tweaked together.   Over the last nearly 3 years we have 9 basals.   Some DSN's say far too many !  Why.  If that is what works then sobeit.   I have friends on more than that with changes every 1/2 hour for some periods.   That is the point of pumps, to do what your body requires.    You'll work it out yourself I'm sure but am happy to assist when I can.


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Sounds like a very good plan.
> 
> Are you only one one basal and just added one more so now on two?  I personally don't understand DSN's who start people of like this.     From what I can remember we were put on four different ones throughout the day.  The DSN rang me every night at 7 pm and we tweaked together.   Over the last nearly 3 years we have 9 basals.   Some DSN's say far too many !  Why.  If that is what works then sobeit.   I have friends on more than that with changes every 1/2 hour for some periods.   That is the point of pumps, to do what your body requires.    You'll work it out yourself I'm sure but am happy to assist when I can.



thats right, just the one, i have not dared programme another yet, i know will take a while but i will get there, i know the pump can do a lot for me, i just need to understand my body and what i need for different situations, i think i will get more help from here than anywhere else though xx


----------



## bev

tracey w said:


> thats right, just the one, i have not dared programme another yet, i know will take a while but i will get there, i know the pump can do a lot for me, i just need to understand my body and what i need for different situations, i think i will get more help from here than anywhere else though xx



You will -Adrienne is brilliant! (as are lots of others on here too)Bev


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> You will -Adrienne is brilliant! (as are lots of others on here too)Bev



Thank you very much Bev, I do what I can, as does everyone else.  x


----------



## bev

Tonight had fish and chips (oven cooked) - first time since on pump. 
Gave 50% and planned to do rest over next few hours. However, after 2 hour check he was 4.5 - so decided to wait and checked after another half an hour - he was 5.2 - so decided to wait again. 
Checked at 10.30 - he was 3.8 so gave 2 x glucotabs
checked 10 mins later - still 3.8 - so small can coke.

So- not sure about giving the rest as i dont want him going low - he ate at 6.20pm - so surely a lot of the digestion should have kicked in by now?

The total units was 5.9
But he only had 2.9 and nothing else!
Any ideas?

Should add that i have increased his basal from 0.375 to 0.400 for the first time tonight aswell (6pm til midnight) - but surely this tiny increment wouldnt have anything to do with the low?Bev


----------



## Mand

Morning Bev.

That's a strange one! What did you do in the end? I cannot imagine that such a small basal increase would make the difference but maybe it would?


----------



## Adrienne

Yes what happened.   How about excess exercise during the day and maybe the increase in basal was the cause.   Very odd.   Don't forget there isn't the fat in oven chips as there are in chip shop chips.   Very odd though.


----------



## bev

Hi all,
I checked A last night at 12 midnight and he was 8mmols! So decided to leave it and check at 3 (always do) and at 3 he was 9mmols - so left him and he woke on 6.6mmols at 7am! I have absolutely no idea what happened - i am just glad we didnt give the whole lot - i dread to think how hypo he would have been!
He had only played in the garden for half an hour before eating his meal and he was a bit low so had 2 glucotabs (3.5).

I will just give him a 'normal' type meal tonight and see what happens....Bev


----------



## Northerner

bev said:


> Hi all,
> I checked A last night at 12 midnight and he was 8mmols! So decided to leave it and check at 3 (always do) and at 3 he was 9mmols - so left him and he woke on 6.6mmols at 7am! I have absolutely no idea what happened - i am just glad we didnt give the whole lot - i dread to think how hypo he would have been!
> He had only played in the garden for half an hour before eating his meal and he was a bit low so had 2 glucotabs (3.5).
> 
> I will just give him a 'normal' type meal tonight and see what happens....Bev



Bev, you are so on the ball with things - you make very intelligent decisions under very great stress, I just wanted to say what a wonderful job you are doing Hope A is settled back to 'normal' tonight!


----------



## bev

Northerner said:


> Bev, you are so on the ball with things - you make very intelligent decisions under very great stress, I just wanted to say what a wonderful job you are doing Hope A is settled back to 'normal' tonight!



Thanks Northerner! You dont know how much that means - i was doubting myself this morning - thinking i had made a big mistake with his carb counting or something silly! I have even found the piece of paper i had written all the amounts on and re-worked it - and yes it was correct. I still have no idea what happened - he has half a portion of fish and chips floating around without insulin somewhere!!
I think this evening may shed some light on things - hopefully.....Bev


----------



## bev

A got his 'spibelt' yesterday (actually we got 2 in different colours) - he loves it - he even wore it to bed! He was jumping up and down testing whether the pump moved or not - and it didnt - so he is very happy and has worn it to school today. I would recommend them!
I can see the 2 i made him being put in the bin now!Bev


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> A got his 'spibelt' yesterday (actually we got 2 in different colours) - he loves it - he even wore it to bed! He was jumping up and down testing whether the pump moved or not - and it didnt - so he is very happy and has worn it to school today. I would recommend them!
> I can see the 2 i made him being put in the bin now!Bev



We have two as well and Jessica loves them but she wears all the others as well, she has about 12 different ones now, all different colours !


----------



## Patricia

Hi all

Just a quick check in to say I am keeping up with things, but can't write much here for the mo' -- teaching starting and it's all go!

Bev, you are doing SO wonderfully. We have so been there (and will be, sigh) -- these middle of the night decisions etc...Argh. 

And I'm impressed about the spibelt -- may now broach this with E...

Tracey, I'm with Adrienne on this basal rate thing. We started on 5 and are now on 6, and I just can't imagine doing otherwise. It's possible so why not do it...I hope you don't have to wait long to start properly adjusting....Our highest rate is .75u/hr. Our lowest is now .30u/hr, to give you an idea of range...Each of these is only on for about 3 hours, but it does seem to make a massive difference...

Bev, don't know what to think about that weird fish & chip result... If he was rising a little in the middle of the night (if I've got this right?) it could be that he reacts very strongly very late to breaded things and fried things....We have found that although we use oven chips, breaded fish and breaded chicken can sometimes cause problems...Essentially his late night rise (maybe? Except because of hypo treatment you can't really tell...) could have been the food coming in VERY late, like 8 hours...This has happened to us before...OR as you say, could actually be a shift in basal needs to happen...Is he normally low before bed?

This end,. Last evening was one hypo after another -- we just couldn't catch up with it all...we temp basaled all evening and much of the night, but E didn't have a number above 5 for over 16 hours...several were hypos in the threes. ARGH. He was floating in apple juice...

Combination of things, mostly the dastardly DUAL WAVE (hiss for me Lou!). He had a pasta dual wave at lunch, and a much shorter dual wave for rice at dinner. Combined with three hours of exercise in the day , it was a disaster from start to finish, and most annoying. Too many variables interacting in ways we couldn't predict! A terrible night.

I'm getting cross now that it seems although we may be able to 'crack' elements of rice and pasta -- which we feel we have -- we will always but always checking him late, forcing ourselves to stay up, or getting up, to make sure it's all okay. I don't want diabetes to take this away from us! Our food for heaven's sake! What we love! Grrr....Do we have to sacrifice the healthy, quick, tasty and huge variety of foods that are pasta and rice dishes? At night, that is?!

AND: how can we expect HIM to do all this when he leaves home?! How can he possibly want to bother with waking himself up to test the ends of these patterns....

** 

On the up side -- says she, pulling herself up by her now frayed (and self pitying) bootstraps: we discovered last night that E hadn't had a hypo any lower than 3.2mmols in over three weeks. This is extremely good going for us -- he has a propensity for low lows at unexpected times. Hurray (she says, weakly) for the pump...


----------



## lesley1978

Patricia said:


> Hi all
> 
> Just a quick check in to say I am keeping up with things, but can't write much here for the mo' -- teaching starting and it's all go!
> 
> Bev, you are doing SO wonderfully. We have so been there (and will be, sigh) -- these middle of the night decisions etc...Argh.
> 
> And I'm impressed about the spibelt -- may now broach this with E...
> 
> Tracey, I'm with Adrienne on this basal rate thing. We started on 5 and are now on 6, and I just can't imagine doing otherwise. It's possible so why not do it...I hope you don't have to wait long to start properly adjusting....Our highest rate is .75u/hr. Our lowest is now .30u/hr, to give you an idea of range...Each of these is only on for about 3 hours, but it does seem to make a massive difference...
> 
> Bev, don't know what to think about that weird fish & chip result... If he was rising a little in the middle of the night (if I've got this right?) it could be that he reacts very strongly very late to breaded things and fried things....We have found that although we use oven chips, breaded fish and breaded chicken can sometimes cause problems...Essentially his late night rise (maybe? Except because of hypo treatment you can't really tell...) could have been the food coming in VERY late, like 8 hours...This has happened to us before...OR as you say, could actually be a shift in basal needs to happen...Is he normally low before bed?
> 
> This end,. Last evening was one hypo after another -- we just couldn't catch up with it all...we temp basaled all evening and much of the night, but E didn't have a number above 5 for over 16 hours...several were hypos in the threes. ARGH. He was floating in apple juice...
> 
> Combination of things, mostly the dastardly DUAL WAVE (hiss for me Lou!). He had a pasta dual wave at lunch, and a much shorter dual wave for rice at dinner. Combined with three hours of exercise in the day , it was a disaster from start to finish, and most annoying. Too many variables interacting in ways we couldn't predict! A terrible night.
> 
> I'm getting cross now that it seems although we may be able to 'crack' elements of rice and pasta -- which we feel we have -- we will always but always checking him late, forcing ourselves to stay up, or getting up, to make sure it's all okay. I don't want diabetes to take this away from us! Our food for heaven's sake! What we love! Grrr....Do we have to sacrifice the healthy, quick, tasty and huge variety of foods that are pasta and rice dishes? At night, that is?!
> 
> AND: how can we expect HIM to do all this when he leaves home?! How can he possibly want to bother with waking himself up to test the ends of these patterns....
> 
> **
> 
> On the up side -- says she, pulling herself up by her now frayed (and self pitying) bootstraps: we discovered last night that E hadn't had a hypo any lower than 3.2mmols in over three weeks. This is extremely good going for us -- he has a propensity for low lows at unexpected times. Hurray (she says, weakly) for the pump...





Patricia,

Sorry to hear about the bad time that E has been having!  hopefully things will settle down soon!  It must be so difficult trying to control db for someone else.  I find it difficult enough for myself!  

3 hours of exercise I don't think I have done that much in the last couple of months never mind 1 day!  

Anyway, hope things go a bit better tonight, you must be cream crackered!

Lesley x


----------



## bev

Well tonight i gave A a lowish carb meal so i could find out whats going on.

He had 1 x salmon fillet and a poached egg and 1 x slice of bread with a low fat yoghurt.
It came to 31g carbs - so had 2.1 units.

But 1 x hour later he is hypo at 2.5mmols!

So i am assuming it is the basal rate - but i had changed it last night because he was running a bit high in the evening 10 or 11mmols - so i increased it from 0.375 to 0.400. 

So i have put it back to .375 tonight after the hypo - but i am surprised that such a tiny amount has made such a difference?

I dont think it is the bolus as he had been too high at 10pm until about 3am when the basal changes again.

Should add that he was hovering between 4 or 5 just before eating the meal.

Bit confused now!

Patricia, sorry to hear E has been suffering hypo's. He must feel wiped out poor thing. I do share your worries about when the boys are older - will they want to bother waking at 3am to check? I cant even think about it now - the thought of uni fills me with dread...flippin diabetes..Bev


----------



## bev

Also forgot to mention that he had rugby today and took his pump off. But he couldnt re-attach it! School finished at 2 o clock today - so this happened at 5 to 2 - so he went to medical room - no-one there - so he figured it best to just come home - luckily we only live a 10 minute walk from the school - but he came in the door panicking and worried that something would happen. Tested and he was 6.6 - so i tried to attach it - but for some reason it wouldnt let me. So set change and all fine. But i tried the old tubing on the new set and it worked - so think he must have knocked the old canula in rugby and it just would not attach.
Felt sorry for him and rang school to ask why no first aider there - she said the school was finishing early today and there was a note on the door to go to reception - so i explained how urgent it can get - but not sure she really got it - she was waffling on - so i think a little note to the school tomorrow.

I did speak to the P.E. teacher and told him he must check A has re-attached his pump - he said he was sorry - he had got involved with something and had forgotten! 

I did feel sorry for A - he looked very worried - poor thing. He hasnt done a set change by himself yet - so i dont have one at the school - but i think i will start encouraging him to have a go - just in case.Bev


----------



## Mand

Poor A! But glad he ok in the end. Perhaps a reminder letter to the school will help. Hope so!

Like you, i have been struggling with a 'is it basal or bolus' problem. It is the two hours after breakfast that has been a problem for us. First i changed the bolus and when that did not work i changed the basal but that did not work either so back to original settings and today was 6.0 two hours after breakfast! Flippin diabetes has me running in circles sometimes! 

But after a good mid morning reading he forgot to bolus for lunch and came home with a 'hi' reading!  He bolused then and was back to normal by tea time! Phew! Rarely does he forget to bolus so i have not made a fuss. At least we had a reason for the 'hi' and that is the main thing.

Gosh it is exhausitng, isn't it! A day off would be nice but not to be! 

But on the bright side, the last few set changes have gone extremely smoothly and as a consequence he much more relaxed about doing the changes, so an upward sprial there! 

Hope you getting on ok, Tracey. 

Hi Patricia, Lou, Adrienne, Becca and all! x


----------



## Sugarbum

Evening all!

Gosh- more hypos. Im staring at the facts as you state them Bev, I cannot fathom the hypo only to suggest that meal may have had a slower profile than what you anticipated. I dont eat fish so Im afraid its something I know nothing about. But looks like the insulin worked too fast for the profile. Feeling your frustration Bev. I wouldnt like to comment on his basal increment because its a different kettle of fish for us bigguns'...that small amount wouldnt affect me but in someone much smaller, you definately know best. Hope things improve tomorrow. A new day...

May I ask you ladies were you 3am testing when your boys were on MDI? I expect you must have been but I mean as religiously as you are now when pumping? I hear everything you are saying about how the boys will cope when they go to university, diabetes must cause you so much concern with all that you and your families have gone through. It reminds me that we have come at this from completely different directions, despite having a lot in common. I was wondering if you will  need to frequently 3am test because of other factors like changing hormones etc for a long while yet, or is this something you are need to maintain at the present time? I hope you dont mind my probing about this, I feel so much concern as if I know your boys! Sigh..... Perhaps I can nominate myself as surogate "diabetic auntie lou" on standby if they uni in London and need assistance?! I am a fully fledged good auntie and when my 2 year old neice can say something other than "ballbag", Im sure she will give me a glowing recommendation 

I have gone and stuffed myself silly with carbs followed by chocolate (heaven to betsy), but also with insulin. Gonna pay for that later no doubt..... xx


----------



## Sugarbum

Mand said:


> But after a good mid morning reading he forgot to bolus for lunch and came home with a 'hi' reading!  He bolused then and was back to normal by tea time! Phew! Rarely does he forget to bolus so i have not made a fuss. At least we had a reason for the 'hi' and that is the main thing.



Hey hun, believe it or not that last post took me 2 hours to write so missed yours (I am completely distracted by the program "Wounded" on BBC1- war wounded from Afghanistan, extremely captivating and humbling). 

Just wanted to say, and I am sure you know- but there is a "Missed bolus" alarm you can set on the Veo. Might be worth a trial if you are not using it already? I use it at lunch and set it between 13.30 and 14.30, purely because that is the one that I will get distracted from usually at work. Its caught me a couple of times, very good and Ive left it on. I also eat very late in the evening so if i forget, I is in trouble.....think its under alarms in the main menu.

Really great too to hear that set changes are going well, upward spiral hey?! Fan-bloody-tastic! I am happy.

Hope you well, Mand. Lots of love x


----------



## tracey w

Hi there,

gosh just reading of your struggles re basal or bolus makes me wonder if we will ever get it right? so difficult, so many variables.

I tried a temp basal of 140% to cover my breakfast spike, but still went up to 15 and was still rising after 3 hours when im usually going back down, dont understand. Consequently was around 12ish all afternoon and i thought i may drop after the basal but no, 8.8 at teatime around 4ish.

Am feeling so confused with it now, suppose will just have to see what happens tomorrow. My other thought was that i am premenstrual and have heard of some people having to increase ratios etc by rather a lot at this time, but i havent noticed a huge difference on mdi to be honest.

so have decided i may do higher temp basal with breakfast tomorrow to see if this helps.?


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> Hi there,
> 
> gosh just reading of your struggles re basal or bolus makes me wonder if we will ever get it right? so difficult, so many variables.
> 
> I tried a temp basal of 140% to cover my breakfast spike, but still went up to 15 and was still rising after 3 hours when im usually going back down, dont understand. Consequently was around 12ish all afternoon and i thought i may drop after the basal but no, 8.8 at teatime around 4ish.
> 
> Am feeling so confused with it now, suppose will just have to see what happens tomorrow. My other thought was that i am premenstrual and have heard of some people having to increase ratios etc by rather a lot at this time, but i havent noticed a huge difference on mdi to be honest.
> 
> so have decided i may do higher temp basal with breakfast tomorrow to see if this helps.?




Rather than do a temp, why not stick a new basal in.   If you do that, you can take it out again.   If you want to then tell me what time you are getting up roughly, what time you will be eating breakfast and remind me what basal you are on at the moment and lets see what we can do.    If it makes a slight difference then you can increase it the next day and so on.   This is the only way to tweak basals, tiny bits at a time.


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Rather than do a temp, why not stick a new basal in.   If you do that, you can take it out again.   If you want to then tell me what time you are getting up roughly, what time you will be eating breakfast and remind me what basal you are on at the moment and lets see what we can do.    If it makes a slight difference then you can increase it the next day and so on.   This is the only way to tweak basals, tiny bits at a time.



thanks Adrienne!

I am on 0.4 p/hour apart from 0.5 p/h from from 4 am until 9am to deal with rise from 4 am ish.

Tomorrow i will be eating breakfast around 7.15, day off but hospital appointment.

On a work day shift i eat breakfast around 6.45/7

On day off or late shift i can eat anything ffrom 9 until 10.30


----------



## Sugarbum

sorry just a quickie Bev- how did you get around the spibelt delivery charge? I thought I must be doing it wrong but it came out again at $58! for one that is!

cheers xx


----------



## Adrienne

Sugarbum said:


> sorry just a quickie Bev- how did you get around the spibelt delivery charge? I thought I must be doing it wrong but it came out again at $58! for one that is!
> 
> cheers xx



We have a code, give me a minute and I'll find it for you. x


----------



## Becca

Sugarbum said:


> sorry just a quickie Bev- how did you get around the spibelt delivery charge? I thought I must be doing it wrong but it came out again at $58! for one that is!
> 
> cheers xx



is the free shipping offer still on?  

Just retrieved this from CWD UK:


Try code SHIP09 to get free postage
Try code PUMP for a discount
Try code US15 for 15%off!


----------



## Becca

Adrienne - LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## bev

Lou, just use the code - i think its 'SHIP09' - it says it at the top of the front page i think? I will go and check. Bev

Yes - it says at the top on the right hand side - SHIP09 for free shipping!x


----------



## Becca

tracey w said:


> Hi there,
> 
> gosh just reading of your struggles re basal or bolus makes me wonder if we will ever get it right? so difficult, so many variables.
> 
> I tried a temp basal of 140% to cover my breakfast spike, but still went up to 15 and was still rising after 3 hours when im usually going back down, dont understand. Consequently was around 12ish all afternoon and i thought i may drop after the basal but no, 8.8 at teatime around 4ish.
> 
> Am feeling so confused with it now, suppose will just have to see what happens tomorrow. My other thought was that i am premenstrual and have heard of some people having to increase ratios etc by rather a lot at this time, but i havent noticed a huge difference on mdi to be honest.
> 
> so have decided i may do higher temp basal with breakfast tomorrow to see if this helps.?



Hi Tracey

Was it the same breakfast you normally have and also the same amount of carb?


----------



## tracey w

Becca said:


> Hi Tracey
> 
> Was it the same breakfast you normally have and also the same amount of carb?



yes, toast and boiled eggs, i will of course stick to the same till i get somewhere on this, thanks


----------



## bev

Becca said:


> is the free shipping offer still on?
> 
> Just retrieved this from CWD UK:
> 
> 
> Try code SHIP09 to get free postage
> Try code PUMP for a discount
> Try code US15 for 15%off!



Hi Becca, we didnt get a discount - did you? We just didnt pay for shipping. Bev x


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> thanks Adrienne!
> 
> I am on 0.4 p/hour apart from 0.5 p/h from from 4 am until 9am to deal with rise from 4 am ish.
> 
> Tomorrow i will be eating breakfast around 7.15, day off but hospital appointment.
> 
> On a work day shift i eat breakfast around 6.45/7
> 
> On day off or late shift i can eat anything ffrom 9 until 10.30



Hi

Ok these are my thoughts then for tomorrow firstly :

Add in a 0600 basal of 0.60
Bolus and eat at 7.15
Test at 9.15 and see what the spike is (if any)

However you need to go back to the other basal for the rest of the day so I think you should add in another basal at 0900 back down to 0.40

So that's two basals one at 0600 of 0.60 and one at 0900 of 0.40

What do you think?   Would you rather do 0.55 instead of 0.60, up to you, I don't know how insulin sensitive or resistant you are.

If you are doing a work day shift the next day it depends on how tomorrow works out.

What do you others think of that?


----------



## Becca

Hi Bev

We didn't pay for shipping but i know that someone was able to use another code as well - i didn't have that one when i ordered


----------



## Adrienne

Becca said:


> Adrienne - LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



ha ha ha you beat me too it.   

We got the free shipping and the 15% off, try both, it works out better than the discount.  You can't have 15% and the discount, I tried !!


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Hi
> 
> Ok these are my thoughts then for tomorrow firstly :
> 
> Add in a 0600 basal of 0.60
> Bolus and eat at 7.15
> Test at 9.15 and see what the spike is (if any)
> 
> However you need to go back to the other basal for the rest of the day so I think you should add in another basal at 0900 back down to 0.40
> 
> So that's two basals one at 0600 of 0.60 and one at 0900 of 0.40
> 
> What do you think?   Would you rather do 0.55 instead of 0.60, up to you, I don't know how insulin sensitive or resistant you are.
> 
> If you are doing a work day shift the next day it depends on how tomorrow works out.
> 
> What do you others think of that?



thanks so much, i will put them in now. I will have to stick to 0.6 as i cant change to the smaller increments yet, im on custom settting in my pump, after tomorrow i should be on advanced and i think i can do the smaller increments then. thanks again, you are all wonderful, xxx


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> thanks so much, i will put them in now. I will have to stick to 0.6 as i cant change to the smaller increments yet, im on custom settting in my pump, after tomorrow i should be on advanced and i think i can do the smaller increments then. thanks again, you are all wonderful, xxx



It might not work, it is all trial and error with these basals and ratios.   Good luck.


----------



## tracey w

have done that Adrienne,

have just realise i can do the smaller increments after all, didnt realise i could, but have stuck to the 0.6 as my spike is so high, 

I was already back to 0.4 from 9am

so have just changed the one hour from 6am, fingers crossed


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> have done that Adrienne,
> 
> have just realise i can do the smaller increments after all, didnt realise i could, but have stuck to the 0.6 as my spike is so high,
> 
> I was already back to 0.4 from 9am
> 
> so have just changed the one hour from 6am, fingers crossed



Yep everything crossed.  Right I'm off to bed, am knackered.


----------



## Sugarbum

LADIES!!!! YOU ARE WONDERFULL!!!! Its official, you are my FAVOURITE forum members!!!!

I put in one code after the other, got 15% off and the free shipping. Sooooooo good I have purchased 2 for $33.

Many thanks, I shall run all future purchases past you guys in the future!

Thanks, hitting the sack after my big investment. They should give you all further discount for recommending custom 

me needs some beauty sleep (and a BM!). Night all xxx


----------



## Mand

Lou - you are a star! I forgot all about this feature! As i say, it is a rare ocassion for him to miss but i guess it could happen again due to distractions at school (and no mom behind him to nag!) so will look into it.

Glad the others helped you get a discount and free postage sorted! Enjoy your purchase!

Love to you. x


----------



## bev

Hi all,
Last night A went up to 14mmols at midnight! He had been hypo at 7pm after his meal - so wasnt expecting this.

So after much thought - i have come to the conclusion that he does need the higher basal in the evening -BUT - i think i have started it too early (6pm) - which was the cause of his unexplained fish and chip hypo's!

So tonight i am changing it so that the higher basal starts at 8.30 to cope with the later highs - and this in turn should help with the hypo after evening meal as i will keep the lower rate until 8.30.

Before changes he was on 0.375 between 12 noon and 12 midnight.
I then changed it to 0.375 until 6pm and then 0.400 from 6pm to midnight.

So what does anyone think? I suspect the 6pm start of the high basal is too much combined with his bolus for meal. Do you think 8.30 is the right time or should i leave it a little later? Although it does take 1 hour to kick in with any changes - so thinking 8.30 is AFTER the 2 hour check of his meal - but BEFORE the late evening rise!

Not sure if this makes sense to anyone.....Bev


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Hi all,
> Last night A went up to 14mmols at midnight! He had been hypo at 7pm after his meal - so wasnt expecting this.
> 
> So after much thought - i have come to the conclusion that he does need the higher basal in the evening -BUT - i think i have started it too early (6pm) - which was the cause of his unexplained fish and chip hypo's!
> 
> So tonight i am changing it so that the higher basal starts at 8.30 to cope with the later highs - and this in turn should help with the hypo after evening meal as i will keep the lower rate until 8.30.
> 
> Before changes he was on 0.375 between 12 noon and 12 midnight.
> I then changed it to 0.375 until 6pm and then 0.400 from 6pm to midnight.
> 
> So what does anyone think? I suspect the 6pm start of the high basal is too much combined with his bolus for meal. Do you think 8.30 is the right time or should i leave it a little later? Although it does take 1 hour to kick in with any changes - so thinking 8.30 is AFTER the 2 hour check of his meal - but BEFORE the late evening rise!
> 
> Not sure if this makes sense to anyone.....Bev



Sounds good to me.   It is all trial and error unfortunately.    With sensors you can see on the overlay graph where the general rises are so you can make these guesses a lot more accurate.    You could always test hourly between 6 and 9 for a few days and see what happens.    All depends on food though doesn't it.

See what happens.


----------



## bev

Mand said:


> Lou - you are a star! I forgot all about this feature! As i say, it is a rare ocassion for him to miss but i guess it could happen again due to distractions at school (and no mom behind him to nag!) so will look into it.
> 
> Glad the others helped you get a discount and free postage sorted! Enjoy your purchase!
> 
> Love to you. x



Hi Mand, we use this feature for A. We set it for 15 minutes after lunchtime has started - so its a little reminder for him - and up to now and touch wood etc - it seems to work for him!Bev


----------



## bev

Adrienne said:


> Sounds good to me.   It is all trial and error unfortunately.    With sensors you can see on the overlay graph where the general rises are so you can make these guesses a lot more accurate.    You could always test hourly between 6 and 9 for a few days and see what happens.    All depends on food though doesn't it.
> 
> See what happens.



Thanks Adrienne, i was starting to think i was talking rubbish! We have a meeting on 7th October to go through bolus wizard and all the other gadgets on the pump - also to talk about sensors - i think we have a couple to use when we got the pump - so just wondering is it worth just using 2? We are planning to fund some for a while - but not sure if you need them back to back? Would using 1 sensor give you much information if your not used to using them? Thanks. Also, the 'nice' consultant has asked for the download for the pump before next monday clinic. I havent used the carelink - is it easy to set up? What information can the pump tell him as we dont yet enter the bg or use the bolus wizard etc? Bev x


----------



## Patricia

Great exchange last few pages folks -- and thanks all for your sympathy re our Night of Hypos one before last...

Spibelt -- gotta do this. Many thanks again.

Lou -- re night testing. We did *not* test as much at 3am on MDI, for a number of reasons: a) we didn't know to do so, thought everything was stable b) the long-lasting insulin felt less flexible, in that we could learn as much from the morning reading as from the 3am one. Toward the end we tested at 3am quite often to try to finesse his nighttime basal... In all honesty, I don't anticipate E waking for night checks when he leaves home. This is though 5 years away. I am hoping -- praying, really -- that by then some kind of nighttime closed loop system will be available, or at least a more sophisticated sensor system...I think this is on the cards, fingers crossed.

Saying that, we did not check last night. We were all very knackered and E is coming down with something (have had daughter home for 3 days now!), shattered. He went to bed on 5.4 with milk and biscuits, and woke up on 4.4. It was 9 hours! This is extremely rare for us, to go for 9 hours like that...What we've learned is that he is dropping a little overnight. So we will have to get up some more to see at which point he is dropping. Sigh.

However I feel like a different person today having had 9 hours of sleep myself. We are averaging 6 to 7 interrupted hours a night at the moment, and finding it rough...(we're old).

Good news is the tiny (.05) tweak to the afternoon basal meant that his pasta dual wave (hiss!) from lunch actually worked as we thought it did -- phew! No hypos.

He did however have two hypos in quick succession yesterday morning...seeing as that's the second or third one in that area of the day, with a couple of other 'riding low' numbers, in the last couple of weeks, we've tweaked that one too. 

He struggled a little with these yesterday, and phoned me unable to find his extra glucose, having had his apple juice earlier. A little muddled. He was then due to go on duty at the front desk. He was walking as he was talking to me! I said sit down! He said he couldn't etc...I said he would continue to be low unless he let himself catch up, and that the receptionist would certainly understand.

Receptionist saw he was draggy and asked if he needed to sit down. He ummed and aahed apparently -- then said his mum would want him to! At which the good lady made him sit for a few minutes. He came back up, and then ran his errands for her. Since he's home today I spoke to her to call in his absence -- she told me the story (although to be fair, he had also reported it to me last night). I took the chance to explain a bit about diabetes...every little bit helps!

We are pursuing school and the slight difficulties there through various avenues...will keep you updated.

Meanwhile: Bev I hope these adjustments do it for A. I think you are just doing brilliantly; these tiny things are what the pump is all about, and you are making such great headway.

And Tracey, I'm eager to hear how the new basal has worked?

Over and out everyone -- I'll try to check in later. 

xxoo


----------



## Northerner

*A poem for Sugarbum - Diabetic Auntie Lou*

Today we?re off to visit Diabetic Auntie Lou,
She?s such a lovely person, and I think you?ll think so too!
She says that diabetes shouldn?t stop you having fun,
When we?re with her we dance and sing and jump and swim and run!

She wears a pump called Veo, and I want one as well,
?Coz when she has her insulin, then you can hardly tell!
It works out just how much she needs for every meal she eats,
And that includes for chocolate pud, and loads of other treats!

She has a special wizard friend that hides inside her pump ?
He must be very tiny ?coz you cannot see a lump!
She has some things called basals set that change throughout the day,
And even though there?s tubes and stuff, they don?t get in her way!

It made us laugh when Auntie Lou once made a pooping noise,
The pump alarm began to sound ? she almost lost her poise!
She said it was the bubbles in the insulin reservoir?
That didn?t explain the eggy pong that filled up Auntie?s car!

But we all love our Auntie because I think you?ll find
You?ll never find an Auntie that?s so caring and so kind!
I hope that you have Aunties too, or maybe it?s your Mum,
That love you and that care for you ? a super Sugarbum!


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Thanks Adrienne, i was starting to think i was talking rubbish! We have a meeting on 7th October to go through bolus wizard and all the other gadgets on the pump - also to talk about sensors - i think we have a couple to use when we got the pump - so just wondering is it worth just using 2? We are planning to fund some for a while - but not sure if you need them back to back? Would using 1 sensor give you much information if your not used to using them? Thanks. Also, the 'nice' consultant has asked for the download for the pump before next monday clinic. I havent used the carelink - is it easy to set up? What information can the pump tell him as we dont yet enter the bg or use the bolus wizard etc? Bev x



Hi

Not sure what info the pump can give him without the use of sensors to be honest.   It will give him what basals, ratios and sensitivity factors are being used but you can tell him that.    I found the carelink easy to set up, have you got all the cables?

Sensors - We started off with 1 a month.  What a waste of time, for us !  They were alarming all over the place, never in align with the finger tests, couldn't work it out.   Eventually I told the Prof that I wanted to use 4 on the trott to see how it could work for us.  Bingo that worked a treat.  I was able to relax about them, which was part of the problem, let them work for us rather than us work at them.  After four weeks I compared download overlay charts of what the sensor said she was to what finger tests she was and even though they are not always in alignment I could see trends which helped no end tweaking the basal.    I also found that from midnight to morning the sensor was pretty much the same as finger tests.   So now I still get up, my body seems used to it, but I just look at the pump rather than stab her finger yet again.   If she alarms low however or high then I do test and act accordingly.    The low alarm is just another safety factor for me.   If I don't get up cos I'm just too knackered and have slept through my alarm I know that it will siron eventually if she is just too low and I have ignored it.  With the VEO it will cut off the insulin and the siron is very very loud and will wake the house - I heard it at the FFL conference, this is much better than the 522 that we have.   

I can guarantee you that once you have sensors and have worked out how they work for you and A you will always want them in.   Jessica always wants them in, it is a safety for her as well as for me.   She doesn't like them going in but she wants them.    I've put in a few now for other children as there is a knack to it but you soon learn once you've been shown.

One friend does use them once a month.   She has learnt from me how they could potentially work for her child and because she has me on hand and has learnt by that rather than doing it, it works fine once a month.

Me, I'll never go back to once a month - I just hope that Jessica will feel the same.


----------



## Patricia

Northerner: I am TOTALLY thrilled with this poem!! I love it. Mainly cos Lou deserves it, and it is so genuine, etc... She *is* the best! Fingers crossed E will find someone to depend on like Lou. I often think about this: what he will need is a good woman, or a brilliant friend. 

Adrienne, the hold up with our sensors is that the team's IT can't cope with the download! It's not working...So we are rather stuck in a loop at the moment, on the list until it's fixed. Damn.


----------



## Adrienne

Patricia said:


> Northerner: I am TOTALLY thrilled with this poem!! I love it. Mainly cos Lou deserves it, and it is so genuine, etc... She *is* the best! Fingers crossed E will find someone to depend on like Lou. I often think about this: what he will need is a good woman, or a brilliant friend.
> 
> Adrienne, the hold up with our sensors is that the team's IT can't cope with the download! It's not working...So we are rather stuck in a loop at the moment, on the list until it's fixed. Damn.



Hiya

What do you mean the team's IT can't cope with the download.   You can download it yourself at home onto the carelink website.  You can save the data easily as a .pdf file and just email the document to the team then they can see it !!!  I presume they don't know that.   Do you use carelink?  Have you got the cables?   I think they are free now


----------



## Patricia

Unfortunately we can't use the carelink at the moment Adrienne, -- we have apple macs...And they don't support the software. 

Bev did find something on another forum once upon a time about some fancy thing someone did to get carelink onto the Mac...we haven't done that yet, but i confess we'd love to be able to do it...

We may end up getting a PC specifically for E's stuff -- bit of a bummer, but I'm not sure how else it will work?!

Irritating.


----------



## Mand

Fantastic poem, Northener! 

Lou, i would be very happy for you to be aunty Lou to my son!


----------



## lesley1978

wow, i can't believe how fast this forum moves!!!!  I don't log on for the day and then I have pages to catch up on!  

Hope you guys are alright!  Great Poem Northerner, loved the one you did for me about sneaky diabeties fairy too!  you have such a talent.


I am so tempted to purchase the spy belt with the discounts but won't as I have my pump clinic appointment on Tuesday.  Don't want to tempt fate and all that!  If everything goes according to plan on Tuesday then I will probably order one.  

Nervous but excited about next week!


----------



## bev

Lesley - i just wanted to wish you good luck with your quest for a pump - let us know how it goes!Bev


----------



## Adrienne

There are loads of pump belt companies.   Here are a few we have used :

http://www.pumpwearinc.com/
http://www.angelbearpumpstuff.com/   (my favourite, all made by a grandma)
http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/PUMPN-IN-STYLE__W0QQ_armrsZ1 (cheapest)

There are lots more but these seem to be the main ones used by the people I know.


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> There are loads of pump belt companies.   Here are a few we have used :
> 
> http://www.pumpwearinc.com/
> http://www.angelbearpumpstuff.com/   (my favourite, all made by a grandma)
> http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/PUMPN-IN-STYLE__W0QQ_armrsZ1 (cheapest)
> 
> There are lots more but these seem to be the main ones used by the people I know.



hello, have heard you all talk about it but what is a spibelt? What is the website for it, its sounds good if you are all getting them, i dont want to be left out!!


----------



## bev

Hi Tracey,
These are belts for use when doing sports etc - they dont wobble your things around! If you look at the website there is an offer on at the moment - free shipping! They are very good value and A loves them - so do a lot of children on the other forum. But they do them in adult sizes too! They keep the pump very snug to the body -so stops them falling down the loo or anything like that - also good to sleep with - stops the pump going walkies during the night!Bev


----------



## tracey w

Well what a day!

firstly, Adrienne, thank you so much! You are a star, i changed the rates like you said.

unfortunately woke on 12.4, my own falt, didnt have tea until 10pm after working late and had pasta, didnt want to go low after being busy so i know i dint giv enough bolus....

any way gave 0.5 correction on waking 6.45, breakfast at  7am, tested 8.30 as was driving 10.8 (lower than before breakfas).  9am 9.1, lower than before breakfast, 10.30 8.1, yipeeeeee  so no spike at all, only 1 day i know but how wonderful and good not to go to 18/20 for a change, brilliant.

Learnt my pump handset today, which is also my meter. Wireless connection to the pump, learnt bolus advisor, put in all current ratios and correction factors, so far been in range all day. Apart from a hypo at 17.30  my own fault, got a bit carried away as advisor sid gove 0.8 correction after lunch, which i did, but then went tearing around the supermarket, tidying house etc and didnt take that into account!!

Gave first multiwave with tea, homemade curry, basmati rice and small naan bread, 30% upfront and 70% over two hours, pre teas 6.6, 2 hours later 7, wow........ will see how next few hours pan out, but overall a good day and learnt a lot i think.

Thanks Again Adrienne for your advice, dsn has tweaked my evening basals as well, so a lot going on.


----------



## tracey w

have just read that last post back, spelling is shocking


----------



## tracey w

bev said:


> Hi Tracey,
> These are belts for use when doing sports etc - they dont wobble your things around! If you look at the website there is an offer on at the moment - free shipping! They are very good value and A loves them - so do a lot of children on the other forum. But they do them in adult sizes too! They keep the pump very snug to the body -so stops them falling down the loo or anything like that - also good to sleep with - stops the pump going walkies during the night!Bev



thanks Bev, will have a look, what is the website?


----------



## tracey w

Northener, another great poem, very funny


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> have just read that last post back, spelling is shocking



Yes but you could tell how excited you were in the last post......


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> thanks Bev, will have a look, what is the website?



http://www.spibelt.com/


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Yes but you could tell how excited you were in the last post......



thats ok then


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> http://www.spibelt.com/



thanks, had a quick look, they look cool


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> Well what a day!
> 
> firstly, Adrienne, thank you so much! You are a star, i changed the rates like you said.
> 
> unfortunately woke on 12.4, my own falt, didnt have tea until 10pm after working late and had pasta, didnt want to go low after being busy so i know i dint giv enough bolus....
> 
> any way gave 0.5 correction on waking 6.45, breakfast at  7am, tested 8.30 as was driving 10.8 (lower than before breakfas).  9am 9.1, lower than before breakfast, 10.30 8.1, yipeeeeee  so no spike at all, only 1 day i know but how wonderful and good not to go to 18/20 for a change, brilliant.
> 
> Learnt my pump handset today, which is also my meter. Wireless connection to the pump, learnt bolus advisor, put in all current ratios and correction factors, so far been in range all day. Apart from a hypo at 17.30  my own fault, got a bit carried away as advisor sid gove 0.8 correction after lunch, which i did, but then went tearing around the supermarket, tidying house etc and didnt take that into account!!
> 
> Gave first multiwave with tea, homemade curry, basmati rice and small naan bread, 30% upfront and 70% over two hours, pre teas 6.6, 2 hours later 7, wow........ will see how next few hours pan out, but overall a good day and learnt a lot i think.
> 
> Thanks Again Adrienne for your advice, dsn has tweaked my evening basals as well, so a lot going on.



Wow.  I have been waiting to hear your news all day.   How fantastic.   I guess it just shows what a small tweak does.  Are you doing the same tomorrow?

If not then you could set next pattern and just copy todays but work out the timing of the new basal to breakfast and set it for that same time period and see what happens.    

I'm so pleased for you. 

When Jessica has rice we have to do 30/70 over 2 hours as well, sometimes that works, sometimes not !!


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Wow.  I have been waiting to hear your news all day.   How fantastic.   I guess it just shows what a small tweak does.  Are you doing the same tomorrow?
> 
> If not then you could set next pattern and just copy todays but work out the timing of the new basal to breakfast and set it for that same time period and see what happens.
> 
> I'm so pleased for you.
> 
> When Jessica has rice we have to do 30/70 over 2 hours as well, sometimes that works, sometimes not !!



yes, i have left the same pattern for tomorrow as working and will be up at the same time give or take 30 mins? have not set another pattern yet, will do one for sunday, my next day off though.


----------



## lesley1978

tracey w said:


> Well what a day!
> 
> firstly, Adrienne, thank you so much! You are a star, i changed the rates like you said.
> 
> unfortunately woke on 12.4, my own falt, didnt have tea until 10pm after working late and had pasta, didnt want to go low after being busy so i know i dint giv enough bolus....
> 
> any way gave 0.5 correction on waking 6.45, breakfast at  7am, tested 8.30 as was driving 10.8 (lower than before breakfas).  9am 9.1, lower than before breakfast, 10.30 8.1, yipeeeeee  so no spike at all, only 1 day i know but how wonderful and good not to go to 18/20 for a change, brilliant.
> 
> Learnt my pump handset today, which is also my meter. Wireless connection to the pump, learnt bolus advisor, put in all current ratios and correction factors, so far been in range all day. Apart from a hypo at 17.30  my own fault, got a bit carried away as advisor sid gove 0.8 correction after lunch, which i did, but then went tearing around the supermarket, tidying house etc and didnt take that into account!!
> 
> Gave first multiwave with tea, homemade curry, basmati rice and small naan bread, 30% upfront and 70% over two hours, pre teas 6.6, 2 hours later 7, wow........ will see how next few hours pan out, but overall a good day and learnt a lot i think.
> 
> Thanks Again Adrienne for your advice, dsn has tweaked my evening basals as well, so a lot going on.



Wow Tracey, fantastic figures with your tea!!!!  how do you know what to give when you give part and part???  it sounds so confusing!!!!

thank you for the well wishes for the pump!  the consultant has said that I WILL get a pump but I am just a bit worried in case the pump nurse says different!!!  oh well, we will see on Tuesday.  I will let you all know how I get on!!!!!

x


----------



## tracey w

lesley1978 said:


> Wow Tracey, fantastic figures with your tea!!!!  how do you know what to give when you give part and part???  it sounds so confusing!!!!
> 
> thank you for the well wishes for the pump!  the consultant has said that I WILL get a pump but I am just a bit worried in case the pump nurse says different!!!  oh well, we will see on Tuesday.  I will let you all know how I get on!!!!!
> 
> x



Hi Lesley, well the pump tells you how much to give but you can change it. You do have to input all your ratios etc and the pump does the maths! Just tested 3.9 after 4 hours, so not got it right just yet,

good luck next week


----------



## Sugarbum

Northerner said:


> Today we?re off to visit Diabetic Auntie Lou,
> She?s such a lovely person, and I think you?ll think so too!
> She says that diabetes shouldn?t stop you having fun,
> When we?re with her we dance and sing and jump and swim and run!
> 
> She wears a pump called Veo, and I want one as well,
> ?Coz when she has her insulin, then you can hardly tell!
> It works out just how much she needs for every meal she eats,
> And that includes for chocolate pud, and loads of other treats!
> 
> She has a special wizard friend that hides inside her pump ?
> He must be very tiny ?coz you cannot see a lump!
> She has some things called basals set that change throughout the day,
> And even though there?s tubes and stuff, they don?t get in her way!
> 
> It made us laugh when Auntie Lou once made a pooping noise,
> The pump alarm began to sound ? she almost lost her poise!
> She said it was the bubbles in the insulin reservoir?
> That didn?t explain the eggy pong that filled up Auntie?s car!
> 
> But we all love our Auntie because I think you?ll find
> You?ll never find an Auntie that?s so caring and so kind!
> I hope that you have Aunties too, or maybe it?s your Mum,
> That love you and that care for you ? a super Sugarbum!



Northener, you are spoiling me!!!! Thank you soooo much thats really nice (apart from the eggy pong!!!!). I shall know who to come to for help when I start my "Adoptabetic" scheme to support all these forum teens when they fly off to uni in the big smoke!

Your poem has really cheered me up this evening, thank you! xx (I am going to cut and paste and save it to my computer )


----------



## Freddie99

Evening all,

Just a quick question, what does the cannula feel like when it's in you? I ask as I had a rather unpleasant experience with a CGM a year ago.

Tom


----------



## bev

Tom Hreben said:


> Evening all,
> 
> Just a quick question, what does the cannula feel like when it's in you? I ask as I had a rather unpleasant experience with a CGM a year ago.
> 
> Tom


Tom, from what i hear CGM's are a lot more painful than the cannula's! I wouldnt worry - A has got used to it and he says he would rather this than an injection any day!Bev


----------



## tracey w

Tom Hreben said:


> Evening all,
> 
> Just a quick question, what does the cannula feel like when it's in you? I ask as I had a rather unpleasant experience with a CGM a year ago.
> 
> Tom



Hi Tom,

You cannot feel the cannula when it is in and in correctly, I have only done a couple, the last one i did not feel go in, the others slightly more painful than an injection going in, but its in for 3 days as opposed to around 18 injections in that time ( for me anyway), no contest is it?

You need to find the right type for you also as there are different ones, I am using ones called tenderlink which go in at 30/45 degrees, i tried one called the flexlink first, 90 degree insertion and it really hurt me.


----------



## Freddie99

tracey w said:


> Hi Tom,
> 
> You cannot feel the cannula when it is in and in correctly, I have only done a couple, the last one i did not feel go in, the others slightly more painful than an injection going in, but its in for 3 days as opposed to around 18 injections in that time ( for me anyway), no contest is it?
> 
> You need to find the right type for you also as there are different ones, I am using ones called tenderlink which go in at 30/45 degrees, i tried one called the flexlink first, 90 degree insertion and it really hurt me.



Thanks for that Tracey, much appreciated. What pump are you on by the way?


----------



## Freddie99

bev said:


> Tom, from what i hear CGM's are a lot more painful than the cannula's! I wouldnt worry - A has got used to it and he says he would rather this than an injection any day!Bev



Thanks Bev, they do sound nicer than the multiple daily puncture wound treatment I'm on! Yeah, that CGM made my life hell for a few days.


----------



## tracey w

Tom Hreben said:


> Thanks for that Tracey, much appreciated. What pump are you on by the way?



ive got the spirit combo, its new and has a wireless remote handset


----------



## Adrienne

Tom Hreben said:


> Evening all,
> 
> Just a quick question, what does the cannula feel like when it's in you? I ask as I had a rather unpleasant experience with a CGM a year ago.
> 
> Tom



Hi Tom

So happy to hear you are still thinking pumps !!  I have had a cannula in me before.   They do not hurt at all.   Jessica has been having them for nearly 3 years and also says they do not hurt.   The noise of the inserter, if you use it, is more frightening than the needle.   

The CGMS is the same thing as the sensor that some of us talk about.   This does hurt, as you know.   Jessica has it every 6 days.   If you do it right then it will hurt for less than 5 seconds.   I am a dab hand at putting sensors in and can do it in probably 3 seconds from start to finish.   I have put a few friends' childrens sensors in for them recently.   The needle is a bit thicker and stronger than the cannula needle.   It has to be done at the correct angle exactly otherwise the needle stays in too long and it does hurt.

Some people who put in the CGMS don't do it on a regular basis so I imagine it hurt more than normal when they put it in you.


----------



## Mand

So glad all is so positive for you so far, Tracey! Great news! Sounds like you are really getting to grips with it all! 

Good luck, Lesley, for next week! Fingers crossed!

Tom, my son thinks it hurts a little when it goes in but he cannot feel it once it is in and he sssssssssssssssoooooooooooo much prefers the pump to the mdi injections! The quickserter (the thing you use to put the cannula into your tummy) does make a bit of a loud 'click', which to a child espcially, is a bit scary.

Well, all going fairly smoothly for us. He going down to 4.3 or 4.2 at midnight so we need to tweak that basal. 

Hi to everyone!


----------



## Patricia

Tom, glad here too you thinking about pump...I really cannot stress the difference it makes to the feeling of *control* too: as you see from Tracey and others, it's not like it's right all the time, somehow magically (!), but being able to *do* something about it is such an improvement.

Last night was a night we wished for a sensor, I can tell you! E down with HEAVY cold, we had small portion of rice more or less as test of disaster two nights before...Anyway at end of dual wave 4.9 (50/50 dual wave, 3 hours), having fortunately not stirred when tested. Decided not to wake him. Put him on very low temp basal (20%) for an hour and a half -- tested at 11mmols at the end! By this point it's 12.45am. Did not do all of correction suggested, but this morning woke still on 11ish mmols. Damn.

BUT: this shows a clear rise at between 3 and 4.5 hours after eating. This is good to know, because we have always panicked a little bit if he's on 4 ish at the end of a rice dual wave, and free carbed...once you do that of course, it's impossible to tell where he would have gone. So we will be stronger next time, and test frequently, and see if the tail end of the dual wave can take care of that rise. In any case he continued to rise a little, of course, over the night, since he woke a little higher than he would have all thing considered. 

Still, progress of sorts.

(No one mention please that he is not so well at the moment and last night may have been a completely unrepresentative experience!! )

Tracey: we can relate to the drop after the dual wave. This is *inevitable* with E it seems...With plain pasta the only thing we have done which avoids this is 20/80 over 6 hours! This seems to spread the insulin enough such that  the 2.5 hour point isn't too low from the upfront bolus, and the rest just keeps the lid on the pasta, whenever it comes in (which we think *is* at about 6 hours...).

This 6 hour dual though just isn't practical for the night, so we haven't figured out what to do yet.  

Mand, always good to hear from you. For some reason wondering if you okay?

***

Re cannula etc: I can't remember if I said...duh. Anyway one team finally sort of shifted and said that fridge may help on insertion, but they couldn't see how it would make a difference once in the body, to knocks and such. They also did not think 9mm would work for E, being on the slim side.

E himself is dead set against trying sils at the moment: he has memories of trying to inject at 45 degrees to avoid bruising in his legs, and remembers it with horror. The whole thought of a set that does this freaks him out. So that's that for the moment!

xxoo


----------



## Freddie99

Hello all,

Thanks for your answers, this has got me all thinking. Basically how I stand at the moment is if MDI doesn't lend itself to a hectic lifestyle at uni then I will ask about a pump. Frankly jabs for thirteen years gets a bit monotonous.

Tom


----------



## Adrienne

Tom Hreben said:


> Hello all,
> 
> Thanks for your answers, this has got me all thinking. Basically how I stand at the moment is if MDI doesn't lend itself to a hectic lifestyle at uni then I will ask about a pump. Frankly jabs for thirteen years gets a bit monotonous.
> 
> Tom



Hi
I'm pretty sure you will make the four or more injections work for you at uni, you come across as a very sensible (and likeable of course) chap wanting your diabetes to be controlled.     

I do know however that with the temp basals and other tricks the pump does, you will find uni life that much easier pumping rather than injecting, the freedom it will give you is untold.    On MDI you still have to eat within a certain time frame, not as restrictive as mixed insulins of course.   On a pump, you can eat whenever you like, seriously whenever you like.  You may need a bit of tweaking but it is all very doable.


----------



## tracey w

hello,

well a very good day today, no spikes at all except i think after a biscuit i had as a snack, but was working and didnt test so not really sure 

all my readings, pre and post meal today have been in the 8"s apart from 7.3 at tea, so very very stable!! I cant tell you how much better i feel generally  now im pumping, not as tired and i used to get very achey legs, shoulders and headaches which seem to have totally disappeared. Unbelievable!

And the first full day on handset, brilliant, press few buttons, no taking out pump and done, fan bloody tastic.

Done another multiwave tonight, 50/50 over two hours as went bit low last night, will see how that goes. 

have just set up programme 2 for my day off sunday and lowered my afternoon basal as always seem to drop between 4-7 by 3/4 mmol with no active insulin? Feeling more confident about changing basals daily and jsut seeing what works or not.

trying to find some skins for my pump but cant find on the roche site? Any ideas?

Hope all well with everyone else, xxx


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> hello,
> 
> well a very good day today, no spikes at all except i think after a biscuit i had as a snack, but was working and didnt test so not really sure
> 
> all my readings, pre and post meal today have been in the 8"s apart from 7.3 at tea, so very very stable!! I cant tell you how much better i feel generally  now im pumping, not as tired and i used to get very achey legs, shoulders and headaches which seem to have totally disappeared. Unbelievable!
> 
> And the first full day on handset, brilliant, press few buttons, no taking out pump and done, fan bloody tastic.
> 
> Done another multiwave tonight, 50/50 over two hours as went bit low last night, will see how that goes.
> 
> have just set up programme 2 for my day off sunday and lowered my afternoon basal as always seem to drop between 4-7 by 3/4 mmol with no active insulin? Feeling more confident about changing basals daily and jsut seeing what works or not.
> 
> trying to find some skins for my pump but cant find on the roche site? Any ideas?
> 
> Hope all well with everyone else, xxx




Woo hoo, I've been waiting all day to hear read about your day.   You just sound so much more positive, this is great and brilliant for the non pumpers on the verge of pumping to read.   

Excellent, long may it last.


----------



## Freddie99

tracey w said:


> hello,
> 
> well a very good day today, no spikes at all except i think after a biscuit i had as a snack, but was working and didnt test so not really sure
> 
> 
> Done another multiwave tonight, 50/50 over two hours as went bit low last night, will see how that goes.



Lucky you! I could really have used a multiwave thing this evening. I had pizza for tea and my blood is now 17.4 mmol/L. Not a pleasant sight on the meter. Glad to see all if going well on the pump  Like the sound of the hand set.


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Woo hoo, I've been waiting all day to hear read about your day.   You just sound so much more positive, this is great and brilliant for the non pumpers on the verge of pumping to read.
> 
> Excellent, long may it last.



Fingers crossed,

 everyone should have a pump its so unfair what we have to go through to get one if we want one.

12.3 two hours after my 50/50 so not right eh? think was better with the 30/70, had exactly same meal too,maybe i was just low last night as had hypo straight  before tea? Let me know your thoughts on this Adrienne, thanks


----------



## tracey w

Tom Hreben said:


> Hello all,
> 
> Thanks for your answers, this has got me all thinking. Basically how I stand at the moment is if MDI doesn't lend itself to a hectic lifestyle at uni then I will ask about a pump. Frankly jabs for thirteen years gets a bit monotonous.
> 
> Tom



good luck with Uni Tom, you will have a great time im sure. good luck whatever you decide, its not like you have to make a decision right away is it?


----------



## Freddie99

tracey w said:


> good luck with Uni Tom, you will have a great time im sure. good luck whatever you decide, its not like you have to make a decision right away is it?



I can be rather impulsive at times but I know I need to see how things pan out in the long term with this one. Should be interesting.

Adrienne,

Thank you  Yeah, I like my D to be well controlled. Makes for less hassle with the endo lol.

Tom


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> Fingers crossed,
> 
> everyone should have a pump its so unfair what we have to go through to get one if we want one.
> 
> 12.3 two hours after my 50/50 so not right eh? think was better with the 30/70, had exactly same meal too,maybe i was just low last night as had hypo straight  before tea? Let me know your thoughts on this Adrienne, thanks



Yes I agree, all should have a pump if they want one.  It is a postcode lottery.   I met with the PCT last week about this and care where I am and I wrote to the MP.   The MP has now written to the Chief Execs of both local hospitals and also to the Secretary of State for Health   wanting their comments.  Oh boy !

The 12.3 isn't a mega spike so why not try 40/60,  you can use any combination.  I have a friend who has worked out something as obscure as 27/73 is ok for her son !!   You could try 20/80.   What did you eat?  Was it rice by any chance.   If it was then some people do need more over time rather than upfront.   Jessica does.  We use 30/70 (just tweaking it a bit more at the moment - think we used 20/80 last time).


----------



## Adrienne

Tom Hreben said:


> Lucky you! I could really have used a multiwave thing this evening. I had pizza for tea and my blood is now 17.4 mmol/L. Not a pleasant sight on the meter. Glad to see all if going well on the pump  Like the sound of the hand set.



Hi

You know Tom some of my friends actually split the novorapid injection with pizza or pasta.   Not sure what percentages but for example give 50 % up front and then if the spike of 17.0 was 5 hours later, then give the other 50% two hours before this spike (ie 3 hours after the first injection).   Takes more testing but might work.  You never know.


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Yes I agree, all should have a pump if they want one.  It is a postcode lottery.   I met with the PCT last week about this and care where I am and I wrote to the MP.   The MP has now written to the Chief Execs of both local hospitals and also to the Secretary of State for Health   wanting their comments.  Oh boy !
> 
> The 12.3 isn't a mega spike so why not try 40/60,  you can use any combination.  I have a friend who has worked out something as obscure as 27/73 is ok for her son !!   You could try 20/80.   What did you eat?  Was it rice by any chance.   If it was then some people do need more over time rather than upfront.   Jessica does.  We use 30/70 (just tweaking it a bit more at the moment - think we used 20/80 last time).



yes rice, think i will try 20/80 next then  As i did 30/70 last night?


----------



## Sugarbum

tracey w said:


> yes rice, think i will try 20/80 next then  As i did 30/70 last night?




I dont think you did too bad their T whilst still experimenting! Im sure you have seen throughout the thread that we all struggle with this baby!

Not the master myself, but I would suggest extending your multi-wave further than 2 hours. As yet I have never had sucess at 2 hours, and 12mmols isnt too scary I think at that stage. Im in the middle of a dual wave right now which I am not sure how its going to pan out  I find if I need a dual wave I also need to change my ratio but lets not go there right now 

Dont be disapointed Trace- I think thats nearly a result. Sounds like you are doing great anyway from todays posting!

x


----------



## tracey w

Sugarbum said:


> I dont think you did too bad their T whilst still experimenting! Im sure you have seen throughout the thread that we all struggle with this baby!
> 
> Not the master myself, but I would suggest extending your multi-wave further than 2 hours. As yet I have never had sucess at 2 hours, and 12mmols isnt too scary I think at that stage. Im in the middle of a dual wave right now which I am not sure how its going to pan out  I find if I need a dual wave I also need to change my ratio but lets not go there right now
> 
> Dont be disapointed Trace- I think thats nearly a result. Sounds like you are doing great anyway from todays posting!
> 
> x



thanks Lou, I know, Rome wasnt built in a day and all that


----------



## Sugarbum

tracey w said:


> thanks Lou, I know, Rome wasnt built in a day and all that



I shouldnt have tried to advise you, I cant get it right myself. Last night I had my lowest hypo ever at 1.6mmols at 2am and I really scared myself. I was still in the dual wave and had 6 active units. This feeling a little out of sorts this morning.

I had a can and a half of cider and I hardly ever drink at home, I guess thats the moral of the story. I also dual waved for my first jacket potato on pump and perhaps I didnt need to dual at all?

Not easily flummoxed, me, but this I admit has scared me a little. That is the lowest I have ever gone.

Anyway, how is everyone? Hope you are out enjoying this good weather, I shall be!

Lots of love xx


----------



## Patricia

randomange said:


> Thanks for the good wishes everyone
> 
> Bev - I've been keeping pretty thorough logs for while now (I'm a scientist, I like collecting data! ), but I think I'll take your advice and start writing down everything I can - anything that will help!
> 
> Lesley - I'm trying to get in touch with a girl who was put forward a month before I was to see what's happening with her. I'm finding it difficult to get any information out of the hospital itself, which is a bit frustrating! Good luck with your appointment!





Sugarbum said:


> I shouldnt have tried to advise you, I cant get it right myself. Last night I had my lowest hypo ever at 1.6mmols at 2am and I really scared myself. I was still in the dual wave and had 6 active units. This feeling a little out of sorts this morning.
> 
> I had a can and a half of cider and I hardly ever drink at home, I guess thats the moral of the story. I also dual waved for my first jacket potato on pump and perhaps I didnt need to dual at all?
> 
> Not easily flummoxed, me, but this I admit has scared me a little. That is the lowest I have ever gone.



How scary for you Lou. Oh dear. We don't dual wave jacket pots, if that's any help. Poor Lou . Not fair.

Very low lows terrify me. It's that simple. We have had several in the last 10 months, and each time I am like a leaf the next day. Oh dear.

Tracey, you sound like you are doing just great. Really. This playing seems to be the only thing that gets you there. We continue to play...

On MDI we always split rice pizza and pasta Tom. It worked pretty well, but is a pain re more injections and more testing. 

Here E went high with illness yesterday evening and through the night: we temp basal-ed at 120% at first with a full correction, then raised it to 150% (with correction), then he finally came down. By 2am he was 6.8 and had another hour on a 120% basal, and this morning he seemed quite stable, woke on 7mmols. So it seems like that worst is over! He's feeling better today anyway...

Even at 18mmols last night, there were no ketones. This is such evidence of the 'some insulin' - 'no insulin' divide. When the cannula died, he obviously had no insulin, and suddenly it was ketone city. Whereas if there is insulin running around, even though not enough, he's never had ketones. Interesting.

Beautiful day.

xxoo


----------



## Patricia

Sorry guys don't know how that other post got in there!! From pages back...


----------



## Sugarbum

Patricia said:


> How scary for you Lou. Oh dear. We don't dual wave jacket pots, if that's any help. Poor Lou . Not fair.
> 
> Very low lows terrify me. It's that simple. We have had several in the last 10 months, and each time I am like a leaf the next day. Oh dear.



Thanks Patricia, I am feeling a bit better this evening. I really dont think I needed to dual wave that pot, but for some reason it was in the pasta/pizza category in my head=dual wave. The first jacket pot since I got my pump. I wont do that again. 

I felt very fragile today. I nearly called an ambulance last night, when I got in the kitchen and got the lucozade out all I wanted to do was put my head on the counter. If I had of passed out no-one would have known, thats what was most upsetting. I really feel under pressure to get that HbA1c down and sometimes I think I get silly and pump the insulin in. I have to be more careful. Didnt go to the gym today, just to give my liver a day to catch up (sounds daft doesnt it, but you know what I mean). 

Sorry to hear as well in your post P that you have had a few lows too with E of late. Hard work and scary. I might take a leaf out of your book. I should learn that if I do an evening dual wave, I must set my alarm and test at the end, or simply not do it at all. I have it embedded in my brain from my work not "undermine the reguime" and perhaps I should apply some of that theory to my diabetes!

Anyway, things arent so bad. I had a nice afternoon with a friend having coffee and chocolate cake (I just checked my Bm and it is 15.9 ) Its just going to be one of thos BAD number weekends!


How is everyone? xx


----------



## Adrienne

Sugarbum said:


> Thanks Patricia, I am feeling a bit better this evening. I really dont think I needed to dual wave that pot, but for some reason it was in the pasta/pizza category in my head=dual wave. The first jacket pot since I got my pump. I wont do that again.
> 
> I felt very fragile today. I nearly called an ambulance last night, when I got in the kitchen and got the lucozade out all I wanted to do was put my head on the counter. If I had of passed out no-one would have known, thats what was most upsetting. I really feel under pressure to get that HbA1c down and sometimes I think I get silly and pump the insulin in. I have to be more careful. Didnt go to the gym today, just to give my liver a day to catch up (sounds daft doesnt it, but you know what I mean).
> 
> Sorry to hear as well in your post P that you have had a few lows too with E of late. Hard work and scary. I might take a leaf out of your book. I should learn that if I do an evening dual wave, I must set my alarm and test at the end, or simply not do it at all. I have it embedded in my brain from my work not "undermine the reguime" and perhaps I should apply some of that theory to my diabetes!
> 
> Anyway, things arent so bad. I had a nice afternoon with a friend having coffee and chocolate cake (I just checked my Bm and it is 15.9 ) Its just going to be one of thos BAD number weekends!
> 
> 
> How is everyone? xx



Hiya

I'm glad your afternoon was good.   Don't beat yourself up about getting the pump wrong sometimes, I still do and I have friends I ask for help.   I hope you are feeling better and I can totally see why it is scary for you.   I do not want Jessica living on her own ever.   No idea how I can sort that one out !

I don't dual wave for jacket pots.   I do sometimes if Jessica has jacket pot with cheese and beans but that is all to do with the fat and fibre, not the potato.

We have had an odd day.   We have been out since 9 am with my sister and niece at a fairy and crystal day.  We had lunch out and I under guessed the carbs right for lunch and she spiked at 15.9 but then had an ice cream in a cone and got that right.  She had tea at my sisters which was a noodle thing so I did a 65/35 dual over 3 hours (guessing as still not got that right) and so that was due to finish at 8.20 pm.   By 7 pm we were at a party and she ate cake !! I told her to get what she wanted and I would deal with it.   She chose the biggest bit of gooey chocolate cake and I guessed 65 carbs and bolused and she ate it.    Then they brought out a hog roast !!  She had one of those so I bolused for the roll.

I just tested her, just gone to bed and she is 7.8.  Wow.   That is 2 hours after the dual wave finished and all the cake and hog roast.    All the readings today were brilliant except the 15.9.   I'm feeling rather proud of myself and I let Jessica have what she wanted.    She did have 34.3 units of insulin mind you and normally she has approx 22 units


----------



## bev

Sitting here crying. A has been having loads of hypo's and today he has had 5! They were between 3 and 2.1mmols. I am sick to death of f******** diabetes. I try my best and i cant get anywhere. I also think he may be cealiac - he is windy and has random tummy aches. He isnt putting any weight on. I am sorry to be so negative - but i feel wiped out today and feel totally selfish and just want to sleep and not worry!!I cant seem to stop him being hypo and i am feeling very guilty about it. I have 2 other children and they dont get a look in with regards attention and that makes me feel guilty. I dont normally use bad language and i dont approve of other people using it - but i have had enough today...I feel useless and i am sick to death of diabetes..and sick to death of stupid people telling me to take a day off!!!!!!!!!!!!!How can I? Diabetes doesnt take a day off! Everyone thinks i cope well - but this is rubbish - why is A still having hypo's?

My sister is very intelligent and very well educated and is a medical professional and she tells me that I worry too much and that I need to relax more.....oh my god.....I am so angry with her...she knows nothing about diabetes and she thinks she can advise me.....

I am a shit mother and i feel negligent and I think A would be better off living with someone like Adrienne - she is confident and knows everything there is to know about diabetes 

I apologise for my bad language - but i feel so sad and angry and i wish diabetes would just go away and give us back our normal life that we used to have...


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Sitting here crying. A has been having loads of hypo's and today he has had 5! They were between 3 and 2.1mmols. I am sick to death of f******** diabetes. I try my best and i cant get anywhere. I also think he may be cealiac - he is windy and has random tummy aches. He isnt putting any weight on. I am sorry to be so negative - but i feel wiped out today and feel totally selfish and just want to sleep and not worry!!I cant seem to stop him being hypo and i am feeling very guilty about it. I have 2 other children and they dont get a look in with regards attention and that makes me feel guilty. I dont normally use bad language and i dont approve of other people using it - but i have had enough today...I feel useless and i am sick to death of diabetes..and sick to death of stupid people telling me to take a day off!!!!!!!!!!!!!How can I? Diabetes doesnt take a day off! Everyone thinks i cope well - but this is rubbish - why is A still having hypo's?
> 
> My sister is very intelligent and very well educated and is a medical professional and she tells me that I worry too much and that I need to relax more.....oh my god.....I am so angry with her...she knows nothing about diabetes and she thinks she can advise me.....
> 
> I am a shit mother and i feel negligent and I think A would be better off living with someone like Adrienne - she is confident and knows everything there is to know about diabetes
> 
> I apologise for my bad language - but i feel so sad and angry and i wish diabetes would just go away and give us back our normal life that we used to have...



Oh Bev you are so so so wrong.  You know so much more than you give yourself credit for, seriously.    You are a fab mum, just look what you have accomplished with and for A, you are his hero.    You also wouldn't be human if you didn't have shite days like this.    I'm not perfect by any means so never compare yourself to me.   I have awful days where I just can get diabetes right at all.  Who knows what diabetes is going to throw at you.

Jessica had 18 hypos in about 6 days when she went back to school.  I was pulling my hair out and it was my DSN who helped me and now I'm back on track, its not easy and I too absolutely hate diabetes with a passion.

Don't put yourself down, you know your stuff, you just don't think so.   I doubt myself on a daily basis, every time I send a message.   I compare myself to the two J's on the other site and I don't know half the stuff they know and feel totally inadequate.  See, we are all the same.

Ok the hypos.    If you want to email me off this forum with results from the last two days and all the basals and ratios you have, we'll see what we can do.    Either its the ratios, basals or he could be coming down with something.   Sometimes levels can go down rather than up.   Depends on the illness if there is one of course.    

Now go and give yourself a huge pat on the back and glass of wine.

If you and Alex ever wanna a break or weekend by the sea, you are welcome here.  (sorry I just love that icon but have no use for it so thought I would put it here !!)  x


----------



## Sugarbum

bev said:


> Sitting here crying. A has been having loads of hypo's and today he has had 5! They were between 3 and 2.1mmols. I am sick to death of f******** diabetes. I try my best and i cant get anywhere. I also think he may be cealiac - he is windy and has random tummy aches. He isnt putting any weight on. I am sorry to be so negative - but i feel wiped out today and feel totally selfish and just want to sleep and not worry!!I cant seem to stop him being hypo and i am feeling very guilty about it. I have 2 other children and they dont get a look in with regards attention and that makes me feel guilty. I dont normally use bad language and i dont approve of other people using it - but i have had enough today...I feel useless and i am sick to death of diabetes..and sick to death of stupid people telling me to take a day off!!!!!!!!!!!!!How can I? Diabetes doesnt take a day off! Everyone thinks i cope well - but this is rubbish - why is A still having hypo's?
> 
> My sister is very intelligent and very well educated and is a medical professional and she tells me that I worry too much and that I need to relax more.....oh my god.....I am so angry with her...she knows nothing about diabetes and she thinks she can advise me.....
> 
> I am a shit mother and i feel negligent and I think A would be better off living with someone like Adrienne - she is confident and knows everything there is to know about diabetes
> 
> I apologise for my bad language - but i feel so sad and angry and i wish diabetes would just go away and give us back our normal life that we used to have...



BEV, Bev, Bev....((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))

This is awful I am so sorry my love you are upset. Go for the anger- get it off your chest. Have a bloody good cry, sometimes I think this is all we can do to express how bloody awful this is sometimes. Dont be sorry to be negative, if you cant 'fly off' here amongst us then what are we here for? I would have been much more vocal for being this upset. I wish I could pour you a G&T and let you thrash this one out, and a big hug of course.

Bev you put so much effort in. What we all want with diabetes is control and accepting we will not always get it no matter how hard we fight for it is crushing. I firmly believe to tame this disease you have to crash and breakdown with it sometimes to appreciate the good days when it goes right and you are in the driving seat and diabetes doesnt dictate what or how you feel that day. Of course you feel bad that A needs all this attension, but in the years to come you other 2 will learn what you did to give their brother a long and healthy life and understand. Sure it doesnt make it any easier but Bev you do everything a mother can do, and above that- you do it well.

I have a sister too, and bloody hell does she make me angry sometimes just like what yours has done today! (is she your older sister by any chance?). She probably doesnt know what to say in support of what you go through, so comes out with what she does know- straight from the books. It is really unfortunate and I'm sure her comments have really hurt you. Her ignorance is probably hard to stomach on such a sensitive subject but she also needs her time to learn how to respond to you with all this going on. Its cutting when people say these things, I know. I am really sorry Bev.

You have probably gone to bed now but I'm kicking about for a bit. If you feel like posting I am here. 

You are in my thoughts Bev.

L x


----------



## Sugarbum

Adrienne said:


> Hiya
> 
> I'm glad your afternoon was good.   Don't beat yourself up about getting the pump wrong sometimes, I still do and I have friends I ask for help.   I hope you are feeling better and I can totally see why it is scary for you.   I do not want Jessica living on her own ever.   No idea how I can sort that one out !
> 
> I don't dual wave for jacket pots.   I do sometimes if Jessica has jacket pot with cheese and beans but that is all to do with the fat and fibre, not the potato.
> 
> We have had an odd day.   We have been out since 9 am with my sister and niece at a fairy and crystal day.  We had lunch out and I under guessed the carbs right for lunch and she spiked at 15.9 but then had an ice cream in a cone and got that right.  She had tea at my sisters which was a noodle thing so I did a 65/35 dual over 3 hours (guessing as still not got that right) and so that was due to finish at 8.20 pm.   By 7 pm we were at a party and she ate cake !! I told her to get what she wanted and I would deal with it.   She chose the biggest bit of gooey chocolate cake and I guessed 65 carbs and bolused and she ate it.    Then they brought out a hog roast !!  She had one of those so I bolused for the roll.
> 
> I just tested her, just gone to bed and she is 7.8.  Wow.   That is 2 hours after the dual wave finished and all the cake and hog roast.    All the readings today were brilliant except the 15.9.   I'm feeling rather proud of myself and I let Jessica have what she wanted.    She did have 34.3 units of insulin mind you and normally she has approx 22 units



hey sounds like you had a great day! I bet Jessica loved all that food and freedom. Good estimations too!

xx


----------



## Mand

Good morning, Bev. How are you feeling today? Bev, you are such a wonderful mom to A. You are so dedicated to his care and he will benefit from it in the long term, despite the problems with hypos that you are currently having. I hope you are able to get them sorted, especially with the help of Adrienne. 

Please, please, please do not doubt yourself. You are doing your best and no one can do more than that. And i believe, from getting to know you on this forum, that your best is THE BEST! 

I am sure that all us moms have days like this. We make all this effort, day in and day out, but it never is exactly right. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we did all the workload and then everything was steady. That would be fair but diabetes is not fair! 

I send you a HUGE hug and i hope that today is a better day for you. Let us know how you are feeling today. x x 

Adrienne - Well done on getting J through her eating day! It is great that she was able to eat what she wanted like that, so 'normal' for her. And i do not think so much insulin for an odd day here and there matters. She had fun and she was safe because she has a wonderful mom taking care of her! 

My son went to a sleep over Friday eve and then went shopping to the next town with his friends yesterday and last night to a party. His levels not been good as a consequence but i have told myself that it is important that he has weekends like this sometimes or else he might totally rebel against his diabetes. Today i will make sure that i keep him steady. 

Patricia, sorry about all E's lows. How are things today?

Hi Lou, Tracey, Becca and all. x


----------



## bev

Hi all,

First of all - I apologise for using bad language last night! I dont normally like it - but it felt good to let off steam - sorry if I offended anyone.

Adrienne, thankyou so much for your kind words - I always doubt myself and it just seems to to be confirmed when days like yesterday happen! The odd thing is that when A was on MDI we had a day of 5 hypo's and we had gone to exactly the same place yesterday - Cheltenham! Its just a shopping centre - so i have no idea if there is a connection...Thankyou for your kind offer of a weekend by the sea...I wouldnt dream of burdening myself on you - but thankyou so very much for your offer - you really are a wonderful person Adrienne. Also i just wanted to say i have no idea why you doubt yourself? Your absolutely brilliant - the knowledge you have about diabetes would put many a DSN to shame! You shouldnt compare yourself to the other people on the 'list' - of course they are brilliant too - but why dont you think that you are? Take it from me - I have told our DSN many times that i have great trust in the people on the list (and on here) - because their experience is something that a DSN just doesnt have - they dont live with our children - they just pass on knowledge - but its without the hands-on experience that you all have - which, in my book, far outweighs any advice a medical professional can give.(thats not to say that i think they are rubbish - just that they dont have all the answers).


Lou - also a big thankyou to you - your very kind and thoughtful and it was much appreciated - although i had gone to bed - so didnt see your messages until this morning - sorry i am late replying. Your absolutely right when you say we need to have days when we hate diabetes so we can appreciate it when we have the good days! My sister is the eldest one of three and i am the baby - so she has always been the one i looked up to! She is a lovely kind person - i just think she doesnt realise that her words of support are ill-thought out! She does mean well and I am probably being overly sensitive because i know for a fact that if she were in my shoes - she would behave exactly like i do and worry as much if not more than i do!

Mand, thankyou too - it really makes a difference to know that other mums feel exactly the same sometimes. Diabetes is a tough one isnt it? I think i am always looking for great numbers now he is pumping - and perhaps i need to relax a little and not expect miracles - just trying my best is all i can do.

Adrienne, I will post another thread after this with all A's basals etc on and if you dont mind -could you take a look and tell me what you think is happening? Many thanks and dont worry if you dont have time to.Bev x

p.s. Thanks everyone - your all wonderful. x


----------



## Patricia

Bev my heart is going out to you. I admire that you even posted such a genuine set of feelings...I find it so hard to do, like people will be looking at me thinking horrible things and I should keep it to myself...But Bev, my stomach and heart lurched reading your post. I feel, in all honesty, that something in me dies over and over, just turns it back on the world, when I hit rock bottom with diabetes. We struggle and struggle, and it will never be right. And the people we thought were there for us before diagnosis...the people we really valued in our lives...many of them are simply unable to understand and see what all this is about. This hurts enormously, and is so isolating. Out of all of our family, we are the only non-medical members...the rest are all long-term professionals, across several fields...And I can't tell you how many ignorant comments we've had -- from night-testing ('are you sure you aren't testing for yourself, not him?') to hypos ('being low won't do him any harm'. This after a 1.9mmol reading!). It is SO wearing to be the only ones who know what's happening in the family, yet not to want to make a big deal, because otherwise you KNOW people are thinking 'all they live and breathe is diabetes' etc...So you hide the effort you have to put in to try to make it all okay...

Bev, about the other children. This has hit them hard too, in different ways. They will be struggling themselves in some ways and trying to understand while possibly feeling a bit left out. Even though they are older. They will know that you are doing what you have to do. If only for your sake, I would sit down with them one by one maybe and talk to them about all this, about your feelings and about theirs... They need to know how aware you are of their needs too -- this is love and care, the desire to 'do right' by the whole family. And you have it in bucket-loads.

We've been having some dramas with E's high numbers from his cold -- endless temp basaling and waiting til numbers go down so we know the pump is okay, etc...And yesterday my daughter was sitting with us as we went over numbers (dinner in the oven!), and I saw she had her hands over her ears. I sort of flipped -- but mainly didn't want her to feel so duty-bound to sit through this -- when it is SO boring, so out of her control, etc...I sent her out of the room, to go do her thing. E went to check on her (she was crying), and they played. Later I talked it through: she felt she HAD to be there, because his numbers were so high she wondered if it was crisis etc yet she finds the helplessness and boredom so difficult to take...I didn't even know she was able to feel this way so clearly. She often looks spaced out in that situation, but I didn't know she was just gritting her teeth! I would MUCH rather she go please herself and not worry. Really, NOT WORRY. We will deal with it... So she now feels she has permission to remove herself. Which is right and proper. But after all this time -- we still didn't know she was going through this...

I shall try to come back to this later today and comment on everyone else's stuff! But wanted to get this to Bev. My dear, I'm sorry again and again that no one can give us -- and you esp, today -- a break. All I can say is I'm so sorry you are feeling this way. You will feel better soon -- but it's hell. We know it is.


----------



## bev

12 midnight to 3am - 0.450
3am to 8am - 0.375
8am to 12 noon - 0.025 ( he was on 0.050 until today - i have lowered it to help with the 11am hypo's he keeps having unless he has a cereal bar)
12 noon to 8.30pm - 0.375
8.30pm to 12 midnight - 0.400 ( this is the one i cant get right. He had been going low before bed - between 3.5 and 4 mmols - so i changed his dinner bolus - but he went too high. So i lowered his basal and he went up to 12 - but when i increased it he went back down to hypo again. So last night on 0.400 he was 12mmols and was the same at 3am. But he woke on 10mmols. He is normally waking on 7 or 8 - but i think the 10 was due to the fact he was 12 at midnight etc..?).

His breakfast ratio is 1:10 - he is normally 6 or 7 at the 2 hour check so has a cereal bar so he doesnt hypo before lunch.

Lunchtime ratio is 1:15 and he is normally 6 or 7 at the 2 hour check. But when he comes home at 3.30pm from school he has a snack and bolus's for it at 1:15 - this seems to work ok as he is normally 6 or 7 pre-evening meal.

Evening meal ratio is 1:15 and he is normally 7 or 8 at 2 hour check unless he has had some 'spikey food' and then he can be 11 or 12 - but he nearly always comes down to 7 or 8 before bed. He is very often 5 and has a small snack like a biscuit and a small amount of milk.


Not sure if you can follow my ramblings - but if you can - do you think there is a way around the late evening high's he is having? I have made the basal changes in the smallest increments the pump gives - but it seems to be he is either 12 or 4- so is he very insulin sensitive or is evening time a difficult one to get right? Bev


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Thankyou for your kind offer of a weekend by the sea...I wouldnt dream of burdening myself on you -



Err hello, no burden at all, you are my friend, we have spoken enough times and I've met you so the offer still stands, we could have some fun and lots of chats and gossip !


----------



## tracey w

hello quick question ( i need to catch up, bev seems yuve been having a rough time, so sorry)


I am goint to try degassing this morning D sounds awful!), do you have to use a new cartridge and it has to be degassed evry time? or can i use one with  a third left in it? thanks


----------



## tracey w

Sugarbum said:


> I shouldnt have tried to advise you, I cant get it right myself. Last night I had my lowest hypo ever at 1.6mmols at 2am and I really scared myself. I was still in the dual wave and had 6 active units. This feeling a little out of sorts this morning.
> 
> I had a can and a half of cider and I hardly ever drink at home, I guess thats the moral of the story. I also dual waved for my first jacket potato on pump and perhaps I didnt need to dual at all?
> 
> Not easily flummoxed, me, but this I admit has scared me a little. That is the lowest I have ever gone.
> 
> Anyway, how is everyone? Hope you are out enjoying this good weather, I shall be!
> 
> Lots of love xx



Lou, how awful for you  Of course you ccan advise me and please do!

hope you are feeling ok now? Can you stop a dual wave? I need to find this out on my pump, did you stop yours?


----------



## tracey w

Bev, what can I say that others havent? so upsetting to hear you upset like this. It is so difficult as we all know. But you are wonderful and I wish my own mum was so caring and thoughtful about my diabetes, I wont bore you all with my own expeiences of this, no need.

I do hope you are feeling brighter today, xxxxxxxx


Well tried the degassing with the old vial, what  a disaster, didnt know how many times I needed to do the plunger thing so did plenty. Left for half an hour, then drew up insulin very slowly, trillions of bubbles in fact was just a bubblethon? 

have got new vial out of fridge and will try with that? good job am off today and no rush,


----------



## tracey w

Ok degassing round 2!

so i thought, might as well practice with the vial i had out as was just going to throw it anyway.

Drew up insulin, nice and slow hey presto, no bubbles! didnt even need to tap reservoir, nails very happy. think i just panicked a bit before, dont know why i get so worked up doing this 

2nd set change completed, so far so good.


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> Well tried the degassing with the old vial, what  a disaster, didnt know how many times I needed to do the plunger thing so did plenty. Left for half an hour, then drew up insulin very slowly, trillions of bubbles in fact was just a bubblethon?
> 
> have got new vial out of fridge and will try with that? good job am off today and no rush,




Snap.  I've tried degassing before and I'm obviously doing it wrong as I get hundreds of bubbles.  I'm going to stick the way I know how, we never have bubbles.

Our DSN once said that some people are more prone to bubbles than others and they have no idea why.


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> 12 midnight to 3am - 0.450
> 3am to 8am - 0.375
> 8am to 12 noon - 0.025 ( he was on 0.050 until today - i have lowered it to help with the 11am hypo's he keeps having unless he has a cereal bar)
> 12 noon to 8.30pm - 0.375
> 8.30pm to 12 midnight - 0.400 ( this is the one i cant get right. He had been going low before bed - between 3.5 and 4 mmols - so i changed his dinner bolus - but he went too high. So i lowered his basal and he went up to 12 - but when i increased it he went back down to hypo again. So last night on 0.400 he was 12mmols and was the same at 3am. But he woke on 10mmols. He is normally waking on 7 or 8 - but i think the 10 was due to the fact he was 12 at midnight etc..?).
> 
> His breakfast ratio is 1:10 - he is normally 6 or 7 at the 2 hour check so has a cereal bar so he doesnt hypo before lunch.
> 
> Lunchtime ratio is 1:15 and he is normally 6 or 7 at the 2 hour check. But when he comes home at 3.30pm from school he has a snack and bolus's for it at 1:15 - this seems to work ok as he is normally 6 or 7 pre-evening meal.
> 
> Evening meal ratio is 1:15 and he is normally 7 or 8 at 2 hour check unless he has had some 'spikey food' and then he can be 11 or 12 - but he nearly always comes down to 7 or 8 before bed. He is very often 5 and has a small snack like a biscuit and a small amount of milk.
> 
> 
> Not sure if you can follow my ramblings - but if you can - do you think there is a way around the late evening high's he is having? I have made the basal changes in the smallest increments the pump gives - but it seems to be he is either 12 or 4- so is he very insulin sensitive or is evening time a difficult one to get right? Bev




Hi Bev

I'm having a look at this.   You need to tell me timings of the highs and lows.   What time does he start going high in the evenings.

I have listed your basals and this is what they are (its easier to see them like that to sort them out).   You don't have many basals which is fine for some people but others have many more than that.   He shouldn't need the snacks to stop him going low, the basals should do that.    Tell me, on this pump is 0.025 the lowest basal you can set and you can go up in 0.025 increments ie 0.025, 0.050, 0.075, 0.125, 0.150, 0.175, 0.200  is that right?

0000	0.450
0300	0.375
0800	0.025
1200	0.375
2030	0.400


----------



## bev

Adrienne said:


> Hi Bev
> 
> I'm having a look at this.   You need to tell me timings of the highs and lows.   What time does he start going high in the evenings.
> 
> I have listed your basals and this is what they are (its easier to see them like that to sort them out).   You don't have many basals which is fine for some people but others have many more than that.   He shouldn't need the snacks to stop him going low, the basals should do that.    Tell me, on this pump is 0.025 the lowest basal you can set and you can go up in 0.025 increments ie 0.025, 0.050, 0.075, 0.125, 0.150, 0.175, 0.200  is that right?
> 
> 0000	0.450
> 0300	0.375
> 0800	0.025
> 1200	0.375
> 2030	0.400




HI Adrienne,
Thanks so much for helping me on this. A goes to bed at 9pm and usually we test him at approx 11.30pm. At 9pm he is always a good level like 7 or 8 but if he has been lower like 5 i give him a small snack.
So at 11.30pm he has always gone up from what he is at 9pm - levels like 10 11 12 or even 13 occasionally. He stays like this until about 3ish and then starts to drop slightly so he normally wakes up on a lower level like 7 - but generally not more than 10.

The morning hypo normally happens about 11am - so he is about level 6 or 7 at 10am - then if he didnt have a cereal bar he would drop by 12 to about 3mmols.

As you know, i changed his basal from 8am this morning to 0.025 - but at 11.30 he was 4.1 - so still a little low but not hypo - as this is the lowest increment on the pump - am i allowed to do a 0% basal for maybe an hour? Also i thought that it was the morning time that there is more insulin resistance - so it seems odd that he needs even less in the morning than he does later in the day?
If you have any ideas then i will be very grateful Adrienne! Thankyou.Bev x

p.s. Forgot to say that the increments go up like you say - but the 0.025 only goes up this small until it reaches 1 unit. Then it changes to 1.250 1.500 1.750 2.000. I think i am right about this - but he is over in the park so i cant check the pump at the moment. Will double check when he comes back in.


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> HI Adrienne,
> Thanks so much for helping me on this. A goes to bed at 9pm and usually we test him at approx 11.30pm. At 9pm he is always a good level like 7 or 8 but if he has been lower like 5 i give him a small snack.
> So at 11.30pm he has always gone up from what he is at 9pm - levels like 10 11 12 or even 13 occasionally. He stays like this until about 3ish and then starts to drop slightly so he normally wakes up on a lower level like 7 - but generally not more than 10.
> 
> The morning hypo normally happens about 11am - so he is about level 6 or 7 at 10am - then if he didnt have a cereal bar he would drop by 12 to about 3mmols.
> 
> As you know, i changed his basal from 8am this morning to 0.025 - but at 11.30 he was 4.1 - so still a little low but not hypo - as this is the lowest increment on the pump - am i allowed to do a 0% basal for maybe an hour? Also i thought that it was the morning time that there is more insulin resistance - so it seems odd that he needs even less in the morning than he does later in the day?
> If you have any ideas then i will be very grateful Adrienne! Thankyou.Bev x
> 
> p.s. Forgot to say that the increments go up like you say - but the 0.025 only goes up this small until it reaches 1 unit. Then it changes to 1.250 1.500 1.750 2.000. I think i am right about this - but he is over in the park so i cant check the pump at the moment. Will double check when he comes back in.



How about this then?


I would increase the 2030 by a tiny bit.   If that is not enough put it up to 0.450 but A is very sensitive at the moment to insulin isn't he? 

If from 11.30 pm he is level ish till early hours then the basal seems ok, you just need to get the 11.30 pm level to be good at 7 ish so he stays there (even 6.0 ish if the other basal keeps him level).   

If he does drop too much at 3ish you may need to lower the 0300 to 0.350 but wait and see what happens.  

If he is 5.0 don't give him a snack, wait to see what happens.  He may go hypo but he may not.   The food may still be working and he may go up.   If you do give him a snack only 10 free carbs at most or if more then bolus for them or instead of a snack what I would do is put on a 0% temp for 30 minutes.   This sometimes works for Jessica and I can only say what we do.

I am presuming A has breakfast insulin about 8 am ish if he tests at  10 am, then hypo by 11 am.   You could either change the ratio at breakfast to 1 : 12 and see what happens or what I would try first is moving the 8 am basal back to 7 am so he is getting a lot less for an hour.

So this is what you would be doing if you go with the basal changes :

This is the original :

0000	0.450
0300	0.375
0800	0.025
1200	0.375
2030	0.400  

This is the new :

0000	0.450
0300	0.375
0700	0.025
1200	0.375
2030	0.425

All of these things are just ideas, others would have other ideas I know.    

Becca, are you reading this, what do you think?  Any suggestions?


----------



## Sugarbum

tracey w said:


> Lou, how awful for you  Of course you ccan advise me and please do!
> 
> hope you are feeling ok now? Can you stop a dual wave? I need to find this out on my pump, did you stop yours?



I (bizarrely enough) suspended it before getting out of bed to treat the hypo and do a blood sugar....sometimes I am with it, and sometimes I'm not I guess this time I was lucky!



tracey w said:


> Bev, what can I say that others havent? so upsetting to hear you upset like this. It is so difficult as we all know. But you are wonderful and I wish my own mum was so caring and thoughtful about my diabetes, I wont bore you all with my own expeiences of this, no need.
> 
> I do hope you are feeling brighter today, xxxxxxxx
> 
> 
> Well tried the degassing with the old vial, what  a disaster, didnt know how many times I needed to do the plunger thing so did plenty. Left for half an hour, then drew up insulin very slowly, trillions of bubbles in fact was just a bubblethon?
> 
> have got new vial out of fridge and will try with that? good job am off today and no rush,



Geeez, that makes me laugh. I half attempted degassing the other day only to realise I hadnt the time or the patience....Ive never seen so amny bubbles! Yes, also a bubblethon! I think I also have to do it properly on a day off to see if it works properly...


----------



## Becca

bev said:


> Sitting here crying. A has been having loads of hypo's and today he has had 5! They were between 3 and 2.1mmols. I am sick to death of f******** diabetes. I try my best and i cant get anywhere. I also think he may be cealiac - he is windy and has random tummy aches. He isnt putting any weight on. I am sorry to be so negative - but i feel wiped out today and feel totally selfish and just want to sleep and not worry!!I cant seem to stop him being hypo and i am feeling very guilty about it. I have 2 other children and they dont get a look in with regards attention and that makes me feel guilty. I dont normally use bad language and i dont approve of other people using it - but i have had enough today...I feel useless and i am sick to death of diabetes..and sick to death of stupid people telling me to take a day off!!!!!!!!!!!!!How can I? Diabetes doesnt take a day off! Everyone thinks i cope well - but this is rubbish - why is A still having hypo's?
> 
> My sister is very intelligent and very well educated and is a medical professional and she tells me that I worry too much and that I need to relax more.....oh my god.....I am so angry with her...she knows nothing about diabetes and she thinks she can advise me.....
> 
> I am a shit mother and i feel negligent and I think A would be better off living with someone like Adrienne - she is confident and knows everything there is to know about diabetes
> 
> I apologise for my bad language - but i feel so sad and angry and i wish diabetes would just go away and give us back our normal life that we used to have...



Hi Bev, I've skimmed the rest of the emails and have come back to this,  I think things are looking a bit better now for you  but i just wanted to say that you are far from alone.  I have days where i think i'm a total and utter failure, sometimes i find it hard on CWD because other people seem to know and do better than me.  Their HB1ACs are better, control is better etc... and that makes me sad and depressed.  The worst thing is there are days like this and then there are days where things are just normal.  Not sure if this post has helped at all but just wanted to say that we are all here for you and you are mos def, not alone.

You've got my number as well - please call me if you ever need to chat, when i read your post all i wanted to do was phone you up and see how you're doing, i hope you're better now?


----------



## Becca

Adrienne said:


> How about this then?
> 
> 
> I would increase the 2030 by a tiny bit.   If that is not enough put it up to 0.450 but A is very sensitive at the moment to insulin isn't he?
> 
> If from 11.30 pm he is level ish till early hours then the basal seems ok, you just need to get the 11.30 pm level to be good at 7 ish so he stays there (even 6.0 ish if the other basal keeps him level).
> 
> If he does drop too much at 3ish you may need to lower the 0300 to 0.350 but wait and see what happens.
> 
> If he is 5.0 don't give him a snack, wait to see what happens.  He may go hypo but he may not.   The food may still be working and he may go up.   If you do give him a snack only 10 free carbs at most or if more then bolus for them or instead of a snack what I would do is put on a 0% temp for 30 minutes.   This sometimes works for Jessica and I can only say what we do.
> 
> I am presuming A has breakfast insulin about 8 am ish if he tests at  10 am, then hypo by 11 am.   You could either change the ratio at breakfast to 1 : 12 and see what happens or what I would try first is moving the 8 am basal back to 7 am so he is getting a lot less for an hour.
> 
> So this is what you would be doing if you go with the basal changes :
> 
> This is the original :
> 
> 0000	0.450
> 0300	0.375
> 0800	0.025
> 1200	0.375
> 2030	0.400
> 
> This is the new :
> 
> 0000	0.450
> 0300	0.375
> 0700	0.025
> 1200	0.375
> 2030	0.425
> 
> All of these things are just ideas, others would have other ideas I know.
> 
> Becca, are you reading this, what do you think?  Any suggestions?



Adrienne, that is what i would say, perfectly put   Let us know how it goes Bev....


----------



## Adrienne

Becca said:


> Adrienne, that is what i would say, perfectly put   Let us know how it goes Bev....



Thanks Becca. x


----------



## bev

Adrienne,
This is what worries me. Why cant i work out what changes to make? I have just read what you are suggesting and it makes complete sense!
I think for tonight i will just leave it as it is because he went out on his bike and i set a temp basal of 50% for 3 hours as he was riding for 1 hour - he was 9.5 the whole time- but then went up to 14 pre-meal - so i think i left the temp on for too long? So because of this i think i would get a bit confused as to whether any changes were working or not..I didnt do a full correction at 14 because i thought the bike ride would kick in - 2 hours after eating he was 10 - so he still has another 2 hours left of bolus and i am hoping i made the right decision....
But tomorrow, when he gets home from school, i will change the morning one to 7am for a couple of days to see what happens. Then if that works i will try the change to his evening basal. How many basals does everyone else have?

Adrienne - your amazing. Thankyou.


Patricia,
I wish i was as eloquent with words as you - you managed to say what i was feeling so beautifully - without the use of swearwords...I am sorry to hear that E has also been suffering. Have you got to the bottom of it?
It made me cry reading how his sister gets upset if things arent going to plan. She sounds very sensitive and i bet they are very close. You are a very thoughtful mum and i know that your children will always be able to talk to you about their worries..That is a wonderful thing - lots of children cant talk to adults or parents and this is what causes some problems i think. You sound like a very close loving family. My family are also very close and i think this is why some of the emotional outbursts happen (last night). If we were aloof then i think we would cope better...

I do have an O/H - but i dont really mention him because he doesnt get involved in the day to day care of diabetes. He is aspergers and he cannot function very well unless he has a list of instructions etc ... but of course diabetes doesnt come with instructions - so sadly he is unable to make 'on the spot decisions'.(e.g. if he tests A at 3am and he is 15mmols - he cannot make a decision to give a correction because it 'isnt in the rules'). He cant help the way he is - but it means that all the decisions have to be made by me and A. So, a lot of the time,  i do feel very alone in the decision-making process. This is why i find this site and the other list so helpful - i dont feel alone and i really feel supported by everyone.

Becca, thankyou for making me feel that i am not the only one! Although it doesnt give me pleasure to know that someone else feels the same as i did last night! I am not sure if i have mentioned this - but - when we went to hoburne you were the only one who came up and hugged me! You are the friendliest person i have ever met!
I wouldnt worry about hba1c's - JD said that children glycate at different rates etc - so even if you gave it your all - there is a possibility that you wouldnt gain the accredited 6.5%! I absolutely know that you are extremely knowledgeable about everything diabetes related because i have taken your advice many times! And you have always been proved right! I dont know why you and Adrienne dont realise just how wonderful you are?
Today when A was a little high after the exercise he said 'ring Adrienne or Becca - they always know what to do'! Thats because i am always mentioning your names and saying how wonderful you are!
I honestly dont know what i would do without this site and the lovely people on here. (and of course the'list').Bev x


----------



## Patricia

I'm eager to know how the changes go for you Bev -- and please don't beat yourself up about all this! Goodness knows you are going at it with all you've got....Sometimes another set of eyes just suddenly makes things click. Give yourself a break and don't worry about it. A himself will have to face all this in time, and he (and my E) are bound at times not to get it 'right' or 'see it' at first. This is just the nature of it. We shouldn't expect too much more of ourselves!

E's numbers have been high because of a heavy cold -- the strange thing is, they weren't high for the first two days, but then suddenly rocketed... So we have two days of really fighting him down from the numbers in the teens -- a whole range of temp basals, mixed with lots of correcting....Been a bit exhausting! Finally he does seem to be coming down though: last night was only on 120% all night. Started at 9mmols, woke up at 8mmols. So getting there. Yesterday was on 200% all day! PLUS corrections! We marched through a whole reservoir one day early...

The great thing about the pump though is that it IS possible, we know it is, as long as you keep just plugging away. I think next time we will not be so hesitant about whacking great temp basals...our fear is that it will plunge him into hypos of course, and then we'll be in even worse shape by bouncing all over, but this didn't happen. He did of course become progressively more insulin resistant, so it really took some whollops of units to 'break through' with any consistency. 

We discovered the obvious I guess: as long as you keep testing, you will catch any drops as they are going, not when they've already happened. And it doesn't take long to reduce the insulin going in... We were just a bit nervous, as 200% seemed a lot!

***

Bev, I take my hat off to you. You  must be extraordinarily strong. I mean, an absolute rock. Three children, all with different needs, and the added complication of the necessity of making decisions about things which can never have set outcomes or guidelines. These are HUGE pressures, coming from all sides. I really hope you are having some help, especially practically. You have a lot of things taking up head space. A lot. I for one am completely and utterly dependent on bouncing ideas and thoughts off of my OH when it comes to diabetes care -- and everything else. I think I would collapse otherwise. Certainly I would not be able to do what I do if it weren't for us working together in all circumstances.

So I take my hat off. Your support for others is invaluable. I'm glad that at times we are able to support you too. There must be times when you are exhausted down to your bones, and when your head is just plain empty! And no wonder.

For now,

xxoo


----------



## Tezzz

*Degassing*

Hi,

Can someone please explain in sentence or two what degassing is and why it has to be done?

Thanks.


----------



## lesley1978

Hi All,

Bev, so sorry to hear how upset you got the other night.  I hope you feel a bit better now.  You shouldn't beat yourself up about it!  You sound like you are doing an excellent job and I admire you for that!  The amount of dedication you have is amazing!  

Tracey, glad to see you are getting on well with things, couldn't stop laughing about you degassing attempt though.  I must admit, it all sounds very complicated.

I have my appointment tomorrow at 10am with the pump nurse so will let you all know how I get on.  Hopefully it will be good news!

Feel absolutley shattered at the minute, had a bad hypo at 10am this morning when I tested I was 1.5mmol  I had so little energy it took all my effort to sort myself out.  Couldn't keep my eyes open afterwards though and fell asleep for about an hour!  Good job I'm not in work today, that would have been tough!

Lesley x


----------



## Adrienne

I hope you are ok now Lesley.


----------



## Steff

good luck lesley for tomorrow , 

bev- how are you and hows A?


good afternoon everyone else x


----------



## lesley1978

I'm feeling a lot better now just shattered.  Gonna put my feet up tonight. Can't wait to go to bed but wanna watch the new programme on five.


----------



## tracey w

lesley1978 said:


> I'm feeling a lot better now just shattered.  Gonna put my feet up tonight. Can't wait to go to bed but wanna watch the new programme on five.



good luck for tomorrow Lesley


----------



## tracey w

brightontez said:


> Hi,
> 
> Can someone please explain in sentence or two what degassing is and why it has to be done?
> 
> Thanks.



Hello Tez,

I doesnt "have" to be done. Its just that when insulin is drawn up into the reservoir it is important to get all bubbles out, and this can be difficult at times. If there are bubbles they will pass through the tube and you will basically be getting air instead of insulin, so not great. Hope I have explained that right, is new for me too.

Degassing is a process which should get rid of the bubbles by basically taking all the air out of the vial, there is a video on youtube if your interested.
I have to say my second attempt was very sucessfull


----------



## Adrienne

Hiya Bev

How are things?   Are you ok?    What about A and his levels?


----------



## bev

Hi Adrienne and all,

I havent been too well - so i havent tinkered much with the basals etc. But this morning he needed a set change because all through the night he stayed at 13 to 15 with corrections. So did a set change this morning before school - he wasnt due a set change until tomorrow - so not sure why. He had 0.1 ketones - so have sent his ketone
 meter to school with instructions to drink lots of water etc. First aider will ring me at 11am (breaktime) to let me know how his levels are. I didnt like doing this before school as its hard to track if there is a problem - but i dont want him having time off school if possible.

His morning basal was on the lowest 0.025 - but yesterday he was 5.5mmols at the 2hour check - so he had a cereal bar and was 9.5 at lunch. He is frightened of hypo's at school so prefers to try to nip them in the bud.
So this morning i have changed his breakfast ratio to 1:12 from 1:10 - hopefullly this will stop him going low at 11am. Although i suspect he may be high anyway due to the set change - so wont really know until tomorrow!

I wont do too many changes as i find it hard to keep track of - but i will be changing the timing of the early morning basal to what you suggested Adrienne.

Took myself off to A & E yesterday - in agony - seems i may have gall bladder problem - so being referred to specialist. Cant eat any fatty foods for the next week or so - i have had a banana and some pearl barley for breakfast.....
The good news is that i saw the cardiologist about my flutterings in the heart and he said he is 99.9% certain that i am fit and well and my cholestrol is 4.5 - which i think is ok. I am having a 24 hour ecg monitor on me overnight tonight - just to check everything is ok. The cardiologist thinks the flutterings are because of stress and broken sleeping patterns - but nothing to worry about. Bit confused though - if my cholestrol is ok - why would i have problems with gall bladder....

Anyway, sorry to waffle -how are you? I saw J's sensor results on the 'list' and thought it was amazing! Well done to you both.


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Hi Adrienne and all,
> 
> I havent been too well - so i havent tinkered much with the basals etc. But this morning he needed a set change because all through the night he stayed at 13 to 15 with corrections. So did a set change this morning before school - he wasnt due a set change until tomorrow - so not sure why. He had 0.1 ketones - so have sent his ketone
> meter to school with instructions to drink lots of water etc. First aider will ring me at 11am (breaktime) to let me know how his levels are. I didnt like doing this before school as its hard to track if there is a problem - but i dont want him having time off school if possible.
> 
> His morning basal was on the lowest 0.025 - but yesterday he was 5.5mmols at the 2hour check - so he had a cereal bar and was 9.5 at lunch. He is frightened of hypo's at school so prefers to try to nip them in the bud.
> So this morning i have changed his breakfast ratio to 1:12 from 1:10 - hopefullly this will stop him going low at 11am. Although i suspect he may be high anyway due to the set change - so wont really know until tomorrow!
> 
> I wont do too many changes as i find it hard to keep track of - but i will be changing the timing of the early morning basal to what you suggested Adrienne.
> 
> Took myself off to A & E yesterday - in agony - seems i may have gall bladder problem - so being referred to specialist. Cant eat any fatty foods for the next week or so - i have had a banana and some pearl barley for breakfast.....
> The good news is that i saw the cardiologist about my flutterings in the heart and he said he is 99.9% certain that i am fit and well and my cholestrol is 4.5 - which i think is ok. I am having a 24 hour ecg monitor on me overnight tonight - just to check everything is ok. The cardiologist thinks the flutterings are because of stress and broken sleeping patterns - but nothing to worry about. Bit confused though - if my cholestrol is ok - why would i have problems with gall bladder....
> 
> Anyway, sorry to waffle -how are you? I saw J's sensor results on the 'list' and thought it was amazing! Well done to you both.




Sorry to hear you are not feeling well, I hope they get this sorted for you quickly.  I just get annoyed if I feel ill, I don't have time to be ill.

Hope the heart monitor is ok overnight.

No idea why he would be high over night, could just be one of those things and you did the right thing by changing the cannula.

Take care x


----------



## Sugarbum

Hi all,

Lesley, sorry to hear about that hypo and I hope you are now better. How did it go with the nurse? 

Bev, poor you thinkgs arent going very well I know. I really hope you start to feel better soon but that everything just, well, gets back on track. I guess the good news is a happy cardiologist is always a good thing, but please look after yourself. Thinking of you a lot. I know you have a lot on your plate- let off steam any time, we are listening.

I had a strange pump issue yesterday. I had a low reservoir alarm at 20 units, which I had my eye on (I was going to change it when I got in) and then I looked at the pump later and it was empty! I pressed escaped and in units left it just said --/-- and the pump gage was empty!I swear it NEVER alarmed again! Has anyone else had this? I am not too impressed with the Veo alarm system as I have said before....

Hi Steff, Tez, Adrienne, Tracey and Patricia. Hey Mand, hows things? xx


----------



## Adrienne

Sugarbum said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Lesley, sorry to hear about that hypo and I hope you are now better. How did it go with the nurse?
> 
> Bev, poor you thinkgs arent going very well I know. I really hope you start to feel better soon but that everything just, well, gets back on track. I guess the good news is a happy cardiologist is always a good thing, but please look after yourself. Thinking of you a lot. I know you have a lot on your plate- let off steam any time, we are listening.
> 
> I had a strange pump issue yesterday. I had a low reservoir alarm at 20 units, which I had my eye on (I was going to change it when I got in) and then I looked at the pump later and it was empty! I pressed escaped and in units left it just said --/-- and the pump gage was empty!I swear it NEVER alarmed again! Has anyone else had this? I am not too impressed with the Veo alarm system as I have said before....
> 
> Hi Steff, Tez, Adrienne, Tracey and Patricia. Hey Mand, hows things? xx



Hiya

We have the 522 (one before the VEO) and ours only alarms once I think.   We set it at 20 units and I always make sure I have changed it when there are about 10 off units left in it.   You just never know especially if doing a temp basal or dual wave.


----------



## Patricia

Hi all

Yes I think we have one alarm too...didn't even write up here that two days ago we were temp basaling so much etc that we um, were out of insulin first thing in the morning! We knew it would be close, and woke him to change it, but didn't want to do it in the middle of the night. Anyway he'd been without for about 15 mins, but it wasn't a fun thought... Like you, we are not impressed with the lack of alarms generally.

Numbers this end been good, now back at school and okay. Odd hypo last night: at 6.8  two and a half hours into dinner bolus, THEN an hour later, 3.7! He felt pretty rough with it, because he hadn't been low in a few days probably. All we can think is that the food went through faster than the insulin. Very unusual to have a drop like that so late into the bolus. Anyway, propped him up with apple juice and he was starving (more proof food went through!), bolused for half a small packet of biscuits. Was 7.7 at 3am, and woke on 8.8. So the treatment was a bit much, but he was hungry, and we'd bolused a small amount and didn't want to risk it. 

All this such an awful game!

Lesley, what an awful sounding hypo. E has had a few of these very low lows, and they are pretty shattering. I hope things went well today with your pump meeting -- do let us know.

Everyone else okay? Bev, I'm feeling for you. Great about the cardio, but rotten news about the gall bladder. You've got a hell of a lot on your plate, lady. Gall is very painful. You're right to take things bit by bit with A -- only as much as you can handle. Thinking of you anyway.

Okay, for now.

xxoo


----------



## Becca

bev said:


> Took myself off to A & E yesterday - in agony - seems i may have gall bladder problem - so being referred to specialist. Cant eat any fatty foods for the next week or so - i have had a banana and some pearl barley for breakfast.....
> The good news is that i saw the cardiologist about my flutterings in the heart and he said he is 99.9% certain that i am fit and well and my cholestrol is 4.5 - which i think is ok. I am having a 24 hour ecg monitor on me overnight tonight - just to check everything is ok. The cardiologist thinks the flutterings are because of stress and broken sleeping patterns - but nothing to worry about. Bit confused though - if my cholestrol is ok - why would i have problems with gall bladder....



Hi Bev

I'm so sorry you are feeling ill and things are not looking up yet.  I had my gall bladder removed in 2004 and before the op it was the most painful thing ever.  Have they done an scan to see if you have any stones?  Sometimes gall bladder problems are heridetary (for me yes.)  One tip i would recommend would be to sleep propped up if you are in a lot of pain, this worked wonders for me.  

Sorry off topic but just wanted to wish you well xx


----------



## Becca

Sugarbum said:


> I had a strange pump issue yesterday. I had a low reservoir alarm at 20 units, which I had my eye on (I was going to change it when I got in) and then I looked at the pump later and it was empty! I pressed escaped and in units left it just said --/-- and the pump gage was empty!I swear it NEVER alarmed again! Has anyone else had this? I am not too impressed with the Veo alarm system as I have said before....



Hi Lou, we had this once before and i never go to the bottom of it.  Normally when we have low reservoirs it will alarm a couple of times to alert us, but once it alarmed at 20 units (as it's set up) and then there was nothing else.  It was only on a bolus i noticed there was no insulin left!?!?  I thought maybe i had missed alarms, but nope, on checking alarm history it had only gone off once, yet when i scrolled back on another time there was more than one alarm for low reservoir.  Weird.......


----------



## bev

Becca said:


> Hi Bev
> 
> I'm so sorry you are feeling ill and things are not looking up yet.  I had my gall bladder removed in 2004 and before the op it was the most painful thing ever.  Have they done an scan to see if you have any stones?  Sometimes gall bladder problems are heridetary (for me yes.)  One tip i would recommend would be to sleep propped up if you are in a lot of pain, this worked wonders for me.
> 
> Sorry off topic but just wanted to wish you well xx



Hi Becca,
Thanks for that advice - I havent had a scan yet - will do when i go to see specialist. If you dont mind me asking you - what affect did having the op have? Did you feel better immediately? Reply via pm if you prefer. Have been out to day to buy everything either no fat or low fat, although i have to say that we dont really eat a lot of fatty things - obviously due to A's diabetes. No-one in the family has had this - so not sure where its from. Perhaps this is also stress related! Not sure why I'm stressed.........Bev


----------



## bev

Becca said:


> Hi Lou, we had this once before and i never go to the bottom of it.  Normally when we have low reservoirs it will alarm a couple of times to alert us, but once it alarmed at 20 units (as it's set up) and then there was nothing else.  It was only on a bolus i noticed there was no insulin left!?!?  I thought maybe i had missed alarms, but nope, on checking alarm history it had only gone off once, yet when i scrolled back on another time there was more than one alarm for low reservoir.  Weird.......



We havent had a low resevoir yet - because we were told to put 200mls in every time we do a  set change and A is only on about 20 a day - so i think we end up wasting a lot - although it is handy for getting rid of bubbles to have a bit extra! Might fill a smaller amount and see what the alarm is like for future reference.Bev


----------



## bev

Patricia, Adrienne, Becca,Lesley, Mand Tracey and Steph,
(hope i havent missed anyone out),
Thanks for your support - much appreciated! Although i seem to have a problem with the gall bladder - I feel less anxious about it now i know. I dont like the 'not knowing' part. Thanks again.Bev x


Lesley - let us know how it went today?Bev x


----------



## bev

I have been thinking about why A went high overnight. He had a hypo 2 x hours after eating his meal (2.4). He had beans on toast as i had been at the hospital and it was the quickest thing my daughter could rustle up! He hasnt had this in ages - so does anyone else spike with beans on toast? It would explain the 15 through the night!


----------



## tracey w

bev said:


> I have been thinking about why A went high overnight. He had a hypo 2 x hours after eating his meal (2.4). He had beans on toast
> 
> Beans, they are a bugger arnt they? On dafne we were told not to count beans as they are so low gi that they should have little or no effect on the bg. However they did say was trial and error (again), and some people do dose for them, some dose for half. I personally dont dose for them unless im having a lot and then not much. we were tol not to count any pulses such as beans, kidney beans, lentils, chick peas etc. hope tis helps.
> 
> 
> Bev sorry to hear you not too good with the gall bladder hope its sorted for you soon and not too uncomfortable. xxx


----------



## tracey w

Lesley, how did it go today?


----------



## tracey w

Nothing much to report myself, numbers pretty stable generally with the odd spike, but can always pin that down to what ive eaten. have upped my lunch ratio a little as been thinking of doing that for a while anyway, so dont really want to change anymore basals till i know how thats going.

Had buffet lunch today (hate those), so had to guess some of it, was 9.3 at 4 hours, so not too bad.

hope everyone is ok?


----------



## lesley1978

Hi All,

Bev, Sorry to hear about the gall bladder prob.  you really sound like you have been in the thick of it lately!  I'm sure things will take a turn for the better soon enough!

Wow, Tracey, I have always dosed for beans, never heard about not counting them before, I treat them as though they are loaded with sugar but then again everyone is different!

Well, everything went really well today at the pump clinic.  Basically everything had already been approved by my consultant and the funding was already there so the nurse just wanted to go though some info with me about my doses now and also show me the pumps which were available.  I have gone with the AccuChek Spirit Combo pump.  She is going to order it for me (only takes a couple of days) and them she is going to ring me about pump start.  She is really busy at the mo though and only does pumps on a Tuesday.  She said that I will have the pump for 1- 2 weeks before "go live" so I can have a play and get used to sharing a bed with it etc!  I am hoping that I don't have to wait too long but at least I know everything is definately happening now!


Yippppeeeeee (but also sort of papping myself!) x


----------



## Steff

hiya lesley congrats thats really good news , i bet you have a mixture of emotions hun but im sure you will get through it after all you have the fellow pumpers and mums of pumpers hear to ask anythiny you need x


----------



## tracey w

lesley1978 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Bev, Sorry to hear about the gall bladder prob.  you really sound like you have been in the thick of it lately!  I'm sure things will take a turn for the better soon enough!
> 
> Wow, Tracey, I have always dosed for beans, never heard about not counting them before, I treat them as though they are loaded with sugar but then again everyone is different!
> 
> Well, everything went really well today at the pump clinic.  Basically everything had already been approved by my consultant and the funding was already there so the nurse just wanted to go though some info with me about my doses now and also show me the pumps which were available.  I have gone with the AccuChek Spirit Combo pump.  She is going to order it for me (only takes a couple of days) and them she is going to ring me about pump start.  She is really busy at the mo though and only does pumps on a Tuesday.  She said that I will have the pump for 1- 2 weeks before "go live" so I can have a play and get used to sharing a bed with it etc!  I am hoping that I don't have to wait too long but at least I know everything is definately happening now!
> 
> 
> Yippppeeeeee (but also sort of papping myself!) x



wow thats great Lesley, such a relief for you, I should know. You are getting the same one as me. Its great I love it! Congrats, get ready for lots of reading girl!!


----------



## bev

tracey w said:


> bev said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have been thinking about why A went high overnight. He had a hypo 2 x hours after eating his meal (2.4). He had beans on toast
> 
> Beans, they are a bugger arnt they? On dafne we were told not to count beans as they are so low gi that they should have little or no effect on the bg. However they did say was trial and error (again), and some people do dose for them, some dose for half. I personally dont dose for them unless im having a lot and then not much. we were tol not to count any pulses such as beans, kidney beans, lentils, chick peas etc. hope tis helps.
> 
> 
> Bev sorry to hear you not too good with the gall bladder hope its sorted for you soon and not too uncomfortable. xxx
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hi Tracey,
> Thanks for your kindness. Wow- i didnt know you could discount beans! Well -no wonder we got the beans on toast so wrong! He doesnt often have them - but when he does its with a cooked breakfast - so maybe it changes things just being with toast? Anyway, thanks for the tip.
> 
> I am wearing the 24 ecg monitor. A thinks its great as it looks just like a pump and he said we are twins....Also, just had a heart scan and the consultant said the results were 'quite unremarkable'!The structure of the heart is perfect and also unremarkable! So i am very pleased with that - i will stop worrying now. He said he is only doing the 24 hr ecg to put my mind at rest.
> 
> Lesley, I am so pleased for you - and excited! I am sure it wont take too long as the funding side has been sorted out - let us know when you get a date!Bev x
Click to expand...


----------



## lesley1978

I am hoping that she will let me have it next tuesday with maybe a view to starting a couple of weeks after that.  at least I can have a play and get used to it!  I won't get the monitor with it as she said I have to get used to using the pump first so that will follow a few weeks later!  I know I am going to have a lot to learn and I am a bit nervous really cause of basically getting used to how you can give differnt waves and stuff.  She told me anything over 5 units should always go on an extended bolus!!!  Wow, get e with the lingo!!!  

Wow I have a lot to learn.


----------



## katie

Hi Bev, Sorry to hear about your gall stone problems, hope you are ok xx

I never used to take into account the beans when I had beans on toast because I was told I didn't need to by my dietician, which was fine for me at first.  Since my insulin requirements increased ive needed to take into account the beans because i used to always go high after beans on toast!  I think I made a thread about it at the time, but I can't find it now!


----------



## Adrienne

*Baked beans*

Hi guys

Not quite sure what to say here re the beans.  I am so shocked that some of you have been told not to count beans and especially in a DAFNE course.  I am gobsmacked.    They are all carbs, lots of carbs and all have to be counted.   They make such a huge impact on levels.   It is not just the carbs it is the fibre as well.   In the USA they actually count fibre as well as carbs.   Not sure how that is done but in the UK we don't !  Don't know why.

For example I'm looking at a tin of haricot beans.   The tin is not huge and I would put it all into a mince mix of some sort.   The whole tin is 21 carbs.   For 100g there is 9.0 carbs.

Baked beans :  I have here a tin of heinz which happens to be 'low in sugar' on the can.   It is one of the large ish cans with 415 g in.   For half the can (and I can imagine some would have the whole can on toast) it is 26.7 carbs.

You cannot ignore beans.    All pulses need counting unless you have so few.  We have been told to not worry about counting things under 5 carbs but some people have to, we do.   Also if you have lots of things on your plate with under 5 cho each then they will add up to over !

A jacket potato with cheese is hard to sort out due to the cheese (fat).    A jacket with just beans is also hard to work out (due to the fibre) but put cheese and beans on a jacket and you blow it out the window.   most people find they cannot work out a way of covering that particular dish with insulin.  Even pumpers find it really really hard work.  I can't do it and neither can the others on the email list.    We have all tried and it is topic of conversation regularly.

Bev, beans on toast could well have shot A up but not all night.


----------



## katie

I know Adrienne, I thought my DSNs were really good so I was surprised when I found out they told me this crap 

here is the thread where I asked about baked beans:
http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=1293&highlight=baked+beans&page=3

all that time i'd just been taking into account the toast 
I really want to go on another DAFNE course so that I can correct some of the stuff they say!


----------



## lesley1978

Adrienne said:


> Hi guys
> 
> Not quite sure what to say here re the beans.  I am so shocked that some of you have been told not to count beans and especially in a DAFNE course.  I am gobsmacked.    They are all carbs, lots of carbs and all have to be counted.   They make such a huge impact on levels.   It is not just the carbs it is the fibre as well.   In the USA they actually count fibre as well as carbs.   Not sure how that is done but in the UK we don't !  Don't know why.
> 
> For example I'm looking at a tin of haricot beans.   The tin is not huge and I would put it all into a mince mix of some sort.   The whole tin is 21 carbs.   For 100g there is 9.0 carbs.
> 
> Baked beans :  I have here a tin of heinz which happens to be 'low in sugar' on the can.   It is one of the large ish cans with 415 g in.   For half the can (and I can imagine some would have the whole can on toast) it is 26.7 carbs.
> 
> You cannot ignore beans.    All pulses need counting unless you have so few.  We have been told to not worry about counting things under 5 carbs but some people have to, we do.   Also if you have lots of things on your plate with under 5 cho each then they will add up to over !
> 
> A jacket potato with cheese is hard to sort out due to the cheese (fat).    A jacket with just beans is also hard to work out (due to the fibre) but put cheese and beans on a jacket and you blow it out the window.   most people find they cannot work out a way of covering that particular dish with insulin.  Even pumpers find it really really hard work.  I can't do it and neither can the others on the email list.    We have all tried and it is topic of conversation regularly.
> 
> Bev, beans on toast could well have shot A up but not all night.



Adrienne, You are so clued up on all stuff diabetes related.  Are you within the profession or have you been on a lot of training?  Just interested, most of what I have learnt has just been off forums and the internet.


----------



## bev

lesley1978 said:


> Adrienne, You are so clued up on all stuff diabetes related.  Are you within the profession or have you been on a lot of training?  Just interested, most of what I have learnt has just been off forums and the internet.



Adrienne isnt a professional - but she SHOULD be! She is more knowledgeable than most DSN's! (didnt mean to answer for you Adrienne!)

So - how do you dose for beans on toast? Oops- i will go and read Katies thread now!Bev


----------



## katie

Bev, you just take the insulin for the amount of carbs as usual  So check on the tin. I now take 12 units instead of 8!


----------



## lesley1978

Wow Adrienne, you will be inundated with questions from me when I actually get my pump!

Just ordered myself a couple of Spibelts for the off!!!!  getting kind of giddy now!


----------



## Adrienne

lesley1978 said:


> Adrienne, You are so clued up on all stuff diabetes related.  Are you within the profession or have you been on a lot of training?  Just interested, most of what I have learnt has just been off forums and the internet.



Ha ha ha sorry need to chuckle to myself.   No I'm just an ordinary mum.   I'm a legal secretary, worked for my dad for 21 years now but since Jessica was born 9 years ago and was ill from when she was born I have to work from home.

I seem to have brain to retain all this info about diabetes and Congenital Hyperinsulinism.   I was always Mrs average at school.    I haven't had any real training.   I went on a DUK day once but argued with them about a few things, I daren't go back.    I have been to a couple of advanced training days at our London hospital and learnt a bit about dual waving and that its trial and error and about new products etc.

I learn from friends as well on the email list.    I would love to be a DSN but there is no way on this earth I want to be a nurse, not my bag at all.

I am very very passionate about type 1 diabetes in children and will help anyone I can.    I have been asked to lead the next education evening for the local childrens support group and teach them carb counting.   What an honour, I can't wait.   Since I arrived down here about 10 families have transferred care out of this rubbish area to London and are now waiting for pumps, one has them.   I am going to turn it around down here by hook or by crook.


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Adrienne isnt a professional - but she SHOULD be! She is more knowledgeable than most DSN's! (didnt mean to answer for you Adrienne!)
> 
> So - how do you dose for beans on toast? Oops- i will go and read Katies thread now!Bev



Thanks Bev.  I don't know everything.

We don't really have beans on toast but I would be tempted just to do an ordinary bolus (which I think you did) find out where the spike starts so test after an hour and then another hour etc.   As soon as it starts really rising then you can work out the dual wave.   Or just start with the basic 50/50 over two hours and see what happens.   That's a good one works with loads of foods.


----------



## Patricia

Beans: to add to confusion, E frequently has beans on toast for breakfast with egg or toms, etc. Also with fish or chicken at night...And he always normal boluses, I'm afraid! For what it says on the tin. And we've never noticed a rise, except in the case of the famous cheese + beans + jacket pot -- had once, and a NIGHTMARE to deal with. Rose in the night...

Lentils on the other hand are a definite dual wave. As would be haricot etc...For us I guess the processed bit of baked beans somehow makes it a normal bolus...


----------



## Adrienne

Patricia said:


> Beans: to add to confusion, E frequently has beans on toast for breakfast with egg or toms, etc. Also with fish or chicken at night...And he always normal boluses, I'm afraid! For what it says on the tin. And we've never noticed a rise, except in the case of the famous cheese + beans + jacket pot -- had once, and a NIGHTMARE to deal with. Rose in the night...
> 
> Lentils on the other hand are a definite dual wave. As would be haricot etc...For us I guess the processed bit of baked beans somehow makes it a normal bolus...



I agree, I would do a normal bolus as well but didn't A go high after his if that is what it was down to of course.    Who knows, they are all different aren't they?


----------



## bev

Adrienne,
Good news! I changed the breakfast ratio to what you suggested 1:12 and it stopped him having a hypo! He was 11mmols 2 x hours after eating - BUT he had also had an impromptu set change just before school - so normally goes a bit high. So hopefully tomorow he will be a nice level and no hypo - fingers crossed!

Also - this evening i changed his 8.30pm basal from 0.400 to 0.425 to help with the late evening rise like you have suggested- i will let you know if it works! Thanks again.Bev


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Adrienne,
> Good news! I changed the breakfast ratio to what you suggested 1:12 and it stopped him having a hypo! He was 11mmols 2 x hours after eating - BUT he had also had an impromptu set change just before school - so normally goes a bit high. So hopefully tomorow he will be a nice level and no hypo - fingers crossed!
> 
> Also - this evening i changed his 8.30pm basal from 0.400 to 0.425 to help with the late evening rise like you have suggested- i will let you know if it works! Thanks again.Bev



Hey great news Bev.  Small changes do big things.  You are sounding so much happier than the other day.  x


----------



## Becca

Hi guys

Wow it's been busy on here.  Will go back over stuff, Bev will PM you as well....

Completely changing the posts - sorry  just had to share what happened to Rose today....Did a set change last night and all working fine, levels at school before lunch today were 3.0 then up to 6.0.  2 hours later after clarinet lesson, bloods tested again (as normal day) and get a call from school - she's 30.1   Rushed up to school and saw blood in the part of the quick set so did a set change at school - which didn't go down well with Rose......

Put her on a temp basal of 200% (would make it 0.5) for an hour and a correction - she had 0.3 ketone so not too bad.  An hour later at home she was 20.6, then 1 more hour later she was 3.3    ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, bless her, she's gone to bed tonight around the 8 mark complaining of bad tummy ache probably because she's been hypo from lunch up into the 30s and hypo again within 5 hours GRRR!!!!!!  One of those days.....


----------



## Adrienne

Becca said:


> Hi guys
> 
> Wow it's been busy on here.  Will go back over stuff, Bev will PM you as well....
> 
> Completely changing the posts - sorry  just had to share what happened to Rose today....Did a set change last night and all working fine, levels at school before lunch today were 3.0 then up to 6.0.  2 hours later after clarinet lesson, bloods tested again (as normal day) and get a call from school - she's 30.1   Rushed up to school and saw blood in the part of the quick set so did a set change at school - which didn't go down well with Rose......
> 
> Put her on a temp basal of 200% (would make it 0.5) for an hour and a correction - she had 0.3 ketone so not too bad.  An hour later at home she was 20.6, then 1 more hour later she was 3.3    ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> So, bless her, she's gone to bed tonight around the 8 mark complaining of bad tummy ache probably because she's been hypo from lunch up into the 30s and hypo again within 5 hours GRRR!!!!!!  One of those days.....



Oh no thats awful, poor Rose.   No wonder she was not impressed, a set change at school eh !!  I would have no doubt done the same.  

I've not see blood in the quick set before.   We used to get blood in the tube of the silhouette very occasionally but I could bolus it back in or out, would that be the same with the quick set do you think?   

Will tell Jessica that Rose plays the clarinet, Jessica had her third lesson today and loves it.


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Hi guys
> 
> Not quite sure what to say here re the beans.  I am so shocked that some of you have been told not to count beans and especially in a DAFNE course.  I am gobsmacked.    They are all carbs, lots of carbs and all have to be counted.   They make such a huge impact on levels.   It is not just the carbs it is the fibre as well.   In the USA they actually count fibre as well as carbs.   Not sure how that is done but in the UK we don't !  Don't know why.
> 
> For example I'm looking at a tin of haricot beans.   The tin is not huge and I would put it all into a mince mix of some sort.   The whole tin is 21 carbs.   For 100g there is 9.0 carbs.
> 
> Baked beans :  I have here a tin of heinz which happens to be 'low in sugar' on the can.   It is one of the large ish cans with 415 g in.   For half the can (and I can imagine some would have the whole can on toast) it is 26.7 carbs.
> 
> You cannot ignore beans.    All pulses need counting unless you have so few.  We have been told to not worry about counting things under 5 carbs but some people have to, we do.   Also if you have lots of things on your plate with under 5 cho each then they will add up to over !
> 
> A jacket potato with cheese is hard to sort out due to the cheese (fat).    A jacket with just beans is also hard to work out (due to the fibre) but put cheese and beans on a jacket and you blow it out the window.   most people find they cannot work out a way of covering that particular dish with insulin.  Even pumpers find it really really hard work.  I can't do it and neither can the others on the email list.    We have all tried and it is topic of conversation regularly.
> 
> Bev, beans on toast could well have shot A up but not all night.



I do understand what you are saying Adrienne, but like i said for me i dont count beans unless i have  a lot and then i dont dose the full amount, all trial and error, they did emphasise everyone is different but they were keen to establish that because the asorbsion is so slow they do not make a difference overall, including all pulses. for example if i made chilli with kidney beans i woudnt count the chilli at all, only rice etc.

I havent had a baked pot yet on the pump but love them with cheese and beans, for me i can defiately only count the pot as will go low very quickly otherwise.  It is bad the way we all get differing advice isnt it, i guess mainly it comes down to our own experiences doesnt it? You cant teach that, and thankfully for us you have bucket loads of experience.


----------



## bev

Becca said:


> Hi guys
> 
> Wow it's been busy on here.  Will go back over stuff, Bev will PM you as well....
> 
> Completely changing the posts - sorry  just had to share what happened to Rose today....Did a set change last night and all working fine, levels at school before lunch today were 3.0 then up to 6.0.  2 hours later after clarinet lesson, bloods tested again (as normal day) and get a call from school - she's 30.1   Rushed up to school and saw blood in the part of the quick set so did a set change at school - which didn't go down well with Rose......
> 
> Put her on a temp basal of 200% (would make it 0.5) for an hour and a correction - she had 0.3 ketone so not too bad.  An hour later at home she was 20.6, then 1 more hour later she was 3.3    ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> So, bless her, she's gone to bed tonight around the 8 mark complaining of bad tummy ache probably because she's been hypo from lunch up into the 30s and hypo again within 5 hours GRRR!!!!!!  One of those days.....



Oh no - poor you and poor Rose! You must have been so worried.
I hope she feels better in the morning.

Just one question. I havent used the temp basal as a way to to get levels down - i always use a bolus using the correction factor. How do you work out how much to increase the basal by - or is it just instinct?Bev x


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> I do understand what you are saying Adrienne, but like i said for me i dont count beans unless i have  a lot and then i dont dose the full amount, all trial and error, they did emphasise everyone is different but they were keen to establish that because the asorbsion is so slow they do not make a difference overall, including all pulses. for example if i made chilli with kidney beans i woudnt count the chilli at all, only rice etc.
> 
> I havent had a baked pot yet on the pump but love them with cheese and beans, for me i can defiately only count the pot as will go low very quickly otherwise.  It is bad the way we all get differing advice isnt it, i guess mainly it comes down to our own experiences doesnt it? You cant teach that, and thankfully for us you have bucket loads of experience.



Hi Tracey

I agree it is trial and error and that everyone is different.

But I still don't understand this, it doesn't make any sense in my head 

Did you go on this DAFNE course whilst you were on injections?   That maybe will make more sense to me.    When Jessica was on injections we never counted fruit except bananas and grapes.   On a pump though you have to count everything.    I said to my DSN but fruit doesn't do anything and she said just watch and she was right.    This may be one of those things that I will have to accept but not understand.   Might ask the email group, there are some people on their with brains like you would not believe.   Now they seriously know their stuff, makes me look like small fry !!

Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that you are wrong, I think DAFNE are wrong and I don't understand it.


----------



## Becca

Adrienne said:


> I've not see blood in the quick set before.   We used to get blood in the tube of the silhouette very occasionally but I could bolus it back in or out, would that be the same with the quick set do you think?
> 
> Will tell Jessica that Rose plays the clarinet, Jessica had her third lesson today and loves it.



I've never thought of bolusing to get the blood out, i wonder if that would work?  She's had blood in them before and they haven't affected her levels, but this one obviously did - poor love, she hasn't been that high in ages..........pre pumping i think.....

Just checked her and she's now 5.2, long night ahead.......

Oooh, will tell her about Jessica, it was lesson 2 today for Rose


----------



## Becca

bev said:


> Oh no - poor you and poor Rose! You must have been so worried.
> I hope she feels better in the morning.
> 
> Just one question. I havent used the temp basal as a way to to get levels down - i always use a bolus using the correction factor. How do you work out how much to increase the basal by - or is it just instinct?Bev x



Hi Bev, i think with Rose that high (and i normally do it if she's over 20) i do a temp basal just to reduce the insulin resistancy that she normally gets (although today she's proved me wrong by dropping so quick!)  For me, it's been trial and error and instinct.  It depends on what basal she is on etc...During the day it's her lowest basal (0.25) so any temp needs to be significant for it to have an impact...


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Hi Tracey
> 
> I agree it is trial and error and that everyone is different.
> 
> But I still don't understand this, it doesn't make any sense in my head
> 
> Did you go on this DAFNE course whilst you were on injections?   That maybe will make more sense to me.    When Jessica was on injections we never counted fruit except bananas and grapes.   On a pump though you have to count everything.    I said to my DSN but fruit doesn't do anything and she said just watch and she was right.    This may be one of those things that I will have to accept but not understand.   Might ask the email group, there are some people on their with brains like you would not believe.   Now they seriously know their stuff, makes me look like small fry !!
> 
> Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that you are wrong, I think DAFNE are wrong and I don't understand it.



I know, i find it hard to get conflicting info, i was on mdi, it was a couple of months ago. I was also told i  didnt need to bolus for 10g snacks, are you saying that i do now? No one has actually told me what to do, my dsn said continue with dafne principles. I have to say though so far i have bolused for evrything as it feels right to.


----------



## tracey w

Becca said:


> I've never thought of bolusing to get the blood out, i wonder if that would work?  She's had blood in them before and they haven't affected her levels, but this one obviously did - poor love, she hasn't been that high in ages..........pre pumping i think.....
> 
> Just checked her and she's now 5.2, long night ahead.......
> 
> Oooh, will tell her about Jessica, it was lesson 2 today for Rose



poor Rose, hope she has a better day tomorrow, must be so frustrating to have to take children out of school?


----------



## bev

tracey w said:


> I know, i find it hard to get conflicting info, i was on mdi, it was a couple of months ago. I was also told i  didnt need to bolus for 10g snacks, are you saying that i do now? No one has actually told me what to do, my dsn said continue with dafne principles. I have to say though so far i have bolused for evrything as it feels right to.



Hi Tracey,
When A was on MDI we were told he could have a 14g snack without injection. This never worked -he always went high! Everything he eats on the pump is bolused for - unless its a snack to do sport etc..

His ratios for breakfast for example is 1:12 - so if he had more than that he needs a unit.I think the reason is because there isnt enough basal to cope with a sudden carb snack - whereas on MDI - there was always a higher amount of basal lurking to help mop up some of it. I think i am right saying this - if not - I am sure Becca or Adrienne will put me right!Bev


----------



## tracey w

bev said:


> Hi Tracey,
> When A was on MDI we were told he could have a 14g snack without injection. This never worked -he always went high! Everything he eats on the pump is bolused for - unless its a snack to do sport etc..
> 
> His ratios for breakfast for example is 1:12 - so if he had more than that he needs a unit.I think the reason is because there isnt enough basal to cope with a sudden carb snack - whereas on MDI - there was always a higher amount of basal lurking to help mop up some of it. I think i am right saying this - if not - I am sure Becca or Adrienne will put me right!Bev



ok, thanks, so If i have a digestive now i would bolus? Unless it was for excercise, thanks so much. i know this is basic stuff but really i have not been told to do anything different and as we know mdi is so different.

going off topic a bit here, but was on a work course today,, and a girl there been diabetic 20 years, she was about 25ish on twice daily injections and i told her i had a pump and that there is a better way than twice daily injections, as she is taking set doses. but she just said "oh ive done this for 20 years", i know we are all different but i dont understand how some people just plod on cos its what they have always done. I noticed she did not test her blood all day, i could not do this. Even when i was on twice daily i tested at mealtimes, how else do you know where you are at. Anyway waffling, just dont understand how people not interested in finding out things. I showed her my pump and all she said was "how do you wear a dress?" Is it just me that finds this strange?


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> I know, i find it hard to get conflicting info, i was on mdi, it was a couple of months ago. I was also told i  didnt need to bolus for 10g snacks, are you saying that i do now? No one has actually told me what to do, my dsn said continue with dafne principles. I have to say though so far i have bolused for evrything as it feels right to.



Hi

You are spot on, bolus for everything except, (why is there always an exception eh?) if you need free carbs or things with hardly any in ie brocolli, sprouts (unless you eat a bucket load like Jessica tends to at Christmas).

Someone asked me what free carbs are before.   For example before swimming lessons today Jessica was 5.9.   I knew from past experience that she would be hypo within 5 minutes of swimming.    I gave her some free carbs and we tested after 15 minutes and she was 6.2 and after she was 8.0 so worked ok.    I gave her a Harvest Chewee bar which is 15 cho.   Normally I would have given 10 cho but I had nothing on me that could add up to that.   Free carbs can be a quick acting ie glucotabs or a longer acting like the cereal bar and normally only about 10 carbs.

But if you eat snacks of 10 cho and you do not need any free carbs then yes absolutely bolus for them.

I have friends who were told on MDI if they had 10 cho not to inject and yes I agree with that if that works but pumping is a whole other ball game.

I remember being told when we first started pumping that I had to clear my head of everything I had been taught about MDI and hypos treatments etc etc.   It took a while but it is like starting over again.


----------



## Adrienne

*VEO problem*

Hi

Just read this on our email group.  Won't name the hospital but it is a brilliant source :

... received a call from hospital today saying medtronic is sending a letter to all people with a Veo. There is a confirmed problem but it is a software problem. Veos are not currently being made until this is rectified & all existing Veos will be replaced. The timescales were a bit vague but probably by January.

If there are problems between now & receiving the new Veo, a 522 will be sent in it's place.


Hope that clears up some malfunction problems eek !    Don't know whether anyone has had them on here yet.   Bev, help me out here?  I think it comes up something like 'motor error' or similar.


----------



## bev

Someone on the other list has just posted a message saying that medtronic are recalling all the veo's as there is a problem with the software! They have stopped making them and are sending letters to all who have them. They are sending the 522 as a replacement if you have a problem with the veo. They hope to have them all replaced by January!

I think i will ring medtronic tomorrow and check if this is all correct!Bev


----------



## bev

We crossed! Yes your right it says 'MOTOR ERROR' - if your veo shows this message then it needs replacing. Hmm. I dont think i will be happy to wait until January! I will be ringing our team tomorrow to see if they know anything - and medtronic. I wonder if they will replace even if you dont have a problem?Bev


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> We crossed! Yes your right it says 'MOTOR ERROR' - if your veo shows this message then it needs replacing. Hmm. I dont think i will be happy to wait until January! I will be ringing our team tomorrow to see if they know anything - and medtronic. I wonder if they will replace even if you dont have a problem?Bev



I would imagine they will Bev if it is the software, the replacements they were sending out had the same problem.   One of the others had the same problem on the replacement didn't she?

Bit worrying isn't it.


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Hi
> 
> You are spot on, bolus for everything except, (why is there always an exception eh?) if you need free carbs or things with hardly any in ie brocolli, sprouts (unless you eat a bucket load like Jessica tends to at Christmas).
> 
> Someone asked me what free carbs are before.   For example before swimming lessons today Jessica was 5.9.   I knew from past experience that she would be hypo within 5 minutes of swimming.    I gave her some free carbs and we tested after 15 minutes and she was 6.2 and after she was 8.0 so worked ok.    I gave her a Harvest Chewee bar which is 15 cho.   Normally I would have given 10 cho but I had nothing on me that could add up to that.   Free carbs can be a quick acting ie glucotabs or a longer acting like the cereal bar and normally only about 10 carbs.
> 
> But if you eat snacks of 10 cho and you do not need any free carbs then yes absolutely bolus for them.
> 
> I have friends who were told on MDI if they had 10 cho not to inject and yes I agree with that if that works but pumping is a whole other ball game.
> 
> I remember being told when we first started pumping that I had to clear my head of everything I had been taught about MDI and hypos treatments etc etc.   It took a while but it is like starting over again.



thanks so much, again! that really helps me feel more confident in what im doing, bet the dsn is wondering where i am as i just keep asking you guys, he he. will call her tomorrow to catch up.

Reminds me, so far for hypos i have only given the fast acting cho and has worked fine, again something i have read on here.


----------



## Sugarbum

Ladies, ladies, ladies!!!!

I was only here at lunchtime before work and Ive just read *EIGHT* pages!!!!

BEANS, I do exactly what they say on the tin so I bolus- I should be so lucky they are free...

It did occur to me before you got the 24 hour tape its amost like you having a pump on, Bev! Really would be interested to know how you get on with the sleeping! Bless A, he must find that amusing that mum is pumping for 24 hours too! ope all the gallbladder stuff is ok.

This Veo recall stuff- is this in adition to what we were chatting about a few weeks back? Becca did a thread detailing the software flaw and motor error. If this is the case, what will be given when our pumps are recalled? If anyone has spoken to medtronic or their team i would be really interested to know what the offical word is. Thanks in adv.(I know I should be taking this VERY seriously but all I can think is that Im changing to a blue one ).

Lesley, sounds like a great choice of pump. I would love to see one of these, I have little envious moments since hearing about Traceys...

Hope everyone is ok, must dash its late, starting work at 7.30am and Im not through all the new posts yet.....so much to do, so little time!

xXx


----------



## Mand

*One of 'those' nights!*

Good morning everyone

Changed my son's set at 4pm yesterday. All went well and he went to bed on 6.0.

Checked him at midnight and he was 17 and noticed he was not atached to pump! 

Re-attched him, bolused a correction and set alarm for two hours later.

Two hours later - 16 and with ketones. 

Gave him water to drink, used his pen to inject Novorapid then did a set change. He was so good about it all but cannot have been pleasant having to go through all that at such an ungodly hour!

This morning he is 5.6 so hopefully all ok now. 

Don't know what happened exactly because he obviously had come unattached but also i noticed bubbles near the top of the reservoir (larger than champagne ones). 

I think i need to have a plan for these horrbile night time problems ie fill several reservoirs in advance? Because messing around with filling a reservoir from the insulin bottle is distressing at such an hour of the night/morning! 

I am going to read back a few pages (i have only skimmed through) as i think you have been discussing bubbles etc.

Anyway, how are you all? Becca- sorry to hear about R's problem and having to do a set change at school. Hope all ok now.
Will come back later and read your posts in more detail.

I do not log on quite as often these days and cannot believe how many pages have been written each time I do! But it's all good stuff and it is great that we all here together. I am always so interested in everything that you all write.

Love to you all.


----------



## Adrienne

Sugarbum said:


> This Veo recall stuff- is this in adition to what we were chatting about a few weeks back? Becca did a thread detailing the software flaw and motor error. If this is the case, what will be given when our pumps are recalled? If anyone has spoken to medtronic or their team i would be really interested to know what the offical word is. Thanks in adv.(I know I should be taking this VERY seriously but all I can think is that Im changing to a blue one ).



Hi  Yes this is the same thing we talked about before the software flaw and motor error.    My msg above (or on another page by now) is from a diabetes team that are in the know (normally) so I would take it from them.

However on the other list, no-one else has heard this yet.   I'll keep you all posted as to what is being said.


----------



## Adrienne

*VEO - more info*

Hi 

Bit more info re the problem :

.........the problems are based around if you use the Contour Link BG meter & if you have BG reminders set for the sensor, they recommend you switch them off & don't use the Contour Link for now.......

Again this is what a friend has heard from her medical team.    Apparently the staff at Medtronic were confused (I imagine the ones that answer the phones).    There was all this stuff about the problem being the tiny increments used, this is bull* apparently and it is software.

Apparently everyone will be receiving a letter from Medtronic if you have a VEO so watch this space.


----------



## lesley1978

Becca said:


> Hi guys
> 
> Wow it's been busy on here.  Will go back over stuff, Bev will PM you as well....
> 
> Completely changing the posts - sorry  just had to share what happened to Rose today....Did a set change last night and all working fine, levels at school before lunch today were 3.0 then up to 6.0.  2 hours later after clarinet lesson, bloods tested again (as normal day) and get a call from school - she's 30.1   Rushed up to school and saw blood in the part of the quick set so did a set change at school - which didn't go down well with Rose......
> 
> Put her on a temp basal of 200% (would make it 0.5) for an hour and a correction - she had 0.3 ketone so not too bad.  An hour later at home she was 20.6, then 1 more hour later she was 3.3    ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> So, bless her, she's gone to bed tonight around the 8 mark complaining of bad tummy ache probably because she's been hypo from lunch up into the 30s and hypo again within 5 hours GRRR!!!!!!  One of those days.....



So sorry to hear about Rose.  Must have been awful!  Hope she is feeling alot better today!  big hugs! x


----------



## bev

Sugarbum said:


> Ladies, ladies, ladies!!!!
> 
> I was only here at lunchtime before work and Ive just read *EIGHT* pages!!!!
> 
> BEANS, I do exactly what they say on the tin so I bolus- I should be so lucky they are free...
> 
> It did occur to me before you got the 24 hour tape its amost like you having a pump on, Bev! Really would be interested to know how you get on with the sleeping! Bless A, he must find that amusing that mum is pumping for 24 hours too! ope all the gallbladder stuff is ok.
> 
> This Veo recall stuff- is this in adition to what we were chatting about a few weeks back? Becca did a thread detailing the software flaw and motor error. If this is the case, what will be given when our pumps are recalled? If anyone has spoken to medtronic or their team i would be really interested to know what the offical word is. Thanks in adv.(I know I should be taking this VERY seriously but all I can think is that Im changing to a blue one ).
> 
> Lesley, sounds like a great choice of pump. I would love to see one of these, I have little envious moments since hearing about Traceys...
> 
> Hope everyone is ok, must dash its late, starting work at 7.30am and Im not through all the new posts yet.....so much to do, so little time!
> 
> xXx




Hi Lou and all,
Just spoken to medtronic. The 'technical' dept told me to stop using the 'bolus reminder feature' as it is giving false reminders. Also to stop using the 'contour meter' as the bg reading is misinterpreting the reading and giving a wrong amount to bolus or correct. You can manually put the bg in and this is fine. We will be getting a letter any day and will all have the veo's replaced by January. Luckily we havent used the contour meter as A prefers the nano, and we dont enter his bg - we just do it all manually as we were waiting for further training next week. But we do use the bolus reminder feature for lunchtime at school - so that will have to be disabled. They said a 'technical bod' had found this out and that no-one has suffered from either of these anomolies (sp?).Bev


----------



## randomange

lesley1978 said:


> Well, everything went really well today at the pump clinic.  Basically everything had already been approved by my consultant and the funding was already there so the nurse just wanted to go though some info with me about my doses now and also show me the pumps which were available.  I have gone with the AccuChek Spirit Combo pump.  She is going to order it for me (only takes a couple of days) and them she is going to ring me about pump start.  She is really busy at the mo though and only does pumps on a Tuesday.  She said that I will have the pump for 1- 2 weeks before "go live" so I can have a play and get used to sharing a bed with it etc!  I am hoping that I don't have to wait too long but at least I know everything is definately happening now!
> 
> 
> Yippppeeeeee (but also sort of papping myself!) x



YAY! That is fantastic news Lesley, I'm so pleased for you.


----------



## lesley1978

randomange said:


> YAY! That is fantastic news Lesley, I'm so pleased for you.



Thank you! Looking forward to it but as I said I am quite nervous.  Have been reading my "pumping insulin" book like mad.  I put it on the back burner for a bit until I knew what was happening.  I have read about 40 pages in an hour today!!!!

Hope everyone is ok today! x


----------



## Northerner

Hi Lesley, really pleased for you! I'm sure you'll get lots of advice from 'those who have gone before'!


----------



## Steff

good evening gals xx

hows is everyone just thought id peep in and have a gander


----------



## Viki

lesley1978 said:


> Thank you! Looking forward to it but as I said I am quite nervous.  Have been reading my "pumping insulin" book like mad.  I put it on the back burner for a bit until I knew what was happening.  I have read about 40 pages in an hour today!!!!
> 
> Hope everyone is ok today! x



Good Luck Lesley!! Very exciting


----------



## tracey w

hello all,

Mand sorry to hear about your distressing night. It really is worth giving the degassing a go. I tried it but first go didnt manage, but drew out the insulin a few minutes later and so far my reservoir has been perfect, clear as a bell. I will keep using this method,  good luck.

spoke to dsn today, she said to up basal from 5-7pm. I told her i had lowered here as this is when i am getting hypo.  I did say this usually happens when i do the supermarket (dont know why ), she said to do a temp basal for the shopping.........so i upped the basal, went to the supermarket and forgot the temp basal, came home, fell asleep on sofa and woke up to a 2.1 flippin heck, will keep the basal and see what happens tomorrow.

Bev, hope you are feeling better and A is ok? Hope his basals are keeping him more steady.

Lesley, i have pumping insulin but not had time to read yet as too much manual reading yet, will be taking on hol with me on Saturday though, looking forward to reading it.

Hello Steff 

Lou, please try to keep up


----------



## Sugarbum

Hmmmmmm.....good research Bev and Adrienne! Loving your work, but now I am slightly worried.....

So this is more serious than I thought. I am using both the functions that you have been warned against! I am have decided I am not going to disable those functions and carry on using the blous reminder and the contour link. Obviously if something happens I would immediately. I am wondering *why* medtronic decide the best way to inform us of a malfunction or product recall is by letter.....when in my area there is a postal strike 

It upsets me a little, as we have to have some faith in these people due to why we are in their custom, and I wouldnt know about *any* of these problems if the god people of the forum hadnt shared what they knew....I find it a little bizarre.....if not scary.

Thanks though for sharing what you know. Can I ask, if you feel comfortable to do so, would you mind letting me know what the letter says? I am getting nothing in the post that hasnt taken 3 weeks. Thanks peeps. I am interested on what they propose for the replacement. Are we going back to MDI?

****
Ho-hum.....and in other news.....!

Oh Mand, one of those nights? Poor you that sounds awful. Sounds like you were text book though in your treatment, well done (not easy at random hours!). Very strange the set popped off, I hope this isnt an on-going problem. You must be pretty tired today too?

Great to hear everyones news.....anyone for a roll call and quick fire round?  *Adrienne*, is Jessica's numbers settled now? *Patricia*, I can tell you are much busier now, everything going alright? *Bev* I hope you feeling better and 24 tape completed? *Lesley*, excited??! Im excited to read that as I know I was that excited too! *Becca*, hope yesterdays high hasnt made R washed out today and that you both recovered..... *Tracey*, hows the new basal rates? *Viki*, I have always wondered what pump you have? Perhaps we can swap notes at the London meetup?! *Steff, Randomange* always great to see you in pump central 

Hope everyone in pump land is having a nice, relaxing evening xXx


----------



## bev

Hi all,

Just a quick question. Given the fact that there seems to be a potential problem with the veo - what is the protocol for going back to injections if there is a problem?
I know this sounds stupid - but do i just go back to levemir and novo - and if so - how do i work the levemir out? Obviously on the pump there is a lot less background insulin -but i wouldnt know where to start if i had to suddenly swop! I feel as if i have forgotten all about injections!


Tracey - sounds like your getting on top of pumping - well done! A is doing ok thanks - just need to try to get his morning ratio/basal right now.

Mand - sorry to hear of your sons problem in the night - we had a similar thing at 7am monday morning - big rush and lots of worry!

Hope everyone else is ok and keeping well.Bev

Lou, didnt mean to leave you out! I doubt we will have to go back to MDI - dont worry. But i would be careful using the bolus reminder feature! p.s. loved your kitchen pics- like your utensils lots! Bev x


----------



## Sugarbum

Hi Bev,

Yes this is my immediate concern too. Should I crank up the supplies and the mindset of MDI again? Surely medtronic cannot take all pumps just like that and supply new fully functional and trialed models straight back into the market- will we actually have an immediate exchange? I am thinking not....

.....I dont like not knowing.

.....must be worse when you are trying to adapt your child to one then consider the other again? 

......I am a little nervous about this!

xx


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> spoke to dsn today, she said to up basal from 5-7pm. I told her i had lowered here as this is when i am getting hypo.  I did say this usually happens when i do the supermarket (dont know why ), she said to do a temp basal for the shopping.........so i upped the basal, went to the supermarket and forgot the temp basal, came home, fell asleep on sofa and woke up to a 2.1 flippin heck, will keep the basal and see what happens tomorrow.



Hi Tracey

Not sure if I am understanding this right but throught I would chime in anyway.

If you are going hypo at say 6 pm then you need to change the basal at approx 4 pm, no good changing it at 6 pm.

So if your hypos are 5pm to 7pm then I would look at your basals at say 3pm or 4 pm, depending when your hypos really are.  

If you hypo going shopping then putting on a temp basal at the time you go may not have any effect until you get back.  You may find you are a bit high later !

If you know you are going shopping at say 5 pm and you know you go hypo then put on the lower temp basal at say 4 pm and see what happens.   I can't remember what basals you are on but if they are low then a temp basal of say 70% will do nothing at all.   You may need to see what 50% or even 30% does or any number and work from there.


----------



## Adrienne

Hi Sugarbum

I would disable those features if I were you without a doubt.   If has been confirmed that these are the two feature going wrong and others are disabling them.    What would happen is that if you get a motor error sign then you would ring Medtronic and within 24 hours you get a 522 or 722 (same as what Becca and we have, they are fab).   Then when the VEO's get replaced in about January you will get the new batch of VEO's.

There is unrest that Medtronic didn't act on this immediately, people are not happy.   They should have announced this pretty damn quick and told all hospitals who could have told their patients.   A statement on their website will be up within 24 hours apparently.

Once I get my eyes on a letter, one will be scanned on the email group, then I'll let you have a copy but I imagine you would all get yours on here first.

If you do not use either of these features you should not get an error code.   As far as I know no-one has had an error code if not using them.    But one lady who has a little boy had the error code, got a replacement and got the same error code, now has a 722.   

I really do recommend you stop the features just for the time being.

Going back onto injections I'm sure your hospital will have a protocol if not,  then don't panic.   If it were me I would start with Lantus (we used that) and give the same amount of that as we do basal and then carb count using roughly the same ratios but you will no doubt need more of both as insulin needs lower normally when pumping.   However I don't imagine any of your will need to go back on MDI, if the pumps fail use your NR and ring Medtronic any time of the night, the USA are very helpful.   You will get a new pump very quickly.

Hope that has alleviated some fears.


----------



## bev

Lou - read your pm!Bev x


----------



## Sugarbum

bev said:


> Lou - read your pm!Bev x




Thanks honey!

Thanks also Adrienne, you two are very good at keeping me in the loop- better than medtronic is all I can say! Just sent an email to my DSN (we email a lot) just to request she keeps me in the loop while the postal strike is on- she's a good woman, Im sure she would anyway.

Adrienne if I ended up with the 522 or the other one (Ive forgotten what numbers they are called) are they relatively the same to work?

....much clamer thank you.....and naturally starting to deviously plan how I can get the situation to work for me and get a different colour!

xx


----------



## Adrienne

Sugarbum said:


> Thanks honey!
> 
> Thanks also Adrienne, you two are very good at keeping me in the loop- better than medtronic is all I can say! Just sent an email to my DSN (we email a lot) just to request she keeps me in the loop while the postal strike is on- she's a good woman, Im sure she would anyway.
> 
> Adrienne if I ended up with the 522 or the other one (Ive forgotten what numbers they are called) are they relatively the same to work?
> 
> ....much clamer thank you.....and naturally starting to deviously plan how I can get the situation to work for me and get a different colour!
> 
> xx



Hi

Yes the 522/722 are the same machines except for the cut off when too low and the increments for basals.  The lowest is 0.05 and only goes up in 0.05, there is no 0.025 at all.   They are the main differences.   The wizards are all the same.   We've used a 522 for nearly 3 years now and we love it.  The 722 just has a bigger reservoir for bigger people that's all (probably adults as well as older children).    Only four (or five) colour choices for these though.   Smokey (think black/grey), blue, purple (what we have), clear and I think that is about it.

I don't think your DSN has done anything wrong by the way, she still may not even know, you may be the first to tell her !!


----------



## Viki

Sugarbum said:


> *Viki*, I have always wondered what pump you have? Perhaps we can swap notes at the London meetup?!



Im a bright green Animas 2020 girl! 

It the only one ive ever really seen, im intrigued to see some different ones and how well the can be hidden compared to mine!


----------



## Freddie99

Evening all,

I'm begining to to think about a pump now that I'm at university. Not that I'm whingeing greatly about MDI but something doesn't seem to give me much fun about it. My flat mates are all very good and understanding about it but some how I think I don't want to have to nip into the bogs in a club/pub to do my evening levemir and I'd just like to have it on my belt without having to think about it. 

Tom


----------



## Sugarbum

Viki said:


> Im a bright green Animas 2020 girl!
> 
> It the only one ive ever really seen, im intrigued to see some different ones and how well the can be hidden compared to mine!



Oooh yes Im with you there- when I was choosing between the medtronic and the animas, it was the green in the animas I wanted if Id have gone down that road!


----------



## Mand

Good morning all

I slept like a log last night! Sure made up for the night before! It is a bit worrying though because we generally not checking him in the night now, unless we suspect there could be a problem, so how would we know another time if he became detached?  Hopefully, it will have been a one off?

Tom - one of the real plus points for us is that my son does not have to do Levimir in the eve. He is 12 (nearly 13) and beginning to go to one or two evening events such as a 13th birthday party or the local youth roller disco etc which are on until after 9pm (which was his Levemir time) and it great that he does not have to take his other jab. It was not just the jab, it was also remembering to do it! I feel this will be a great benefit to him now he getting that bit older and evening things are beginning to happen. Keep posting any thoughts you have as we can hopefully help answer your questions. 

Bev and Adrienne - you are stars for all the info you have relayed re the Veo recall. Like Lou (Hi Lou! x) I have found it all very worrying but you have put my mind at rest now as it sounds like we won't have to go back to mdi. 

I do not use those two facilities yet so have never had an error warning. In fact the pump has worked perfectly so far (now i have just tempted fate, haven't I!!). It is the sets that have caused any problems we have encountered.

Lesley - Exciting! With all that reading hopefully everything will go smoothly for your pump start! Look forward to reading your future posts.

Tracey - Sounds like you getting to grips with it all. Great! Hope you sort out the shopping hypo. 

Patricia, Becca and everyone else - how's it going? Hope you jogging along ok. x

Well, must go, time to wake up my son for school.

Hugs to all. x


----------



## Freddie99

Mand said:


> Tom - one of the real plus points for us is that my son does not have to do Levimir in the eve. He is 12 (nearly 13) and beginning to go to one or two evening events such as a 13th birthday party or the local youth roller disco etc which are on until after 9pm (which was his Levemir time) and it great that he does not have to take his other jab. It was not just the jab, it was also remembering to do it! I feel this will be a great benefit to him now he getting that bit older and evening things are beginning to happen. Keep posting any thoughts you have as we can hopefully help answer your questions.



Yeah, memory and alcohol don't exactly mix well! Ok, so far I have remembered to take the levemir but it's only a matter of time until I forget to and suffer the consequences of that. I don't like the idea of checking out the A&E here in Brighton.


----------



## Mand

Tom - hope you never get to see the A&E in Brighton! Yes, I can imagine that when alcohol comes into the equation too then remembering Levemir is a hard one! 

Tracey- forgot to say before, thanks for de-gassing tip. Glad it worked for you. I will give it a try! 

Can I ask - does anyone else use the de-gassing method?


----------



## Patricia

OMG, so MUCH to catch up on! And yes, I am frantically busy! 

Can't actually stop this morning to say much more than hey, and I am reading everything when I can...just can't comment! 

Tom: you sound a wise dude. To have identified so quickly that a pump seems a good idea is on the ball...Here I am in the middle of first year students, so have some idea what you are on about!

Mand: eek, bad night for you. Glad you slept well. These random things are crazy-making. Really. If only so MUCH of it weren't unpredictable...

Tracey: de-gassing sounds good. We have had more trouble filling reservoirs. Someday we will check this out. Your basal situation in the early evening sounds awkward -- BUT wow you sound on top of things, too. I'm so pleased for you.

Lesley: well done! Join the crew. Eager to know how things go, and when.

Viki: bright green lady. Good to hear your voice. How are you doin'?

Adrienne, Bev, Lou: Veo probs! Ack. I would be incredibly unsettled, but it sounds like the worst is over in terms of not knowing. Thanks Adrienne for all your support here, and I would add my voice too -- we have the 722 I think (think it's wrong on the email list, oh well!), and it seems just the same except as Adrienne says no cut off and increments not as small. Not great for A, maybe, with his low amounts? Hmm...Anyway, we have never had any real problem. I'm sure the switch will be straightforward. Hope the VEO returns all snazzy and sorted, though. 

Everyone else: always good to see you!

***

Our house has been a pretty calm one now, numbers back to normal, virtually no hypos. Last night had a mild one late -- once again, breaded things with oven chips causing problems! We just can't get our heads around this. We expected him to wake high (chips, even oven?) but no, he woke on 5.8 even with a hypo treatment at 11.30pm. Anyone else struggle with breaded things? We think we may have noticed a strange pattern with things like the cheaper chicken kievs, and scampi... Several times now he has hypo-ed AFTER the peak of the insulin...so we expect it to come ini later, but it doesn't!

Just a warning shot from me too: I am going away for 9 days on Sunday.  Am trying not to be totally freaked out about it. For business, to visit Canada and the US, seeing my relatives on the way. Hence my freneticism and getting work and home sorted before going. 

I am not a good flyer. I am taking seven flights. I'm worried about E in the night and the incredible wear on my full time working but perfectly capable husband. I know they will survive. Just not sure it's going to be worth it.

Ergh.

xxoo


----------



## Sugarbum

Hiya, only got a min but I have just PM'd a big message. Important news and Mrs Chatterbox has a full box! *BEV PLEASE DELETE A MESSAGE OR 50, I NEED TO FWD IMPORTANT VEO INFO!*

I might not be on for a couple of hours. Will forward to you then unless anyone from pump-central see's you in the interim! 

Thanks, Lou  xx


----------



## bev

Message recieved and understood - have cleaned out my inbox - awaiting further instructions.........Bev


----------



## Freddie99

Mand said:


> Tom - hope you never get to see the A&E in Brighton! Yes, I can imagine that when alcohol comes into the equation too then remembering Levemir is a hard one!



Hence my near teetotal act! Yeah, I might just want to avoid that one lol! Yeah, in all seriousness that's the reason I try to stick to no more than three or four pints as a maximum per night out. As a rule of thumb I only drink about two pints a night. It isn't worth ending up in A&E because I could have avoided it by drinking less. I can't stand selfinflicted injuries.


----------



## Mand

Tom - you sound like a sensible young man! I think you have a bright future ahead of you! Go for it! 

Patricia - I hope you enjoy your trip. I understand that you will worry but i hope that the break will do you good. And it sounds like you have a trustworthy OH! xx 

Thanks so much Lou. What are everyone's thoughts?


----------



## lesley1978

Tracey,

I have been reading through my pumping insulin book and thought of you.  you should have a quick read through chapter 12.  It explains about adjusting your basal and bolus on the pump.  Have a dip in and see what you think!

I'm eagerly waiting the call from the nurse to say that my pump is in! I know I know that I am impatient!  she said that when she orders them they come in the next day.   

Hope everyone is ok!  Looking forward to the weekend!

Lesley x


----------



## Becca

Hey Lou, you're turn to clear out your messages   Can't send the PM one i've just done.... lol


----------



## Sugarbum

haha!!! I just had to clear out to send to Bev, who has now cleared out! Quick send now before Im full again if Bev replies!!!


----------



## bev

Louisa! Clear out your inbox please young lady! I have just spent 5 minutes replying only to find your inbox is full!

Thanks for the info on veo-gate Lou....Bev x


----------



## Sugarbum

I Need A Box Extension!!!!


----------



## Sugarbum

Hi Patricia, et al!

I only just got round to reading properly the posts I wizzed through earlier (I was hot on the tails of Veo-gate).

WOW- your trip to Canada sounds like a big one but I hear your anxiety both about they flying and your husband having the whole workload of everything. For what its worth, I hope you have a good trip and visiting your rellies at least. Hope its not all too frantic and stressful. You are one BUSY woman...I hope its a good trip and a safe one. I missed you when you were away last time so dont be gone too long!

Im becoming speachless over Veo-gate. Perhaps I need to check in the dictionary the difference between re-programming and re-calling? Medtronic and I arent speaking the same lingo =(

x


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Hi Tracey
> 
> Not sure if I am understanding this right but throught I would chime in anyway.
> 
> If you are going hypo at say 6 pm then you need to change the basal at approx 4 pm, no good changing it at 6 pm.
> 
> So if your hypos are 5pm to 7pm then I would look at your basals at say 3pm or 4 pm, depending when your hypos really are.
> 
> If you hypo going shopping then putting on a temp basal at the time you go may not have any effect until you get back.  You may find you are a bit high later !
> 
> If you know you are going shopping at say 5 pm and you know you go hypo then put on the lower temp basal at say 4 pm and see what happens.   I can't remember what basals you are on but if they are low then a temp basal of say 70% will do nothing at all.   You may need to see what 50% or even 30% does or any number and work from there.



thanks for that, much appreciated, i tend to hypo around 5.30 to 6pm ish, if i have been shopping usually do that afternoon time 3ish? Dont know if there is   a connection, just that i must be quite active on my day off. On mdi i always noticed a drop anyway regardless from 5pm onwards. for instance i would test at 6pm for the drive home and would have a snack if less than 7, as i could drop 4-5 within 45mins at this time. Apart from the times i have had a hypo, i seem to rise a little on the pump from the lunch reading,

for example lunch 9.3, tea 12.1, so i understand the reason for upping the basal the rise is about 6 or 7pm, with this extra info do you think i should up basal from 4-6 maybe instead of the 5-7 that i have done.

hope you can understand my waffle? thanks


----------



## tracey w

lesley1978 said:


> Tracey,
> 
> I have been reading through my pumping insulin book and thought of you.  you should have a quick read through chapter 12.  It explains about adjusting your basal and bolus on the pump.  Have a dip in and see what you think!
> 
> I'm eagerly waiting the call from the nurse to say that my pump is in! I know I know that I am impatient!  she said that when she orders them they come in the next day.
> 
> Hope everyone is ok!  Looking forward to the weekend!
> 
> Lesley x



thanks Lesley, am planning to take it on my holiday as i dont have time to read it at the mo, as i am still working through the manuals, as you will soon see.


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> thanks for that, much appreciated, i tend to hypo around 5.30 to 6pm ish, if i have been shopping usually do that afternoon time 3ish? Dont know if there is   a connection, just that i must be quite active on my day off. On mdi i always noticed a drop anyway regardless from 5pm onwards. for instance i would test at 6pm for the drive home and would have a snack if less than 7, as i could drop 4-5 within 45mins at this time. Apart from the times i have had a hypo, i seem to rise a little on the pump from the lunch reading,
> 
> for example lunch 9.3, tea 12.1, so i understand the reason for upping the basal the rise is about 6 or 7pm, with this extra info do you think i should up basal from 4-6 maybe instead of the 5-7 that i have done.
> 
> hope you can understand my waffle? thanks



Hi

Not sure I quite get this.   Are you going hypo or hyper.   The example you have given ie tea 12.1 you have gone up so you would need to increase the basal about two hours before that.   But you have also said you go hypo or drop considerably. 

You need to maybe plot a graph of a weeks levels and always test at these times.    Then you will have an idea of whether you are going up or down and which one is more ie more ups then increase the basal and when you go shopping put on a decreased temp basal or if you have more hypos then decrease the basal but put on an increased temp basal when you don't go shopping.

Does that make sense?  Without all the readings I'm a bit stuck as I'm not following this bit very well.  Sorry.


----------



## Patricia

*Argh*

Hi all

A moan. 

So E comes home yesterday full of another cold, feeling rather rotten. Like last time, he'd been low all day. 

Had nothing for dinner but pasta. Not best choice but there we are. 6 hour dual wave, with the spag bol sauce bolus up front. Worked quite well last time.

At 2.5 hours is 5.3mmols. A bit low we think, esp given the day. Give some milk and biscuit. 

At 5.5 hours he is 17mmols! OH stops dual wave, corrects and does temp basal. We think this is a) pasta coming in, b) cold/infection or c) too much milk and biscuit.

As per usual, we also test 2 hours ish after correction. This is 3am. I haven't slept since 1am, the last test, for some reason.

He is 24.6mmols.  He and I both scrabble for the pump: the set is OUT!!! 

Wake up OH. Takes three times to get the damn quickset NOT TO STICK to the sides. E fighting hysteria and feeling terribly in danger. 

Set change done. Only just over traces ketones. Whack of insulin. We retire to test again in an hour. E soon calls me back however, and holds onto me.

Then follow two more hours of real awfulness. E feels terrible. He wants to die. He feels so sick he can't cope. He wants it to be over. He begs me to make it go away. We test quite a lot, and follow the numbers going down.

At 5am he throws up, and quickly feels better. He soon sleeps, and eventually, so do I, having been up four hours.

How can this happen AGAIN?! The two things that can go really wrong: bent cannula, and the set change coming out, have happened in the last two weeks!! Two days before I leave!!!

He's sleeping. Down to 12 by 7am, and we've corrected, put him on temp basal. 

Only good thing is now we will know to *always* check the connection to the body if there's a high number at night, despite what may be other likely reasons...

Thanks for listening. But frankly, I've had enough. I never bargained on anything like this, ever. I never thought I'd have to listen to my child begging me to make it stop. And have to be strong enough to jolly him along.

Sheesh.

***

Becca, I'm sorry I realised I didn't commiserate with the rotten time you had with R a couple of days ago. Sounded grim. 

bye for now...

xxoo


----------



## Adrienne

Oh no Patricia, poor E, he must have felt horrid.  Poor you.  I am wondering about these sets coming off.  Does he have the pump loose in the bed.   We do.   I find that some of the quick sets can be undone quite easily and others are quite tough.   Perhaps the ones that have come off from E have been very easy ones to undo and with the moving around in bed it actually just twisted off.   Maybe when he has a set that is easy he needs to not have the pump loose and see what happens.   Just a thought.

One friend from the other group always does the second correction with a pen as it seems to work quicker.   I haven't done that and don't imagine Jessica would let me but maybe worth talking to her about.

I hope he is ok today and you of course.


I have kept Jessica off school today as we have also had some very rough nights but opposite to you, very low ones.

She has had 2 1/2 cans of coke over night last night and I have been awake since 3.12 am  when the pump first alarmed.

I have been fighting with trying to keep her over 4.0 using coke and temp basals for 30 mins at a time.


I agree with E why the hell have these kids got what they have, its not fair.   At least with Jessica we know why she has, it is genetic from me and her dad and I'm a carrier because my dad is a carrier as are my two siblings but for normal type 1's, what the hell is the reason.


----------



## Patricia

Thanks for your thoughts and sympathy -- it *was* pretty dreadful. Hard to last through.

Never had a set come off at night -- it was actually the whole thing, cannula and all! Somehow he just pulled the lot off...checking for ease of coming off is prob a v good idea.

Wondered about the second correction/injection thing. It seemed an *endless* wait last night. But when we had to go to hosp a couple of weeks ago, was same amount of time basically, and that was injection.

I'm sorry to hear you are having to prop J up so much. Good grief. Exhausting for both of you. I feel for you.

E is shattered but basically just full of cold. Hypo-ed at 9am (!), so now off temp basal. At least it won't take days to come fully down like it did last time! He's quite bright though, a bit like 'phew, made it'. 

Meanwhile I'm overloaded with last minute things to do and I want to set up the house etc so all is as easy as it can be. Ugh. Too much!

Thanks.

xxoo


----------



## bev

OMG Patricia and Adrienne!

Patricia- how horrible for you all - especially poor E. After the other weekend he is obviously terrified of high's and rightly so. My heart goes out to him and i could cry for him when you describe his fear. Not something a parent ever wants to witness is it? Like Adrienne, I am wondering why the whole thing came off? A has never let it loose in the bed - he always wears a pouch or lately his spibelt - I have to say i would be worried if he didnt have it strapped to him- but then thats how it  has always been - so we dont know any different.
Did you send for a spibelt? If not- we have a spare if you wanted to use it whilst your away - it may give you piece of mind? If you would like it -send me a pm and i will be more than happy to send it to you today.

I am sending a huge big HUG  to you all - i dont know what else to say - i just *know* how awful and useless it makes you feel when these things happen.

Adrienne - poor you and poor J! Is there any particular reason that she was so low through the night? Food - exercise? Or is it just one of those 'diabetes blips' that we cant explain? I do know how awful and tired you must feel - its horrible isnt it? I hope J is feeling better today and that you can get some rest! If i lived nearer to you i would offer to give you a break. x

A had 4 x hypo's between 4pm and midnight last night - no idea why - i am just glad i hadnt changed his evening basal as i was going to do or he would have been very low! Only thing i can think is his evening meal was boiled pots sweetcorn, poached egg and banana -all very quick i think - so wont be giving that combination again!

I had a bit of good news this morning - the cardiologist said there is absolutely nothing wrong with my heart trace and i should forget about it now and get back to cycling and try not to get stressed!

Hope everyone else is ok? Bev


----------



## Patricia

Bev, thank you...Is it difficult to adjust the pump then when it's in the spibelt? We quite frequently make adjustments at night...But yes, he does have it free and always has done...confess am re-thinking this! He doesn't clip it to pjs cos says it is uncomfortable...

Didn't order spibelt cos he said he wasn't really bothered at all, so didn't want to push it. Though I like the look of them!

Will ask him though about the short term Bev, so appreciate it.

Lordy. Sorry about A's hypos! Just HATE that.

BUT good news re heart: phew. Get on the bike. Here the sun is shining!

xxoo


----------



## bev

Patricia, all you have to do is unzip it and it falls out - its only like a thin elasticated pouch. If E changes his mind - let me know and i will send it to you. I am just thinking that it took 10 days for A's to arrive from America. So if you wanted one sooner - then dont hesitate to let me know.

I have to say that they give A a feeling of security - the belt doesnt move round much and it stops the pump from falling too far from the set (if that makes sense). I had made him a couple - one was sewn which he loved and then i knitted him one - which he loved - until the spibelts came along!

I do hope E is feeling better today. I also know that you will feel bad about leaving him. But try not to worry Patricia, unlike me, you have the best support E could wish for - his dad sounds 'on the ball' and so does his lovely sister - he will be in the best of hands! Perhaps it will help to re-charge your batteries having a few days away, and you will come back all refreshed and ready to battle with diabetes! We all need a break and you will be able to catch up with family etc - it will do you good! Your a great mum and you always do the best for E - so dont feel guilty (if you are) for having to go away for a bit.Bev x


----------



## Viki

Blimey you lot - ever though of writing a book! Surely you've all had to cope with more over the past few days than most do at all!

Sorry to hear you're all having such rough times, your poor kids must be exhausted.

What sets do you use? ive never had one of mine come unstuck, in fact they can be quite tricky to get off sometimes. Ive even caught the tubing on a few door handles and its pulled me backwards - very sore but the set held in place!

Do you have different set options with the pumps your using?

Really hope all involved start feeling better soon! xxx


----------



## Adrienne

Hi

Jessica always has had the pump free in bed with her.   A few reasons for this.   She gets so hot and sweaty anyway that with something wrapped around her, it would be horrible.    Also, as Patricia has pointed out, it is so much easier to get to the pump if not inside anything.   We have tried before and if she is sleeping on it then you have to turn her over or reach around under neath her pull the case around to unzip it etc etc.   Just finding a pump is easier for me.    The main thing however is the sensor alarms.   If you have them incased inside something there is no way on earth you would hear them, they are just not loud enough.   Even the VEO's are loud enough until it shuts itself off and sirens very loudly.   The siren before it goes into switch off mode is the same as the 522/722 an is not loud.


Bev, I'm so pleased your heart is ok and you are feeling fine.   Nightmare with the hypos.  Wonder why.

I find meals with just potatoes as carbs ie roast or boiled need hardly any insulin at all.  I don't count the gravy.


Patricia, I hope E feels better soon.

Bev, I'm not getting any rest today unfortunately, I have a bathroom to paint and it has to be done.   We are not here at the weekend, Jessica has contact so we are away.   Oh well, the finished result will be good.


----------



## Patricia

Hello again all (hi Viki!)

Spoke to E about spibelt -- he's not keen. He says this has only happened once, etc...He's his father's son, very balanced! Thanks anyway Bev -- if he changes his mind, I'll be in touch!

His numbers are very good today. A relief after the two days last time it took to recover.

I have yet to rest today either, though I'm now feeling it. We have a black tie do tonight, on top of everything else. One suspects yours truly will look sort of like nine kinds of hell...Oh well. At least it looks like we're going. Last weekend we were supposed to go to a party -- and E's numbers sky-rocketed as a result of cold, so we had to stay in. 

We use quicksets Viki. What do you use?

Take care Adrienne. We're in this together today!

xxoo


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Hi
> 
> Not sure I quite get this.   Are you going hypo or hyper.   The example you have given ie tea 12.1 you have gone up so you would need to increase the basal about two hours before that.   But you have also said you go hypo or drop considerably.
> 
> You need to maybe plot a graph of a weeks levels and always test at these times.    Then you will have an idea of whether you are going up or down and which one is more ie more ups then increase the basal and when you go shopping put on a decreased temp basal or if you have more hypos then decrease the basal but put on an increased temp basal when you don't go shopping.
> 
> Does that make sense?  Without all the readings I'm a bit stuck as I'm not following this bit very well.  Sorry.



It fine, thanks, its confusing me somewhat too, yes i can go up or down at these same times, need bit more invstigating i think, but thank you for your input, hope all is with with you and Jessica?


----------



## Adrienne

Patricia said:


> Hello again all (hi Viki!)
> 
> Spoke to E about spibelt -- he's not keen. He says this has only happened once, etc...He's his father's son, very balanced! Thanks anyway Bev -- if he changes his mind, I'll be in touch!
> 
> His numbers are very good today. A relief after the two days last time it took to recover.
> 
> I have yet to rest today either, though I'm now feeling it. We have a black tie do tonight, on top of everything else. One suspects yours truly will look sort of like nine kinds of hell...Oh well. At least it looks like we're going. Last weekend we were supposed to go to a party -- and E's numbers sky-rocketed as a result of cold, so we had to stay in.
> 
> We use quicksets Viki. What do you use?
> 
> Take care Adrienne. We're in this together today!
> 
> xxoo



Yes but I'd rather being going to the black tie do than Brownies!!!!!!  Where Jessica goes, I go.  I am called Fluffy Owl - this is no joke   and bathroom nearly all blue, have to finish on Monday, Brownies beckons.


----------



## tracey w

Patricia said:


> Bev, thank you...Is it difficult to adjust the pump then when it's in the spibelt? We quite frequently make adjustments at night...But yes, he does have it free and always has done...confess am re-thinking this! He doesn't clip it to pjs cos says it is uncomfortable...
> 
> Didn't order spibelt cos he said he wasn't really bothered at all, so didn't want to push it. Though I like the look of them!
> 
> Will ask him though about the short term Bev, so appreciate it.
> 
> Lordy. Sorry about A's hypos! Just HATE that.
> 
> BUT good news re heart: phew. Get on the bike. Here the sun is shining!
> 
> xxoo



Patricia how awful its been for you, hope it all settles soon and you sort out why the sets are coming off? I understand about the being uncomfortable in bed thing, just wondering what position your boy sleeps in or is he a wriggler like J. The thing is I know i only sleep on my sides, not my back or front, therefore i clip my pump right in the middle of my waistband on pjs and i dont feel it at all and I dont wake up because of it. dont know if this help you at all was just hoping it might give you an idea of where to clip it. I think i would be worried to have my pump just loose in the bed though. 

Bev great news re the heart trace, think you have just been might stressed and no wonder! Hope A is good.

Adrienne, wow you are all going through so much at the moment, my heart goes out to you all. Hope J and yourself have had a better day today.


----------



## bev

Adrienne said:


> Yes but I'd rather being going to the black tie do than Brownies!!!!!!  Where Jessica goes, I go.  I am called Fluffy Owl - this is no joke   and bathroom nearly all blue, have to finish on Monday, Brownies beckons.



FLUFFY OWL!!!!!!!!Fantastic - I think you should change your name on here to fluffy owl! I dont know who chose the name - but i wouldnt have decribed you as 'fluffy'!(in the nicest possible way).Bev x


----------



## tracey w

Well, just to let you all know, if i havent mentioned it already, going away till Thursday, first trip in 2 years, took me all day to pack, cant believe all the back up stuff etc ah well,

Sure i will have a lot to catch up on when i return, take care all xxxxxxxx


----------



## bev

Tracey,
I hope your going somewhere warm! Its about to get cold here at the weekend. Just been checking the logs situation and think i may light the first fire of the winter tonight! You deserve a nice break - all the waiting for the pump and then changing and adapting etc..
Hope you have a brilliant time and let us know how it all goes! Hope youve packed your manual for the pump!Bev x


----------



## Steff

hi not hyjacking just wanted to wish tracey happy hols , you deserve a good hol hun take care and relax xx


----------



## lesley1978

Sorry to hear about the highs and the lows that the kids have been going through!  Hope they are feeling a bit better now!  You should both be very proud of yourselves as you are doing a grand job!  sending hugs!

Tracey,  Have a great hol hun!  you deserve it!  hope all goes well with the pump.  Hopefully I may have some news of my start date when you get back, I've been watching the phone like a hawk and twitchin everytime it rings!

Hope everyone else is ok.  Have had 2 hypo's today but sugar seems fine now.  Although, I think I can feel another one brewing.....fella has just told me we need to spend 1500 on the car and we only bought the damn thing a few weeks ago!!!!

Point me in the direction of the drinks cabinet is what me thinks!!!

lesley x


----------



## Viki

Patricia said:


> We use quicksets Viki. What do you use?



I use inset II - i looked up the quickset and although they look a bit different they are essentially the same and have the same feature etc.

Do your pumps use luer lock fittings or are you tied into using the manufacturers infusion sets?


----------



## Mand

Oh gosh, Patricia! What an awlful experience for you and E. I could just weep when i even think about it, let alone live through it. Blasted diabetes! So unfair on our precious kids! I do hope things have settled down and that he recovers well from his cold. As you know, we have had problems with my son coming detached from the pump but never the whole thing coming out! Not what you needed when you about to go away. But, on the positive side, at least it happened before you went and it would be very unlucky to have it happen again so hopefully that is not something they will have to cope with when you away. I send you HUGE hugs. xx

Adrienne (fluffy) - sorry you having problems with J being low at moment. Hope it gets better soon. x

Bev - great news re your heart! Get on that bike asap!!!!!!! 

Tracey - Happy hols!! x

Steph - Hi! How you doing? 

Lou, Becca, Lesley, Viki and all - have a good weekend.


----------



## Sugarbum

Oh no Patricia, that was such a sad read. I could have cried. I am racking my brains trying to work out what to say. This is devestating---

I am with Tracey on this one and clip to the centre of the waste in the middle. It doesnt seem to affect sleeping. I have spibelts in the post which havent arrived as yet. I may change my routine.

With regards to spibelt I got an email today, 10% discount on childrens spibelts. If anyone wants the email PM me and I will happily forward on (but I think the codes are ones we already know of!).

Have you tried sprays to make the canula a little more sticky? When I sent off for the sample of lift off spray that Adrienne suggested a while back I ticked most of the sample boxes. Its called Skinsafe non-protective film order code 6601. You simply spray it on, leave it a few moments and put your canula in. I started doing this because I was having trouble with the adhesive and sweating in the gym. Seems to work for me. Free sample anyway, may be worth a shot. 

I am miffed it came out like that. Like Viki, Ive been reeled in sharply on several occassions, mainly walking round my bed posts and door handles and have always sprung back, with an ouch almost every time- but no disconnection...

I hope you get everything done!

Fluffy- any regreats on sharing that info?!


----------



## Patricia

In some haste, friends...But just to say I'm holding on to your thoughts and care. I will investigate all suggestions upon return. The clipping in the middle may be the one worth cajoling first!

E snotty but fine. We did something different last night that worked. He was 4.9 at 12am, heavily asleep and SO exhausted. No active insulin. So we put him on 10% basal for 1.5 hours. He was 5.5 this morning! So could have gone on a little longer, and he may be dropping a little overnight -- but it was a good call, and saved hauling him up and giving him juice.

Black tie do was entertaining. Minor royalty. Lots of shiny shoed men with earpieces. Not enough champagne! A fabulous quintet. 

Packing today. I'm sure I'll check in while away -- you're family!

All we can all do is sometimes give into despair, and then just get on. That's it, really, isn't it?

Fingers crossed they have a clear week and a bit. I have a very good friend on back up and ready to go in any situation day or night, so that's put my mind at some ease.

Lou, I think the sweating thing may be relevant here...He's generally a hot sleeper, but being unwell I suspect he was very tossing and turning AND hot. So you have found this makes them slip more?  Hmmm...

Viki, not sure we are tied into a type of inserter with our pump. Do you know Fluff -- I mean, Adrienne?!

Mand, I hope things are okay with you. Are they?

Everyone else: think of me! Seven flights in nine days. Ergh. BUT my (same) good friend just reminded me that life is an adventure. She's right.

I'll be in touch! Hang in everyone. (Tracey: have a FAB time yourself. Tell us all about it.)

xxoo


----------



## Mand

Yes, Patricia, all fine with me, thanks. We still tweaking away here and there to smooth things out but still in love with the pump compared to mdi. Set changes going very smoothly and, generally, life is just that bit easier with pump - despite hic-cups now and then with the cannulas.

Patricia, i wish you a very safe journey. Sounds like you have a pretty fab friend! Good to know she there for your family. I think this break will do you good. I hope you manage to relax (easier said than done, I know!) but if you manage to switch off for a bit then hopefully you will come back refreshed and feel stronger. I will be thinking of you. xx

Hope everyone is having a good weekend.


----------



## Sugarbum

Nothing to do with pumping but I am sat in my flat with what looks like a gang member installing my new oven wearing a pirates scarf on his head with gold teeth and  have just had to identify the wire colours for him becusse of his COLOUR BLINDNESS! I hope I am not about to die.

Laters (Ive got one eye on the situation) x


----------



## katie

Sugarbum said:


> Nothing to do with pumping but I am sat in my flat with what looks like a gang member installing my new oven wearing a pirates scarf on his head with gold teeth and  have just had to identify the wire colours for him becusse of his COLOUR BLINDNESS! I hope I am not about to die.
> 
> Laters (Ive got one eye on the situation) x



that's hilarious! goodluck  i'm watching a documentary about biggie smalls and tupac, he'd feel at home in my house!


----------



## bev

Sugarbum said:


> Nothing to do with pumping but I am sat in my flat with what looks like a gang member installing my new oven wearing a pirates scarf on his head with gold teeth and  have just had to identify the wire colours for him becusse of his COLOUR BLINDNESS! I hope I am not about to die.
> 
> Laters (Ive got one eye on the situation) x




Ha ha! Your mental Lou! I do hope your not colour blind too! Just make sure your wearing rubber soles when you first turn the oven on.Bev x


----------



## Sugarbum

Job done ladies....Katie that must have been Tupacs brixton twin installing my oven...he even had gold teeth as well as a pirate scarf on his head! I had to say no to crack as well and ask him to pull his trousers up....

Phew. It even works. Moral of the story is dont watch crimewatch. It makes you paranoid about everything. You order a new kitchen oven and you must be then about to get mugged or burgled.

Ive got the plumber on Monday. I will put down the fingerprint dust in the bathroom and offer this one a cup of tea just to get a copy of his DNA on the mug. Im not mad at all....!

Pizza for tea, from my new oven! I must PM Einstein- he was telling me about what wires go where!!!

I feel massive achievement!

xx


----------



## bev

Anyone been swimming since pumping? Alex went to a swim party today and his canula came off after about 20 minutes in the water! Someone on the other forum said there is something called 'tegaderm' to put over the canula- but that it may pull the canula off when you remove it. Any ideas?

Lou - enjoy your pizza - do you dual wave for it?Bev x


----------



## Sugarbum

Hi Bev,

I dont think I am going to dual wave this one, the duals havent been great of late!

Havent swam bev since the pump. However, haved used tegadern in nursing for years and I cant imagine its up to the job of sticking on a child in water who is probably going to be pretty active. Having said that, someone on the other forum sounds as if it has worked for them so I could be wrong.

As far as I remember you can buy it in boots. May be worth purchasing one and trying it out before getting the prescription done.


----------



## Sugarbum

Just wondering actually, my friend has an animas and they are waterproff and he swims with it- maybe they do a special more adhesive waterproof dressing? Perhpas have a look at the animas website or maybe contact viki who uses anmas?

xx


----------



## Freddie99

As far as I know you can buy waterproof covers for pumps. I was looking at some when I was investigating pumping. Still definitely thinking about it.


----------



## katie

Sugarbum said:


> Job done ladies....Katie that must have been Tupacs brixton twin installing my oven...he even had gold teeth as well as a pirate scarf on his head! I had to say no to crack as well and ask him to pull his trousers up....
> ...
> 
> I feel massive achievement!
> 
> xx



hahah! well done for surviving.  I know what you mean about crimewatch, watchdog is similar too - make sure everyone is GAS SAFE! Or you WILL die.

Enjoy the pizza


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Anyone been swimming since pumping? Alex went to a swim party today and his canula came off after about 20 minutes in the water! Someone on the other forum said there is something called 'tegaderm' to put over the canula- but that it may pull the canula off when you remove it. Any ideas?
> 
> Lou - enjoy your pizza - do you dual wave for it?Bev x



Hiya Bev

I haven't read all you replies on the email group but thought I would add my bit.  I'm at my mums so I can't reply on the email list, only here.

Jessica swims with her cannula on and pump off.   She has swum for hours in the sea on holidays, in and out of the water all day long and never had a problem.  

However we use Cavilon, do you?  I can't remember.  If not, then get some.  It acts as a barrier on the skin, Jessica came up red to the cannula at the beginning.  However it also helps the cannula to stick better.   

We also have the sensor and transmitter in the water as well for the same amount of time.  This, however is covered with clear sticky stuff, three of them about 2 x 3 inches each.  I'm not at home but they come from Medtronic when you have the sensors, look in your box, you should have a few in the small clear plastic bag.  They are called something like IV300, I'll have a look when I get home tomorrow.   If A has another swim session maybe stick one of these on it but then my feeling is that when you try and pull it off, the canula will come off as well so you would have to stick it in such a way that you leave it on.


----------



## Sugarbum

I was just reading this and doing some investigation online, not tried the cavilon myself as yet either.

Free sample link:

http://solutions.3m.co.uk/wps/porta...service-support/contact-3M/?affiliateid=10052


----------



## lesley1978

Adrienne said:


> Hiya Bev
> 
> 
> Jessica swims with her cannula on and pump off.   She has swum for hours in the sea on holidays, in and out of the water all day long and never had a problem.



I must admit, this is one thing that concerns me about the pump. What to do when I am on holiday and want to go in the sea and stuff?  I know I will have to take it off but it would be good to hear everyone's views on how you have all got on with the pump on holiday.  Also, if wearing a bikini where do you put it (the pump of course not the bikini).  

Lesley


----------



## Sugarbum

haha! I am not a bikini wearer Lesley so I will have to abstain there!

In my pump induction with my DSN we had a series of group class sessions, I believe each approach seems to be different) we discussed lots of things. In these situations it can be possible to take a "pump holiday" if that is what you decide to do. A day of injections and close blood sugar monitoring if you are a sun worshiper! Remember for hours in the blazing hot heat you should consider purchasing a frio to just pop your pump in and keep your insulin cool whilst you soak it up...

Other options may be to bolus and disconect on a frequent basis. Pumping is something you really learn to adapt as you go along, just like MDI. But if you are concerned about how visual it can be in a bikini, then do read up on "pump holidays" as it is referred to. I personally think I would still consider something like the spibelt to avoid your bikini bottoms falling down with the weight of it! People just think you have an ipod I would imagaine.

When is your start date lesley? I have forgotten. Very exciting hey?

****

Can I ask, on a different note.....I am just doing some reading pre-seeing DSN tomorrow. Have I completely missed the point on something, but why when a canula kinks or has bent (for example like with E when he has got poorly) does the pump not alarm "no delivery"? I thought this was the point of this alarm or is the pump not sensing it is not going through? 

I am trying to think of things I need to ask DSN tomorrow too, if anyone has any ideas, but I think everything is ok. Dual waves are a problem but I think (not to sound rude towards her) but this is something you cant take much advice on, it has to be learned through experience, and I have been getting help on here.

Obviously I will be discussing the Veo and medtronic problem. If anything new comes to light -but I dont think it will- I will update you.

Enjoy the sunshine peeps! xx


----------



## Freddie99

Hello!

I'm just wondering what you pumpers carry around with you? What sort of things do you all tend to take with you when you're out and about? For example my sort of things to carry around would be at least one of my pens, my blood machine, spare cartridges of both insulins, spare lancets and spare needles, a pen to write on my blood diary with and hypo treatment; lots of it.

Would you guys carry things like a spare infusion set/reservoir?

Tom


----------



## Viki

Tom Hreben said:


> Hello!
> 
> I'm just wondering what you pumpers carry around with you? What sort of things do you all tend to take with you when you're out and about? For example my sort of things to carry around would be at least one of my pens, my blood machine, spare cartridges of both insulins, spare lancets and spare needles, a pen to write on my blood diary with and hypo treatment; lots of it.
> 
> Would you guys carry things like a spare infusion set/reservoir?
> 
> Tom



Hi Tom,

I only carry a spare infusion set with me normally because it comes in a sealer self contaion little unit so i just keep one in my handbag (and the normal hypo/monitor kit etc). But if i was going somewhere further away than about an hour id take a spare insulin vial and cartridge too.

I think your supposed to carry a spare QA pen round too in case your pump fails but i dont.


----------



## lesley1978

Sugarbum said:


> haha! I am not a bikini wearer Lesley so I will have to abstain there!
> 
> In my pump induction with my DSN we had a series of group class sessions, I believe each approach seems to be different) we discussed lots of things. In these situations it can be possible to take a "pump holiday" if that is what you decide to do. A day of injections and close blood sugar monitoring if you are a sun worshiper! Remember for hours in the blazing hot heat you should consider purchasing a frio to just pop your pump in and keep your insulin cool whilst you soak it up...
> 
> Other options may be to bolus and disconect on a frequent basis. Pumping is something you really learn to adapt as you go along, just like MDI. But if you are concerned about how visual it can be in a bikini, then do read up on "pump holidays" as it is referred to. I personally think I would still consider something like the spibelt to avoid your bikini bottoms falling down with the weight of it! People just think you have an ipod I would imagaine.
> 
> When is your start date lesley? I have forgotten. Very exciting hey?



Haven't yet got a start date but on tuesday when I saw my pump nurse she said she would order it.  She said that she has a lot of people starting on the pump and she only dedicates a Tuesday to it.  So she said that I could play with it for a week or two before go live but she needs to work backwards from when she can fit me in!  It is so aggrivating knowing that my pump is probably sat in her office and I can't have it yet!  Just waiting for the crucial phone call.  Hopefully she will ring me next week!

Lesley x


----------



## bev

Sugarbum said:


> haha! I am not a bikini wearer Lesley so I will have to abstain there!
> 
> In my pump induction with my DSN we had a series of group class sessions, I believe each approach seems to be different) we discussed lots of things. In these situations it can be possible to take a "pump holiday" if that is what you decide to do. A day of injections and close blood sugar monitoring if you are a sun worshiper! Remember for hours in the blazing hot heat you should consider purchasing a frio to just pop your pump in and keep your insulin cool whilst you soak it up...
> 
> Other options may be to bolus and disconect on a frequent basis. Pumping is something you really learn to adapt as you go along, just like MDI. But if you are concerned about how visual it can be in a bikini, then do read up on "pump holidays" as it is referred to. I personally think I would still consider something like the spibelt to avoid your bikini bottoms falling down with the weight of it! People just think you have an ipod I would imagaine.
> 
> When is your start date lesley? I have forgotten. Very exciting hey?
> 
> ****
> 
> Can I ask, on a different note.....I am just doing some reading pre-seeing DSN tomorrow. Have I completely missed the point on something, but why when a canula kinks or has bent (for example like with E when he has got poorly) does the pump not alarm "no delivery"? I thought this was the point of this alarm or is the pump not sensing it is not going through?
> 
> I am trying to think of things I need to ask DSN tomorrow too, if anyone has any ideas, but I think everything is ok. Dual waves are a problem but I think (not to sound rude towards her) but this is something you cant take much advice on, it has to be learned through experience, and I have been getting help on here.
> 
> Obviously I will be discussing the Veo and medtronic problem. If anything new comes to light -but I dont think it will- I will update you.
> 
> Enjoy the sunshine peeps! xx



Hi Lou,
No i dont think the pump does alarm 'no delivery' as far as the pump 'knows' it has delivered out of the pmp, it doenst know that the canula is bent.

We have clinic too on tuesday, but we had a little problem today, A is on 0.025 between 8am and noon. I set a temp basal for 5 hours at 50% - so the figure came out as zero! Luckly i noticed and he only had 20 minutes on zero - but surely this is dangerous to have no insulin for 5 hours? Can you ask your clinic if there should be an alarm or something to stop this happening? I intend to ask mine - but i might forget! Thanks.Bev x


----------



## Sugarbum

bev said:


> Hi Lou,
> No i dont think the pump does alarm 'no delivery' as far as the pump 'knows' it has delivered out of the pmp, it doenst know that the canula is bent.
> 
> We have clinic too on tuesday, but we had a little problem today, A is on 0.025 between 8am and noon. I set a temp basal for 5 hours at 50% - so the figure came out as zero! Luckly i noticed and he only had 20 minutes on zero - but surely this is dangerous to have no insulin for 5 hours? Can you ask your clinic if there should be an alarm or something to stop this happening? I intend to ask mine - but i might forget! Thanks.Bev x



Thats proper weird Bev- you would think there should be some alert to warn you that this is going to happen? Also restarting after the 5 hours wouldnt be advisable surely as I have heard the insulin can stick in the line and occlude if it isnt moved for a while. When I take mine off for gym and leave it in the locker, I still run at 0.025 just to keep small movement.

When I temp basal I always do it by adjusting the units and not percentages so this isnt likely to catch me out in the same way, I guess. I would also suggest dropping a line to medtronic too. Perhaps they havent thought about it? Does the black circle come up for no delivery?

xx


----------



## lesley1978

I have my spibelt on order!!  i ordered it as soon as i knew i was getting a pump


----------



## Shelb1uk

*Soon to be pumping...advice please  :0)*

Hi all....

Am going to be going onto the Accu Check Combo sometime before xmas hopefully...any advice from anyone on them or in general...am a little worried about wearing the pump 24/7...but at the same time very excited to get going!!


----------



## bev

Shelb1uk said:


> Hi all....
> 
> Am going to be going onto the Accu Check Combo sometime before xmas hopefully...any advice from anyone on them or in general...am a little worried about wearing the pump 24/7...but at the same time very excited to get going!!



Wooooopeeeee!
Thats great news!My son is on the medtronic veo -he has been on it for 4weeks now and he/we love it! It is hard work for the first couple of weeks and you have to re-think everything and forget about MDI- but it is sooooo much easier to make changes than on injections. Life is a lot less stressful and he would never go back to injections.
He says he doenst even notice he is wearing it anymore and he has a belt to wear at night to stop it catching on things. Its called a 'spibelt' - brilliant.
I think Tracey is on the combo - she may be able to help with the technical side of the pump - but you will get loads of help and advice on here so dont worry.Bev


----------



## Patricia

Hello all!

Sitting here at 10.30 am Canadian time, jet lag catching up with me...Want to sleep! Journey fine and kids ok so far. Even talked to OH on skype so KNOW from his face that all is well!

Am keeping up with entries somewhat...though this is my most free day, so not sure about other days...

E has swum loads with pump...and never lost a cannula. Hmm..Both in sea and pool. Would say Lesley that the things for the sea are: a) put the cover on the cannula, so it doesn't grit up with sand or b) get the acquapak thing Tom mentions and/or Bev and others...Because you can easily take off pump to swim but where to put it on a beach? 

No pump doesn't say No Delivery -- like Bev says, it *thinks* it's sent the insulin through...

Exhausted! 

See ya'll later...


----------



## katie

Wow Canada, amazing! Have a great time Patricia!


----------



## Mand

Hi Patricia. Hope all goes ok with your trip and that things continue to go well at home. Hope you manage to sleep the jeg lag off. Take care. 

My son forgot to bolus again for lunch today so came home on 25.6

His dsn back from holiday tomorrow so going to ring her re safety of using bolus reminder on veo! Not keen to set it after all the info on here but still not received anything at home from Medtronic. I will phone them mysef if dsn has no info. 

Hi to you all. How's things?


----------



## bev

Hi all,
Patricia - have a great trip - i hope you dont worry too much and try to get some well earned sleep!

Mand, I wouldnt use the reminder as this is one of the problems it tells you that you havent bolused when you have! We have clinic tomorrow and i will be asking lots of questions - i will let you all know if there is any news.

Lou - spill the beans lady!Bev x


----------



## Steff

patricia hope u have gr8 time x


----------



## lesley1978

Shelb1uk said:


> Hi all....
> 
> Am going to be going onto the Accu Check Combo sometime before xmas hopefully...any advice from anyone on them or in general...am a little worried about wearing the pump 24/7...but at the same time very excited to get going!!



Hi Shelb1uk, Great news.  Are you looking forward to it?  I can't give any advice other than this is the pump which I have chosen, only last week so hopefully I will be starting on it in the next few weeks.  Just waiting to get a start date sorted! 

I agreed about the worry of the 24/7 thing but I just think that it can't be that bad if it makes my control and health better.  I can get used to it!  I'm sure you will be fine.  Keep us posted regarding your start date!  

Has everything been agreed or are you still needing to get the funding sorted?

Lesley x


----------



## lesley1978

Patricia said:


> Hello all!
> 
> Sitting here at 10.30 am Canadian time, jet lag catching up with me...Want to sleep! Journey fine and kids ok so far. Even talked to OH on skype so KNOW from his face that all is well!
> 
> Am keeping up with entries somewhat...though this is my most free day, so not sure about other days...
> 
> E has swum loads with pump...and never lost a cannula. Hmm..Both in sea and pool. Would say Lesley that the things for the sea are: a) put the cover on the cannula, so it doesn't grit up with sand or b) get the acquapak thing Tom mentions and/or Bev and others...Because you can easily take off pump to swim but where to put it on a beach?
> 
> No pump doesn't say No Delivery -- like Bev says, it *thinks* it's sent the insulin through...
> 
> Exhausted!
> 
> See ya'll later...



Hope you have a good trip Patricia.  Take advantage of not having a broken nights sleep.  I'm sure the family will be fine.

Lesley x


----------



## Adrienne

Mand said:


> Hi Patricia. Hope all goes ok with your trip and that things continue to go well at home. Hope you manage to sleep the jeg lag off. Take care.
> 
> My son forgot to bolus again for lunch today so came home on 25.6
> 
> His dsn back from holiday tomorrow so going to ring her re safety of using bolus reminder on veo! Not keen to set it after all the info on here but still not received anything at home from Medtronic. I will phone them mysef if dsn has no info.
> 
> Hi to you all. How's things?



No don't use it Mand.   It is better to get a watch with an alarm.  Definitely do not use that feature nor the Contour Link feature.   Disable them both.   I spoke to our hospital today (not that we have a VEO) and they told me that Medtronic seem to be speaking to the DSN's rather than patients and the DSN's are supposed to be contacting patients.  Our DSN's (we have three) took a part of the list each and rang each patient last Tuesday.   

Our main DSN has a good contact with Medtronic so maybe they called them one of the first.    I said no-one had received their letters and that was put down to the post strike and that the letters would be 2nd class, didn't think of that but could be true.


----------



## Freddie99

Evening all,

Today has really put the point on how good pumping can be. For my lunch today I was obliged to round up my insulin dose and as a result I was hypo before tea. Something that I think wouldn't have happened had I been on a pump and been able to adjust the dose to precisely what I need or drop a basal rate to accomodate a short walk back home.

I've still got a fair bit of thinking to do but I think I will be asking for a pump in the near future. I still have to give uni life on MDI more than a fortnight to go on.

Tom


----------



## Sugarbum

Shelb1uk said:


> Hi all....
> 
> Am going to be going onto the Accu Check Combo sometime before xmas hopefully...any advice from anyone on them or in general...am a little worried about wearing the pump 24/7...but at the same time very excited to get going!!



Hey Shelly, its Louisa!!! We seem to be moving in the same circles (no pum inteneded!) this week!!!

When we meet I will have to show you my pump and bore you stupid with it! I can guarantee it will take the nerves away and you will want to get going asap! Tracey W uses the accu check spirit combo and Im sure she will have something to add. I think it sounds like a great pump and great features. I am slightly jelous of this I must confess when I first heard about the meter-pump control. I think its fantastic for us 'ladies' wot dont wanna be pulling the pump out their bra every five mins!

When is your start date? Does anyone else in the Kent group pump? Keep us updated. 



bev said:


> Hi all,
> Lou - spill the beans lady!Bev x



My DSN was extremely disapointed in medtronic, they are now getting a few enquiries in (mostly mums- I did laugh, but had to explain they are the most on the ball group on the internet so Im not suprised!). The local medtronic link doesnt appear to be fantastic and she is now tasked with letting people know the 'limited' amount she has been told, which ironically came because of me. She had been trying to order veos for her clients and she was told they were out of stock lately, which we now know to be that they were with-held for software problems.

She was impressed with spibelt website, and had a look at my carelink. Im sure half the stuff we gossip about isnt anywhere near the agenda but she is like a second mum. And she gives me man advice 

I forgot to ask Bev about the temp basaling, sorry. I got massively caught up in my hba1c and by the trick scales and I peed on my hand instead of the pot again...the list of excuses is endless....

So the biggest crime of the day has to be my Hba1c, errr...I'll never be in the hba1c hall of fame as you know. Its down a minascule 0.4% for all that work Ive done. Well my life has been like a Jeremy Kyle show for the last 4 months so the boss didnt think Id done too badly actually. Bless her, but I felt I have been wronged somewhat. I have to stop having big life dramas and get my act together. Back to the drawing board....



Adrienne said:


> No don't use it Mand.   It is better to get a watch with an alarm.  Definitely do not use that feature nor the Contour Link feature.   Disable them both.   I spoke to our hospital today (not that we have a VEO) and they told me that Medtronic seem to be speaking to the DSN's rather than patients and the DSN's are supposed to be contacting patients.  Our DSN's (we have three) took a part of the list each and rang each patient last Tuesday.
> 
> Our main DSN has a good contact with Medtronic so maybe they called them one of the first.    I said no-one had received their letters and that was put down to the post strike and that the letters would be 2nd class, didn't think of that but could be true.



Im still using the link unless my stalls....there are paradigms on standby at the place I go to so Im going to carry on. Ive disabled the missed bolus as I can live without it.

Im proper impressed P chats to hubbie on skype! Anyone else?


----------



## bev

Hi Lou,
Yeh - I'm proper impressed about P talking with hubby on skype too - what is skype?.....

Lou, apparently for lots of new pumpers the hba1c does go up - not sure why - but its very common - so although your not pleased with the slight reduction - at least its heading in the right direction!

Clinic tomorrow - so will be asking lots - i will let you know any new info - but from what i can gather its all still the same as before - wait until January for new pump.....We are supposed to be looking at sensors on wednesday with medtronic rep - but i doubt we will start using them with the problems with the veo at the moment...bummer....I was so looking forward to aswell.

Had an interesting pasta evening tonight. Gave 50% upfront then 2 hours later checked and he was 5 - so left it another half an hour and he was 6 - so thought he was starting to go up so gave remainder - BIG MISTAKE!!!
He went to bed and 10 mins later was down looking awful - 2.3mmols! Took lots of hypo treatment to get him back up - so i thnk he will go high later when rest of pasta hits. Will be doing dual waves etc on wednesday - so hopefully will find a way round pasta.

Lou - you have had a lot of change lately - so it will show in your hba1c - dont be hard on yourself - you have put effort in - but you cant account for upset and trauma - its not your fault.

Hope everyone else is ok?Bev


----------



## Mand

Thanks everyone, I won't use the bolus reminder then. I look forward to hearing anything that any of you find out and i will be speaking to my son's dsn today too.

Sorry to hear about your disappointment with your hba1c Lou, but as Bev said, there could be some up and down going on. I would say to continue with all your good efforts and hope for a better improvement next time - fingers crossed!!!

Skype is good! If no-on has tried it, i would recommend it. It is free to download and free to use. I make overseas calls on it for free!! 

Hope all going well, Patricia.

Catch you all later.


----------



## lesley1978

Hi All,

Hope everyone is ok.  On my lunch so can't stop on long.  Thought I would keep you all updated.  Got a call from my pump nurse this morning and she has made an appointment for me to see her on the 20th to pick up my pump and go through it again!  I can then take it home and get used to wearing it and the features, read the manual and all that and then I will be seeing her a week later on the 27th October for GO LIVE!!!!

I had butterflies in my tummy!  I am really excitedly nervous!!!!  Anyway, got to go, will come on tonight to chat more!

Lesley x


----------



## Northerner

lesley1978 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Hope everyone is ok.  On my lunch so can't stop on long.  Thought I would keep you all updated.  Got a call from my pump nurse this morning and she has made an appointment for me to see her on the 20th to pick up my pump and go through it again!  I can then take it home and get used to wearing it and the features, read the manual and all that and then I will be seeing her a week later on the 27th October for GO LIVE!!!!
> 
> I had butterflies in my tummy!  I am really excitedly nervous!!!!  Anyway, got to go, will come on tonight to chat more!
> 
> Lesley x



Terrific news Lesley!


----------



## Steff

great news x


----------



## Adrienne

lesley1978 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Hope everyone is ok.  On my lunch so can't stop on long.  Thought I would keep you all updated.  Got a call from my pump nurse this morning and she has made an appointment for me to see her on the 20th to pick up my pump and go through it again!  I can then take it home and get used to wearing it and the features, read the manual and all that and then I will be seeing her a week later on the 27th October for GO LIVE!!!!
> 
> I had butterflies in my tummy!  I am really excitedly nervous!!!!  Anyway, got to go, will come on tonight to chat more!
> 
> Lesley x




Great news.

With kids they send them home pumping saline for a week on and off.   You could ask for that.   I don't see why they can't do it for adults as well.   Its great.   You can actually pretend you are using it properly but have saline in it. (You would have to do your normal injections as well unfortunately !)


----------



## bev

Hi all,
Clinic this morning went well - very pleased with A's levels compared to MDI and they said well done!

They are changing the way they support new pumpers after the email i sent them - so they have started 2 new pumpers using the advice i gave that they should contact them daily as other clinics do. They have also opened a 'pump clinic' giving us all extra time than we had on previous clinics - they consultant thanked me for my input and said that he wants our team to be the best it can be for our children! I am so pleased - pity we couldnt have had this support - but i am glad other families are now getting it - it will make a huge difference to a pump start.

BUT - medtronic have not told our team anything about the problems and our team arent happy about it either. I rang medtronic and complained about their lack of information for what is essentially a life support machine - and i have told them that i am thinking of changing to another pump as i am not impressed. Someone is ringing me back tomorrow morning as she is off today and she deals with complaints! They also knew about the problem with using a temp basal on 0.025 bringing it down to zero for possibly hours! Why havent they told us or put an alarm on it? Not happy.They reckon all letters went out last friday! Will see what they say tomorrow.

Hope everyone ok - Lesley dont be put off by these minor problems - they are very rare and you will be fine - dont worry - I am excited for you!

Hope everyone ok - and Patricia - i hope your catching up on some sleep! I am jealous!Bev


----------



## Patricia

Hello all

Lesley -- well done! Excited for you. That wasn't as long a wait as feared, was it? Brill.

Bev -- RESULT lady. I know it's rough that you didn't have the support, but you've made a difference. I'm not sure any of us can ask for more than that. Well done to you too.

This whole thing with the Veo is a flipping nightmare and surprisingly poorly handled. Medtronic are the market leaders, and usually so good from what I hear...really a bit poor. It's the last thing that any of us want to deal with, this lack of reliability. It's kind of the last straw...

 Here in Canada (oh Canada), all is well. Skype continues to be the best thing since sliced bread and although I am only able to have snatched conversations with my family due to time, I gather all is well. E's numbers have been great. My daughter is in her words 'rather glum' . But she's okay I know. Pretty much...

I'm finally getting over jet lag, but still missing sleep as in my effort to stay up late so I could sleep through the night -- I've ended up still getting up at 6am! Oops. 

Tomorrow I'm going to the States, so another yucky travel day.

It's so good to know how everyone is. Sending good thoughts..

xxoo


----------



## Sugarbum

*....my SPIBELT is here!!!!!*

Hi all, thats the only news in my camp! both my spibelts are here and its all mightily exciting!!! I have to say, I am very impressed, are you as well Bev? Lesley, was it you as well who ordered? I dont think you are going to be disapointed....

I shall wear it to work tomorrow and see what happens, thats the ultimate test for me.

I think I am in love with them though, I know people (you know, them abnormal ones who prefer to use their own pancreas ) who I think might like these for christmas presents! Great for the gym or out walking (I should be on comission)....

Lesley, great news about the pump, congratulations. I bet you cant wait, I was so excited as well. I did about 6 days with saline in it, was definately worth doing, just to get used to handling the pump and not panicing you pushed the wrong buttons etc. 

Well done at the clinic Bev. I was wodnering if you feel a little let down by medtronic like I do. I wonder about Mand as well. It seems none of the DSNs have had much info on the Medtronic latest and its sad really. We invest so much faith in these people and I dont feel they are out there fighting on our behalf to get vital information out to the people....and I just saw on the TV another postal strike for London this week. tut tut. I shouldnt think I will see that letter for a while. ho-hum.

I am off to bed with my lovely new spibelt! To hell with it, I might even wear them both!

Hows it going fluffy?!

xXx


----------



## Adrienne

Hiya

We're ok here thanks.

We have a couple of SPIBELTS.   The idea for us lot came from a friend on the email group.   She had a fab summer by all accounts.   Her and her husband (both lovely people, have met them a few times now) decided to send their little girls with type 1 to summer camp in the USA which is especially for diabetes.   They did a lot of research into this.    It lastest 3 weeks and whilst this was going on they travelled to places in the USA they wanted to and then after the 3 weeks the family had a fabulous relaxing week catching up.

It was at this camp that they first saw these SPIBELTS and brought the info back home.   Lots of the kids have them there.

Jessica loves them and for PE they are great, no more jumping up and down in the other pump packs.   However she does colour co-ordinate so sometimes she goes back to her old ones.

Bev - you are a star - see told you, you were good.  You have and are moving them mountains, brilliant stuff.   All clinics need someone like you to push them.    Our clinic is beyond help mind you, I'm trying to push them out and the PCT are listening and thinking along these lines eek !    Well done.

Skype is great.  My dad lives in the USA for half the year and we have Skype calls sometimes.  Infact he has a Skype phone which is cheaper than normal phones.  We use the webcam which I personally hate as you always have to look ok !!


----------



## Northerner

Sugarbum said:


> *....my SPIBELT is here!!!!!*
> 
> Hi all, thats the only news in my camp! both my spibelts are here and its all mightily exciting!!! I have to say, I am very impressed, are you as well Bev? Lesley, was it you as well who ordered? I dont think you are going to be disapointed....



How long do these spibelts take to be delivered? They sound like they might be good for my running as the 'bumbags' I have jump around all over the place and are so annoying I don't wear them unless I really have to. That means that I'm not carrying all the stuff I should do with me. Would be nice to get one before GSR if possible.


----------



## Mand

Patricia - GLad all going well for your trip and at home. Hope you have a safe trip today! x

Bev - Well done you! You made a difference! I hope you are as proud of yourself as you deserve to be! Go Bev! x

Lesley - Great news! Good luck for 20th and 27th! 

Lou - have pm'd you. x 

Adrienne, Becca, Tracey and all - Hi! 

I spoke to my son's dsn yesterday who is unaware of the problems that have been posted on here. She is going to contact Medtronic and get back to me. In the meantime, she advised me to use a general alarm as a bolus reminder until she finds out more. 

She is coming in two weeks time to teach us bolus wizard etc! All good stuff!

Bye for now. x


----------



## Adrienne

Northerner said:


> How long do these spibelts take to be delivered? They sound like they might be good for my running as the 'bumbags' I have jump around all over the place and are so annoying I don't wear them unless I really have to. That means that I'm not carrying all the stuff I should do with me. Would be nice to get one before GSR if possible.



Hi

It was a few weeks and they will be perfect for running.    If you look at the Youtube link you will see that is why this woman designed them, for her running to carry her cell phone and keys etc.

I thoroughly recommend them.


----------



## Northerner

Adrienne said:


> Hi
> 
> It was a few weeks and they will be perfect for running.    If you look at the Youtube link you will see that is why this woman designed them, for her running to carry her cell phone and keys etc.
> 
> I thoroughly recommend them.



Thanks Adrienne! Too late for the Great South Run, but might get one anyway as I need to carry more stuff in the autumn/winter time.


----------



## bev

Northerner said:


> Thanks Adrienne! Too late for the Great South Run, but might get one anyway as I need to carry more stuff in the autumn/winter time.



Northerner, 
If you would like to borrow A's spare one for the run your more than welcome. It is only very light so wouldnt cost much to send. Send me a pm if you want.Bev


----------



## bev

WOOOOOOOOOPEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

Went to medtronic meeting today to train on dual wave etc - and A has been put on sensors (well we have a box of 10) - so he has one in today and has gone back to school. I have no idea how easy we will find them - but its amazing that we will be able to check his levels every 5 minutes!This is going to be brilliant for working out what foods do what to him. We will be trying all the foods we have stayed away from so we can get the best 'view' of whats happening!

Medtronic rep said not to panic about the problems with veo, but to turn off the 'missed bolus reminder'and not to use the contour link with pump - just manually insert bg and there wont be a problem. They will all be replaced in January and wont cost the PCT's any more cash as someone had suggested on another forum. I did feel less worried about it when we came out.

Hope your all ok - just off to read the manual for sensors etc...Adrienne i hope your around in the next few days! lol.Bev


----------



## Sugarbum

Northerner said:


> How long do these spibelts take to be delivered? They sound like they might be good for my running as the 'bumbags' I have jump around all over the place and are so annoying I don't wear them unless I really have to. That means that I'm not carrying all the stuff I should do with me. Would be nice to get one before GSR if possible.




Wotcha!

I placed my order online on the 23rd Sept and it came yesterday, but there has been a postal strike here in the ghetto for some time now so Im not sure how long it would have taken otherwise. 

Get one N, you will love it. I bought 2 and with the discounts and free P&P I spent ?21, pretty good (thats adult size obviously). I am going to use mine in the gym later today, I dont wear a pump but for my other stuff, they really dont move!

Put as many codes in N as you can, I managed 2 discounts.
*SHIP09 to get free postage
PUMP for a discount
US15 for 15%off!
Dual10 for anyone buying double pouch kids spibelt.*

www.spibelt.com

***

Girls, I will have to report back in. I am in blooming advanced reply or something and I have forgotten what you have all written and what i was going to say!

What do they call it? Im having a "senior moment"! xx


----------



## Mand

Great news Bev! Let us know how you get on with the sensors! That is re-assuring news re Veo pumps.


----------



## Mand

Have just ordered a spibelt! 

Thanks Lou


----------



## lesley1978

Sugarbum said:


> *....my SPIBELT is here!!!!!*
> 
> Hi all, thats the only news in my camp! both my spibelts are here and its all mightily exciting!!! I have to say, I am very impressed, are you as well Bev? Lesley, was it you as well who ordered? I dont think you are going to be disapointed....
> 
> I shall wear it to work tomorrow and see what happens, thats the ultimate test for me.
> 
> I think I am in love with them though, I know people (you know, them abnormal ones who prefer to use their own pancreas ) who I think might like these for christmas presents! Great for the gym or out walking (I should be on comission)....
> 
> Lesley, great news about the pump, congratulations. I bet you cant wait, I was so excited as well. I did about 6 days with saline in it, was definately worth doing, just to get used to handling the pump and not panicing you pushed the wrong buttons etc.
> 
> Well done at the clinic Bev. I was wodnering if you feel a little let down by medtronic like I do. I wonder about Mand as well. It seems none of the DSNs have had much info on the Medtronic latest and its sad really. We invest so much faith in these people and I dont feel they are out there fighting on our behalf to get vital information out to the people....and I just saw on the TV another postal strike for London this week. tut tut. I shouldnt think I will see that letter for a while. ho-hum.
> 
> I am off to bed with my lovely new spibelt! To hell with it, I might even wear them both!
> 
> Hows it going fluffy?!
> 
> xXx



Hi all!!!

Yes sugarbum it was me who ordered the spibelt and mine too came yesterday!!!  Well pleased!  I ordered a full black one and thought I would go for the limited edition pink ribbon (breast cancer) one too!  they seem to be really good as the belt itself is stretchy too which I didn't think it would be!!  

Patricia, I am really chuffed about getting my pump and no the wait wasn't as long as anticipated!!!  Just eager to get going now!  Hope your trip is going well and hope you feel a bit better knowing the things can carry on without you there 24/7 (should take a bit of pressure off you)

Hope everyone else is doing fine!

Gonna read the rest of the posts now!  Good God, you lot can gab for england!!!

Lesley x


----------



## lesley1978

Northerner said:


> How long do these spibelts take to be delivered? They sound like they might be good for my running as the 'bumbags' I have jump around all over the place and are so annoying I don't wear them unless I really have to. That means that I'm not carrying all the stuff I should do with me. Would be nice to get one before GSR if possible.



I ordered mine on the 29th September and they were delivered yesterday so they didn't take that long.


----------



## Freddie99

Evening all,

Today has really hammered into me how helpful a pump would have been. So, over the past few days I've been a little under the weather and I've worked out that my once finely tuned basal is no longer enough. I've had to sit around all day with bad numbers waiting until my evening levemir jab to set things right, well hopefully that is. My bloods haven't been helped by two cans of beer. Typical, I drink so little yet get so messed up by it. I've been correcting like mad today and I'm really begining to develop an understanding of how a pin cushion must feel. If I were a pumper I'd have been able to do that without any discomfort but because I go about thins the old fashioned way I've been suffering more than I usually do when I'm ill. Did I forget to mention that I can't stand being ill? That doesn't help either. I think it's a case of decision made to be honest. I will probably be asking for a trial pump over christmas and then perhaps the real thing. Actually, I think I'll ask for the trial pump at my next appointment. No point in beating around the bush. A pump would make uni life alot easier I think. 

Whinge/rant/self pitying moment over,

Tom


----------



## bev

Tom Hreben said:


> Evening all,
> 
> Today has really hammered into me how helpful a pump would have been. So, over the past few days I've been a little under the weather and I've worked out that my once finely tuned basal is no longer enough. I've had to sit around all day with bad numbers waiting until my evening levemir jab to set things right, well hopefully that is. My bloods haven't been helped by two cans of beer. Typical, I drink so little yet get so messed up by it. I've been correcting like mad today and I'm really begining to develop an understanding of how a pin cushion must feel. If I were a pumper I'd have been able to do that without any discomfort but because I go about thins the old fashioned way I've been suffering more than I usually do when I'm ill. Did I forget to mention that I can't stand being ill? That doesn't help either. I think it's a case of decision made to be honest. I will probably be asking for a trial pump over christmas and then perhaps the real thing. Actually, I think I'll ask for the trial pump at my next appointment. No point in beating around the bush. A pump would make uni life alot easier I think.
> 
> Whinge/rant/self pitying moment over,
> 
> Tom



Tom,
Your allowed to rant - you try hard to control things - its not your fault if things go wrong sometimes - its diabetes. But, yes i think you would love having a pump! Have your team ever mentioned one to you? Do they have pumpers at your clinic?Bev


----------



## Freddie99

bev said:


> Tom,
> Your allowed to rant - you try hard to control things - its not your fault if things go wrong sometimes - its diabetes. But, yes i think you would love having a pump! Have your team ever mentioned one to you? Do they have pumpers at your clinic?Bev



I believe we do have some pumpers I believe. I think the team have mentioned pumps from time to time and I've seen one or two first hand but never actually tried one out. If I were to get oneI'd wonder if now that I've mastered carb counting, ok, a work in progress but I'm getting pretty hot at this but I suppose a pump is but a not too large step upwards. Just takes some effort.

Tom


----------



## Sugarbum

Tom Hreben said:


> Evening all,
> 
> Today has really hammered into me how helpful a pump would have been. So, over the past few days I've been a little under the weather and I've worked out that my once finely tuned basal is no longer enough. I've had to sit around all day with bad numbers waiting until my evening levemir jab to set things right, well hopefully that is. My bloods haven't been helped by two cans of beer. Typical, I drink so little yet get so messed up by it. I've been correcting like mad today and I'm really begining to develop an understanding of how a pin cushion must feel. If I were a pumper I'd have been able to do that without any discomfort but because I go about thins the old fashioned way I've been suffering more than I usually do when I'm ill. Did I forget to mention that I can't stand being ill? That doesn't help either. I think it's a case of decision made to be honest. I will probably be asking for a trial pump over christmas and then perhaps the real thing. Actually, I think I'll ask for the trial pump at my next appointment. No point in beating around the bush. A pump would make uni life alot easier I think.
> 
> Whinge/rant/self pitying moment over,
> 
> Tom



Hey Tom,

Would you be able to just call up your DSN and make an informal appointment? It would be some support for what you are going through right now, but in my experience my DSN got the pump 'ball' rolling....you sound as if you are at that crucial stage you feel comfortable to give pumping a shot. Im sorry things feel abit crap at the moment. I have to say, from what I have read, it sounds like a pump could make uni life much easier. The ability to control 'ones' basal should never be under-estimated!

Have you dafnied? I expect so, but just incase you havent, worth making that DSN call just to get yourself in the system.

I wish I could lend you mine for a week just so you can see what its like!....but obviously I shall need it


----------



## bev

Hi all,
Spoke to Sheena today at medtronic (customer servies boss i think) and told her i wasnt impressed as a new user of their pump. She apologised and said the letter went out on friday and is sending me a copy in case our team dont get theirs.She reassured me that veo pumps arent dangerous to use and that we wont have to pay ?4000 (**** had mentioned that this may be the case)for an upgrade in January. She also offered to lend us a 522 (i think) if i wasnt happy to use our veo until january. I declined the offer as i am generally very happy with the veo. Told her about the 2 lots of supplies that have taken ages to be delivered and she was horrifed and is sending us a freebie box of quicksets as an emergency supply if ever they are late again. I should have asked her for sensors instead! She was very nice and was genuinely worried that my confidence had been knocked and asked me to let people on this forum who use veo's know, that ,if they arent happy about anything, then to ring her and she will do everything within her power to help you. Bev


----------



## Freddie99

Sugarbum said:


> Hey Tom,
> 
> Would you be able to just call up your DSN and make an informal appointment? It would be some support for what you are going through right now, but in my experience my DSN got the pump 'ball' rolling....you sound as if you are at that crucial stage you feel comfortable to give pumping a shot. Im sorry things feel abit crap at the moment. I have to say, from what I have read, it sounds like a pump could make uni life much easier. The ability to control 'ones' basal should never be under-estimated!
> 
> Have you dafnied? I expect so, but just incase you havent, worth making that DSN call just to get yourself in the system.
> 
> I wish I could lend you mine for a week just so you can see what its like!....but obviously I shall need it



I've done the local equivalent of DAFNE - SADIE is it's name. I would love to be able to fiddle around more and have a much more flexible control over my diabetes. I should give my nurse a call I think then, seeing as I have one or two days where I am rather light on lectures I could quite easily nip home as it isn't too far.

Tom


----------



## Sugarbum

Tom Hreben said:


> I've done the local equivalent of DAFNE - SADIE is it's name. I would love to be able to fiddle around more and have a much more flexible control over my diabetes. I should give my nurse a call I think then, seeing as I have one or two days where I am rather light on lectures I could quite easily nip home as it isn't too far.
> 
> Tom



Great idea Tom, Im sure every clinic is different, but I cant tell you my DSN is very powerful- I think she probably leads the consultants where I go for funding and approval etc! Hopefully it is the same where you are, I think getting in with the nurse is a worth while first step. Good luck.

BEV- good work!!!

Thanks for sharing. Interesting to know. Is that letters for us all? I havent got anything as yet. I cant help but wonder why january? I do not look forward to the max-exodus on veos january. I didnt know you had waited for supplies, that is bad. On a positive note, I am so excited to hear of the sensors and really, really interested to know how you get on?!  Does A love them- what does the graph look like???! I have always wondered!

I was chatting to mand in a PM earlier, I got upset because I turned my bolus remnider off with all this news and forgot to bolus. Its not rocket science but I was distracted at work. Im thinking of turning it back on 

Hope everyone is well. I expect Patricia is on her millionth plane journey by now?!
x


----------



## Mand

Tom - Keep us posted on your pump request - if you go ahead. You certainly deserve one because you are obviously very concientous (spelling). 

Bev - Sounds like you have done ok there. It is shocking though that they seem so unorganised at the moment. 

Lou - My son's dsn recommended setting a general alarm as the bolus reminder (rather than the actual bolus alarm). She said you can set up to 10 alarms on the Veo for whatever purpose you want. All you need to do is remember why you set the alarm!! 

Not good numbers yesterday so hoping for a better day today.


----------



## Sugarbum

Mand said:


> Lou - My son's dsn recommended setting a general alarm as the bolus reminder (rather than the actual bolus alarm). She said you can set up to 10 alarms on the Veo for whatever purpose you want. All you need to do is remember why you set the alarm!!
> 
> Not good numbers yesterday so hoping for a better day today.



Geeez mand, of course! I forgot that. I have an alarm set for 22:00 for meds, I was thinking it was like my (prehistoric) mobile phone and I could only set the one....thanks for bringing that one up! I know these tings seem so simple probably, but theres so much to think about with pumps sometimes I miss the obvious. Ta!

Fingers crossed for better numbers today hon xx


----------



## Mand

Lou - Glad to be of help!  Did it work ok for you as a reminder? x

Not good numbers again today but he is unwell so i guess that why we keep getting around 16!  But last night i gave pizza and monitored him. Two hours later he was 7.0 and then at midnight he was 2.8!  Gave him two jelly babies and he woke on 6.8 this morning. But he 16 again before lunch today and 17 before tea this evening! 

What do you all do for illness? Temp basal? Extra units with meals? or just keep testing and correcting? 

Anyway, I am pretty tired at moment and have to set alarm for midnight again tonight which is horrible as i go to sleep at 10pm then have to wake just a couple of hours later. If he not ok at midnight then set another alarm for 2am. Torture or what! Good job i love him!! Moan over! Sorry!

How you all doing? xx


----------



## bev

Hi Mand,
I sympathise with the sleeping patterns!

I know that everyone on the other list sets a temp basal for illness. I asked our team on tuesday about this as i have only done temp basal below 100% for exercise. They said start at 130% and work up by 10% until you see results. Remember that 30% of the original basal is tiny tiny amounts so dont be scared of doing it. If you started a temp basal at 8pm then this would start having an effect by 9pm'ish so you would know if it is working or not - it is only a gently change so dont be scared! I hope yur son feels better soon.Bev


----------



## Sugarbum

Oh Mand, (((((hugs)))))

I can imagine that is really horrible. You must be exhasted. 

Sorry but I doubt I can be much help on that one- touch wood I havent been unwell since pumping in the last few months. I had that period of heavy stress and couldnt get those bad numbers down, probably equates to the same thing, our bodies feeling the physical effects. I could never increase my basal on MDI because the peak of lantus would hypo me so I am not sure of the answer here.

I know what the mantra says- sick day rules and increase your basal. But the basal control is much more specific in pumping, perhaps some others can shed light on what works best.

If I were to get unwell tomorrow mand I think I would be temp basaling, but only during the day when I can self-test.

Any chance of you getting sensors? Is that a road you are hoping to go down?

xx


----------



## Adrienne

Hiya Mand

I hope your young chap feels better soon.

Bev is right about the increase of temp basal but go slowly with it.    We have had it at 200 % before as have others.   Infact that wasn't enough so we set pattern A at the 200% basals and then put on temp basal onto that !!!

As it is the first time only set it for a bit at at time and test a lot more especially if he is having lows as well, that would be a disaster.



As to the sleeping - I have been doing this for 9 1/2 years now.   Not sure what my body thinks.   I was always a morning person but I am now a night owl, I have no choice.    I can't go to be at 10 pm and wake up at midnight, my mind would not do that.    I stay up until then, well between 11 pm and midnight and test, normally at 11.30 pm ish, go to bed and then I get up once or maybe twice a night but I don't always have to test, I look at the sensor.  

One of the speakers at the FFL conference in August said about this nighttime testing.   He said if you can make it only once, then make that once count ie get up at the right time ie between 2 am and 3 am as that is the dropping period generally.

Take care


Bev - how's that site doing?   Bruise gone or pain gone or sensor out?


----------



## bev

Hi Adrienne and all,

I have left the sensor in as i think it was as you said - dried blood. But i wanted to ask you - would the event of having the sensor in send his numbers up? Normally he is lovely numbers at 2 hour check etc - but he has just tested and was 16! Also at this afternoons 2 hour check he was 11! This is unusual for him - so wondered could it be the set?
Also last night he stayed on 11 all night - i had done a dual wave for chips etc - so thought it was that and had gone wrong. But it seems he is on the way up generally.
Also , on sensors do you still manually log it down? I am thinking we can get all the info when i set up carelink.Bev x


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Hi Adrienne and all,
> 
> I have left the sensor in as i think it was as you said - dried blood. But i wanted to ask you - would the event of having the sensor in send his numbers up? Normally he is lovely numbers at 2 hour check etc - but he has just tested and was 16! Also at this afternoons 2 hour check he was 11! This is unusual for him - so wondered could it be the set?
> Also last night he stayed on 11 all night - i had done a dual wave for chips etc - so thought it was that and had gone wrong. But it seems he is on the way up generally.
> Also , on sensors do you still manually log it down? I am thinking we can get all the info when i set up carelink.Bev x



Right, bit by bit:

When we put sensors in, sometimes she goes up for a couple of hours and we use a temp basal but not every time.

I don't log anything down ever anymore.  I spent 7 years doing graphs and charts and got frustrated doing it.   I now download all data from the glucometers onto the carelink and their own software so I have it all at my fingertips.   You can download some meters onto carelink, not just pumps.   I do both.    Do not every purely rely on the sensors, until you know how they work for you.    When you say he was 16 and 11 was that from the sensor or a finger test.   If it was the sensor I wonder if the finger test would have said different slightly.

When you see my charts which are called overlays they are not an entirely true picture.    They don't pick up all the hypos or hypers.    On the last one which looked perfect, she had a few hypos and one or two hypers but the sensor has to catch up you see and if it is on its way up to a 15.0 (for example) and in the meantime you have given a bolus and are coming down then the sensor may never reach that 15.0, it may just settle at a nice number that will be the number you have bolused down to.

If you have your basals pretty near perfect then your sensor will be more likely to be pretty spot on.   The mum with the two boys has got this as has our other friend with her son.   However don't compare yourself to them.  I used to but even if you did exactly the same as them your child is different so different thigns work !

He could always be coming down with something you know.

Hope that helps.


----------



## bev

Thanks Adrienne,

I must admit, i am finding it odd not having the figures written down and i havent set up carelink yet. I will do this tomorrow if i can. I do have smart pix for the nano which i look at.

Your explanation of having the basals right etc makes sense. In the morning he was spot on with the sensor and the finger prick test. But earlier tonight he was 16 on his finger prick test and 10 on the sensor. We dont ever trust the sensor figures - always test using blood. Perhaps this is something we will get used to - trusting the sensor figures.

I am planning to do some basal testing over the next few days/weeks - so if you have any tips - that would be appreciated!

Of course , it could just be that coincidentally his basals are changing through growth etc...Bev x


----------



## Patricia

Hi all

On my knees here in Virginia -- two more plane rides later, with an unexpected six hour layover in Washington DC . The worst pitching and rolling ever experienced, but hey! it was fine in the end...

All well at home. One iffy night of swings, but other than that, all well. Main problem seems to be a seriously missing her mum little girl... 

I'm envious of your sensor experience, Bev - I haven't yet got to the bottom of how you are feeling about it...How is it actually? Is it useful yet?

The rising basals could be a blip of course, or getting an illness -- or just growth. 

Mand, ergh. I know those nights. Exhausting. Yes we do temp basal at any time when we are needing to correct more than once to bring numbers into range. We started at 120%, but found that for numbers like that 16,17 -- it just didn't touch it. 150% is more impactful. We find with E that 120% is good for 9s and 10s...!

I hope things are improving?

Tom: good luck with everything. It sounds like you are on a productive road. I admire you. You take so much responsibility for your care and decisions, and with such maturity. I hope you are able to start exploring the pump soon. It does indeed sound like the right choice for you.

***

I'm over jet-lag now, but am working and drinking rather hard.... the whole tone now has changed to more of a raucous thing, with lots of meetings and heavy relaxation at night. Fortunately I came a little adrift last night, so have avoided indulgence tonight!

14 hours of business/socialising SCHEDULED for tomorrow. Argh.

Lou: how's it hangin?

xxoo


----------



## Mand

Hi everyone

Thanks for your kind words and your advice. I have sent him to school today on a 125% basal to last during the school day. The pump would not allow me to go higher than 125%. It just went back to 0% instead of 130%. Anyone know how i overide this? Presumably it is something to do with the factory setting for max basal? When he home this eve then perhaps i will have a fiddle about with it.

I am doing the de-gassing technique and have found it easier to fill reservoirs so far. Beginners luck? or the technique works? Time will tell!

Hope you all doing ok. x


----------



## Sugarbum

*.....howdy patricia!!!*

Oh you are on my old stomping ground Mrs! Once upon a time when I was a wee lass I went Au Pairing in Arlington Virginia, i loved it there, spent a lot of time in DC. Until one day I drove off at a rate of knots on the wrong side of the road (forgot where I was?) and caused a stonker of a road accident and lost my job and visa etc....ho-hum! These days I only trust myself with an Oystercard!

Glad you are having a mingle and a tipple! And good news that everything on the home front is well, apart from the little lady missing mum, its good to know you are missed though isnt it 

*......howdy Bev!!!!*

Sensors sound like they are keeping you on your toes? In my mind this is as big as getting a pump again. Sounds very intensive, but like you are doing a fab job. It must be really hard when you are getting a difference in readings? Keep up the good work hon, you are a powerhouse 

*.......howdy Mand!!!!*

Geeez mrs, you are degassing? This is like some kind of bad, bad punishment?! I got half way through one and wanted to stick the needle in my eye. How much will you charge to come round my house and do mine for me? Quote me on mass pls 

How is the young man doing? Is he any better and the numbers too? Are you getting some snooze? Fingers crossed for an improvement over the weekend.

*.........howdy Adrienne!!!!*

Hows things with you? You have done a few pages of help and Im not sure how things are with you, hope all is ok. Some nice plans for the weekend I hope.

I was wondering if anyone draws up a couple of reservoirs and leaves them in the fridge pre-filled? Would be nice to do a whole batch one evening in front of the TV or something, with a kind of 're-load and go' idea for when I need a change? Or would this be too bubbly??

Hope you are well people xx


----------



## Mand

Hi (or should that be howdy!) Lou! I Like your post! 

I was making up two at a time but when i told my son's dsn what i was doing she said she would check with medtronic rep re whether i should be doing this. He said NO!!!!!!!!! 

Apparantly the reservoirs of insulin should be used within three days of filling. So i am now only going to fill as i need one.

It's a pity because my theory was that if we had to change the set in the night, before school or just when short of time then one would be ready but sadly i have been advised not to. 

It would be interesting for you to check with your dsn and see if we get the same advice!

Hi to everyone. Hope you are all doing ok. Hope your trip still going well, Patricia. 

Can anyone answer my question from my previous post re basal increase? 

Hugs to all. x


----------



## shiv

Sugarbum said:


> Oh you are on my old stomping ground Mrs! Once upon a time when I was a wee lass I went Au Pairing in Arlington Virginia, i loved it there, spent a lot of time in DC.x



in summer 2007 i worked in a YMCA in Alexandria, Virginia, which is right next to Arlington. i absolutely loved it over there! when i can afford it i'm hoping to go back. DC is amazing, there's so much to do! unfortunately i hated the YMCA but i miss Alexandria and DC like mad.

(i don't have a pump but i like to read this thread anyway )


----------



## bev

SENSORS

Everyone should have sensors - they are brilliant. I watched what happend for 8 hours after A eating pasta - so tonight we are experimenting again and have made changes to the dual wave - i wouldnt have known that his level went up to 13mmols after pasta if we didnt have sensors - ALL the 2 hour checks are telling us that he is within range - but half an hour after eating he isnt - so am now working on both basal and ratio and also giving bolus 10 miutes before meals - advice given by an expert on the other forum who has 2 diabetic boys and knows everything there is to know about pumping! (along with Adrienne of course).

Mand, i think your pump must have the factory settings - you must be able to override this as thats the point of temp basals! If Adrienne reads this i am sure she will tell us. If not, i might text her to ask!

Hope your all ok and having a nice saturday night. Meeting up with lots of diabetic children and families tomorrow for a day out.Bev


----------



## Adrienne

Mand said:


> Hi everyone
> 
> Thanks for your kind words and your advice. I have sent him to school today on a 125% basal to last during the school day. The pump would not allow me to go higher than 125%. It just went back to 0% instead of 130%. Anyone know how i overide this? Presumably it is something to do with the factory setting for max basal? When he home this eve then perhaps i will have a fiddle about with it.
> 
> I am doing the de-gassing technique and have found it easier to fill reservoirs so far. Beginners luck? or the technique works? Time will tell!
> 
> Hope you all doing ok. x




Hi

That is not right.  You are allowed to go  up to 200%.    It should be in the instruction booklet or look on line.  If you google Paradigm VEO you will get the instruction booklet.   It must be set wrong, I've never heard of this.   If you can't sort it out, then ring Medtronic on Monday to get them to sort it or at least tell you how.

By the way the lady on the other email group with the two children with D helping with the dual waves, is absolutely fabulous and knows how to work these dual waves so if Bev says she has said something, then go with it but we are all very well aware that each child is different but it is a starting point.


----------



## Sugarbum

Hi mand,

sorry quick rep- Im on lunch at work...

Just tried mine and the percentage goes up to 200%. As you know I use units rather than percentage so this muct have been my factory setting. I would give them at pump HQ a buzz as Adrienne suggests.

catch you all later xx


----------



## Becca

Hi all

Sorry have not been replying much, have been reading but just haven't got the oomph to reply...feel bad....hope everyone is well...

x


----------



## Mand

Thanks everyone. Will see if i can overide factory setting and if not then i will give medtronic a ring. 

My son still unwell with a cold and sore throat but blood sugars have come down today which is a relief.

Becca - hope you ok. I know how it feels to run out of energy. When you feel like that it is best to do the essentials only until you feel more energised to deal with more. 

Hugs to everyone. x


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

Hi everyone

I am phoning my DSN tomorrow to discuss the possibility of going on a pump. I really think going on one would help me, because things with my levels are a bit rubbish on MDI's. I could do with tighter control, I'm utterly terrified of hypos. 

Anyone got any advice? I have no idea about any of it, if it would suit me or anything.

I had a look at the omnipod online last night, and have fallen in love with it. Mainly cuz you can get it in pink XD 

I'm just not sure how to go about this, whether i'd be able to get one or if it would help me


----------



## Northerner

Hi Sam, I believe this is a good place to find out about pumping in the UK:

http://www.input.me.uk/


----------



## Sugarbum

salmonpuff said:


> Hi everyone
> 
> I am phoning my DSN tomorrow to discuss the possibility of going on a pump. I really think going on one would help me, because things with my levels are a bit rubbish on MDI's. I could do with tighter control, I'm utterly terrified of hypos.
> 
> Anyone got any advice? I have no idea about any of it, if it would suit me or anything.
> 
> I had a look at the omnipod online last night, and have fallen in love with it. Mainly cuz you can get it in pink XD
> 
> I'm just not sure how to go about this, whether i'd be able to get one or if it would help me




Ive seen a lot of your posts lately and I think a pump is a great idea! Its definately something that you have to WANT though, so perhaps get going on the research a bit and see if that drives you a bit more to it or not.

I am unsure about the omnipod in the UK as I didnt think it was licenced here yet (I could be wrong?!), I heard it wasnt NICE approved but Im sure someone will clarify it (its what 'whatshisname' has from the Jonas Brothers has who loves it apparently...).

Anyhoo......lots of good luck for the phonecall xx


----------



## bev

Omnipod wont be coming here.

I would say that if you want a pump - look at the NICE guidelines. Are your team into pumps?

Pumping is hard work - it needs dedication - but the benefits are worth every sleepless night and every extra test strip!

Becca, are you ok?

Mand - yes get on to medtronic - this is wrong.

Lou -hi!

Patricia - where are you now?

Hello everyone else!Bev


----------



## bev

Omnipod wont be coming here.

I would say that if you want a pump - look at the NICE guidelines. Are your team into pumps?

Pumping is hard work - it needs dedication - but the benefits are worth every sleepless night and every extra test strip!

Becca, are you ok?

Mand - yes get on to medtronic - this is wrong.

Lou -hi!

Patricia - where are you now?

Hello everyone else!Bev


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

Sugarbum said:


> Ive seen a lot of your posts lately and I think a pump is a great idea! Its definately something that you have to WANT though, so perhaps get going on the research a bit and see if that drives you a bit more to it or not.
> 
> I am unsure about the omnipod in the UK as I didnt think it was licenced here yet (I could be wrong?!), I heard it wasnt NICE approved but Im sure someone will clarify it (its what 'whatshisname' has from the Jonas Brothers has who loves it apparently...).
> 
> Anyhoo......lots of good luck for the phonecall xx



lol, yeah Nick or whatever his name is. I dont think its coming here...its a shame cuz it looks awesome. I'm still a little unsure to be honest, I think just having a chat with my nurse to start with is a good idea.



> Omnipod wont be coming here.
> 
> I would say that if you want a pump - look at the NICE guidelines. Are your team into pumps?
> 
> Pumping is hard work - it needs dedication - but the benefits are worth every sleepless night and every extra test strip!



Where can I find the nice guidelines? I think looking at the site Northe suggested, that maybe in some ways I come into what's needed, lots of highs and lows during the day. 

The sleepless nights are what worries me. I'm scared of it to be honest with you. Matt's a bit worried that if I had one it would 'get in the way' if you get what I mean, and that it would be a nuisance, and i'd feel it all the time. I'm awful at getting out of bed as it is. I'm scared that if I got one, it'd all go bottoms up as soon as ive got it.

I don't know. I guess its just an idea at the moment, and one I'm definitely thinking of discussing. 

I haven't met my team yet, I havent even been referred. Plus, I'm not sure how long we'll be in this area anywhere. So maybe this will be just an idea for a long time yet


----------



## Sugarbum

Its a good thought to follow through on sam.....most of my thoughts on wanting a pump came from a good old session on the world-wide interhole (as my mother calls it). Give it some time, and a bit of research. Have you had a chance to see or hold a pump? If you are coming to the London meet up I can show mine if you want and we can have a chat.

Hope everyone else is well.

Bev, am I seeing double or are you posting twice? he he he =)

Lots of love to everyone xx


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

Sugarbum said:


> Its a good thought to follow through on sam.....most of my thoughts on wanting a pump came from a good old session on the world-wide interhole (as my mother calls it). Give it some time, and a bit of research. Have you had a chance to see or hold a pump? If you are coming to the London meet up I can show mine if you want and we can have a chat.
> 
> Hope everyone else is well.
> 
> Bev, am I seeing double or are you posting twice? he he he =)
> 
> Lots of love to everyone xx



I'm not sure if I'm coming yet, but if I can make it that would be lovely  I've never seen an insulin pump or anything, just looked at them on the interwebs. They look complicated. But Ive seen animas do a pink one! I like pink hehe 

Its an idea. And one I'll definitely have a good long think about. Because tbh, I can't keep going the way I am on the injections. Its just getting stupid now. The other night I was terrified of having another huge hypo, I ended up making poor matt stay up half the night with me to make sure my sugars didnt drop 

In a way it seems as if this is a pretty good option. I'll have to see how the phone call goes.


----------



## bev

You cheeky monkey! I have a stutter...

Cant answer any questions on the intimate side of things - but if you use a spibelt i am sure the pump would stay put etc....Bev


----------



## Viki

salmonpuff said:


> I'm not sure if I'm coming yet, but if I can make it that would be lovely  I've never seen an insulin pump or anything, just looked at them on the interwebs. They look complicated. But Ive seen animas do a pink one! I like pink hehe
> 
> Its an idea. And one I'll definitely have a good long think about. Because tbh, I can't keep going the way I am on the injections. Its just getting stupid now. The other night I was terrified of having another huge hypo, I ended up making poor matt stay up half the night with me to make sure my sugars didnt drop
> 
> In a way it seems as if this is a pretty good option. I'll have to see how the phone call goes.



Ive got the animas 2020 so you could have a look at a couple of different ones and get an idea of how they work etc. Id not actually seen any of the others (except pictures) when i made my choice. But it was the greeness of the 2020 I liked!

When it comes to it "getting in the way", i dont think it does, you both get so used to it that its not a problem. But you can always disconnect if youre worried then you just have the tiny plasticy it of the cannula left on you. Just means you need to remember to reconnect before going to sleep! 

PS. I saw quite a lot of articles on the omnipod from the US, apparently there have been quite alot of probs with the adhesive and the needle inserter etc. Dont think the all in one technology is quite there yet but looks promising!


----------



## Sugarbum

I think its important to say (just quickly before I go snooze!) to Sam, I think a pump gets less in the way in a girls life than what you are going through right now- it might just be the things that gets you back in control of your diabetes....at the moment it sounds (and I dont mean to cause any offense or cause any upset) that perhaps it is having a little too much control over YOU and YOU are what is important hon. Im sure Viki and I can tell you more face to face, and also put your mind at ease abit how it may affect matt.

BTW, girl get on google- Medtronic Veo comes in pink, and it has changable skins, make it whatever colour or pattern you want it to be! And the colours on the animas 2020 are all absolutely gorgeous!

V- one good thing I picked up on an american pump website is that Omnipod now have a recyclable version out! Its huge apparently (in popularity I mean)- as many of us hate the amount of waste we generate in all this packaging and supplies. Game on! I do agree, it needs a lot of sorting out. If they offered it to us here now I wouldnt take it- no way!

Viki Im really looking forward to meeting you and a chin wag at the meet!

Night all xx


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

Sugarbum said:


> I think its important to say (just quickly before I go snooze!) to Sam, I think a pump gets less in the way in a girls life than what you are going through right now- it might just be the things that gets you back in control of your diabetes....at the moment it sounds (and I dont mean to cause any offense or cause any upset) that perhaps it is having a little too much control over YOU and YOU are what is important hon. Im sure Viki and I can tell you more face to face, and also put your mind at ease abit how it may affect matt.
> 
> BTW, girl get on google- Medtronic Veo comes in pink, and it has changable skins, make it whatever colour or pattern you want it to be! And the colours on the animas 2020 are all absolutely gorgeous!



none taken, you're right. It is controlling me at the moment  I don't want it to, and I'm trying not to let it, but it is 

thank you for your lovely comments. I want to get back in control and maybe this is the way to do it!!


----------



## Mand

Hi Sam. I would recommend a pump having had some experience with them now but they do need dedication. Sounds like you would have this. They are a tool and need to be managed but good results can be achieved with them. I think one would make you feel more in control of your diabetes (rathen than it contolling you) because there are so many fuctions in them that you can use to help your control. And at the end of the day, you could return to mdi if pumping really isn't for you. 

Well, we on our knees this morning, having got up every couple of hours, as my son steadily rose through the night despite giving corrections. In the end we injected novorapid and did a set change at 3am and he is 8.1 this morning. He is unwell so we still wondering if this is affecting him. The other problem is that i think he had put his quickset into a spot just a bit too close to the lumps on his tummy (these developed when he on mdi and still not gone) so perhaps the insulin not getting through as it should? Will see how things go today. I am happy where he has put his new quickset. 

Must dash as have to go to work this morning. Now, where are the matchsticks?


----------



## Freddie99

Morning all,

Well, illness is abating I think. At bloody last. I'm fed up with high bloods. I'm taking bets on my pre evening meal blood which for the past two or three days has managed to reach 20 mmol/L without any explaination. Over the past week I've upped my levemir by a massive ten units to thirty four. I was considering splitting the dose again at one point. This is all having a bearing on my thoughts about a pump and it's getting closer and closer to me saying yes. I'm going to book an appointment to see my DSN to talk about a pump for Wednesday I think. It has to be done.

Tom


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

Hi everyone, just spoken to the nurse. What a lovely lady. I asked about a pump, and she said it sounds like I'd be a good candidate for one and we'll have a chat on thursday but first I need to sort everything else out. She's putting me on an education course and carb counting course so hopefully that will work out. Got an appointment for thursday to sort all that out, and also discuss a pump, but she said I'd need to talk to a consultant really about that when im finally referred.

But for now, she says no more coco pops  and try upping my lantus again. And eat a banana or something before work. Also, lower novorapid (I've already done that!!!) to try and stop lows at work.


----------



## Viki

Are you carb counting at all at the moment?

I know that was a huge turning point for me in terms of feeling more in control and like it wasnt over shadowing my life. I didnt even want to eat before doing DAFNE because i didnt have a clue what i was doing!!

Its also pretty critical to successful pumping to know how you react to certain carbs etc.

Dont worry you'll soon be back on the coco pops!!


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

Viki said:


> Are you carb counting at all at the moment?
> 
> I know that was a huge turning point for me in terms of feeling more in control and like it wasnt over shadowing my life. I didnt even want to eat before doing DAFNE because i didnt have a clue what i was doing!!
> 
> Its also pretty critical to successful pumping to know how you react to certain carbs etc.
> 
> Dont worry you'll soon be back on the coco pops!!



I've never ever been on a carb counting course. I've tried to teach myself but obviously without the proper guidance I can't really work out ratios and whatnot. Am trying the whol 1 unit for 10g of carbs at the moment. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Sometimes I get scared to eat though  If it seems very carby and I think I'll have to inject loads then i dont want to eat it  like pizza. Evil stuff.

I don't think I'll be doing a DAFNE course, as i cant afford the time off work. Nurse said that this one is done 1 day a week so I can take it on my day off.


----------



## Northerner

salmonpuff said:


> I've never ever been on a carb counting course. I've tried to teach myself but obviously without the proper guidance I can't really work out ratios and whatnot. Am trying the whol 1 unit for 10g of carbs at the moment. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
> 
> Sometimes I get scared to eat though  If it seems very carby and I think I'll have to inject loads then i dont want to eat it  like pizza. Evil stuff.
> 
> I don't think I'll be doing a DAFNE course, as i cant afford the time off work. Nurse said that this one is done 1 day a week so I can take it on my day off.



That'll be the course that I did Sam. It's not as intensive on the carb-counting as DAFNE, but covers all aspects of diabetes management and they also get people to come in and talk about complications etc. - we had a podiatrist and someone talking about retinopathy. There are usually 4-6 people on the course, and it was really good to share stories with them. I came away from it feeling much better able to take care of myself, and have done a pretty good job over the last year!

Glad you liked the DSN you talked to, I think they are angels!


----------



## randomange

Hi, how is everyone this morning?

I finally got my pump confirmation letter with my start dates!  I go in next month for a demonstration and to pick the pump I want, and then I start in January. We're doing it in groups, and I  have a week's saline trial before starting on insulin. January seems so far away now, but I'm so excited! 



> I've never ever been on a carb counting course. I've tried to teach myself but obviously without the proper guidance I can't really work out ratios and whatnot. Am trying the whol 1 unit for 10g of carbs at the moment. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.



Sam, have you tried picking up any books on carb counting? I really recommend Pumping Insulin by John Walsh, or Think Like a Pancreas by Gary Scheiner. I had a long wait to get on a DAFNE course, and these books really helped me while i was waiting - to the extent that I knew most of the stuff on the DAFNE course! They explain how to go about working out your carb ratios and making sure your basal is set right (as well as a whole bunch of other stuff about diabetes). It might help while you're waiting.


----------



## Northerner

Brilliant news randomange!


----------



## Steff

brill news randomange x


----------



## bev

WOOOOOOOPEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! Thats great news randomange! Let us know which pump you choose.Bev


----------



## lesley1978

Brill news randomange!!!

Any idea what pump you would like to go for?  I'm picking mine up next tuesday and going 'live' the following tuesday!  I've gone the for accu chek spirit combo.  Keep us posted.

hello everyone else.  Not had much time to come on here lately and boy can you lot gab!  By the time I've caught up and typed a response I have to catch up again! I think I'll have to do a course on speed reading!


----------



## Sugarbum

Sorry this post will no doubt be very self obsessed- I am feeling very sorry for myself.

Tune in all you medtronic people, there is a red cross on my door....

My VEO died this afternoon with "Motor Error". I personally think it had failed to deliver basal for a few hours as I went into a late lunch at 15.9! Then I got three wrong doses, NOT what I keyed in (under, thankfully) and the it as alarming "No Delivery" several times. I had never heard these alarms before..

Anyway, I was on the train to my mums and couldnt get a signal to call Medtronic. I think they have been coached more now on this, lovely lady but I could tell not giving much away. Veos replaced "sometime in the new year". Will I ever see it again??

Paradigm 522 in blue coming tomorrow to my sisters house, thank goodness I am off I will have to learn and re-program. I ordered in blue, but now not keen on the colour. Oh well, not the time to be fussy.

Gutted, girls. And pleased be warned it happened all of a sudden. Tell your kids that if the only option they are getting is to "Rewind" I would suggest coming STRAIGHT home. I didnt have the novopen with me either. Typical. Only the cartridge and needles but nothing to give it with. I phoned the local useless centre (yes, aparently in this area if you pay peanuts you get monkeys- a rather rude nurse was very unhelpful) trying to get pens/needles etc. Eventaully I went into Lloyds pharmacy, two lovely ladies elped me out. I tried to but the novopens but they were ?37 each for less than 24 hours! In the end they sold me the orange topped needles, 10 in a batch for ?1.71. They hurt going in but I will survive. I dont have a basal tonight which will be hiddeous. I only have novorapid. Ah well.

Oh the drama. Im a little shocked actually...I have been very calm and collected (yes, this is true) in some extremely awful situations in life and work, but this sends me right into panic.

Still no letter, I wonder WHO at Medtronic is CARING for me when I actually got the real reminder that yes I do rely on other people and Medtronic far too much....

I will be VERY sad to see my pump go tomorrow. 

I dont mean to scaremonger, but peeps please BE CAREFUL.

Take care xxx


----------



## Freddie99

Hi Lou,

So sorry to see that happened to you. At least you have a replacement on the way. Stay strong.

I'm catching up with someone from my carb coutning course on Wednesday to chat about a pump...I'm swinging more and more towards wanting one.

Tom


----------



## bev

Lou,
You poor thing! What a time for it all to go wrong! I must admit - i am glad we disabled the 2 features that seem to be causing the problem. Do you think it was one of these functions that may have messed it all up?

I got my letter on saturday morning. The tone of the letter is very laid back and makes out that this is just a blip and that no-one has actually been caught short - so not to worry we will get a replacement in January!

I really feel for you Lou - it must be horrible to have all this unwanted change and stress. At least you finally got the chemist on your side - eventually!

I do hope you get the new pump without any hassle and that you can quickly work it all out. If you have any problems let me know and i can ask on the other forum - there are a few with this particular pump. I am presuming you keep this new pump until the new veo's are ready? 

Do let me know if you have any problems setting it up and if you get stuck i am sure we can find out for you.

Hope you have a better day tomorrow Lou.Bev xxx


----------



## Sugarbum

Hi all,

Sorry I posted without reading the updates earlier and I missed great news randomange and sam! Many congrats! This really is fabulous 

Bev- thanks love. You got your letter on saturday? I am thinking of putting a proper complaint in. Perhaps it is all too emotional to think about just yet, but where on earth is their duty of care? Dont get me wrong, I like them- I am just abit gobsmacked over how this "has" been dealt with.

Tried googling for a better pic of the blue pump. Nothing. Im wondering if I should have given that more thought!

I tried to inject using those orange top syringes- OUCH!!!!  They are not nice. I looked on the packet and they are 12.5mm!!! Enough said?

Big sigh....

I hope I am not putting all these new and wannabie pumpers off


----------



## Viki

Blimey Sugarbum! Scary stuff!  

Hope the new pump comes soon and you like it 

Plus hope your time on novarapid only goes ok, be really careful though, remember DKA can come on super quick with no background. (im sure you know all this, just worrying on your behalf )


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

Hi lou, god that sounds scary! I'm so sorry this has happened and I hope that you'll be ok. Just be careful and look after yourself *hugs*


----------



## Mand

Blimey Lou! That is so scary! I feel for you so much! Do let us know how you get on with the replacement pump. I will keep a close eye on my son. We not using either of the functions that can cause the problems and i was hoping we would last till January when they are replaced. It really is worrying! Anyway, I send you a big hug and will be thinking of you. Hope you get set up ok on new pump. xx We have not heard anything from Medtronic either which is appalling - how do they know that my son is not using the functions that cause the problems??! Even his dsn knew nothing until i brought it to her attention and she phoned Medtronic. Not impressed! 

I have managed to override the factory setting on the pump and can now do 200% basal if needed. Phew!

My son's blood sugars were still too high yesterday and i had decided i would take him to doctors today to see if he has an infection as he has a cold at the moment. But last night he went to bed on 6.1 and has woken on 5.8 so maybe he is getting better by himself? Will see what today brings and take him tomorrow if necessary. 

At least i managed a full night sleep last night. It's good to catch up on sleep!

Bev - how are the sensors going? How long have you got them for? Are you finding them useful enough?

Patricia - Hope your trip still going well and all ok at home. x 

Great news and good luck, Randomange!

Good luck with your pump requests, Sam and Tom.

Bye for now.


----------



## Freddie99

Just called my diabetes centre to ask about a pump. I'm trying to get an appointment with one of the nurses for sometime next Wednesday. Hopefully I'll be able to talk to the nurse that is on a pump himself. The diabetes centre said that they'd call me back after speaking to one of the nurses.

Tom


----------



## Sugarbum

Thanks all, I am sat here at my sisters house waiting for the delivery of my replacement pump. The coudnt give me any indication of when it might come so I am in for the long haul....


How is everyone?? xx


----------



## randomange

Lou, what an awful thing to  happen!  I hope you get your pump soon and you can get on with sorting it out. How were your numbers overnight with just novorapid?

I have to say, I was leaning towards the Veo as my choice of pump, but the way Medtronic have handled this problem has left me a little bit concerned... I also really like the Roche pump with the remote control, but given that I left my entire diabetes kit at home this morning, I'm not sure I can be trusted with something like a remote! Luckily I have spare kit at work...

Mand, glad to see your son's numbers seem to be coming down.   Is he feeling any better?


----------



## velcrohead

Just like to say hello to everyone.
I've been on my pump since June 23rd and loving it, Still tweaking here and there.
I am having a stay in hospital on Friday night as part of a closed loop system or artificial pancreas, I am quite looking forward to it.
I am still making my way through this thread and recognise some of the ups and downs with diabetes in general.


----------



## bev

Velcrohead- welcome to the forum! Becca's little girl has been on the closed loop trials - so let us know how it all goes when your back - and well done for giving it a go!

Lou, how are you? Did you get the pump? How did the novo go? Dont forget if you need any help let me know and i can ask the others on the childrens forum - i think Adrienne's J has the same pump -and as you know she is an expert- but she is a bit poorly at the moment.

Mand, glad your sons levels started to come down. A's have started to go up - just when i thought we had it all sussed! So will be changing some basals i think. We LOVE the sensors - not sure about another thing being attached to the body - but the information it gives is like having a window into his body! You can see exactly what a particular food does to him - 8 hours for pasta! 

Hope everyone else is ok - and Patricia - are you back yet? I have missed your posts!Bev


----------



## velcrohead

Thanks Bev
Out of interest, What was done on the child trials?
My trial consists of being given at least a bottle of wine (due to weight) and seeing how the system copes with dipping blood glucose levels over night.
I presume that was not done with kids.


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

hi all. Got an appointment with the nurses at the RSH next thursday. Gunna have a chat about pumps and stuff, looking forward to it.

This who buisness with the Veo's is pretty scary though  I've been looking at them pretty closely, but i'm kinda put off now!

Hope you're all well!


----------



## Viki

velcrohead said:


> Thanks Bev
> Out of interest, What was done on the child trials?
> My trial consists of being given at least a bottle of wine (due to weight) and seeing how the system copes with dipping blood glucose levels over night.
> I presume that was not done with kids.



Did someone say free bottle of wine . . . .


----------



## velcrohead

Viki said:


> Did someone say free bottle of wine . . . .



Ha ha, Everyone says that to me, They all want a stay over as well.


----------



## bev

velcrohead said:


> Thanks Bev
> Out of interest, What was done on the child trials?
> My trial consists of being given at least a bottle of wine (due to weight) and seeing how the system copes with dipping blood glucose levels over night.
> I presume that was not done with kids.



He he - she is only 7! Not really sure what they did with her - i will ask Becca if she can put a short post on to tell you how it all went. Dont drink too much - you may want a kebab and ruin it all! lol.Bev


----------



## velcrohead

bev said:


> He he - she is only 7! Not really sure what they did with her - i will ask Becca if she can put a short post on to tell you how it all went. Dont drink too much - you may want a kebab and ruin it all! lol.Bev



Ha ha, thanks for that, The thing is, I never drink anyway so should be interesting, The last alcoholic drink I had was on new years day.


----------



## randomange

Hi velcrohead, welcome to the forum! 

Are you doing your trial in Cambridge? I took part in an earlier trial looking at the effect of food. If that's where you're doing it, I reckon it'll be the same team - they're all lovely!


----------



## velcrohead

randomange said:


> Hi velcrohead, welcome to the forum!
> 
> Are you doing your trial in Cambridge? I took part in an earlier trial looking at the effect of food. If that's where you're doing it, I reckon it'll be the same team - they're all lovely!



I certainly am, Good to know the team are good there.
All my diabetes care is from Addenbrookes and the team I see are absolutley brilliant.
I did my DAFNE course in May 2007 and have taken care of my self properly ever since, You could count on one finger the tests I used to do in a year.
Now I am doing at least 10 a day, I have nothing but praise for them.
I have had some email contact with the research team and they seem very nice as well, I will find out on Thursday when I have my Pre screen appointment, then on Friday evening at 18:30 the test begins until 12:30 Saturday, I cant wait to be honest.


----------



## Becca

Hiya

thanks Bev for the nudge   Rose took part in the trials in March and May this year.  She had 2 overnight stays testing the teatime food onwards.  Her blood was taken evey 15 mins through a cannula.  The team are absolutely fantastic, i presume it will be the same team that does the paediatrics as well?  Janet the nurse is lovely 

Rose is under the paediatrics at Addenbrookes and they are fantastic as well, they have answered an SOS from me today, things have been a bit of a nightmare for the past 3-4 weeks.  No levels are ever perfect i know that but what we would do for Rose normally to get things back on an even keel are just not working.  Had to do another set change at school yesterday - levels were 26mmol!!!  Corrected and within 2 hours she was 2.2 argh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not sure what is going on......We had such a lovely period of levels under 10 and now it's kind of coming round and biting us on the bum for being complacent!   Hopefully get answers next week - she should be having a sensor put on as well.

Lou, i cannot believe the day you have had!!!!!!!  I'm really disappointed in Medtronic over the way they have dealt with this....


----------



## randomange

velcrohead said:


> I certainly am, Good to know the team are good there.
> All my diabetes care is from Addenbrookes and the team I see are absolutley brilliant.
> I did my DAFNE course in May 2007 and have taken care of my self properly ever since, You could count on one finger the tests I used to do in a year.
> Now I am doing at least 10 a day, I have nothing but praise for them.
> I have had some email contact with the research team and they seem very nice as well, I will find out on Thursday when I have my Pre screen appointment, then on Friday evening at 18:30 the test begins until 12:30 Saturday, I cant wait to be honest.



I'm the same - all my care is at Addenbrooke's and it's made such a difference to my own self care having a team that is so good! I really enjoyed my time at the trials as well, it was really interesting, and the guy who does all the algorithm stuff is scarily smart! 

I see you went onto a pump fairly recently - can I ask how your start went? I'm due to go in next month to choose my pump, and then starting in January, and you're the first person I've seen who's gone through the same thing at Adenbrooke's, so I'm quite excited!


----------



## tracey w

*hello*

Hi everyone, just trying to catch up, such a lot going on,

Lou how awful for you, very stressfull im sure 

hope everyone is well, I had a great holiday and pump was good with no problems, kept my numbers a little higher on purpose.  First day i put on temp basal as weather was 30 degrees and i was worried, as on basal/bolus i had loads of hypos in the heat. 

Found  that it did not seem necessary at all, just went higher. I suppose im still at the stage where i find it hard to believe that pumping is much more like having a real pancreas and is different to injections. need to start looking at my basals now that im back as numbers although not bad, are not as low as i would like. The thing im finding the absolute best is how steady i stay now without horrible peaks and troughs and in turn i feel so much better. My oh commented the other day how much happier i seem, and friends and colleagues keep telling me how well i seem. Pumping is wonderful even though there are obvious difficulties at times. sorry to waffle, just wanted to share.


----------



## Northerner

Wonderful Tracey! So pleased you enjoyed your holiday too!


----------



## tracey w

lesley1978 said:


> I must admit, this is one thing that concerns me about the pump. What to do when I am on holiday and want to go in the sea and stuff?  I know I will have to take it off but it would be good to hear everyone's views on how you have all got on with the pump on holiday.  Also, if wearing a bikini where do you put it (the pump of course not the bikini).
> 
> Lesley



hello Lesley, congrats on your pump date!!

well just got back from first hol with a pump, as you know 

I have to say all the worries i had were the same as yours before i got it, ie, what will it be like wearing it 24/7, where will i hide it on my person, will people be able to see it, what about bikinis? etc etc. 

To be honest from the minute i put it on i couldnt care less about any of that, just wanted it to work for me. I havent found it a problem being attached from the off, sure you will feel te same too. I dont care if people can see it, yes i do try to put in  a pocket for example if im wearing jeans, but just clip to my waistband under a top for example, sometimes it may be on show, but honestly who cares, dont think anyone has noticed to be honest. Its like that whole injecting in public thing, until you do it you worry about it, when you do its not a problem.

As for the bikini........ for me . when i had the ones on that are like shorts I just clipped it on, when walking around, cliped on shorts or in pocket, when sunbathing i found i liked to just put it behind me in the small of my back  if that makes sense. but my reason for that was, i didnt want the insulin in the sun, it was not the fact about it being on show.  It will all make sense when you get it, but like others im sure you will find your own way and do what you are comfortable with. for instance i never put mine in my bra, i prefer it around my waist or in a pocket. I dont tend to wear dresses though.


----------



## tracey w

Northerner said:


> Wonderful Tracey! So pleased you enjoyed your holiday too!



thanks northe


----------



## Sugarbum

Hi all,

I am back from my sisters now and exhasted from a very hectic 24hours!

Its very strange, I only left my place 24 hours ago and I have come back in with a completely different pump!

I am now attatched to a Paradigm 552, in the blue as you can see! 








So I am just trying to get all my settings etc programmed in. It doesnt have the small increments in like the Veo but essentially has the same sort of set up. 

My DSN repsonded to my SOS this afternoon as well. She was really worried I may have lost my confidence in Medtronic. They had a big meeting this afternoon and are phoning all their clients on Veo and telling them to go on to Paradigms, regardless of problems or not until it is sorted out. They have told medtronic too. She was about to have the task of phoning everyone this afternoon. She is sending me a letter, as they are everyone explaining *the hospital* are withdrawing on this and have enclosed a letter they have requested from medtronic. Checked my letterbox on arrival again just now and still not got a copy from medtronic....it is poor.

Oh, the drama...

Anyway, what do you think of the blue? Its not as pretty as the veo but I like the blue I think (something different anyway).

Anyhow, ENOUGH about me! How are you's lot?

xx


----------



## Viki

Glad youre hooked up again!!

Love the blue, is it sparkly???


----------



## Sugarbum

Viki said:


> Glad youre hooked up again!!
> 
> Love the blue, is it sparkly???



Glad you like it, I'm not 100% sure but thought I would give it a shot! This isnt my long term pump so I thought I would see what a little colour in my life did for me!

When the replacement veos come out again, I am going to opt for a colour Im sure. Strike a light, the pink one I slagged off with avengance is currently front runner....oooh I feel a picture and a pole coming on!

Nothing compares to youre green tho Viki!


----------



## Viki

Sugarbum said:


> Nothing compares to youre green tho Viki!



I wonder if i could persuade them to make me some green infusion sets . . .


----------



## Sugarbum

Viki said:


> I wonder if i could persuade them to make me some green infusion sets . . .



Now you talking my language!

I got new uniforms for work 2 weeks ago and the uniform turned my tubing and canula dressing dark blue! Perhaps wear a bit more green??!


----------



## Viki

Sugarbum said:


> Now you talking my language!
> 
> I got new uniforms for work 2 weeks ago and the uniform turned my tubing and canula dressing dark blue! Perhaps wear a bit more green??!



I think if i wear any more green i may be mistaken for the incredile hulk!! (although there would be serious repercussions for any one who called me that ). I may have a small obsession


----------



## Sugarbum

hahahahaaaaaaa!!!!! =)


----------



## velcrohead

randomange said:


> I'm the same - all my care is at Addenbrooke's and it's made such a difference to my own self care having a team that is so good! I really enjoyed my time at the trials as well, it was really interesting, and the guy who does all the algorithm stuff is scarily smart!
> 
> I see you went onto a pump fairly recently - can I ask how your start went? I'm due to go in next month to choose my pump, and then starting in January, and you're the first person I've seen who's gone through the same thing at Adenbrooke's, so I'm quite excited!



The start was and still is perfect, A group of us had a 2 hour (approx) session with a couple of DSN's and a Dietician.
They had a very good powerpoint presentation on the pro's and cons (not many) of using pumps and explained all the various different types of modes and setting you may come accross.  They also had some different working pump models to play with, along with insusion sets.
My original set up and first pump install meeting was slightly different to most from what I can gather as I was the only one to select the Animas 2020, So I basicaly had one to one sessions with the DSN, I think the first coule are usually group based, but I cant confirm this.
I have daily contact via email by sending in a supplied excel spreadsheet, I also have all the phone numbers for the group and also have my DSN's mobile number for emergencies.
Everyone was laughing and smiling so it all went well.
I can't praise the Addenbrookes team enough, You will be fine and have a good time.
I think I answered you question there, but anything else, Just ask.


----------



## Mand

*All gone to pot!*

Hi all

Tearing my hair out at moment. I spoke too soon when i said my son's levels coming down! I just do not understand what it going on! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

He not ill anymore, set changes going well, pump working ok but levels too high! or he hypos! Just seem to have lost control! 

Anyway, last night i set new basals and going to see if a difference is made today. Also going to work 1:6 instead for breakfast instead of 1:7.

Any thoughts anyone? 

Lou - I like the sparkly blue!  How is it going? x


----------



## bev

Mand - SNAP!!!!!!!!!!

A has gone higher and higher over the past 3 or 4 days. Last night his alarm kept buzzing as he was 13 and then 16!!!!!!!!!

Lots of corrections etc 

I have increased his 8am basal as i think if you get the earlier ones lower then it follows that the rest of the day should be lower too  not sure if this is right - but its trial and error. His 2 hour breakfast check used to be 7 or 8 - it has been up to 11 this week! So theory is get this right and it should help with lunchtime reading and so on.

Also i think as they have been back at school a few weeks that the anxiousness and excitement has calmed down so less adrenalin etc making their levels naturally a bit higher.

I have decided to tackle one little problem at a time - its too daunting to try to change it all in 24 hours. Perhaps if you could pinpoint the worst part of the day for your son then you can make that tiny change and take it from there?

I do know how you feel though - things were ticking along nicely and then its all change.

Dont see this as a failure - see it as the numbers are trying to tell you something needs changing.

Lets tackle this together and swop notes later.Bev


----------



## Patricia

*Hello all!!!*

Forgive what will be lots of probably nonsensical waffle...firstly because I'm bascially _trying to stay awake_. Flew in this morning. 

All went well, basically. The whole trip was rather hard work, all go, and the visit to relatives was... mixed. 

*Good news:* E's numbers generally very good I gather, though yesterday he forgot a temp basal and had, like, endless hypos through the evening. Ergh. OH was certainly up most nights I think, so I don't know what shape everyone will be in. Spoke to them this morning from the taxi, climbing around the M25... Everyone perky. Other piece of good news is that for the first time in my life I actually managed to grab some sleep on a transatlantic flight. At least I think that's what happened after a gin and tonic and two glasses of wine!

*Bad news:* Luggage is missing. Damn. They (BA powers that be) 'have faith' (this is what the nice customer service man said) that my bag will be on the next flight from Philadelphia. Also bad news is that I teach in three hours... This means that a) I have to stay awake b) I have to make sense and c) first I have to stand up, which seems a little beyond me at the moment....

***

*Lou*: LORDY! Gosh what an awful thing to happen. I'm feeling for you. Must have been very scary. You did well though to get things back in control. Oh dear. Medtronic has some talkin' to do... (in the blue ridge mountains of virginia la la...yes, it's beautiful).

*Bev and Mand:*Sorry about these high numbers. Hair tearing, yes? How are things today?

*Randomange:* Very cool news. Congrats!

*Salmonpuff:* Don't let the blips throw you off the whole picture of the pump... Every system has its faults. You do sound like a perfect candidate. I really hope it works out. You deserve to feel safer.

*Tom:*Good on ya. You know we will be here for everything should you need us!

*Others:*(sorry, fuzzy brain) We too are with Addenbrookes in a shared care situation, and we absolutely cannot fault them. The minute we started with them, we felt in brilliant hands. It's an inspiring team.

Finally: while away, OH sent me this link. Dig it. http://www.cellnovo.com/#/products/

I wonder how long we will have to wait?!

Okay, I'm now going to try to stand up long enough to shower and go to work and function. TMI, I know.

Byeeeee!

xxoo


----------



## tracey w

Sugarbum said:


> Glad you like it, I'm not 100% sure but thought I would give it a shot! This isnt my long term pump so I thought I would see what a little colour in my life did for me!
> 
> When the replacement veos come out again, I am going to opt for a colour Im sure. Strike a light, the pink one I slagged off with avengance is currently front runner....oooh I feel a picture and a pole coming on!
> 
> Nothing compares to youre green tho Viki!



looks good in the blue, I know you have been a bit jealous of my pump features, but if i tell you tey only do black will it make you feel a bit better? 

Its good you have got great support from your nurse and hospital, hope all going ok on new pump too. Sounds like medtronic service has been very substandard for you, i hope it improves.


----------



## bev

School just rang and Alex was 18mmols at his 2 hour check and then gave himself 1.5 units correction - 1 hour later still 17mmols!!!!!!!!

Not sure if its the set - but i had increased his morning basal aswell so this is very odd? I will go and see him at 12 and do a set change at school - he wontlike that - but not sure what else to do - dont want to take him out of school..Bev


----------



## Sugarbum

Hello everyone!

Patricia, great to have you back safe and sound! I dont evny your tiredness- and I hope the case comes back soon.....what a nightmare, but I am glad their have been no dramas while you were away with E and his numbers. I LOVED the link by the way- this is very exciting. I was wondering about putting it to the main board becuase I think this would capture a lot of peoples interest who dont necessarilly visit us so I might thieve it to a new a thread  This is EXACTLY the kind of thing I see your kids using in the future, how exciting.

Bev and Mand, sorry to hear the numbers are not great what a nightmare. I am racking my brains but I cannot think what a simple answer might be. I hope its not back to the drawing board? Good luck anyway girls.

I woke with a BM of 9.7mmols. I cant set my basal the same as this pump doesnt have the same increments so I shall have to also to some tweaking. I am sensitive to the half unit as well so its a bit fiddly.

Tracey, if you ever have time to completely burn and the technology I would love to see a picture of your pump! The website one is not the greatest and my level of curiosity is high!

Havent seen Adrienne for a bit, if you are reading fluffy I hope you and Jess are well.

Off to work later so back to my chores.....pah!

Lou xx


----------



## Viki

Patricia said:


> Finally: while away, OH sent me this link. Dig it. http://www.cellnovo.com/#/products/
> 
> I wonder how long we will have to wait?!



OH MY GOD I WANT ONE!!!

And the handset comes in greeeeeen! 

My guess is at least 100yrs!


----------



## Viki

PS. Welcome back by the way xxx


----------



## Sugarbum

Viki, I put this to the main message board so everywone can drool over it- I know you and me will like it a lot!

How good is this??? I am signing up for the green one too!

*****

I meant to just say earlier, in light of my disaster in the pump department I am still reprogramming my settings. I hadnt realised exactly how much there was to input and Carelink has been a godsend. Just a note to say (if I actually had of paid for it!) it would have been worth its weight investing in it if I hadnt got it, even if just for this event alone.

xx


----------



## Patricia

Hi again all

Bev, feeling worried for you. And Mand. Sheesh. What's going on? Bev: do you think A has come out of honeymoon yet?

Lou and Viki: wow, huh? Love this thing. I can SO imagine E just instantly loving it. The site says little about the actual pump though...Imagine having all those stats too all in one place -- THIS is the way to get control with more ease, surely?

Okay. Now to teach. Have made it to my office. Where I am sitting down.

xxoo


----------



## Becca

Can i join the argh!!! high numbers, scratching head way group??????  Am so fed up, poor Rose looks pale and says she doesn't feel right, i'm not surprised her numbers are all over the place.  Feel like a really bad parent that i cannot help her.  I worry so much over the damage all this is doing to her body.  I then look at other people/families (which is a no no) and think how do they do it, why can't i????????????  what am i doing so wrong...

I really feel like scrapping everything and starting again fresh with the pump, all basals and ratios.  Everything i'm tweaking i feel i'm getting deeper and deeper and it's just not working.....


----------



## Adrienne

Hi guys

Sorry not been in touch, as Bev and Becca know from the other email group I've been ill with food poisoning since early hours Sunday morning, extremely dodgy kebab on Saturday night!!  I hardly eat kebabs, second one in two years, typical.

I had the doctor come out to me Sunday night as I realised I had a temperature and I was worried about looking after Jessica overnight on Sunday.  He said yes food poisoning, had a temp of 39.1 and felt really really rough.   I spent most of the day either laying down or in the loo 

Jessica, bless her, looked after me and herself.   She made her own breakfast of crumpets and she made herself peanut butter sandwiches for lunch and tea   At 6 pm my mum said she would come down (she is 1 1/2 hours away) and stay overnight.  Fab.

She slept in my bed with Jessica dealing with an alarming pump over night and she hasn't had to deal with the pump for two years now but she did great.

She then did all my ironing and washing and got my script from the chemist etc  She went home at about 6 pm.   Then things got worse.   This is the email I put on the email group yesterday :

Well my mum had to go home last night and I'm still quite ill.  Jessica was 18.0 at about 8 pm and the pump gave a 0.3 correction and off to bed.    At 10 I thought I would have to go to bed and decided to test Jessica then, hoping she would be high enough at that time for me to sleep all night.    She was 4.1 !!   I gave her coke and tested after 20 minutes.   She was 2.5 !   I gave her more coke and took her pump off.  I knew I was too weak myself to deal with anything major.    I made her wake up and sit up in my bed with me.    I then tested her after 10 minutes and she was 1.9, you can imagine what I was thinking.   She was awake and taking but it was all rubbish and it was slurred.   I tested again 1.8 blimey.   I couldn't give anymore coke as her pancreas would have been having a field day so I just kept popping in the glucotabs as they are slower working for her.    By 11.30 she was 4.4 , I made her stay awake until about 11.45 when she was 5.4.   I put her pump back on but with a 0% for 1 1/2 hours !!

I made her sleep in with me, not the best thing when I have a temp of 38.5 but needs must.    At about 3 am (I can't really remember), her pump alarm woke me up and blow me she was 3.3.    So I gave her coke and tested after 15 minutes and she was 3.0 .   So again I woke her up and gave her another can of coke (4th one that night) and after 10 minutes she was 3.8.    I waited until she was 5.0 and put her pump back on a 0% temp for another 1 1/2 hours and she woke at 10.0 mmol.   I was expecting her to be higher.

I have no idea what was going on, there was nothing she did unusual during the day, infact it was very sedate.   She had the day at home with my mum making jewellery as there were no carers at school as we were supposed to be in hospital so they had gone on a school day trip.  Sods law really.

Anyway the two carers, who are my great friends as well, have taken over today, and have taken her to school, then swimming lessons after school, then will take her to MacDonalds for tea.   Both their kids also do swimming lessons with us and we do a weekly MacDonalds.

I'm knackered now, this is the one and only email I have written today and no doubt will be.  I haven't eaten since Saturday night and still am visiting the littlest room in the house despite being given lovely tablets from the doctor, which clearly aren't doing their stuff.

Oh well, at least it is helping with my Weight Watchers !!


I thought I was a bit better yesterday and I ate toast but I wasn't and today feel rubbish again.   I did however go and weigh in at ww and have lost one stone in three weeks, bit extreme but its the food poisoning for some of it, just need to keep it off.

Sorry so long and I haven't managed to read all the other messages properly.   Becca, Bev and Mand I hope you get the levels sorted and Lou I hope your blue 522 comes.   The blue is a nice colour.

x


----------



## lisad1

Sugarbum said:


> Hello everyone!
> 
> Patricia, great to have you back safe and sound! I dont evny your tiredness- and I hope the case comes back soon.....what a nightmare, but I am glad their have been no dramas while you were away with E and his numbers. I LOVED the link by the way- this is very exciting. I was wondering about putting it to the main board becuase I think this would capture a lot of peoples interest who dont necessarilly visit us so I might thieve it to a new a thread  This is EXACTLY the kind of thing I see your kids using in the future, how exciting.
> 
> Bev and Mand, sorry to hear the numbers are not great what a nightmare. I am racking my brains but I cannot think what a simple answer might be. I hope its not back to the drawing board? Good luck anyway girls.
> 
> I woke with a BM of 9.7mmols. I cant set my basal the same as this pump doesnt have the same increments so I shall have to also to some tweaking. I am sensitive to the half unit as well so its a bit fiddly.
> 
> Tracey, if you ever have time to completely burn and the technology I would love to see a picture of your pump! The website one is not the greatest and my level of curiosity is high!
> 
> Havent seen Adrienne for a bit, if you are reading fluffy I hope you and Jess are well.
> 
> Off to work later so back to my chores.....pah!
> 
> Lou xx








Hello,

I was given a pump on monday it's going o.k so far!!!  Thought I would join to get other people's views on th epump.


----------



## Freddie99

Hello all,

My DSN just called and she's going to put me in the pump clinic so I can discuss pumping. I get my appointment there on the second of December. If I want to go on one I would start in January. Fingers crossed. I'm glad that they got back to me so promptly. I only called yesterday to ask about that. Now that is service.

Tom


----------



## Northerner

lisad1 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I was given a pump on monday it's going o.k so far!!!  Thought I would join to get other people's views on th epump.



Hi Lisa, what kind of pump do you have?



Tom Hreben said:


> Hello all,
> 
> My DSN just called and she's going to put me in the pump clinic so I can discuss pumping. I get my appointment there on the second of December. If I want to go on one I would start in January. Fingers crossed. I'm glad that they got back to me so promptly. I only called yesterday to ask about that. Now that is service.
> 
> Tom



Good news Tom - getting the ball rolling! Did you see the link that Sugarbum and Patricia posted about the new pump that's coming out? Wow!


----------



## Steff

Tom Hreben said:


> Hello all,
> 
> My DSN just called and she's going to put me in the pump clinic so I can discuss pumping. I get my appointment there on the second of December. If I want to go on one I would start in January. Fingers crossed. I'm glad that they got back to me so promptly. I only called yesterday to ask about that. Now that is service.
> 
> Tom





great news ,fingers crossed


----------



## Freddie99

Northerner said:


> Good news Tom - getting the ball rolling! Did you see the link that Sugarbum and Patricia posted about the new pump that's coming out? Wow!



Yeah I've seen that, I'm wary of new things but if I were given the opportunity to have one after the faults had been ironed out I'd seriously consider it.


----------



## Mand

Welcome back, Patricia! Good to have you back. x

Poor Adrienne! How awlful for you! Gosh a very unpleasant experience and absolutley exhausting! Try to get as much rest as you can (so much easier said than done!). Take care. x 

Bev and Becca - I am so sorry that you are in the same boat as us at the moment, though i have to confess to it making me feel slightly less bad as it shows it can happen to anyone and it is not just me being hopeless!

Like you Becca, last night i just wanted to re-start everything. But then i just didnt know where to start! As you say, Bev, i need to change one thing at a time. Anyway, i have made a basal change in the day and changed the breakfast food/insulin ratio and awaiting his return from school to look at the numbers. 

At the moment it seems we are right back to square one. We are night testing, sometimes bringing him down, sometimes treating a low. 

Yes, let's swap notes! Hopefully we can prop each other up through this blip!

How are things with you both today?


----------



## Viki

Tom Hreben said:


> Yeah I've seen that, I'm wary of new things but if I were given the opportunity to have one after the faults had been ironed out I'd seriously consider it.



God Tom youre soo sensible! 

Great news on the pump clinic appointment x


----------



## Freddie99

Viki said:


> God Tom youre soo sensible!
> 
> Great news on the pump clinic appointment x



Yeah, I reckon if I do get a pump I'll ask for a Veo seeing as the teething problems are being sorted out. The new ones I gather are going to be issued around the time I'd be going onto one.


----------



## bev

Tom, brilliant news - i am so pleased for you!

Mand and Becca,
Changed set at lunchtime in school - he has come home on 6.9 and was 7 at his 2 hour check - so i am thinking it was a set change he needed- but that doesnt explain the odd highs over the weekend though.

Fingers crosssed for us all that we can get them all lower!
Becca, in an odd way it makes me feel better that someone who has so much experience is having a problem too - i dont mean to sound unkind - i mean that your an expert and these things can happen - so it makes us amateurs feel better! But of course i want R to feel better very soon.

Lou, sounds like your cracking on with bluey so well done!

Patricia - glad your back with us -- after a long sleep - do tell us how it all went!

Hello to everyone else and hope your all doing ok. Bev x


----------



## tracey w

Sugarbum said:


> Hello everyone!
> 
> Patricia, great to have you back safe and sound! I dont evny your tiredness- and I hope the case comes back soon.....what a nightmare, but I am glad their have been no dramas while you were away with E and his numbers. I LOVED the link by the way- this is very exciting. I was wondering about putting it to the main board becuase I think this would capture a lot of peoples interest who dont necessarilly visit us so I might thieve it to a new a thread  This is EXACTLY the kind of thing I see your kids using in the future, how exciting.
> 
> Bev and Mand, sorry to hear the numbers are not great what a nightmare. I am racking my brains but I cannot think what a simple answer might be. I hope its not back to the drawing board? Good luck anyway girls.
> 
> I woke with a BM of 9.7mmols. I cant set my basal the same as this pump doesnt have the same increments so I shall have to also to some tweaking. I am sensitive to the half unit as well so its a bit fiddly.
> 
> Tracey, if you ever have time to completely burn and the technology I would love to see a picture of your pump! The website one is not the greatest and my level of curiosity is high!
> 
> Havent seen Adrienne for a bit, if you are reading fluffy I hope you and Jess are well.
> 
> Off to work later so back to my chores.....pah!
> 
> Lou xx



Lou i will try, am not good at tech stuff could take a while


----------



## tracey w

Tom, congratulations! and welcome to Lisa,

Sorry everyone seems to be having troubles with pumps, sets and high numbers 

Adrienne hoe you are on the mend now, take care of yourself, x


----------



## Patricia

Just a quick one to send sympathy to Adrienne: crikey! And poor J too. I bet you have absolutely had enough....

I once had serious food poisoning and it took quite some time for the antibiotics and 'stopper uppers' to work. It was miserable. 5 days I think it was, from when I got the pills. I had gone another 5 before that... Ergh, you poor thing!

Will get to everything else tomorrow.

Welcome Lisa!

Don't know anything about the cool new pump...but as Tom says, I reckon this is at prototype level at the moment; otherwise we'd know more about it. ALSO it appears to be made by a company other than the front runners...so the system around its dispensing will take time to grab hold and be workable. Etc.

Sigh. Maybe I'll contact them?!

For now!

(Still standing...though a sneaky 40 minute nap *during* my daughter's violin lesson!)


----------



## bev

tracey w said:


> Tom, congratulations! and welcome to Lisa,
> 
> Sorry everyone seems to be having troubles with pumps, sets and high numbers
> 
> Adrienne hoe you are on the mend now, take care of yourself, x



Hi Tracey,
Sorry - i forgot to mention you in my post! It seems ages since you were on here - did you have a good holiday? How's pumping going?Bev


----------



## Northerner

Patricia said:


> ...I once had serious food poisoning and it took quite some time for the antibiotics and 'stopper uppers' to work. It was miserable. 5 days I think it was, from when I got the pills. I had gone another 5 before that... Ergh, you poor thing!
> ...



The last time I thought I had food poisoning it turned out to be DKA!

Adrienne, I do hope that you and Jessica are feeling better soon. I would be in such a panic if that was happening to my blood sugar levels.


----------



## Becca

hi Bev and Mand, i so know where you're coming from when you say that you feel better knowing it's not just you!!  It's bloody hard work at the mo isn't it?!  Hopefully the sensor will shed some light on it on Tuesday.....


----------



## bev

Becca, we have a sensor on and none the wiser - you can just see how it goes up - but not really why (well i cant tell anyway).

Just asked on the other forum - what do we do when the clocks go back at the end of the month? Do we just cut out 1 hours basal through the night?Bev


----------



## Becca

bev said:


> Just asked on the other forum - what do we do when the clocks go back at the end of the month? Do we just cut out 1 hours basal through the night?Bev



What we would do for Rose would be to NOT alter until the next day (i mean on Sunday) and do it when Rose is on her lowest basal need.  For her that would be between 10-12pm.  The loss of an hour shouldn't make that much difference in theory as it's the lowest basal and even if it does then you can check bloods etc... more as you are awake...


----------



## tracey w

Lou i have done some piccies of the pump, but cannot attach them, the computer says they are too big and exceed the limit, if anyone can tell me how to sort this i would appreciate it thanks.


----------



## Northerner

tracey w said:


> Lou i have done some piccies of the pump, but cannot attach them, the computer says they are too big and exceed the limit, if anyone can tell me how to sort this i would appreciate it thanks.



Sign up to a free account on http://photobucket.com/ Tracey. Upload your pictures there then use the link code to post it here. Simples! (as sharpwaa would say!)


----------



## tracey w

http://s1009.photobucket.com/albums/af215/birdy_04/?albumview=grid



heres hoping?


----------



## tracey w

Oh my God, i have no idea how i did that,

apologies for the scruffy clothes and fat belly, Lou hope you like it?


----------



## tracey w

Northerner said:


> Sign up to a free account on http://photobucket.com/ Tracey. Upload your pictures there then use the link code to post it here. Simples! (as sharpwaa would say!)



Thanks Northener, i wish id seen your post before i tried it, got there in the end though, he he


----------



## Northerner

tracey w said:


> Thanks Northener, i wish id seen your post before i tried it, got there in the end though, he he



Hi Tracey, I think you've posted a link to the album. If you want to post just a single picture, move your cursor over the picture and a list of optiions will appear. Copy the bottom one (IMG) and paste the code here. Have a play around.


----------



## tracey w

thanks Northener, scary picture  now you can see all the crap on my coffe table too


----------



## Adrienne

You use silhouettes.    We have just gone back to silhouettes.    We tried quick sets on Jessica's tummy and she really wanted to stay with them but they just hurt her so much going in and then for about an hour after and she could feel the insulin going in, even the prime for some reason.

Eventually I persuaded her to go back to sils but she won't have them in her tummy as she can see the needle on the inserter (you can't on quick sets).   She cried as she thought she was going backwards and not progressing.   She thought quick sets were a step up from sils.   Bless her.   I can now show her your photo and tell her you are an adult and you choose sils.

Brilliant, thanks for putting the photo up.


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> You use silhouettes.    We have just gone back to silhouettes.    We tried quick sets on Jessica's tummy and she really wanted to stay with them but they just hurt her so much going in and then for about an hour after and she could feel the insulin going in, even the prime for some reason.
> 
> Eventually I persuaded her to go back to sils but she won't have them in her tummy as she can see the needle on the inserter (you can't on quick sets).   She cried as she thought she was going backwards and not progressing.   She thought quick sets were a step up from sils.   Bless her.   I can now show her your photo and tell her you are an adult and you choose sils.
> 
> Brilliant, thanks for putting the photo up.



Ah thanks Adrienne, im sure they are the same but they are called tenderlink, and the ones where you cant see the inserter are called flex link (at rosche), i tried those first and it really hurt going in. and for a while after, Although the tenderlink look more "agressive" they hardly hurt at all as they go in at 30/45 degrees.  Its not about progressing its about whats comfortable and you are happy with, i hope it makes her feel better about them.

Hope you are ok too?


----------



## Adrienne

Oh ok, then the tenderlink are exactly the same as the silhouettes, how bizarre.

I'm much better thanks, ate some rice tonight, just feeling weak.   I hate being ill with a passion, I'm never ill, I can't afford to be.    Still I think I'll be 100% in a couple of days.  Thanks.


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Oh ok, then the tenderlink are exactly the same as the silhouettes, how bizarre.
> 
> I'm much better thanks, ate some rice tonight, just feeling weak.   I hate being ill with a passion, I'm never ill, I can't afford to be.    Still I think I'll be 100% in a couple of days.  Thanks.



glad you are feeling a little better, i hate being ill too


----------



## Sugarbum

TRACEY!!! Fabulous!!!

WOW! That pump looks great. Its funny how our pumps are so different arent they? I think yours may be a little bigger but its hard to tell. I can see how the reservoir is much bigger like you described, its so interesting- thank you! That looks like a short line, I know size isnt everything but mine are 23 inches, what size are yours? 

I am very impressed with that Tracey, thanks for sharing!

Oh Adrienne, my heart goes out to you. How awful. Goodness only knows what was happening in that hypo?? Must have been very scary, especially when you were so poorly to deal with it. I really, really hope you get better soon and woman, I never had you down as kebab eater 

All the ladies, Im sorry to hear the dispair of bad numbers. What a nightmare. I hope it gets better.

I am really excited to hear Toms news, well done! I feel very responsible for making people worry and I dont want you to worry about the Veo (when it is back out again in the new year), an excellent pump. I dont (personally) feel they dealt with this situation very well, but we are all human. What you are making is a choice of quality for how you choose to manage your diabetes and I think what they offer in the evolution of insulin pumps is really very good. But there is SO much out there. You seem to be developing a rep for well balanced decisions  and Im sure you are doing your research already! I very, very nearly went with the animas, and I didnt know about the accucheck spirit that Tracey pumps with until she got it and I think that one is very exciting too. There is a lot out there and a lot to think about. Good luck with it and anything I can offer to help please ask.

I have to just say as well what a sweety steff is. I know you check this thread hun and she sent me a message to see if I was ok after my pump probblem this week! 

Well, I am happy pumping with the 522 at the moment. I am not sure about the basal rates and also my ratios as I entered them into bolus wizzard had to be changed as they had to be round numbers. Adrienne, the blue is nice! You are right! Its holding up well. Went into lunch at about 15.9mmols and I havent a clue why....but it soon corrected.

I even pulled my pump out at work today to show the bloke I was working with. He was amazed (well I dont know what he thought I was about to pull out my bra?!) but this isnt a one off- I havent met ONE person in my new workplace who has even HEARD of insulin pumps....I cant quite believe it? 

PATRICIA- anyone who can sleep through a violin lesson must be tired?!!! hehe...

xXx


----------



## tracey w

Sugarbum said:


> TRACEY!!! Fabulous!!!
> 
> WOW! That pump looks great. Its funny how our pumps are so different arent they? I think yours may be a little bigger but its hard to tell. I can see how the reservoir is much bigger like you described, its so interesting- thank you! That looks like a short line, I know size isnt everything but mine are 23 inches, what size are yours?
> 
> I am very impressed with that Tracey, thanks for sharing!
> 
> Oh Adrienne, my heart goes out to you. How awful. Goodness only knows what was happening in that hypo?? Must have been very scary, especially when you were so poorly to deal with it. I really, really hope you get better soon and woman, I never had you down as kebab eater
> 
> All the ladies, Im sorry to hear the dispair of bad numbers. What a nightmare. I hope it gets better.
> 
> I am really excited to hear Toms news, well done! I feel very responsible for making people worry and I dont want you to worry about the Veo (when it is back out again in the new year), an excellent pump. I dont (personally) feel they dealt with this situation very well, but we are all human. What you are making is a choice of quality for how you choose to manage your diabetes and I think what they offer in the evolution of insulin pumps is really very good. But there is SO much out there. You seem to be developing a rep for well balanced decisions  and Im sure you are doing your research already! I very, very nearly went with the animas, and I didnt know about the accucheck spirit that Tracey pumps with until she got it and I think that one is very exciting too. There is a lot out there and a lot to think about. Good luck with it and anything I can offer to help please ask.
> 
> I have to just say as well what a sweety steff is. I know you check this thread hun and she sent me a message to see if I was ok after my pump probblem this week!
> 
> Well, I am happy pumping with the 522 at the moment. I am not sure about the basal rates and also my ratios as I entered them into bolus wizzard had to be changed as they had to be round numbers. Adrienne, the blue is nice! You are right! Its holding up well. Went into lunch at about 15.9mmols and I havent a clue why....but it soon corrected.
> 
> I even pulled my pump out at work today to show the bloke I was working with. He was amazed (well I dont know what he thought I was about to pull out my bra?!) but this isnt a one off- I havent met ONE person in my new workplace who has even HEARD of insulin pumps....I cant quite believe it?
> 
> PATRICIA- anyone who can sleep through a violin lesson must be tired?!!! hehe...
> 
> xXx



Lou! Im so pleased you ike the pictures, what i went through, was a learning curve but i have learnt a new skill tonight so thanks for that. 

The set i have on is 30mm, yes quite short but you get used to it, i also have 60mm as well, they have 80mm and i think 110mm too!! yes i think it looks big in the picture (hey the pump!),

 but i did see the combo, medtronic and animas all together and to be honest all about the same size. when you get your new pump in the new year will you be able to keep the blue one as a back up? this would be good hey? 

No one i speak to knows about insulin pumps either, i have resisted these days to getting it out to show unless asked, i was doing it all the time at first and got some very funny looks


----------



## bev

Adrienne,

What a little star J is! Sorting out all her food and looking after herself - you have taught her well! I bet you will never look at another kebab again!

After i had food poisoning a few years ago - i had terrible stomach problems for a few weeks afterwards - constipation etc etc etc..so just be very gentle with yourself and i wouldnt eat anything that is too spicy or rich. Baby rusks and milk....mmm..... xxx

Lou - yes your right Steph is lovely isnt she? Very thoughtful and caring! 

Had a minor breakthrough with dualwaves tonight!

I was feeling very lazy and decided to take us out to eat - so chose lasagne and chips for A. Never had a lasagne out before - so guessed at 30cho and 50cho for chips. Did a 50/50 over 4 hours - he was 6 to start then 7 then 8.8 then 10 then back down to 8.8 after 5 hours. I know its still a spike but its tons better than what used to happen on MDI. Also now we always bolus 10 minutes before and this is helping loads.Bev


----------



## tracey w

bev said:


> Adrienne,
> 
> What a little star J is! Sorting out all her food and looking after herself - you have taught her well! I bet you will never look at another kebab again!
> 
> After i had food poisoning a few years ago - i had terrible stomach problems for a few weeks afterwards - constipation etc etc etc..so just be very gentle with yourself and i wouldnt eat anything that is too spicy or rich. Baby rusks and milk....mmm..... xxx
> 
> Lou - yes your right Steph is lovely isnt she? Very thoughtful and caring!
> 
> Had a minor breakthrough with dualwaves tonight!
> 
> I was feeling very lazy and decided to take us out to eat - so chose lasagne and chips for A. Never had a lasagne out before - so guessed at 30cho and 50cho for chips. Did a 50/50 over 4 hours - he was 6 to start then 7 then 8.8 then 10 then back down to 8.8 after 5 hours. I know its still a spike but its tons better than what used to happen on MDI. Also now we always bolus 10 minutes before and this is helping loads.Bev



So glad you had better numbers Bev, hope A is ok after the events earlier. I think all these children are wonderful and an inspiration to us adults, they are so resilient arnt they. Bet A enjoyed his tea out, sounds good.


----------



## Sugarbum

And the award goes too.....(drum roll.....)

Was that a breakthough in dual waving reported by BEV? Well done Bev!!! Im glad to hear it! We need to bookmark this page for future reference!

x Lou X


----------



## bev

Thanks Tracey!

I must say - your set looks a lot flatter than the quicksets A uses. Also the tubing is really short. I suppose for you its a good idea as your probably more careful than an 11 year old boy! I think A would have that pulled out in no time. You dont have many marks on your tummy so thats good.

It is a relief that the levels have settled a bit. I was up 4 or 5 times in the night last night as the alarm kept going off for one reason or another. I eventually put him into my bed as i was sick of waking - not good for an 11 ear old boy! But it went off twice saying he was 16 and when i checked he was 12 - so had to calibrate etc.. I am hoping for a good nights sleep tonight.Just waiting up for the 12midnight test and then sleeeeep!!!!Bev x


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Thanks Tracey!
> 
> I must say - your set looks a lot flatter than the quicksets A uses. Also the tubing is really short. I suppose for you its a good idea as your probably more careful than an 11 year old boy! I think A would have that pulled out in no time. You dont have many marks on your tummy so thats good.
> 
> It is a relief that the levels have settled a bit. I was up 4 or 5 times in the night last night as the alarm kept going off for one reason or another. I eventually put him into my bed as i was sick of waking - not good for an 11 ear old boy! But it went off twice saying he was 16 and when i checked he was 12 - so had to calibrate etc.. I am hoping for a good nights sleep tonight.Just waiting up for the 12midnight test and then sleeeeep!!!!Bev x



They are a lot flatter Bev.   For a girl wearing tight clothes I think that is important as depending on where you put the site you can see the quick sets through but not the silhouettes.   You will be able to see at Hoburne.

Did you have a good day on Sunday?


----------



## Freddie99

Sugarbum said:


> I am really excited to hear Toms news, well done! I feel very responsible for making people worry and I dont want you to worry about the Veo (when it is back out again in the new year), an excellent pump. I dont (personally) feel they dealt with this situation very well, but we are all human. What you are making is a choice of quality for how you choose to manage your diabetes and I think what they offer in the evolution of insulin pumps is really very good. But there is SO much out there. You seem to be developing a rep for well balanced decisions  and Im sure you are doing your research already! I very, very nearly went with the animas, and I didnt know about the accucheck spirit that Tracey pumps with until she got it and I think that one is very exciting too. There is a lot out there and a lot to think about. Good luck with it and anything I can offer to help please ask.



Thanks Louisa, I've been doing a little reading. The Veo is the first one that I've found that I can use a CGM with. I might not like CGM's but it'd be agood thing to have the option to use it. To me Minimed seem the most established and experienced pump manufacturers. For the most part I've heard good things about their customer service. I've had a look at the Accu Chek Spirit as it's waterproof but it just doesn't seem to be able to give as much fine control as the Veo does. As for the Animas, I haven't really looked at that. I don't know much about that one at all. I like the idea of the bolus calculator that the Veo has. That'd make my life much easier.

As for me being a rep for well balanced decisions, well, I have my moments when I don't weigh things up as much as I should. I just stick with whatever I can do and ride out the storm should there be one.

Tom


----------



## tracey w

bev said:


> Thanks Tracey!
> 
> I must say - your set looks a lot flatter than the quicksets A uses. Also the tubing is really short. I suppose for you its a good idea as your probably more careful than an 11 year old boy! I think A would have that pulled out in no time. You dont have many marks on your tummy so thats good.
> 
> It is a relief that the levels have settled a bit. I was up 4 or 5 times in the night last night as the alarm kept going off for one reason or another. I eventually put him into my bed as i was sick of waking - not good for an 11 ear old boy! But it went off twice saying he was 16 and when i checked he was 12 - so had to calibrate etc.. I am hoping for a good nights sleep tonight.Just waiting up for the 12midnight test and then sleeeeep!!!!Bev x



heres hoping for a peaceful night for you and all the mums! yes the tubing is short but as mentioned to Lou there are different lenghts too. If A is suffering from bruising etc,(dont know if he is), he may be better with this type, Adrienne calls them sils, mine are the same but called tenderlink, they are especially good if the other type hurt, good for slim or athletic types as they go in at 45 degrees and not 90 degrees.  (not saying im slim or athletic but they dont hurt too much and i dont bruise either).


----------



## Viki

Tom Hreben said:


> Thanks Louisa, I've been doing a little reading. The Veo is the first one that I've found that I can use a CGM with. I might not like CGM's but it'd be agood thing to have the option to use it. To me Minimed seem the most established and experienced pump manufacturers. For the most part I've heard good things about their customer service. I've had a look at the Accu Chek Spirit as it's waterproof but it just doesn't seem to be able to give as much fine control as the Veo does. As for the Animas, I haven't really looked at that. I don't know much about that one at all. I like the idea of the bolus calculator that the Veo has. That'd make my life much easier.
> 
> As for me being a rep for well balanced decisions, well, I have my moments when I don't weigh things up as much as I should. I just stick with whatever I can do and ride out the storm should there be one.
> 
> Tom



Hopefully you'll have the advantage of seeing a few different ones before you have to decide when we all meet up!


----------



## Freddie99

Viki said:


> Hopefully you'll have the advantage of seeing a few different ones before you have to decide when we all meet up!



Hopefully. I should be seeing a few pumps at this pump clinic I'll be attending in December.

Tom


----------



## bev

Yes we had a great time thanks! Just didnt get round to talking to everyone as all the children went off in different directions and age groups etc.. But lovely chatting to Jackie and Sandra etc.. We are thinking of having a christmas meet up aswell. Do you meet with any off the list in your area? I think there are quite a few in the south west. Are you anywhere near Brighton uni? My Hannah wants me to take her there for a visit as she has to choose soon - but cant remember exactly where you are? pm me if you prefer.Bev x


----------



## tracey w

Tom Hreben said:


> Thanks Louisa, I've been doing a little reading. The Veo is the first one that I've found that I can use a CGM with. I might not like CGM's but it'd be agood thing to have the option to use it. To me Minimed seem the most established and experienced pump manufacturers. For the most part I've heard good things about their customer service. I've had a look at the Accu Chek Spirit as it's waterproof but it just doesn't seem to be able to give as much fine control as the Veo does. As for the Animas, I haven't really looked at that. I don't know much about that one at all. I like the idea of the bolus calculator that the Veo has. That'd make my life much easier.
> 
> As for me being a rep for well balanced decisions, well, I have my moments when I don't weigh things up as much as I should. I just stick with whatever I can do and ride out the storm should there be one.
> 
> Tom



Hi Tom, Make sure you get the right pump for you, not sure i agree with not getting the fine control, have you looked at the spirit combo, not the spirit, this is the older version.? 

It is not waterproof though so that may be important for you. I personally dedided on the combo as, my pct would not supply sensors, so that was the only reason i wanted the veo, so that was out., 

As the combo gives very small increments of insulin, has a bolus calculator where you can pre program for health events, such as stress, excercise etc. has 5 basal rate settings, i think the others dont have as many, but i stand to be corrected, has a large reservoir, which is good for adults. And you can change your basal rate in hourly blocks and i believe some pumps are only two hourly/four hourly, has a wireless handset that is also your meter, no other provides this as yet on nhs. Im not by any means saying you should get this one, just research them all thoroughly first. I think the spirit previously had bad press but the new combo is brilliant, in my opinion.


----------



## katie

Viki said:


> Hopefully you'll have the advantage of seeing a few different ones before you have to decide when we all meet up!



it's going to be funny when everyone is comparing pumps and insulin pens


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Yes we had a great time thanks! Just didnt get round to talking to everyone as all the children went off in different directions and age groups etc.. But lovely chatting to Jackie and Sandra etc.. We are thinking of having a christmas meet up aswell. Do you meet with any off the list in your area? I think there are quite a few in the south west. Are you anywhere near Brighton uni? My Hannah wants me to take her there for a visit as she has to choose soon - but cant remember exactly where you are? pm me if you prefer.Bev x



Oo how lovely Brighton, I don't blame her.    Yes I'm about 55 minutes from Brighton so could meet you if you have a spare few minutes.


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

hmmm, me and dad had a bit on an msn argument last night over whether i would manage to get funding for a pump or not. I didn't have the heart to tell him that my control is utterly awful and i cant get any form of normality right now. He thinks i'm the perfect diabetic. Nevermind.

Anyway, After last weeks fiasco of waking to the highs, i'm now waking to lows. Hmmm. It seems as though no matter what I can't get my evening lantus right. Which I'm guessing after a bit of work and working out, the ole pump would be able to do without much issue? I'd love to see some decent levels at some stage today. That would be lovely.


----------



## Patricia

Hi again all

A night's sleep later and I'm a little more human, though I still have no real idea what time it is...never mind. It'll improve. I'm just a bit...spacey.

Things sound like they are settling here a tiny bit. Lordy. 

Our end E is suddenly riding low last few days. Really it looks like he's been on and off low for days, and basals have been reduced daily and STILL there are problems. So last night while I slept on, OH was up three times dealing with tracking his levels. One 4mmols, one 3.6mmols despite treatment, etc.

What's weird is that he seems to be having trouble 'coming up' from some of these lows. 

Today he sprung rugby for an hour followed by cross country for an hour on us. Cripes. We sent him to school on 60% and lots of snacks. After rugby he could not get higher than 5mmols, and was slightly panicky. He was under instruction not to run if he couldn't get higher.

So: he couldn't get higher. He hasn't run. Plus his phone ran out of credit so we had to sort that too for him. 

We are going to go to 75% across the board and see what happens. Just can't figure out why his TDD would suddenly go down a bit? Doesn't make sense? Maybe he's not growing as much all the sudden? Any thoughts? Does it matter? 

I so WISH he didn't have to do all this. All this faffing and planning and having to take account of SO much his classmates have no idea about... And we have no contact at the school yet, so are feeling a bit out on a limb. After his initial call, we didn't hear from him, so were worried. But had no one named to speak to. 

This will all be tackled. It's lagging because of my trip. 

I hate to think of him just dealing *alone* at school, just lasting through it all, time and again. Yet would he want someone with him? Possibly not.

Argh!

***


Okay bye. Like the pic Tracey!

xxoo


----------



## tracey w

salmonpuff said:


> hmmm, me and dad had a bit on an msn argument last night over whether i would manage to get funding for a pump or not. I didn't have the heart to tell him that my control is utterly awful and i cant get any form of normality right now. He thinks i'm the perfect diabetic. Nevermind.
> 
> Anyway, After last weeks fiasco of waking to the highs, i'm now waking to lows. Hmmm. It seems as though no matter what I can't get my evening lantus right. Which I'm guessing after a bit of work and working out, the ole pump would be able to do without much issue? I'd love to see some decent levels at some stage today. That would be lovely.



Sam i know you have been having a rough time lately, i know how awful it can be swinging from hi to low time and time again, just exhausting and emotionally draining. Yes pumping is great, but as im sure you can see from this thread its not always easy.

Just wondering how often you have been changing your lantus dose hun? I understand that the effects dont kick in for around 3 days unlike levemir which is quicker. Not telling what to do, just wondering how you have been coping with this and woul love to try and help even a little. 

Are you seeing your team re a pump?, i think you sound like a perfect candidate.


----------



## Freddie99

Hello all,

I must admit now that I've got an appointment with the pump clinic in Eastbourne I'm now getting more and more desperate to get there and talk it over. Things have now settled down as I've recovered from the lurgi. I know my skills for MDI are good but I still don't think that MDI will give me enough flexibility. Take for example how I get to and from campus. Some days I walk others I get the bus. On MDI I should, strictly speaking reduce my pre meal bolus if I decide to walk. I'm getting more and more spontaneous and I don't want to think that far ahead if I'm honest. I'd like to be able to adapt to the situation as and when it arises. MDI isn't exactly flexible for that. I think I've pretty much made up my mind now. I do want to pump. My life isn't as routine as it was a month ago and I suspect that it'll get less and less regular as I start my work placements next semester. I know that I will forget meals, say for a lab practical or something but on MDI I'd just get caught out by the basal which I can't change. When I give my levemir I can't predict if I'm going to miss a meal if I've woken up late or just simply haven't got the time for it.

I'm now pretty much counting down the days until I get to this pump clinic, that's on the second of December. If I do start on one that would be in January of next year.

Fingers crossed I don't change my mind!
Tom


----------



## tracey w

Tom Hreben said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I must admit now that I've got an appointment with the pump clinic in Eastbourne I'm now getting more and more desperate to get there and talk it over. Things have now settled down as I've recovered from the lurgi. I know my skills for MDI are good but I still don't think that MDI will give me enough flexibility. Take for example how I get to and from campus. Some days I walk others I get the bus. On MDI I should, strictly speaking reduce my pre meal bolus if I decide to walk. I'm getting more and more spontaneous and I don't want to think that far ahead if I'm honest. I'd like to be able to adapt to the situation as and when it arises. MDI isn't exactly flexible for that. I think I've pretty much made up my mind now. I do want to pump. My life isn't as routine as it was a month ago and I suspect that it'll get less and less regular as I start my work placements next semester. I know that I will forget meals, say for a lab practical or something but on MDI I'd just get caught out by the basal which I can't change. When I give my levemir I can't predict if I'm going to miss a meal if I've woken up late or just simply haven't got the time for it.
> 
> I'm now pretty much counting down the days until I get to this pump clinic, that's on the second of December. If I do start on one that would be in January of next year.
> 
> Fingers crossed I don't change my mind!
> Tom



Tom it sounds like your pretty sure to me, it sounds a while off but xmas will be here before you know it!


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

tracey w said:


> Sam i know you have been having a rough time lately, i know how awful it can be swinging from hi to low time and time again, just exhausting and emotionally draining. Yes pumping is great, but as im sure you can see from this thread its not always easy.
> 
> Just wondering how often you have been changing your lantus dose hun? I understand that the effects dont kick in for around 3 days unlike levemir which is quicker. Not telling what to do, just wondering how you have been coping with this and woul love to try and help even a little.
> 
> Are you seeing your team re a pump?, i think you sound like a perfect candidate.



lantus dose was changed to 16 about erm...a month or 2 ago. Was brill for a a few days then boom, waking up to highs. Changed back to 18 a couple of days ago and straight away waking to lows. GAH!!! I;m gunna ask nursey on thursday for a 1 increment pen to try 16 units. Because serious, this is just silly. 18 used to be perfect as well, i was on that for aggggggggggges before last nursey changed me to 16 but after uni the waking to lows started. If you have any ideas at all over this, i'd be soooooooooo grateful.

Yeah, i can see it aint gunna be an easy ride especially to start with. It just seems as though the pros definitely outweigh the cons and i really think that it would suit me.

I'm gunna be asking nursey on thursday how to start on it. I've not properly been referred to the team at the hospital yet, but when i see my doctor next (after hba1c i'm gunna say its 'a matter of urgency'). Problem being that come february, we may be moving again so i'm wondering how that would affect it. I don't want to start going through getting a pump from this team only to have to go back to the strat with a new team.


----------



## tracey w

salmonpuff said:


> lantus dose was changed to 16 about erm...a month or 2 ago. Was brill for a a few days then boom, waking up to highs. Changed back to 18 a couple of days ago and straight away waking to lows. GAH!!! I;m gunna ask nursey on thursday for a 1 increment pen to try 16 units. Because serious, this is just silly. 18 used to be perfect as well, i was on that for aggggggggggges before last nursey changed me to 16 but after uni the waking to lows started. If you have any ideas at all over this, i'd be soooooooooo grateful.
> 
> Yeah, i can see it aint gunna be an easy ride especially to start with. It just seems as though the pros definitely outweigh the cons and i really think that it would suit me.
> 
> I'm gunna be asking nursey on thursday how to start on it. I've not properly been referred to the team at the hospital yet, but when i see my doctor next (after hba1c i'm gunna say its 'a matter of urgency'). Problem being that come february, we may be moving again so i'm wondering how that would affect it. I don't want to start going through getting a pump from this team only to have to go back to the strat with a new team.



Well I would say you definately need a 1 increment pen, the solostar is a disposble lantus pen  and has the 1 increments. You also need to do the overnight testing im afraid! Its the only way to see what your numbers are doing overnight. If you have a overnight hypo or wake up to one then you must decrease immediately the next night. But any increase/decrease must be followed with testing, sorry its the only way. I found 1 unit made a huge difference to me. Dafne advise increasing/decreasing by around 10%


If you have a pattern of highs, (2 times), then increase but test overnight. These are the dafne principles im quoting to you and i hope they can give you some food for thought. As always, discuss with your team first, this is just what i would do on basal/bolus.

I still think you should go for the pump regardless of moving, im sure you can be reffered on if you move again, xx


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

tracey w said:


> Well I would say you definately need a 1 increment pen, the solostar is a disposble lantus pen  and has the 1 increments. You also need to do the overnight testing im afraid! Its the only way to see what your numbers are doing overnight. If you have a overnight hypo or wake up to one then you must decrease immediately the next night. But any increase/decrease must be followed with testing, sorry its the only way. I found 1 unit made a huge difference to me. Dafne advise increasing/decreasing by around 10%
> 
> 
> If you have a pattern of highs, (2 times), then increase but test overnight. These are the dafne principles im quoting to you and i hope they can give you some food for thought. As always, discuss with your team first, this is just what i would do on basal/bolus.
> 
> I still think you should go for the pump regardless of moving, im sure you can be reffered on if you move again, xx



noooooooooo, not overnight testing  i could never do it  i like sleep too much and couldn't wake myself up 3am wise 

well, not right now anyway. Too much of a bad mood to even consider waking myself up to test 

thanks for the advice, i'll have a word with nursey!


----------



## tracey w

salmonpuff said:


> noooooooooo, not overnight testing  i could never do it  i like sleep too much and couldn't wake myself up 3am wise
> 
> well, not right now anyway. Too much of a bad mood to even consider waking myself up to test
> 
> thanks for the advice, i'll have a word with nursey!



no problem, but remember you will need to do this on a pump every so often, last night i tested at 1am, 3am, and 5am, consequently have altered my basal from the results. Hope you get sorted soon hun, xxx


----------



## lesley1978

tracey w said:


> thanks Northener, scary picture  now you can see all the crap on my coffe table too



Hiya Trace,

Hope you had a good holiday!  

Love the picture but I am getting rather nervous!  I pick mine up on Tuesday for my week getting used to it and then go live on the 27th Oct.  I know all the pumps were about the same size but seeing it it looks quite big!  I think it is all physcological (spelling).  How are you getting on with it?  Have you got a pibelt yet?  I got 2 if you are interested in trying one I can meet up with you in Warrington and let you have one!  I am excited but really cacking myself if you know what I mean!  Where do you hide yours?

Lesley x


----------



## tracey w

Hi Lesley,

That shocked me seeing me belly, didnt expect it, he he 

Dont be nervous, i know it looks big in the piccie, but you have seen the pumps they are not that big?!

I replied a few pages back about your bikini question. that should answer a few things, but you really will find your own way. I dont try to hide it as such, i just like it where it is comfortable, if you cant see it great, if you can, well im not too bothered with that either. 

Oh thats sweet about the spibelt hun, thank you, no i havent got one. I did look at the site though and to me it would be wearing something extra, im fine with the clip. But i may have another look at them, i think they may be good for excercise. Im more than happy to meet you sometime if you like, you can ask me anything, but remember im quite new to it to. Maybe we could learn things together? Not long now??


----------



## lesley1978

Hi trace,

i will backtrack and find your thread about the bikini.  I would love to learn together cause I am quite nervous and the main thing I am worried about is getting used to the different types of bolusing!  I know that I am more at risk just giving a slap bang injection for my dinner but for some reason I I thinkint that I will be more at risk with the pump!  stupid isn't it!  like I said I think it is all physcological!!!  how long have you been on your pump for now?  Can't believe that I actually get it on Tuesday!  We will defo have to meet up.  I will bring my spibelt along and you can see how you go on with it!  you have nothing to lose!  Where do you store your pump when you are in bed?  that is one of the main reasons I bought the belt!

Thankyou for being so friendly!  I really appreciate it!  There are too many people in this society that couldn't give a cr&p


----------



## Becca

Feeling really really blue.....I went for an interview and didn't get it (found out today) and with Rose's control and feeling crap (she got out of swimming today 2 lengths in and said she didn't feel right, so ended her lesson - not like her, she loves swimming...)  Just feel like i'm failing at everything....

Very self pitying i know.....sorry


----------



## tracey w

lesley1978 said:


> Hi trace,
> 
> i will backtrack and find your thread about the bikini.  I would love to learn together cause I am quite nervous and the main thing I am worried about is getting used to the different types of bolusing!  I know that I am more at risk just giving a slap bang injection for my dinner but for some reason I I thinkint that I will be more at risk with the pump!  stupid isn't it!  like I said I think it is all physcological!!!  how long have you been on your pump for now?  Can't believe that I actually get it on Tuesday!  We will defo have to meet up.  I will bring my spibelt along and you can see how you go on with it!  you have nothing to lose!  Where do you store your pump when you are in bed?  that is one of the main reasons I bought the belt!
> 
> Thankyou for being so friendly!  I really appreciate it!  There are too many people in this society that couldn't give a cr&p



I will be happy to share and help in any way i can, but dont want to give you specific advice on bolusing etc just yet, dont want to step on Angelas toes etc.

 But rest assured that side of things is easy peasy and they dont let you do the multiwave until you have mastered the basics, so dont worry. I feel really confident with the sums the pump makes, used to double check them at first and they are always right.

 You really are at less risk than injecting because you will have put in all your personal settings. such as correction factors, carb ratio etc for different times of the day, when you get used to that you can programme health events to such as premenstruation (how good is that? But ive not worked out mine yet.),  excercise, stress and illness. It also takes into account when you last bolused, if a correction was used, the meal rise and acting time, all pre programmed. You will see, dont be nervous. If you want to mention to Angela that we have made contact then im sure she will be fine with us meeting and discussing things. xxx

In bed I clip it to the middle of my pjs, as i sleep on my sides and i dont feel it at all!


----------



## lesley1978

Becca said:


> Feeling really really blue.....I went for an interview and didn't get it (found out today) and with Rose's control and feeling crap (she got out of swimming today 2 lengths in and said she didn't feel right, so ended her lesson - not like her, she loves swimming...)  Just feel like i'm failing at everything....
> 
> Very self pitying i know.....sorry



Don't be silly!  thing are thrust upon us to test us and you are very good at biting it on it's bum!  When you come through cr&p things like this it makes you stronger so just remember that!  you are fantastic at your life!  Just think about all the extra stuff you take on board than a "normal" mum!  Don't shoot yourself down!  I for one always say to my other half " I'm sooo soooo glad that K hadn't got this!" cause I know how hard it would be!!!  

You need to realise what you are doing!  Give yourself a pat on the back!  And that's to everyone who is a parent to a child with D's!

lesley x


----------



## tracey w

Becca said:


> Feeling really really blue.....I went for an interview and didn't get it (found out today) and with Rose's control and feeling crap (she got out of swimming today 2 lengths in and said she didn't feel right, so ended her lesson - not like her, she loves swimming...)  Just feel like i'm failing at everything....
> 
> Very self pitying i know.....sorry



Oh no Becca, its tough isnt it. I went for an interview about 5 weeks ago and they didnt even bother to let me know! I always think with things like that its because something better will come along!

sorry Rose not feeling great, you are not failing, you are a brilliant, dedicated, loving mum. Im sure the other mums will be along soon to offer advice for you, but thinking of you, take care xx


----------



## bev

Becca said:


> Feeling really really blue.....I went for an interview and didn't get it (found out today) and with Rose's control and feeling crap (she got out of swimming today 2 lengths in and said she didn't feel right, so ended her lesson - not like her, she loves swimming...)  Just feel like i'm failing at everything....
> 
> Very self pitying i know.....sorry



Hi Becca,

I am really sorry you didnt get the job - was it the one in school? I am sure you will find another one. What about your business venture idea? I too had a business venture - but things have slowed down and i think i have lost my confidence!

Perhaps Rose is coming down with a cold or something? I know what you mean when you say you feel your failing at everything - but your not! Your a great mum and you try very hard on Rose's behalf.


I do hope this phase passes and you start to feel positive very soon. Your lovely - dont underestimate how nice you are!Bev xxx


----------



## Sugarbum

Oh Becca ((((((hugs))))))) you sound so down and Im sorry to hear it. I really hope things pick up soon. Lots of love.

I am over tired so wont write too much, but I hope everyone is well. Lots of love to all, and extra to becca 

Lou xx


----------



## Mand

Oh Becca! I send you a HUGE hug! I am sorry you didn't get the job (their loss, eh?!) and I sympathise with you totally re the blood sugar problem. 

We did a set change yesterday before tea and i managed to get my son to put the set in further away from his lumps (that had developed during mdi and still there) than usual, just in case this is what is causing the highs. Well he went to bed on 4.4 was 4.6 at midnight (so gave him a jelly baby) and he is 10.1 this morning. So maybe an improvement but need to see how today goes. 

I spoke to his dsn this morning who said that if putting the set in further away from lump site does not work then to keep tweaking away with basal settings and/or ratios until getting better results. Will keep you all posted on progress!

Becca, if you ever want to pm me please feel free. I totally understand the postion you are in. I have bad days too and they are not nice. I think the key to coping is to keep busy (so a job would be a good idea) but not too busy so the workload of 'd' gets too much. Also plan small 'treats' here and there for yourself as mini pick-me-ups. It works for me anyway! I am always here for you if you need to chat. xx

Bev, please tell me more about the sensors. I am wondering if we would benefit from trying them? Hope A is ok (and you, of course! x)

Patricia and Lou - Hi and how's it going?

Hi to everyone else. Hope you all have nice plans for the weekend?


----------



## Mand

PS. Forgot to say that SPIEBELT arrived yesterday. Looks good. He had a play about with it. Do not know if he will use it but it here now for him anyway. I bought an adult size so he could use it for years!


----------



## Patricia

Becca, I'm sorry things are down right now. I do find that when anything is bringing me down, then the big D just makes it all a billion times worse. You need to give yourself a break if you can. Sometimes just a step away -- even in your mind -- can make all the difference.

Sorry about the job. A bummer.

And the time of year doesn't help. Here it's grey grey grey.

AND we are still fighting lows. Up four times last night, trying to stabilise things. Don't want to whack in changing everything in sight because THEN you don't know where you are, but we've had to shift two ratios and a basal to try to get on top of this. 

But I ask again: why the sudden change? Don't get it. 

How is everyone else?

Tom, I think you're right. You will really enjoy the pump's flexibility. And the time will pass quickly until then.

Salmonpuff: re night testing, can you ask your OH to help get you up and keep you company? Tracey's right in that on the pump sometimes you have to test at night.

Lesley: it'll be great! All your fears about the pump and its appearance will disappear, I'm pretty sure...

For now!


----------



## Patricia

Sorry Mand, our messages crossed! Good to hear from you. Well done on getting the set further away from lumps.

We are supposed to be going onto sensors, but our local team are being pretty darn slow about it all...we are getting fed up now really. We still want to trace through rice and pasta. Grrr...


----------



## tracey w

Morning, hope everyone ok today? Hope you feeling a little brighter Becca?

Would just like to ask if any of you put the cannulas in the bottom. My dsn told me i could , but my literature does not mention that area. I used to inject in my bottom, but does it affect the absorption and the bg figures?

Not sure how i would do this though? Not like doing an injection and wouldnt trust my oh to do it either, think he would pass out!!


----------



## bev

Hi all,

Patricia - so glad your back with us! You were missed! Its funny how the whole dynamics change when someone is away - both you and Tracey left a gap!

Sensors - i highly recommend them! I am no expert - but i have already got used to them and although i dont rely on them - they do give a good picture of whats happening in the background. Its great to track pasta and pizza etc and has already helped us to realise that it takes about 8 hours for some pasta to digest. More importantly, what we have found is that, approximately 1 hour after eating A has a spike. We wouldnt have been aware of this because at his 2 hour checks he has been a good level and mostly in range. But with this information we have experimented with timing his bolus for meals etc.

The only problem with them i have found is that sometimes it is not too accurate. You do have to calibrate 4 times a day and this normally brings the numbers closer, but they cant be relied on for accuracy for a hypo etc as they are about 10 minutes behind 'real time'. But they do give a good indication as to whether levels are shooting up or down and give you a warning. A doesn't mind having them on his bottom, but i dont know if he would like them full time as its another thing on his body. He does feel comforted knowing he can just look at his pump and react before hypo's etc at school. I think they are invaluable for tweaking things. We were given 10 and have used 2 - so already thinking about funding some ourselves - perhaps a couple a month.

Adrienne will be able to give you all a more in-depth report on sensors as she has been doing this for a while - but these are just my thoughts on them.Bev


----------



## bev

tracey w said:


> Morning, hope everyone ok today? Hope you feeling a little brighter Becca?
> 
> Would just like to ask if any of you put the cannulas in the bottom. My dsn told me i could , but my literature does not mention that area. I used to inject in my bottom, but does it affect the absorption and the bg figures?
> 
> Not sure how i would do this though? Not like doing an injection and wouldnt trust my oh to do it either, think he would pass out!!




Hi Tracey,
A used to have the cannula in his bottom - but changed to tummy because he had to take pump off for rugby and it was a little difficult re-attaching afterwards.

But, be aware that if you move to the bottom - the basal will probably change! A's did and we had to start all over again.Bev


----------



## tracey w

bev said:


> Hi Tracey,
> A used to have the cannula in his bottom - but changed to tummy because he had to take pump off for rugby and it was a little difficult re-attaching afterwards.
> 
> But, be aware that if you move to the bottom - the basal will probably change! A's did and we had to start all over again.Bev



Oh right, dont think i will bother then, still not sorted my basal yet. Was just thinking of a different area. thanks for the reply.


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

Patricia said:


> Salmonpuff: re night testing, can you ask your OH to help get you up and keep you company? Tracey's right in that on the pump sometimes you have to test at night.



he wouldn't do that  he finds it too difficult to get himself up in the mornings as it is. If it was a neccesity, like it would be with a pump, then I would certainly do it.


----------



## tracey w

salmonpuff said:


> he wouldn't do that  he finds it too difficult to get himself up in the mornings as it is. If it was a neccesity, like it would be with a pump, then I would certainly do it.



But the way i see it Sam, it is a necessity if your basal is not right at the moment, you are swinging from high to low in the mornings. Regardless of basal/bolus or pumping it needs sorrting. It is your health and well being at stake Sam. sorry if I sound harsh, but no one else can do this for you only yourself. Lecture over


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> But the way i see it Sam, it is a necessity if your basal is not right at the moment, you are swinging from high to low in the mornings. Regardless of basal/bolus or pumping it needs sorrting. It is your health and well being at stake Sam. sorry if I sound harsh, but no one else can do this for you only yourself. Lecture over



Ok I'm whispering this as I don't want to get shouted at but I agree with Tracie, it needs sorting.   You should have some sort of sliding scale so that you know what is going on overnight.  ie at 11 pm if you are between 8.0 and 10.0 you don't need to do anything, if under 8.0 you need snack bar etc etc.  Only way to do that is night testing for a week !  Lots of people do not wake up when hypo at night, you can't rely on that,  damn already said more than I was going too ........ shhhhhh don't tell anyone.


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

there is a reson i have been swinging from high to lows - that being the stinking cold i currently have. And the stress at work. I am getting my basal(? is that what lantus is?) sorted, its starting to sort itself out thank god, today was much better, no huge spike. The reasons for the daytime highs (well, morning ones) is i think breakfast. And not knowing how to carb count properly, that's half of the problem i think.  

And if these overnight tests or whatever are a necessity, i'd rather sit down with nursey on thursday and chat with her about it *shrug*. It's just the way i'd do it, have a chat with her first yaknow




please dont lecture me  its been a bad day as it is


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Ok I'm whispering this as I don't want to get shouted at but I agree with Tracie, it needs sorting.   You should have some sort of sliding scale so that you know what is going on overnight.  ie at 11 pm if you are between 8.0 and 10.0 you don't need to do anything, if under 8.0 you need snack bar etc etc.  Only way to do that is night testing for a week !  Lots of people do not wake up when hypo at night, you can't rely on that,  damn already said more than I was going too ........ shhhhhh don't tell anyone.



Thanks Adrienne, I didnt want to come accross as too harsh, but unfortunately as type ones, regardless of regime, overnight testing is necessary to remain well and get good control. thanks for your support, Sam we are only trying to help, you know what, once you have tested you will find its not so bad, especially if you get the results from it you need to feel better,


----------



## tracey w

salmonpuff said:


> there is a reson i have been swinging from high to lows - that being the stinking cold i currently have. And the stress at work. I am getting my basal(? is that what lantus is?) sorted, its starting to sort itself out thank god, today was much better, no huge spike. The reasons for the daytime highs (well, morning ones) is i think breakfast. And not knowing how to carb count properly, that's half of the problem i think.
> 
> And if these overnight tests or whatever are a necessity, i'd rather sit down with nursey on thursday and chat with her about it *shrug*. It's just the way i'd do it, have a chat with her first yaknow
> 
> 
> 
> Hi Sam, sorry our replies crossed, totally speak to your dsn, thats good, totally not trying to lecture you one bit, just trying to help,


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

tracey w said:


> Hi Sam, sorry our replies crossed, totally speak to your dsn, thats good, totally not trying to lecture you one bit, just trying to help,



thank you, the help is good and very much appreciated. I'm just wary of doing it i guess . Very wary with anything diabetes wise at the moment. Which is why on thursday im gunna have a long sit down and chat with the nurse about everything thats worrying me (this included). 

I must admit that since upping my lantus to 18 again, even though ive been waking up low my levels have been much better. I'd like to try 17 units, but again, wary of using the solarstars. I don't know. I go pretty low at work, but i think thats probably because of all the rushing around and stressing and not getting a break until 6 hours into the shift. 

I am trying very very hard to get this sorted out, promise. And all your help and advice is very very much appreciated. So thank you


----------



## tracey w

salmonpuff said:


> thank you, the help is good and very much appreciated. I'm just wary of doing it i guess . Very wary with anything diabetes wise at the moment. Which is why on thursday im gunna have a long sit down and chat with the nurse about everything thats worrying me (this included).
> 
> I must admit that since upping my lantus to 18 again, even though ive been waking up low my levels have been much better. I'd like to try 17 units, but again, wary of using the solarstars. I don't know. I go pretty low at work, but i think thats probably because of all the rushing around and stressing and not getting a break until 6 hours into the shift.
> 
> I am trying very very hard to get this sorted out, promise. And all your help and advice is very very much appreciated. So thank you



Sam it is SO difficult isnt it. Dont think im perfect, no where near. Today despite temp basal on from 3pm until 8, knew i was gonna be rushing around like you, I still had a hypo  

good luck for Thursday, hope you get some great advice and feel confident to use it, take care xxxx


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

tracey w said:


> Sam it is SO difficult isnt it. Dont think im perfect, no where near. Today despite temp basal on from 3pm until 8, knew i was gonna be rushing around like you, I still had a hypo
> 
> good luck for Thursday, hope you get some great advice and feel confident to use it, take care xxxx



it really is  and right now, i want to give up on the lot of it!!!!!

thank you so much. your advice and kind words are very much appreciated


----------



## Adrienne

salmonpuff said:


> it really is  and right now, i want to give up on the lot of it!!!!!
> 
> thank you so much. your advice and kind words are very much appreciated



Hi Sam

I wasn't lecturing you either, just trying to help.   Of course you need to speak to your DSN, that is always the first thing to do if you are comfortable with her.  I do the same.

I can't possible even begin to put myself in yours or Tracie's or all the other type 1 and 2 friends on here, and I won't pretend.    I can only say that I wish bloody diabetes would disappear or that Jessica grows a lovely new 'good' pancreas back instead of the rubbish bit she has.   I understand that bit.

Take care.


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

Adrienne said:


> Hi Sam
> 
> I wasn't lecturing you either, just trying to help.   Of course you need to speak to your DSN, that is always the first thing to do if you are comfortable with her.  I do the same.
> 
> I can't possible even begin to put myself in yours or Tracie's or all the other type 1 and 2 friends on here, and I won't pretend.    I can only say that I wish bloody diabetes would disappear or that Jessica grows a lovely new 'good' pancreas back instead of the rubbish bit she has.   I understand that bit.
> 
> Take care.



I really appreciate your help hun  I've never ever known such a brilliant place with such wonderfully helpful people!

It's something I'm definitely going to bring up with the nurse on thursday, because after talking with her about the possibility of a pump she said i need to get my basal/bolus spot on and stuff. Overnight testing is certainly an idea but i guess i'm a bit wary. It's hardenough getting up in the morning as it is  and i'm sure work would really appreciate an extra grumpy sam due to sleep deprivation

actually

thats quite a good idea  hahahaha.

Growing a new pancreas would be wonderful! I think sometimes we all wish it could happen - mum often says to me that she wishes i could get a new one, and matt says he'd take it away from me in a second if he could.

He's said he'll come with me on thursday actually, bless his heart. He wants to know everything about what it is i have to do (bit is too scared to test his blood ha!), and wants to know as much as he can about what to do, when to do it and how everything affects everything. Bless his heart

Thank you again, you guys really are a help!!!!!!


----------



## Adrienne

Wow that's some fella you have there Sam, great stuff.

Just one thing not sure I understand your nurse when she says you have to get your basal/bolus spot on first before getting a pump.   If that is really what she means then she is wrong and you won't qualify for a pump if she manages to get you spot on.  You qualify for a pump when basal (lantus)/ bolus (novorapid) doesn't work very well.   If you keep striving to get it spot on you will be going round in circles for ever !!

You are right though, you need a 1 unit pen to do some tweaking.


I'm battling with a low now.

Just tested Jessica at 9.15 and she was 3.7, gave coke.   At 9.30 she was 3.5 waited 5 minutes and she was 3.7 so put her on a 2 hour temp of 0% (which means no insulin at all for two hours to try to prevent this happening again in the middle of the night) and I gave her another can of coke.   Test again and only up to 4.1, waiting another 10 minutes and 4.2, talk about slowly rising.   Just tested and 5.2, so slow and after two cokes, a snack bar from 2 hours ago obviously did nothing, and no basal !!!! I hope its not one of those nights.


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

Adrienne said:


> Wow that's some fella you have there Sam, great stuff.
> 
> Just one thing not sure I understand your nurse when she says you have to get your basal/bolus spot on first before getting a pump.   If that is really what she means then she is wrong and you won't qualify for a pump if she manages to get you spot on.  You qualify for a pump when basal (lantus)/ bolus (novorapid) doesn't work very well.   If you keep striving to get it spot on you will be going round in circles for ever !!
> 
> You are right though, you need a 1 unit pen to do some tweaking.
> 
> 
> I'm battling with a low now.
> 
> Just tested Jessica at 9.15 and she was 3.7, gave coke.   At 9.30 she was 3.5 waited 5 minutes and she was 3.7 so put her on a 2 hour temp of 0% (which means no insulin at all for two hours to try to prevent this happening again in the middle of the night) and I gave her another can of coke.   Test again and only up to 4.1, waiting another 10 minutes and 4.2, talk about slowly rising.   Just tested and 5.2, so slow and after two cokes, a snack bar from 2 hours ago obviously did nothing, and no basal !!!! I hope its not one of those nights.



Hmmmm, that is very bizaare. I thought that when she mentioned it...surely if i get it all right, then i wouldn't need a pump? Maybe she was just having an off day? I think tonight i'm gunna try tweaking, and going for 17 units, just as a little experiment. See what that does as I'm at home all weekend so can keep a closer eye on things.

Oh god, those are the worst type of hypos. I hope Jess feels better soon!


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Wow that's some fella you have there Sam, great stuff.
> 
> Just one thing not sure I understand your nurse when she says you have to get your basal/bolus spot on first before getting a pump.   If that is really what she means then she is wrong and you won't qualify for a pump if she manages to get you spot on.  You qualify for a pump when basal (lantus)/ bolus (novorapid) doesn't work very well.   If you keep striving to get it spot on you will be going round in circles for ever !!
> 
> You are right though, you need a 1 unit pen to do some tweaking.
> 
> 
> I'm battling with a low now.
> 
> Just tested Jessica at 9.15 and she was 3.7, gave coke.   At 9.30 she was 3.5 waited 5 minutes and she was 3.7 so put her on a 2 hour temp of 0% (which means no insulin at all for two hours to try to prevent this happening again in the middle of the night) and I gave her another can of coke.   Test again and only up to 4.1, waiting another 10 minutes and 4.2, talk about slowly rising.   Just tested and 5.2, so slow and after two cokes, a snack bar from 2 hours ago obviously did nothing, and no basal !!!! I hope its not one of those nights.



I hope its not one of those nights for you either, especially after you have been so poorly,


----------



## Adrienne

Thanks.   Problem we have tonight is that I have my 4 year old niece on a matress on the floor in Jessica's room having a sleep over.  So far she has not woken up !!


----------



## Patricia

How are things Adrienne?

Here the draggy lows have been surmounted: a major drop in basal AND a change in ratio last night meant E was okay through the evening. Though now the nighttime basal seems to be off. We decided that him going to bed at 9.5mmols was okay (suspected he'd been dropping a little o'night anyway) and we were desperate for sleep. Woke on 4.6! Oops. Very surprised. So that'll change too.

Classic example today of 'I don't know what do you think? Wild guess then...'

We mis-calculated lunch slightly, forgetting to bolus a pasta sauce separately, which we have started to do. So the whole pasta went in 100cho on a 20/80 DW over 6 hours. Okay, ish.... Only he's rehearsing and then parading through town later holding a massive drum! A samba band. Okay, a Michael Jackson tribute samba band. Dig it.

So. He's gone to rehearsal on 11.9 (this is the under bolus from the sauce, obviously!) and on a 60% temp basal (because he will be getting too much through the DW). In an hour, he is to test again, then either/and free carb, lower temp basal, etc...(if 9 or lower). The main thing is to get him through the hour parade without having to stop.

Sigh. It never ends. Will let you know how it goes. Such a guessing game, not helped by the mess up at lunch...Oh well. We are going to watch him, so will...uh, catch him...


----------



## Sugarbum

Hi there my lovelies!

I wrote a biggun last night on this thread in response to everythign you have written and then had problems posting it and couldnt get back into the site all evening....GGRRRR! 

Anyway, I will pop back later and say hi when all my chores are done- it looks like there has been a robbery here 

Catch you later xx


----------



## Mand

*Update on my son*

As you know, my son's blood sugars been running too high and i have been tearing my hair out. Then i got started to wonder if he was putting the cannula in too close to the lumps that are still on their way out from pre-pump days. Well, it was a bit of a battle to get him to move cannula further out but got there in the end.

The result? Much better levels!!!!!!! Yipee!!!!!!!! and a huge PHEW!!!!!!!!

He generally running at 4.5 with the odd 9 here and there. 4.5 is a touch too low so will lower his basal a little. I had increased it a little when he started running high and so need to change it back to orginal setting. 

The only bad thing in the last two days is that he woke this morning on 15 . Can make no sense of that one so if it a one off then i shall forget about it.

Fingers crossed that i am not posting on here in a day or two to say it all gone to pot again! Perhpas cross toes too! I need a break from the anxiety of him running too high. 

Bev - i might make enquires about sensors. How's it going?

Lou - Hope your home is now looking all sparkly and neat and you can relax this evening! x

Patricia, Adrienne - how's it going?

Becca - How are things? Any better? 

Everyone else - hope you all doing ok. 

Mand x


----------



## Patricia

Hi all

Quick-o update: all well yesterday with parading through town, though he was a bit low later, not too biggie....

Had rice last night and rice just now with lunch:

Last night -- 5 hour SQUARE wave, bolus of sauce up front. Fine until 5 hours, then slightly hypo 3.7. Then at 7 hours, 4.6. Went to 50% temp basal to get through the night. At 11 hours, 16mmols! Aha! Even with temp basal taken into account, obvious now he is rising somewhere between 7 and 10 hours ish. 

SO today have tried bolus sauce up front as before (stir fry this time), with SQUARE wave over 8 hours. This will interfere somewhat with dinner bolus, but we'll see how it goes.

Interesting thing is that we are now wondering whether square is a good option for a number of things for us....The bolus for a sauce etc is so strightforward; it's the pasta and/or rice which is the problem.

Saying that, pasta pesto and very light (eg prawn etc) sauce has been good for a pasta 6 hour dual wave, 20/80 for some time.

Just a thought though for everyone: try a square wave for the actual complex carb? Bolus rest?

Shall let you know how the 8 hour goes...looks like another all nighter...

xxoo


----------



## tracey w

Patricia said:


> Hi all
> 
> Quick-o update: all well yesterday with parading through town, though he was a bit low later, not too biggie....
> 
> Had rice last night and rice just now with lunch:
> 
> Last night -- 5 hour SQUARE wave, bolus of sauce up front. Fine until 5 hours, then slightly hypo 3.7. Then at 7 hours, 4.6. Went to 50% temp basal to get through the night. At 11 hours, 16mmols! Aha! Even with temp basal taken into account, obvious now he is rising somewhere between 7 and 10 hours ish.
> 
> SO today have tried bolus sauce up front as before (stir fry this time), with SQUARE wave over 8 hours. This will interfere somewhat with dinner bolus, but we'll see how it goes.
> 
> Interesting thing is that we are now wondering whether square is a good option for a number of things for us....The bolus for a sauce etc is so strightforward; it's the pasta and/or rice which is the problem.
> 
> Saying that, pasta pesto and very light (eg prawn etc) sauce has been good for a pasta 6 hour dual wave, 20/80 for some time.
> 
> Just a thought though for everyone: try a square wave for the actual complex carb? Bolus rest?
> 
> Shall let you know how the 8 hour goes...looks like another all nighter...
> 
> xxoo



hope you get the results you want! I must admit im still doing 2 hours dual wave at the moment, have done occasional 3 hours. Am still trying to get basals sorted and hopefully when i do I can start to investigate foods more to fine tune things, its a long process isnt it, and as we know sometimes things work and sometomes they dont, good luck


----------



## Patricia

Morning all

Good news is that night basal has been quickly stabilised, phew: 6.1, 6.1, 6.4. Great.

Rice yesterday was running with numbers a little high (9mmols) throughout, with one foray into 14mmol (what?), for which we overrode the pump and corrected half a unit...

However, with dinner bolus, somehow everything combined to produce a low 2.5 hours after... This has happened before with a long dual wave: the combination of the two, particularly when the peak of the bolus combined with the end of the dual wave, results in a low. Hmm...

The bolus up front though worked well: 9mmols after 2 hours. Thinking now that we will go down one hour for the square wave: 7 hrs, to bring the spike a bit but still stretch it out. It's hard to tell with the dinner bolus issue, but there didn't seem to be any real spike (the 14 above was also after a bath, during which of course the wave AND the basal were interrupted) from this long wave -- so that's good! Just need to tackle the late low...

So tonight it's rice again, with the chilli bolused up front. We are nothing if not persistant...! AND he has a concert tonight, playing in about sixteen billion ensembles...So getting the bolus right will work, and the rice can follow safely...

***

Thinking about everyone else: how's it going? Tracey, what's your basal doing? I'm really hoping it's not too frustrating?!

Mand, well done on getting the site out a bit further. E also finds it more painful initially the further out it is...so I know where you are coming from. How are numbers now?

Bev, Adrienne, Lou (my dear! How are you?!), Lesley (tomorrow?), randomange, Tom, Becca, Northerner (gee, what numbers from the other thread! Although you dipping a little has made me think that E's dip over last week is just 'one of those things' too), Steff... How's it hangin'?!


----------



## Steff

Patricia said:


> Morning all
> ults in a low. Hmm...
> 
> 
> 
> ,Steff... How's it hangin'?!




heloooo patricia im fine ty for asking im pleased to see things have stabilised for you hun x


----------



## Patricia

tracey w said:


> hope you get the results you want! I must admit im still doing 2 hours dual wave at the moment, have done occasional 3 hours. Am still trying to get basals sorted and hopefully when i do I can start to investigate foods more to fine tune things, its a long process isnt it, and as we know sometimes things work and sometomes they dont, good luck



Sorry Tracey, meant to answer this separately before... 

We always find that 2 hour dual waves just overdo it for E, and he hypos...

How is it working for you?!


----------



## Freddie99

Evening all,

Decision made. I'm going to the pump clinic and I've made up my mind. I'd like to get a pump. It seems MDI just doesn't really suit student life that well. Especially on days like today when I haven't really had many meals as such just more been snacking in between lectures and just jabbing for every packet of crisps just doesn't seem worth it. It'd be really nice to have the temporary basals so I can really do much more than I can on MDI.

Tom


----------



## tracey w

Patricia said:


> Sorry Tracey, meant to answer this separately before...
> 
> We always find that 2 hour dual waves just overdo it for E, and he hypos...
> 
> How is it working for you?!



Oh I see, I was told to start on 2 hours and so far seem to be fine, have done 3 hours and am having chippy tea later so think i may go for 4 with the chips, as an experiment??

Basals ok, but have been getting up to 9 or 10 pre breakfast, so I have done some testing and seem to be rising between 1am and 3am, and again at around 6am, so have upped a little from 11pm through to 7am? Was difficult to tell last night as we ate out and was a late meal. I also think im rising from 10pm actually but want to get the morning reading sorted first.

Suppose I should speak to pump nurse really, she must think ive disappeared 

Lesley, good luck for tomorrow, let us know how it goes!!


----------



## Sugarbum

Hello everybody 

Sorry I have been on the quiet side a couple of days, I have had some WEIRD internet things going on. The other day I wrote a whopper post and lost it and then I havent been able to get in. And man, do I get withdrawal when that happens!

I hope everyone is ok. I am looking forward to hearing from Lesley- hopefully later, on the new pump! It's great stuff and I know she is very excited. I am also pleased to hear Tom too is interested. This caught my eye Tom yesterday and I am posting a link in case it is somethign you might be interested in. If you click the course elaflet on the right side you actually get a better idea of what this is about, essentially all about different pumps http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Events_i...Education-for-Successful-Outcomes/?navid=8846

I was very sad the other day, I said goodbye to my Veo and posted back to pump HQ in watford for a resurection. I was way too over-sentimental it was silly! Oh well. Sigh!

In the recent weeks I have increased my basal and I am really trying to get more courageous and take more insulin to get my numbers down. So far it seems to be working a bit so I am trying hard to stick with it. Why my insulin requirements have gone up I dont know? 

Thrilled to see those great numbers Patricia Well done on the dual wave with rice thing. Not easy Im sure. Mand how are your numbers going? Becca Im wondering how you are too. Was thinking of you when I couldnt get in and wanted to see if you posted- hope things are improving. Adrienne and Bev- partners in crime- anything to report?! 

Love to all xx


----------



## tracey w

Tom Hreben said:


> Evening all,
> 
> Decision made. I'm going to the pump clinic and I've made up my mind. I'd like to get a pump. It seems MDI just doesn't really suit student life that well. Especially on days like today when I haven't really had many meals as such just more been snacking in between lectures and just jabbing for every packet of crisps just doesn't seem worth it. It'd be really nice to have the temporary basals so I can really do much more than I can on MDI.
> 
> Tom



Thats great Tom, know you have been pondering  for a while, good luck with the clinic visit, keep us updated!


----------



## Becca

Hi Lou

Am doing ok i guess   Looking forward in a bizarre way for hospital tomorrow so that we can try and make sense of things a bit more.......

Thanks for asking


----------



## Mand

Hi everyone

Hope all going well today Lesley!

Lou - I can understand you feeling sad re posting your Veo back. You have spent every moment of your life with it for the last two months. How's it going on the sparkly blue? Notice much difference? x

Becca - I do so hope you get some direction from the hospital today and that you are able to improve things. Please tell us how you get on. x

Everyone - hope you all doing ok.

My son's numbers continuing to be good , proving that he was putting the cannula into the existing lumps. 

Mind you, it is a battle each set change to get him to move further out. I feel so guilty pushing him out of his comfort zone but if i don't then he runs too high. 

He having too many hypos though, due to when he goes out to play. The problem is that he does not play a sport, he just goes out to play so his activity can be unplanned and not quantifiable (have i just made that word up??). So a temp basal is not always approriate. At these times he needs to sip slowly on a glucose drink or something but does he always remember to do this? No!!!!!!!!!!!! Need to get him into doing this. He does not go really low but still not ideal.

Other problem we had was that when he was checked at midnight two days ago we found him detached from the pump and the pump on the floor!  We reattached him and he was 10.1 so bolused a correction. But then set an alarm for 2am to check all ok and it was. Did the force of the pump falling cause the cannula to pop off? Did the pump only fall because the cannula already had popped off? Did he detach it in his sleep? This is the second time this has happened since he started on the pump.

His dsn coming on Fri to discuss progress and teach us bolus wizard and dual wave etc. 

Bye for now!


----------



## Becca

Hi Mand,

Thanks, will let you know how we get on - downloaded all of Rose's BMs since September, oh my........   I went back to Sept as i wanted to show the DSN how 'right' it was going - she was having readings under 10 all day!

So, i have a long list of questions to ask her:  

1)  Why is the correction factor dropping her so much when she is high but not when she is just over - what's happened to insulin sensitivity!?
2)  Help with overnights, though even with figures under 10, we are still having wet beds.  Last night was twice (with lifting) and it didn't help that my 4 yr old wet as well - argh!!
3) We have had to do 2 set changes recently at school as they had failed - is this normal?  Bloods rose to in their 20s within 2 hours.....
4)  Looking at her downloads she is saying once a day, at least, that she feels low but not.....all the swinging about maybe?  Although when we had the good period of levels it was worse and she was complaining of feeling low up to 3 times a day!  hmmm...
5)  She's generally feeling absolutely rubbish and this is the one i absolutely HATE!!!  and why i feel like a bad parent....i need to sort out her levels so she can feel on track.....up hill struggle at mo tho 

Sorry, turned into an essay!!  Anyway just wanted to comment on this:  


Mand said:


> Other problem we had was that when he was checked at midnight two days ago we found him detached from the pump and the pump on the floor!  We reattached him and he was 10.1 so bolused a correction. But then set an alarm for 2am to check all ok and it was. Did the force of the pump falling cause the cannula to pop off? Did the pump only fall because the cannula already had popped off? Did he detach it in his sleep? This is the second time this has happened since he started on the pump.
> 
> His dsn coming on Fri to discuss progress and teach us bolus wizard and dual wave etc.
> 
> Bye for now!



Rose woke up the other morning totally disconnected to the pump, whether she had done it in her sleep or it had come off?!!?  Are you using quicksets - sorry can't remember   If you are what is the batch number?


----------



## Adrienne

Good luck today Becca.   I have been thinking of you.


----------



## tracey w

Becca, good luck today.

Well 4 hour dual wave for fish and chips didnt work very well, must be my worst one to date.

start 4.1
2 hours 14.2  1.4u correction
4 hours13.9 0.9u correction
6 hours 12.6 0.6 u correction
pre break 10.2

reduced to 25/75 as usually been doing 30/70, so do i need more up front as the numbers were steady but just high? Any ideas?

hope everyone else well?


----------



## Sugarbum

Morning all,

Becca I hope everything goes well today at the hospital....will wait to hear.

I have a quick "help" question if anyone is able to answer I'd be very grateful. On the veo you would have it on the escape button profile. I cant find it on the 522 I am pumping with now and was sent only the pump not the manual. Is it something this pump doesnt do- should I stop looking?? I know its in the wizzard if you are entering values but its more easier accessable on the veo escape. I woke on 12.7 today, GRRR! I feel its because I wrote on here last night the numbers were well, I jinks myself! But I sinned and did a late set change, bolused 3 times last night on meals and to be honest didnt know what I had in my system on going to bed and my sugar was 15.9. Sigh. I know some of you use this pump and know it better than me- any advice gratefully recieved!

Great to read your update Mand- do you have the DSN visit at home??

Hope everyone has a good day. Im being lazy. Working at 2pm 

xXx


----------



## Steff

hi all,

Just wanted to say Becca hope all goes well at the hospital today xx


----------



## Sugarbum

tracey w said:


> Becca, good luck today.
> 
> Well 4 hour dual wave for fish and chips didnt work very well, must be my worst one to date.
> 
> start 4.1
> 2 hours 14.2  1.4u correction
> 4 hours13.9 0.9u correction
> 6 hours 12.6 0.6 u correction
> pre break 10.2
> 
> reduced to 25/75 as usually been doing 30/70, so do i need more up front as the numbers were steady but just high? Any ideas?
> 
> hope everyone else well?



Morning Trace- we posted at the same time!

I am not great at dual, so my advice isnt all that but chips are the absolute WORST for me and I would have extended that square further than 4 hours. I have t also say, given it was fish and chips (and I know what they can do!) those arent the worst numbers I would expect! But I understand you are trying to make them better. What ratio did you use? I would also up and use more insulin in this scenario (pls understand that is only me- I dont want to give you a hypo!).

Was it proper chippy chips?! They are the best, but indeed the hardest!!!!


----------



## tracey w

Thanks Lou, does seem to be the hardest meal for me to! Not that i have it all the time 


I know what you mean on MDI I would have given a little bit more too, just scary thought yet. my ratio for tea is 1.5 for 10g cho, which usually works quite well.

just cant seem to get my breakfast down lately, have upped all my basal overnight too, but suppose im not seeing the difference with  having late teas like this one?

cant answer your question im afraid, someone will know for sure, have a good day,


----------



## Patricia

Yes good luck today Becca and Lesley, for different reasons. Will be anxious to hear how all is going. I'm so sorry things have been rough Becca; how draining for you. I know so well the read grind of knowing things aren't right, and they feel awful physically...Wish I could take it away for you!

Tom: well done. Good decision for you, seems sure.

Tracey: Will the pump give you corrections during a dual wave? Ours never will, so we have to override. Do you? Does look like more up front needed, certainly, but how confident of the carb counting were you? If you are high throughout and STILL high in morning, then makes me think that the real carb count was higher? Because reducing the dual wave time may have taken care of a spike at 4 hours (eg more insulin in over that time), but not the one later and later still -- the whole wave needs more insulin? 

It does look a bit though as if at around 6 or 8 hours you were going down again, otherwise you would have woken higher? So maybe the wave isn't far off, but the carb counting was off? I guess too that if the carb counting was a little off, then the up front bolus would be off too, thus maybe meaning that you don't need more proportionally up front, necessarily? It is clear though that the up front bolus is too low in this instance, for whatever reason...?

Re basals, can you set up different rates for yourself? If you are pretty sure you are rising at certain times, why not set up different rates for those times, to come in each instance about an hour before the time when you know you are rising...? Upping it all the way through the night seems like you are not using the increments and finesse of the pump -- might as well use all it can do!

And again re dual waves: the reason we know 2 hours really never works with E, and actually 3 hour ones don't either, is because he inevitably hypos just after the end of them... This used to confuse us...But we finally figured out that if we carb count correctly and stretch out the dual wave on him, we can usually get him even throughout, with no great dip at the end when the insulin hits hard. We only realised we needed to stretch it out when, after the hypo, he would wake high. We came to the conclusion that this was not a normal 'swing' or 'rebound', but something actually associated with the carb. So far this seems to be right for him.

***

All well here. Another mega stable night, after a little wrestle to get him there. Again we used 10% temp basal for an hour and it perked him up nicely.

Also had meeting at school today. Someone new in place, and seeming very good. General incredulity and embarrassment about the French trip. Seems things will be in place. Seems E will speak to his form. This is all a delicate balance, isn't it? He is so independent and manages so well, but would benefit from a) security that people know what to do in an emergency and b) the sense that he is supported and understood in everything he does around diabetes. He and we need to know that his teachers are 'on the same page'... All without embarrassing him or risking the 'special' label... It's hard.

Bye for now!


----------



## Mand

Lou - Yes, his dsn visits us at home which i very much appeciated.

Becca - we use Quick-sets. Lot no: 92**** at moment. Same as you? Look forward to your update.

Sorry, only quick visit as just off out. xx


----------



## Adrienne

Sugarbum said:


> Morning all,
> 
> Becca I hope everything goes well today at the hospital....will wait to hear.
> 
> I have a quick "help" question if anyone is able to answer I'd be very grateful. On the veo you would have it on the escape button profile. I cant find it on the 522 I am pumping with now and was sent only the pump not the manual. Is it something this pump doesnt do- should I stop looking?? I know its in the wizzard if you are entering values but its more easier accessable on the veo escape. I woke on 12.7 today, GRRR! I feel its because I wrote on here last night the numbers were well, I jinks myself! But I sinned and did a late set change, bolused 3 times last night on meals and to be honest didnt know what I had in my system on going to bed and my sugar was 15.9. Sigh. I know some of you use this pump and know it better than me- any advice gratefully recieved!
> 
> Great to read your update Mand- do you have the DSN visit at home??
> 
> Hope everyone has a good day. Im being lazy. Working at 2pm
> 
> xXx



Hiya

Sorry but what is it you are looking for?  Bit confused.   We use the 522 and if its there I'll know but not sure what you want to know........


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> Thanks Lou, does seem to be the hardest meal for me to! Not that i have it all the time
> 
> 
> I know what you mean on MDI I would have given a little bit more too, just scary thought yet. my ratio for tea is 1.5 for 10g cho, which usually works quite well.
> 
> just cant seem to get my breakfast down lately, have upped all my basal overnight too, but suppose im not seeing the difference with  having late teas like this one?
> 
> cant answer your question im afraid, someone will know for sure, have a good day,



Hi  Tracey

Fish and chips, oh dear they really are a nightmare.   We have only ever got it right once and we go up much higher than you did so quite frankly well done on what you managed.   

You pretty much have to bolus for the fat content and there is loads and loads of fat.   So up the carb value next time by quite a bit if I were you.


----------



## lesley1978

Hi everyone,  just thought i would bob on to let you all know that I picked up my pump today.  Don;t go live until next Tuesday so just playing with it as though it is really connected at the minute.  No Saline, just using fresh air.  I can't believe how much stuff I have to read through!  It'll take me all year never mind all week!  My pack came with 2 cannulers which I was told I could have a practice with putting them in.  Only thing is I don't have any steri wipes  Tracey, did you get these in your pack?  on the side of the box it says 10 x (something that looks like steri wipes) but there aren't any in there.  Can I still have a go of putting one in straight after a shower so I know I'm defo duper clean.

Lesley x


----------



## Steff

hey lesley oops i started a thread and wished u good luck for today hehe


----------



## Adrienne

lesley1978 said:


> Hi everyone,  just thought i would bob on to let you all know that I picked up my pump today.  Don;t go live until next Tuesday so just playing with it as though it is really connected at the minute.  No Saline, just using fresh air.  I can't believe how much stuff I have to read through!  It'll take me all year never mind all week!  My pack came with 2 cannulers which I was told I could have a practice with putting them in.  Only thing is I don't have any steri wipes  Tracey, did you get these in your pack?  on the side of the box it says 10 x (something that looks like steri wipes) but there aren't any in there.  Can I still have a go of putting one in straight after a shower so I know I'm defo duper clean.
> 
> Lesley x



Great stuff Lesley.   Yes you can do that after a shower.    Have at look at this website though

http://opus-healthcare.co.uk/index.php

You can order samples.  It is great.   We use the Lift plus in a spray not wipes and it lifts the cannula when finished with it without hurting.   They also have wipes for everything else and sprays.   You can get loads of free samples and once you find what you like its all in prescription !!


----------



## lesley1978

I have just put it in and I really didn't feel a thing!!!  I had to peel back to make sure it had gone in and it had!!!!  I am now so excited!!!!!  I was worried it would hurt as I don't have an inserter just did it by hand and I am so so excited now!!!!!!!  Woooo Hoooo.

I have a strong feelin that this is the start of the beginning.

LEsley x


----------



## tracey w

Tracey: Will the pump give you corrections during a dual wave? Ours never will, so we have to override. Do you? Does look like more up front needed, certainly, but how confident of the carb counting were you? If you are high throughout and STILL high in morning, then makes me think that the real carb count was higher? Because reducing the dual wave time may have taken care of a spike at 4 hours (eg more insulin in over that time), but not the one later and later still -- the whole wave needs more insulin? 

It does look a bit though as if at around 6 or 8 hours you were going down again, otherwise you would have woken higher? So maybe the wave isn't far off, but the carb counting was off? I guess too that if the carb counting was a little off, then the up front bolus would be off too, thus maybe meaning that you don't need more proportionally up front, necessarily? It is clear though that the up front bolus is too low in this instance, for whatever reason...?

Re basals, can you set up different rates for yourself? If you are pretty sure you are rising at certain times, why not set up different rates for those times, to come in each instance about an hour before the time when you know you are rising...? Upping it all the way through the night seems like you are not using the increments and finesse of the pump -- might as well use all it can do!

And again re dual waves: the reason we know 2 hours really never works with E, and actually 3 hour ones don't either, is because he inevitably hypos just after the end of them... This used to confuse us...But we finally figured out that if we carb count correctly and stretch out the dual wave on him, we can usually get him even throughout, with no great dip at the end when the insulin hits hard. We only realised we needed to stretch it out when, after the hypo, he would wake high. We came to the conclusion that this was not a normal 'swing' or 'rebound', but something actually associated with the carb. So far this seems to be right for him.


Patricia, thanks so much for the help, yes i can correct during a dual wave, my understanding is that the pump takes into account any correction you did with the meal, (which would count as insulin on board, or active), meal rise time, (2hrs for me), acting time (4hrs for me), it does not count the acting insulin of the amount given for carbs because they are covered, even if dual wave. Thats how i understand it, so if you are out of range after 2 hours you need to correct.? Please let me know if this is wrong, im  trusting the pump if it tells me to correct I do.

I did wonder on the cho count, the battery has gone in my scales and i usually weigh everything, I think i must have been out somewhat.

Yes I can set basal increments hourly, the reason i set througout the night is because after testing I felt I rose albeit slowly from 1pm onwards. In pumping insulin it says better to increase by tiny amounts throughout the night rather than more for just one or two hours, so that is why i tried that. When i add it up its not even 1 extra unit i have upped it all by throughout the night. To be honest i havent seen a real difference yet, however there was the fish and chip thing and also I am pre menstrual and I am a bit higher generally and havent begun to sort that one out yet!!

I have also upped from tonight from 9pm until midnight as im sure im rising there too, i really need to test this period, but i tend to snack alot in the evening so its difficult to tell.

thanks again


----------



## tracey w

lesley1978 said:


> Hi everyone,  just thought i would bob on to let you all know that I picked up my pump today.  Don;t go live until next Tuesday so just playing with it as though it is really connected at the minute.  No Saline, just using fresh air.  I can't believe how much stuff I have to read through!  It'll take me all year never mind all week!  My pack came with 2 cannulers which I was told I could have a practice with putting them in.  Only thing is I don't have any steri wipes  Tracey, did you get these in your pack?  on the side of the box it says 10 x (something that looks like steri wipes) but there aren't any in there.  Can I still have a go of putting one in straight after a shower so I know I'm defo duper clean.
> 
> Lesley x



Hi Lesley, you dont need steri wipes dont worry, told you there was a lot to read


----------



## tracey w

lesley1978 said:


> I have just put it in and I really didn't feel a thing!!!  I had to peel back to make sure it had gone in and it had!!!!  I am now so excited!!!!!  I was worried it would hurt as I don't have an inserter just did it by hand and I am so so excited now!!!!!!!  Woooo Hoooo.
> 
> I have a strong feelin that this is the start of the beginning.
> 
> LEsley x



Well done Lesley! You can order the inserter and everything else from rosche when you do your first order. I take it you put in the flex link? This really hurt me and i did not like it. I have gone for the tenderlink, the one that goes in at 45degrees, makes sure you are happy before you make your decision next week. What do you think of the pump?


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne, thanks for your reply too, i dont feel too bad about the numbers if you say it was not too bad


----------



## lesley1978

help.  I am only pretending but I have give a bolus for my tea and accidently cancelled it and now my pump is bleeping at me and only giving me the option to snooze or confirm!!!!!!!!

uuuuhh ooooooo!!!!!

help!


----------



## lesley1978

please someone, help, how do I cancel cancelling a bolus?????


----------



## Adrienne

lesley1978 said:


> I have just put it in and I really didn't feel a thing!!!  I had to peel back to make sure it had gone in and it had!!!!  I am now so excited!!!!!  I was worried it would hurt as I don't have an inserter just did it by hand and I am so so excited now!!!!!!!  Woooo Hoooo.
> 
> I have a strong feelin that this is the start of the beginning.
> 
> LEsley x



Wow, I'm over the moon for you, well done Lesley.   You are right, it is the start of the beginning.


----------



## Adrienne

lesley1978 said:


> please someone, help, how do I cancel cancelling a bolus?????



Hi

Sorry only just seen this.   Have you sorted it out?  What pump have you got?


----------



## Sugarbum

Adrienne said:


> Hiya
> 
> Sorry but what is it you are looking for?  Bit confused.   We use the 522 and if its there I'll know but not sure what you want to know........




Blinking heck! I just read my original post back, and you are so right- makes no sense what-so-ever!

Thanks for still getting back to me though Adrienne! I am pumping on the 522 and I am looking for where to find "active insulin" without having to put a fake entry into bolus wizzard. Unfortunately I didnt get a manual only the replacement pump so I cant look it up. All I know is on the Veo when you press ESC in your scroll down it is there....on the 522 it isnt? 

Perhaps there is nowhere else and I am looking for something that was changed when the Veo came out......thanks Adrienne!

Lesley, I am very pleased to read your adevntures! Is it the Roche you have? I know it isnt medtronic as "Snooze" sounds too good to be true! Can I just comment as well how narky it makes me to read of another person given the pump and not given saline?? I cant believe it. In my view, you need the practise filling reservoirs etc and just checking your lines regularly etc for bubbles and how things look. Such a shame. But anyway, lesley- I am so excited for you! Have your spibelts come yet?!

I am abit disapointed I woke on 12.9 (I think it was) this morning, all because I wrote my numbers were getting steadier! Typical. Ho-hum....

Mand I am PROPER impressed your DSN visits at home 

Hope everyone else on the roll-call is ok?! xXx


----------



## tracey w

lesley1978 said:


> help.  I am only pretending but I have give a bolus for my tea and accidently cancelled it and now my pump is bleeping at me and only giving me the option to snooze or confirm!!!!!!!!
> 
> uuuuhh ooooooo!!!!!
> 
> help!



may be bit late Lesley, press tick key twice, once will stop it but put on snooze so will alarm again in 15 mins, twice will cancel. TICK KEY

dont panic as no insulin in pump lesley, thats why your practicing. Best to read through big manual i think first, read how to give boluses, and how to cancel them, the manual is very easy to understand and takes you through everything step by step, i only read and practiced beginners section the first week after clinic visit i read the custom/advanced, up to you of course but i think is a lot all at once, take it slow, you will be fine, if you want my mobile Lesley just pm me hun. xx


----------



## bev

Hi all,

After a few days and nights of A having really high levels due to having a cold i finally caved in and kept him off school today. I had been up 4 times through the night for various reasons - mostly the alarm going off telling me he was 16mmols! I have a cold myself and fell asleep after checking he was ok this morning at 7am. I didnt wake again until 10.45am!!!!!!!!!

When i came down he was watching tv and said dont worry mum i have given myself 2 corrections as i was 15 and then an hour later i was 16 and also had breakfast! I felt awful knowing he had sorted himself out - whilst i slept.

By the time lunchtime came he was down to 9 - so he had made some good choices - bless him! But it is good to know that he 'gets it' and can make intelligent decisions for himself.

I just cant believe how much insulin is needed when they are ill! He has been on 200% basals and also corrections every couple of hours!
Luckily, i think he is on the mend as he was 5.6 just before bed - so i had reduced temp basal to 150% and will check later to see if i need to turn it off for the night. But thank heavens for temp basals- i am sure on MDI he would have been up in the 20's easily.


Lesley, it seems odd they havent given you saline for the pump start? We didnt get the choice and went onto insulin straight from day one - but not sure it would have helped much having a pump without anything to practice on? I bet you cant wait for the insulin start? I feel excited for you!

Lou, i am glad Adrienne didnt understand your question - i didnt either - but i thought it was me being thick! Have you found out the answer yet?

Patricia,how did the concert go for E? Sounds like you have the rice/pasta thing nearly sorted out. I am jealous!

Tracey - fish and chips - nightmare! Let me know if you ever get it right please!

Becca, Adrienne Steph and all - hope your all ok - its been a bit quiet here the last few days........
Bev


----------



## tracey w

Bev, do not feel bad that A did all that by himself, you should feel good. He knows just what to do as you have taught him so well and he was confident to do it all without waking you, bless him, he must have known how tired you were. Little star, glad he is on the mend now.


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Hi all,
> 
> After a few days and nights of A having really high levels due to having a cold i finally caved in and kept him off school today. I had been up 4 times through the night for various reasons - mostly the alarm going off telling me he was 16mmols! I have a cold myself and fell asleep after checking he was ok this morning at 7am. I didnt wake again until 10.45am!!!!!!!!!
> 
> When i came down he was watching tv and said dont worry mum i have given myself 2 corrections as i was 15 and then an hour later i was 16 and also had breakfast! I felt awful knowing he had sorted himself out - whilst i slept.
> 
> By the time lunchtime came he was down to 9 - so he had made some good choices - bless him! But it is good to know that he 'gets it' and can make intelligent decisions for himself.
> 
> I just cant believe how much insulin is needed when they are ill! He has been on 200% basals and also corrections every couple of hours!
> Luckily, i think he is on the mend as he was 5.6 just before bed - so i had reduced temp basal to 150% and will check later to see if i need to turn it off for the night. But thank heavens for temp basals- i am sure on MDI he would have been up in the 20's easily.
> 
> 
> Lesley, it seems odd they havent given you saline for the pump start? We didnt get the choice and went onto insulin straight from day one - but not sure it would have helped much having a pump without anything to practice on? I bet you cant wait for the insulin start? I feel excited for you!
> 
> Lou, i am glad Adrienne didnt understand your question - i didnt either - but i thought it was me being thick! Have you found out the answer yet?
> 
> Patricia,how did the concert go for E? Sounds like you have the rice/pasta thing nearly sorted out. I am jealous!
> 
> Tracey - fish and chips - nightmare! Let me know if you ever get it right please!
> 
> Becca, Adrienne Steph and all - hope your all ok - its been a bit quiet here the last few days........
> Bev



Don't feel guilty Bev, A did brilliantly (tell him I said that).   How fantastic that he has picked it up that quick.   I think you needed a lay in.

I used to spend ages answering flippin alarms as they were too high but there is nothing you can do about it if you have given the correction and are coming down but still above the alarm.   I have actually turned my upper alarm off and no longer have it on.   May be worth thinking about.

I hope you and A feel better soon.


----------



## Adrienne

Sugarbum said:


> Blinking heck! I just read my original post back, and you are so right- makes no sense what-so-ever!
> 
> Thanks for still getting back to me though Adrienne! I am pumping on the 522 and I am looking for where to find "active insulin" without having to put a fake entry into bolus wizzard. Unfortunately I didnt get a manual only the replacement pump so I cant look it up. All I know is on the Veo when you press ESC in your scroll down it is there....on the 522 it isnt?
> 
> Perhaps there is nowhere else and I am looking for something that was changed when the Veo came out......thanks Adrienne!
> 
> Lesley, I am very pleased to read your adevntures! Is it the Roche you have? I know it isnt medtronic as "Snooze" sounds too good to be true! Can I just comment as well how narky it makes me to read of another person given the pump and not given saline?? I cant believe it. In my view, you need the practise filling reservoirs etc and just checking your lines regularly etc for bubbles and how things look. Such a shame. But anyway, lesley- I am so excited for you! Have your spibelts come yet?!
> 
> I am abit disapointed I woke on 12.9 (I think it was) this morning, all because I wrote my numbers were getting steadier! Typical. Ho-hum....
> 
> Mand I am PROPER impressed your DSN visits at home
> 
> Hope everyone else on the roll-call is ok?! xXx



Hiya Lou

You are right on the 522 it doesn't say unless like you said, you enter a false higher BG and then go to that screen.    I guess this is another difference.

Do you keep looking at the active insulin then?   I never do unless she is too high and needs a correction.


----------



## Adrienne

Becca said:


> Hi Lou
> 
> Am doing ok i guess   Looking forward in a bizarre way for hospital tomorrow so that we can try and make sense of things a bit more.......
> 
> Thanks for asking



Hiya Becca

How did it go today?

x


----------



## Patricia

Hi everyone!

Quickly (I always say this I know, then end up writing a page...)...

Bev: I'm so proud of A. Seriously. He's such a fine young man. He knows what he's doing, and 'owning', as they say, not only his condition but his treatment. Well done him. I hope numbers are coming down...It is amazing yes that the insulin just needs to PILE in when ill...

Lesley: exciting for you! Keep us in touch. Want to know how it's going.

Tracey: how are things now?

Lou: I too was confused by your post rolleyes, but you were obviously caught up in the moment...I know that E looks at active insulin each time just to check his boluses...

Mand, Steph, Tom...thinking of you.

Becca: how was yesterday? Thinking of you and R too.

Am fuzzy with early morning (still jet lagged? I wish...), but all well here. Concert went well thanks Bev, though my daughter had mild panics (she's nine) toward the end when she thought E was looking pale... Reminds me that this is hard on everyone. Anyway he was star and seemed really to enjoy it, which is the main thing. He is also playing next Friday in a DUK benefit concert near us, arranged by a local school and church... He's not really ready -- yet!

Number-wise, all well. Again used 10% temp basal for two hours last thing, as he was exhausted but only 4.7mmols or something. He had a tiny trail of insulin left from a late snack, so we expected a little more of a dip, then up again. Which is what happened: 5.8 this morning. Hypos also been better last few days.

Meeting with school yesterday has resulted in quickly and efficiently produced new care plan, which we have edited ad infinitum. I'm horrified (as was the new AEN person) to remember what was up on the board. The details of E's pump therapy had been more or less slapped into the care plan, without consulting us...Ergh. Anyway we 've now worked hard on this in good faith that everyone will know about it. Also, since this school doesn't have a nurse, but many first aiders, we have requested that a named person be located for treatment of severe hypos or severe hypers -- for E, for us, and for staff. We have arranged his care plan on a scale of sorts, eg mild hypos and hypers, and severe ones. We have also made clear what he would like to be able to do without asking permission, eg test, treat via glucosse, mess with pump. We have also clarified that he may step out of class to ring us at any time.

One thing which I may enter on the email group is that we have decided staff will NOT be responsible for putting the pump on SUSPEND in any circumstances. We have decided that should the pump need to be disconnected (in the case of severe hypo), the link should be cut. It feels too risky for a staff member suddenly to mess with the pump -- could accidentally send insulin in, etc...

We are aware that some of these decisions will only be appropriate to secondary school aged kids of course...but if anyone wants a copy of the care plan, PM me and I'll email it through. Everyone is different, of course...

Bye for now!


----------



## Adrienne

Hi Patricia

Glad the concert went well, you must be very proud.

Can I have a copy of the care plan please.   I'm working on a secondary one for Jessica although she is still only year 5, you can never start on these soon enough and I'm having a look at everyones.

Thanks


----------



## bev

Oooh can i have a copy too please? Obviously we do have a care plan, but the school nurse is lovely and has told me that i can change things whenever i want and she will go through it all with me - so always open for new ideas that i may not have thought of!

Well done to E on his concert! Great that his sister looks out for him -but sad that she worries too!

Hope everyone else is ok? Bev


----------



## Patricia

Yes Adrienne and Bev, will do forthwith!

The protocol in the school is a laminated A4 one sided thing on board in staff room, medical room, office and AEN. Same A4 distributed to all his teachers. A more detailed record of things and procedures to be kept with the named first aider and the AEN person.

He is also doing a sponsored walk on Thursday, which involves walking all over town. This same AEN is developing a bullet point list for individual type 1s, asthmatics, anaphylatics (sp!) for marshalls and accompanying sixth formers to carry... Again, this will have the desired subtle effect, but ensure (hopefully) that people will recognise the student and be somewhat prepared should anything happen. Obviously, all care plans and cards etc have student photos on them...

Phew!


----------



## Becca

Adrienne said:


> Hiya Becca
> 
> How did it go today?
> 
> x



Hi Adrienne and everyone

I feel very lucky having such caring people supporting us at the moment and want to say thank you to you all 

It went well at hospital but only time will tell i guess.  A sensor was not put in because the DSN has tinkered quite a lot and wants to see if this works first.  Rose is def. producing growth hormones at the moment which is causing A LOT of problems....

Her basals before were:

00:00 0.20
06:00 0.45
08:00 0.25
20:00 0.45

They've now been changed to:

00:00 0.20
04:00 0.25
06:00 0.45
08:00 0.30
10:00 0.25
19:30 0.45

So quite a bit different.......Have to see what happens over the next few days....

Had to do another set change at midnight last night.  Rose was 18 (?!?)  at 21:30 then at 11:30 she was 19  even with correction....so changed the set but then it went into overdrive and by 01:30 she was 8.6 (gave 1 glucose) and then at 03:30 she was 5.8!  (gave another glucose) then bizarrely at 07:30 this morning she was 12.8   pesky hormones again.

I hate this damn condition....up and down like a seesaw...fingers crossed and trying to remain positive...ho hum....


----------



## tracey w

Patricia Hi, well i woke to 7 this morning, first under 10 in few weeks now, so hopefully my basal increases seem to be working,

 I was 8.7 before bed but had a snack about 1 and half hours previous so not "true reading". Much better, although was 13.7 post brekkie, damm pmt, just dont know where to go with that one. Am hoping to see a pattern from this month and last mont so i can set a new programme for it?

Lou was wondering if you have a different basal programme for pmt time? 

Lesley how you doing today?


----------



## Adrienne

Becca said:


> Hi Adrienne and everyone
> 
> I feel very lucky having such caring people supporting us at the moment and want to say thank you to you all
> 
> It went well at hospital but only time will tell i guess.  A sensor was not put in because the DSN has tinkered quite a lot and wants to see if this works first.  Rose is def. producing growth hormones at the moment which is causing A LOT of problems....
> 
> Her basals before were:
> 
> 00:00 0.20
> 06:00 0.45
> 08:00 0.25
> 20:00 0.45
> 
> They've now been changed to:
> 
> 00:00 0.20
> 04:00 0.25
> 06:00 0.45
> 08:00 0.30
> 10:00 0.25
> 19:30 0.45
> 
> So quite a bit different.......Have to see what happens over the next few days....
> 
> Had to do another set change at midnight last night.  Rose was 18 (?!?)  at 21:30 then at 11:30 she was 19  even with correction....so changed the set but then it went into overdrive and by 01:30 she was 8.6 (gave 1 glucose) and then at 03:30 she was 5.8!  (gave another glucose) then bizarrely at 07:30 this morning she was 12.8   pesky hormones again.
> 
> I hate this damn condition....up and down like a seesaw...fingers crossed and trying to remain positive...ho hum....




Those new basals are pretty much the same sort of system as Jessica.   Her needs go up at about 4 am and then they go up again at 6 am (yours is 8 am), then they drop drastically at 10 am and by 7.30 pm they are much higher again (we also have a 1 pm in there higher than the 10 am).

I know we are talking about set changes on the other group but I still wouldn't have changed the set at 19.0.   I know we all do it differently and there you have definitely followed the protocol but from my experience with Jessica (not forgetting she is different, well they are all different) I always do another bolus at this point and if she was in the 20's I would have put on a temp as well for an hour.     I think Jessica would kill me if I made her have a set change at midnight.    Rose is so good.


----------



## tracey w

Hello Adrienne,

Would like to know the rules you were talking about, when you have time thanks!

Hi thanks for answer on the other thread, but i have no idea about ABCC?


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> Hello Adrienne,
> 
> Would like to know the rules you were talking about, when you have time thanks!
> 
> Hi thanks for answer on the other thread, but i have no idea about ABCC?



Hiya

Just posted it all on the other thread.   Hope they make sense.


----------



## Sugarbum

Wotcha, Give me a medal, Ive just learned how to mulit-quote! 



tracey w said:


> Lou was wondering if you have a different basal programme for pmt time?



Goodness T, you just read my mind! I was just thinking about that before logging on. I am very un-intuitive about these kind of things and I have to say in this way I dont know myself very well at all. I was just wondering why I am needing so much insulin today, should I adjust my basal or make a pattern basal again. It must be hormonal and I literally was just thinking of resolving to this new theory through an increase in basal and not in bolus- I woke up at 3am this morning with a bm of 4.0. Not hypo in numbers but caught myself on the way down. Drunk an ordinary coke and woke up bm of 9.2, I had increased on the ratio slightly last night.

Is this something that you have done, adjusting your basal patterns? I need to be much more in tune to what my body is up to. I am thinking I will programme something shortly tonight and switch.

Will be interested to know what your thoughts on this are Tracey! nightmare hey- might pick up the pumping insulin book tonight and see if there are any suggestions (if I could only stop being so lazy- Im already in front of the TV in my PJ's!).



Adrienne said:


> Hiya Lou
> 
> You are right on the 522 it doesn't say unless like you said, you enter a false higher BG and then go to that screen.    I guess this is another difference.
> 
> Do you keep looking at the active insulin then?   I never do unless she is too high and needs a correction.



Hi Adrienne,

Thanks so much for this! I thought I was going mad trying to remember where I might find it. I use it all the time.

Can I pick abit more from your brain cells please?!  In the 522 the active insulin is just for your reference isnt it? I see in bolus wizzard it does not subtract itself from the estimated amount does it? This has confused me today and I gave the wrong dose twice (no drama- I wasnt paying enough attension). If I recall correctly the Veo knocks the active insulin off the estimated amount. Phew. Wish I had a flamming manual. I dont mean to treat you like the manual Adrienne! Thanks for your help though!

****

How is everyone else? Loved your story Bev about A sorting himself out and you lying in- my god you must have needed it. Your boy is growing up, hey. Its reasurring to see him make decisions about pumping and sensible decisions too at that. What an absolute darling. And he knew mummy needed the shut-eye  Half term coming up isnt it? (or am I late in thinking that?).

Patricia, hope that isnt a delayed jet-lag! How cruel! How is everyone else holding up? xXx


----------



## Adrienne

Sugarbum said:


> Wotcha, Give me a medal, Ive just learned how to mulit-quote!
> 
> 
> 
> Hi Adrienne,
> 
> Thanks so much for this! I thought I was going mad trying to remember where I might find it. I use it all the time.
> 
> Can I pick abit more from your brain cells please?!  In the 522 the active insulin is just for your reference isnt it? I see in bolus wizzard it does not subtract itself from the estimated amount does it? This has confused me today and I gave the wrong dose twice (no drama- I wasnt paying enough attension). If I recall correctly the Veo knocks the active insulin off the estimated amount. Phew. Wish I had a flamming manual. I dont mean to treat you like the manual Adrienne! Thanks for your help though!
> 
> ****



How do you multi quote, I am very frustrated.  I am a computer geek and I can't work this out.  

Ok back to pumps.   Yes it does allow for active insulin but not with a food bolus only a correction bolus.  (This is not the same for all pumps by the way people, one of the pumps, could be Spirit or Animas can't remember actually does it with the food bolus as well which I think is very wrong, but that is my opinion !)

So for example on the 522  :

Using the wizard you enter a BG of 11.0  and it is set to correct down to say 7.5 mmol and the pump knows that to get you from 11.0 to 7.5mmol it will take 2 units of insulin.  (I'm making all this up by the way).    But you also are eating 10 carbs and the pump knows that you 1 unit for every 10 carbs.  But you still have active insulin in you of 1.5 units.   The screen will look something like this, with all that info :

Estimate : 1.5 u
BG : 11.0
Food  :  10 
Bolus : 1
Correction : 2
Active insulin : 1.5
Estimate : 1.5

So it is minusing the 1.5 active from the correction of 2 so only giving 0.5 of a correction.    It will never touch the food bolus as the correct insulin is needed for the correct food.

However if you are well under your target ie 4.0 and you bolus for food and the pump knows you are too low as you have entered 4.0 it may well then adjust and minus 0.1 from the bolus.

Does all that make sense?


----------



## Adrienne

PS  there is a manual online.  You just down load it and it is in pdf format I think, if you really want one.


----------



## Sugarbum

Woman, you are an angel. I hadnt made te consideration actially that the active insuling was off the correction so this will really help tomorrow in how I am analysing my screen using wizzard and make me think differently. Many thanks.

Now, I just worked out if you want to quote 2 people you press the middle quote button on the first quote and then the first quote button to quote both and reply with your two qutes in. I cant believe how long I have been on the forum and failed to discover this. Perhaps my brain is full? My brain is a human insulin pump these days, what did I ever think or do before diabetes?! 

I appreciate your reply Adrienne, cheers! x


----------



## Sugarbum

Adrienne said:


> PS  there is a manual online.  You just down load it and it is in pdf format I think, if you really want one.



Polish your crown and pop up on to the thrown......! http://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/products/insulinpumps/userguides.html check out all this info.

You diamond! x


----------



## Adrienne

Sugarbum said:


> Polish your crown and pop up on to the thrown......! http://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/products/insulinpumps/userguides.html check out all this info.
> 
> You diamond! x



I'm not that clever, couldn't work out these multi quotes........


----------



## No1_Cricketer_123

*Thinking About Using a Pump.............*

Hey my name is joe im 13 years old and im thinking about using a pump,ive been diabetic for 2 years now and i still find controlling my blood sugar levels hard to manage.Im quite worried about having a to wear a pump and don't no whether to go ahead with it or stay on injections.Also my mum and dad think it is a great idea but im not sure.

Can anybody advise on the pump  PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ!!!!!!!!


----------



## Adrienne

No1_Cricketer_123 said:


> Hey my name is joe im 13 years old and im thinking about using a pump,ive been diabetic for 2 years now and i still find controlling my blood sugar levels hard to manage.Im quite worried about having a to wear a pump and don't no whether to go ahead with it or stay on injections.Also my mum and dad think it is a great idea but im not sure.
> 
> Can anybody advise on the pump  PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ!!!!!!!!



Hiya Joe

I'm a mum to a 9 year old girl who has been diabetic for ever !  She has been on a pump for nearly 3 years.   It changed her life for the better and mine, as it will do your parents.   They will have a different view to you.  They know that it will be great for your health and your long term future and they are right.   But you will be thinking about where will you wear it, will it get in the way at school or sports or going out and stuff like that and quite right.

Its probably better that some of lads on here maybe write to you.   The tubing has never got in the way for my daughter and when you do really active sport like football or rugby you are supposed to take it off anyway but some boys don't and there are no problems.

Your life will change.   The freedom you will have will be amazing.   I say give it a go, if after 6 months or a year you really don't like it then you can always go back to injections.   I bet you though once you have it and have worked out how to use it, there is no way you will give it up.   It is quite cool as well.  The boys in my daughter's class love her pump, they were all really interested and can't believe she has her own personal computer attached to her !  

Good luck, do whatever is best for you but I say its worth it.


----------



## Sugarbum

No1_Cricketer_123 said:


> Hey my name is joe im 13 years old and im thinking about using a pump,ive been diabetic for 2 years now and i still find controlling my blood sugar levels hard to manage.Im quite worried about having a to wear a pump and don't no whether to go ahead with it or stay on injections.Also my mum and dad think it is a great idea but im not sure.
> 
> Can anybody advise on the pump  PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ!!!!!!!!



Hi Joe! Welcome to the pumping thread!

It sounds as if you have had a few discussions regarding the pump, have you been made an offer of one? Or have you been given the idea to mull it over? All the same its something really exciting in managing your diabetes and definately food for thought!

I would suggest first of all that you hit google and get researching! Just so that you can get the concept of what a pump looks like and what it does essentially. A few of the main manufacturers of pumps in the UK are Medtronic, Animas, Roche....I would take a look at their websites and see what you think.

I started using a pump made by medtronic a few months ago. I have had diabetes about a year or so longer than you- not long! For me though, the pump has changed the way I get on with it all, gives me better control and quality of life that I lead. What it isnt, is the answer to everything (unfortunately!). It does take a lot of time and effort, but can be worthwhile. Your nurse will go through all that with you and your parents.

I would say intially get surfing on the net, check out these pumps and then see what questions you come up with!

Good luck Joe,

Lou


----------



## Mand

Hello Joe

My son started wearing a pump a couple of months ago. He is 12. He much prefers it to injections because he had developed a needle phobia so the pump means less injections. Also it is easier so control the highs and lows. Also he also has his insulin with him all the time now. He was not allowed to carry his injections with him around school so he had his insulin in the school office but if he went to a friends house straight from school he could not have a snack there as he had no jab with him but now he always has his pump with him.

Also he finds it useful not having to do his Levemir (or Latus) in the evening because now he is 12 (he was diagnosed at 10) he is going out to one or two evening events and it was hard to remember to jab at 9pm. 

He has found no major problems with wearing the pump all the time. He just seems to have got used to it. To be honest, all his friends seem to be permanately attached to something anyway! eg ipods or mobile phones! The pump just looks like another gadget!

However, the pump does need good management and you have to be prepared to manage it. You need to be strict with your blood testing (at least in the early days anyway) and sometimes we have had blips with the sets and had to do set changes at inconvenient times. 

The pump is a good tool. If you use the tool well then it can make managing your diabetes easier and more effective. 

Good luck and feel free to ask any questions on this thread, no matter how big or small.

Mand


----------



## Patricia

Hello Joe

My son is 13 and was diagnosed a year ago almost exactly. He started on a pump in early June, and has found it completely, utterly better than injections. His main interest was a) eating what he wanted when he wanted and b) getting good control. He has found both of these things to be possible on the pump.

It *does* require good management -- he tests quite a lot (but always did) and is always willing to do corrections with it etc...But he is massively freed up in his life too: he can now eat while his friends are eating instead of having to go to the medical room to inject etc. If he's in town with friends he can have that milkshake without having to inject -- as long as you know how to carb count or can figure out how to do it (my son often texts my husband and asks the estimate!), it's possible to do so much. If my son wants seconds with his meal, or a pudding, or a sandwich in the middle of the day, he doesn't inject, he just inputs the carb and lets the machine calculate for him how much insulin he has left running around in his body from the last time he ate and therefore how much insulin he needs now. This all feels much more 'normal' to him.

Also, he has had many fewer lows after any sort of unusual exercise, because on a pump you can lower the rate of insulin to try to take account of exercise. So things are a bit more spontaneous, certainly.

About wearing one all the time -- I honestly don't think it's been a hassle at all for him. It's a pretty cool gadget, and my son's friends seem to either just accept it, or are really interested, and want to know how it works etc. Sleeping with it was something I as a parent was a bit nervous about, but this too hasn't been a problem. He's NEVER said he's hassled by it, and got used to it very quickly.

If you are being offered one, I would GRAB it. And I'm sure my son would say the same. He feels now that his life can move on in a positive way, mostly because he feels that good control is within reach. He was distressed so often by out of range numbers. These kinds of numbers don't happen on the pump with us, although we do of course get numbers that are out of range -- it's just that with the pump it's much easer to bring them back into range...

I think he also feels he has more independence and control over his diabetes in general. This is really important to him. 

There *are* disadvantages, but in our opinion they are outweighed by the advantages. The biggest negative is that if the pump malfunctions in some way and insulin isn't going in, you can get unwell very quickly. This has happened to us, and it was pretty awful. However, from something like that you learn things: what we learned is that we always need to take a back up injection pen with us when out. The chances of him getting unwell again like that are then really small.

Do you want me to ask my son if he wants to email with you? 

Like the others say, do ask any sort of question on here. Also I know there is a forum site for teens on the JDRF website, if you want to check that out?

All best.


----------



## tracey w

Hi Lou,

Really confused re the pmt thing to be honest, its clear i need more insulin but dont see a pattern of when to start it etc, when i stop being lazy too, am tired from work. I will have to look back and see when it all goes wrong .

On my pumo i have a setting for pre menstruation, which i have been using with every meal for a couple of days at +5%, didn t do anything to help really, so next month may increase that to 10%.

Think is good idea to have  a seperate programme to for basals throughout this time, may have to get dsn advice on this as to what to set it at. And would you stop it at menstruation? I find i dont go bsck to normal numbers normally for about 24 hours, what do you find?


----------



## tracey w

Hello Joe,

welcome to the forum, good luck with your decision on the pump. the ladies with sons/daughters on the pump have answered your question really well.

all i can add to that is that i have had diabetes for almost 2 years and have been pumping for only about 5/6 weeks. I love it and feel so much better for it.


----------



## Sugarbum

tracey w said:


> Hi Lou,
> 
> Really confused re the pmt thing to be honest, its clear i need more insulin but dont see a pattern of when to start it etc, when i stop being lazy too, am tired from work. I will have to look back and see when it all goes wrong .
> 
> On my pumo i have a setting for pre menstruation, which i have been using with every meal for a couple of days at +5%, didn t do anything to help really, so next month may increase that to 10%.
> 
> Think is good idea to have  a seperate programme to for basals throughout this time, may have to get dsn advice on this as to what to set it at. And would you stop it at menstruation? I find i dont go bsck to normal numbers normally for about 24 hours, what do you find?



Hey hon, I temp basaled all day and I wondered if you were doing the same! And guess what? It did absolutely nothing too! Ive been high all day, and now Im dual waving pasta. Humph. 

For some reason (and I have go the time...) I am finding it all abit of an effort. Not in a down or depressing way, I just cant be bothered! Not good. I just havent seen a good number for a while. Woke again on 12.7!!! You have got to be kidding me!

I have temp basaled twice today, in dual now and tested a lot. I even checked the label on the vial, yep its in date and defo- its insulin 

People of the pump world, how are you all doing??

xXx


----------



## tracey w

Sugarbum said:


> Hey hon, I temp basaled all day and I wondered if you were doing the same! And guess what? It did absolutely nothing too! Ive been high all day, and now Im dual waving pasta. Humph.
> 
> For some reason (and I have go the time...) I am finding it all abit of an effort. Not in a down or depressing way, I just cant be bothered! Not good. I just havent seen a good number for a while. Woke again on 12.7!!! You have got to be kidding me!
> 
> I have temp basaled twice today, in dual now and tested a lot. I even checked the label on the vial, yep its in date and defo- its insulin
> 
> People of the pump world, how are you all doing??
> 
> xXx



Oh Lou, how frustrating, ive been like that for nearly a week now, but had slightly better numbers today and 6.9 at tea, everything else out of range  and correction left right and centre, sure its pre mens stuff, rubbish, aaargh!!

Someone i know on a pump ( last 6 years), needs i think she said DOUBLE insulin requirements at this time


----------



## bev

He he! A is needing double the insulin at the moment - but not for the same reason!

I am not convinced it is because of the cold - i suspect its the colder weather and a growth spurt.

He is on 200% temp basal plus corrections!

I would suggest that you just need to be brave and turn it up! I was really scared of the 200% at first - but when you think about it its still only small - one of A's basals is only 0.050 per hour - so the increase is really tiny in reality - much smaller than a correction.

Good luck girls - hope you get things back on track. Lou, I do know what you mean - its just so draining at times isnt it?Bev x


----------



## Sugarbum

tracey w said:


> Someone i know on a pump ( last 6 years), needs i think she said DOUBLE insulin requirements at this time



OMG! Really? Im a bit speachless!!! Perhaps there is more demand in my body for insulin than I am willing to relent to?! Good lord, well tomorrow is another day, I need to reload in the morning so will crank it up!



bev said:


> Good luck girls - hope you get things back on track. Lou, I do know what you mean - its just so draining at times isnt it?Bev x



Yes its just a weird feeling! Im not low in mood, actually a good week for me, I just feel I gave diabetes the effort this week, it went wrong, I did the overtime on it and completed the job. I simply didnt get the results I desired! Ho-hum!

Sad to hear about your daughter B. I was bullied and those feelings make you feel instant empathy for anyone who undergoes any kind of manipulative behaviours like that. Hope she is alright.

x


----------



## Patricia

Hi all

I agree with bev... be brave and turn it up. We too were frightened of the higher basals, because it sounds so massive... but it *is* less than a correction, and more predictable. Go for it.

I'm sorry numbers are high and frustrating this week. Not sure there is anything in the world more disheartening and fundamentally disappointing than this.

The other thing you could do with temp basal is set it to 150% or 200% for a whole day, then see where your numbers go...and from there, see if you can set new basals for this situation... We have done this, when we haven't been sure if things need changing across the board. 

Bev, sounds like you could do with setting a new pattern overall for A? If he is still on 200% plus corrections? I also wonder if he is coming out of honeymoon? Has he yet, do you think? I know he's been ill, but he's a bit better? If you remember last Easter when E was suddenly growing AND coming out of honeymoon (we think), his needs doubled in one week. And he's never gone back.

Tracey, I'm glad things are looking a little better overall. Well done you for persisting. It's so hard to keep going -- we find this even as a family, all supporting each other and bouncing ideas off, etc -- I think it must be trebly hard when it's you on your own. 

Lou -- maybe an idea to send your numbers and rates through to your DSN for help, or onto here for a little Adrienne-ing?!  Another pair of eyes and all that...

***

Here, E did a long walk yesterday (5 hours!), which had interesting permutations. He started at 14 , (deliberate under dose from breakfast), undercorrected by a lot, but within half an hour was 2.8 . Fortunately we had all worked hard to set things up well, and he was walking with two good friends. They all sat down for 15 mins. After which he was only 4mmols. So he set up a 30% temp basal and carried on. At lunch he was in the 5s, where he remained all day, still on the 30%. At home after a 3mmol hypo, we reduced him briefly to 10% to try to give him some recovery time. By bedtime he was 8.8, having been a bit higher at dinner (12mmol), so we moved temp to 75%. At 12am he was still 8mmols. At 3am though he was 4.6mmols. Changed temp to 50%. At 6am he was 9mmols. Took off temp. At 8.30 he was 5.5mmols.

And now he's still sleeping, so I have to go check again! He will have dropped probably...

The young man is *shattered*. Little wonder. But hurray for the pump!

Bye for now.

xxoo


----------



## bev

Hi all,

A's levels are still too high unless we use 200% temp basal- so i am thinking along the lines of what Patricia has suggested. I suspect this is a whole increase in insulin requirements across the board. 

Looks like i will be starting all over again then! I suppose the good thing about temp basals is that you can 'suck it and see' so to speak.

I had thought that A had come out of honeymoon very early on as his levels on MDI were so erratic - but perhaps it is as you say Patricia - he is coming out of it now..

Patricia, those were great levels for a 5 hour walk! You and E should be very proud of yourselves. Dont you just love temp basals? This was always the stumbling block on MDI - once you injected it - that was it...

Hope E has a lovely rest today.

Hello to everyone else - hope your all ok? Lou, Tracey - how are things?Bev x


----------



## Patricia

Thanks Bev, appreciate it.  Every little bit and all...

Where is everyone today?

***

Wanted to share something else. Well, two things. First, about this long walk. It happens every year at E's school, sponsored for charity, etc. Last year he became very ill on the walk, and had to stop in the middle, come home. He was feeling terribly sick and had an upset tummy. This upset tummy, soreness, never seemed to go away, on and off...forever from that day.

When we were with the school last week, making arrangements for the walk, E mentioned this to the AEN woman, hoping for a better go this year. OH and I looked at each other. We had obviously both clicked but not mentioned it to each other: of course, last year E was already Type 1. He was ill from high blood sugar. That's what it was. We gently mentioned this to him. And he almost cried. He hadn't realised. He was ill, and we had no way of knowing, and he felt really quite grim from then on...Less than 3 weeks later, he was diagnosed.

Gulp.

Secondly, and this is completely practical: we believe that we have come to the conclusion that apple juice, if bolused for, is always so quick in and out that it brings on a low or near low. It also raises BG by less than it strictly speaking carb-wise should in the case of use as a hypo treatment. We know this because at bedtime it never raises BG by the amount you would think (eg 20gCHO should equal 2.5 mmols for E -- However, a glass tends to raise things by 1 to 1.5 mmols only). SO we will now under-bolus apple juice.

Also, we believe that milk and biscuits at bedtime do the opposite: they seem to raise BG by more than the carb indicates. After 20gCHO of milk and biccies, by morning, E will be more like 5mmols higher, instead of 2.5mmols as expected. SO we will now always either bolus for a little of the carb, or just not use at night...

***

Anyway, just thoughts. Hope everyone okay.

xxoo


----------



## bev

Hi Patricia,

Yes its very quiet isnt it?

Your story of E's tummy problems last year is so sad - poor little thing hadnt realised. I suppose at least he has an answer for why he felt so bad - not that it makes it any better......

Just thinking about the apple juice situation - i wonder if it makes a difference what time of day E has it? I know that correction values change throughout the day (although I havent got round to working A's out yet) - so perhaps it should be tied into whether he is on a high or low ratio for the time of day he is having it, as to whether you bolus or not. Does that make sense? It does in my head!Bev


----------



## Mand

Hi everyone

Well, my son's levels continuing to be good now that we inserting quickset away from his lumps. 

His dsn visited today and has set him up on bolus wizard and also shown us how to dual wave.  Will keep you posted re progress!

Might be away for 2 or 3 days next week. Catch up soon. 

Mand xxx


----------



## Sugarbum

Oh no! I spent ages writing a reply just now and lost it so I am peed off! I am on my mums world wide "interhole" and my log in timed out and I submitted and went into cyber space...GRRRRRR 

Anyway, essentially what I wrote was thank you to everyone for you support and help with the crappage of my recent numbers. I probably do need to be "Adriennised" Patricia! (is that now a medical term?!) but I need some serious Louiserization in the mean time, which goes a little something like this...

I have running at the moment insulin from initial dual and a 5 hour square in progress...ate a peice of cake just now and just bolused another 5u mid square....AND I have a temp basal running, just because I can! When I press ESC I have a really long scroll! FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE!

Patricia it is sad what you were saying about E's charity walk. Are you approching his diagnosis anniversary soon? I was wondering how you felt about it too, also if you were considering marking it somehow or letting it pass. It sounds like E has landmarked it already, Im not suprised it sounds a wobbly time. What a year....

Bev I am wondering why on earth we are ALL needing more insulin? Weather? I thought it was all about the monthly visitor, but obviously that doesnt apply in A's case, is it the cold snap? I wish I was more vidulent and remember what normally happens to me this time of year. But alas, I still dont find myself in that zone 

I had my flu-jab today. Mr Patel virtually chases me out the pharmacy and down the road the same time every year! I assume 'points win prizes' and the IOS claim for getting the flu-jab into a diabetics arm on a yearly basis- even if you are still moving- must be enormous! I am going to have to reconsider his christmas present this year me thinks!

Mand, have a good week away and dont let the dual-wave brain-wave you sweety


----------



## Adrienne

Hi guys

Sorry not been around, had a nasty on my computer yesterday (not a virus) but this adware/spy stuff that was on the news this week !  Typical.   Just kept getting lots of porn pop up  and it disabled my anti virus and etc etc.  Got it sorted hopefully. 

Anyway I'm away till Tuesday so won't be on unless I get myself to a computer somehow.

Lou, by all means put your numbers down and lets all have a go 

Not sure and Adriennised is a medical term !!  Looks a bit weird if you ask me.

We are off to our hospital for a check up on Monday up town so am hoping Jessica's HbA1c is back down again.   We have been working damn hard on this.

Anyway gotta go and pack.


----------



## Sugarbum

Sugarbum said:


> I have running at the moment insulin from initial dual and a 5 hour square in progress...ate a peice of cake just now and just bolused another 5u mid square....AND I have a temp basal running, just because I can! When I press ESC I have a really long scroll! FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE!



I checked my blood sugar after writing this last night and I was 2.9! 

It sure will be quiet on this thread for the next week while a few people are way, hope you all have a good time!


Enjoy the weekend! xXx


----------



## Sugarbum

....I just noticed, remember this year we all need to change the clocks tonight on our pumps!!!


----------



## Patricia

Hi all

Yes, seems a few are away...Have a great time, all!

Lou: talk about multi-tasking! Crumbs. Bells and whistles pump-style or what?! Hope you made it through unscathed, anyway...

And yes, change pump timings... Ergh.

Here we have wrestled with pizza...started with a 3 hour 30/70...Went *okay*: never low, but a bit close to bottom... At 3 hours in was 5.6, so had a couple of gulps of juice. Then at 5 hours in, was 9mmols. We didn't correct (middle of night anyway) to see what would happen... woke on 13mmols. SO can conclude that pizza does indeed take about the same time as everything else, eg 5-8 hours is the spike... Good to know. SO imagine that the next route will be 30/70 but on 4 or 5 hours, to spread it out a bit. Also possibility that bolus (30%) was too high, so may reduce to the favourite 20/80, but we'll see...

Have had recurrent difficulty with the 20/80 6 hour dual wave for pasta which works like a dream at school, with more activity...Here at home he's too high for too long (eg 13-15mmols, so have to override pump and correct)...ALSO the dose itself is higher, because he's having actually more carb, about 100 cho compared to at school where he may only have 50 or 60 cho in a meal... Now wondering if it's worth going to what we do for rice: bolus the sauce separately, and set the rest on a square wave...Hmm..

Sun is shining! 

And tonight...another X Factor! Am I the only one totally addicted?! Sad... Lou, surely this is up your street...?!

Byeeee!

xxoo


----------



## Sugarbum

Patricia said:


> And tonight...another X Factor! Am I the only one totally addicted?! Sad... Lou, surely this is up your street...?!
> 
> Byeeee!
> 
> xxoo




Oh dont you just know it?! Its got my name all over it, I am so addicted every year, that and to Stricly! I shall be tuned in again tonight. I am round my mums this weekend and I even got her to watch it last night and she enjoyed it....her face was a picture at the twins at the end though!

Oh P, I am missing my old pump a bit. I know I am banging on about the active insulin a lot but because this is how I have learned pumping I have become reliant on this feature. It isnt the same on the 522 and neither is the set change (but now I am just being picky). I dont want to get attached to this pump (not literally!) as I know its going back, I assume in about +/- 8 or 10 weeks. Its a little bit of a strange feeling...

Its interesting what you have said about the 20/80 dual. I must try that one as I havent gone that low for the intial bolus as yet.

I was looking at your other thread about the finger pricking and I wonder if E is reaching that stage I feel I have got to. It is not uncommon for me now to have to lance myself a few times for a drop of blood (I only use my left hand) and I think the skin is starting to suffer. I have the lancer turned up quite high. I dont notice it so much on a low, but that could be to do with a memory thing at the time of doing it. Do his fingers look as if they are starting to suffer a bit? 

Yes, great weather today and beautiful sunshine! Lovely to be out of London and see the stunning autumn colours in the trees. I notice it is pitch black outside and its only 5.30pm! 

Right, things to do before X Factor! I know I am not alone!

Lou xx


----------



## Patricia

Yes I'm afraid x factor just has that Lou feel... Me: a guilty pleasure. I've been the same re Big Brother too, at times...Once was at quite a snazzy and festival-y type dinner party... somehow Big Brother came up...turned out the host was also heavily (and guiltily, secretly) into it... It was very funny. And very satisfying!

Thank GOD Danyl (weird spelling?) safe. Okay, nuff said. Spineless Cheryl, perhaps, is worth saying..

ANYWAY. 

Tell me about the active insulin screen. Is it that you've been used to seeing it all at once? Because E almost always flips between them on the 722 and can see what's active, what's correction, etc... Is it the inconvenience of having to check and double check, maybe?

The irritating thing about pumping is that I'm sure we all then become quite demanding and picky. I certainly feel this way. The desire for more advanced technology is quick to rear its head. The pump is such a dramatic change: and then you think, what about this, and what about that... It's a bit like designing a kitchen (bear with me here)... Everything looks great, until you start to think where you're going to put everything...and it takes you six months to figure it all out...and even then there's one squeeze point in the whole fabulous thing.... Do I sound like I'm speaking from experience?! I guess what I mean is -- at the moment, the pump is never right. There is no perfect pump. Some of the things Tracey can do are marvelous, for instance...

This end we've had a weird day. Started fine but high again in the afternoon (Argh! maybe not the 20/80 pasta yesterday after all!). Under corrected cos going swimming...but still crashed to 2.8. THEN because of wetness, brand new set flipping *pulled out* in the *middle of* bolus-ing.... Wonderful son showed 'presence of mind' (daughter's terms) to notice how much of the bolus had gone in... Good grief. So changed set and manually did rest. So far so good. Only weird thing is, he's felt low all night. We've tested and re-calibrated like mad: solid as a rock around 10 while food going in. Hmm...Kept thinking he was going to crash. But not yet.

All this with OH away for two days. Ack. Wouldn't you know. Thing is, OH is just a little more level headed than me generally (like his son). So I flail a bit more. But all okay.

I wondered about the pricker depth too, Lou... It's just so inconsistent. His fingers generally look okay...not that he uses more than two on each hand (ring and pinky; finds the others much more painful). We worry about the skin, but there doesn't seem to be evidence of it. Yet. He's a pianist too, so we I guess worry even more.

Hmm. Again. But it could be, indeed. 

Okay. SO much work to do. Will try now.

Good to hear from you, as ever!

xxoo


----------



## bev

Patricia,
Is E on sensors as you mention calibrating? Sorry if i am being thick - we just use the phrase when A has to calibrate on the sensors.Bev


----------



## Patricia

Hi Bev

No, we mean calibrating his meter... He uses the optium exceed, which has a little calibration insert for each new pack of strips... and he had just changed strips, so thought maybe he forgot to calibrate...which he hadn't....

For some reason I thought you were away Bev -- you about this week, are you? How are A's numbers at the mo'?


----------



## Tezzz

Sugarbum said:


> I was looking at your other thread about the finger pricking and I wonder if E is reaching that stage I feel I have got to. It is not uncommon for me now to have to lance myself a few times for a drop of blood (I only use my left hand) and I think the skin is starting to suffer. I have the lancer turned up quite high. I dont notice it so much on a low, but that could be to do with a memory thing at the time of doing it. Do his fingers look as if they are starting to suffer a bit?



Lou, I found out that if I warm my finger up in warm water (the whole hand actually) or put it under the hot air dryer then I need to set my lancing device to a lower number. And it hurts less.


----------



## bev

Patricia said:


> Hi Bev
> 
> No, we mean calibrating his meter... He uses the optium exceed, which has a little calibration insert for each new pack of strips... and he had just changed strips, so thought maybe he forgot to calibrate...which he hadn't....
> 
> For some reason I thought you were away Bev -- you about this week, are you? How are A's numbers at the mo'?




Hi Patricia,

Not away this week. Still battling high numbers! It seems we need to change the whole lot- so taking it slowly - step by step as wasnt sure if it was connected to his cold etc - feels like starting all over again....

Calibrating - we dont have to do this with the nano - just every now and then to check its within range etc.Bev


----------



## Patricia

Sorry about A's high numbers Bev -- *what* a drag! And always such a worry...

Does the nano have one of those big vials for the test strips? This is always my sticking point. I'm not sure how that can be carried in pockets, which is where E keeps his...

We are having some single high number issues now too... It's half term-itis I suspect, even though he's on a different pattern for it... Three mornings now mid-morning, high... Time for a change! We'll just get it settled, then back to school... Ergh.

Hope things start to improve with A. So disheartening, I know. Been there. And he won't be feeling great, either. Sorry.

Hang in there.

xxoo


----------



## Sugarbum

brightontez said:


> Lou, I found out that if I warm my finger up in warm water (the whole hand actually) or put it under the hot air dryer then I need to set my lancing device to a lower number. And it hurts less.



Thats good advice Tez cheers (you must have beautiful hands doing this!!) I must make more effort as I notice not only is it getting harder to do but my fingertips look shabby. I will definately try the warm water trick, cheers.

I did a set change today and took off my canula that I had put on 3 days ago with the sample of cavlon, so much nicer! It stayed in tact very nicely, but came off much better and the watford gap Im usually left with didnt bleed today and was much smaller and less red- overall impressed. I shall use up the rest of the samples and if this continues try my luck for a prescription (I think its expensive if I remember correctly) but not afraid to try my GP for some at least. One of those small bottles must have quite a lot of longevity to it I would guess (I got a free election of different samples from their 3M website if anyone is interested).

I came back from a nice weekend at my mums and off to work this afternoon. Feeling an underlying low level of anxiety/stress constantly lately and Im not quite sure what to do about it. Trying to keep chipper but really hoping I can on top of better numbers this week which will be a good first step to feeling a little less like this perhaps.

Hope everyone else is ok. Bev sorry to hear numbers still are not great. Have you been "Adrienised" lately? Maybe its worth quizzing your DSN and seeing if there is something she might come up with? Hope you are getting some "you" time as well.

Right must crack on, fingers crossed for a quiet day in reception and that not everyone is booking into my hotel today 

Lots of love everyone xx See you later xx


----------



## bev

Hi all,

Changed sets at lunchtime and when we took the canula out - it was really bent. Really annoyed with myself because i had assumed that these last few days high's was due to the growth spurt or the remainder of the cold - so now i dont know.
 I had altered one of his basals for tomorrow as i had assumed his requirements were getting bigger - so not sure now. Think i will leave it and monitor whats happening - thats the good thing about sensors - you can pick up unusual changes and act on them before hypo or hyper.

Hope everyone else is ok? It's blinking freezing here -heating on and blanket...Bev


----------



## Patricia

Oh lord Bev what a pain in the butt! Argh! I feel for you. Yes agree that it's prob best to see how things go for another day...

Lou: glad spray better for you. Good.

Know what you mean about low-lying anxiety. Can get on top of you. Do you keep your numbers records like totally laid out so you can see them, all lined up? I find that I just can't do it any other way. I need to see the same times of day vertically up against each other to see patterns...But that's just me...?

Weird high number this morning, as mentioned. But other than that, very stable numbers. Hoping for a quiet night, as OH still away and I have a mega busy day tomorrow. For which, ahem, I am not prepared.

Now to prepare!

Take care all.

xxoo


----------



## Becca

bev said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Changed sets at lunchtime and when we took the canula out - it was really bent. Really annoyed with myself because i had assumed that these last few days high's was due to the growth spurt or the remainder of the cold - so now i dont know.
> I had altered one of his basals for tomorrow as i had assumed his requirements were getting bigger - so not sure now. Think i will leave it and monitor whats happening - thats the good thing about sensors - you can pick up unusual changes and act on them before hypo or hyper.
> 
> Hope everyone else is ok? It's blinking freezing here -heating on and blanket...Bev



Hey Bev, it could well be the bent cannula   We had to do another set change the other night following the previous midnight set change.  (Again at midnight)  Rose's bloods hadn't come down and had been going up into 20s; food couldn't have done it so thought about the set.  Took it out and ummed and arhhhed about changing it but then OH took the reservoir out and we both heard something drop.  After much searching on bathroom floor it turned out to be a part of the reservoir   At the top you have 2 small plastic bits that stick out - well it was one of those, so the decision was made for us as the reservoir i don't think would have sat well in the pump (i think it would have fallen back out)

Hae just read that back and hope that makes sense?!?!


----------



## bev

Hi Becca,

Made perfect sense to me!

How did you get on at the clinic - last week wasnt it? Have they shed any light on the sudden high numbers? Growth spurt - or isnt it regular?
If A keeps going the way he is then he will be on 100% more insulin than he was a couple of weeks ago - i am amazed by the difference. Although we have sensors - i am not sure i know how to get the best out of them - also he has been ill with a cold - so all the basal testing i had planned has been left. I think i need to motivate myself again - i think i am just so tired and get annoyed when you think youve got it sorted - then something changes....Bev


----------



## Becca

bev said:


> Hi Becca,
> 
> Made perfect sense to me!
> 
> How did you get on at the clinic - last week wasnt it? Have they shed any light on the sudden high numbers? Growth spurt - or isnt it regular?
> If A keeps going the way he is then he will be on 100% more insulin than he was a couple of weeks ago - i am amazed by the difference. Although we have sensors - i am not sure i know how to get the best out of them - also he has been ill with a cold - so all the basal testing i had planned has been left. I think i need to motivate myself again - i think i am just so tired and get annoyed when you think youve got it sorted - then something changes....Bev




Hiya

I did put on here a long rambled garbled version of what happened...they think it's growth hormones and her basals have been changed a lot.  We're getting a few hypos now so maybe tweaked too much 

I love things black and white and diabetes is that horrible murkey grey.  Nothing fits like i want it too...can't stand like you say how you think it's sorted and then......................

I need to go hunt some more chocolate i think lol!


----------



## Sugarbum

Patricia said:


> Lou: glad spray better for you. Good.
> 
> Know what you mean about low-lying anxiety. Can get on top of you. Do you keep your numbers records like totally laid out so you can see them, all lined up? I find that I just can't do it any other way. I need to see the same times of day vertically up against each other to see patterns...But that's just me...?
> 
> Weird high number this morning, as mentioned. But other than that, very stable numbers. Hoping for a quiet night, as OH still away and I have a mega busy day tomorrow. For which, ahem, I am not prepared.
> 
> Now to prepare!
> 
> Take care all.
> 
> xxoo



I LOVE that you are not prepared! Too much XFactor me thinks woman?! 

Unfortunately I cant seem to get the diligence I need to start wirting my numbers down again. I used to do it religiously, partly because this was what my team demanded of me before agreeing I could pump. I watch them all through carelink which helps. I just find in general my anxiety about everything seems to have gone up, I rarely get a good nights sleep. Sleeping light seems to be the only way to wake up in a hypo....every time I am about to fall asleep Im suddenly alert, am I tired or am I hypo? Sigh. Feels the same. Essentially I would summise this as since pumping, my hypo awareness is lower, especially in sleep and this troubles me. Not massively, but it is there....among a few other things that seem to niggle me lately!

BTW, the Cavlon I got wasnt the spray, I would like the spray though! I got the cream sachets and a new one (I didnt keep the packet so I cant tell you exactly, but it was very chemical I wasnt keen on the smell!). The scahets are too big for what we want it for. Im sure I can dedicate a "sit-in" session with my doc...I just dont go till I get what I want!

Bev, can I just say I am feeling your frustration with that bent canula. I pulled one out of me once and it was bent and it felt completely normal, I was so annoyed. I didnt suspect it. I guess you wont know about that one so will just have to bite the bullet and forget it. With any luck you will find that it was that and can now expect some better numbers. Fingers crossed for you. What a pain.



Becca said:


> food couldn't have done it so thought about the set.  Took it out and ummed and arhhhed about changing it but then OH took the reservoir out and we both heard something drop.  After much searching on bathroom floor it turned out to be a part of the reservoir   At the top you have 2 small plastic bits that stick out - well it was one of those, so the decision was made for us as the reservoir i don't think would have sat well in the pump (i think it would have fallen back out)
> 
> Hae just read that back and hope that makes sense?!?!



Becca, this has happened to me! I thought I had gone mad, I couldnt fathom it what-so-ever! The scary thing was (I didnt mention it on here actually, I felt funny as if maybe I had caused it to go wrong) but it hapened they day my veo broke. I guess I thought maybe I had caused the motor error. I found it way too bizarre this little bit of plastic fell out the pump and I couldnt see where from. In a starnge way, Im glad this happened to you too Bec, just so I know Im not nuts 

Thats all from me tonight, time for bed! Night y'all! xXx


----------



## Becca

Sugarbum said:


> Becca, this has happened to me! I thought I had gone mad, I couldnt fathom it what-so-ever! The scary thing was (I didnt mention it on here actually, I felt funny as if maybe I had caused it to go wrong) but it hapened they day my veo broke. I guess I thought maybe I had caused the motor error. I found it way too bizarre this little bit of plastic fell out the pump and I couldnt see where from. In a starnge way, Im glad this happened to you too Bec, just so I know Im not nuts
> 
> Thats all from me tonight, time for bed! Night y'all! xXx



Yay!  So it's not just me   That's weird though, wonder why it happens?


----------



## Sugarbum

Becca said:


> Yay!  So it's not just me   That's weird though, wonder why it happens?



Weird and very worrying at the time! How could it possibly snap like that??


----------



## Becca

Wonder if it depends on how tight you screw it into the pump or how hard you unscrew it?  Or manufacturing fault?  Guess see if it happens again....


----------



## Patricia

Sugarbum said:


> I LOVE that you are not prepared! Too much XFactor me thinks woman?!
> 
> HA! It's called _priorities. Erk._
> 
> Unfortunately I cant seem to get the diligence I need to start wirting my numbers down again. I used to do it religiously, partly because this was what my team demanded of me before agreeing I could pump. I watch them all through carelink which helps. I just find in general my anxiety about everything seems to have gone up, I rarely get a good nights sleep. Sleeping light seems to be the only way to wake up in a hypo....every time I am about to fall asleep Im suddenly alert, am I tired or am I hypo? Sigh. Feels the same. Essentially I would summise this as since pumping, my hypo awareness is lower, especially in sleep and this troubles me. Not massively, but it is there....among a few other things that seem to niggle me lately!
> 
> I'm wondering whether you could apply for sensors Lou...I don't like to think of you suffering like this...I don't know how you'd feel about them. Confess that it's only us actually getting up and making sure everything is okay that keeps E from probably going through same fate...Tonight for instance: he's inexplicably on 13. No idea why. Think he might have been last night too, a little high. Anyway, we corrected. And I had to promise to test him. End of story. He can't deal otherwise. Never mind us.
> 
> I'm feeling for you here. MAYBE if you put in some work on your basals you'd feel more secure? It's a bit of a journey with an unsure result, but worth a try?
> 
> Diabetes is flipping unfair. I don't know how my son is going to cope with all the numbers and the relentlessness when we're not around. I take my hat off to you. Anything I can do, let me know.
> 
> Yes. I am avoiding. Work. I have done. Some. Of. It.
> 
> Back to the powerpoint...



Good night all.

xxoo


----------



## bev

Goodnight Patricia,

I am waiting up to check a correction too! A was 12 half an hour ago......

Hope you sort your work out - and get some sleep!Bev


----------



## Adrienne

Becca said:


> Wonder if it depends on how tight you screw it into the pump or how hard you unscrew it?  Or manufacturing fault?  Guess see if it happens again....



Hiya

We have had that a few times so don't worry.  However I've never had to take the reservoir out before needing to and its only when I go to change it that sometimes they snap off and disappear on the floor somewhere !   I decided it was because they had sat in the pump for three days and just got hard and wedged there and didn't like being moved !  (that's how my brain works!!)


----------



## bev

WOOOOOOOPEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just wanted to share A's levels since 11.30 last night:

7.5
4.6 (small drink at 3am needed)
7.7
6
4.7
5.2
4.7
5.2
5.1

But he has had lasagne and chocolate cake for lunch on a DW of 50/50 for 3 hours - so he is now 8.7 - so not sure if we got that right - will have to see.
It just feels so good to have numbers under 9!
I am keeping my fingers crossed and all that....

I altered his basal 8am to noon and he stayed under 6 the whole morning.

Because we have had 2 weeks of higher levels due to cold or growth or whatever... if just feels so nice to have such normal levels again! I was beginning to think the pump wasnt all it was cracked up to be - but its not the pump - its other factors coming in to play - and i had forgotten what it feels like to be able to change things....

Also, we are testing a basal rate tonight - so he is having fish and poached eggs - hopefully we can see whats going on late evening and early morning - without it being affected by any foods etc..

Hope everyone else is ok?Bev


----------



## Becca

Adrienne said:


> Hiya
> 
> We have had that a few times so don't worry.  However I've never had to take the reservoir out before needing to and its only when I go to change it that sometimes they snap off and disappear on the floor somewhere !   I decided it was because they had sat in the pump for three days and just got hard and wedged there and didn't like being moved !  (that's how my brain works!!)



hmmm...we took the reservoir out just to check everything was working because of the high levels and wanted to see if it was ok, it was on day 3 of the set so maybe that fits in with what it being wedged.

Bev - they are fantastic levels!  yay, well done   It's so satisfying when a plan comes together


----------



## bev

Thanks Becca!

How are you getting on with R and her levels - are they coming down at all?

Problem is - i know all this will change next week when they go back to school! I havent set a seperate pattern yet for school - so just thinking i might do an 80% temp basal on the first day to see if that is close to it.Bev


----------



## lesley1978

Hi All,

Hope everything is ok with everyone.  Not been on for a while been feeling a bit low, don't know why, so not really done much.  Everything went well with the pump last week and I went 'live' today.  have had a couple of hypo's today but still have background lantus so to be expected really.  working on a 1 u to 10g carb at the minute and seeing how it goes.  Waiting for the nurse to ring me within the next hour to see how things have been going but I'm quite happy with it all.  Got to ring tomorrow and order my stack of supplies!

Catch up soon.  I'll come on properly sometime this week and catch up properly.

Lesley x


----------



## Northerner

lesley1978 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Hope everything is ok with everyone.  Not been on for a while been feeling a bit low, don't know why, so not really done much.  Everything went well with the pump last week and I went 'live' today.  have had a couple of hypo's today but still have background lantus so to be expected really.  working on a 1 u to 10g carb at the minute and seeing how it goes.  Waiting for the nurse to ring me within the next hour to see how things have been going but I'm quite happy with it all.  Got to ring tomorrow and order my stack of supplies!
> 
> Catch up soon.  I'll come on properly sometime this week and catch up properly.
> 
> Lesley x



Sorry you've been feeling down Lesley - hope everything goes well with the pump!


----------



## Becca

bev said:


> Thanks Becca!
> 
> How are you getting on with R and her levels - are they coming down at all?
> 
> Problem is - i know all this will change next week when they go back to school! I havent set a seperate pattern yet for school - so just thinking i might do an 80% temp basal on the first day to see if that is close to it.Bev



Hi Bev,

things have improved but getting hypos so need to tweak, but next week will be the test back at school......

Had a nightmare morning, Rose smashed a bowl on her foot first thing and blood was everywhere   Only small cuts it turns out but boy did they bleed....she felt sick as well bless her, not a good start to the day


----------



## Sugarbum

Sorry to read about your diasterious morning Becca! What a nightmare. Hope she is better now. Hope this half term is a good one x

Oh Bev, great numbers! Well done! Are those all sensor readings? Do you find much variant between those and the finger ones? Great work though, you must be pleased. 

Thanks Patricia for your advice. Its silly why this has all come about now, Ive lived alone since before I got diagnosed (whatever it was? 4 years ago??) and 'maybe' this is just a phase of being unsettled....I think I am anxious lately, I went for an eye test today because I have had really really bad eye strain and headaches (and I felt diabetes owed me ?22.50!) and everything was fine, I was disapointed at the missed oportunity to get some face bling but should be grateful I have normal vision I guess! Sensors arent in my mind at the moment, I ruled them out after looking at the cost which would have to be covered by me. I am hoping instead that my confidence has just wavered, and soon it will come back. And everything else settles down in life. Then normal service will resume  Thanks for your support.

I took some time to chill in the gym (free coffee!) with the christmas issue of "Sweet" magazine. What a great issue. I wasnt so keen on the pumping article though, nice girl but the depth was missing. Anyone else read it?

Enjoy your evening- whats left of it, or should I say "enjoy your night" to those who are sensor checking?!

Lots of love anyway xx


----------



## Alzibiff

*Clocks*

Not having been "on the pump" when we change the clocks before, I was wondering what you guys do when it comes to swapping from BST to GMT and vice versa.

Do you simply change the time on the pump and that's it or do you amend the basal rates too and gradually bring them back to what you had so carefully set them to during the past 6 months?

Not sure how long body clocks come back into line with real time clocks - I know that I am still waking up an hour earlier than I should be - for work! (Which is a bit of a shame really!)

Alan


----------



## velcrohead

My first time as well, I just put the time back 1 hour before I went to bed and woke up the next day fine.


----------



## Alzibiff

velcrohead said:


> My first time as well, I just put the time back 1 hour before I went to bed and woke up the next day fine.



Just seemed to me that having spent ages getting my basals right, it was a bit off to muck things up by shifting the clocks back!   No doubt, I think, that body clocks will get back in synch with the world in a few days or so but it really spoilt things for me - probably because I never really anticipated it!

Alan


----------



## Patricia

Hello everyone

Powerpoint went down a storm, those of you who were up in the middle of the night with me will be (or maybe not!) glad to know.... I was up so late I did a 2am BG while still dressed! 

Feel half crazy with work, but this is nearly always the case autumn half term. The kids stop, but we don't. And I can't always find child care. So they have just sat in my office for two hours...

Bev: so relieved a bit of a breakthrough for numbers with you! Yay! How are they holding up?

Lou: hang in there babes. Perhaps some of this too is a) winter coming and b) the prospect of said (and life, maybe) in a different significant other situation? You are *so* capable. But we all need *reasons* to do things, to get motivated. And sometimes they are hard to find.

This is what I was thinking about your situation too, Lesley. It sounds weird, but I was quite down just after getting the pump for E. We'd fought hard, looked forward to it, etc, and then we just slumped a bit. And it was such hard work....Maybe some of this is you too?

Becca: what an awful morning. Bleh.

Re pump time change...well, we just did it wholesale the next day, but not until later in the day... The one thing we noticed was that a meal went in on a snack ratio -- and he therefore went high! BUT I'm now wondering if some of the morning highs we'd had a few days ago (now inexplicably gone!) were something to do with this time change...maybe? But we've had problems before with erratic middle-morning and unpredictable figures, so maybe not!

Number-wise, generally very good here. Some tucking in of a 10 or 11 -- need to look at those basals, but generally good. I for one am relieved he's had a spate of 6s, 7s and some 8s, after many hypos last week. Phew!

That's it for me. Realise I'm getting old. Suspect I am still tired from two nights ago. For heaven's sake!

xxoo


----------



## velcrohead

Alzibiff said:


> Just seemed to me that having spent ages getting my basals right, it was a bit off to muck things up by shifting the clocks back!   No doubt, I think, that body clocks will get back in synch with the world in a few days or so but it really spoilt things for me - probably because I never really anticipated it!
> 
> Alan



I did wonder myself what would happen, I am still tweaking my rates but just changed the time back 1 hour and all was ok, No ill effects thanks goodness.


----------



## bev

GGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
REALLY ANNOYED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Went to Bath today for a nice shopping day. It didnt happen -Alex was between 13 and 19!!!!!!!!!So i was really angry after yesterdays lovely numbers. Also, had stupidly forgotten to take the pen with us - so just corrected and corrected and corrected.........and corrected and corrected and corrected......

So had lunch and quite a nice time then decided to come home. Pump alarmed in car as he was 16 - then 19 then 20!!!!!!!!!So i felt like throwing the pump out of the window.....

Then got home and had food - did a DW - then at the 2 hour check - wait for it..................


22!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Aaarrrrgh

So decided to do set change (all this time i am thinking that pumps dont work for us). 

It then becomes clear why Alex has been high all afternoon......


wait for it.............



.........................






............................

wait........................







THE TUBING HAD SPLIT ACROSS THE DIAMETER AND WAS HANGING ON A THREAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


How can this happen? Has this happened to anyone else? It was at the end where its screwed into the reservoir - so i doubt much insulin had been getting in all day!

I just cant believe that it was something so simple - AND WE MISSED IT! 

Now i feel guilty that he has been high all afternoon and i should have had his pen with us......Bev


----------



## Becca

Hi Bev

eep!  really sorry that you had a bad day 

Yes, this has happened a few times and coincides with Rose twiddling with the tubing and it splits.  Sometimes i think it happens.  

If it happens again, phone Medtronic up, it might be the batch.

Don't worry about missing it, these things happen and it's only from them happening that we know to check them next time.


----------



## Sugarbum

WHAT????

You have to be kidding, Bev? SPLIT? REALLY??? OMG.

Well, of course really, not as if you are lying! I just dont believe this could happen. That has to be bloody unlucky to happen Bev, please, please dont be down about it. This is a run of bad bad luck.

Do you carry a spare set with you? I do the opersite and carry the set and reservoir and an old style syringe to draw from the vial as it is smaller to carry rather than the pen. Can be a hastle, for example, depends on my handbag or how far from home I am going. This wasnt your fault Bev. Just damn bad luck.

Such a shame you missed out on your day. ((((((HUGS)))))) xx


----------



## Becca

LOL!!  Just reread my post - how many ''happens'' can i have in a post lmao.....


----------



## bev

Becca said:


> LOL!!  Just reread my post - how many ''happens'' can i have in a post lmao.....



I dont happen to know.....


----------



## Sugarbum

Becca said:


> LOL!!  Just reread my post - how many ''happens'' can i have in a post lmao.....




BRILLIANT!!!!! whats _*your*_ blood sugar?!


----------



## Becca

bev said:


> I dont happen to know.....



LOL!  It was bad wasn't it?

OH just lifted Rose and she felt hot and complaining of bad headache, which she had before bed, temp is 39.2  BM is 7.7 so that's ok at the mo, will have to see what happens overnight....


----------



## Sugarbum

oh no? poor little one. Hope this doesnt mean you are in for a long night, fingers crossed x

(PS Im sure you will tell us what "happens" as it "happens"!)


----------



## Patricia

Oh lord Bev -- what a NIGHTMARE! So frustrating for you... This is exactly how we've felt with the two set problems we've had -- you feel so stupid, so cross at yourself AND at the world -- cos a) you have to deal with it AT ALL and b) it's like the big D completely coming in and setting up CAMP in your life, refusing to move just for the HELL of it, because it LIKES to cause trouble. Argh.

Anyway, like everyone says, you just need to let it go. You learn by experience, but I confess we still haven't got the hang of putting a pen in and out of fridge and handbag... Find this more difficult than anything to get my head around.

We should make up a mantra for the management of diabetes, something to repeat to ourselves when battling this frustration and guilt and fed-upness... Any ideas? I'll think about it.

Sounds stupid, but I actually do find mantra type things work for me. I can keep control of my spiralling if I hit upon the right one for the the right situation. Sometimes they're simple: when I was going to the States and so nervous, I put 'Life is an adventure' on my phone. When I was coming back (and nervous!), I put 'Going home.' 

There must be a way to feel our way through high stress diabetes induced situations -- one that takes less toll on us....

Becca: I really hope you haven't had a night of it. Oh dear.

Fer now,

xxoo


----------



## Northerner

Sorry to hear of the stupid mechanical problems people are encountering. I wonder if it would be worthwhile compiling a list of 'things I know now that no-one told me about but I found out by accident'? It's probably one of those things that the manuals don't really mention.


----------



## bev

Patricia,
Thats a great idea! I do use mantra's myself for various situations - thought it was only me!

We need one that reminds us that some things are just out of our hands and that 'D' is always lurking and ready to pounce when your at your lowest level of concentration.....(but thats too long he he!)........

Becca, how is R today? I hope she's not coming down with anything.

Lou, yes it really did 'happen'! He he. How are your levels lately - have you got over the blip with the 'highs'?

Hi everyone else- hope your all ok?

This morning has been a good one so far - woke on 6 - went up to 10 after breakfast - so the basal change i had started yesterday seems to be working - for now....Bev


----------



## Sugarbum

Hiya,

Yes my levels have been ok the last couple of days thanks, the basal increase I mastered I perhaps didnt need so much yesterday but was fine.

I was filmed yesterday at work most the afternoon doing fake health screens on obliguing prisoners with fake addictions, it was very funny but very nervous as well! I think that the nerves made my adrenaline rush a little and that kept my numbers lower. Its a video being made for new prisoners into the prison, so you wont be able to view its debut unless you are a man and on remand in London! Shame!

Hope your night wasnt a bad one Becca, how is rosey?

Patricia I am thinking of a mantra. I cant seem to get away from the diabetes rap though that I posted from You Tube on here about a month ago though!

Sounds like your numbers are ok with A today Bev, hope you guys have d-stress free day!

Hope everyone is ok. Lesley, PM me if you fancy a chat. I am always popping online and usually about- hope you are doing ok. remember we are all about, we dont need to chat on the board if you need support hon.

Have a good day all xxx


----------



## Becca

hi guys

Thanks for the messages   It was a long night, Rose slept with me in the end, her temp came back at 5am and her levels starting creeping up to 14 with 0.2 ketones so not too bad but nipped it in the bud.  She woke up 11.4 but has gone up to 15.  Just will keep on correcting and checking ketones.  May put her on temp basal depending on 12 oclock reading......

Poor Rose, she looks really pale, she's complaining of headaches and feeling cold, I've just been chatting to a mum from her class and a lot of her classmates are ill with the same thing, one being diagnosed with swine flu.

Hope everyone is ok xx


----------



## tracey w

Bev, how awful for you and Alex! Hope all ok with you now. I do carry a spare pen in my handbag and i have labelled it with the date when it will expire. dont think im goody two shoes, just a bit obsessive! You should of seen all the stuff I took on holiday, batteries the lot  lol

I also carry all my things for a set change, but to be honest if I needed to do this at work I think I would come home anyway as there is nowhere I class as clean/private enough to do this anyway. Suppose would be ok if say i was visiting someone.


Becca hope Rose is feeling better tonight?

Lou. Lesley hope you ok? Lesley let us know how you are doing when you have a chance?

Adrienne, patricia and Mand, hope your little uns are fine too? Sorry if i missed anyone out, xxxx


----------



## lesley1978

Hi all,

Sorry to hear about R!!!!  bad times!  hope she is doing ok!  Can't beleive that happened.  Will have to watch out for that one!

I'm doing ok.  Pump is going ok.  All through the day I keep running a bit low, just using 1 : 10g carbs at the minute.  Tuesday night (first day on it) I reduced to 80% basal cause still had lantus and was 5.4 before bed then 5.6 at 2am eek:too early) and then when I woke I was 15.2.  So, I put that down to my reduction in basal.

Anyway, last night, was 5.6 before bed, tested at 2.00am and was 8.6 and then when I woke up at 7.00am this morning was 17.6!!!!!  I haven't made any adjustments yet, gonna see how things go tonight and then if I rise again then I think I'll have to increase my basal from about 12.00am.  

Wow, Can't believe I'm actually speaking the same speak as you all now!  I know its all trial and error and I know I have been running a little low but still I can't believe how much more controlled my sugars are!!!!!


----------



## tracey w

lesley1978 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Sorry to hear about R!!!!  bad times!  hope she is doing ok!  Can't beleive that happened.  Will have to watch out for that one!
> 
> I'm doing ok.  Pump is going ok.  All through the day I keep running a bit low, just using 1 : 10g carbs at the minute.  Tuesday night (first day on it) I reduced to 80% basal cause still had lantus and was 5.4 before bed then 5.6 at 2am eek:too early) and then when I woke I was 15.2.  So, I put that down to my reduction in basal.
> 
> Anyway, last night, was 5.6 before bed, tested at 2.00am and was 8.6 and then when I woke up at 7.00am this morning was 17.6!!!!!  I haven't made any adjustments yet, gonna see how things go tonight and then if I rise again then I think I'll have to increase my basal from about 12.00am.
> 
> Wow, Can't believe I'm actually speaking the same speak as you all now!  I know its all trial and error and I know I have been running a little low but still I can't believe how much more controlled my sugars are!!!!!



Glad is going well Lesley. If i woke up to that number I wouldnt be waiting I would defo increase straight away, but test throughout the night. 

You rose before 2 yes, but I would test at least 2 hourly to see exactly where you are peaking, dont forget you can change the basals hourly to coincide with this, just remember you need to change 2 hours before for the effect 2 hours later. Hope that makes sense.


----------



## lesley1978

tracey w said:


> Glad is going well Lesley. If i woke up to that number I wouldnt be waiting I would defo increase straight away, but test throughout the night.
> 
> You rose before 2 yes, but I would test at least 2 hourly to see exactly where you are peaking, dont forget you can change the basals hourly to coincide with this, just remember you need to change 2 hours before for the effect 2 hours later. Hope that makes sense.



can I set my pump for multiple reminders or just one at a time?  I have been stting my pump for 2am but not sure if I can set more?

x


----------



## Adrienne

Hiya

When we started pumping, I was testing Jessica every two hours all night for a good few nights until the myself and the DSN were happy with nightime basals.  I still test at night but not every 2 hours.

Sounds like it is all going well and yep its a whole other language isn't it


----------



## tracey w

lesley1978 said:


> can I set my pump for multiple reminders or just one at a time?  I have been stting my pump for 2am but not sure if I can set more?
> 
> x



have just checked hun, yes if you go into settings>reminders>alarm clock, you an set any time , there are times in there, but you can change easily. ive never had to use them, if i know i need to test at a certain time I will wake up, i know im just weird like that,


----------



## lesley1978

tracey w said:


> have just checked hun, yes if you go into settings>reminders>alarm clock, you an set any time , there are times in there, but you can change easily. ive never had to use them, if i know i need to test at a certain time I will wake up, i know im just weird like that,



When I go into reminders it only gives me the option of setting it once or everyday!  Am I in the right place?  press my book button until it says reminder settings?????


----------



## tracey w

lesley1978 said:


> When I go into reminders it only gives me the option of setting it once or everyday!  Am I in the right place?  press my book button until it says reminder settings?????



In reminders  ( which is bottom option when meter turns on), you should have option of , bg test reminders, alarm clock, or date reminders,

in alarm clock you can set any number of reminders, hope that helps


----------



## tracey w

tracey w said:


> In reminders  ( which is bottom option when meter turns on), you should have option of , bg test reminders, alarm clock, or date reminders,
> 
> in alarm clock you can set any number of reminders, hope that helps



Ok i get it now, its the meter you need to set the alarms, not the pump settings.


----------



## <3KaTiE<3

Hello everyone, 
this has been playing on my mind for some time now, but everyone keeps telling me i should get a pump because it will make my life alot easier. but to be honest im scared..one thing is...i know this could sound silly but i hate doing my injection in my stomach it makes me want to be sick so the thought of something constantly being attached to me there doesnt make me feel at ease! and a second thing is, where i work it can be very busy at times and i can imagine someone brushing past me and catchin the pump and i can imaging it being painfull...i cant believe how silly i sound because im 19 and shouldn't be thinking like a child most people my age would just go for it and wouldnt be thinking what im thinking but i cant help it. Also this sounds very very stupid but i cant imagine getting dolled up for night out with this pump attached to me...i do think the pump would be a great idea and could help me be better controled but i dont know what to do. ANY ADVICE????


----------



## Adrienne

<3KaTiE<3 said:


> Hello everyone,
> this has been playing on my mind for some time now, but everyone keeps telling me i should get a pump because it will make my life alot easier. but to be honest im scared..one thing is...i know this could sound silly but i hate doing my injection in my stomach it makes me want to be sick so the thought of something constantly being attached to me there doesnt make me feel at ease! and a second thing is, where i work it can be very busy at times and i can imagine someone brushing past me and catchin the pump and i can imaging it being painfull...i cant believe how silly i sound because im 19 and shouldn't be thinking like a child most people my age would just go for it and wouldnt be thinking what im thinking but i cant help it. Also this sounds very very stupid but i cant imagine getting dolled up for night out with this pump attached to me...i do think the pump would be a great idea and could help me be better controled but i dont know what to do. ANY ADVICE????




Hiya

I have to be quick as I'm supposed to be doing dinner !!   Lots of people your age or older don't have the site on the tummy (I know I wouldn't).   You can have it on your upper arm and then the pump can be attached to your bra and hang underneath and no-one is the wiser.   Or it can be on your upper thigh and then in your pocket or again attached around your thigh.   You can even put the site in your bottom and again have the pump where it suits you.

There are loads of possibilities.   You need to ask your hospital if you can try one (without insulin) and wear it in different places and see what you think.   You will have to adapt what you wear to where you wear the pump.  ie if on upper arm then for 2 or three nights you don't wear vest tops or tiny t-shirts, you wear tops with sleeves of some sort.   If you wear it on your bottom and need a pocket, wear jeans with a pocket or whatever.     It is easy when you get the hang of it but I know the thought must be hard. 

Believe me when you realise the freedom you have on a pump you won't care where you put it.  You will wonder why you haven't done it years ago !!  

Our DSN has one and she wears it clipped to her bra and I have never noticed.   I actually asked her the other day where it was as I was always trying to guess.


----------



## Sugarbum

<3KaTiE<3 said:


> Hello everyone,
> this has been playing on my mind for some time now, but everyone keeps telling me i should get a pump because it will make my life alot easier. but to be honest im scared..one thing is...i know this could sound silly but i hate doing my injection in my stomach it makes me want to be sick so the thought of something constantly being attached to me there doesnt make me feel at ease! and a second thing is, where i work it can be very busy at times and i can imagine someone brushing past me and catchin the pump and i can imaging it being painfull...i cant believe how silly i sound because im 19 and shouldn't be thinking like a child most people my age would just go for it and wouldnt be thinking what im thinking but i cant help it. Also this sounds very very stupid but i cant imagine getting dolled up for night out with this pump attached to me...i do think the pump would be a great idea and could help me be better controled but i dont know what to do. ANY ADVICE????



Hi Katie,

Welcome to the forum! and the pump thread!

Its really good that you are considering it. How long have you been injecting for? I have a pump which I wear mostly clipped to the middle of my bra and sometimes in Mp3 music pouches off my waistband. It will rarely (I cant even think of a time!) get knocked or in the way. For work I wear a radio on my waist, torch, knife and keys off my belt and I can assure you the insulin pump does NOT get in the way! I honestly can say I dont feel unfeminine with it and actually I have learned to love it, and even accessorizing it with skins and pouches etc! There is a lot of work and a long period of adjustment but pumping can be enjoyable and definately worth the effort that you need to put in.

I would suggest googling medtronic, animas, roche and seeing what these pumps look like and what they do- some do different things to others. Give it some thought, and get on the case! Get an appointment with the DSN and take it from there. Good luck!


----------



## lesley1978

tracey w said:


> In reminders  ( which is bottom option when meter turns on), you should have option of , bg test reminders, alarm clock, or date reminders,
> 
> in alarm clock you can set any number of reminders, hope that helps



I'm not on the meter yet so I think that is why I couldn't find it.  Anyway, never mind, sorted now.  have upped my basel between 12.00am and 7.00am to 0.5 from 0.4.

lesley x


----------



## Mand

*Returned from a great holiday!*

Hello everyone! Have missed you all lots! But we have had a great holiday in Cornwall!

I will write an account later today when i get five mins between unpacking and wash loads!!!!

I have read all your posts so i am up-to-date on how you all are. Too many events to comment on indiviudally so i will just say that i send you all hugs for the lows/bad days and a thumbs up for all the good days/events. So good to read all your posts and to know how you all are. 

Until later................... Mand


----------



## Sugarbum

Glad you are back safely and refreshed! Hope the weather was good!

Will catch up with you guys later too, I am having 4 friends round for a roastie tomorrow and I need to clean, cook and shop in preparation!!!

Nice to have you back Mand! xxxx


----------



## bev

Hi all,

This morning we have had ANOTHER split tubing! In the same place as the last one - right near the part that screws into the reservoir. So we had another morning of high's......

Anyone else had this? We use quick sets.Bev


----------



## Sugarbum

bev said:


> Hi all,
> 
> This morning we have had ANOTHER split tubing! In the same place as the last one - right near the part that screws into the reservoir. So we had another morning of high's......
> 
> Anyone else had this? We use quick sets.Bev




Bev is this the same batch number? If so, I would call medtronic and get a replacement box.

I also use the quickset, not had this problem although the tube will always mark exactly there as thats where I commonly bend it, but never split. I think Adrienne said she had this problem? But probably happening again this quickly isnt good. 

Id be on the blower to HQ. Hope you guys are ok.

xx


----------



## Freddie99

Hello all,

Long time since I've set foot in here. It seems that my girlfriend knows someone on a pump. I'm going to get her to put me in touch with them to get some first hand information about living with one. Hopefully it'll happen soon.
My appointment at the pump clinic is drawing ever nearer and my excitement is growing.

Tom


----------



## Mand

*A good holiday!*

Hi everyone

Well, we had a great week in Cornwall. Weather was good and our accommodation was first class. The rest of the family, inc my son, climbed into their wet suits and went body boarding in the sea each day. I shopped and found nice little cafes to sip cappacinos (cant spell!) to pass the couple of hours they in the water each day.

My son loved it! He would have stayed in longer each time! We checked his blood before he got into the water and then topped him up with some extra food and had no problems at all! He detached his pump for the time he was in the sea and all went well. My husband wore a waterproof pouch round his neck containing a couple of sugar sweets as back up. 

All parents are happy to see their kids enjoying themselves and living life to the full but somehow i feel an extra swell of pride and happiness since his diagnosis. I am just so pleased that he does not allow his diabetes to stop him doing anything. 

I also enjoyed spending some quality time with him. He now at that age where he always has his own plans and so busy so it was nice to spend time with him (even got a few cuddles, but Sssshhhhh, I didn't tell you that! ).

The week before our holiday he played (bass guitar) with his band at a couple of music events. My little rock star! Again, so proud of him. 

So, on the whole his blood sugars were good on the hol. A couple of highs (Pizza - say no more!) and a couple of lows but only 3.8 ish so quickly and easily dealt with.

I have some thought about bolus wizard now that we are using it but i will post seperately about that.

Mand xx


----------



## Mand

*Bolus wizard*

Hi everyone

We started using bolus wizard two weeks ago and i am in two minds. I love how it calcs the insulin and correction etc. (especially helpful on holiday!). But i unsure about the 'active insulin' bit. We have ours set on a starting point of 4 hours. We often find that bolus wizard does not want to give enough insulin for carbs or enough correction due to active insulin but i do not understand how my son will avoid running too high as a consequence because overall he needs enough insulin to cover carbs and enough to correct so i not happy when bolus wizard reduces it! I understand that it is trying to prevent a hypo but surely my son needs the total insulin at the end of  the day?? 

Can anyone help me understand it better?

Bev - I am so alarmed to read about your split cannula problem!! The pump itself is so complex but it seems that most of our problems are due to the sets!! We had a blood filled one on holiday so changed it to be on the safe side. All was ok. 

Mand


----------



## Sugarbum

Mand said:


> Hi everyone
> 
> We started using bolus wizard two weeks ago and i am in two minds. I love how it calcs the insulin and correction etc. (especially helpful on holiday!). But i unsure about the 'active insulin' bit. We have ours set on a starting point of 4 hours. We often find that bolus wizard does not want to give enough insulin for carbs or enough correction due to active insulin but i do not understand how my son will avoid running too high as a consequence because overall he needs enough insulin to cover carbs and enough to correct so i not happy when bolus wizard reduces it! I understand that it is trying to prevent a hypo but surely my son needs the total insulin at the end of  the day??
> 
> Can anyone help me understand it better?
> 
> Bev - I am so alarmed to read about your split cannula problem!! The pump itself is so complex but it seems that most of our problems are due to the sets!! We had a blood filled one on holiday so changed it to be on the safe side. All was ok.
> 
> Mand




Oh Mand, your holiday sounds an absolute tonic! A lovely read, I am very jelous! Great that the numbers werent bad either. It is so nice to take a break and from the diabetes as well and let it not have the limelight it demands most of the time...

I have given your bolus wizzard thoughts some thoughts myself whilst I am watching 'strictly' (then X Factor Patricia!) and making the Christmas sherry triffle recipe from SWEET magazine (abit early? I know! Its for my dinner party tomorrow!).....

....I am just wondering if you have your ratio times set as tightly as you might require them? have you got them programmed differently for different times? I like bolus wizzard, but I dont love it. Makes me lazy. When it does everything for you and calculates your corrections you dont necessarilly notice how much you correct- whats-his-chops-Walsh from the pumping insulin book says you shouldnt be correcting over 8% of you TDD and I am always trying to keep a third eye on that. With regards to the active insulin, I am set on 4hours as well- I dont know how to test that action more specifically, its a shame. Of course as well, sometimes due to activity it trails off quicker and I find it hard to look at it as a rough estimate of whats left- I want it factually! On the cozmo, the wizzard function tells you not to bolus sometimes due to this which I think would be interesting.

As I am getting more confident with my basal in the pump I am finding I dont like the wizzard so much. Like with MDI I know what amount I want to take most of the time and I dont have much interest in reviewing the amount of carbs summarised in my dialy totals anymore- I know roughly what my carb intake is. I understand what you say about your son surely needing the total insulin at the end of the day, but I think this is just a safety net just incase the maths goes wrong, or to make it a litter quicker and easier in some cases but it might just turn out not to be useful at all for you. If I am right (please correct me if not) I think Bev and A dont use it at all? Im slowly moving away from it myself. Id be interested to know how it pans out for you both.

Oh dear Zoe out of Strictly. Im watching 2 channels at once and making trifle. How big is a table spoon? Is that different to a desert spoon? Ive poured the sherry in and had a swing or 3. Strong innit?


----------



## bev

Hi Lou and Mand and all,

We do use bolus wizard - and up to now find its very useful. But we very often override the pump and make our own decisions. At the moment the active insulin is set at 5 or 6 hours (cant remember which now) but i do think we need to change this as we are finding that we dont go with what the pump is telling us. I think it comes into its own when A is on his own at school or whatever - he doesnt have to think. But - saying that - he often questions what the wizard is telling him and will make good decisions about not folllowing what it says - he is getting better than me now!

Lou - your hysterical - I dont think you realise how funny you are?

Whats-his-chops Walsh - that made me laugh out loud as its the sort of thing I say - but I am not trying to be funny - I just get my words wrong all the time!

I hope you enjoy your dinner party tomorrow and stop drinking the sherry...Bev x


----------



## Sugarbum

bev said:


> Hi Lou and Mand and all,
> 
> 
> I hope you enjoy your dinner party tomorrow and stop drinking the sherry...Bev x



I never bought sherry before- proper grown up isnt it?! It said 2 table spoons (per person?) but as I had to invest in the bottle....well, you can guess the rest!

Sweet magazine said whisk in "Quark" WTF? I phoned my mother from tesco's, I dont think we do "Quark" in Brixton. I dont like fake food!

Sorry i got the ref wrong on the bolus wizz, I thought it was you! Goodness knows?! 

What did you decide to do re the set splitters?

xx


----------



## bev

Lou,

I hate sherry - bad memories!

Quark - isnt this a sort of granola type jobby? Sounds far too healthy - just add choccy and cream!

Going to ring medtronic on monday re the tubing etc - dont think they can do anything - but want them to at least know there is a possible problem.

17 year old is waiting for vodka jellies to set in freezer - do you know how long they take?Bev x


----------



## Sugarbum

My jelly set in an hour and a half! And that was with fruit and sherry in so hopefully vodka jelly doesnt take too long! (of course, sugar free!).

Whilst we are on the theme, just had a rather funny 5 minutes whipping cream and then trying to lay it straight on the custard....it sunk right in and didnt lay on the top at all!!! What a loser  Try again in the morning!! Ive deviated so far from the Sweet magazine recipe its untrue 

I would hope that medtronic replace your box of sets really. I havent had this problem, but worth reporting definately. Perhaps Medtronic need to bring out a child and teenage "fiddling-free" set?! Perhaps Im expecting too much.....Im not 100% convinced the re-vamped veo is actually going to reach us in january yet (controvercial!).

xx

PS- I love the theme of the evening has been alcoholic jelly in both households!


----------



## Mand

Lou, you have me laughing out loud too! You are such a tonic! I hope you not feeling too bad this morning if you continued the swigs of sherry! Do please let us know how the dinner party at yours goes! I hope you all have a fab time! 

Lou and Bev, thanks for your words re bolus wizard. We do seem to be over-riding what it says quite often, though i like the thought of him using it at school (as you say Bev) because they are with their mates and distracted and hopefully the wizard will come into its own then? Time will tell. We do have our settings fairly tight but i am wondering about lowering the active insulin down from 4 hours? Perhpas we will have to experiment a little. 

We allowed him to go out trick and treating last night. He came home too high but we thought as much. But part of the reason that i am so strict in general is so that he can afford to join in such events. Yes, he has diabetes but he also needs to look back at his childhood and remember the fun, not just the diabetes. Well, this is what my head says, but what my heart feels is a little different! But i need to keep the balance right between taking care of his diabetes and future health but also to let him have a life, have a childhood. But this so hard for us parents, i think! 

Well, it is bucketing down here! We off to Birmingham today to celebrate the birthday of my nephew. My sister-in-law always does the most yummy buffett for lunch! I made some soup yesterday that we can have when we return home this evening. I made carrot and corriander. I love to make soup! In fact i also made sweet potato and chilli and froze it for another day. 

Bye for now! xx 

Ps - Bev - did the vodka jelly set ok? sounds interesting!


----------



## Adrienne

*Active Insulin setting*

Hi

Now this is a tricky one.   We have ours set at 3 hours and I will not change it.    I have other friends who have 3 hours and some have 3.5 hours and some 4 hours.   However I had a conversation with our DSN (who is one of the top in the UK and pumps herself) and she told me that 5 hours should be ok.    I said that we could never correct with a 5 hour setting.   She said that the basal and ratios were set wrong then.    She said if the basals and ratios were set perfectly ok then the corrections, if any needed, would be ok.

This makes perfect sense but how hard is it to get the perfect basal and ratio settings.    So to that end I leave ours at 3 hours and it works ok.    It means that we say novorapid is in the body for only 3 hours but we all know that that is not right, it is normally about 4 to 6 hours so that would make 5 hours for active insulin right.

I love the wizard and use it all the time.  I override it sometimes but not all the time.    If I find I override it at a certain time every day, then I change the basal or ratio, whichever is relevant.

Hope that explains it a bit.


----------



## Mand

Thank you, Adrienne. I will take on board all you have said as i try to get to grips with bolus wizard. xx


----------



## tracey w

Hi everyone, just catching up after the weekend. Lou you are so funny, had me laughing out loud too, re whats his chops, sherry and quark! Quark is like a soft cheese made of skimmed milk, very low fat, tastes a bit like philadelphia, (used to eat it a lot when i did slimming world).

Bev, not good re split tubing, sounds like a definate fault problem, let us know what they say.

I use bolus wizzard every time i eat, thats how my meter is set up, but i can override it. I have only had to over ride when i think its telling me too much, the math is right, but the pump doesnt know that ive been runnng round like headless chicken etc, so i reduce the bolus occassionally.

As far as reducing insulin to carbs, my understanding (of the roche pump, others may be different), is that it will always give you insulin for carbs as you do need this, will reduce bolus if you have a correction still active, and also active insulin from last bolus counts as it will prevent stacking. Mine was set at 4 hours but i have changed to 4hours 15 as I know is still active then. There is a chapter in whats his chops book on how to test active insulin but not had time to get to this yet.

Lesley hope you are doing ok?

Just thought id share with you as am chuffed about this, had chinese take away last night and did 30/70 multiwave over 4 hours, previously 3 hours was longest id done.  pre meal 7.5,  2 hours 8.8, 3 hours 9.3,  4.5 hours 5.7, 3 am 5.7   hope its not a one off?


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> Just thought id share with you as am chuffed about this, had chinese take away last night and did 30/70 multiwave over 4 hours, previously 3 hours was longest id done.  pre meal 7.5,  2 hours 8.8, 3 hours 9.3,  4.5 hours 5.7, 3 am 5.7   hope its not a one off?



Wow that is great news.


----------



## Patricia

I absolutely cannot stop now -- famous last words, I know! -- but just saying hey!

Lou: wish I'd had some of your alcoholic jelly tonight: what the heck with Rachel going out for wet and wetter Lloyd? Sheesh!

Okay okay...

Split tubing: haven't had it. Sounds a true bummer though. Let us know what they say Bev...

Active insulin: we are now set on 3, having come down from 4. We simply could not correct with 4, and the wizard was frustrating. My own, probably simplistic, belief is that with growing children esp, with needs changing pretty much all the time, sometimes you just have to correct within 4 hours. We rarely but rarely have run into stacking problems, much less so than on MDI... I cannot *imagine* 5 hours, to be honest. We tuck little bits of high BG in all the time with little corrections, and with a long active, I'm sure this wouldn't work and he would be higher across the board...If there's a regular correction going on, of course we look at the basals and ratios...

I can see the theory, but... I just can't see ever getting things under control to that extent. Not yet.

Mand: welcome back babes. I was so proud for you. I am really SO delighted that things went so well. How deeply I feel that for you, how well I know that... There's a huge gush of pride, mixed with a kind of regret that it should be so strong, so necessary... but it's there. Good for him, and for you all.

Okay, I'm really going. School tomorrow and a hem to take up. Where's that sherry?!


----------



## Patricia

Oh shoot -- forgot to say great numbers Tracey! xxoo


----------



## Sugarbum

Man, I couldnt go to bed with out showing you my work!!!  I didnt have a glass bowl to put it in. That is the recipe frm sweet magazine in the background. Strangely, my friends couldnt taste the sherry !

Will post tomorrow, tired and fat!

Hope you are all well XxxxX


----------



## Adrienne

Fab looking trifle, may have a go myself.  I love trifle and Jessica doesn't have it cos of the jelly, guess Sweet use no sugar jelly.


----------



## Steff

well done Lou that looks scrummy now i wish i could grab a bit lol


----------



## Mand

Lou, that is fab!!! Yummy!


----------



## AlisonM

I'm jealous!


----------



## tracey w

Wow Lou, yours looks miles better than the picture, lovin all the choccy drops


----------



## lesley1978

Hi All,

Struggling a bit at the minute with the pump and getting sugars right.  Last week was riding along around the 6 - 7 mark through the day althought getting up at 16 & 17's.  Increased my midnight - 7am basal by 0.1 unit per hour as per dsn and it has helped but had a few highs over the weekend, put it down to having a couple of slices of white bread (still counting the carbs with everything though ratio is 1:1).  Anyway, today went as follows:

7am - 9.5 
9am - 10.8 - 39.5 carb grams (5 scan bran with laughing cow and a banana) so had 4 units
11am - 17.3  so did 3 units correction
1pm - 8.8 - 104 carb grams (veg's and couscous) had 10.4 units
3pm - 9.2
5.30pm - 3.0 - had 6 jelly babies roughly 30 carb grams
6pm - 3.1 - 88 carb grams (jjacket spud with cottage cheese and beans) had 8 units
8pm - 18.4 (I hate having this!) so had 3 correction units

Now just waiting!

Feeling really down and wondering if it is something that I am doing wrong or whether this is just the way my body is!  This is what I was like on MDI, my sugars used to just do what they liked.  I know I have counted my carbs right!!!  Back seeing the DSN tomoz for my first weeks recap!

Lesley x


----------



## Patricia

Lesley, I can't really go into detail right now...And suspect you will be better off being Adrienned! BUT the big thing I want to say to try to keep you calm, is that this *will* get better, it really will. It's all about learning what you can do on the pump, and how to tweak, and when to tweak, and all that... Seriously. You are starting from basic measurements at the moment, and you will be able to *fine tune* this. Problem is it takes some time to fine tune...

If you felt you were doing better last week... Has anything changed? Pre-menstrual? Any physical change...

Please hang in there. What you *are* doing so well at is testing! You are doing a lot of them, and this will all help in the long run.

Remember that in the long run your ratios will probably need changing, and your basals tweaking. Hang in there!

Let us know how it goes tomorrow, and what your DSN says. It'll be okay!!!!


----------



## Patricia

Just thought of something else: last week you will have had remainder of levermir floating around...this makes a big difference. We certainly went a bit funny after that all wore off...it seemed to get worse before getting better again...

Take care.


----------



## bev

Lesley,
I dont have much time - but - do you bolus 10 minutes before breakfast and evening meal? Also, baked spuds are awful to get right - you will have to play around with things - maybe dual wave etc?Bev


----------



## Adrienne

lesley1978 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Struggling a bit at the minute with the pump and getting sugars right.  Last week was riding along around the 6 - 7 mark through the day althought getting up at 16 & 17's.  Increased my midnight - 7am basal by 0.1 unit per hour as per dsn and it has helped but had a few highs over the weekend, put it down to having a couple of slices of white bread (still counting the carbs with everything though ratio is 1:1).  Anyway, today went as follows:
> 
> 7am - 9.5
> 9am - 10.8 - 39.5 carb grams (5 scan bran with laughing cow and a banana) so had 4 units
> 11am - 17.3  so did 3 units correction
> 1pm - 8.8 - 104 carb grams (veg's and couscous) had 10.4 units
> 3pm - 9.2
> 5.30pm - 3.0 - had 6 jelly babies roughly 30 carb grams
> 6pm - 3.1 - 88 carb grams (jjacket spud with cottage cheese and beans) had 8 units
> 8pm - 18.4 (I hate having this!) so had 3 correction units
> 
> Now just waiting!
> 
> Feeling really down and wondering if it is something that I am doing wrong or whether this is just the way my body is!  This is what I was like on MDI, my sugars used to just do what they liked.  I know I have counted my carbs right!!!  Back seeing the DSN tomoz for my first weeks recap!
> 
> Lesley x



Oh poor you Lesley.   By don't be down.  You are only one week in and quite frankly you have done a fab job, really you have.  You are sounding as though you are understanding it which is a huge thing to have accomplished in one week.   You have to remember the pump isn't magic and everyone has different starts.   What you have shown are classic points that can be easily rectified.   Ummm 'easily', nothing is easy with diabetes but let's give it a go.

I'll give you my thoughts but they are just my thoughts and you have to check this out with the DSN as I'm not a professional (this is like a little disclaimer I have to keep putting hee hee hee )

(I'll put my comments in red)

7am - 9.5 bit high so could add in another early morning increased basal but carry on reading
9am - 10.8 - 39.5 carb grams (5 scan bran with laughing cow and a banana) so had 4 units All ok
11am - 17.3  so did 3 units correction Typical mid morning spike.   There are a few ways to get rid of this, ratios or basal.   What is your morning ratio?   I don't think its high enough.  Jessica's is 1 : 8  but I would imagine in conjunction with altering your ratio you need another basal added in at about 7 am to sort this 11 am high out.   I'll explain that further down.......... and only change one thing at a time, either ratio or basal, not both on the same day.
1pm - 8.8 - 104 carb grams (veg's and couscous) had 10.4 units 
3pm - 9.2 This tells me that your ratio is possibly right at lunch time.   If after 2 hours of eating your level is roughly the same or 2 mmol different either way then you are doing alright.  However the 3 units correction from 11 am could still have been working here and had you not had those 3 units  you could possibly be higher at this time so you need to keep an eye on this time.
5.30pm - 3.0 - had 6 jelly babies roughly 30 carb grams ok don't shout at me but it may be you will have to change your hypo remedy.  Lots of people find that they need something much quicker on a pump and end up with lucozade or coke.    Jelly babies take too long to eat and don't work quick enough which has shown by the 3.1 after 30 minutes.   Your hypo remedy should have you significantly higher within 15 mins
6pm - 3.1 - 88 carb grams (jjacket spud with cottage cheese and beans) had 8 units
8pm - 18.4 (I hate having this!) so had 3 correction units
Ah ha the worst meal in the world so I would not have expected anything less really.   The problem with this is the fibre in the beans mixed with the fat in the cottage cheese and the jacket spud.   I know it was cottage cheese and not full blown cheddar but this is a lethel meal.    However before you start playing with dual waves or temp basals like the rest of us do with this mean (well I do) play with the ratios.   It may be that you are not on the right ratio plus those bloody jelly babies must factor in here as well as they would have been working lovely after that 30 minutes.


Ok the 11 am spike.   Its easier if I tell you what Jessica is on to explain it easier.

This is a bit of her basals :

6 am        0.60
9.30 am    0.00
11.30 am   0.05
1 pm         0.55

etc

She has a definite spike at 10.15 which is 2 hours after her breakfast insulin.   To combat that spike we need to fiddle with a basal back at 6 am, bizarre I know but lots of people find that.   BUT she goes hypo by 12 noon so we have to bring it right back at 9.30 am to combat the hypo at 12 noon.   What is happening at 9.30 ie no insulin at all, does not affect the 10.15 spike in any way.    The rest of the day is higher and around the 0.55 mark.

Jessica has about 9 basal rates in total at the moment.

Does that make sense and I hope it has helped a tiny bit.   

However I really do think you are doing great so no need to feel down in any way.


----------



## Adrienne

PS   Bev is right, bolus a bit before eating, makes it even better, this is not always possible though.   If we are not sure, then I sometimes bolus half or a bit before and the rest during or after, I just want some to get going.


----------



## Sugarbum

Hi all,

Lesley, its a team effort here so you have to indulge me as well!

Glad you have had some Adrienisation (Loving your work and disclaimer!). Excellent the point about the hypo treatment, that is really valid and true point and I didnt pick up on that when  read it, but so so true. On that note if you are thinking of changing your hypo treatment, Lucozade the big ones are half price this week in sainsburys...

I can see from the amount of carb that you are very precise but can I be irritating and say to you I wonder if you are un-counting? Stick with me here, I know its fudging irritating but to have a portion of bran, milk and a nana and come in at 39.5 is either very lucky or a very small portion! Also I would have corrected the 9.5 too. Remember this is the added beauty of what we now can do that we couldnt refine so well on MDI. We have wizzard on medtronic, do you use the same kind of thing? It would have come up as a small correction added on. Also I would question your 1:1 ratio at that time of day, likely you need more as most people do but I dont know your basal...

Id be really interested to see your basal rates to match it to how you break it down?

I also like a spud with cheese and beans, can be a diaster so I dont mean to critise but I am wondering also here if you have undercounted? Mine rarely comes in under 100gms, the pot would be 7-8 units (I use the daffers conversion weight in the booklet) and the beans would be about 4.5 (half tin) slowed by cheese (I try to low fat so it doesnt prolong too much) can be a nightmare I know....do you weigh it?

I hope thats not too irritating me critqueing! Its easier to see on others and miss glaringly obvious things on your own levels isnt it?! But thats why we are a team!!

Hang in there Lesley, my sugars have settled a lot this week. Its like starting all again getting a pump, I know. I can promise you it gets easier and better week by week. You are doing everything you need to do, dont let the numbers get you down, they will get better. You are testing and analysing- this is the ONLY way it can work and you are on it. 

Hey Trace- my numbers have got better this week, that definately was a big blip in the matrix last week, normal service has now resummed  how are you doing?

Hope everyone is well I am creamcrackered and hitting the sack shortly. And when I wake up my BM will be 5.6 mmols like in the adverts...well, a girl can dream 

Night all xXx


----------



## Adrienne

Hiya

Great points there, just one I don't necessarily agree with right now :

""Also I would have corrected the 9.5 too. Remember this is the added beauty of what we now can do that we couldnt refine so well on MDI. We have wizzard on medtronic, do you use the same kind of thing? It would have come up as a small correction added on""

When lots of people start pumping they are told to correct only over a certain amount.   I know with children the number will be different but generally they start only correcting anything over 14.0.  Slowly that is brought down over months.

We have only just started correcting over 9.0 and this is nearly 3 years down the line.     I'm sure with adults it will happen a lot quicker but I think the higher number to correct at to begin with is so that the DSN (if they are any good and ringing and adjusting with you) can see where basals need tweaking.   If you start playing around and correcting all the time you don't see patterns with what basals you have set so can't tweak that well.   Does that make sense?

Got to go to bed now.  I'm knackered and Jessica is will with a bad cold and slight temp, could be a long night.


----------



## Sugarbum

Yes good point Adrienne!

I recall- having read that- I wasnt correcting under 10 for the first few weeks and thats what I was supposed to be aiming for so good point! 

xx


----------



## Mand

I do not have anything more to add, Lesley but that all sounds like good advice from the others. Actually, I have learnt one or two things! Excellent! Well done, our team!

Hope things improve, Lesley. Keep us posted.

Adrienne - Hope J is better today and that you got some sleep last night. xx
Lou - 5.6? Hope your dream came true. You deserve it. xx 

We using jelly babies for hypos. When you say Lucozade, do you need the ordinary or the sports one? 

Hi to all.


----------



## Steff

good morning people just thought id pop my head in and say helloo how is everyone this wet dull morning?? (hope you dont mind me popping in) x


----------



## Adrienne

Mand said:


> I do not have anything more to add, Lesley but that all sounds like good advice from the others. Actually, I have learnt one or two things! Excellent! Well done, our team!
> 
> Hope things improve, Lesley. Keep us posted.
> 
> Adrienne - Hope J is better today and that you got some sleep last night. xx
> Lou - 5.6? Hope your dream came true. You deserve it. xx
> 
> We using jelly babies for hypos. When you say Lucozade, do you need the ordinary or the sports one?
> 
> Hi to all.



Hiya

The normal lucozade in the smaller bottles.  You only need 100ml of lucozade as that is 17 carbs.   If you buy the small party sized cans of full sugar coke they are 15 carbs but are 150 ml.    100ml of lucozade is not a lot.  I used to have small plastic cups and marked 100 ml lines on the side in marker pen.   

Lucozade is the best hypo treatment, it is even quicker than coke and they have both been compared to putting in a glucose drip !!!!


----------



## Adrienne

Hiya

Jessica is still not well today.   She is off school, it was her call as it was French day today and she had a costume and was so looking forward to it so she is very sad !


----------



## Patricia

Poor J! It's awful when they miss something they are looking forward to. Boo hoo.

Hello all!

Well Lesley, looks like you've had a right old analyse, which is great. See what your DSN says. You are on the right track!!

I really wish that I could get E to drink Lucozade. We've tried every flavour, but he really can't stand fizzy drinks. End of story. We use apple juice with a straw. It's strange how he must use a straw, has a hard time getting it down otherwise...He now only uses glucose in cases of dire, dire emergency --hates them. Oh dear. AND doesn't like jelly babies either. Sigh.

What I want to know is, why are pumps not made with glucogen in them as well? For hypos and balance? 

***
Two things:

First, E played in a concert for Diabetes UK over the weekend. A local gig, organised by someone else, but he was invited and glad to be so. Did a great job. Moving to hear him playing so close to when he was diagnosed, 19 November. Because he was practicing so much in the run up to this competition last year...which he won...diagnosed 4 days later....

Anyway. He also plays today in school during an open evening. And in two weeks he has a gig in town. Almost right on top of his diagnosis day. And just like last year, I'm away at a conference over the same weekend, just before The Day.

In answer to your question ages ago Bev -- I don't know what or if we are going to do anything. I've spoken to him a bit about it... Can't get to the bottom of how he feels. We'll see.

Second, just to say we are lucky to have had great numbers over half term -- only one hypo in a week! Wow. And virtually everything in range. Of course, now back to school...Yesterday fine, but we'll see...

Finally (okay, I had three things to say, I just didn't know it)... we have been experimenting with pizza. A 3 hour 30/70 worked well for one last week, cheese and tomato store bought, but with goats cheese, asparagus and tomato on top, added. WELL, then last night we did the same, only a different pizza base, perhaps lighter? Not dreadful, but ended up on 4mmols 5 hours in. Sigh. 10g of juice and a brief very low temp basal, and he still only woke on 3.8. Argh. 

So not only is pizza hard to dose, but flipping different pizzas have different doses! Sheesh!

Have sent him to school today with some leftover. Reduced it to 30/70 over 2 hours. Let's see what happens...

***

Hope J feels better soon Adrienne. How is everyone else? And Steff -- always good to see you!

xxoo


----------



## Steff

sorry to hear aboit J adreienne get well soon J (((hugs)))

hi Patricia I subscribe to this thread so im always following it


----------



## tracey w

lesley1978 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Struggling a bit at the minute with the pump and getting sugars right.  Last week was riding along around the 6 - 7 mark through the day althought getting up at 16 & 17's.  Increased my midnight - 7am basal by 0.1 unit per hour as per dsn and it has helped but had a few highs over the weekend, put it down to having a couple of slices of white bread (still counting the carbs with everything though ratio is 1:1).  Anyway, today went as follows:
> 
> 7am - 9.5
> 9am - 10.8 - 39.5 carb grams (5 scan bran with laughing cow and a banana) so had 4 units
> 11am - 17.3  so did 3 units correction
> 1pm - 8.8 - 104 carb grams (veg's and couscous) had 10.4 units
> 3pm - 9.2
> 5.30pm - 3.0 - had 6 jelly babies roughly 30 carb grams
> 6pm - 3.1 - 88 carb grams (jjacket spud with cottage cheese and beans) had 8 units
> 8pm - 18.4 (I hate having this!) so had 3 correction units
> 
> Now just waiting!
> 
> Feeling really down and wondering if it is something that I am doing wrong or whether this is just the way my body is!  This is what I was like on MDI, my sugars used to just do what they liked.  I know I have counted my carbs right!!!  Back seeing the DSN tomoz for my first weeks recap!
> 
> Lesley x



Lesley, let us know how it goes with dsn, make sure you get all the info you need to sort this. It does look like quite a lot needs tweaking here, but dont worry it will get better.

When I started others couldnt believe i was only given the one basal pattern, slowly and by myself i now have 3 patterns set, eg, work day, day off, excercise/very busy work day, and am now working on premenstrual pattern too. We do different things every day, sometimes i switch patterns throughout the day depending on what im doing.  You will get there You just need a bit of help to sort things.

What ratio were you on before the pump? Have you done dafne?

take care Tracey xx


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Oh poor you Lesley.   By don't be down.  You are only one week in and quite frankly you have done a fab job, really you have.  You are sounding as though you are understanding it which is a huge thing to have accomplished in one week.   You have to remember the pump isn't magic and everyone has different starts.   What you have shown are classic points that can be easily rectified.   Ummm 'easily', nothing is easy with diabetes but let's give it a go.
> 
> I'll give you my thoughts but they are just my thoughts and you have to check this out with the DSN as I'm not a professional (this is like a little disclaimer I have to keep putting hee hee hee )
> 
> (I'll put my comments in red)
> 
> 7am - 9.5 bit high so could add in another early morning increased basal but carry on reading
> 9am - 10.8 - 39.5 carb grams (5 scan bran with laughing cow and a banana) so had 4 units All ok
> 11am - 17.3  so did 3 units correction Typical mid morning spike.   There are a few ways to get rid of this, ratios or basal.   What is your morning ratio?   I don't think its high enough.  Jessica's is 1 : 8  but I would imagine in conjunction with altering your ratio you need another basal added in at about 7 am to sort this 11 am high out.   I'll explain that further down.......... and only change one thing at a time, either ratio or basal, not both on the same day.
> 1pm - 8.8 - 104 carb grams (veg's and couscous) had 10.4 units
> 3pm - 9.2 This tells me that your ratio is possibly right at lunch time.   If after 2 hours of eating your level is roughly the same or 2 mmol different either way then you are doing alright.  However the 3 units correction from 11 am could still have been working here and had you not had those 3 units  you could possibly be higher at this time so you need to keep an eye on this time.
> 5.30pm - 3.0 - had 6 jelly babies roughly 30 carb grams ok don't shout at me but it may be you will have to change your hypo remedy.  Lots of people find that they need something much quicker on a pump and end up with lucozade or coke.    Jelly babies take too long to eat and don't work quick enough which has shown by the 3.1 after 30 minutes.   Your hypo remedy should have you significantly higher within 15 mins
> 6pm - 3.1 - 88 carb grams (jjacket spud with cottage cheese and beans) had 8 units
> 8pm - 18.4 (I hate having this!) so had 3 correction units
> Ah ha the worst meal in the world so I would not have expected anything less really.   The problem with this is the fibre in the beans mixed with the fat in the cottage cheese and the jacket spud.   I know it was cottage cheese and not full blown cheddar but this is a lethel meal.    However before you start playing with dual waves or temp basals like the rest of us do with this mean (well I do) play with the ratios.   It may be that you are not on the right ratio plus those bloody jelly babies must factor in here as well as they would have been working lovely after that 30 minutes.
> 
> 
> Ok the 11 am spike.   Its easier if I tell you what Jessica is on to explain it easier.
> 
> This is a bit of her basals :
> 
> 6 am        0.60
> 9.30 am    0.00
> 11.30 am   0.05
> 1 pm         0.55
> 
> etc
> 
> She has a definite spike at 10.15 which is 2 hours after her breakfast insulin.   To combat that spike we need to fiddle with a basal back at 6 am, bizarre I know but lots of people find that.   BUT she goes hypo by 12 noon so we have to bring it right back at 9.30 am to combat the hypo at 12 noon.   What is happening at 9.30 ie no insulin at all, does not affect the 10.15 spike in any way.    The rest of the day is higher and around the 0.55 mark.
> 
> Jessica has about 9 basal rates in total at the moment.
> 
> Does that make sense and I hope it has helped a tiny bit.
> 
> However I really do think you are doing great so no need to feel down in any way.



Adrienne, interesting re the 0 basal rate, I wasnt sure if i could do that,. I have decreased so many times mid afternoon as was going hypo around 6.30 pm no matter what and am now on 0.005, I think i may try the 0 if the hypo conrtinues, thanks


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Hiya
> 
> The normal lucozade in the smaller bottles.  You only need 100ml of lucozade as that is 17 carbs.   If you buy the small party sized cans of full sugar coke they are 15 carbs but are 150 ml.    100ml of lucozade is not a lot.  I used to have small plastic cups and marked 100 ml lines on the side in marker pen.
> 
> Lucozade is the best hypo treatment, it is even quicker than coke and they have both been compared to putting in a glucose drip !!!!



I use jelly babies and coke, the small cans. Have got lucozade bottle by the bed but must be well out of date now. I find i dont use that as i know i only need a small amount and would know when to stop and possibly overtreat. Do they do small sizes of this anywhere i wonder, would be more likely to try it? Oh also carry jusice in handbag and car and have used them too on several occasions. Not noticed the slow increase in numbers but will look out for that now, ta.


----------



## tracey w

steff09 said:


> sorry to hear aboit J adreienne get well soon J (((hugs)))
> 
> hi Patricia I subscribe to this thread so im always following it



Hi Steff, not sure what you mean there?


----------



## Steff

tracey w said:


> Hi Steff, not sure what you mean there?



what bit ?


----------



## tracey w

steff09 said:


> what bit ?



the subscribe bit, or am i being slow


----------



## Steff

tracey w said:


> the subscribe bit, or am i being slow



oohh sorry yes you can subscribe to threads which means whenever they is some movement in it r.e some one posts it emails you to let you know , so when ever some one posts in here i get an email and i go and see whats been said.


----------



## Adrienne

Well I never knew that Steff, how do you do that?


----------



## Northerner

Adrienne said:


> Well I never knew that Steff, how do you do that?



If you click on 'Thread tools' above the posts, there is an option to subscribe


----------



## Steff

Northerner said:


> If you click on 'Thread tools' above the posts, there is an option to subscribe



there you go adreienne it comes in very handy if you sometimes miss a posts .


----------



## Patricia

Okay, feel even stupider here... It seems that I am automatically subscribed? Could this be right? I get emails on every thread I contribute to, even though I don't tick anything...

Also, I only get emails from when I have last visited the particular thread, so if I don't visit for a couple of days, I don't get any updates. And even when I do get updates, I don't often seem to get them all, unless I am popping off and on the threads all the time...

Does this seem right? Or do I have spooks in my computers?


----------



## Steff

dont get that myself maybe northe still around he can tell ya lol


----------



## Northerner

Patricia said:


> Okay, feel even stupider here... It seems that I am automatically subscribed? Could this be right? I get emails on every thread I contribute to, even though I don't tick anything...
> 
> Also, I only get emails from when I have last visited the particular thread, so if I don't visit for a couple of days, I don't get any updates. And even when I do get updates, I don't often seem to get them all, unless I am popping off and on the threads all the time...
> 
> Does this seem right? Or do I have spooks in my computers?



Patricia, it sounds like you have it set up in your profile to automatically subscribe to threads. It's in the 'Edit Options' section of your User CP.


----------



## Patricia

I think that's right, Northerner...I vaguely remembering thinking heck yes I want to know *everything* there is to know! So I probably ticked everything there was to tick...

Hard to believe it must be not far off a year now...

Sigh.


----------



## sofaraway

Just got a question for you pumpers I read this thread fairly often but don't have much to add to the discussion.
I know that on pumps when you treat a hypo you just need the fast acting glucose and no need to follow that up with a snack.  
What about this situation, you go to eat a meal and estimate 80g carbs so bolus for that, but actually you were way out and it was only like 50g, so you hypo and treat with fast acting glucose. Would you then disconnect the pump?


----------



## bev

Hi Sofaraway,

Personally I would just give enough glucose or carbs to make up for it - i wouldnt disconnect as you still need the basal. If it was a huge amount I suppose you could suspend the pump for an hour or so - but probably easier to just balance the numbers.Bev


----------



## Patricia

That's what I'd do, too! But then again, we have these growing boys who always seem to welcome a sweet treat!


----------



## Adrienne

There is a new way for MDI as well but I have never wanted to confuse people.    Apparently there is no need to give long acting after quick acting for a hypo on MDI !!!   Apparently the basal should be doing the same as the basal on a pump.    

When you think about it, this makes sense as the amount of times I treated Jessica for a hypo whilst on MDI, waited till she had gone back up and then gave approx 15 cho and she would shoot right up and muck up the rest of the day.    The idea is that if you are at an ok level the basal should keep you there and steady.   If the basal are right on a pump that is what is does and the same is supposed to be right for MDI.

Now I don't want you all to start changing what you do, I'm just passing on the latest info in the world of diabetes............


----------



## Becca

Hi Sofaraway

We would probably make up the carbs with something else or put a temp basal on that would kick in a little bit later.


----------



## tracey w

Northerner said:


> If you click on 'Thread tools' above the posts, there is an option to subscribe



well I never knew that either


----------



## Sugarbum

Hi peeps,

Im cruising you tube, anyone heard of this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ffb14tU51Q&feature=rec-HM-fresh+div 

Its called the "Super-bolus"! The mans accent is mighty irritating, but an interesting concept. Must have been ruled out tho, as I havent been taught this one!

(poor fell clearly does not get out much too often)


----------



## tracey w

Sugarbum said:


> Hi peeps,
> 
> Im cruising you tube, anyone heard of this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ffb14tU51Q&feature=rec-HM-fresh+div
> 
> Its called the "Super-bolus"! The mans accent is mighty irritating, but an interesting concept. Must have been ruled out tho, as I havent been taught this one!
> 
> (poor fell clearly does not get out much too often)



you are funny! very confusing i thought, why was he doing this? did i miss that bit? had to stop halfway as was nodding off zzzzzzzzzzzzz


----------



## sofaraway

thanks for the replys, I thought the same that you would make up the carbs. I asked that question to a peads DSN who said that people would disconnect the pump in that situation.

this superbolus thing is like what bev was explaining on one of the threads in parents forum, giving slightly more insulin to cover a meal to prevent the spike, but then needing to eat a snack 2-3 hours later to prevent the hypo. not having any basal on the pump will stop the hypo and you wouldn't need to eat a snack. It does seem a bit complicated process to get it to actually work.


----------



## Patricia

To be honest, basal rates are so incremental and tiny that you've have to disconnect for really quite a long time for it to have a real effect... and by that point it would be too late to avoid a hypo situation... Have to act quicker than that by putting in extra carbs... I can't really think of a disconnect or suspend situation for a pump, because you can so easily put it to 0% basal or 10% basal while you figure out what to do.. We've told school that if things are every VERY hairy and they don't know what to do, to cut the tubing rather than mess with trying to climb through the menu to 'suspend'...but other that that?


----------



## Sugarbum

Hi all,

Hope all is well with you guys.

I dont believe we have had a good and proper rant about pasta for a few pages so let me reel you all back in!

I dual waved some pasta last night (I had the whole packet myself- I was starving after the gym) =100gms and a dark choc ice =13gm, I went for the "D.W" with 11.1units 20/70 square over 4 hours. Before bed I was 10.7, great (no correction due to insulin on board) but at 1.30 this morning was 1.8mmols! Buggger! (scuse the language, but we are talking dual again!). I also knocked Ribena (not mine!) all over the kitchen floor which I couldnt clear up at the time. GRRR. 

I was suprised actually as I came back from the gym, Id been off the pump for 3 ish hours which is very normal for me. I dont need any insulin at all during that time if I am being good and doing a proper gym sesh.....but maybe my metabolism was too high still. But that was half the idea why I saved my pasta dish for that night- (oh no, Im having a discussion with myself! sorry!)

Anyway, I have woken up at 8.4mmols which I am very happy with. I took 30 rapid of lucozade and then had a few sandwiches and bolused 45mins afters with 7.5u. I know its not textbook, but at 1.8 living alone I will always opt for over treating in the view of it being managed at speed, thats just me and what I will always do. 

Im not down about it, just pleased Im not at work today so I could sleep in after which is always nice! Haircut and colour at 13.30, and I am thinking a trip to marble arch (I like the flagship evans for non-skinny calf knee high boots for winter!), dare I say it but see the christmas lights?! So a day of leisure and shop shop shop!

BTW, my thoughts on the "super bolus" are it is a super waste of time!


----------



## bev

Lou,

From what you have said - my guess is that it wasnt the DW - it was the affect of the exercise - 3 hours worth of exercise is a lot for the body to catch up on! Sorry if that sounded patronising -wasnt meant to!

Just one question - who's was the Ribena?

Have a good shop and dont buy too much. I am off out to buy a suite - boring i know - i hate this sort of shopping

Bev x


----------



## Patricia

Hey Lou, pasta buddy!

Hmm...bit o mare for you, sorry!

What time was your test before bed that put you at 10.7? How long after eating (eg was that the up front bolus result, or only the dual wave at work?)?

And when was 1.30am in the scheme of things? How many hours?

We do a 6 hour in the full knowledge that what we are actually doing is an 8 hour, because of the insulin 'tail'. We know from LOTS of blood tests that pasta seems to come in for E at between 6 and 8 hours after eating...The constant problem we had before hitting upon this was that E was hypo-ing at the end of the dual wave and for up to two hours afterward. This seemed to indicate that there was *enough* pasta going in for a good while, but when the bolus-type timing ended (eg after 3 hours or so), he went down because then the slow-digest had not yet hit. So he would then be high a few hours later, despite having hypo-ed and carefully treated (which we can do and you can't, I appreciate) so as not to shoot up again...

Initially we stretched it out to 30/70 over 6 hours, but he was too high in the dual wave bit. SO we have finally settled on 20/80 for him over 6 hours, and that usually works well for him with a very plain pasta -- though with some sauces, we add an extra bolus up front.

*Suspect* that four hours isn't long enough for you? Clearly the dual wave missed the pasta at some point, with either the pasta peaking before (but earlier than 4 hours would be kind of quicker than expected do you think?) or after the dual wave. The hypo and all the treatment (so very necessary, indeed, and I only hope E is as together about it as you are when he's out of the house) will have masked what then happened with the pasta after the dual wave ran out.

Were you on temp basal at all? Sounds like you might need to do one, even if the pump is off for three hours...

Hope you have a GREAT day. Envious! The sun is shining here and it's crisp out. Have fab time.

xxoo


----------



## Sugarbum

Hiya!

Will write with more detail later but just to say Bev, I was off the pump for three hours but the exercise was 1 hour 10mins! I always have a long break becuase I dont need it, and I accidentally "knocked" my cannula out yesterday so didnt re-site there, even though I had one, becuase I didnt need any insulin till I got home and I wanted my barrier spray which I dont carry in my back-up supplies. Holy smoke, Id need an ambulance if I did 3 hours exercise!

I did temp basal P for those 3 hours at 0.5u/hr but was not attatched, just to keep the line primed. I dont wear my pump in the gym. After exercise I was 5.0. I ate at 18.30 and dual waved then, it must have been about midnight I guess I recorded my 10. something (I get really annoyed, if you dont bolus it doesnt show in your bolus history if you recorded a BM). I think you have a point there Patricia, I may well have missed the pasta peak?

Another thing I didnt mention earlier was that after I had treated the 1.8mmols, (heavily, I might add!), I washed hands and retested.....0.7mmols! and it didnt ping to the pump either? Ridiculous as my symptoms had passed- instantly rechecked and 5.8mmols. FURIOUS. I am super-sensitive when these errors happened, especially after my Veo experience....what was that about?

Unfortunately the data takes 24 before it will show in carelink but I shall be reviewing the intel on this event! 

The ribena bev belonged to one of the girls who came to my dinner party on sunday and arrived with a hangover needing some Ribena! She has bought the "no added sugar" one so I could have some but (and it kills me) I dont touch the stuff. The natural sugars are high I think, and it has such as syrup like texture I am very wary! Anyway, its all over my kitchen floor runner now- and I mean ALL over it- and it has stained. Ho-hum....

Did you think I had a sexy ribena drinker visitor? IN MY DREAMS!!! hahahahaaaaaa!!!!


----------



## Patricia

Good grief! So you had dropped from 10 to 1.7 in one and a half hours? Crumbs. BUT that does make it look like you were actually okay through the dual wave (though we don't know your two hour reading?), which ended at 10.30pm. The tail end of it will have carried on for a while, until 12.30am or so, which may have seriously contributed to the crash IF there was no pasta at work then...BUT I'm now tempted to think about a shorter dual wave...cos if you were 10 way past the end of it, you could have done with more earlier (eg shorter dual wave)? And then if you crashed when there was excess insulin around and weren't unduly high in the morning, even with all the hypo treatment, then maybe you *do* process pasta quite quickly?!

Hmm...It would be worth taking a two hour reading to see if your bolus is accurate, too...Cos if that number's too high, of course you could increase that bit...but if it's good, then you've got the proportions generally right and it's about the timing...

Phew! I know I've got other things to do, but I'm blocking them out...

xxoo


----------



## tracey w

sofaraway said:


> thanks for the replys, I thought the same that you would make up the carbs. I asked that question to a peads DSN who said that people would disconnect the pump in that situation.
> 
> this superbolus thing is like what bev was explaining on one of the threads in parents forum, giving slightly more insulin to cover a meal to prevent the spike, but then needing to eat a snack 2-3 hours later to prevent the hypo. not having any basal on the pump will stop the hypo and you wouldn't need to eat a snack. It does seem a bit complicated process to get it to actually work.



exactly NIkki! But if you get the basal right to deal with the meal peak there is no need for any of that. I would imagine it could be useful if you were eating at a different time to normal perhaps but what a lot of faff


----------



## Sugarbum

[/IMG]





[/IMG]

Sorry to upload so big, but I just wanted to share the letter with you that I recieved from my hospital consultant today, this wasnt even sent by Medtronic to me!!! It was accompanied by a letter written by my team advising me to switch to the 522 (tick)...

I feel very sorry for my team, having to trawl the list of people and act on behalf of Medtronic- doing the work they should have done in September. I am going to have to write to this person. I would like an explanation from them as to how I can possibly trust them again *IF* I return to the Veo...how do I know they are looking after my best interests if I take another Veo? I have lost confidence in the management. Im sure a letter will get me no-where. I wonder if I have any consummer rights if I havent coughed the money up myself? Anyone got any advice for me?

Phew, sorry but its bugged me all afternoon. 

Well its Christmas already here in the big smoke, Ive been down Oxford Street today and I bought a bar of soap in Selfridges and the server wished me "Happy Christmas" when she gave me my receipt! I nearly spat on her! Excuse me? Bit late arent you luv???

So my pancreas hasnt worked since I was 28 so that makes it all the more justified to indulge in a haircut and colour today, an expensive pair of boots, 2 pairs of jeans and a top! Fabulous! I love diabetes, makes me afford things otherwise I would never have bought!!!

Enough about me, how are you beautiful people?


----------



## Adrienne

Hiya Sugarbum

Hospitals all did if differently.  Our hospital split the list into three and personally rang each patient back in beginning of October when we knew about all this and advised each and every person.

I have one friend who son's VEO went wrong very recently and they have replaced it with a ........ drum roll........VEO.  However this new VEO has a different software on it so they are not saying anything and are going with it and so far so good.  They have a 522 as back up though.   They reckon this new VEO is one of the new ones they will be shipping out to people.

Us stalwarts who have used Medtronic will back them to the hilt with their equipment.   They are brilliant pumps.   Lots of things have software gliches.  The huge error they made though was how the dealt with it and I am so not surprised that people like you and I have other friends who are furious, are reacting as you are.  I would do to.   All I can say is sit tight, take the new VEO when it comes and just look forward.   They are a great company who need to sort their customer relations out !!!


----------



## Mand

That sounds like one great shopping trip, Lou! Good for you! You certainly deserve it!

Sorry to hear about the dual wave/pasta thing. We have now been shown dual wave but have not used it yet. I gave my son pasta night before last and monitored him (without using dual wave) to see what happens so i could use dual wave next time but have some idea where the high comes - but he did not get a high! Two hours later he was 6.6 and remained in the 6's all through the night! Perhaps just a fluke? Not sure. Perhpas will try pizza next and see if that affects him.

With these experiments, does it matter if he eating other food too? or has supper? Let me explain - when he had pasta (I made spagetti carbanarar - Can't spell) with a yoghurt and an apple for desert. He then had one slice of toast for supper. Is this ok or should he just have had the pasta dish alone and also had no supper?

We are going to be celebrating his 13th birthday this weekend. He will officially be a teenager (not just a practising one!). Help!!!!!! 
I will be the mother of two teenagers! Grey hairs here i come! 

Wishing you all a good weekend!


----------



## tracey w

Hi Lou, Firstly sorry about that dreadful letter, well not the letter just the amount of time it has taken to get to you, and the fact it wasnt even sent to you. I would have lost confidence in them a long time ago.

Second, you are a blast, must of set you ack a few quid that trip,  so what, im always doing that too, treating myself cos i have diabetes dont you know, ha ha 

Just experimenting with porridge and have no idea how it will work out! Not had it for ages and certainly not on the pump, had to guess the amount as still need a battery for my scales, must get one today! Know is low gi, so gave 50/50 multiwave over 1 hour 30 mins, started on 5.3, fingers crossed.


----------



## Sugarbum

Hi all!

Adrienne, never a truer word spoken! What you have put is essentially why I chose medtonic in the first place and I spent a lot of time giving it the thought it needed. I am just appauled at their customer relations, and I mean seriously appauled. 

OMG Mand, we might never hear from you again! Two teenagers? Lordy! Good luck! The carbonara sounds lovely, I dont normally have that one so I am not sure. I have often bolused in the middle of my dualwave, Im not sure if you are supposed to or not but when I have had either a snack or small pud that works quicker then I still bolus. But you know me, Im often a dual wave disaster area- might be best to collect a few other opinions first!

Well, I am joining a research study next week on tuesday in Holburn for 1 and a half hours. My DSN forwards me these things on a regular basis to do - and its a few extra pennies! I just had a nice chat the lady organising it, it is for an american company looking at a prototype pump on the computer and just giving opinions on it. The clinch is this pump is apparently bases around a computer program that you enter stats into and it works out your basal rates and different profiles for you. Could be interesting? I like this kind of thing, so I will let you know how it goes!

The lady says I am one of 11 veo users she has booked who have exchanged for the 522 or the 722! God, dont put me in a room full of Veo users- I might have an aneurysm! Can you imagine?!  As it turns out, I think we are scheduled individually- phew!

Hope you all have a good day, I am off to work later so better get cleaning- it looks like a crime scene!

Have a good day all xx


----------



## Sugarbum

Holy smoke- I did a set change this morning and I am now 15.9mmols and going to work in 5 mins!

Not great! Ive still got my other one in, I might switch if no improvement in a few hours...got my back up novo with me too. 

Oh the drama.....

Catch you later xx


----------



## Freddie99

Afternoon all!

I've just been chatting to a pumper this lunch time. That was a great experience. She really reccommends that I go on to it. She uses a minimed thing. Does the name Paradigm mean anything to you who are in the know? She said that it made life at uni easier than it would have been and that adapting to uni life with the pump was not too difficult. Looks like my luck has been in over the past few weeks as she's on the same couse as my girlfriend who pointed her out to me. I finally chatted to her today and it was really good to get it from the horse's mouth so to speak. This girl has been on a pump for two years now and it has helped her so much she said. It has helped to bring her HbA1c down to below seven percent for the first time in many years. I had bloods taken for that a few days ago...fingers crossed that student lifestyle hasn't totally shafted the hard work. I can't wait to go to this pump clinic. It's getting closer and closer. The one problem I can see arising is the start date. I would start on a pump in January; the only difficulty is that my university end of semester exams are in January. Well, I reckon that the university would understand.

Tom


----------



## Adrienne

Tom Hreben said:


> Afternoon all!
> 
> I've just been chatting to a pumper this lunch time. That was a great experience. She really reccommends that I go on to it. She uses a minimed thing. Does the name Paradigm mean anything to you who are in the know? She said that it made life at uni easier than it would have been and that adapting to uni life with the pump was not too difficult. Looks like my luck has been in over the past few weeks as she's on the same couse as my girlfriend who pointed her out to me. I finally chatted to her today and it was really good to get it from the horse's mouth so to speak. This girl has been on a pump for two years now and it has helped her so much she said. It has helped to bring her HbA1c down to below seven percent for the first time in many years. I had bloods taken for that a few days ago...fingers crossed that student lifestyle hasn't totally shafted the hard work. I can't wait to go to this pump clinic. It's getting closer and closer. The one problem I can see arising is the start date. I would start on a pump in January; the only difficulty is that my university end of semester exams are in January. Well, I reckon that the university would understand.
> 
> Tom



Hiya Tom

Great you have met a pumper.   Minimed is Metronic.   Paradigm is the make of pump.   So when we talk about 522 and 722 and VEO's these are all really called the Paradigm 522 or the Paradigm VEO.    

Have a look :

http://www.medtronic-diabetes.co.uk/

Hope that helps.


----------



## Patricia

Hi guys

Oh Lou, love to see you bouncing around the thread! Holy smoke! Jiminy Cricket! Etc. 

Sigh.

All pretty well here except that for four nights we have been battling SUCH weird lows with E...It has taken us a while to get over thinking 'it's the dual wave', 'it's the breaded chicken coming in later' and just haul off and decide: HIS NEED FOR INSULIN HAS DROPPED DRAMATICALLY between about 8pm- 1am. I mean, to the point where here is the story last night (hold onto your hats):

8mmols going into dinner. This is after two small corrections which he himself jumped on because dual wave mis-fired from lunch. So possible stacking issue, but... So, ate at 6.30ish. Low (for the second night in row) only just two hours after (so, this decides it for us that bolus is problem). TWO hypo treatments later and he is finally rising to 6mmols. We also put him on a 40% temp basal for two hours, wary of continuing lows from last two evenings/nights. 

Bedtime for him: 10.15pm. He is 6.5mmols, still on temp basal, which will end at 11pm. We're both thinking sheesh, that not far to have come up in an hour and a half with two treatments and a temp basal, but we assume temp will have more impact in next hour.

We decide to test him at 12 or 1, depending on how early we make it to bed. But we want to test him when we can see what's happening with the temp, to know what to do with the rest of the night.

As it turns out, we are shattered and can't face getting up so close to going to bed. So decide to test at 11.40pm, to see if we can get enough info for the night. The temp has only been off for 40 mins, so the impact should be sort of at maximum.

My husband calls me in. I can hear something in his voice: E is 1.2mmols . He didn't believe the first reading (expecting 12mmols!) and had double-checked it.

E is able to be woken and sits up obediently. We cajole the whole carton of juice down him and set the basal to 0% for an hour.

I test in 7 minutes: up to 4.4mmols. I stay up then (sigh, so much for sleep!) and test at 1am. He is up to 6.4 only. The effect of no basal should be ongoing for a while, but still: I set the temp for 75% all night.

He woke on 12mmols.

Argh! We know from the previous night's test that the problem is not between 3am and 7am. It's the evening. In fact, from the previous night it looks like things begin to behave more normally all around from 1am. How weird is that?!

The really, really awful and terrifying this is: we weren't going to test him then. We were going to wait. There was absolutely NO reason to test. No outstanding bolus, nothing for him to do but CLIMB in numbers. So we thought. OH MY GOD.

Anyway. We both just tried not to totally flip. E had not stirred either, from the hypo. That time of night he sleeps so very, very deeply. In early morning he's more likely to wake. But not at 11.30pm.

SO. Unbelievably, tonight E is out with friends at a disco. ACK! We are setting a very low temp basal from 6pm, have changed the dinner ratio, and don't give two hoots if he goes high and has to battle down through the night. Thats just fine. 

*** 

Anyway, TALK ABOUT UNPREDICTABLE. I mean, seriously! We had clicked that evenings were dragging the bottom, and were having difficulty rising from 11pm to 1am in particular (two long times of hypo/low) BUT nothing like this...

So now we know. Not just a tweak down. A plunge. If 40% doesn't do it, then we're looking at almost no insulin for a few hours.

Does this sound even feasible?!

All we can think is that the busy days at school are catching up with him at night, now that half term is over? But why now and not before half term too?

***

Oh well. Live and learn. Incredible how much you get used to.

***

Great buys Lou! I went to (mumble mumble) T K Maxx for two hours this morning: 2 pairs of shoes each for men in the family (to try, not to keep all!), trousers for OH, leggings, a jacket and a skirt for me (though I tried on enough jumpers to carpet the house -- to no avail!). Good stuff!

xxoo


----------



## Patricia

Tom Hreben said:


> Afternoon all!
> 
> I've just been chatting to a pumper this lunch time. That was a great experience. She really reccommends that I go on to it. She uses a minimed thing. Does the name Paradigm mean anything to you who are in the know? She said that it made life at uni easier than it would have been and that adapting to uni life with the pump was not too difficult. Looks like my luck has been in over the past few weeks as she's on the same couse as my girlfriend who pointed her out to me. I finally chatted to her today and it was really good to get it from the horse's mouth so to speak. This girl has been on a pump for two years now and it has helped her so much she said. It has helped to bring her HbA1c down to below seven percent for the first time in many years. I had bloods taken for that a few days ago...fingers crossed that student lifestyle hasn't totally shafted the hard work. I can't wait to go to this pump clinic. It's getting closer and closer. The one problem I can see arising is the start date. I would start on a pump in January; the only difficulty is that my university end of semester exams are in January. Well, I reckon that the university would understand.
> 
> Tom



Hi Tom

Good news for you! Hope it works out.

If it's any help: I know it's not the same, but my son started on his pump the week of his school exams...so was up at least once a night the entire ten days of his exams. He really didn't seem to suffer...but more to the point, the school were hugely understanding and wanted to know if he felt any of this was affecting his performance.

I'm sure you could put something in place with the uni. As someone who works in one, and with student concessions etc...You would probably only just need to get medical proof (eg a letter) saying that this is what happened. Are your marks counted on your course as a first year? In my uni, they aren't.

Anyway, in my uni a concession letter would be called upon for either a) missing an exam or similar or b) under-performance. In the case of b), what will generally be done is look at your later marks and see if these ones are out of line with your typical performance. If they are found to be so, allowances are usually made, so that the event is not in danger of affecting your overall degree class. Does this make sense/help?

Good luck!


----------



## tracey w

patricia Hi, sorry to hear how your evening went last night, not pleasant.

Re no basal, I am now on 0 basal between 4-6pm as keep having hypos at around 6 -7 in the evenings, despite temp basal etc etc. So I would say yes is feasable, personally I think this is the time my body decides to recoup all its glucose stores so it can chuck it out later as i need much more basal from 9pm onwards.

Even tonight I tested at 3.9 just before tea at 5.30 and today i lowered my ratio for lunch as had hypo after breakfast too. Porridge disaster, but thats another story!


----------



## bev

Oh no Patricia - thats really scary!

I think its perfectly alright to have a 0% basal - I think its Adrienne who does for J. And as our friend on the other forum would say 'be guided by the numbers' - they are trying to tell you something!

As you know we are using sensors - and I have to say I dont think I could live without them now! The other night - for some reason i still dont understand - Alex kept going low - but he never quite got there as the pump alarmed each time- 4 times in all - we caught them all at about 3.8ish because we have set his low to 4.5 (sensors are about 20 minutes behind). I know that if we didnt have the sensors he probably would have gone down to the 1's because we werent anticipating any lows this night. Considering we have been battling high's for weeks now - this came out of the blue and couldnt have been connected to food at all as he had had a 'normal' meal that wouldnt have caused a spike. Also, note that the veo suspends insulin for 2 hours if the lowest setting of bg is reached - this is a godsend.

I would highly recommend sensors to everyone!Bev


----------



## Patricia

Yes, I really want sensors, esp in light of recent events...but our local team are slow, and we are not sure we want to be carting all round the country trying to get it sorted through our shared care...

Ergh. Think we will be 0% in long run. Feeling antsy. Think of us tonight! E dropping through afternoon. Put him 50% temp half hour before dinner. At one hour after dinner (1.5 hours into temp) he was only 6.8. 

Swear word. Disco tonight. Dropped him to 30% and told him to take 2 glucose and sent him off. Eek.

It may be awkward to test. He's 13 and goes to a boys school. There will be girls there.  Damn diabetes. Really. Why can't he just go and have fun and/or deal with all the trials and tribs of being a teenager in this world -- bad enough. Damn damn damn.

Sigh.


----------



## Sugarbum

Patricia said:


> Hi guys
> 
> Oh Lou, love to see you bouncing around the thread! Holy smoke! Jiminy Cricket! Etc.



Now then, now then, you dont _*seriously*_ think I am going to let this pass when you used both the phrases "hold on to your hats" and "dont give two hoots"!  C'mon woman!

Realy sorry to hear of these nightmare lows...I hope so much that E has a good night at the disco. I remember being 13 going to my first discos (in the village church!) really exciting at the time! I hope its care-free for you all. Poor you Patricia, you and OH must be knackered too. Its not always lack of sleep but things heavy on your mind too isnt it, that are so tiresome. I think a gap in the basal sounds sensible but I never have one so i dont know. Really pleased you have done over TKMax- I love a good rumage!

Would love to hear how the disco went- hope it wasnt filled of nightmare sweet drinks etc? 

I am just back from work (it was like a live version of Jeremy Kyle today- strewth!). My basal came down mid-afternoon (I went high after set change). I would test more but I dont like to use up the strips. Anyway its all fine now. Feel as if I have had some good numbers this week? I am pleased. I am trying so hard to get this under wraps. I get my first consultant appointment since pump in a few weeks- she is really really nice and I am looking forward to it, but naturally I want to 'show off' abit a better hba1c result, if I could just improve it a bit.

I am really please Tom that you have met up with a pumper. I tell you, what a god-send that is and probably very rare. I would have loved to have sat down with a pumper when I was considering it, I wonder why there isnt some sort of scheme to do this? I would volunteer some time to pop in and chat to people once in a while. Im really pleased you did this tom- well done.

Well, thats enough from me. I need to track down a man (about a dog?) about a caravan in weymouth in winter. Classy! No shame!

Working over the weekend. My guilty pleasure will be X Factor and the sofa this weekend!

Love to everyone xx


----------



## tracey w

Afternoon pumpers, hope all is well.

Slept for 14 hours last night missed x factor and everything, anyways bg 6.9 at breakfast , set my basal to day off rate so very pleased with that!


----------



## Adrienne

Missed the x factor, oh no, you miss a ghostbusting treat!!!!!! 

Great news re the sleep and basal.   Jessica slept for 11 hours, I left her until she woke up at 10.15 am !  She is on 0% by then anyway for two hours.  Cooked her brunch and she's doing fine although still getting over her cold.


----------



## quinny

HI i,m on another section talking about Antibodies to insulin, but think this might be a better area to ask if any one on a pump is using any thing other than NOVARAPID or HYMALOG ? IN THERE PUMP?


----------



## Sugarbum

quinny said:


> HI i,m on another section talking about Antibodies to insulin, but think this might be a better area to ask if any one on a pump is using any thing other than NOVARAPID or HYMALOG ? IN THERE PUMP?



Hi Quinny, I read this and then have gone over and read the thread you started about insulin resistance which is really interesting. I am going to reply over there!
xx


----------



## tracey w

quinny said:


> HI i,m on another section talking about Antibodies to insulin, but think this might be a better area to ask if any one on a pump is using any thing other than NOVARAPID or HYMALOG ? IN THERE PUMP?



no sorry, i use humalog


----------



## tracey w

Adrienne said:


> Missed the x factor, oh no, you miss a ghostbusting treat!!!!!!
> 
> Great news re the sleep and basal.   Jessica slept for 11 hours, I left her until she woke up at 10.15 am !  She is on 0% by then anyway for two hours.  Cooked her brunch and she's doing fine although still getting over her cold.



Ive seen the repeat! Hope J feeling much better today.


----------



## Patricia

Hi all!

Lucie out! OMG! Sigh. It's all about television, isn't it?!

News this end is yes disco didn't manage to avoid early hypos for 20 minutes -- during which time 7 glucose were consumed! -- but then all cleared and all well. Three girls now in the picture, as the flurry of texting exceeds all my previous experience with the form...This is what happens I guess when you disco the boys and girls schools together. Ahem. Anyway, very positive and uplifting for E I think. This is no surprise to me or anyone else in his family: he is handsome, talented, funny and caring...but your mother can never tell you anything you want to hear in this realm, can she?!

We have lowered the dinner ratio from 1:10 to 1:13 in one fell swoop, and the results have been pretty miraculous. We have yet to touch the basal, though this may follow. So far anyway, we avoided a crash less than two hours after the meal, which was the pattern for 4 days. Bit slow, we are...

Nighttime levels are a bit messed up, but we are not at the bottom of that yet. Dropping somewhere...Not drastically, but enough to get right.

E on trip to Ypres today, gone since 7am with a spare *everything*, thank god. Just received text saying he's bringing back lots of chocolate! On 60% temp virtually all day from what I can gather. Hope that's done it. We'll know when he returns at 10pm.

Phew. Rush!

Love to all. Will catch up later...


----------



## Mand

*Good news and bad news*

Good news
My son had a great weekend celebrating his 13th birthday. All went to plan. We bought him a new bike which he is very excited about. 

Bad news
He woke up at 2am this morning, very poorly. Full of cold and a very sore mouth as he has a couple of nasty mouth ulcers which have made his lip swollen. Spent an hour nursing him - calpol, vic rub (blocked nose!), took temperature, plenty of fluids, checked blood, fetch box of tissues etc etc. By 3am he was ready to go back to sleep. His blood at that point was 9 so i was not too worried. But a 7am this morning he was 14 and we have been battling high's all day (reached 20 at one point ). He has slept on and off. He now on a temporary basal and we got him down to 11 about an hour ago. Possibly a long night ahead of us! 

Hi to you all. How are things?
Patricia - I hope E has had a great trip and is well. xx


----------



## bev

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUR SON MAND!

Sorry he's not feeling well - poor thing. And poor you. Arent temp basals great!I have been using them for weeks now - very unpredictable levels with A at the moment.Bev


----------



## Sugarbum

Hello everyone! I missed everyone yesterday there wasnt much chat! Glad to see the reprive!

Mand sorry to hear your boy isnt well, sounds really rotten and I hope there isnt a bad night on the cards. I find the same when I have a really bad cold, high numbers and I dont drink enough to help keep the numbers bit better, and then its so easy to top up with honey and sweeter remedies- nightmare. Hope he gets better soon, and dont you get it miss!

I loved reading about the disco P! Three girls???  OMG! Good work! I am standing by for updates! 

I am doing well. I spent the afternoon in the gym and did a good run, 7km in 49mins (I shouldnt think that is that good but I out ran the fitty on my right and some skinny bird on the left) I had GREAT music today so it helped. Just cooked a fabulous dinner, all in 74gms and Im full. GREAT. My canula was half off again in the gym changing room AGAIN, thats tw in a row. Im not sure if its the running, swetaing or big heat from there power showers? I already use a skin protector adhesive-type thing so I dont think I can do anything more. Do you have this problem Tracey? 

Ooh tomorrow I am going to Holburn to that diabetes pump research thing for an hour and a half, quite looking forward to it! Think I told you about it (I cant remember). My DSN forwarded me some email about an american company who are researching pump users on their new design. Its not got a prototype, so it will involve looking at it on the screen and giving my comments. Its for an hour and a half and she has lots of people booked. Its something to do with an affiliated computer program that each user of this pump will have with their laptop that works out your basal rates for you. Interesting. And some pocket money! Huzzah! Id probably have done it for free. I am extremely interested in the future of diabetes and pumping, Im planning on living a long time! Anyway, I will tell you all about it....Id be facinated if it was something like that mobile phone type thing we all oggled over a few weeks back....

Anyway, I shall be on for a bit, Im having a luxury night in- A 100gm bar of 70% Drak chocolate (29gms carb) and 'Americas Toughest Prisons' on channel 5  

L xx


----------



## tracey w

Hi Lou,

No I dont have any problems with my cannula, but ahem, i dont think i excercise to the same extent as you.

i dont use any spray to keep on or take them off, they stay on even when bathing, showering, sweating? In fact had bath tonight with bath oils, they dry off pretty quickly and when i want to remove, i just peel it off easily and so far so good, no soreness or anything. Im very pleased with them. 

Cant wait to hear about your research, I have heard about these programs that work out your basal, probably on here? sound amazing,


----------



## Patricia

Sorry about your son, Mand -- oh dear! Poor thing. Glad the b'day went well though. A teenager! Yikes. Am there now... Hope the night was okay.

Lou, please tell us all about your research day...I too am very interested in all this. Feel I've taken a break from it, probably just as well to take the foot off the accelerator sometimes -- but want to know what's up.

Trip to Ypres good. E kept himself 10/11 all day through temp basals, as his big thing was not to spend another school trip hypo-ing -- which he managed. So he spent all day above target yesterday -- even the night seemed to carry the effects of the temp through -- but I'm glad in any case that he could have a good day, with little worry.

Good news is that the school sent along a senior management person, who inquired several times how E was. Hmm. Something tells me this is in response to the last disastrous trip for him. Good for them. He reports that it was much better to know that there was someone there to go to if he needed to. 

So! All good. Hellishly busy days next few, so just be popping on and off.

Love to all.


----------



## Mand

*From bad to worse!*

Following on from my last post...........

After being poorly all day yesterday and battling with high blood sugars, he went to bed on a good level. 'Phew' we thought! But oh how wrong we were!

At 4am this morning he vomitted, BG 17.2 and ketones of 2.1

Corrected, gave him water and put him into our bed.

Checked him an hour later, BG 19 and ketones of 2.7

Vomitted again

Corrected with novorapid pen.

Checked him 1 hour later, BG 17 and ketones of 3.3 

Corrected.

HOSPITAL!!!!!!!!!!!!

When we got there his BG 17 and ketones 2.4

They checked he had not developed DKA, checked him over thoroughly and discharged us with instructions to call his dsn and she now working with us.

Now his blood at 13 (even with a temp basal which we probably need to increase again) and ketones of 0.1. Phew!

He still very poorly with his cold (but not swine flu).

Hubby and I also have mild colds and are completely shattered!

We monitoring him hourly at moment.

Gosh! If this is what a cold can do then i would not like to see the effects of flu! He has already had his flu jab and is booked in for the swine flu jab next week.

Will update again soon!

Mand


----------



## Adrienne

Wow Mand what a day and night for you all.    Happy birthday to your son but more importantly I hope he gets better soon.

I have Jessica at home.  She still has a slight cold but not bad anymore, (10 days now) but her swine flu vacinne is Thursday and swine flu is now going through her class so better to keep her off than at home. 

If I were you, I would do the same now with your teenager!! and keep him home till vacine.


----------



## Patricia

Oh Mand. Eek. Hang in there. I bet you all are on your knees and then some. Sheesh.

Thinking of you. Been there...

xxoo


----------



## bev

Mand,
Really sorry your son is unwell - we have just got over a small cold that caused chaos! Levels all over the place - still trying to sort it out as having a growth spurt too. I know how tiring it is - hope you all have a better nights sleep tonight - ketone free of course!Bev x


----------



## Adrienne

Mand 

I hope tonight goes ok and that your son is alright.


----------



## Sugarbum

Oh no, sorry to read all this- Mand, thinking of you. I hope things go better tonight and I really really hope you and hub get some shut eye too. Horrid when you both have it as well.

I was just thinking of all you families, completely captivated with a programe just finshed on BBC about parents as carers for children with disabilities, they were more physical and dependent but it had many of the same tones of the experiences that are commonly spoken of here on the forum. Very thought provoking. Did anyone see it?

Had my little researchy afternoon. Went into town, treated myself to a coffee and turkey sandwich (well it is christmas!) in starbucks and then went to this place, I was a bit nervous! People very friendly. Instantly offered me shortbread and chocolate biscuits "lots of things for people with diabetes" this really friendly lady said! SHORTBREAD IS IN MY TOP TEN BIGGEST NIGHTMARES! I didnt like to say it....anyway they took me through to this little room with a computer and camera's and one way mirror with 2 men behind doing the filming (I couldnt see them which was freaky but in my mind they were extremely good looking) and she asked me a series of questions and tasks to do with this software on the PC. I had to rate every task for ease etc. The prototype of the insulin pump isnt made yet so I didnt see it. I didnt like the software- I was suprised! Anyway, I answered all the questions and everyone was nice and so I am glad I did it. I was a little nervous, but then afterwards I was a little pleased. I have a little input into something for once in my life-huzzah! It wasnt as such what was suggested to me- which was a computer software programme that can best work out a basal rate for you....it doesnt. But what it did do was give me ?70 for the fun of it  which I later spent in the pub 

Anyway, hope everyone is ok. MAND Im thinking of you hon xx


----------



## Patricia

How was your night Mand?

***

What was the research actually, Lou? User friendly type tests? Hmm...Good for you for doing it...

***

All well here. More gigs coming up. Two hypos yesterday (why?) but haven't had time to dig around and see what's up. Have tried this morning an early bolus to avoid a bit of a spike mid-morning, followed by a low around 10.30/11am, which is a hugely typical pattern. We'll see!

Night basal seems okay. Sigh. Nothing consistent in diabetes but inconsistency!

Various group dates being arranged in my son's social life. Never mind that he has a gig this weekend, and a GCSE coursework exam next Tuesday! Erk.

***

I am away this weekend, which is exactly what happened last year this time. E was diagnosed two days after I returned, 19 November. Feeling strange about it, myself. Bit sad.

***

Work calls. Screams, rather.

xxoo


----------



## Adrienne

Sugarbum said:


> I was just thinking of all you families, completely captivated with a programe just finshed on BBC about parents as carers for children with disabilities, they were more physical and dependent but it had many of the same tones of the experiences that are commonly spoken of here on the forum. Very thought provoking. Did anyone see it?



I had it on for a bit but have to turn these types of programmes off.   It doesn't really matter what the disability or illness or condition is, it just brings it all home really and makes me sad.


----------



## Sugarbum

Patricia said:


> Nothing consistent in diabetes but inconsistency!



That woulds be a great signature there Patricia!

I ate out last night, chips and a big burger (dont seem to have done that for a few weeks so a good treat) and woke up this morning 11.4! How annoying! But nevermind I shall accept that as a one off. I had to ride slightly high as I had 2 double gin and slims and I was worried about going under. I was following 'E-Disco' rules....we all need a treat once in a while!

Off to work later so its one of those 'weird' mornings, I might as well already be there as its all I think about all morning. Big sigh. 

Hope everyone is well xx


----------



## Mand

*Update on my son*

Hi everyone

Thank you so much for all your kind words and thoughts. 

Well, we continued to battle with high blood sugars throughout yesterday. We even used the Novorapid pen and he still remained high. We just cannot believe how much insulin he has needed due to this illness.

Anyway, at 12.30 am today we was 8.9. Phew!!!!!!!!!!!!
2.30 am= 9.1
6.30 am= 5.0
7.30 am= 3.2 (temp basal off)
8.30 am= 4.4
9.30 am= 7.7 YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYES!!!!!!!!!!!

He slept until 9.30 this morning and woke feeling much better. Looks like we are coming out the other side! What a relief!! 

During all this drama his pump threw an error code 4 times and stopped insulin delivery until we reset it. Just to add to our crisis!

I phoned Medtronic this morning who said that they think it is more likely to be the quick sets causing the error code rather than the pump but in light of the fact my son has been so poorly and had to be checked at the hospital, they are going to send us a replacement pump which will arrive tomorrow. We have no idea whether the pump has added to his problems or if it was all due to his nasty cold but i glad we getting a new one just in case. They are also going to send us some quicksets from a new batch. We to use existing quicksets but if the new pump throws the error code then we to change to new quicksets.

I mentioned the problems i had heard about re the Veo and she said that was correct and they are issuing news ones in January but have a few updated ones filtering through now so they are going to send us one of the Veo's with the updated software. We are delighted!!!!!  (Just hope it not sprakly pink!!)

Hopefully we can now get back on track with our normal lives. We need to catch up on lost sleep etc but this not possible until my son is better which looks like is happening! 

Interesting to read about your research input, Lou. How lovely to have some extra funds!
Hope J doing ok Adrienne.
Bev, how are things?
Patricia - hope your trip goes well. I know how you feel about the anniversary of his diagnosis. I found it very emotional too but the 2nd anniversary passed more easily. Sending you 'hugs'.

Mand x


----------



## Bezza

*Spikes*

Can anyone please advise me. Have been diabetic for over 50 years, and have been on a Paradigm pump for less than a year,generally I find it ok. My problem is breakfast time. 2 hours after brekie my blood sugars go through the roof and then within the following 2 hours drop down to an acceptable level. Have tried all the methods recommended by my dsn but still the same problem, including increasing carb ratio,infusion 30 mins before,duel and square wave.Have also had no carb breakfast and still rises 2hours after but not by so much Over the last few days have tried 1 1/2 units to 10gr of food ie 2 shredded wheat 3 small slices of orange and 3 natural prunes = 40 gr so takien 6 units of insulin and then 2 hours later reducing basal fom .80% to .20% for the next 2 hours,but this also does not work. If I did not drop the basal I would be hypo. This morning 5.8 before breakfast.11.9 2 hours later. Sorry to ramble on. Any ideas?.


----------



## Adrienne

Bezza said:


> Can anyone please advise me. Have been diabetic for over 50 years, and have been on a Paradigm pump for less than a year,generally I find it ok. My problem is breakfast time. 2 hours after brekie my blood sugars go through the roof and then within the following 2 hours drop down to an acceptable level. Have tried all the methods recommended by my dsn but still the same problem, including increasing carb ratio,infusion 30 mins before,duel and square wave.Have also had no carb breakfast and still rises 2hours after but not by so much Over the last few days have tried 1 1/2 units to 10gr of food ie 2 shredded wheat 3 small slices of orange and 3 natural prunes = 40 gr so takien 6 units of insulin and then 2 hours later reducing basal fom .80% to .20% for the next 2 hours,but this also does not work. If I did not drop the basal I would be hypo. This morning 5.8 before breakfast.11.9 2 hours later. Sorry to ramble on. Any ideas?.



Wowee 50 years.    I would love to sit and chat with you about the different regimes and stuff over the years and how it has changed so much and here you are using the latest technology, how fantastic is that.   I wonder what it will be in another 50 years time when my daughter is 59, I just couldn't imagine.

Ok back to your problem.   This is my own view.  You are displaying classic type 1 problems even with pumping.   This mid morning spike is hard to get rid of.    Jessica has always suffered from this, some people find it easy to manage and others not.   We are in the 'not' bracket.  Jessica also pumps with a Paradigm 522 pump, I imagine you are on a 722 which is the same as the 522 but with a larger reservoir (in case anyone else was wondering 

The way we have got around this is to tweak the basal out about 5.30 am.  Jessica wakes up and has breakfast at about 8 am so that is when she has her breakfast bolus.    However to sort out that breakfast spike at 10 am she has a really increased basal at 5.30 am, this is the highest of the whole 24 hours.    However, like you, she would be mega hypo by lunch time.   So to combat that at 9.30 am we reduce the basal back to zero until 11.30 am when it then becomes 0.05 until 1 pm when it is 0.55.

You may not need a zero basal of course but I would suggest you try adding in a higher basal at say 6 am, having breakie at 8 am and bolusing just beforehand.    You will then need to cut right back down on your basal at probably 10 to 10.30 am to sort out the 12 noon drop or hypo.

The times and amounts will need tweaking but this may help and if you have tried everything this why not try this.  See what you DSN says, she may say it is poppycock as normally if you want to tweak a basal what you tweak will have an effect about 2 hours later but at this time of the morning people are more insulin resistent so the rules don't necessarily apply 

Hope that helps.


----------



## Alzibiff

Bezza,
Ditto to what Adrienne says and also ...

On the assumption that before breakfast your BG is on target, take a no carb breakfast and see how you get on with that. If you get a rise in BG above say 1.5mmol/l over the next few hours, it's the basal which needs adjusting upwards, starting 1 to 2 hours before the rise in BG begins. On the other hand, if, after a no carb breakfast, BG is relatively stable, it is the Carb to Insulin ratio which needs increasing. As with all of these things - change one variable at a time and watch for trends over a couple of days.





Adrienne said:


> I imagine you are on a 722 which is the same as the 522 but with a larger reservoir (in case anyone else was wondering



Adrienne - Just wondering why you said that as I would have thought that amongst us Medtronics boys and girls, the 522 was the most common?


Alan


----------



## Adrienne

Alzibiff said:


> Adrienne - Just wondering why you said that as I would have thought that amongst us Medtronics boys and girls, the 522 was the most common?
> 
> 
> Alan



Hi Alan

Those that need bigger amounts of insulin than the younger kids they have the 722.   Most teens are put on a 722 to cope with the bigger insulin requirement.

For example Bezza says he had 6 units for breakfast, a younger child wouldn't need that much infact my daughter only had 2.3 units to cover her breakfast this morning as she doesn't eat as much as an adult and her ratio is different.

A friend of ours (another girl but older) frequently has 11 plus units in a meal.   Jessica's max bolus is set to 7 only (I changed that yesterday from 6.5).

Thats the only reason I said that.


----------



## Bezza

Thanks for the help. I am using a 522. Have been Diabetic since 1956, I was 6 and could write a book about my life with it. The advances in the last few years have been fantastic,perhaps for me they may have come a little to late. But all you people of a younger age can look forward to a much more rewarding and stable life and I am sure that in the very near future a cure will be found.


----------



## Alzibiff

Hello,
A question for pumpers and mummies & daddies of pumpers - where on your body do you insert your cannulae (or am I being too posh - is it cannuals?). I fire them into what I guess are my "love handles" for want of a better term but I guess that others may be less blessed in this department - and some more - I have lost just over a stone since I started with the pump and have less love handle to use these days! 

Same question applies to the CGM sensors for those who use them - and an additional question for those folk - what do you use to supplement the tiny surface area of sticky fabric stuff which they have?

Thank you in anticipation,

Alan


----------



## Adrienne

Alzibiff said:


> Hello,
> A question for pumpers and mummies & daddies of pumpers - where on your body do you insert your cannulae (or am I being too posh - is it cannuals?). I fire them into what I guess are my "love handles" for want of a better term but I guess that others may be less blessed in this department - and some more - I have lost just over a stone since I started with the pump and have less love handle to use these days!
> 
> Same question applies to the CGM sensors for those who use them - and an additional question for those folk - what do you use to supplement the tiny surface area of sticky fabric stuff which they have?
> 
> Thank you in anticipation,
> 
> Alan



Bottom every time.    We put sensor on one side and canula on the other.  We did try the tummy for the canula but it hurt but Jessica has a massive scar across her tummy so I think it was hitting scar tissue.

The tummy is the most effective place where the insulin works best but these skinny kids have to use their butts.  

I have put in sensors into girls aged about 10 to 13 in their tummys.  Their choice of course and they have been fine.   One girl change to her thigh but you need a bit of meat there.

Some people, women especially use their upper arms for their cannulas so they can carry their pumps around their bra area, maybe you have a top pocket or you can get belts to wear around your arm to keep them in place like the runners do with their ipods.

Hope that has helped.


----------



## bev

Alex (11) has his sensor on his bottom, and his canula in his tummy. He is very slim - but he doesnt seem to mind it in his tummy. We did initially start on his bottom -but he found it difficult to take off for rugby etc - so moved to tummy. We put it in a circle of about 2" around his belly button.
Remember that if you change sites - your basals may change.

Over the sensor and transmitter we put a clear plastic sticky plaster - it stays on for 6 days and is showerproof.Bev


----------



## Freddie99

I'm debating where I'd put the cannulas. I need to give my damn stomach a bit of a break as due to much insulin abuse my stomach is fairly heavily bruised at the moment and more than a little tender in places. I can't jab into my arms without causing my blood sugars to soar later on. My back side is fine for my levemir but not for much else.


----------



## Lozza

hi i was wondering if anybody could give me any advice on gettin a pump?! im 17 and an active dancer at the same time as attemptin to juggle a levels and other courses. very stressful at the moment. im starting to get depressed and my consultant asked if going on a pump would be easier than injecting about 7 times a day, however i dont kno what the consequences would be if my body didnt like it as i have shows in a few weeks. would it cheer me up and make me happy again? 
any help would be appreciated.
thanx 
lauren


----------



## bev

Hi Lauren,
Not sure if it will make you 'happy'again! It depends why you are unhappy.

My son started on a pump 2 months ago. He would never go back to injections. But it may not be for you, you have to really want to be on a pump. They are hard work to begin with - but you do get much better control and this has to be good in the long term.

I would advise talking it through with your consultant - i am sure he will put your mind at rest.Bev


----------



## Adrienne

Tom Hreben said:


> I'm debating where I'd put the cannulas. I need to give my damn stomach a bit of a break as due to much insulin abuse my stomach is fairly heavily bruised at the moment and more than a little tender in places. I can't jab into my arms without causing my blood sugars to soar later on. My back side is fine for my levemir but not for much else.



Hiya Tom

Don't forget that all this bruising and tenderness will go.   You will only being using a needle once every 2 or 3 days so your body will get a rest.   If you have lots of places that you can rotate the pump even better, your skin will not know whats hit it, or in this case, hasn't hit it.   You can use any fatty bit ie tummy, backside, thighs, arms, love handle bits (if you have them ) You will be fine, don't think too deeply about this bit, this is a small problem.   

Do you know that I can't wait for you to go on a pump.   I see your fb status' of bad days and on here and I know that you are a brilliant candidate for pumping.   Its not magic but will change your life so much you will not believe it.   It will be hard to begin with and I'm sure you may want to chuck it in the bin but after a very short while you will wonder why you have had all this worrying about it.


----------



## Adrienne

Lozza said:


> hi i was wondering if anybody could give me any advice on gettin a pump?! im 17 and an active dancer at the same time as attemptin to juggle a levels and other courses. very stressful at the moment. im starting to get depressed and my consultant asked if going on a pump would be easier than injecting about 7 times a day, however i dont kno what the consequences would be if my body didnt like it as i have shows in a few weeks. would it cheer me up and make me happy again?
> any help would be appreciated.
> thanx
> lauren



Hiya Lauren

As for cheering you up and making you happy again, it is not magic so no-one can guarantee that for you.  As Bev said what is making you unhappy?  It is a specific thing or just diabetes, which is totally understandable.

I am a true advocator for pumps.   I believe they will enhance all people with diabetes' lives without a shadow of doubt.   I know what pumps are capable of.   I know that if you want that life that seems 'normal' then the pump is the closest thing to allow you to have that.  You have the freedom, it gives you the freedom.   People will argue that MDI (4 or more injections) gives them freedom, it probably does but I have seen all types of regimes from those damned mixes, to MDI and now pumping.  Nothing comes close to pumping and I think I can probably guarantee that those on this forum who know pump will not give their pumps back.

It is great for sports, in your case dance as you have more control over the insulin you are giving yourself and you make it work for you.

I know many people, mainly children, on pumps.   I can say that only three have swapped back to MDI and these were all teenagers about the age of 13 to 15.

If you have any questions at all about pumps, ask away and I will be truthful.


----------



## Bezza

*sensors*

Hello can anyone tell me how they managed to get there blood sugar sensors. I am on a Paradigm 522, and was told you could not get the sensors on the NHS due to the cost. I was told they where about ?1500 pounds and the strips for them where to expensive


----------



## Adrienne

Bezza said:


> Hello can anyone tell me how they managed to get there blood sugar sensors. I am on a Paradigm 522, and was told you could not get the sensors on the NHS due to the cost. I was told they where about ?1500 pounds and the strips for them where to expensive



Hiya

Sorry but you have been told wrong.   You can get them on NHS.  They are ?40 each and no idea what strips you are talking about  sorry.

With all Paradigm pumps there is the option of purchasing the transmitter at a cost of ?400.    If you purchase it separate from a pump then it is ?750.  You get a box of so many sensors with that purchase I believe.   The transmitter is a one off price.    The sensors are ?40 each.   They have gone down from ?60 !!  The sensors when working with the 522 last 3 days, you then 'trick' the pump and get another 3 days out of the same sensor whilst leaving it in you.  With the VEO you get an automatic 6 days with the same sensor.

It is harder to get funding for the sensors but most people I know who have wanted sensors will get them.   The consultant has to write to your PCT requesting extra funding for them stating that it will be a real bonus to your overall control.   You could start by asking for one or two sensors per month.   Once you have the hang of them you can then ask the PCT for full time funding if that is what you want.

The two main kiddies teams in the UK now automatically get the transmitter with each new pump and a few sensor and automatically ask and get funding for a few sensors per month plus the consumables from the PCT.  They say it is part and parcel of pumping and in my view, it is.    

I would go back to your team and tell them you have done some research and this is what you have found out.

Talk to Bev, she has totally changed the minds of her son's whole team single handedly about pumps and sensors and she did exactly what I have suggested for you and it worked.

We would never be without sensors now, especially overnight.

Good luck.


----------



## Mand

Following on from my previous post.........

Replacement Veo pump did not arrive yesterday as it should have done! I phoned Medtronic to say i had been waiting in all day for it but it had not arrived. They were very apologetic and said the shipment was stuck in Holland! It will now not arrive here until Monday so they are sending me an older version pump (due to arrive this afternoon) to use until Monday. What  a pain!

My son returned to school today as he is better from his cold. Blood sugars still too high though so still having to monitor closely. Oh when will all this end?!

Exhausted Mand x x


----------



## bev

Mand - really sorry to hear this. Medtronic do themselves no favours do they?Bev


----------



## Sugarbum

Oh Mand, Mand, EXHAUSTED Mand!

Oh no, Im so sorry. When I was waiting in for my replacement pump few weeks back I was on tenterhooks until it came and I was phoning medtonic at 3pm wanting to know it WAS actually coming I had such a horrid feeling it wasnt.....I am so sorry yours didnt come. ITs so damn frustrating waiting in for there delivery 'day' (8am-6pm if I remember correctly?). What a disapointment.

I have to say I was abit suprised to hear you are only on a temp pump till monday? Doing all those settings and adjustments twice! Everything in the wizz and the basal patterns...and its a right nark as the replacement will work in 0.5 and not 0.25. No wonder you are knackered- I hope the set up has gone ok tonight. 

How has your son taken to the changes?

How is everyone? I didnt get on here last night I was out on the razmatazz, on a school night! Good lord. 

I tested my sugar this afternoon 2 hours after eating and I was 21.6!!!!! OMG! I had a slice of lemon cake in a cafe at lunchtime in work, no wonder I was so thirsty! I was worried I had been the victim of the worlds biggest and most evil air bubble, but got down with a correction. I went 2u over what the wizz recommended, I needed to get down fast being at work. And I wasnt convinced with its recommendation. I wont be having that again! All was fine in the end, 6.7 after I had marched home up the hill. Phew.

So I will be off the thread for a few days- Im off on my jollies ha ha! 5 days in wet and windy gale force winds and rain- Weymouth in a caravan!!! CLASSY! Im packing my waterproofs to make sure I get to the pub in one piece. Im actually really looking forward to it!

Mand- thinking of you (hope you get some rest this weekend?), Bev great news about Alex's run and result- I think that will be such a fantatstic confidence booster, Patricia- I actually believe you might be working hard?! Adrienne and Jess Im sure you have something lovely planned. Have a good weekend everyone, lots of love lou xxxx


----------



## Patricia

Ha! On my knees Lou -- so much so that I'm asking myself if I *really* want that glass of wine downstairs at this conference -- or am I going to bed?!

Tom and Lauren: so much to think about. I really hope it all becomes clearer soon. Adrienne has given great advice I think.

Mand: you poor,poor things! OMG you MUST be absolutely shattered. Such a stress, and so much work. Thinking of you. How is your son holding up in himself?

Bev, feel I haven't said hello in ages. How is A doing?

Wanting sensors...too shattered to do anything about it I'm sure until December. But we are now thinking that one offs are not what we want, which we could get anywhere. We have the funding for senors from our PCT which came along with the pump...BUT our local team have been appallingly slow in gtting things organised. This makes us wonder if the whole pump thing would have been like this...perhaps. Thank god we pushed for elsewhere.

Sigh.

Land of many hypos this week was solved by the discovery this morning that we were still on the weekend pattern. Argh! That explains it completely. Had one yesterday in a maths test and feels it affected performance. Wrote a note to this effect and told teacher and invigilator.

Sigh again. Tom, how were your GCSEs and A levels handled with T1?

Everything gone haywire at home: ill daughter, dead car headlights and no food in the house. How could all this happen in 24 hours?!

Sigh thrice.


----------



## Northerner

*You own section!*

Hi guys, you've got your own section now, so feel free to start as many or as few threads as you want! I think, for new members, it will be easier for them to ask questions or search for information. Don't neglect the other forums though - we love to see you there too!


----------



## Patricia

Just want to say thanks, Northerner! Though feeling a bit overwhelmed...wow, a whole area!

Now, what to write...? I wonder...


----------



## Steff

its such great news you got this pumping section now it will come in very handy as Northe says 

hope you all had good weekends with your children ?


----------



## Mand

*Update*

Hi everyone.

How are you all?

We took delivery of the loaned 722 on Friday and set it up with the basics (ie my son's basal pattern) but made the decision not to swap him over to it as his current veo pump had stopped throwing up the error for now and seemed to be working ok for now. Knowing we would be taking delivery of an updated veo on the Monday we decided to keep using his current veo and only to swap to the loaned 722 if his veo thew up the error again which it didnt during the weekend. This was to save us from doing two pump swaps. 

Well i am happy to say that yesterday we took delivery of the replacement veo which i am assured has the updated software on. After school yesterday we got him up and running on it. We have set up his basal pattern and also programmed bolus wizard. We are going to add other functions slowly and one at a time over the coming weeks so that if one was to cause a problem we would know which one. Of course, we have been assured that as it has the updated software then all facilities can be used as the problems have been sorted out but i still feel a little nervous.

I was also happy to see that the replacement veo is the same colour as his original (black). Maybe a small detail to some but to a 13 year old boy - very important!! 

We are still night testing for now as his blood sugars seemed to have gone a bit wonky despite having recovered from his cold. Also we not sure that the original pump was delivering insulin properley due to the motor error it kept throwng up so i feel we need to keep a close eye on him whilst everything settles back down.

Anyway, on and up from today, we hope!

I have moved status from 'exhausted' to just 'tired' which is good news!

Sorry for the essay!

Hugs to you all.

Mand xx


----------



## Adrienne

Hiya Mand

It sounds like it is going well.   You can see on the VEO which software it is.   Another friend of mine had a new VEO with updated software and she compared it and it certainly a different software version.   I am guessing it could be on the info screen ie pressing the back button and scrolling down.  You could compare the two.

The colour is so very important to kids.   Jessica wanted a pink one but the 522 isn't in pink so purple it is then and we use skins as well.


----------



## Steff

hi gals jsut wanted to ask is Lou ok  not seen her on for abit x


----------



## tracey w

steff09 said:


> hi gals jsut wanted to ask is Lou ok  not seen her on for abit x



She has been holidaying in  a windy (weather!), caravan i think Steff.


----------



## tracey w

Mand, so relieved for you, hope all goes well now.


----------



## Steff

tracey w said:


> She has been holidaying in  a windy (weather!), caravan i think Steff.



ohhh thanks tracy xx


----------



## Patricia

Hi all

Yes relief here too Mand that things are straightening out for you. Yikes!

Here the mega lows at dinner time and beyond of ten days ago have now transformed to mega-highs! Argh. We are gradually lowering ratios again, but for five nights he's been above 14 three hours after dinner!!

This is after absolutely SCRAPING along in the 2's and 3's for days at this time -- hence we lowered everything.

Sigh. Once again: nothing consistent but inconsistency.

For now!

xxoo


----------



## Mand

Thanks Adrienne, Tracey and Patricia. Good to hear from you all. 

I will take a peep at software before i return our original veo. Thanks for the tip, Adrienne. 

Lou - Hope your holiday is going well. Looking forward to you returning and hearing all about it. 

Catch up soon. Love to all. xx


----------



## Mand

*Adrienne, Help!!!!!!!!!! Please!!!!!!!!!!!!*

Hi Adrienne

I can't find any difference on the software yet and i have to return the original veo. Please could i ask you a huge favour - could you ask the person you know what was different so i can see if i can find the same.

I will hang onto the pump an extra day in case you are able to give me any info.

Please do not go to any trouble and do not worry if you unable to help.

Mand xxx


----------



## Adrienne

Mand said:


> Hi Adrienne
> 
> I can't find any difference on the software yet and i have to return the original veo. Please could i ask you a huge favour - could you ask the person you know what was different so i can see if i can find the same.
> 
> I will hang onto the pump an extra day in case you are able to give me any info.
> 
> Please do not go to any trouble and do not worry if you unable to help.
> 
> Mand xxx



Hiya

Luckily Bev text me to tell me to look at your message !  I've been at an awful governors meeting tonight and not been in long.

I will email the person right now.    Hopefully she will be online tonight or tomorrow anyway.


----------



## Mand

Thank you Adrienne! I will check throughout today for a message from you and wait until tomorrow to return pump. If your friend does not reply to you then please do not take it any further. I do not want to put you under any pressure, just thought it might be worth a try. 

Thanks Bev!


----------



## Adrienne

Hiya
This will be my last message until tonight as we are off to Gt Ormond St in 20 minutes.

The lady I wanted hasn't got back to me yet but another lady has.   She said when you put the battery in and you get that black screen the version number flashes on the screen briefly !

On the 522 when I press the back button and get the info screen, ie last bolus, the basal rate you are on, if you scroll down it eventually says ver. 2.2 or something similar.   This is the version.   Maybe the VEO is different but I'm sure this is what the first lady said, not 100%.

Could be worth testing with the battery but not sure you can put the old one in once you have taken it out, so you may have to be ready with a new one !!

Hopefully the first lady will get back to me today and I'll post tonight.


----------



## Mand

Thank you so much, Adrienne. xxxx


----------



## tracey w

Hi hope everyone is ok?

Bev how is Alex feeling now, hope he is feeling better? 

1st hba1c tomorrow since pumping, am quite excited, hope it is improved. Last one 7.8

Lesley how are you doing? Havent heard from Angela, do you still want to meet up before my appointment hun?


----------



## Adrienne

*Mand - this ones for you......*

Hiya

I heard from my friend and this is what she said  :

The version of software is on the screen when you change the battery and also in the main menu under the status. The first Veo we had was version 1.2A 1.1 OB OB, I've just checked as I still have it. I haven't returned it yet and they haven't asked for it again! The new Veo, is version 2.2A. It would be interesting to know which versions this lady has.


Hope you find it ok.


----------



## Mand

*Thank you Adrienne!*

Adrienne, you truly are a star! Thank you so much for your help.

Our pumps say the same as the other lady's. Our original veo says ver 1.2A. and our replacement says ver 2.2A.

I feel re-assured now.

Thank you for your help with this and please thank the lady for me too.

Love Mand x


----------



## Adrienne

Mand said:


> Adrienne, you truly are a star! Thank you so much for your help.
> 
> Our pumps say the same as the other lady's. Our original veo says ver 1.2A. and our replacement says ver 2.2A.
> 
> I feel re-assured now.
> 
> Thank you for your help with this and please thank the lady for me too.
> 
> Love Mand x



Hi

Brilliant.  I've thanked the other lady as well.


----------



## Mand

Good morning all

How are you all? Hope all going ok. 

My son up and running on updated Veo and all going well so far! Just tweaking with basals and carb ratios as he swinging about a little but good through the night so i might give myself a night off tonight as i am very tired.

Took him for his swine flu jab after school yesterday. The jab was ok but his arm sore today but we told to expect this. 

Missing you Lou - hope you back soon! 

How are the little ones Adrienne, Patricia, Bev and Becca?

Mand x


----------



## Sugarbum

Hello everyone! *I've missed you!!!*

I was on last night after I got back but was too tired to write properly....and I see we have moved house, on to our very own estate?!  

I had a lovely few days in "windy" weymouth in a caravan, classy! Me and my mate from devon hired this static caravan and it was really plush! It was in a really nice park, quiet, hills and a little walk to a nice "windy" beach and a stroll to a couple of very nice pubs. Ideal. We saw an advert for day trips to Jersey and decided to give it a go and went there for the afternoon in gale force winds.....I had to sit outside as it was flying all over the place. It was a good adventure, but I had to chuck up on the way back which didnt go over the edge but all over an elderly lady from warminster as it blew back into my face and on to her! She then proceeded to tell me her life story in the dark in winds of 120mph, she had waited 3 days for that ferry. Bless.

Really enjoyed ourselves though, unfortunately DREADFUL numbers  I am having an HbA1c in 2 weeks and Im trying really hard to get an improvement, but this is life isnt it really. I am off down the gym this afternoon, even though I dont feel like it- get back in the old routine.

Mand it sounds like a few dramas with the pump. I found your conversation with Adrienne about the software really useful, I shall be checking what mine is when I get it (no word) so that is really good to know. I hope everything 'Veo' related is going ok. Pleased to hear as well that he got black again! Yes, I agree, EXTREMELY important! I got 6 veo skins in the post from medtronic when I got in yesterday, I had forgotten in my boredom and weekly 'downloads' to medtronic that I had complained about the lack of/or none to be specific, skins for the veo and no oportunity to buy them- so that worked! Id forgotten all about it, shame I cant put them on my paradigm!

Adrienne, how are you? I read you werent able to get the paradigm 522 in pink for J? When I re-order my Veo I am going to ask for pink which I am sure you know is available in the Veo as of June (looks kinda nice too). Thats a real shame, do you think you may change to a veo in the future?

Patricia, Bev, Becca, hope you are well. I still have a few more new posts to read up on for everyones news so I hope everything is ok. I missed XFactor P, are you the person voting for the twins??!

Hope you are all well! Chat later xxx


----------



## Mand

*Lou*

Welcome home Lou!!!!!!!! So good to hear from you and to know you had a good hol! Don't worry re bad numbers during your hol, you have to live life for now sometimes, you cannot always live it for the future. 

Hope you get your new Veo soon. When i spoke to them i asked about the colour of the replacement and they said they completely understood the importance of colour so hopefully they will accomodate your wishes!

Yes, the info from Adrienne is good so keep a note of it for when you get your new one!

All going well in new Veo land so far. 

Catch you later xx


----------



## tracey w

Hi LOU, welcome back, I see i was right about the wind , glad you enjoyed the trip.

Just had my 1st hba1c since pumping down to 7.3 from 7,8! Funny cos that was the number i had in my head, spooky. They were pleased and so am I.


----------



## Steff

tracey w said:


> Hi LOU, welcome back, I see i was right about the wind , glad you enjoyed the trip.
> 
> Just had my 1st hba1c since pumping down to 7.3 from 7,8! Funny cos that was the number i had in my head, spooky. They were pleased and so am I.



congratsthats good and the first on your pump as well good work hun xxxx


----------



## sofaraway

tracey w said:


> Hi LOU, welcome back, I see i was right about the wind , glad you enjoyed the trip.
> 
> Just had my 1st hba1c since pumping down to 7.3 from 7,8! Funny cos that was the number i had in my head, spooky. They were pleased and so am I.



Thats great Tracey well done  With all the adjustment thats great you got a reduction straight off


----------



## tracey w

sofaraway said:


> Thats great Tracey well done  With all the adjustment thats great you got a reduction straight off



thanks I am pleased


----------



## Mand

Well done, Tracey. I am really pleased for you!


----------



## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> Hi LOU, welcome back, I see i was right about the wind , glad you enjoyed the trip.
> 
> Just had my 1st hba1c since pumping down to 7.3 from 7,8! Funny cos that was the number i had in my head, spooky. They were pleased and so am I.



Hiya

That is just fantastic, I bet you are really pleased.


----------



## Northerner

tracey w said:


> Hi LOU, welcome back, I see i was right about the wind , glad you enjoyed the trip.
> 
> Just had my 1st hba1c since pumping down to 7.3 from 7,8! Funny cos that was the number i had in my head, spooky. They were pleased and so am I.



Excellent Tracey! With all the changes you've had to make in adapting, that's really terrific!

(I notice you lot can't get used to having a whole new section to play in!)


----------



## Patricia

No, Northerner, you're right...We're sort of floundering maybe?! Oh well. Will get there.

Tracey: so pleased for you. Excellent job in such a short time, and god knows how much work goes into the early weeks...Brilliant.

Lou: hey lady, do you think I have NO taste?! The twins?! Every week we are in agony about them...though the children have this strange rational reaction sometimes, eg they are entertaining...blah blah. No, I'm a fan of Ollie, Stacey, Joe and Danyl...My daughter regularly rates Lloyd higher than we do -- herein lies his popularity of course...And no, we don't even VOTE. Don't believe in it. How's that for setting out the stall...

Give yourself a break about numbers Lou. You will get back on track. Glad you had a good time.

Glad too all working out for Veo folks at the moment.. -- how J and A, Adrienne and Bev?

Here we are frantically busy. Today is the first anniversary. I've been emotional all day, though at work and coping fine. We had a lovely dinner together and acknowledged it, acknowledged too my daughter's year, which was incredibly rough in its own way, indeed, rougher than could really be seen. Anyway. We praised everyone...and are left with ourselves. I know I've done as well as I could. But it is heavy sometimes.

Okay, moving on...Ironically, E took his first GCSE coursework exam TODAY. What a way to mark it, and what a good metaphor.

xxoo


----------



## Mand

Hi Patricia

I so understand the emotions of today for you. On and up from now on, eh? 

Hugs
Mand xx


----------



## Patricia

Thanks Mand. Do feel better today!

Here we go again otherwise: irregular night levels (why down this time? why stable that time? argh!) and two hypos today at absolutely typical times (late morning and late afternoon). Relatively recurrent, despite tweak city in the last few weeks. Sigh.

Don't think numbers are bad overall, but these hypos... could do without them, I'm sure.


----------



## bev

Patricia,
Sorry - i missed your thread about the anniversary. It will be A's on 24th - so i do know how awful it must have made you all feel. I am not sure that A has remembered it is next week. He did mention it last month and i asked would he like to mark it in any way. He declined and said 'why would i want to remember a time when life was normal'? I almost cried in front of him.

I have no wise words for you - just wanted to say i understand.


Hello to all - hope your all ok.Bev x


----------



## Mand

Bev - will be thinking of you on 24th. xx


----------



## Sugarbum

Hiya

Sorry its a late visit, but just to say as well I will be thinking of you with these anniversaries....

lots of love xx


----------



## Patricia

Hi all

A quick one (famous last words), feeling out of touch... Bev and all, thanks for words. Will be thinking of you. Didn't know our boys were so *very* close in diagnosis days. Sigh.

We are finding ourselves really FED UP at the moment with aspects of this damn unpredictability... We are sure E is growing, and this is a component, but sheesh, what a pain in the butt!

Nighttime is a bit of mess. Have corrected at bed and got up to check correction every night for a week. The knock on of which is that he's been dropping overnight. Finally shift the dinner/pre bed levels such that he actually looks like he's going to be even a little low by our bedtime, so we free carb 10g. At 12.30am he is 9mmols. Hallelujah. We anticipate a drop so this should for once be a good measure of his nighttime basal.

Woke on 13.9mmols! What?!!!! As I wrote ages ago, we have found some milk and a tiny biscuit to send him up for ages as free carb...although this seems reasonable in theory, we really thought he was dropping at nights...ARGH! Of course he also woke with a sore throat, so hey, it might be THAT too raising him...

ARGH!

We have a clinic appt with the pump folks on Thursday. His numbers have been kind of all over and we've lost a bit of rudder somehow. We are so TIRED of it all, such a flipping BORE for all involved.

Plus we are dealing with a massive breakfast spike, followed by a hypo -- every morning at school. We have adjusted basal, fingers crossed, and now will try to properly bolus before breakfast as a way of getting onto spke...but this means ANOTHER STEP, eg testing him the minute he wakes up, in order to bolus...Normally he would test when he comes downstairs.

I don't think his hba1c will be dreadful or anything --not that wacky out of control -- but we are just on a roller coaster. Let's see if the adjustments today can get rid of the TWO daily hypos he had all last week!

Sorry for moan...

Everyone else okay?!


----------



## bev

Patricia,
Sorry your feeling so fed up - but SNAP! Its awful isnt it? We too are on a rollercoaster - one day lots of high's so we think change basals -but then decided to leave it another day to check for a pattern - then NO PATTERN! 
I am also fed up and bored of the whole subject to be honest. My eldest came to visit over the weekend and she said i need to start thinking of other things apart from diabetes as its taking over my life and stops me from doing anything i enjoy. She is right of course - is just hard to hear.

Every day last week the school rang me - mostly because he was high - but on 2 occasions he had tummy ache. So now i am thinking maybe ceoliac?(sp?).

I think whilst the boys are growing - we wont get very good levels - hormones and growth hormones are little beggars and seem to have a life of their own. I know that Alex's hba1c will be worse than last time - too many high's - but at the moment there doesnt seem to be anything i can do as there isnt any pattern to the highs. 

Hope you all start to feel happier soon - i do know how draining it all is...I feel like a failure a lot of the time - especially when i cant even work out what the problem was - that makes me feel useless.

Thinking of you.Bev x


----------



## Patricia

Hi Bev

Oh ugh, I do feel for you. So are there too...I know what it's like.

I don't know if A has ever shown this when high, but E frequently gets tummy ache when he's high. Don't know why. It was one of his only symptoms before he was diagnosed. So maybe just maybe it's not coeliac. Would be such a bummer if it were. 

I agree with your daughter of course about getting a life. It is so very difficult though. I confess that in the last couple of weeks I've found myself more and more able to let go. It's taken a very, very long time. 

Sometimes I think it would be easier to get on with things and not think about it every last second of every day if people knew what it was like. This sounds contradictory, like others knowing about it would make me think about it more...but I think that some understanding and knowledge might just be enough for me to think 'okay, don't have to do *that* job of educating/sticking up for/advocating as well as everything else'...I might ease off a bit.

I have though allowed my 'old' life a bit more of a look in recently. Generally it feels good. BUT it hasn't made the frustration and anger of diabetes any less. My obssessing about it all is better, but I'm still just as hacked off.

Not helpful really, sorry...

You may feel better after tomorrow Bev. I feel a bit better in myself after last week.


----------



## Freddie99

Hello all,

Just a quick query, at the meet up this weekend I was given an infusion set by Viki, very kindly, and have been wearing it since yesterday. I've just taken it since I noticed some blood in it, not much but still some. More to the point it's left my skin slightly red where the adhesive was. Is that normal?

Tom


----------



## Viki

Tom Hreben said:


> Hello all,
> 
> Just a quick query, at the meet up this weekend I was given an infusion set by Viki, very kindly, and have been wearing it since yesterday. I've just taken it since I noticed some blood in it, not much but still some. More to the point it's left my skin slightly red where the adhesive was. Is that normal?
> 
> Tom



Youll get blood in it because its not connected to anything. You dont normally as the insulin keeps it all pushing through.

Mine are usually a it red when i first take them off but it settles down after a while. I think they do some sort of spray or something if you turn out to be sensitive to the glue but i think it would have itched or something whilst it was on if you were.


----------



## Freddie99

Viki said:


> Youll get blood in it because its not connected to anything. You dont normally as the insulin keeps it all pushing through.
> 
> Mine are usually a it red when i first take them off but it settles down after a while. I think they do some sort of spray or something if you turn out to be sensitive to the glue but i think it would have itched or something whilst it was on if you were.



Thanks Viki,

Mine is setteling down now. Much less redness. I tell you the insertion was painless, I'd guess that's due to the speed. I didn't really know it was there unless I was playing with it to gross out flatmates and people on my course! It's now pinned on my wall...

I think that's my worst fear about the pump dealt with. All I fear now is the bad readings and rough times when I start on one. I've made my decision, roll on the pump and the end of injections.

Tom


----------



## Mand

Patricia and Bev. I do so understand how you both feel. 

Without a doubt, my son levels are better now he on a pump but boy is it hard work chasing those numbers! No two days or nights seem to be the same, so what chance do we stand?! I guess all we can do is to try and keep up! 

Can't get him right at school. He had two consecutive days where he was too low at 10am so i said if it happens a third time then we need to make a change and guess what? He was 14 at 10am the third day! So we wait until the fourth day.............sigh..............

We gave ourselves the last two nights off for night testing as we really needed to catch up on our sleep. He was 7.7 at 11pm the first night and 12.0 at 7am the next morning. Last night he was 7.0 at 11pm but woke up on 13.1

So back to night testing today to see where the rise is happening. 

Hi to everyone and sending hugs. xx


----------



## Patricia

Mand and Bev et al

SNAP! Listen to this: went to bed on 9mmols night before last. Small milk and biscuit (as per previous post), woke on 13mmols. THEN last night: went to bed on 8.3mmols. Woke up on 1.7mmols!!! 

Heaven help us. Is he rising or dropping overnight? Sheesh!!

We're going to go to clinic looking like FOOLS. Nightmare.

How was your son this am Mand?

xxoo


----------



## Patricia

Oop, sorry, I see that your last number WAS this morning Mand!


----------



## Sugarbum

Hi all,

Sorry I havent posted much over the last week or so on the thread...I dont seem to have any great pumping news to report!

I seem to be stuck in a phase of rubbish numbers for about 2 or 3 weeks now, very random, Patricia I sympathise! I am off to the clinic on monday, to see the pump specialist and although I met her during DAFNE, I have never seen her as a doctor as everything was done through my DSN. I constantly call on my psychic powers (ahem) trying to predict mondays HbA1c. There is alot of pressure I feel, have been given this pump to get a better number- I think it wont be a good one. Every day I feel I am trying hard. But the numbers are bizzare....I woke up to 14.8mmols......whats that all about?

Its like the whole thing needs re-programming....?

I had the swine flu jab today at work and you dont get an "Ive been brave" sticker or nothing. I think it's made me feel rather miserable 

xx


----------



## Mand

Lou - Bit of a shame re lack of sticker! You certainly deserve one! How is the arm? My son's was sore and 'heavy' for a couple of days. 

If it any consolation our numbers not always brill either and we do try so hard. As you will see from my previous post, tonight i am going to track him through the night to see when he rises (or dips and bounces back) because he gone to bed on good numbers the last two nights but woke up 12 or 13. So some basal tweaking needed i think. 

Guess what? The new Veo threw up an error code1 today whilst we were bolusing for tea!!!!!  I remember Medtronic saying that if the replacement Veo did this then we to start new box of quckserts (different batch). But we only just had changed the flippin thing and so my son not keen to re-do yet. So provided it does not throw up the code again during next 48 hours then we will keep current cannula in and swap to new one from new batch on Thursday (we change every 48 hours). 

When i frst spoke to Medtronic re original pump problem they said it unlikely the pump at fault and more likely to be the quicksets. They then said they would send a replacement pump (which they did and he now using) and if the error code occured again then it would prove it was the quicksets and not the pump. So we shall see. I not convinced but i certainly hope they are right! 

We have bolus wizard set up and are using it but no other facilites are swtiched on or have been since we got the new one. 

Anyway, apologies for the essay.

Will let you know how tonight goes!


----------



## Sugarbum

Gosh, good luck with that Mand....a long night ahead?!! (hugs)

What a bloody nightmare with the error code? I bet your insides nearly fell out! I have to say though, having given it some thought I would suspect it to be the canula. "Motor error" rather than a coded error I think was the major dramas of the Veo software, so i am crossing my fingers for you.

I wrote an email to medtronic, snotty one, about my long lost veo......not a sniff from them!

My arm is fine thanks. I havent oinked yet either 

Hope tonight goes ok! xx


----------



## Mand

*What a night!*

Hi all

Best laid plans and all that! All out the window! 

He was 25.2 at 11pm last night! Bolused a correction
He was 17 by 12.30am. 
Checked him at 2am and he 14.2. We not happy so we did a set change (not nice having to wake a child at that time when they so heavily asleep!) and did a correction. 
Inspected cannula and found it to be bent 
4.30am he was 6.8 (phew!!!!)
7am he was 3.5 and mild hypo.

Needless to say it was a very long night and we are very tired! 

At least it has probably proved that motor error 1 is to do with the pump not being able to deliver due to fault of cannula. At least now he has a cannula from the new batch and we won't use the last few from the previous batch. 

Lou - i do so hope your new Veo arrives soon. They obviously have some if we have one but i do not know the priority order. Let's hope it not much longer. x 

Roll on bedtime tonight! I think it will be an early night!

Sleepy mand xx


----------



## Patricia

Oh lord Mand, been there! Best laid plans, exactly... Argh.

Lou, sorry things up and down. Seems like we are all a bit wobbly at the moment. So frustrating.

Here another weird night. 13 at his bedtime, still 13 at ours (end of bolus) -- argh. So corrected only one unit because of weird night numbers...at 2.30 was 6.5! So a huge drop. Put onto 90% basal to try to hold it there cos suspected overall dropping... But at 4am, was 3.2mmols...Sigh. Woke him up for juice. Kept 90% on...and woke up on 9mmols! Argh again.

We think now that early morning basal is too low, but that late early morning is maybe okay. The rise from 3.2 to 9 is more than a box of juice, anyway, so the 100% basal is maybe right...

Oh man. 

One good piece of news: no hypos at school so far this week. Weak hurrah.

xxoo


----------



## Mand

> One good piece of news: no hypos at school so far this week. Weak hurrah.




Good news Patricia! At least something is going well. Boy, it is all so frustrating, eh?! We must appreciate the good bits - however small! Sending hugs. xx


----------



## Patricia

Thanks Mand. Every little bit...

xxoo


----------



## Mand

Hi all

My son was 6.4 at 11pm last night so did not set a night alarm. I checked him at 7am this morning and he was 8.4. 

So presumably he came to no harm and i got a nights sleep. Hurrah!

Catch you all soon. x


----------



## Patricia

Hurray! Well done Mand's son. And Mand, hope you enjoyed your sleep...

We were up twice. See 'hopeless control' thread. Grr.

Back to marking...


----------



## Freddie99

Woooo! It's come! I've got my pump clinic on Wednesday next week. I'm getting really excited about this and want to get started on my pump as soon as I can! I've asked them to get me a Medtronic Veo.


----------



## Sugarbum

Tom Hreben said:


> Woooo! It's come! I've got my pump clinic on Wednesday next week. I'm getting really excited about this and want to get started on my pump as soon as I can! I've asked them to get me a Medtronic Veo.



GREAT NEWS!!!! 

Look forward to hearing all about it- time to take a leaf out of shelleys mantra now and start getting bloody EXCITED!!!!!


----------



## Patricia

Brilliant, Tom -- SO pleased for you. Yay! Keep us posted...


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## Viki

Awesome news Tom!!


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## Patricia

Oi Lou how'd it go today? Thought of you.

xxoo


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## Sugarbum

Patricia said:


> Oi Lou how'd it go today? Thought of you.
> 
> xxoo




Bless you Mrs P! Not great actually.


Started off well, good weightloss, 2kg- always pleasing.

Nice consultant, very kind and very thorough. HbA1c has gone up though so I cried all over her. Ive tried so hard Patricia, I just dont know what the answer is.

It had only gone up an increment, but she was kind enough to say that with everything else going on it would have been higher on MDI most likely. 

Bloody depressing HbA1c. Bored of diabetes. Tired of it. Fed up. I swear to god this is impossible! In short, miserable.

I will be back on track tomorrow, honest x


----------



## Viki

Hey Lou,

Sorry it didnt go so well. No advice or words of wisdom coz im sure you bought a truck load of that back from the hospital . . . and im not very wise 

But sending lots of diabetes 'Grrrrrrs' your way!

xxx


----------



## Mand

Oh Lou! I am so sorry to hear about your appointment. I understand how disappointing it must be. Wish i had the answers for you. All i would say is keep up your hard work and fingers crossed next time you will see an improvement. It is still early pump days so maybe you just need more time to benefit?

Hope you feeling better today. Sending 'hugs'. xx

ps i not posting so much lately but i am still reading as often as possible. All going well for us at the moment. xx


----------



## bev

Lou,
Really sorry your feeling down.

I just wanted to say that it is very often the case that things go a  bit pear-shaped when your new to pumping. There are quite a few on the childrens forum who's hba1c takes a dip for the first few hba1c's after starting on a pump. Its a lot to do with experimenting and trying to look for patterns etc.

Have you considered using the CGMS? I know the PCT'S dont fund easily -but we got a box of 10 in the starter pack. We have found them invaluable for watching food trends and sleep trends etc.. (although we are still in the thick of it!). I am fullly expecting A's hba1c to be worse than before pumping for the reasons i have said.

Keep your pecker up and start on a tiny amount each day and give yourself time.Bev


----------



## Patricia

Hey Lou

I'm sorry about it all... I'm trying to think if there's anything I can do... The worst feeling in the world as far as I'm concerned is that of trying and trying and giving it your all and ending up with little in return. It's dire.

This will pass, as you know. But I'm sorry you (and we all) have to keep just getting back on that horse. That's a feeling of helplessness and loss of control in itself: no choice.

If only there were some way of properly expressing how flipping annoying and dragging down this condition can be to live with -- we are all sitting here feeling it, knowing it, yet are hardly able to say it right. We just keep trying!

Oh dear. Depressing myself now. Can't imagine this is helping!

Okay. So. Lou. Do you have some adjustments/directions to go on? Have you been able to look at the whole range of things: basal rates, ratios, correction factors, targets? Maybe not all at once 

We have found things coming more into range several times when we made target and correction factor adjustments: at the moment for instance, E's targets are 6 mmols lowest, 7 highest. And different targets for different times of day, eg day and night. And I've talked about correction factor elsewhere -- this has been surprisingly impactful. We have tended to ignore the correction and the targets in favour of the ratios and basals...but actually, the former seem every bit as important, just harder to track and more subtle generally.

Okay, nuff from me.

Thinking of you. It'll all feel better even with a few numbers you want in a row. This *will* happen.

Did your consultant/nurse 'Adriennise' you? This is what you need?

Sending lurve,

xxoo


----------



## bev

Yes Lou , would it help (as P says) to give us your data and see if we can all help to 'Adrienise' you?

After battling with high's for the past few weeks - we are now in low land! 


For weeks A has been too high at night and have been battling to keep on top of it. No 2 nights were the same so we couldnt really do any basal changes. Anyway, for the past few nights he has been 4.9 at 12midnight, so been giving juice to keep him steady until 3am check and then on to morning. He has been waking on 7 or 8 - huge improvement on the 10 or 11 he has been waking on.

Last night i was too knackered to test at 3am - and he woke on 7.4.

I suspect a big growth spurt is the reason for the past few weeks changes and now he is back to his old levels (touch wood).

Also - not sure what we would have done without temp basals! The 230% after his flu jab was the only thing that kept him under 10mmols!Bev


----------



## Sugarbum

Hi all!

Thanks for your kind words and support as always. I'm fine now, back in the game.

My doc didnt 'adrienise' me as such, but did put to rest some things about my basal that I was unsure of. My DSN had told me I was going to be using less insulin on the pump and I dont feel on my current basals that is strictly true and I dont want to be on too much insulin. She worked out what I should be on which she says is 0.8units insulin per Kg of weight and that was fine, I can crank up a little more. I am worried about too much insulin and weight gain.

She took me off statins too! "Why do you take statins?". Unbelieveable. I have been in a closed loop arguement with my GP and pharmacist for 4 years about this. I dont want to take them. I do not have high cholesterol. I never did. But accrding to them I have low cholesterol because I take the statins..... Really annoying.

Lovely doc says because I havent had this too long (?4-ish years) my risk of sinester factors like stroke, M.I etc is the same at my age as someone who doesnt have diabetes  LOVES IT! Cant wait to download to my pharmacist later today- he will hate that!

She also thinks being off statins for a bit might help my feet tingling. Cracking. 

I asked her as well about hypos and my exercise because I cant seem to get over 5-ish Km in the gym without a hypo worry if I dont start quite high. She told me to look up on the internet a name- which I have forgotten- of the sports advisor to Steve Redgrave who coached him into his pump which he got just going into the olympic training who has some stuff published and pumping and exercise? Might be interesting, but Im sure obviously its miles away from the "jog" I currently do!

Glad everyone is doing ok, Mand thank goodness things are calm in your camp. Oh, the drama!

Take care all xxx


----------



## Patricia

Sorry so long to get back to this Lou -- sounds like you did get some good info, anyway. Was this a new person? This sort of support will help you overall, I reckon...

I know that insulin is connected to weight gain, but I thought it was more likely in the case of 'feeding' insulin, eg having more food to keep up with it all? Which shouldn't happen on pump? I might be confused.

What do others think?

I can't believe you've been on statins for no reason! Good grief!

Here we are in a strange state of being weirdly stable, but too high. So the swings have stopped (virtually no hypos, and the change in correction doses, we think), but he's still around 8,9,10 with forays higher.

So we are now trying to figure how to uniformly lower this, without swinging!

We looked at hypos last night: none this week (until this morning, when he woke low). Only about two the week before. The week before that: about a dozen. The week before that: about 20. Seriously. That's how bad the swings have been.

So now it's the challenge of lowering things without a loss of general control...

Two things about this:

1) the cartons of apple juice (200ml) are probably too much for a hypo treatment, in general. We suspect this sends him higher than range most of the time (but he only tests at 15 mins after to make sure all okay, and in range then. It's after that time we think he's going too high, which contributes to the swing...) I'm going to ask on the main board about smaller cartons...

2) BISCUITS! We now wonder STRONGLY if the small packets of McVitties choc digestives have a VERY delayed effect on him. Two nights ago: bolused for a pack at 9.30pm, but climbed all night. This was unusual, as although he's been a little high at night, he's been stable. Again, a swing contributor!

His sensor has now died a death, so that's it for a while. He's not very keen at all to continue them: finds putting them in a bit icky, and taking them out, and the readings are too far off too much of the time for him to count on them. He was woken two nights in a row to sensor error too, and we didn't even have an alarm set on it!

We of course really like the sensor and find it a huge comfort. But it's his choice. When this one's gone he may want one again, but hey...oh well.

For now!

xxoo


----------



## Mand

Hi Patricia

Glad things are stable for you at moment, if a little too high. Good luck with bringing him down without swinging. Not easy, I know!

Things very steady for us at moment so we able to relax a bit which is very welcome.

Just wanted to say that we only use 100ml of fruit juice (so half of a small carton) for hypos. We usually have a large carton open in the fridge at all times anyway so we pour some out into a cup that we have specially marked with a line at 100ml. We keep a couple of the 200ml cartons on the landing in case of night hypos. Again we use the cup to measure 100ml and then someone else finishes carton off next day. A 100ml carton would be great so please do let us know if you find out where you can buy them! 

Hope everyone is ok. xxxx


----------



## Patricia

Thanks Mand...Yes, we keep a large carton as well in fridge, and dole out from there if home. Prob is he's not at home so often now! And he can *barely* deal with glucose tablets; they make him feel incredibly sick. Sigh.

Will let you know if I find anything!

Yesterday had ANOTHER bent cannula. To his credit, E noticed that he was 16 at break -- usually a crash time for him, but had been better last couple of days...still too high. He bolused for pretty large snack, but by lunch 1.5 hours later was right up to 22. He knew enough NOT to eat lunch. Texted and then we all talked...He corrected fully. 45 minutes and 2 conversations later he was still hovering around 22/23. We gave it another 20 minutes, but no change. 

School was great. Named person kept an eye on him, but he felt okay. I went to get him. We came home and he was STARVING. But tested and still 22. He really didn't want to inject, so we did a swift set change, immediately removed the old set: 90 degrees bend at the end.

Argh. It took him all afternoon to come down to anything even decent, with constant corrections. A difficult one because he had a performance last night, so it was a balancing act...

Made it through performance a bit high, a bit high all last night, but at least a) he didn't get incredibly sick as he's done before and b) we know *why* he was suddenly high.

Was proud of him anyway for knowing not to eat, for testing properly and above all catching it before it got dreadful.

Flipping diabetes! He also missed a school council meeting to come home, which really made him cross...

We have *got* to get these numbers down.


----------



## Mand

I totally sympathise, Patricia. These bent cannulas cause the biggest problem for us re pumping. All else runs smoothly. Very ggggggggggrrrrrrrrr! Well done, E, for handling situation so well!!


----------



## bev

Well done E! Very sensible young man. It is awful when this happens at school isnt it? I absolutely hate taking A out of school for diabetes related problems - it makes me so angry and i feel guilty that he is missing things.

The last time this happened the school rang me and i talked him through it over the phone - he gave himself an injection and within an hour he was down to under 10 - so i think we will do this in future as he hates having a set change at school - which i have done 3 times now!

We have realised that he needs a set change every 2 days rather than 3. He always rises on day 3 and its annoying - but what can we do - he must be really sensitive to the canula.

Patricia, has E tried the glucojuice? They are 15cho which is spot on i think. A has tried them and hates them - but he likes fizzy drinks - so maybe E would prefer them? They arent cheap but you can get them on prescription. I think they are about ?1.60 for one!

Alex has either a can of coke or Dr Pepper or apple juice and he just leaves a quarter of the carton which we bin because its so cheap anyway.Bev


----------



## Patricia

Somewhat heartened to know this happens to others relatively regularly too! Today now numbers are down, so that's *something*!

We've got a glucojuice -- maybe I'll get him to try it. 

Re the juice -- I agree, we leave it when we can...difficulty is that he is often out and about when having a hypo, and in the middle of things. I find empty cartons in his bag, etc...I think he would have a hard time leaving some then...ALSO, he is always v thirsty when low, so I think it's even physically hard for him to resist...Sigh. I'll try the glucojuice.

I wondered about talking him through an injection too...He was a bit bothered yesterday that he couldn't understand *why* this had happened, so I'm not sure he would have done that. But I think it's important that he can, and that the school help him to do this. It's on our list to go in and have a good ol chin wag with the named person, to help her know exactly what he would need to do. It's not that unusual for both of us to be out of immediate contact, and him having the confidence to do an injection would be good.

Our worry yesterday too was that we weren't *entirely* sure that the large pump correction hadn't gone in...We were worried that with an injection too he could hit the floor...

Oh, blah. Diabetes.

xxoo


----------



## Freddie99

Morning all,

I'm starting my pump countdown next Saturday when it wil be a month until I get it. The consultant is going to try to get me funding for a CGM as well. I've asked for and will hopefully get a Veo on the twelth of January 2010! It'd be nice to have it now as I'm under the weather a little but it seems I've just got to power on through it.

Tom


----------



## bev

Tom, good luck with the pump start! You will know where to come when you need any help.Bev


----------



## Freddie99

I definitely do know where to come Bev. I'll be getting a Veo like A has. The consultant is going to try and get me the CGM that goes with it too.

Tom


----------



## Mand

Good luck Tom!

Bev - We have to do set change every two days too. He starts rising after 48hours which is disappointing  because three days (or three point five) would mean only two changes a week which would be so much nicer for them.


----------



## bev

Tom Hreben said:


> I definitely do know where to come Bev. I'll be getting a Veo like A has. The consultant is going to try and get me the CGM that goes with it too.
> 
> Tom



Great! I would say though that you should get used to the pump first as it may be too overwhelming to start using the sensors straight away. I think medtronic give a box of 10 sensors free with the pump - so you should be able to at least use these - like we have done. We love sensors so much that we are funding them ourselves whilst we work out a way to convince the PCT to fund them.

Mand, it is really annoying that the boys have to set change every 2 days isnt it? They must be sensitive to the canula's.Bev


----------



## Freddie99

bev said:


> Great! I would say though that you should get used to the pump first as it may be too overwhelming to start using the sensors straight away. I think medtronic give a box of 10 sensors free with the pump - so you should be able to at least use these - like we have done. We love sensors so much that we are funding them ourselves whilst we work out a way to convince the PCT to fund them.



Yeah, it'd be nice to get that. If I have to self fund sensors then that may pose difficulties but I'm sure my parents are willing to help me.


----------



## tracey w

Tom Hreben said:


> Morning all,
> 
> I'm starting my pump countdown next Saturday when it wil be a month until I get it. The consultant is going to try to get me funding for a CGM as well. I've asked for and will hopefully get a Veo on the twelth of January 2010! It'd be nice to have it now as I'm under the weather a little but it seems I've just got to power on through it.
> 
> Tom



I am so pleased you are getting a pump, well done. The time will go before you know it!


----------



## Patricia

Hi Tom

Just brilliant news. The pump will massively improve your quality of life, I'm sure...

Good idea to pursue sensors too...Though this end E is opting not to do them at the moment. He finds them not helpful enough for him AND a bit medicalising...On the other hand, we really valued them as parents! Oh well. I suspect he will go for them when things are just a bit more accurate and a bit smaller/less fiddly. I'm sure we'll use them on and off, but for now 24/7 is out of the question.

Can't wait to hear how things progress with you when the time comes. Well done!


----------



## Freddie99

One month until I can get my filthy mitts on my pump!


----------



## Sugarbum

Tom Hreben said:


> One month until I can get my filthy mitts on my pump!



....AAAAAAHHHHHRRRR!!!!!!Let the countdown begin!!!!


----------



## Freddie99

Sugarbum said:


> ....AAAAAAHHHHHRRRR!!!!!!Let the countdown begin!!!!



Thirty one days left now...


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

YAY TOM! 

Hopefully I'll be in your shoes soon! My fingers are itching to get hold of one!!!


----------



## Sugarbum

salmonpuff said:


> YAY TOM!
> 
> Hopefully I'll be in your shoes soon! My fingers are itching to get hold of one!!!



Yeah Sam! Anything I can do to help (passing the pump criteria questions?!) let me know!

For what its worth, I think both you and Tom will be great pumpers. I think you both suit it and you know your diabetes stuff from years of exerience you will prob pick it up very quickly.


----------



## Freddie99

Sugarbum said:


> Yeah Sam! Anything I can do to help (passing the pump criteria questions?!) let me know!
> 
> For what its worth, I think both you and Tom will be great pumpers. I think you both suit it and you know your diabetes stuff from years of exerience you will prob pick it up very quickly.



Aww, thank you Lou. Minor case of embarrasment here now lol. If my approach to diabetes is similar to my approach to lectures I might just have not picked up much 'cause I do a nodding dog impression in a fair few lectures!


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

Thanks Lou  I like to think I have a vague idea of whats going on  I'm definitely going to be fighting to get a hold of a pump, even if it means a bit of fighting dirty...

What sort of stuff will they want to know?


----------



## Sugarbum

There are lots of things....I will probably think of more over time but I am sure people will also chip in, there are lots of things!

First and foremost I would familarise yourself with the NICE guidelines for pumping. KNOW the criteria, because they will. I would definately say it is imperative you scrall inputs website to bring you up to speed with info before getting in there.... http://www.input.me.uk/

Lots of places are very pro-pumping-this isnt to put you off. Some people find it a challenge getting past the first hurdle.

I dont know if you write down your blood sugars in a book but that was required of me befre going in. I had to show them I was diligent enough to do this. I had to do DAFNE and the Psychological Support Group before qualifying (the psych thing I dont think is every clinic).

I am going to PM you a couple of things hon....I dont want to look like I am telling you what to say!

xx


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

Sugarbum said:


> There are lots of things....I will probably think of more over time but I am sure people will also chip in, there are lots of things!
> 
> First and foremost I would familarise yourself with the NICE guidelines for pumping. KNOW the criteria, because they will. I would definately say it is imperative you scrall inputs website to bring you up to speed with info before getting in there.... http://www.input.me.uk/
> 
> Lots of places are very pro-pumping-this isnt to put you off. Some people find it a challenge getting past the first hurdle.
> 
> I dont know if you write down your blood sugars in a book but that was required of me befre going in. I had to show them I was diligent enough to do this. I had to do DAFNE and the Psychological Support Group before qualifying (the psych thing I dont think is every clinic).
> 
> I am going to PM you a couple of things hon....I dont want to look like I am telling you what to say!
> 
> xx



Thanks sweetie  Reading now!


----------



## Freddie99

30 days until the pump...


----------



## Patricia

Go Tom! Go Tom!


----------



## Freddie99

28 Days to go...


----------



## Northerner

salmonpuff said:


> Thanks Lou  I like to think I have a vague idea of whats going on  I'm definitely going to be fighting to get a hold of a pump, even if it means a bit of fighting dirty...
> 
> What sort of stuff will they want to know?



Hi Sam, when I inquired about a pump at the RSH, they didn't immediately shout me down. Although my levels are generally good and my HbA1c has been excellent - which I thought would preclude me - the DSN thought that it would be better for me with my running, so it would be fine to discuss with the consultant. Just got the impression that maybe I wouldn't have to fight so hard so hopefully it will be the same for you. You also meet a lot more of the guidelines, as you have bigger swings and higher HbA1c than me.

Good luck!


----------



## shiv

ugh i am keen to get on a pump still, BUT since i have been worshipping the DAFNE handbook and recording all my results, my levels do seem to be getting better (to the point where i have reduced my basal from 28 to 24 and generally my levels are staying between 6 and 9, obv with some higher/lower on occasion)

so i'm thinking of throwing in the 'i'm thinking of starting a family' thing. which is a total lie - i don't intend on trying for kids for another few years (hell i'm only 21) but i'm willing to lie if it gets me a pump.


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

shiv said:


> so i'm thinking of throwing in the 'i'm thinking of starting a family' thing. which is a total lie - i don't intend on trying for kids for another few years (hell i'm only 21) but i'm willing to lie if it gets me a pump.



my thoughts EXACTLY!

Matt's gunna be coming with me tomorrow, and i've warned him I will be saying this. His face was a picture and he was like 'I'll stay in the waiting room' hahahaha. Bless him.

It's not a pump clinic though, i dont think the RSH has one yet, but they want to start one.

Right, off to pull up the NICE guidelines


----------



## Freddie99

Twenty four days left until I get my mitts all over my shiny new Veo.


----------



## Shelb1uk

Ahhhh its funny seeing someone else counting down Tom hehehe, I started counting from 90 days.... Im gonna start counting how long Ive had her so....pumping = day 5 hehehe

So excited for you, its hard work and tiring but worth it on the whole so far!!!

Cant wait to compare notes


----------



## Freddie99

It'll definitely be great to compare notes! I'm going to e-mail my DSN to see if she can ask how things are coming along. I've got twenty two days left to go...


----------



## Shelb1uk

It sure will 

R u going to name ure pump????


----------



## Freddie99

It'll be my PIMP - Pancreas In My Pocket. I think I might call it Hans. These things administed insulin with Germanic precision.


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

Lol tom! Pimp! That's ace!

I want my pump and I want it NOW!


----------



## Shelb1uk

hahah thats hilarious!!! Can you make the meaning for POPPY ?????

xxxxxxxxxxxx


----------



## randomange

Hi everyone, sorry I haven't posted in a while, but I finally got to choose which pump I'm getting! I've gone for a snazzy blue animas 2020  Only 29 days til I get my hands on it...

I'm so pleased that there's a few of us all starting so close together - we can all go through the initial hurdles together and the experienced pumpers can hold our hands when we need it.


----------



## am64

Tom Hreben said:


> It'll be my PIMP - Pancreas In My Pocket. I think I might call it Hans. These things administed insulin with Germanic precision.



Pimp my pump???


----------



## Shelb1uk

Wooo rando...another one in the pump club hehehe  congrats!!!

Im mega greatful for the support I get from this forum, it's ace  x


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

The next time I hear how much of a pain a pump is, I will scream. The only reason my gran finds it a pain is because she has no idea how to use it, she can't control her sugars or rather refuses to with it, she won't bolus at meals! I am at my wits end! And the next time they tell me not to get one, put me off I will SCREAM!


----------



## shiv

sam - your gran has one? envy!


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

No not envy. I'm angry. She shouldn't even have one


----------



## Sugarbum

salmonpuff said:


> No not envy. I'm angry. She shouldn't even have one



Your nan has one?! OMG!


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

Yea, she's type 2 and very uncontrolled. They gave her a pump for more control and she ignores it, won't bolus at meals, won't carb count and is always around 20...and wonders why! And they tell me not to get one cuz its a pain in the backside BUT ITS ONLY A PAIN CUZ SHE DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO USE IT!


----------



## Sugarbum

salmonpuff said:


> Yea, she's type 2 and very uncontrolled. They gave her a pump for more control and she ignores it, won't bolus at meals, won't carb count and is always around 20...and wonders why! And they tell me not to get one cuz its a pain in the backside BUT ITS ONLY A PAIN CUZ SHE DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO USE IT!



Wow- Im suprised she has one if she behaves like that! I was under the impression they dont give them to anyone who is so non-compliant?!


----------



## Steff

Helloooo pumpers just bringing this thread into 2010 as it has not been used for nearly a month 


How is everyone doing then ??


----------



## tracey w

Steff2010 said:


> Helloooo pumpers just bringing this thread into 2010 as it has not been used for nearly a month
> 
> 
> How is everyone doing then ??



Helooo Steff,

Im fine, finding it all a bit much with all the different threads now. Takes me a while to get used to change, I preferred it before personally. doesnt seem that personal now, maybe thats why no one is using this one anymore?


----------



## Mand

Things going well for us at moment. Pump working well. Improvement in hba1c since pumping too.

My son unwell at moment. Yesterday and today have him on 200% temp basal which is keeping him steady between 5.1 and 5.7 with the odd 9.something. Took temp basal off late last night (too exhausted to do night checking) but he woke on 13.6 so back onto 200% again today. Thinking of putting him on 150% for tonight and checking during night??

We plodding along ok for now. Hope everyone doing ok.

Hi Steff!


----------



## Steff

tracey w said:


> Helooo Steff,
> 
> Im fine, finding it all a bit much with all the different threads now. Takes me a while to get used to change, I preferred it before personally. doesnt seem that personal now, maybe thats why no one is using this one anymore?



Yes Tracey I agree thats why i never got involved in the thread that was talking about change, well I saw it and thought it was the original pumping thread so why not revive it xx


----------



## Steff

Mand said:


> Things going well for us at moment. Pump working well. Improvement in hba1c since pumping too.
> 
> My son unwell at moment. Yesterday and today have him on 200% temp basal which is keeping him steady between 5.1 and 5.7 with the odd 9.something. Took temp basal off late last night (too exhausted to do night checking) but he woke on 13.6 so back onto 200% again today. Thinking of putting him on 150% for tonight and checking during night??
> 
> We plodding along ok for now. Hope everyone doing ok.
> 
> Hi Steff!



Heya mand,

Nice to hear from you sorry to hear your boy is poorly at the minute hope he is back to himself soon , glad they has been improvements on the hbA thats good to hear.


----------



## Northerner

The problem was that when this was just one thread it was very difficult for others with pumping queries to find out some of the excellent information that was being given out, so for new people to the forum it might have put them off asking things and participating. 

Certainly nothing wrong with people continuing to use the thread though! And of course we want pumpers to spread their wit and wisdom throughout all the other boards!


----------



## Patricia

It's all such a compromise, isn't it? Alas. I agree, there was a real conversational feel to this thread, but information was buried...Oh dear.

Anyway, we are fine. Have been on 110-120% temp basal for last three days (though not most of yesterday -- why not necessary, who knows?) -- so basal and everything else set to go up in response. No illness. Just growth. Child has grown 2 centimetres I think in six weeks. Eating absolutely everything in sight. Constantly hungry. 

Like a *nightmare* for the diabetes...Ho hum.


----------



## tracey w

Northerner said:


> The problem was that when this was just one thread it was very difficult for others with pumping queries to find out some of the excellent information that was being given out, so for new people to the forum it might have put them off asking things and participating.
> 
> Certainly nothing wrong with people continuing to use the thread though! And of course we want pumpers to spread their wit and wisdom throughout all the other boards!



I understand what you mean about the info northener,  I just hope the pumpers return to this one, I feel as though I have lost my pumping family


----------



## Steff

Ill make sure of it Tracey i got this thread subscribed to ill keep it going  x


(even though im not a pumper)


----------



## tracey w

Steff2010 said:


> Ill make sure of it Tracey i got this thread subscribed to ill keep it going  x
> 
> 
> (even though im not a pumper)



Oh I really hope so Steff! No need to be a pumper to talk pumping!


----------



## Becca

Cripes...am really losing the plot with the threads!!  I know it'll get easier when i'm used to it....


----------



## randomange

I've been skimming through this thread again now that I have my pump, and I know what you mean, this thread has a lovely conversational feel to it.  I agree with Northerner though, there's no reason why we can't continue this as a general pumping thread and post other threads for specific questions.


----------



## Mand

*Update*

Hi everyone

Just popping in to say all is still going well for my son on the pump. We are not having to mess about with the settings much lately as they all seem to be right and generally getting good numbers. Sometimes we get a weird number despite best efforts but i think this is just how it is with diabetes.

The problem we have now is that at 13 my son is out and about with friends so much and eating at their houses etc. We are experiencing some forgotten blood tests, forgotten boluses, mis-calculated meals at friends houses etc. So we working on that at the moment. It is our priority. 

I had a chat recently with his dsn. If I have understood correctly (and please check this out for yourselves in case i have mis-understood) then exercise only brings down blood sugar levels if there is background insulin about. 

I always thought that if the pump was off for, say, two or three hours due to doing an activity then the blood sugars would not rise because although you not receiving your basal, the exercise would keep your bloods down. In fact i pressumed you could go hypo as you could do more exercise than the basal would have been (hope that makes sense!).

However, it seems that without background insulin your blood sugars can actually rise during the activity you are doing. The exception being that if you have perhaps bolused for food not that long before the activity then you would have insulin around. Also two hours later you would have the 'tail' of the bolus still about.

If anyone can understand all that i have just said, what do you think? Have i understood correctly?  What is your knowledge?

Anyway, I hope you are all doing ok on your pumps and those of you still waiting for theirs I hope you get it soon. 

Sugarbum - have you received your replacement veo? 

I do not post so often now but i regularly look in to see how everyone is, to benefit from your posts and to offer support where i can.

Sending hugs to all.

Mand


----------



## tracey w

Ok, been a while since we were on here, but just thought id share..........


Clinic appointment today. Although Hba1c was the same at 7.3 (expected as had rough couple of weeks etc), not too bad i suppose.

Cholesteral (sp?), 4.4 and hdl and ldl in perfect range 
Kidney function, told was perfect 
everything else negative like thyroid function etc 

so overall quite pleased, just really want to work on bringing my hba1c down now. Bit difficult at moment as have terrible cold, been fighting 16mmol all afternoon,


----------



## Steff

All good though tracey least it aint risen, wish my ldl and hdl was that good hehe.

p.s nice to see the thread ressurected


hope the cold shifts soon for you , colds are terrors with peoples numbers x


----------



## tracey w

Steff2010 said:


> All good though tracey least it aint risen, wish my ldl and hdl was that good hehe.
> 
> p.s nice to see the thread ressurected
> 
> 
> hope the cold shifts soon for you , colds are terrors with peoples numbers x



thanks, I put it down to Benecol spread Steff. Used it over a year now and chl gone down from 5


----------



## Steff

tracey w said:


> thanks, I put it down to Benecol spread Steff. Used it over a year now and chl gone down from 5



oh really i use olivio, that might be worth a buy then .


----------



## tracey w

Steff2010 said:


> oh really i use olivio, that might be worth a buy then .



Worth a try for sure, it tastes ok too.


----------



## Steff

tracey w said:


> Worth a try for sure, it tastes ok too.



your my butter fairy Tracey haha , thanks.


----------



## Adrienne

Hiya Tracey

Great results all round.  7.3 % is perfectly adequate if you have been ill and things.   Jessica's is in a couple of weeks and she was 7.8 last time and I know she has gone up, we have had a month, out of the three, of bad high readings.  Not looking forward to the result.

Nice to see the thread back again.   I miss it from the sticky, I don't look here really at all now.


----------



## Adrienne

I've gone dairy free and my cholesterol is 5.4 (I think and the bad bit is 3.9 and supposed to be under 3.0) so can't have that butter.   I am trying to have olive oil and fish !

My mum's cholesterol went from 6.9 to 5.1 purely with her sorting out her diet.  Now bearing in mind my mum had a BMI of about 18.0 and was relatively healthy but didn't eat huge amounts, she is very black and white and went to eating pretty much nothing.    She refused to take statins and lost 1/2 stone, she is down to 7 1/2 stone, BMI of 16 and she is 5' 6" so whilst her cholesterol is ok ish (she wants it to go down to 4.0) the rest of her is not good now.   Its ridiculous.   She went to the docs to ask what she could eat and he was less than helpful !!!!


----------



## bev

Good hba1c Tracey! I must admit i have missed this thread, its not the same with all the different headings. Perhaps now we are all on pumps we just dont need the same amount of input as we did when on injections as this pumping section has gone very quiet!Bev


----------



## Sugarbum

I think it is because we have all....gradulated now??!  Im not entirely sure!

Just to say hi and I miss the thread too......Im still excited about my new HbA1c for the first time in my diabetes life there is an improvement! But I suspect I need to revisit this thread for more tips as I need another 0.7% off which is going to be harder....

Do you know what is even weirder......we are all approaching a summer-ish one year pump birthday  Perhaps I may choose to celebrate this one now instead of my D-day


----------



## bev

Sugarbum said:


> I think it is because we have all....gradulated now??!  Im not entirely sure!
> 
> Just to say hi and I miss the thread too......Im still excited about my new HbA1c for the first time in my diabetes life there is an improvement! But I suspect I need to revisit this thread for more tips as I need another 0.7% off which is going to be harder....
> 
> Do you know what is even weirder......we are all approaching a summer-ish one year pump birthday  Perhaps I may choose to celebrate this one now instead of my D-day



I like the pump birthday idea Lou - much nicer than remembering diagnosis day! I miss everyone on here and where is Patricia?Bev


----------



## Sugarbum

Im not sure where she is, I PM'd her some while back now just to say HI but havent heard....she is probably jet-setting somewhere 

...also I think I meant to say "graduated" not gradulated!

How are you at uploading? I would love to see what the flames look like ont he pump iif alex has that skin on!


----------



## Mand

Hi everyone

My son's dsn came to visit last week to do his hba1c (she comes to our house between the 6 monthly clinic appointments) so that we do his hba1c three monthly.
She brought with her a new Veo with the updated software. We had already had a new and updated one in December (so a bit ahead of many others). But when we checked the software version on the one she had brought it said version 2.5 so we swapped to it as his current one was version 2.2 (his original Veo that had the fault was something like version 1.1). So we are on our third pump. 
What version have all you Veo wearers got? 

Mand x


----------



## bev

Hi Mand,
Alex is on his second pump and it says its the 2.5 version. I wonder why your 2nd one said 2.2? How odd.Bev


----------



## Freddie99

I presume the 2.5 version is what I'll be getting my hands on in fifteen days time? Latest and greatest and all that.

Tom


----------



## bev

Tom Hreben said:


> I presume the 2.5 version is what I'll be getting my hands on in fifteen days time? Latest and greatest and all that.
> 
> Tom



Tom, if i were you i would ring your team and ask them to check it. They have to turn the pump on and the info is there. They will probably have had it delivered by now so should be able to check it. If it isnt the 2.5 they would have enough time to change it as normally they can get it to you in a couple of days. I bet your feeling excited now arent you?


----------



## Freddie99

bev said:


> Tom, if i were you i would ring your team and ask them to check it. They have to turn the pump on and the info is there. They will probably have had it delivered by now so should be able to check it. If it isnt the 2.5 they would have enough time to change it as normally they can get it to you in a couple of days. I bet your feeling excited now arent you?



Going mental waiting for it. My training session for it is in three days. Roll on Wednesday. Then two weeks on Monday I go live with it.

I'll use my tea break and go and see them on Monday to ask about it. Good thing working int he same hospital as the people who treat you!

Tom


----------



## Sugarbum

Mand said:


> Hi everyone
> 
> My son's dsn came to visit last week to do his hba1c (she comes to our house between the 6 monthly clinic appointments) so that we do his hba1c three monthly.
> She brought with her a new Veo with the updated software. We had already had a new and updated one in December (so a bit ahead of many others). But when we checked the software version on the one she had brought it said version 2.5 so we swapped to it as his current one was version 2.2 (his original Veo that had the fault was something like version 1.1). So we are on our third pump.
> What version have all you Veo wearers got?
> 
> Mand x



Hey Mand, hows it going?

Thats unbelieveable! To think you had been given in the inerim and not told- crazy days?!

I just checked mine, it says "VER 2.5A 1.1 OB OB" I wonder what that means? I put it to the floor for speculation!

Are you chasing me Mand? I am also on my third pump in not so long....!

xx


----------



## purpleshadez

Sugarbum said:


> I just checked mine, it says "VER 2.5A 1.1 OB OB"



Same here.


----------



## Sugarbum

Hope thats the right version to be on- I am not swapping this baby!


----------



## Mand

Hi everyone

Well it sounds like we are now all on the same version. Phew! Fancy them not telling me i had an interim version? Mind you, we had no problems with it but i now happy to know we are fully up to date.

Yes Lou, together we are getting through these pumps! 

xx


----------



## shiv

pumpers - i have a really stupid question for you. i thought i knew the answer, but i've just read something that bev said that really confused me!!

so you have your pump and your CGM (i know not everyone has a CGM, but work with me). it was my understanding that they did not 'talk' to each other - that the CGM transmitted the results to something else. i thought that if they spoke to each other per se, then that is a closed loop/artificial pancreas thing?? but bev said that their pump suspended when it detected a reading of 2.9. so now i'm confused?? do they talk to each other? do you have to set it to suspend at a certain level?

argh my brain hurts!


----------



## bev

shiv said:


> pumpers - i have a really stupid question for you. i thought i knew the answer, but i've just read something that bev said that really confused me!!
> 
> so you have your pump and your CGM (i know not everyone has a CGM, but work with me). it was my understanding that they did not 'talk' to each other - that the CGM transmitted the results to something else. i thought that if they spoke to each other per se, then that is a closed loop/artificial pancreas thing?? but bev said that their pump suspended when it detected a reading of 2.9. so now i'm confused?? do they talk to each other? do you have to set it to suspend at a certain level?
> 
> argh my brain hurts!



Hi Shiv,
The cgm we have only works with our pump - medtronic - it is the only pump on the market that has its own cgm. I set up the pump to alert for either high or low levels. So if he goes under 4 (we set this level and can alter it at any time) the cgm tells the pump (10 minute delay) and the pump will automatically suspend insulin for 2 hours. You can override this facility - mostly we do as we treat hypo and back to normal range.

You can get cgms that just show you the levels - but they dont 'speak' to the pump - they just alert you that your low or high and its up to the user to decide on hypo treatment or insulin. Hope that helps.Bev


----------



## tracey w

hey, great to see people posting on here again! 

I am really trying to lower my hba1c this time. Although my clinic appointment was good and my results were fine, the nurse i saw wasnt that nice to me. 

Basically she told me that pumps get taken off people if their figures arnt good even though mine were fine  as they have to justify you being on them, she also couldnt understand why i had a pump as i had ONLY been diabetic for 2 years. (good job it wasnt her decision hey).

She asked me what my basal was and got annoyed when i told her i couldnt tell her exactly as i had three different rates and can easily swap between all three in one day. So i said approximately between 9 and 13, She then asked what my ratios were and i said well they were different depending on time of day and also if i were working or not, she didnt seem happy with that answer either 

I should have come out of the appointment feeling good but i didnt, i felt really down.


----------



## bev

tracey w said:


> hey, great to see people posting on here again!
> 
> I am really trying to lower my hba1c this time. Although my clinic appointment was good and my results were fine, the nurse i saw wasnt that nice to me.
> 
> Basically she told me that pumps get taken off people if their figures arnt good even though mine were fine  as they have to justify you being on them, she also couldnt understand why i had a pump as i had ONLY been diabetic for 2 years. (good job it wasnt her decision hey).
> 
> She asked me what my basal was and got annoyed when i told her i couldnt tell her exactly as i had three different rates and can easily swap between all three in one day. So i said approximately between 9 and 13, She then asked what my ratios were and i said well they were different depending on time of day and also if i were working or not, she didnt seem happy with that answer either
> 
> I should have come out of the appointment feeling good but i didnt, i felt really down.
> 
> Having a pump is mostly about quality of life and that can be argued by a good consultant - your DSN is talking rubbish.
> There is no 'time' limit on when you should start on a pump - people in America start on day 1!
> If she didnt know you have different ratios and different basals - run as fast as you can away from there!Bev


----------



## Adrienne

bev said:


> Having a pump is mostly about quality of life and that can be argued by a good consultant - your DSN is talking rubbish.
> There is no 'time' limit on when you should start on a pump - people in America start on day 1!
> If she didnt know you have different ratios and different basals - run as fast as you can away from there!Bev



Yep I agree with Bev.   Take no notice.  She obviously isn't pump trained or even know enough about them to comment.  Is she a normal DSN at your hospital.  I would send a polite note saying could you see the DSN who is pump trained  next time or the consultant.   You should have had a good positive experience.   As Bev says, run !


----------



## Freddie99

Ah, pump training in less than forty eight hours...


----------



## Adrienne

Wow really, fantastic.

When do you go live ?  (on insulin).   Do you want my mobile incase you need quick help !  I won't be at the computer much over the weekend.  Up to you.


----------



## Freddie99

Adrienne said:


> Wow really, fantastic.
> 
> When do you go live ?  (on insulin).   Do you want my mobile incase you need quick help !  I won't be at the computer much over the weekend.  Up to you.



I go live on the twelth of next month. Thanks for the offer. It's a good thing I work in the same hospital that I'm treated at so I can quite literally walk out of my lovely pathology lab to ask my nurse a question as I did this morning!


----------



## tracey w

Congrats Tom, you will love pumping!

Bev, Adrienne, thank you for your comments I couldnt agree more.

My pump nurse told me initially they do not expect huge changes in hba1c, its quality of life they are hoping to improve, and mine has improved tremendously.

Unfortunately she is the senior diabetic nurse. I have now asked to be transferred to the pump clinic ( i wasnt going to that as i really liked the consultant i was under, but havent seen him the last two visits so no point staying with him). My pump clinic is in 4 months so hoping that will be more positive.


----------



## shiv

bev said:


> Hi Shiv,
> The cgm we have only works with our pump - medtronic - it is the only pump on the market that has its own cgm. I set up the pump to alert for either high or low levels. So if he goes under 4 (we set this level and can alter it at any time) the cgm tells the pump (10 minute delay) and the pump will automatically suspend insulin for 2 hours. You can override this facility - mostly we do as we treat hypo and back to normal range.
> 
> You can get cgms that just show you the levels - but they dont 'speak' to the pump - they just alert you that your low or high and its up to the user to decide on hypo treatment or insulin. Hope that helps.Bev



ah thanks! thought there was something i was missing


----------



## Freddie99

Looks like it'll be trial by committee tomorrow. I reckon there will be my nurse, the rep from Medtronic, my consultant, perhaps a dietician and maybe another older nurse of mine... Who knows...


----------



## Adrienne

Good luck Tom, will be thinking of you.    

After the first week you may want to through the pump out of the window.  Please don't.  Please persevere.   I hope you are one of the lucky ones and it all clicks into place quickly with the right basals etc.

Take care.


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

waiting with baited breath for my appointment at b'mouth to come through. As I have proven many times before, MDI's and archaeology just don't work...


----------



## bev

Tom Hreben said:


> Looks like it'll be trial by committee tomorrow. I reckon there will be my nurse, the rep from Medtronic, my consultant, perhaps a dietician and maybe another older nurse of mine... Who knows...



Good luck Tom - let us know how it goes!Bev x


----------



## Freddie99

Achtung!

I have my pump! Photos will follow on Facebook and here later on today. My lunch break isn't the best time to hunt down a camera! It's the blue Veo and it is so much smaller than I thought it would be. It was trial by committee this morning with my excellent nurse who also pumps, another DSN and a dietician. I've got most of the stuff in my locker at work to fiddle with and show off. I've got to get on the phone to my GP about things that'll need to change but that's for this evening or my day off tomorrow. This is all getting rather exciting now!

Tom


----------



## Sugarbum

Tom Hreben said:


> Achtung!
> 
> I have my pump! Photos will follow on Facebook and here later on today. My lunch break isn't the best time to hunt down a camera! It's the blue Veo and it is so much smaller than I thought it would be. It was trial by committee this morning with my excellent nurse who also pumps, another DSN and a dietician. I've got most of the stuff in my locker at work to fiddle with and show off. I've got to get on the phone to my GP about things that'll need to change but that's for this evening or my day off tomorrow. This is all getting rather exciting now!
> 
> Tom



I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited with this news! Welcome welcome welcome to the change!  I cant tell you how happy I am, enjoy it Tom. Day 1 is such an achievement- it is a long and fraught process getting a pump, I know. 

About to log into FB. Look forward to the updates and pictures!!

Lou x


----------



## Rainbow

Tom Hreben said:


> Achtung!
> 
> I have my pump! Photos will follow on Facebook and here later on today. My lunch break isn't the best time to hunt down a camera! It's the blue Veo and it is so much smaller than I thought it would be. It was trial by committee this morning with my excellent nurse who also pumps, another DSN and a dietician. I've got most of the stuff in my locker at work to fiddle with and show off. I've got to get on the phone to my GP about things that'll need to change but that's for this evening or my day off tomorrow. This is all getting rather exciting now!
> 
> Tom



So pleased your day has finally arrived. I'm excited for you! Please keep us posted as I'll be keen to pick up any tips as you start your journey.  Well done


----------



## Adrienne

Wowee fabulous fantastic.   Are you live then?   What was quick.  Your team sound great.   Can't wait to see photos.  xx


----------



## Red Pumper

Congratulations Tom - I bet you can;t wait to go live now!


----------



## bev

WOOOOOOOOOPEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

Really excited for you - are you live?Bev


----------



## Mand

Good luck Tom!


----------



## Steff

Good luck Tom


----------



## tracey w

yipeeeeeeeeee Tom! Exciting day hey?


----------



## tracey w

*battery problems*

Hi, Been having problems with the lithium batteries in my handset, just wondering if anyone else has come accross this?

The last three lots of batteries have only lasted for 3/4 days instead of the usual 6 or so weeks 

I called roche and they are sending more and said hopefully it is just the batch of batteries, if not they will need to send me a new handset.


----------



## Freddie99

Hi Tracey,

There's not much you can do. You've done the best thing that you can. I hope all goes well and it's just the batteries.

Tom


----------



## shiv

tracey w said:


> Hi, Been having problems with the lithium batteries in my handset, just wondering if anyone else has come accross this?
> 
> The last three lots of batteries have only lasted for 3/4 days instead of the usual 6 or so weeks
> 
> I called roche and they are sending more and said hopefully it is just the batch of batteries, if not they will need to send me a new handset.



hi tracey, a LOT of people on the children with diabetes mailing list have had to keep replacing their roche handsets. hopefully this will sort it out for you!


----------



## tracey w

shiv said:


> hi tracey, a LOT of people on the children with diabetes mailing list have had to keep replacing their roche handsets. hopefully this will sort it out for you!



Oh no, hope thats not the case! I love the pump and the handset cant fault them, just unfortunate this is happening now.


----------



## tracey w

*update*

Well, had my clinic appointment today, with new consultant, was worried was going to have to justify my pump after the last appointment. (basically the nurse, not even pump nurse was not great, and made me feel like if I didnt get my hb1ac down they could take the pump off me)

Neednt have worried, consultant lovely, hba1c down a little from 7.5 to 7.1, tried really hard but at least its down!

She was really happy with me and even said she wishes everyone was as appreciative of thier pumps as me and that i was very knowlegable and had great control 

Needless to say I celebrated with coffee and cake


----------



## Sugarbum

wow thats great Tracey, well done!


----------



## litto-miss-loz

im soo jealous of all u pumpers out there !! lol

hope il be joinin use all on this thread one day  xxx


----------



## Patricia

Well done Tracey - SO glad you are reaping the rewards. Brilliant.


----------



## tracey w

Thanks all, must say I am feeling very happy and I think I can definately improve my hba1c for next time.  Would so love to see it below 7!


----------



## Northerner

tracey w said:


> Thanks all, must say I am feeling very happy and I think I can definately improve my hba1c for next time.  Would so love to see it below 7!



You'll get there Tracey, I have no doubt! Well done on the latest results!


----------



## SilentAssassin1642

i want to throw my pump out of the windowwww! Getting so frustrated with waking up every morning at 2am for tests, its making me grouchy! And overnight basals are prooving VERY difficult to get right


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## tracey w

SilentAssassin1642 said:


> i want to throw my pump out of the windowwww! Getting so frustrated with waking up every morning at 2am for tests, its making me grouchy! And overnight basals are prooving VERY difficult to get right



OK Sam, deep breaths.

No one said pumping was easy but believe me the rewards are worth it when it starts to go right. How are you feeling in yourself, besides a little tired with the tests? I remember feeling so much better almost straight away purely because  I was getting insulin all the time. I used to get terrible pains in my legs and be very tired, which just disappeared overnight. Do you feel any better yet for pumping?

I know its frustrating getting basals right and they may change from time to time, but the great thing is you can have one setting for "normal" one for exercise, one for pre menstrual etc etc. You could not contemplate that on mdi, once you are sorted, trust me you will feel better.

Like Bev said, just get one block sorted first then move on to the next one, trying to get 8 hours in one go is very difficult. Also I know your dsn told you increase or decrease by 0.1 every time, which is correct, but if you do that for 8 hours cos its too low or too high means you may miss just exactly where you need more. Hope this makes sense, for instance  (just an example)it may be you need more before 2pm, more again 2 -4 and less 5-7, not the same bolus for the whole period, I dont think pancreases work like that do they? Hope this makes sense, my 24 hour basals pretty much vary every 2-3 hours with differences of between 0.05 to 1.10, a vast difference. Only way you can do this it to do in small blocks.

It takes time hun and night time tests are a necessary part if you want the pump to work for you, hope you have a better day today.

Sorry for essay, just hoping this may help you in some way.


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## bex123

stick with it! its a pain at first , and i did also want to lob it acrross the room lol , first couple of weeks are definatley the worst , but soo worth it , i seem to have all the settings spot on now and the only bad bg levels i get are from my bad maths skills and wrong carb counting lol , just think of why you were soo desperate for the pump in the first place that helped me get through it


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## SilentAssassin1642

thanks guys, I had a few tears about it this morning. Levels seem to be pretty steady throughout the day and running at usually between 5-7 which is ace and makes me feel awesome. It's just the nighttime ones that are frustrating me. Last night at 2am I woke up and was 10.0 so corrected and woke up at 7am and was 11.whatever. ANNOYING!!!!!!!!!! I'm wondering whether to up it from 2am - 7am to 0.6? Or maybe wake up at 3am rather than 2am and start testing.

It's giving me such a headache and making me really very emotional. I know it will come but I'm just not sure I can hack another night of disturbed sleep. I wish I could just stay up all night and do hourly tests. But alas, that would make me even more grouchy and emotional. That's probably a weekend thing. I just want to wake up on decent levels.

Does anyone have any suggestions? My brain is too shot to start working out when to change the basal setting for this evening 

Tracey - I am generally feeling better in myself. It's nice to feel thirsy and just feel thirsty. And I've noticed I am starting to notice when I'm hypos. Very tiny changes in how I'm feeling when I'm hypo. Like today just before the end of work I noticed I was sweating loads and it was actually cool in the office - hello hypo!


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## randomange

Hey Sam, 

Sorry you're having a hard time with the pump!  It can definitely take a while to get things sorted, and I'm sure everyone's had moments when they want to throw the pump at the wall!  I think you just have to try and focus on the positive - hypos signs coming back is fantastic! And being in range for most of the day is also excellent. 

With regards to your night time basals, I only have a few suggestions (and this is very much *what I would do*)

1.  I don't think there's anything wrong with taking a night off if you're feeling exhausted.  My DSN was keen on taking things one day at a time, and I don't think you do yourself any favours when you're that tired, so I didn't do 3 am tests every single night. YMMV, but I'd suggest not doing a test tonight.  You're not dropping, so you know you're not in danger of hypoing during the night.

2.  If you're higher at 2 am, and you were in range earlier, I'd suggest upping your basal at midnight, and seeing what kind of effect that has.

3. My feeling is that upping all the basal between 2 - 7 may be a bit much, as you don't know when you're rising.  I do things much the same way as Tracy and Bev have suggested - in chunks of 3 or 4 hours .  If you get  your 2am test in range, then test at 5 the next time instead, then get that in range and so on.  The beauty of a pump is that you can fine tune your insulin, and you might find that you only need a little bit more for a couple of hours during the night, rather than an overall increase.  For example, I have 3 different basal rates between midnight and 7 am. 

Keep up with it - you're doing great!  I know it's frustrating, but for me pacing the basal tests is the only way I can do it and keep myself sane!


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## SilentAssassin1642

randomange said:


> Hey Sam,
> 
> Sorry you're having a hard time with the pump!  It can definitely take a while to get things sorted, and I'm sure everyone's had moments when they want to throw the pump at the wall!  I think you just have to try and focus on the positive - hypos signs coming back is fantastic! And being in range for most of the day is also excellent.
> 
> With regards to your night time basals, I only have a few suggestions (and this is very much *what I would do*)
> 
> 1.  I don't think there's anything wrong with taking a night off if you're feeling exhausted.  My DSN was keen on taking things one day at a time, and I don't think you do yourself any favours when you're that tired, so I didn't do 3 am tests every single night. YMMV, but I'd suggest not doing a test tonight.  You're not dropping, so you know you're not in danger of hypoing during the night.
> 
> 2.  If you're higher at 2 am, and you were in range earlier, I'd suggest upping your basal at midnight, and seeing what kind of effect that has.
> 
> 3. My feeling is that upping all the basal between 2 - 7 may be a bit much, as you don't know when you're rising.  I do things much the same way as Tracy and Bev have suggested - in chunks of 3 or 4 hours .  If you get  your 2am test in range, then test at 5 the next time instead, then get that in range and so on.  The beauty of a pump is that you can fine tune your insulin, and you might find that you only need a little bit more for a couple of hours during the night, rather than an overall increase.  For example, I have 3 different basal rates between midnight and 7 am.
> 
> Keep up with it - you're doing great!  I know it's frustrating, but for me pacing the basal tests is the only way I can do it and keep myself sane!



Thanks Ange, I think a night off is really needed. I love the idea of getting the 2am range right and then testing later on. So I'll leave things for tonight, get a good nights rest and then start again tomorrow. Maybe up it to 0.60 at midnight, then test at 2am and hopefully that will be ok, move it to a 4am test and so on and so forth. Yeah, I like that idea. Night off tonight 

Another thing that's worrying me is when I do 12-8 shifts, it's gonna muck everything up as lunch will be much later and so will dinner :S I'm gonna have to have a seperate profile or something for when I do late shifts :/


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## bex123

definatley take a couple of nights off from it , remember how bad the control was when you were on mdi a couple of good nights sleep wont hurt and will make u feel loads better  , then start looking at the tweaking again with fresh eyes , rome wasnt built in a day and all that


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## SilentAssassin1642

This makes me saaaaadddddddddddddddd


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## tracey w

Hi Pumpers!

Am really struggling at mo with weight gain, nothing I seem to do will shift it either.

Going away in less than 4 weeks and been doing lots of exercise = too many hypos, and generally eating more healthily. Feel a bit more toned, but weight on the scales just going up and up 

Think have put on about 3/4 stone since pumping, since last September. Just feel uncomfortable in all  my clothes now, just wanted a moan.

Will not be defeated and will keep up the exercise!


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## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> Hi Pumpers!
> 
> Am really struggling at mo with weight gain, nothing I seem to do will shift it either.
> 
> Going away in less than 4 weeks and been doing lots of exercise = too many hypos, and generally eating more healthily. Feel a bit more toned, but weight on the scales just going up and up
> 
> Think have put on about 3/4 stone since pumping, since last September. Just feel uncomfortable in all  my clothes now, just wanted a moan.
> 
> Will not be defeated and will keep up the exercise!



Hi Tracey

Sorry you are feeling a bit despondent.   I can't help with this as I only really deal with children and they need to be putting on weight as they grow.  

I do know that if you have only just started exercising then you may not lose weight immediately and you may put it on as you are making muscles heavier (I've been told this myself recently).   

What does your DSN say about this.

I have another friend who is an adult type 1 and overweight and she does loads of exercise running after her little children and other stuff and she is so cross that she just doesn't lose it and doesn't know why either.


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## tracey w

Thanks for your reply Adrienne.

I was just having a moan, I wont give up!  I just thought I would  start to see an improvement and is so annoying when I get weighed it just keeps going up, so not fair?

I havent spoken to my dsn since my first week pumping so im not going to start now. I didnt think insulin affected weight, but am having doubts now.


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## Adrienne

tracey w said:


> Hi Pumpers!
> 
> Am really struggling at mo with weight gain, nothing I seem to do will shift it either.
> 
> Going away in less than 4 weeks and been doing lots of exercise = too many hypos, and generally eating more healthily. Feel a bit more toned, but weight on the scales just going up and up
> 
> Think have put on about 3/4 stone since pumping, since last September. Just feel uncomfortable in all  my clothes now, just wanted a moan.
> 
> Will not be defeated and will keep up the exercise!





tracey w said:


> Thanks for your reply Adrienne.
> 
> I was just having a moan, I wont give up!  I just thought I would  start to see an improvement and is so annoying when I get weighed it just keeps going up, so not fair?
> 
> I havent spoken to my dsn since my first week pumping so im not going to start now. I didnt think insulin affected weight, but am having doubts now.




You are right Tracey it isn't fair at all.   I am also exercising like mad and it isn't budging as quick as I think it should do.   I have stones and stones to lose, not just a few and it should be falling off me seeing as how I have gone from no exercise to lots and I don't have the insulin to battle either.   It is not fair.

I do think insulin has a lot to do with weight, this is why these silly teens, girls and boys and even a couple of very stupid adults I have known, have stopped insulin injections just so they can lose weight.  They lose control and get complications but they get slim, so insulin has got a lot to answer for I think.

You'll get there.


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## rossoneri

tracey w said:


> Hi Pumpers!
> 
> Am really struggling at mo with weight gain, nothing I seem to do will shift it either.
> 
> Going away in less than 4 weeks and been doing lots of exercise = too many hypos, and generally eating more healthily. Feel a bit more toned, but weight on the scales just going up and up
> 
> Think have put on about 3/4 stone since pumping, since last September. Just feel uncomfortable in all  my clothes now, just wanted a moan.
> 
> Will not be defeated and will keep up the exercise!





Adrienne said:


> ... I do think insulin has a lot to do with weight, this is why these silly teens, girls and boys and even a couple of very stupid adults I have known, have stopped insulin injections just so they can lose weight.  They lose control and get complications but they get slim, so insulin has got a lot to answer for I think.



Tracey, Adrienne,
Some thoughts: -

I believe that those silly folk lose weight and sometimes quite quickly when they stop taking insulin because they eventually start producing ketones i.e. when the body has to burn fat to get energy because it cannot get any from carbs digested with insulin.  This accelerates the removal of fat from your body and hence you lose weight.  This is why people often lose a lot of weight before they first diagnosed as type one before they take their first insulin.  It is also this principal that I believe the Atkins diet is based upon except there you stop eating carbs rather than have no insulin to digest them properly with.  

So you are likely to lose weight when you become DKA but as Adrienne says you also increase the likelihood of suffering the more extreme complications.  I am sure there are some sad cases where, for example, someone has gained a slimmer figure but at the cost of some or all of their vision and hence can no longer see how they now look.  

I think if you have insulin active in your body then it does enhance your appetite, it is another of the body's natural self-defence mechanisms to prevent hypos.  One possible cause of weight gain when using a pump may be that although you are taking less insulin overall you are taking more short acting insulin and maybe this insulin enhances your appetite more than the long lasting stuff.  But I do not know if this is true or not.    I also get the impression that being on a pump has not caused Tracey to eat more.

Also Tracey when I have had frequent hypos I do sometimes worry about the calories in all the fast acting glucose -mainly jelly babies in my case- that I end up having to swallow.  Is there a low calorie means of stopping hypos?  Not that I will stop taking jelly babies, I may as well get something I enjoy out of them hypos happening.  

I also think Roxanne is correct that starting a new exercise regime can cause weight gain initially because those heavy muscles start to grow.  I remember when I first started jogging, years before I went on a pump, I was unhappy when I initially gained weight, especially as I hated the actual act of going for a run.  Eventually however, it did fall back off and I felt much better from having the regular exercise once more.  

Good luck Tracey for losing those pounds before your holiday.  I think it is when enjoying activities like an holiday that the extra flexibility that the pump regime provides really comes into its own.


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## tracey w

rossoneri said:


> Tracey, Adrienne,
> Some thoughts: -
> 
> I believe that those silly folk lose weight and sometimes quite quickly when they stop taking insulin because they eventually start producing ketones i.e. when the body has to burn fat to get energy because it cannot get any from carbs digested with insulin.  This accelerates the removal of fat from your body and hence you lose weight.  This is why people often lose a lot of weight before they first diagnosed as type one before they take their first insulin.  It is also this principal that I believe the Atkins diet is based upon except there you stop eating carbs rather than have no insulin to digest them properly with.
> 
> So you are likely to lose weight when you become DKA but as Adrienne says you also increase the likelihood of suffering the more extreme complications.  I am sure there are some sad cases where, for example, someone has gained a slimmer figure but at the cost of some or all of their vision and hence can no longer see how they now look.
> 
> I think if you have insulin active in your body then it does enhance your appetite, it is another of the body's natural self-defence mechanisms to prevent hypos.  One possible cause of weight gain when using a pump may be that although you are taking less insulin overall you are taking more short acting insulin and maybe this insulin enhances your appetite more than the long lasting stuff.  But I do not know if this is true or not.    I also get the impression that being on a pump has not caused Tracey to eat more.
> 
> Also Tracey when I have had frequent hypos I do sometimes worry about the calories in all the fast acting glucose -mainly jelly babies in my case- that I end up having to swallow.  Is there a low calorie means of stopping hypos?  Not that I will stop taking jelly babies, I may as well get something I enjoy out of them hypos happening.
> 
> I also think Roxanne is correct that starting a new exercise regime can cause weight gain initially because those heavy muscles start to grow.  I remember when I first started jogging, years before I went on a pump, I was unhappy when I initially gained weight, especially as I hated the actual act of going for a run.  Eventually however, it did fall back off and I felt much better from having the regular exercise once more.
> 
> Good luck Tracey for losing those pounds before your holiday.  I think it is when enjoying activities like an holiday that the extra flexibility that the pump regime provides really comes into its own.



Thanks for your well thought out reply and kind wishes. There is no way i would resort to stopping insulin, no matter how much weight i put on. My health is far too important than how i look!

I do feel better for doing more exercise and I must say i feel a bit trimmer now, I will continue my upped exercise regime and hope to continue after the holiday too! I think it is just one more thing we diabetics have to endure, it can be harder to shift the weight, but I do believe if we exercise regualrly then it will eventually come off.


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## tracey w

Well, my body must have heard me whinging,

have now lost 4 and 1/2 lbs! yay.  Some way to go yet but already feel much better and bg are much lower generally with all the exercise.


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## Steff

tracey w said:


> Well, my body must have heard me whinging,
> 
> have now lost 4 and 1/2 lbs! yay.  Some way to go yet but already feel much better and bg are much lower generally with all the exercise.



Well don Tracey good going hun x


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