# help with pump



## hkk1970 (Feb 14, 2013)

Hi. Harry who is 4has been on the pump for 3weeks now and am so frustrated. Despite changing his basal several times we are getting massive rises 2 hours after he has eaten but then without corrections is coming down to acceptable levels. Realistically how long will it take to get this right. I am exhausted from getting up in the night testing and worrying he is going to go hypo or jump too high. I'm beginning to regret our decision on having the pump. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Helen


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## pgcity (Feb 14, 2013)

It is frustrating but so worth it so I hope you can stick at it. 
it might be worth considering adding more fat or protein to meals to delay digestion to give the bolus insulin time to work or giving some or all of the insulin before the meal say 10 or 15 mins? 
Sometimes even doing all this it's hard to control the post meal spike.


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## HOBIE (Feb 14, 2013)

It normally takes a few weeks to sort out but its the best. Keep at it & it will pay off.


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## Mel (Feb 15, 2013)

I would look at what he was eating as you can get spikes 2 hours post eating dependant on what it is for example daughet always spikes after cornflakes so now give extra or combo to deal with it

Stick with it it


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## Northerner (Feb 15, 2013)

hkk1970 said:


> Hi. Harry who is 4has been on the pump for 3weeks now and am so frustrated. Despite changing his basal several times we are getting massive rises 2 hours after he has eaten but then without corrections is coming down to acceptable levels. Realistically how long will it take to get this right. I am exhausted from getting up in the night testing and worrying he is going to go hypo or jump too high. I'm beginning to regret our decision on having the pump. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Helen



It sounds like a timing issue if he is spiking but returning to normal levels before next meal. Is it possible to bolus a little earlier before he eats? Obviously, that's something that's easy enough for me to do for myself, but not sure about a 4 year old on a pump! For me though, bolussing at least 15 minutes prior to eating smoothed the spikes a great deal, but you do need to be wary of hypos if the insulin peaks before the food.


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## Hanmillmum (Feb 15, 2013)

Hi,

I wonder too if you are seeing the effects of the food rather than it being basal especially with returning back to range on it's own. With pumping being more finely tuned and able to give the precise little doses you can't achieve with injections in kids there is none of the additional insulin swimming around to counterbalance the spike. We get this at breakfast time and have to wait roughly 20 mins after insulin to eat to avoid a spike.

Have you done any basal testing as per sticky thread in pumping section ? 

What is his pre meal BG and what does he eat ?

Hang in there Helen, I felt exactly the same for a fair few weeks but I am so glad we stuck at it.


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## trophywench (Feb 15, 2013)

If it's any consolation I wanted to bin mine too at this stage.

Then I had a week of chasing my tail and got really down about it, and the result of that was I told it in no uncertaian terms, that I was damned if it - heap of electronic and plastic JUNK that it was - was going to beat ME.  How very DARE it.  So there.

And 3 weeks after that, I was properly in love with it.

And still am.

So {{{Hugs}}}

Stick with it.  You will sleep again I promise!


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## Tina63 (Feb 16, 2013)

I have to start by saying I KNOW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT PUMPS but I just wondered, when your son was on MDI, did you test regularly 2 hours post meals anyway?  What I am trying to say is this could have been happening before when he was on MDI but if you weren't testing so often, you wouldn't have been aware.  This could actually mean nothing has changed from a couple of months ago, but you are just aware of it now.

On MDI we were only ever taught to test on waking, then obviously before every meal (on waking counting as before breakfast) then just before bed.  Only testing at other times if hypo symptoms present.  So we never had any idea what my son's readings were 2 hours after eating.  Saying that, my lad is always eating, so it would never have been an accurate reading anyway!

Others' suggestions of bolusing earlier makes sense to me.  I know many talk of teething problems, but say it is so worth it in the end.  Do try and stick with it, I am sure you little lad will be grateful to you in the long run.  Given that they don't seem to offer pumps to older children, I would grab the opportunity with both hands and keep those hands closed tightly!

It's the weekend, catch a little afternoon nap if you can 
Good luck.
Tina


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## HOBIE (Feb 16, 2013)

Have you tried "Duel wave Bolus". Depending what you are eating/doing. You can split bolus into 60%-40%,70%-30% with 30mins inbetween. You set it to what ever you want. I use it a lot


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## hkk1970 (Feb 16, 2013)

Thanks for all your great advice. Perhaps there will be light at the end of the tunnel!!!

I spoke to our nurse and we have changed his carb ratio and correction doses and things have improved slightly today. Hey I might even sleep better tonight!!!!!


Helen


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