# Pumping boundaries.



## Mldk (Nov 16, 2014)

I have been on a pump for about ten years. Originally I was told that the pump gives more freedom and have found this to be true.
However as a long standing T1 I have always found it difficult to keep a good balance.
Do you think it is acceptable to eat between meals and bonus for the carbs accordingly or am I pushing the boundaries of pumping to far.


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## HOBIE (Nov 16, 2014)

I think its called being T1 diabetic  It is very hard work getting right also for me. I adore my pump !  Gadgets are getting better every day


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## Maryanne29 (Nov 16, 2014)

Hi
I eat when I want to and bolus for what I eat. I never eat regular meals and this is where the flexibility of the pump is so good - eat or don't eat as you want. It works for me but you would need to try it yourself.


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## Sally71 (Nov 16, 2014)

That is exactly why pumps are so good - you can eat what you want when you want.  We don't tend to eat between meals, but that's just our choice. We don't stick rigidly to the same times for meals every day and on the occasions when snacks are available/required we just bolus for them and carry on.  As long as you carb count correctly there's no reason why it shouldn't work.  We have the Combo, the meter does all the calculations and allows for any previous boluses that might still be active so there shouldn't be any problems with insulin stacking.


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## HOBIE (Nov 16, 2014)

I don't eat for no reason either. A couple of weeks ago I was up & out at 4am, 2hrs in van to Leeds, proper hard days work (rewire up & down ladders all day)) & 2hrs home in van & got in the house 11pm.  Cant remember eating much. May have been some chrisps etc . But nothing to shout about. Next day off though. Bg fine & drove all the way.


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## Hanmillmum (Nov 16, 2014)

My daughter often snacks mid morning and it doesn't cause any problems with control. Give it a try


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## trophywench (Nov 16, 2014)

You can snack when you want on MDI or pump - whether that's a good idea for you personally or not - your meter will tell you that!  Nobody else can!


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## Mldk (Nov 17, 2014)

*Re-boundaries.*

Thanks for the replays, I have always snacked and bolused  in the past, just nice to know others do the same.
I am on an omnipod and have been through all the setup, have rechecked my basal rates and I think that is ok, just varies 1or2 like I said I have always struggled to keep a good balance. Anything under 10 is good for me and I only get 2 or three hypos a week.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Nov 17, 2014)

The thing for me is that wretched D is never happy to sit still and behave for any length of time. I rarely spend more than 2-3 weeks at a time without needing to tweak something.

When basal and i:c ratios are sorted and doing their job, then snacking presents few problems and I'll happily indulge - certainly the precision of the pump has made snacking much easier for me than on MDI

But...

If things are a bit out of kilter and the goalposts have moved again, then snacking (and the inevitable ovelapping of insulin doses) just adds huge amounts of complexity that my tiny brain cannot deal with. As a result I tend to either back off snacks entirely, or just default to a handful of nuts here or there which don't require boluses for me.

You have to find what workd for you I guess!


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## Mldk (Nov 17, 2014)

I find things very similar, I get everything set up and running good for a week or so then it goes out of tilt.
I am now trying to increase my bolases a little to cope with the higher demand instead of altering the basal and see if it swings back.
I sometimes wonder if the pump is getting over complicated with so many settings when it is very difficult to run your life so precisely.


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## trophywench (Nov 17, 2014)

Well I know precisely what you mean - we weren't brought up, diabetically, me and you, to spend so much TIME doing stuff were we?

One jab of porcine Lente every night, catch some wee every morning, boil up your syringe once a week - what d'you mean, pumping's better?

ROFLMAO

I told Patti the other day, carers can apply for respite can't they?  Well - this carer needs a blooming holiday - 42 years and not a single day off, and you've done 46 haven't you?  So that's 88 flippin years between us, and it still expects us to do more?  I ruddywell retired from work 6 years ago, and they still pay me every month now - not a penny piece have I had out of you, D  !!!


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## Pattidevans (Nov 19, 2014)

Mldk said:


> Thanks for the replays, I have always snacked and bolused  in the past, just nice to know others do the same.
> I am on an omnipod and have been through all the setup, have rechecked my basal rates and I think that is ok, just varies 1or2 like I said I have always struggled to keep a good balance. Anything under 10 is good for me and I only get 2 or three hypos a week.


Do you keep a food and BG diary?  I find it most useful to be able to "see" what's causing what.  In particular what's causing hypos.  Which is why I got the pump, the almost daily hypos.  I'm now down to approx 2 very mild ones per week (just in the 3s) and most of the time in single figs.  It's helped an awful lot to keep my spreadsheet.


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## heasandford (Nov 20, 2014)

It's the lack of any pattern as well!

I am always loathe to change ratios and basals unless it seems obvious, there's no such thing as a straight line! Having said that the pump has improved control for me, at least you can bolus small amounts to adjust, and always to eat at different times. 

Glad to hear that some people have the constant turbulance that I have! This forum keeps me trying to get it better!


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## trophywench (Nov 20, 2014)

To me Alison after 42 years, I have yet to spot any 'pattern'.

I don't know who it was that had one but they must have been a VIP * as Drs and Nurses, pump companies etc talk about them as if everyone gets em.

I wish! - if I ever had one, life would be simple!

*  Just thought - maybe it was Mr H G Wells and they are just as fictional as his books?


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