Overwhelming ...UGH!

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Permalink Reply by Gerri on November 15, 2009 at 4:01pm

What bathrooms are you guys are frequenting:) I test in bathrooms in restaurants & have used the bathroom at work, so I can wash & dry my hands, not to hide. Guess I could wash my hands & go back to my office or table (if it's not a dimly lit restaurant) to test, but as long as I'm there I test.

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Permalink Reply by MelissaBL on November 15, 2009 at 4:33pm

I often wash my hands, test, and bolus in the bathroom at most restaurants (though I'd be perfectly comfortable doing it at the table) because it's quiet and gives me time to consider the carbs/insulin/timing, etc. At the table, I'm sometimes more likely to be doing it while talking with friends or family and I don't give my calculations the same attention I do when I have a moment of breathing room and freshly washed hands. If it's just me and my husband, I test at the table b/c we sometimes talk about how much insulin I'm putting on board and how I'm going to dual wave my bolus. But when I'm with others, I think I often rush through it absentmindedly while in the midst of conversation.

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Permalink Reply by Dave   _ on November 15, 2009 at 5:02pm

I wash my hands plenty of times during a day, but I don't wash them JUST to test my blood, UNLESS I suspect I have some sugary substance on them that will give me falsely high readings. and perhaps MY idea of clean is a bit more stringent that yours if you feel that public bathrooms are clean places to do your testing in.

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Permalink Reply by Emily on November 15, 2009 at 6:58pm

Hi. I just got mine last weekend. I watched the DVD...(most of it anyway) and then had a 3hr training. During that I was put on the pump. I didn't do a saline or anything. It's not that hard. I did bend my cannula the first time I changed it but overall it hasn't been that bad. I wish I would have gotten the 522 but the sent me the 722. I am only using around 30u daily so the 522 would have been more than sufficient. Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Kristen Rose on November 17, 2009 at 8:43am

OMG me too! I got the 722 and am kind of upset because I only take 40u a day at THE MOST, and the 522 is smaller, grrrhh!

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Permalink Reply by Kristin on November 17, 2009 at 10:31am

I chose the 722 even though I use 30u daily. I prefer it because it means that I do not need to refill the reservoir as often AND the screen is bigger so that if I start to use the CGMS, I think that I will see more (not sure if that is true).

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Permalink Reply by Kristin on November 15, 2009 at 11:43pm

I think the online training is the most useful and reading the book Pumping Insulin by John Walsh. You can read the manual cover to cover if you want, but I suggest that you pace yourself since you obviously have enough to read!!

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Permalink Reply by Anna Lloyd on November 16, 2009 at 12:05pm

I used saline in the pump for the first week, pretending it was insulin, using the Bolus wizard. Looking at how much insulin it was suggesting I had, I realised the carb ratio was way out, so I could 'play' with carb ratios for a few days until the amount looked more like the real thing.

It also got me used to pressing all the buttons so I became more confident with it. The online tutor is brilliant and well worth going through. Just start easy, doing the bolus before meals so you get the hang of it. It's actually easy once you start trying but I was terrified I'd do something stupid, and I did! But it didn't matter as it was only saline and I soon learned.

Good luck, once you are pumping you will feel so much more healthy and your A1c will soon plummet!

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Permalink Reply by Bruce on November 16, 2009 at 4:54pm

I was seeing a nurse that had me on the lantis and a pen for meals. She gave me info on the pump and said to let her know if I would like to go on it. I thought about it and I contacted my doc and he signed the paper and faxed it to medtronic. I received the pump and suppies then I called the nurse to hook me up... she was on vacation. So I read the book and watched the video and thought about hooking it up. So after thinking about it, I hooked the pump up. I had already taken my lantis so I just used the pump for boluses that day. The next day I figured out what the basil rate would be compared to what I was taking of lantis.
So after a few weeks or so the nurse called me and asked if I thought anymore about going on the pump... I said I have been on it for a month. She was shocked and wanted to see me and make sure everything was ok. To make a long story short everything was fine... she was shook up a little. But in your case play it safe and get your doctors or nurses help. Let me know how you make out.Good Luck.

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Permalink Reply by Kristen Rose on November 17, 2009 at 8:47am

Right now I am on the saline, Sleeping with the pump wasn't too bad. I got the shorter tube length and im not sure if i want to getting the lengthier one. I start on insulin on Friday and am sooo excited. MY a1c is around 11% and that is ridiculous, i hope i can control my bs's better. eat less, and just overall feel better, i dont remember what it feels like to be healthy, i just hope it all works out and that i dont end up omitting my insulin like i did while i was on the pen. i do that so i dont gain weight. i hope this all helps and i can maintain/ lose weight on the pump and get my a1c down

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Permalink Reply by MelissaBL on November 17, 2009 at 9:05am

Get them to send you samples of both tubing lengths so you can try them out. I've always preferred the longer, personally, but everyone else I know likes the shorter. You'll never know unless you try 'em.

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Permalink Reply by Bruce on November 17, 2009 at 9:57am

I had been on shots for thirty years, for most of those thirty years they didn't have the fast acting insulin . I would give a shot in the morning and one at night and hope for the best and most of the time I felt like crap... sorry for the bad word. I have been on the pump for eight.and feel great. Atleast on the pump you have some kind of control, if you have a high you can give a bolus to bring it down. One thing I did with my pump,was to cut a hole in my pocket and run the tube in my pants to the pump and no one can see it. When I first got it I had it on my belt and kind of felt funny about it. But thats my story, I hope it helps.

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