Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jay on December 1, 2010 at 3:53pm

Brian,
I save my needle and holder and reload each syringe. I am using almost 100 units per day also. The other trick I use is to CAREFULLY overload each cartridge with about 210 units. Then after loading, priming and filling the cannula, I have 192-194 units in the pump.
PM if you have other questions. jaj

Permalink Reply by Joe Burnham on December 1, 2010 at 3:56pm

WOW... 150 units a DAY ??? That's incredible.

My only suggestion would be to look into another medication that my doctor just started me on...Symlin. It's an injectable, and comes in a pen (like an insulin pen). It works by slowing down the rate your food is absorbed....and often means you'll need less insulin.

I was having problems with my morning "after breakfast" BG's going into the 250-300 range (despite being relatively "low" before meals (120-140). SO FAR, the Symlin helped keep my after breakfast glucose from rising more than 20 or 30 points.

...Joe

Permalink Reply by MossDog on December 1, 2010 at 4:18pm

Symilin would be a very good option. I have heard of some people actually mixing the symilin with the insulin in the cartridge. Otherwise this would be a seperate injection using an insulin pen. The Endo I work with usually has most insulin resistant folks on glucophage with their insulin. Another possible option would be U-500 insulin but you loose all the benefits of rapid acting insulin with this.

Permalink Reply by DMurray on December 1, 2010 at 7:53pm

Hey Brian what size tubing do you use 23in or 43in . longer tubing means more insulin when primed.
just saying you might save a little bit more insulin.

Permalink Reply by Brian Grant on December 1, 2010 at 7:58pm

Its 42in tubing but I am 6'2 and when i lay in bed on my side the pump lifts off the bed with the 23 in tubing. I tried that and it is too uncomfortable. I looked into Symilin but my CDE isnt sold on it and said she hasnt had a overwhelming success with it. I know its a fairly small part of the diabetes community but I really wish Animas would make a pump with 300 units!

Permalink Reply by Jay on December 1, 2010 at 8:50pm

Wear pump clipped to PJ bottom elastic waist band. The difference between 23 and 43 inches of tubing is 2 units.

Permalink Reply by Leilani on December 1, 2010 at 8:52pm

I hope they do as well. . . perhaps on thier next model. . . as they keep talking about it???

Permalink Reply by DMurray on December 1, 2010 at 8:54pm

Understand I'm 6'1 and use the 6mm inset 23in & cleo 90 31in I wear a V neck tee shirt to bed and wear my pump on the collar between the V .pump stays right on my chest Try it .

unit are units try to save as much as possible . D is to expensive to waste anything in my case.

How many carbs you eat in a day???

Permalink Reply by MossDog on December 2, 2010 at 1:30am

They have been talking about even a 600 unit cartridge but I have not heard of any plans that will be happening any time soon. As far as the Symilin I have seen people have great success with reducing their total daily dose and others have very little change at all. See if your CDE or MD has access to samples (we have quite a few samples in the clinic I work in) and give it a try. Perhaps you may be able to reduce your cartridge changes to every 1.5 days which would get you pretty close to what the insurance company will allow. I think one of the biggest parts of success with Symilin is taking it 30 minutes before your meal which is tough. As another poster stated it may be your only option to reuse the cartridges once. I have done this a few times and have never had any problems. I hear you about the 42 in tubing. Most people prefer the 23in but I can't even sit down on the toilet without having to unclip it from my belt and I guess I move too much during sleep because I always wake up feeling pulling at the infusion set site when using 23 inch. :-)

Permalink Reply by Leilani on December 1, 2010 at 8:51pm

Some people use u500 in their insulin pump (5 times the strength of u100) . . . The biggest draw back is that u500 insulin is Regular rather than Rapid Acting insulin and may or may not control your BG as well.

Permalink Reply by Sarah Jane on December 2, 2010 at 12:57am

wow. These replies are off the wall. No one should mix symlin w insulin. That makes them both innefective.

I have two suggustions. My insulin use is between 80 and 150 unts a day depending on what I eat. I use a ping. Ask your doctor to contact your insurance company about the cartridges. I change my infusion set and cartridge every 1 to 1.5 days. I had to get a special override for insurance (bs if you ask me).

I would also really think about what you eat. If I don't snack and go low carb I can get by with 70 or 80 in one day. I also use 42 in tubing. (so much more comfortable). I can go 2 days before changing if I eat low carb.

Permalink Reply by MossDog on December 2, 2010 at 1:47am

Of course mixing insulin with Symilin in the cartridge is not FDA approved and has not been studied. I did not suggest this is what he should do......just said I know of people who do. Those people who do it seem to have success with it but I can say I would never do it this way. I agree with you- I do not think this is the most effective way to use Symilin and insulin but I do not think you can make the blanket statement that mixing them makes them both ineffective. Not the same thing as mixing Humalog/Novolog/Apidra with Lantus/Levemir.

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