Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by elaine peterson on August 29, 2010 at 2:17pm

Maia, maybe you could teach classes. Are you looking for a new career? I'd travel for that!

Permalink Reply by MaiaJane on September 1, 2010 at 9:02pm

It's all about trial and error.
I had a family member say to me today "I saw a photo of you online where you are drinking and I can see your pump, did you know that drinking can affect your diabetes?"
Of course I scoffed and said "of course" and inwardly chuckled and thought of this discussion... Perhaps a new thread?
ONWARD HO!

Permalink Reply by Nate Miller on August 28, 2010 at 9:04am

I find that two things dramatically influence my own BG level over the long term (more than 2 hrs to overnight): fat content and activity level. In the short-term, fat can actually slow an increase in BG, but, as it converted to sugars over several hours, can cause delayed high BG. I am told--although I am far from mastering this--that extended boluses are the way to deal with this effect when eating high-fat foods like alfredo and pizza.

For some people, the amount of insulin they need to cover a specific food can vary significantly throughout the day as activity level, and other factors such as stress, change. I find that the pod's ability to set different insulin:carbohydrate ratios, as well as basal rates, for different times of the day make handling these variable needs much easier. Getting the values and timing of these rates and ratios right is, in my opinion, the most frustrating part of Type I.

Go ahead and be frustrated--Type I is tough. But then, keep doing what you are doing: get support from the folks here and stay persistent about understanding and treating this disease by asking questions and reading. For the reading bit, the best reference on this stuff that I have come across is the book Pumping Insulin.

Permalink Reply by Kelby on August 28, 2010 at 9:13am

Thanks Nate. I have actually thought about going out and getting that book. It is referenced quite a bit and thought it could really help me since I have never pumped before. I have had a few responses about the fat. Throughout my entire fight with Type 1 (22 years in October), no doctor had ever told me anything about how fat changes your bs levels at a later time. I felt like I was just really out of control and guessing at everything. I finally decided enough is enough. Thats why I decided to go to an endo and get the insulin pump. To finally take control of my life and do things the right way! I always thought I was doing it wrong and now I know why. It would be really nice if they would make something where it monitors your bg levels on its own and automatcially gives you insulin without you telling it to!

Thanks for the help! I have learned more from all of you in this group than I have from any doctor! You're the greatest!

Permalink Reply by Nate Miller on August 28, 2010 at 6:08pm

I too am dreaming of the artificial pancreas. Seems like it won't be but a few years longer.

Permalink Reply by Hockey Mom on August 28, 2010 at 9:14am

If you are always eating alfredo pasta, then it probably has as much fat (or more) than the some pizzas. You can check the fat content on most any Italian restaurant website but most list it at about 30% fat.

With that being said, when my 16 year old son extends we usually extend out only 3-4 hours even though the fat will be active for 8 to 10 hours. It sounds like if you extend extra insulin to 3.5 hours you will be really too low for sleep since you are already 127 before bedtime.

You may have to set your alarm (on a night when you can get a nap the next day) and test every two hours and see if it is a gradual rise through the night or a peak right before morning. That is what we did for basal testing. A CGM really helps with this I'm told.

I tested my son at 3pm the other night because he normally drops 6 hours after playing hockey and we were doing a 15% reduction in basal. He was 126 - better than the usual 56. The reduction gave him some room. But, much to my surprise he was almost 200 by morning. So now we don't do the reduction past the 6 hours because he doesn't need it and it makes him too high. We are always too high or too low!

Be careful changing things at night unless you have a person to help monitor you.

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