[Diabetes-talk] pump ?

[Veronica Elsea]

Mike and all, there are some differences in how the various pumps do 
it, but basically here's what happens. Let's say you figure out that 
your needs include a basal or background rate of .6 units of insulin 
per hour. For all pumps except MedTronics, this amount would be 
divided up in to 20 deliveries so you'd actually get just a tiny bit 
of insulin every 3 minutes. How often you get a basal delivery from a 
Medtronic pump depends on the size of the basal. The more insulin you 
need in an hour, the more frequently you get it. None of us on my 
other pump list have managed to come up with an easy explanation of a 
way to figure out how their system actually works. Normally, your 
body puts out insulin in response to any perceived need. So it's all 
tangled up with messages from the pancreas, liver, brain and for all 
I know, someone's grandmother. <grin.> And of course, when the normal 
body tones insulin delivery down because you're exercising or 
something, the response is much more immediate than any of us can do 
artificially. Sort of the same thing for eating, although we're 
getting closer there. But the response curve is still not as easy, 
hence we still do have to watch the potential to go high or low. So I 
still have to know enough to recognize that for instance, while I'm 
in a stressful situation, or going through a change in hormones, I 
have to instruct my pump as to how to respond to these changes. One 
of those responses might be making changes in basal rates because my 
body would do that if it could.
In fact, I'm about to go through basal testing again myself. Kind of 
a drag but the pay-off is sure nice. You pick a time frame, say, 
starting with overnight, make sure you don't eat and then test every 
two hours to see if your basal rates are working properly. If you go 
high, the test is off for that night and you start over the next 
night. Then you skip breakfast and do the same for morning. Then 
lunch. Like I said, it's a drag but once you get it, then you can 
just concentrate on your food and other stuff.
As for those of you with type 2, I think you get a raw deal. I think 
the main problem is that if they can toss you a couple of pills and 
your control is basically okay, it's a lot cheaper for the insurance 
company. Just as silly as MediCare not paying for continuous glucose 
monitoring on the grounds that it's preventative. Duh! So it's okay 
to cover all those emergency room visits for someone with hypo 
unawareness but not the tool which could prevent them and save tons 
of money. Sheesh!
Okay, off my soap box now. <grin.>

Veronica
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