[Diabetes-talk] question about high numbers and pumps

Sun Feb 17 15:39:12 UTC 2013

Every day!

Thanks to all of you who whave responded to my questions.

Debbie
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
To: "'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2013 9:32 AM
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] question about high numbers and pumps

> All:
>
> The long-acting insulin name I was searching for is levemir (drug name
> detemir) which is Novo Nordisk's equivalent of Sanofi-Aventis' lantus
> (insulin glargine).
>
> Anyone ever heard of "diabetic dyslexia of the fingers"? <grin>
>
> Mike
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> Veronica Elsea
> Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2013 9:53 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] question about high numbers and pumps
>
> Debbie, there's no harm as Bridgit has said in playing around with some
> pumps to see what they're like. If you aren't yet on the intensive insulin
> therapy as Mike described it, that's a good way to start because you'll 
> get
> familiar with the terms and all of that. But for me, once I had my pump 
> set,
> yes, I pay attention to all those things everyone's mentioned, but it
> doesn't really run my life. And Mike, Apidra is a fast-acting insulin. And
> boy did I find out the hard way not to put that stuff in a pump. Wow! It
> gells up after two days and I actually burned out my pump's motore because
> it had clogged out the tubing so badly. So, back to Humalog even though
> there was a lot to like about the Apidra. It worked fast and I wasn't
> allergic to it.
> For me personally, the best thing about the pump is the flexibility it 
> gives
> me. Yesterday I was out walking and just ran into someone who said, hey
> let's get some coffee. Since I was wearing my pump, I could say okay and
> then just push buttons to bolus for what I had to eat. For me, the 
> challenge
> of managing tubing and features that quite as accessible as I'd like was 
> no
> match for the discomfort of figuring out where to go to inject insulin in
> public and carrying all the stuff around me. And I imagine some of you are
> probably laughing right about now. I am too, by the way. But that's me. 
> It's
> just like some of us use canes and some of us work with dogs. And each of 
> us
> vows to stick with our chosen methods. Choices are good.
> But the Omnipod will supposedly have new smaller pods starting in March. 
> But
> since nobody has beeps any more, I probably will take another look at it,
> just because. What drove me nuts four years ago was the number of alarms.
> Not only that, you do kind of have to know what those alarms say. But I 
> even
> figured out where in that remote the speech chip could be housed. It would
> be oh so easy to do. Sheesh!
> But feel free to explore, making the decision based on what you need, not
> just on what someone else says you can or can't do. And all questions are
> welcome. But everyone's been giving you great advice here. Yay team!
>
> Veronica
>
>
> Watch the video as The Guide Dog Glee Club sings "Rehab!" Yes! Yes! Yes!
> http://youtu.be/JvakJ5lk6Us
> Then find more music from Veronica Elsea and The Guide Dog Glee Club at:
> http://www.laurelcreekmusic.com
> Veronica Elsea, Owner
> Laurel Creek Music Designs
> Santa Cruz, California
> Phone: 831-429-6407
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> Bridgit Pollpeter
> Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2013 3:52 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] question about high numbers and pumps
>
> I agree with Mike despite being a pump *fanatic,* grin. Like I said, it's 
> an
> individual choice, though most newly diagnosed type ones are placed on 
> pumps
> ASAP.
>
> Personally, I've never been bothered by wearing my pump except when 
> wearing
> dresses but even then it's not been a huge deal. I have never experienced
> major annoyance with it to the point of this being a reason to not use a
> pump. However, this is again a personal thing. You will wear it at all 
> times
> except when doing things like showering or swimming, though I know some
> pumps can be in a little bit of water like a shower.
>
> Mike is absolutely correct in that pump users must be cautious and aware 
> of
> their carb/insulin ratios. You and your doctor will determine these things
> and what works best for you. And you will most likely adjust both basal 
> and
> bolus rates from time-to-time. I'm currently on a 1/20 ratio for breakfast
> and lunch and 1/15 for supper. This can change though if anything in my 
> life
> changes like activity, eating habits, illness and phases in the moon, 
> grin.
>
> And I agree with Mike that a fully accessible pump is the preferred way to
> go. In ten years, I've never had complications with my pump because it's 
> not
> fully accessible, but that being said, if I could access my pump with
> complete accessibility and independence, I would just be in heaven. If I 
> can
> use my IPhone with complete accessibility, I don't know why it' so 
> difficult
> to make a pump in this way. All any company need do is create a
> text-to-speech program to read out the menus, and it can be an option yu
> turn and off like an IPhone so no *special* pump is required for a small
> group of people.
>
> Anyway, I recommend a lot of research and discussion with your endo so you
> can best decide what's best for you. Play around with some pumps if
> available, but from what I've discovered, the MedTronic and the Animas 
> Ping
> seem to be the two currently that will work best for nonvisual users.
>
> Bridgit
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> Mike Freeman
> Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2013 4:27 PM
> To: debbiewunder at centurytel.net; 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] question about high numbers and pumps
>
>
> Hi, Debbie.
>
> You've gotten a lot of good advice from Bridgit, Veronica and other
> confirmed pump fanatics. I don't dispute any of it. However, let me give 
> you
> a few thoughts from someone who is *not* a pump fanatic and who doesn't
> trust machines in this realm -- at least not yet.
>
> First, without knowing a great deal more about what sort of treatment
> regimen you are on, it's difficult to say whether you'd benefit from use 
> of
> a pump. What medications are you on? What have you tried to bring those
> readings down? You say you count carbs. Do you know your insulin-to-carb
> ratios at various times of day? Are you on a basic insulin regimen (two
> shots a day of mixed regular or short-acting and intermediate or 
> long-acting
> insulin) or are you on an "intensive" or "physiological" management 
> regimen
> where you give shots of fast-acting insulin at meals according to the
> anticipated carb load plus a once-a-day or twice-a-day basal insulin dose
> (something like Lantus or, I think, Epidra). Or are you on pills only or
> pills plus lantus? If so, you haven't even tried a full-fledged manual
> intensive insulin regimen yet to see if your readings come down a bit. 
> This
> is not to say that a pump might not help but it's no panacea and IMO you 
> may
> not have enough info to make an intelligent decision.
>
> Second, the "secret" that's not often mentioned by pump advocates is that
> you need to be as conscious -- or *more* conscious -- of your
> insulin-to-carb ratios, basal dosages and the like, when on a pump as you
> are taking shots, unless you blindly trust the pump.
>
> Third, the pump (either pod or the regular kind with tubing and canula) is
> attached to you at all times except for short periods. Can you put up with
> this?
>
> Fourth, although there are ways and work-arounds to handle most pumps 
> these
> days as a blind person, there's no truly accessible pump yet and probably
> won't be for some time. I don't know about you but I don't trust a machine
> unless it gives me direct feedback. But that's just me although I know a
> person working for Omnipod who says her husband is an engineer and has my
> exact attitude. (grin)
>
> Bottom line: we don't really have enough information to comment
> intelligently.
>
> Mike Freeman
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> Debbie Wunder
> Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2013 9:46 AM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Subject: [Diabetes-talk] question about high numbers and pumps
>
> Hello everyone. Do any of you use a pump, and can you share with me the 
> pros
> and cons of using one?
> I recently did a four day glucose monitor test where they inject the 
> gadget
> in your stomach. I will get the results later today. My nurse educator 
> keeps
> bringing up using a pump, I am not sure this is for me. I have numbers
> between the 200 and 300's, I drink water, count carbs, and walk for
> exercise. I am at a loss, any thoughts on this would be greatly 
> appreciated.
>
> Debbie
>
>
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