[Diabetes-talk] Can Anyone Help?

Mon Jun 24 09:50:54 UTC 2013

With the pump, I am always having the Doctor or my husband adjust the basal rate on my minimed from Medtronics, since I am losing weight, my blood sugars drop to around 60-50s so we keep adjusting them, as well as, possibly, suspend the pump for a few hours here and there when I can.
But I have learned to go by beep methods, there are no talking pumps yet, but they do have peeps you can learn to do.

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> From: bpollpeter at hotmail.com
> To: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
> Date: Sun, 23 Jun 2013 23:49:57 -0500
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Can Anyone Help?
> 
> Sascha,
> 
> Welcome. What's your current treatment and regimen? It can take time to
> fine-tune basal rates on a pump that fit as best to you as possible. An
> endo will work with you and determine these rates, but until you
> actually start using a pump, it can be difficult to know exactly. I
> spent two days in hospital once I started so if anything happened, I was
> near help. I tend to have lows, though I feel symptoms typically in time
> to catch, but nonetheless, getting low sucks. From time-to-time, my
> basal rates need to be adjusted especially depending on activity level,
> if I'm PMS-ing, change in meal times or anything else, but this will
> usually show up in your glucose readings.
> 
> Having said all that, since being on the pump, I've experienced more
> balance in my glucose readings, and my A1-C has been stable.
> 
> How often do you currently test blood sugars, because the more
> frequently you test, the easier it can be to catch any extreme. I test
> around 8 times a day, more if I'm more active. This also helps the
> doctor to determine patterns, which helps in establishing basal rates.
> 
> The basal rates are the doses of insulin delivered every hour. Most
> pumps can be set up to deliver different amounts every half-hour if
> necessary. So for example, between midnight and 5 am, I receive 0.7
> units per hour, from 5 to 8 am, it's 0.5, from 8 to 2 pm, it's 0.6, from
> 2 to 5 pm, it's 0.65 and from 5 to midnight, it's 0.8 units. Then when
> eating carbs, I count carbs and deliver 1 unit per 20 grams of carbs in
> the morning, and 1 unit per 15 grams the rest of the day. Both rates may
> change if I'm really active, like when I exercise, I either turn on a
> temp. basal that runs at 50% less than the normal rates for two hours,
> or I unhook it completely. When PMS-ing, I often have to run a temp.
> basal at 150% for a few days. My body also tends to change it's rhythms
> every three months or so, so each quarter I tend to adjust rates
> accordingly.
> 
> Something that hasn't been mentioned is how the pump hooks up. I'm not
> sure about newer versions, but a little item called an infusion set is
> placed somewhere on your body. It can be your tummy, legs, arms, thighs.
> I only use my tummy. It looks like a little tabby thing with a small
> needle. You put it in then remove the needle. A small canule is inside
> you now, which is what allows the insulin to enter your body. Tubing
> attaches to the pump and the set. You change the set every three to four
> days.
> 
> It sounds complicated, but it's actually not difficult once you learn.
> And your medical team will spend time teaching you the pump, how to
> change the set, carb counting and any other training necessary before
> they unleash you into the world using a pump, grin.
> 
> No pump is currently accessible in terms of a talking feature. Some
> pumps have an audio feature which is a beep or chime that sounds
> whenever a button is pushed. This is what allows a visually impaired
> person to use the pump. It also means most of the pump you won't be able
> to use because the menu is too complicated to navigate with beeps alone,
> or because the audio feature doesn't sound for every function.
> 
> I have a Cosmo, which is no longer available. Every function has the
> audio feature, but I don't believe any current pumps have the audio for
> every function. The pumps I've looked at are useable enough even without
> that audio feature, but I would say 95% or less of the pump is useable
> by a blind user.
> 
> I'm one but many here, but I've still managed to successfully use a pump
> for ten years, and I've yet to have the device malfunction on me
> resulting in out of wack blood sugars, nor have I goofed something up to
> the point I was screwed.
> 
> The only sighted help I use is when adjusting basal rates, certain
> features like changing the time and to fill cartridges. Some on the list
> fill their own cartridges, but I prefer someone with sight to do it,
> though I've filled one in a pinch. Otherwise, I operate the pump on my
> own, which is good since the only people I live with are my hubby, who
> is also blind, and my son, who is ten-months-old, grin.
> 
> BTW, what part of Northern Ireland do you live in? I'm part Irish and
> obsessed with Ireland. My hubby and mine's dream holiday is Ireland. And
> I have a minor in history from university and my emphasis was in Irish
> history and literature. We also named our son Declan. I know there's a
> difference between Northern Ireland and the rest of Ireland, but I'm
> fascinated with it all.
> 
> Bridgit
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of P
> Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2013 6:33 PM
> To: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [Diabetes-talk] Can Anyone Help?
> 
> 
> Hi Everyone! I am a new List Member and am delighted to have found You
> All. I am resident in Northern Ireland so hope I am permitted to join
> and take part in discussions? I found this List while searching for info
> on an Accessible Talking Insulin Pump. I am a Visually Impaired Type 1
> Diabetic who is prone to frequent Hypos without warning and am looking
> for ways to manage and treat my Diabetes. Sascha
> 
> Sent from my iPhone _______________________________________________
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