My online friend REYNA over at Beta Buddies wants us to bare all, sharing our intimate insulin pump settings from ratio to basals. YES, Reyna!!! I AM curious to know other PWD pump settings because it amazes me how different we all are! Its amazing how each body has its own insulin needs and how each body uses insulin differently! You wont find Diabetes with a set written order...."take 3u of insulin per meal" NO NO NO NO YOU WONT!!! Each one of us have managed our/childs insulin needs to the BEST of our ability and its always changing! So, here goes......
(For anyone that doesn't HAVE Diabetes, this talk may be overwhelming, so WATCH OUT!)
1) What kind on insulin management mode do you use? Maddison and I both use insulin pumps 24/7..... Medtronic baby!
2) How often do you inject/change pump sites? We change Maddison's pump site every 3-4 days when the weather permits, otherwise in the summer we change the site every 2 days. In summer (8 months in AZ!) we have to change the site more often from sweatiness or swimming. As soon as we see two numbers over 280 we change the site. Just to be safe. For ME? I change my site every 3 days in the summer.....every 4-6 days (BAD I KNOW!!)when the weather is cooler....OR I change it at the second number over 180 because I know the site isn't working so great if I hit over 180.
3) What type (s) of insulin do you use? NOVOLOG!!! I tried Apidra for myself and almost died. Not really, but after lows following every meal for 3 days I felt like death. Apidra is TOO fast for me! Why change anything if you dont have to? I LOVE my Novolog, I have it figured out!
4) What are your basal settings ?
MADDISON
12am .25u
8am .25u
630am .30u
8am .25u
9am .20u
730p .35u
11pm .25u
MINE
12am .30u
8am .25u
9pm .30u
5) What are your correction factors?
Maddison
12am 180
3am 250
4am 260
7am 215
8pm 180
MINE
12am 90
3am 130
8pm 90
6. What are your meal ratios ?
Maddison
Breakfast 1:13
Morning Snack 1:20
Lunch 1:18
Afternoon Snack 1:20
Dinner 1:24
My ratio is 1:12 all day!!
7. What do you do for activity and/or PE?
PE days for Maddison... she gets 8c uncovered if she is less than 150....BUT, thats because this year PE is at a time when she has NO ACTIVE insulin from breakfast. THANK GOODNESS!!! If she had PE right after breakfast she would get at least 15c of a snack with no insulin depending on what her number was going into PE, and depending on how much insulin was still working. Active insulin from a meal + exercise = WATCH OUT!!! We dont really mess with temp basals unless its summer swim season. Usually uncovered snacks work fine for Maddie.
FOE ME!!?? WELL....If Im having a cleaning day (same as PE!!) and running CRAZY through the house I get to treat myself to 1/2c OJ without insulin. If I'm actually waking up early and doing my workout I get coffee with no bolus (20c free, bolus a tiny .2 to stop liver highs!) and then set a temp basal at 60% with boluses HALF of what they are on non-workout days. If Im packing a house (or the like) and running around nonstop....you know the deal... SKITTLES ALL DAY.
8) How do you manage Pizza, Macaroni and Cheese, or any other "difficult to manage" foods? Maddison just gets the same old same bolus for everything and we correct the highs. Ice cream we dose an extra unit, which seems to work well... Otherwise nothing really effects Maddison's sugar in crazy ways. I guess I have learned to correct the high with a little extra....I have yet to master an extended bolus without causing some scary lows!!
FOR ME? I get a dual wave 50/50 over 2 hours for pasta, pizza and ice cream.
9. How do you prefer to manage your logs/data? Yes, REYNA!!! I HATE computerized programs too!! We have used the Freestyle program in the past, for me its awesome because all I see is GREEN. As in, 80% in range numbers. For Maddison? I WOULD DIE seeing her numbers on a computer program! Too much information!!
I dont have to log numbers for myself....I rarely see a number over 160, if I do, its because I carelessly counted carbs....OR, PMS is coming....and THAT gets a different basal setting!! Logging for Maddison is a plain old note book with highlights of highs/lows. I dont log if things are going well....and right now they have been for months!!! YAY for a break!!! (ok, I have logged a few off days and made SOME changes for Maddie lately, but nothing CRAZY)
AS REYNA SAID.....
"I exposed myself "as a naked pancreas" to the whole D-OC."
"Anyone else game? PLEASE...inquiring minds want to know!"
"A day-in-the-life of curiosity and in pursuit of pancreatic know-how."
Moving my blog again
14 years ago
4 comments:
Love it - thanks for getting naked x2!!
WOW! I am loving this. Like Penny from Amazing Grace just commented, it isn't to judge or whatever...it is just so interesting to see how different everyone is. Also, I like picking up some new "tricks" along the way...maybe something I haven't thought of in managing Joe.
Your insulin requirements seem low Kelly! How much do you work out? AND what do you do for work outs?
Also, I love that you can have the same meal ratio all day!!! That is sooo cool.
Thank you Kelly for "exposing" yourself...you awesome pancreas you!
Reyna, right now Im on a 3 MONTH vacation from working out...but when I do...I workout 4 times a week doing 20 minutes of super incline on the treadmill. Then I lift weights for about 20 minutes.... a different muscle group every 2 days. Biceps, abs then hips. Shoulders, butt, lower abs. I just mix it up and do what feels right for the day honestly!!
My insulin needs are low....6.55u basal a day. Im at about 40% basal and 60% bolus. WORKS FOR ME! I've only had D since 2006...maybe thats why?
I'm pretty sure my 12 year olds basal rates are double yours Kelly. I'll have to check, but that freaks me out.
Were you maybe diagnosed with LADA? It is Type 1, with a super long period of lower insulin needs. I just can't imagine! Of course J is going through puberty...so...crazy! Thanks for sharing!
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