Insulin Pumps - Hypo's?

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brisnat81

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May 5, 2004
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Location
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Hi Everyone,

I'm usually loathe to post off topic threads, but I have a question for the Type 1 Diabetics, who use Insulin Pumps that may be among us.

Mum has been diabetic for 45 years and has seen a lot of changes in how things a treated over that time. With the advent of Humalog and Humalin during the 90's, Hypo's became a thing of semi regular occurance, but she could always tell when they were going to happen and eat before they got too bad.

6 years ago Mum got an automatic Insulin Pump which uses Humalog only and provides Insulin in tiny doses every 5 minutes or so and when she then eats, she adds a corresponding dose relative to the food she's eaten.

The downside to this, is that in the last 6 years, she's now had 4 Hypo's usually late in the day at work that have resulted in an ambulance being called. The last one was last night and she spent 2 hours unconscious vomiting in a toilet at work, and it was only by accident that anyone found her before they all went home. Ambulance was called. A huge dose of glucose later and other than smelling horrible and having violent tremors due to low body temp, they let me take her home.

My Question is, are there any other Insulin Pump users here, who have found that these days their Hypo's sneak up on them, rather than their being aware that they're coming? Mum is only 50 and according to her endocrinologist everything is well managed. The frequency of these bad attacks is low, but they are getting worse these days each time they occur.

Any feedback or thoughts is appreciated.

Cheers,

Nathan
 
I have it

Hi, Nathan. I got type 1 when I was 24. Im 43 now(EEEWWW) and I've been on the pump now for 8 yrs. I have Severe Hypoglycemia Unawareness I drove home from work once, Got total tunnelvision, was soaking wet and it took me 5 minutes to figure out what key opened the door. I checked my BGL and it was 16!!!! I DO beleive in angels. You should join my group "InsulinPumpers.org". BTW the reason my screen name is animasinsulinpumper is because I have the Animas 2020 pump.....Bill in Az.....
 
I can't....

....imagine how your mum feels or how you feel when you find out this has happened, but I am very relieved to hear that help came just when she needed it...

Hope she is ok today...and that you have recovered too.

C
 
I'm not on the pump--YET.

I am talking about the pump with my internist (who IS on the pump), and my insurance company.

I am so sorry your Mother had a crash, but am glad that she was found in time, and will be all right.

I am on Novolog and Lantus, and really love Lantus. The 24 hour coverage is wonderful.

The excellent thing about tight control is prevention of complications, and improved overall health.

The drawback to tight control is having to test more often (One Touch Ultra and One Touch Mini,) and having to count carbohydrates very closely. When I do it right, I test 6-12 times a day, which is a lot of finger poking (I do not get usable samples from my arm).

Are there any support groups through the Diabetes Association or a local hospital? Online support is good, and sometimes very good, but there's nothing (in my experience) like actual people contact.

Does your Mother have a teaching nurse? (In the States, they are called Certified Diabetes Educators, or C.D.E.s), and they can be wonderful. I see mine twice a year. C.D.E.'s can be nurses, Registered Dieticians, pharmacists, or doctors, but are most commonly nurses.

I have been living with diabetes since 1994, and other than a slight bit of neuropathy in my feet, I am in good condition.

Lawrence/Maytagbear
 
Tight control

A study of patients getting tight control of their blood sugar levels was cancelled mid-way when data started emerging that the group getting the tight control had a significantly higher rate of cardiovascular problems than the control group.

So.... tight control may be good in theory but perhaps current technology/medication doesn't achieve consistently low BG without adverse side effects.

Luckily I'm not "hypo unaware". I can usually tell when my BS drops below 100... and definitely know when it hits 80 or lower. But the difference in feeling between high BS and too low BS can be subtle. My doc said that it's partly a rapid drop in BS level that elicits the symptoms. I suppose if it gradually sinks too low it's harder to detect by just how one feels.

PS-I don't have a pump... I use Lantus and regular insulin, and a rapid pen that I sort of like. In fact I'm gonna ask my doc for a script for Novolog because the pen stuff is supposed to be just for out-of-home and more expensive than the stuff in a vial that one uses a needle with. The regular just takes too long to lower BS, esp after dinner in the evening.
 
Lows

I am extremely insulin sensitive. 1 unit will drop me by 100 points. Regular is slower, but I use Novolog and it completely stops working in 1 hour, so less lows. Lawrence I hope you love your pump. It will TOTALLY change your life!!!....Bill in Az.....
 

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