Sunday, December 23, 2012

Going off the insulin pump for a few months


Happy Holidays Everyone!!!


Well, I hate to go off George Michael – but seeing as I always seem to have issues with my pump whenever I go on holidays – and I no longer have a warranty OR loaner pump available – I’m going to be disconnecting from him as of January 1st, 2013. Don’t freak out (last time I did this – the hate mail from pump users I received was astounding).   I’ll be going back onto him probably as soon as I  come back to Canada.  I just don’t want to risk that he will break down on me – and ruin my holidays – I just want to be prepared.

I’m not sure if it’s the cabin air pressure that has created glitches up my previous pumps from Animas over the last 4 years – or the metal detector at the airport – but I’m not taking any risks this time.  I want George to last as long as he can – without any undue stress to him.   With the latest replacement pump I received back in Feb 2012 - I don’t even take him into water anymore after talking to an Accu-Chek rep this past June – who stated that they have same water tight test aka IPX8 on their pumps – but say NOT to immerse in water.     

Yes, I am just being abit paranoid, but heck, with the recent news that many out of warranty Animas 2020 users (along with IR1200/1250) have received, I feel I have every right to be feeling this way.   I want to protect my investment to the extreme – as I can’t afford to purchase another one yet.  I hope that my pump will last as long as other pump users claim with the different manufacturers presently on the market.   Personally, if I can keep a pump for 10 years – the cost of $1K a year is worth the investment to my health.

So, I’ve got my prescriptions for pen refills of Lantus / NovoRapid – and I figure giving myself a lead time of a month prior to taking off on my holidays – I’ll have things sorted out so that the transition of using my “poor man’s pump” will be made easier.  Prior to going onto the pump, I had issues with hypos overnight / waking up – which we T1D’s know is not enjoyable.  I actually can attest to the fact that going onto the pump – has helped me understand how to use my insulin more efficiently – with having the proper basal setting (which my Lantus will be doing – not as efficiently mind you) – and setting up my carb ratio with my insulin coverage (I:C).   It can be done with MDI – but is just a wee bit more complicated for some folks to do – but in time – we get used to it – and frankly – it is less expensive by a long shot to use the poor man’s pump.  I know many T1D’s who can attest to this – though I don’t go to the extremes they do – with blood glucose (BG) testing of 20x a day – 10-20 injections a day.  I average when I’m on MDI about 5-10 times a day with BG testing and about 8-10 shots a day.

Some of you maybe cringing at 8-10 shots a day.  Trust me, the needles we use today, compared to those we used 50 years ago – night and day!!!  I use a pen needle which is 32 gauge – it’s Teflon coated – so it glides in easily.    Maybe because I’ve been diabetic most of my life – this is something that doesn’t bother me – I have a higher pain threshold then someone who gets diabetes at a later age – or who is a rebel without a cause (e.g. they don’t take their diabetes seriously to take the correct measures to stay in good control to ward off the serious effects of this disease).   

The one thing I’m looking forward to – not that it’s ever bothered me?  I won’t have to be pulled over by TSA due to wearing a pump(s).  Last trip I took coming back from Miami – I had to argue with them that my pump(s) could not go thru’ the full body scanner, or send my holiday loaner pump thru’ the x-ray – it was very stressful – but thankfully this has only happened once while I’ve owned a pump. 

NOTE:  The original blog post can be found at Diabetes1.org - http://www.diabetes1.org/blogs/Annas_Blog/Going_off_the_insulin_pump_for_a_few_months 


Sunday, October 21, 2012

Diabetes1 Blogs: Anna's Blog: Testing with Gluten Free Foods!


If you’ve read my blogs over the past year – I’m having difficulties with attaining what I consider for myself good blood glucose (BG) readings with my hormones being all over the place.  It’s slightly, no, I should be honest here, is making me very annoyed at my control not being like it was (going from an A1C of 6% to 7.2% makes me cringe at the damage being done internally to my organs).

One thing that I have recently been experimenting with (besides tweaking my insulin dosage on George Michael my Animas 2020 pump) – is trying to eat even more healthy than I do now on a limited budget (hey good food doesn’t come cheap).  I have currently started to test out gluten free products in my meals more often – from flour to pasta.  You name it, I’m testing out the reaction to these foods against my BG meter results as well as my taste buds.   Now, they may not be low carb (gluten free pasta is just the same as regular whole wheat pasta) – but I’m discovering that the lack of gluten seems to not make as big a spike in my 2 / 4 hour BG  tests with the results later (say going to beddy byes) are not not showing a result of 10-15 mmol/l (180-270 mg/dl) reading.  I then have to   give a correction dosage at that time to wake up with the hopes of being in my happy zone of BG  reading..  Even with a few middle of the night BG tests – where things seem to be alright (e.g. no hypo) after the correction dosage prior to my experiment with gluten free products – I go back up (hello Mr. Dawn Phenomenon).   I'm finding the reverse is opposite when I've eaten a meal prepared gluten free!

To read more of my blog that is posted at Diabetes1.org click on the link below ...

Diabetes1 Blogs: Anna's Blog: Testing with Gluten Free Foods!

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Diabetes1 Blogs: Anna's Blog: The joys of being a pill pusher!

 Here's a little snippet of my blog I posted - to read more - go to the link below ...

'  I've been undergoing physio for a tennis elbow problem (see earlier blog at this link).  Well, that all ended this past Friday - since the anti-inflammatory medications I was prescribed by a walk in clinic doctor seem to be doing the job (if not - I have to wait for an appointment in August for a cortizone shot - which I'd like to avoid if I can).  I'll still have to keep up with the exercises that my physio therapist had given to me - to strengthen up the muscles in the elbow area - but for now - I can type away much longer (and I'm not wearing the tension elbow band - since I left it at the sailboat last week - oops).  The main thing - I have my work station set up - so that is one step in the right direction.  '

Diabetes1 Blogs: Anna's Blog: The joys of being a pill pusher!



Thursday, May 31, 2012

Dana Heffern : Antidote Performance (on your screen NOW)


I was involved in a performance last summer -  at the last minute the same day that it was being held.  I was one of the 20 “actors” at the dinner table – where we were served up delicacies that we weren’t quite sure what they were. Alongside of us were nondiabetics who had brand new BG meters to use (yes they had to do blood tests) – along with needles (short needles – lucky buggers) – pretend insulin (saline). We “experienced” diabetics helped them out with determining what the carb amounts were that we were eating, and what we all thought appropriate amount of insulin to cover what we were gorging out on. We had to guesstimate for most of it; because the food was sometimes not recognisible (we only got the actual menu mid-way – which helped abit). All I can say, I was a stuffed pig after this episode of 3 fabulous courses (no wine – darn – the chef drank the bottle I’d viewed in the cooler earlier). Through the majority of it – I sadly was having a hypo (went as low as 2.9 mmol/l or 52 mg/dl) – but I was well taken care of by Alissa (my Mummy) for shoving a lollipop in my mouth (we had candies in fancy containers at the dinner table).

Anyway, the gal behind all of this great project was Dana Heffern - you can read about her in a previous blog from lat year - that is included with the 4 minute video that she compiled of our 2 hour "performance".  It was an amazing event to be with other diabetics, educate the audience about Type 1 diabetes.  I'd do it all over again - in a flash!!! 

Click on the link below - to read more ....


 

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Diabetes1 Blogs: Anna's Blog: Snacks for a road trip - the best part of travelling



Diabetes1 Blogs: Anna's Blog: Snacks for a road trip - the best part of travelling

Road warrior FatCatAnna is heading out to the east coast for the Canadian long weekend.  Find out what she packs for her trip - that keeps her all reeved up for getting to her final destination.  What do you pack in your snackey travel bag? LOL

Monday, May 14, 2012

Diabetes1 Blogs: Anna's Blog: Faster Than A Speeding Bullet

Diabetes1 Blogs: Anna's Blog: Faster Than A Speeding Bullet

Want to run like Superman/woman?  All joking aside (tho' the socks ARE available to purchase that you see in the picture - link is posted in my blog) .  I'm starting to think of taking up running. What do you think?  Any diabetics out there who've mastered it when they're lugging around a spare tire like I am (which I hope to get rid of with running).

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Diabetes1 Forums - Echo Therapeutics - Symphony tCGM System

Diabetes1 Forums - Echo Therapeutics - Symphony tCGM System

I don't watch daytime telly too often - but today I lucked in on seeing that an American show called "The Doctors" was going to talk about a painless way of blood glucose monitoring.  I had heard about this device earlier on in the year - but not actually seen it.  Today, it was revealed on this show - and I'm sure that there are alot of diabetics that are anxious to see this on the market due to the fact - that this CGMS does not use an inserted sensor into your skin - instead - it sits on TOP of the skin surface.  Read more in my forum post to view the product video and a few other tid bits on this device!

Diabetes1 Blogs: Anna's Blog: If only I played tennis – I’d be going to Wimbledon!

Diabetes1 Blogs: Anna's Blog: If only I played tennis – I’d be going to Wimbledon!