Difficulty getting new insulin pen

TheBigNewt said:

So some doctor figures that out for you and sets up the pump (using data from fingersticks of course)? You don't know how many units of insulin you get a day for your basal like I do?

Click to expand...

my DSN and I decided on my basal rates when I started 2 years ago and for the first 6 to 8 weeks we reviewed any changes I planned to make together -- but since then I do all my adjusting of all of my pump settings myself.
( so that means further basal testing ) and I normally test about 10 times a day to ensure my BG's stay in range.

and my current total daily basal is 25.6 units -- when on MDI I was on 32 units lantus at 6:30pm

The dsns use the guidance about pumps et Al from using the text book written by a very famous endo known as The Prof

himtoo said:

my DSN and I decided on my basal rates when I started 2 years ago and for the first 6 to 8 weeks we reviewed any changes I planned to make together -- but since then I do all my adjusting of all of my pump settings myself.
( so that means further basal testing ) and I normally test about 10 times a day to ensure my BG's stay in range.

and my current total daily basal is 25.6 units -- when on MDI I was on 32 units lantus at 6:30pm

Click to expand...

That's lotta strip testing! I would think you'd go CGM with a pump, but I realize it's a lot of stuff hooked up to you and sticking into you. Funny, I've always taken 25 of Lantus, I think I took 25 of Ultralente before it came out too. Just curious as to why you went to pumping after so many years doing MDI. You must have done pretty well with that too right?

Some people go 20+ years of MDI before going to a pump. Dont forget theyve only been around largely since 2010...

My DSN set me up but a very helpful member here helped me back in 2010 and within a week all basals changed and set up differently, and alot of the other settings. Pumps need to be managed by the users not the nurses. My fellow pump help here even in 2010 when new to that person too was far superior to that of my DSN or pump consultant.

TheBigNewt said:

That's lotta strip testing! I would think you'd go CGM with a pump, but I realize it's a lot of stuff hooked up to you and sticking into you. Funny, I've always taken 25 of Lantus, I think I took 25 of Ultralente before it came out too. Just curious as to why you went to pumping after so many years doing MDI. You must have done pretty well with that too right?

Click to expand...

I always liken testing to driving my car -- I wouldn't drive without a speedometer -- would you ?????????

I went to pumping because I had started to lose my hypo awareness after 42 years with T1D.

and yes my HbA1c's on MDI were always between 5.7% - 6.1% for many years on MDI.

newt -- I appreciate your inquisitiveness -- but your manner sometimes sets you out as aggressive and a know all.
you might want to lighten up , listen and learn from folks - I been doing this gig for 45 years in total and I am still learning all the time.
I appreciate you have 33 years so far - surely you must have learned in that time that we are all different ??

himtoo said:

I always liken testing to driving my car -- I wouldn't drive without a speedometer -- would you ?????????


newt -- I appreciate your inquisitiveness -- but your manner sometimes sets you out as aggressive and a know all.
you might want to lighten up , listen and learn from folks - I been doing this gig for 45 years in total and I am still learning all the time.
I appreciate you have 33 years so far - surely you must have learned in that time that we are all different ??

Click to expand...

I was just askin'. I knew there was a reason. I don't want to come off critical of anyone if I do sorry. When I was diagnosed in 1985 the endo I first saw (he was the endo teaching attending at the hospital I did my cardiology fellowship at) was putting people on pumps here and there even then. And glucometers were brand new then too. Mine was like a small briefcase you had to wipe off the strip and it took a couple of minutes. It was a couple hundred bucks but not outrageously expensive.

I realise you were just "askin"
we live in different cultures as well as having a different healthcare system.

I can't afford CGM ( I use libre intermittently ) -- and my HbA1c's don't warrant it -- our healthcare so differs from yours -- in the USA anyone with either money or a brilliant health care plan ( through their work ) can access the very best -- here it is need and available funding - so sometimes the very best is beyond our reach - but at point of need -- all our service is totally free

I do my very best with what I have access to and with my own personal knowledge , support and help from this forum.
it is all I can do........

I have a good healthcare plan at my work and insulin still costs me about $200/month. Like you I really don't need a CGM. But for 25 years I was essentially uninsurable because of diabetes. I paid cash for insulin, but you know it wasn't really any more than it is now. I could write my own scrips and fax 'em to Canada. I still pay cash for strips. I didn't need any healthcare those years fortunately, and figure I saved $100,000 in premiums I would have paid (self employed). I think your system is probably better. Your access to care might be a bit off though.