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Omnipod pump not improving HBA readings

W

Worthy

Member
Hello - im new to this forum
i have been T1 for 26 years since Age 31
and for last 2 years have been on Omnipod pump
My last 2 HBA readings were at 65 , 69 which is worse than when i was on my old regime of insulin pen
insulin type is unchanged - Actrapid
i average 10 tests per day and am extremely active - Gym /competitive table tennis 4 -5 times per week

I use the pod to adjust basal rates and do tweak the IC ratios but ,mainly due to the exercise i still have highs and lows ..my SD readings average 3.5

I would not go back to the old regime but am disappointed i have been unable to improve my HBA readings

any similar experiences out there ?

Tony
 
Hi there Tony and welcome to the forum !! :)

I am also type 1 -- for 45 years and went on omnipod 2.5 years ago.

with all the info you have supplied i would suggest perhaps you should try starting over.

that is to say -- revisit getting basal rates sorted - here is a link to basal rate testing
https://mysugr.com/basal-rate-testing/ i tend to spend a couple of days every couple of months revisiting my basal rates to ensure they are still matching my needs.

when i started pumping the main reason ws to try and prevent as many hypos and for me it has been a success. my Hba1c has gone from 39 onMDI to 46 on the pump and i get lots less hypos.and SD on my BG readings is 2.0 - 2.2.

ALSO-- could i suggest moving your thread to the Insulin pump section of the forum-- you should get a quicker response . I can do this for you if you agree.
 
Thank you for your reply - i have had a look at the link and already downloaded a couple of the books recommmended in the article .
I agree that i need to spend more time on my Basal analysis
Please do move my psot to the Insulin pump section ...i wil ltry to find it !
cheers , Tony
 
Worthy said:
Hello - im new to this forum
i have been T1 for 26 years since Age 31
and for last 2 years have been on Omnipod pump
My last 2 HBA readings were at 65 , 69 which is worse than when i was on my old regime of insulin pen
insulin type is unchanged - Actrapid
i average 10 tests per day and am extremely active - Gym /competitive table tennis 4 -5 times per week

I use the pod to adjust basal rates and do tweak the IC ratios but ,mainly due to the exercise i still have highs and lows ..my SD readings average 3.5

I would not go back to the old regime but am disappointed i have been unable to improve my HBA readings

any similar experiences out there ?

Tony
Click to expand...
Why do you use Actrapid out of curiosity? It's better to use a rapid-acting insulin in a pump (NovoRapid, Humalog, Apidra or Fiasp) and then you can use extended boluses if you need a slower release depending on your meal. By using Actrapid, which is very slow-acting and lasts up to 8 hours, you are diminishing the usefulness of temporary basal rates. I also don't even think Actrapid is meant to be used in pumps, since they used to sell a buffered version of it for pumps called Velusolin or something, so it's possible Actrapid could be clogging and causing you problems.
 
Last edited:
Worthy said:
Hello - im new to this forum
i have been T1 for 26 years since Age 31
and for last 2 years have been on Omnipod pump
My last 2 HBA readings were at 65 , 69 which is worse than when i was on my old regime of insulin pen
insulin type is unchanged - Actrapid
i average 10 tests per day and am extremely active - Gym /competitive table tennis 4 -5 times per week

I use the pod to adjust basal rates and do tweak the IC ratios but ,mainly due to the exercise i still have highs and lows ..my SD readings average 3.5

I would not go back to the old regime but am disappointed i have been unable to improve my HBA readings

any similar experiences out there ?

Tony
Click to expand...

Also, remember a pump by itself is just a tool that can be manipulated more than MDI to achieve certain results, but it doesn't guarantee a better A1C. Some people even have worse A1Cs after pumping (though often lower SD). I'm a big fan of pumps, but site problems and inconsistent absorption can cause some people, including myself, more problems than MDI even if the basal rates and ratios make sense.
 
It sounds like you have just struggled to balance the insulin dosing and the activity.....which is a hard thing to do for some...

my previous attempts to deal with regular exercise have never been consistently successful.....

what is your approach currently to the gym and table tennis?
 
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