Re: Insulin pump and ketones question

October 23, 2005

Hi Jen,

I can't answer your questions, because I am a type two diabetic, but I just

want to say you have some good questions there, and I'm glad you are going

back down now. Take care, and I'm sure glad things are working out better

tonight.

Prayers and God's Blessings,

Insulin pump and ketones question

> I have a question mostly for the type 1 diabetics on the list, especially

> those who use a pump. I've been considering a pump for a while now and am

> thinking of bringing it up with my doctor. Today, due to circumstances

that

> caused me to miss my lunchtime Humalog and not realize I couldn't do it

> until after I'd eaten, I came home this evening (six hours after lunch) to

a

> blood sugar of 18.6 and spilling moderate ketones. Needless to say this

has

> scared me into making sure I never forget my insulin pen again, or at

least

> making sure I have it before eating (I didn't realize ketones could

develop

> in just hours from missing only one shot, since I had Lantus in my system

at

> least, but guess I was wrong).

>

> Anyway, this made me think of the fact that people using an insulin pump

> have an even higher risk of developing ketones and ketoacidosis than

someone

> like I would, since if their pump stopped working they wouldn't have any

> insulin, not even something like Lantus, in their system. This is the one

> major disadvantage to using a pump that I can see, especially if I'm

living

> on my own as I probably would be. For those of you who use pumps, has it

> ever malfunctioned or otherwise stopped working for you, and if so, was it

> fixable quickly enough to avoid ketones? One of my fears is that I would

not

> notice if something was wrong with the pump and it wasn't delivering

> insulin, and/or that I wouldn't be able to figure out what was wrong if I

> did know.

>

> Also, how other type 1's test for ketones when you're high? I have enough

> vision that I can sort of see generally what the colour on the strip

changes

> to with a magnifier, although it's far easier to get a sighted person to

> look. I'm thinking if I get a pump I would want a glucose meter that could

> test for blood ketones as well as blood sugar, like the Precision Xtra.

>

> Also, does anyone have any idea how long ketoacidosis would actually take

to

> develop? I've thankfully never experienced it so don't really have any

idea.

> I've heard anything between a few hours to a day or two to a week or more.

>

> Sorry for all the questions, and thanks for any feedback! I got home about

> an hour and a half ago and my blood sugar is now 9.3, but the ketones are

> still there, I think they'll take a few hours to go away. Won't be

skipping

> insulin again, by accident or otherwise, anytime soon! That would be one

> advantage to the pump, at least: it's impossible to forget to bring your

> insulin.

>

> Jen

>

October 23, 2005

Hi Jen,

I can't answer your questions, because I am a type two diabetic, but I just

want to say you have some good questions there, and I'm glad you are going

back down now. Take care, and I'm sure glad things are working out better

tonight.

Prayers and God's Blessings,

Insulin pump and ketones question

> I have a question mostly for the type 1 diabetics on the list, especially

> those who use a pump. I've been considering a pump for a while now and am

> thinking of bringing it up with my doctor. Today, due to circumstances

that

> caused me to miss my lunchtime Humalog and not realize I couldn't do it

> until after I'd eaten, I came home this evening (six hours after lunch) to

a

> blood sugar of 18.6 and spilling moderate ketones. Needless to say this

has

> scared me into making sure I never forget my insulin pen again, or at

least

> making sure I have it before eating (I didn't realize ketones could

develop

> in just hours from missing only one shot, since I had Lantus in my system

at

> least, but guess I was wrong).

>

> Anyway, this made me think of the fact that people using an insulin pump

> have an even higher risk of developing ketones and ketoacidosis than

someone

> like I would, since if their pump stopped working they wouldn't have any

> insulin, not even something like Lantus, in their system. This is the one

> major disadvantage to using a pump that I can see, especially if I'm

living

> on my own as I probably would be. For those of you who use pumps, has it

> ever malfunctioned or otherwise stopped working for you, and if so, was it

> fixable quickly enough to avoid ketones? One of my fears is that I would

not

> notice if something was wrong with the pump and it wasn't delivering

> insulin, and/or that I wouldn't be able to figure out what was wrong if I

> did know.

>

> Also, how other type 1's test for ketones when you're high? I have enough

> vision that I can sort of see generally what the colour on the strip

changes

> to with a magnifier, although it's far easier to get a sighted person to

> look. I'm thinking if I get a pump I would want a glucose meter that could

> test for blood ketones as well as blood sugar, like the Precision Xtra.

>

> Also, does anyone have any idea how long ketoacidosis would actually take

to

> develop? I've thankfully never experienced it so don't really have any

idea.

> I've heard anything between a few hours to a day or two to a week or more.

>

> Sorry for all the questions, and thanks for any feedback! I got home about

> an hour and a half ago and my blood sugar is now 9.3, but the ketones are

> still there, I think they'll take a few hours to go away. Won't be

skipping

> insulin again, by accident or otherwise, anytime soon! That would be one

> advantage to the pump, at least: it's impossible to forget to bring your

> insulin.

>

> Jen

>

October 23, 2005

Thanks . My blood sugar last time I tested was 6.2 and ketones were

negative, so that was easily taken care of with insulin (though a lesson I

shouldn't skip a shot). I want to hear from insulin pump users because I'm

sure when I bring it up with my doctor he will have questions about how I'd

handle situations like that. In the time after posting I've thought of some

additional questions, but I'll wait to get responses to my first ones before

asking more. *smile*

Jen

Insulin pump and ketones question

>

>> I have a question mostly for the type 1 diabetics on the list, especially

>> those who use a pump. I've been considering a pump for a while now and am

>> thinking of bringing it up with my doctor. Today, due to circumstances

> that

>> caused me to miss my lunchtime Humalog and not realize I couldn't do it

>> until after I'd eaten, I came home this evening (six hours after lunch)

>> to

> a

>> blood sugar of 18.6 and spilling moderate ketones. Needless to say this

> has

>> scared me into making sure I never forget my insulin pen again, or at

> least

>> making sure I have it before eating (I didn't realize ketones could

> develop

>> in just hours from missing only one shot, since I had Lantus in my system

> at

>> least, but guess I was wrong).

>>

>> Anyway, this made me think of the fact that people using an insulin pump

>> have an even higher risk of developing ketones and ketoacidosis than

> someone

>> like I would, since if their pump stopped working they wouldn't have any

>> insulin, not even something like Lantus, in their system. This is the one

>> major disadvantage to using a pump that I can see, especially if I'm

> living

>> on my own as I probably would be. For those of you who use pumps, has it

>> ever malfunctioned or otherwise stopped working for you, and if so, was

>> it

>> fixable quickly enough to avoid ketones? One of my fears is that I would

> not

>> notice if something was wrong with the pump and it wasn't delivering

>> insulin, and/or that I wouldn't be able to figure out what was wrong if I

>> did know.

>>

>> Also, how other type 1's test for ketones when you're high? I have enough

>> vision that I can sort of see generally what the colour on the strip

> changes

>> to with a magnifier, although it's far easier to get a sighted person to

>> look. I'm thinking if I get a pump I would want a glucose meter that

>> could

>> test for blood ketones as well as blood sugar, like the Precision Xtra.

>>

>> Also, does anyone have any idea how long ketoacidosis would actually take

> to

>> develop? I've thankfully never experienced it so don't really have any

> idea.

>> I've heard anything between a few hours to a day or two to a week or

>> more.

>>

>> Sorry for all the questions, and thanks for any feedback! I got home

>> about

>> an hour and a half ago and my blood sugar is now 9.3, but the ketones are

>> still there, I think they'll take a few hours to go away. Won't be

> skipping

>> insulin again, by accident or otherwise, anytime soon! That would be one

>> advantage to the pump, at least: it's impossible to forget to bring your

>> insulin.

>>

>> Jen

>>

October 23, 2005

Thanks . My blood sugar last time I tested was 6.2 and ketones were

negative, so that was easily taken care of with insulin (though a lesson I

shouldn't skip a shot). I want to hear from insulin pump users because I'm

sure when I bring it up with my doctor he will have questions about how I'd

handle situations like that. In the time after posting I've thought of some

additional questions, but I'll wait to get responses to my first ones before

asking more. *smile*

Jen

Insulin pump and ketones question

>

>> I have a question mostly for the type 1 diabetics on the list, especially

>> those who use a pump. I've been considering a pump for a while now and am

>> thinking of bringing it up with my doctor. Today, due to circumstances

> that

>> caused me to miss my lunchtime Humalog and not realize I couldn't do it

>> until after I'd eaten, I came home this evening (six hours after lunch)

>> to

> a

>> blood sugar of 18.6 and spilling moderate ketones. Needless to say this

> has

>> scared me into making sure I never forget my insulin pen again, or at

> least

>> making sure I have it before eating (I didn't realize ketones could

> develop

>> in just hours from missing only one shot, since I had Lantus in my system

> at

>> least, but guess I was wrong).

>>

>> Anyway, this made me think of the fact that people using an insulin pump

>> have an even higher risk of developing ketones and ketoacidosis than

> someone

>> like I would, since if their pump stopped working they wouldn't have any

>> insulin, not even something like Lantus, in their system. This is the one

>> major disadvantage to using a pump that I can see, especially if I'm

> living

>> on my own as I probably would be. For those of you who use pumps, has it

>> ever malfunctioned or otherwise stopped working for you, and if so, was

>> it

>> fixable quickly enough to avoid ketones? One of my fears is that I would

> not

>> notice if something was wrong with the pump and it wasn't delivering

>> insulin, and/or that I wouldn't be able to figure out what was wrong if I

>> did know.

>>

>> Also, how other type 1's test for ketones when you're high? I have enough

>> vision that I can sort of see generally what the colour on the strip

> changes

>> to with a magnifier, although it's far easier to get a sighted person to

>> look. I'm thinking if I get a pump I would want a glucose meter that

>> could

>> test for blood ketones as well as blood sugar, like the Precision Xtra.

>>

>> Also, does anyone have any idea how long ketoacidosis would actually take

> to

>> develop? I've thankfully never experienced it so don't really have any

> idea.

>> I've heard anything between a few hours to a day or two to a week or

>> more.

>>

>> Sorry for all the questions, and thanks for any feedback! I got home

>> about

>> an hour and a half ago and my blood sugar is now 9.3, but the ketones are

>> still there, I think they'll take a few hours to go away. Won't be

> skipping

>> insulin again, by accident or otherwise, anytime soon! That would be one

>> advantage to the pump, at least: it's impossible to forget to bring your

>> insulin.

>>

>> Jen

>>

October 23, 2005

Hi Jen,

I'm afraid that I can't answer many of your questions either, but my son has

experienced an episode of ketoacidosis and it was very, very frightening!!

He spent one night in the intensive care unit of our local hospital and his

paediatrician told us later that there was about a twenty percent chance

that he wouldn't have survived the experience. However he did and is

currently pretty healthy.

What interests me is your question about how quickly ketones develop. I

think that it must be yet another feature of diabetes that varies wildly

among individuals or perhaps it depends upon how stable your levels are in

general or the underlying cause of the high level. I say this because

can have levels that are off the scale on his monitor (above 27)

and have no ketones at all. Our experience has largely been that ketones

are eliminated in a matter of hours after injecting sufficient insulin.

Glad to hear that everything came back under control quickly and I look

forward with interest to reading some more informed responses to your

questions.

All the best,

Cheryl.

Insulin pump and ketones question

>I have a question mostly for the type 1 diabetics on the list, especially

> those who use a pump. I've been considering a pump for a while now and am

> thinking of bringing it up with my doctor. Today, due to circumstances

> that

> caused me to miss my lunchtime Humalog and not realize I couldn't do it

> until after I'd eaten, I came home this evening (six hours after lunch) to

> a

> blood sugar of 18.6 and spilling moderate ketones. Needless to say this

> has

> scared me into making sure I never forget my insulin pen again, or at

> least

> making sure I have it before eating (I didn't realize ketones could

> develop

> in just hours from missing only one shot, since I had Lantus in my system

> at

> least, but guess I was wrong).

>

> Anyway, this made me think of the fact that people using an insulin pump

> have an even higher risk of developing ketones and ketoacidosis than

> someone

> like I would, since if their pump stopped working they wouldn't have any

> insulin, not even something like Lantus, in their system. This is the one

> major disadvantage to using a pump that I can see, especially if I'm

> living

> on my own as I probably would be. For those of you who use pumps, has it

> ever malfunctioned or otherwise stopped working for you, and if so, was it

> fixable quickly enough to avoid ketones? One of my fears is that I would

> not

> notice if something was wrong with the pump and it wasn't delivering

> insulin, and/or that I wouldn't be able to figure out what was wrong if I

> did know.

>

> Also, how other type 1's test for ketones when you're high? I have enough

> vision that I can sort of see generally what the colour on the strip

> changes

> to with a magnifier, although it's far easier to get a sighted person to

> look. I'm thinking if I get a pump I would want a glucose meter that could

> test for blood ketones as well as blood sugar, like the Precision Xtra.

>

> Also, does anyone have any idea how long ketoacidosis would actually take

> to

> develop? I've thankfully never experienced it so don't really have any

> idea.

> I've heard anything between a few hours to a day or two to a week or more.

>

> Sorry for all the questions, and thanks for any feedback! I got home about

> an hour and a half ago and my blood sugar is now 9.3, but the ketones are

> still there, I think they'll take a few hours to go away. Won't be

> skipping

> insulin again, by accident or otherwise, anytime soon! That would be one

> advantage to the pump, at least: it's impossible to forget to bring your

> insulin.

>

> Jen

>

October 23, 2005