Pumping It Up!

Although I'm less than a week into my pumping life, I couldn't feel more liberated or be happier about the results. In addition to having awesome bs control during the ride on Sunday I was able to eat a delicious lobster roll with fries on Saturday night and eat POPCORN AT THE MOVIES following dinner!!!! When I was first diagnosed with diabetes I guess I shed away from putting myself in a situation that would be hard to control, like eating movie popcorn, having some french fries or sleeping in a bit. Now that I'm starting to understand how to use a square wave or dual wave bolus and how to adjust my basal rate I feel like I can once again eat all those foods I love, in moderation. I'm not sure if it is the confidence of knowing that my insulin can be constantly adjusted or that I don't have to stab myself to be able to eat but I feel as if the pump has lifted 1,000 of pounds off my shoulders.

One of my biggest frustrations with diabetes was going to the gym and being really worried about getting a low from lifting or running. Last week I had some problems adjusting my basal rate prior to working out and encountered a low while on the treadmill and another low after a secondary muscle group lift. I guess I didn't reduce my basal rate enough prior to exercise or bolused too much for my Clif Bar.

For me, lifting is a way to reduce stress and lets me clear my mind of all the things that are bothering me so any disruption to that routine is tremendously frustrating. Pre lift I like to have a Clif Builder Bar so I have enough energy to work my butt off for an hour and 15 minutes. While on lantus/ novolog I would eat my Clif Bar without a bolus and then have to bolus after my lift to account for any sugars I didn't work off. However, yesterday by reducing my basal rate to 50% 45 minutes before my workout and bolusing .5 units for the Clif Bar I ended my lift with a blood sugar of 89! I can't tell you how much a regulated blood sugar aids in recovery.