An Overview on Diabetes and the Pump

What does it mean to be a Type 1 Diabetic?  Well I was pretty sure I knew since one of my older brothers is a Type 1 but I can always learn more.  When I learned that I was actually a Type 1 about 6 weeks ago, my doctor wanted me to go to this two part class called "Insulin Forward" where you learn about the disease, nutrition, carb counting, insulin management, the pump, etc.  So I decided that even though I have had three years worth of dealing with my own Diabetes management and even more years dealing with it through other family members including my grandmother, my dad and my brother, I would go.  I would probably know most of the stuff the teacher had to say but who knew, there may always be something to learn.  And there was.

To begin, Type 1 Diabetes is where the pancreas is completely malfunctioning and is no longer producing insulin.  It may also be classified as an autoimmune disorder as often if there is any insulin produced by the pancreas, the body's immune system attacks it like an enemy cell and kills it.  Type 1 is a chronic and lifelong disease where you must rely on man made insulin for the rest of your life.  Whereas Type 2 is where the pancreas is making some insulin but the body is not using it efficiently.  Often Type 2 Diabetics are able to control their disease through diet and exercise but sometimes oral medication is used and usually as Type 2's get older, insulin shots are added to their regimen.  Sometimes that's just a Lantus shot, which is a long-acting insulin and sometimes it's both a short-acting insulin shot (Novolog or Humolog) to be taken with each meal along with the Lantus shot (long-acting).

In Diabetics there is kind of a two way battle going on inside the body.  Do you know which organ in the body produces glucose?  The liver.  That was something new I learned.  The liver, among other things, produces natural glucose in the body which is released into the blood stream.  In a healthy body, one without the Diabetic disease, the pancreas then produces insulin to be absorbed into the cells so that the glucose which is being produced by the liver can also be absorbed into the cells and used for energy.  So in a body with the Diabetic disease, there is the battle being fought with the pancreas and there is a battle being fought with the liver.  So for a Type 1 Diabetic like myself, I take an oral medication that works on suppressing the output of glucose from the liver as well as man made insulin shots to make up for the insulin that my pancreas isn't producing.

So no matter what, every time I eat, I have to take an insulin shot to combat the carbs/sugar that I just consumed because my pancreas is not doing anything inside my body to help out naturally.  So I may take up to 7-8 shots a day including my long-acting Lantus shot as well as my oral medication twice a day to work on suppressing the glucose output of my liver.  Now, with my new insulin pump, shots are done away with!  Even my long-acting shot because with the pump, insulin is continually being pumped into my body.  This is called my basal rate.  Now every time I eat a meal, I will shoot what is called a "bolus" from my pump.  This is like giving myself a shot but I don't have to actually give myself a shot because the pump is already attached to my body.  But every two to three days, depending on where my insulin reservoir is at (the amount of insulin in my pump) I do have to change the pump site and put it somewhere else on my body.  And to do that I insert a needle that is attached to the tubing of the pump into whatever site I choose on my body at the time, then release the needle so only the small insert at the end of the tubing is left inside my body to dispense the insulin.  The tubing can be twisted off for two hours at a time for whatever reason, mainly if I'm taking a shower or going swimming as the pump is not water proof, and must then be hooked back up.

So that is just an overview of the Diabetic disease, what is going on inside my body, and a little on how the pump works.  I get hooked up on my pump next Friday so I'm pretty anxious about it.  I think it's going to change my world.  I know it has helped my brother immensely so I hope it does the same for me.

(The Infusion Set - This is the the needle and tubing parts of my pump) 

(The Insulin Reservoir - This is where I will add the insulin and insert into my pump) 

(My new "wireless" Glucometer - This Glucometer is wireless so that when I take my blood glucose, it sends a signal to my pump and my blood glucose is already in the pump to be used for insulin measurements)