A few weeks ago, when Healthy Living attended the JDRF TypeOneNation Summit in Belleville, our team members chose different breakout sessions to attend. We all learned a lot, and I want to take some time to pool our knowledge and share it with you!
Our Insulin Pump & CGM Therapy team attended a workshop that went in depth on insulin pump therapy, presented by Dr. Lowell Schmeltz. Here are some of the things that Crystal and George learned from the course.
Advanced Features Improve Results
Insulin pumps include many advanced features and functions that patients searching for tighter control of their diabetes can utilize. These optional features can make pumping more complicated, but if used correctly can greatly improve the results of pump therapy. One example is that some pumps offer is a dual-wave bolus, which contains a normal bolus as well as a second wave of insulin that is delivered over time. This is especially beneficial when eating foods that are high in fat and carbs, like pizza.
Insulin Pump Therapy Requires Focus
Pump users and caregivers need to remember a lot of information and continually go through a number of steps to maintain control with their insulin pumps. Dr. Schmeltz explained that the biggest issue that comes up for individuals using the pump goes back to the basics – entering their carbs for meals. He believes that people should read packages and measure their food for accurate carb counting (instead of estimates and guesses).
Simplifying for Encouragement
Dr. Schmeltz really engaged with attendees and had a great way of simplifying complicated concepts to make pump users feel comfortable with the idea of trying new things. One more of his recommendations was for patients to download their pump data between physician visits so their doctor can review their status at appointment time and make any necessary changes to their regimen.
We also were excited to learn about some of the new pump technology that is being tested, including the artificial pancreas. This new technology is much closer to being available to patients than many of us realized!