I've had quite a few decent numbers since I've started the whole Lantus switch from the pump. Wednesday was a bit rocky, as well as the first part of Thursday. But by two PM on Thursday, I was seeing stable levels close to range. It hasn't been completely stable or all that easy, but it's been comforting to already see numbers like 120 pop up on the meter screen.

Getting the night numbers to cooperate has been a bit challenging. For Friday morning, I woke up at 171 after 16 units of Lantus the night before. But Saturday morning, I woke up at 66 after 16 units of Lantus the previous night. Last night, I did 17 units of Lantus at 10PM, dropped to 69 at 3AM, but woke up at a nice round 110. So obviously, I need tweaking.

My post-breakfast numbers are really giving me trouble. Thursday, I was 371 after breakfast. Friday, I was 258. And Saturday brought a 358 that wouldn't come down after the low earlier that morning. I can't tell if it's the Lantus or the carb factor that is giving me these numbers. My afternoon and evening carb factor seems to be working fine. Breakfast was a problem on the pump as well, so I'm really not shocked. I just wish that it was a little easier to figure out which part to change.

I'm thinking it might be the times that I'm taking the insulin that are really throwing it all off. So I'm trying to take the Lantus at 10AM and PM for a day or two to see if that helps. Then I'd like to move it to 9AM and PM. The annoying thing about taking Lantus is that you have such a short window to take both injections. You have about a half hour (they quote an hour) to get the injection done outside of your normal time...so that means I have from 9:30 to 10:30 to take my Lantus without seeing gross results later.

I believe I can tolerate that though if I keep seeing the results that I'm seeing with this routine. I've had some lows (obviously!) but nothing too serious. I haven't dropped below 66 since I started. And the lows that I am having are much easier to treat (and leave me feeling much more in control of myself). I can treat with a juice box and see a 30 point rise in my blood sugar.

But that same ease of treating lows means that I can do far less "free" snacking. On the pump, I could eat a banana and rise about 20-30 points, which is something I could handle if I just really didn't want to bolus at the moment. But now, I eat a banana and I go from 124 to 295! I know that's normal and I should see a rise, considering my body isn't making any of its own insulin. But it's an adjustment to get used to bolusing for a banana or a 5 carb chocolate bar! Maybe it will make me consider the extra calories I take in though!

My averages are still up to 184 since I started, which irritates me, but it's also something that I'm willing to handle for the next few days. I'm guessing that I should have this figured out by Wednesday (putting me at a week). Then I'll be able to truly see the patterns and better averages and "easier" lifestyle (and decide if I'm staying off the pump for longer than 2 weeks).

I'm hoping that I can get the Lantus to work for me in a way that my basal blood sugars run about 100-120. And I'm also hoping that I can get my post-meal averages to look more like 160-180. Maybe Symlin is something that would really help with this routine (I'm also trying new supplements that are supposed to help and starting up my usual exercise this week). With those kinds of results, I should get averages in the 130's...which means a much lower A1c and less risk of complications!

I'm still emotionally attached to my pump though, all laughing aside. I do miss the ease of the extra things that it allows (like syringe free bolusing, sleeping late, etc). But I don't miss the 47 mg/dl blood sugars that leave me unable to use the brain in my head. And I don't miss the frustration of no patterns and random results. I'm just not sold either way at the moment, and maybe I never will be. We'll see what this turns into though!