Eric – Kodiak, AK
The following story tells the individual experience of someone using insulin pump therapy and frequent blood sugar monitoring to manage his/her diabetes. As you read, please remember that the experience is specific to the individual. While clinical studies support pump therapy and frequent testing as effective tools for controlling blood sugars, results may vary, and not every response will be the same.
Wearing an insulin pump has allowed me to live the life I want to live, something that I couldn't do for the first 24 years that I had diabetes. Diagnosed when I was 18, I grew accustomed to a strict schedule of eating and giving myself insulin shots, which affected my entire family. If I had to eat at 6:00 p.m., my entire family did as well. We had absolutely no flexibility!
While using insulin shots to manage my diabetes, I experienced low energy and “brain fog,” as well as seizures in the middle of the night resulting from low blood sugar. About twice a year when I was asleep, I would have an extreme low and shake so badly that my wife would have to pin me down and give me a glucose injection. I later learned, from my doctor, that the seizures were the last stage of insulin shock before death.
When I finally hit rock bottom, I met a very energetic person who happened to be using an insulin pump. I started researching alternatives to insulin shots. After learning more about insulin pumps and finding out that my insurance would cover the cost, I decided to try the MiniMed 508 insulin pump. I couldn't believe how quickly my life changed! I felt like I was finally awake—no more “brain fog,” and I had more energy than I could ever remember. My average A1Cs before the insulin pump was 6.41. Now, my average A1C is 5.66.
– Eric
I quickly realized that the insulin pump benefited my family, too. No longer were they held hostage to my stringent insulin shot schedules. With just a few, quick button pushes to my insulin pump, my family could have meals and activities around all of our schedules—this was a first! In fact, my life has changed so much my wife feels like I don't have diabetes anymore because she's no longer plagued with worry about extreme low blood sugars. For the first time, I'm able to manage my disease and live the life I've always wanted to live.
This summer I completed two difficult challenges that I could have only dreamed of when I used insulin shots. I completed a half-iron-man triathlon in five hours and 25 minutes. During the race, my high blood sugar was 145 and my low was 75. I also finished an eco-challenge, which involves hiking, swimming, mountain biking and rafting for 10 straight hours. I had one low throughout the long challenge, but quickly and easily adjusted it with my insulin pump.
Since switching to my MiniMed insulin pump, I'm healthier than ever and I've accomplished things I never thought were possible six years ago. I've realized that all the small, daily changes that I've made because of the insulin pump, have added up to a big change in my lifestyle.
Eric – Kodiak, AK
To find out if intensive diabetes management using insulin pump therapy and frequent blood sugar monitoring is right for you, call 1-866-948-6633 (toll-free) for a referral to a diabetes specialist.
