it's hard to believe, but i have only one month remaining in the clinical trial! this weekend i'll make my fourth trip to virginia before going back one final time in february to turn all of the trial equipment back in.
how's it going, you want to know?
here are the stats:
time in target range: 63%
time below range: 2%
time above range: 19%
total daily dose: 44.125 units
basal: 21 units (47%)
bolus: 24 units (53%)
carbs per day: 124g
sensor glucose average: 150
as compared to my manual mode stats:
time in target range: 65%
time below range: 10%
time above range: 22%
total daily dose: 48.75 units
basal: 15 units (32%)
bolus: 33 units (68%)
carbs per day: 133g
sensor glucose average: 141
over the last month, i've made peace with the fact that the medtronic 670g insulin pump is only the first step towards a fully automated artificial pancreas. yes, the basal rates are automated and work fairly well, but there's still work to be done in terms of automating corrections and meal boluses. automated basal rates aren't enough to "fix" diabetes.
while this study hasn't been the "diabetes vacation" that i'd hoped it would be when i was first accepted, it has been useful and it has been beneficial. as one of my study mates said, "i've never been in a study that's been life-changing, but i've also never been in a study that didn't teach me something about how to better manage my diabetes".
what i'll take from this study is a better understanding of my basal rates (i can identify the patterns that the pump's algorithm chose for me and try out similar basal rates on my omnipod when i go back to it), and confidence that, although i'll always be striving for better and i'll always be frustrated when my body doesn't cooperate, i'm doing a pretty good job at managing type 1 diabetes already.
how's it going, you want to know?
here are the stats:
time in target range: 63%
time below range: 2%
time above range: 19%
total daily dose: 44.125 units
basal: 21 units (47%)
bolus: 24 units (53%)
carbs per day: 124g
sensor glucose average: 150
as compared to my manual mode stats:
time in target range: 65%
time below range: 10%
time above range: 22%
total daily dose: 48.75 units
basal: 15 units (32%)
bolus: 33 units (68%)
carbs per day: 133g
sensor glucose average: 141
over the last month, i've made peace with the fact that the medtronic 670g insulin pump is only the first step towards a fully automated artificial pancreas. yes, the basal rates are automated and work fairly well, but there's still work to be done in terms of automating corrections and meal boluses. automated basal rates aren't enough to "fix" diabetes.
while this study hasn't been the "diabetes vacation" that i'd hoped it would be when i was first accepted, it has been useful and it has been beneficial. as one of my study mates said, "i've never been in a study that's been life-changing, but i've also never been in a study that didn't teach me something about how to better manage my diabetes".
what i'll take from this study is a better understanding of my basal rates (i can identify the patterns that the pump's algorithm chose for me and try out similar basal rates on my omnipod when i go back to it), and confidence that, although i'll always be striving for better and i'll always be frustrated when my body doesn't cooperate, i'm doing a pretty good job at managing type 1 diabetes already.