It’s been about two months since I started using an insulin pump (Medtronic Minimed), which followed 35 years of insulin injection routines. Overall, I am very satisfied with the pump, though, as always in diabetes care, there’s always room for improvement in self-management.

My biggest hurdles are the estimating the carb counts; previously, I pretty much just ate and did not think much beyond skipping the sugar. I am bit more restrained now, but still sometimes just take some wild guesses at the right amounts.

My overall blood glucose numbers are lower than before (maybe averaging 120-130 where before it was more like 150-160), and the real show is in a month or two at my next A1C test, where I had been running in the low 7.0s and maybe a 6.9 now and then. At my June doctor visit, we made some adjustments to the basal rates (setting higher rates for day time) that have helped a lot.

I have been wearing the pump while running and it’s not too much in the way, as I was already carrying a small fanny pack anyhow to hold glucose tabes, keys, and the ipod.

And actually for being out and about and work-related travel, it simplifies things as I do not have to cart around needles and insulin containers to meals; I just need my blood tested (with me or before I go).

So the pump update is… I am gald I started on this as a new routine.