Just a pinch of basal.

This post feels a bit like the diabetic equivalent of 'first world problems'.  As I continue to learn how to use my Insulin pump, I'm realizing that it has a few short-coming still.

My main complaint is still the reservoir volume.  I used 33 of the 90 units of Novolog insulin in my first 'pod'.  This second 'pod' is on pace to use less than 1/3 of rather expensive liquid which I fill it with.

I need to see if I can find some U-40, which  is 40% of my current concentration U-100.  Either that or figure out how to dilute this stuff on my own.  Wish I still had my old pipettes (fancy liquid measuring tools accurate down to 1/1000th of a milliliter.  But I haven't been able to figure out the storage solution - need to dig out the product info sheet from my pile of diabetic handouts that I've been accumulating. One workout would also be to carefully combine some U-10 and my U-100 to make my own custom.

Other frustrations.  I haven't exercised in a week and I really really need to.  Sure the 'extra' time is nice since that's been more than taken up by the extra effort of managing my pump startup.  Plus, the more I think about it... NOT exercising is abnormal for me.  I understand that we're fine tuning basal rates, but I probably haven't had that many weeks in the last 10 where I didn't exercise.  Sedentary measures don't really give a base-line of my life.

I fuel much differently on rest days than I would on active days in which my total daily energy expenditure goes from 3000 to 5000 calories.  There is a lot more food and carbs on training days.  Rest days I'm not going to be eating a ton of carbs - just what I need.

I also wish this omnipod had a finger stabber built into it.  It's a hassle to have to carry the whole gigantic case with that thing.  The actual PDM fits nicely in my pocket, but if I want to test I need to bleed.  Perhaps I get a few more stabbers to keep in various locations so that I don't have to always rely on carrying the same one everywhere.

Those are just minor details and gripes about cost & convenience.  However, I have one very serious concern that affects my level of care.  This meter that is built into my pump reads 20-30 points lower than my previous meter.  What this means is that when I'm at what used to be 100 on the old unit, the new meter will tell me I'm at 70 which is too low.  If I'm basing all my current doses off of this offset measure I may really be averaging 130mg/dL over the last week rather than 100mg/dL (which I have been).

I need to get more sleep.