The position of the pump can influence the effectiveness of the flow of the insulin into our bodies. Here is the article from Diabetes Health.http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2010/01/27/6539/changes-in-the-position-of-conventional-insulin-pumps-shown-to-significantly-impact-accuracy-of-insu/ I gather from this that the flow is best when the pump is located on the body above the tubing, so the insulin is flowing downward. It is poorest when the pump is below the tubing and the insulin is flowing upward. That explains why i get lower BG numbers when my pump is on my belt and the site is on my lower ab or legs. The insulin is always flowing downward in those situations. If my pump was on my belt and my site was on my upper ab, above my belt, then the flow would be less effective since it would travel in an upward direction.
The position of the pump can influence the effectiveness of the flow of the insulin into our bodies. Here is the article from Diabetes Health.http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2010/01/27/6539/changes-in-the-position-of-conventional-insulin-pumps-shown-to-significantly-impact-accuracy-of-insu/
Diagnosed in 1945, when I was 6. Pumping with the MM 522. A1c = 5.5
See my profile for information about my book.
you have raised my engineering dander. I have never heard of somethign more ridiculous and I defy the"Research Institute and University of California, Santa Barbara" to produce the raw data.
Joe
joelicorcie at netscape dot net
Great! More stuff to be concerned with.
Joe,
I'm not sure - saw this link too: http://www.myomnipod.com/pdf/14276-AW%20Siphon%20Effects%20Study%20Reprint%20R1%2001-10.pdf
I found it curious but I had all but forgotten about it. If you get your hands on raw data, I will be very interested to see your review!
Cheers!
A-D
Joe, I am sorry your dander was raised. I hope your BG stayed steady. Lol! I do not necessarily believe this either, but since I have seen this on a few occasions, it has been researched and it was published in Diabetes Health, I thought it was something I could post. I did post this on 10 different diabetes sites and Juve is the only place I have seen any doubts expressed. I am certainly not going to promote this any further, it is posted for discussion purposes, and nothing more.
This reminds me of the bogus claim that saccharin causes cancer. It was found that the research was rigged and the findings were not true. Saccharin was reintroduced several years later. It is in the product "Sweet 'n Low" in restaurants and on the shelves in grocery stores. Not all research is relaible.
I have a MS in statistics. I would also be interested in analyzing the data involved with the claim made concerning pump vs tubing positions.
This is very interesting! I frequently use upper-arm sites and they've always been my most sensitive sites, which would contradict these findings. I always keep my pump in my right pocket, so it's a pretty long, winding, uphill trek to my upper arm, Lol.
Molly
Hi Joe,
I am a Type 1 women trying to get pregnant, and I recently purchased a book entitled Balancing Pregnancy with Pre-Existing Diabetes: Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby, by Cheryl Alkon. In a section about what to eat while pregnant, Alkon says that saccharin is not recommended for pregnant women, and that the American Dietetic Association recommends moderate intake. I avoid Sweet 'n Low and other artificial sweeteners whenever possible.
If you put the pump so the wiring goes between your legs and you do cartwheels, I hear that is effective for something too.
:)
David, if I tried that at my age it would probably put me in the hospital. Maybe I will drive to the hospital and do a cart wheel in the lobby. That is called planning ahead. Lol!!!
There are people on other sites who think the claim may be true. Here is one reply:
"I really wouldn't doubt this claim. It doesn't take a big experiment to prove that height change causes some insulin to be released. Disconnect the pump from the site. Hold it with the pump at the bottom and the tubing extended upwards. Then move the pump so it is above the tubing, and the tubing and needle are pointing downwards. You should see a drop of insulin immediately form at the end of the needle.. at least, I did. I hadn't even thought about it before."
Of course that drop could be some basal that would have been released regardless of the pump's position. Maybe so, maybe not???
David Shapiro If you put the pump so the wiring goes between your legs and you do cartwheels, I hear that is effective for something too.
Ha! Reminds me of when I had my pump-start training, the CDE told me not to wear the pump on roller coasters. My mom went with me to this training (she's a nurse, so an awesome back-up to call when I have difficulties!), and we were both like, "WHAT?! Will the force like, push more insulin through the tube?!" And the CDE said, "Oh. No. It's just a breakage issue. It could fall out of your pocket."
Not nearly as interesting a reason. :p
Type 1 at 30
A-D Joe, I'm not sure - saw this link too: http://www.myomnipod.com/pdf/14276-AW%20Siphon%20Effects%20Study%20Reprint%20R1%2001-10.pdf I found it curious but I had all but forgotten about it. If you get your hands on raw data, I will be very interested to see your review! Cheers! A-D
wow, so omnipod (the pump manufacturer that came out with the "least affected by position" claim by this uber-science group, has a link on it's website. =) gee i wonder if the data and the data purveyor are related?
In my defense I have just been pissy lately due to overwork, undersleep, and modicum pay. ;-) I really put an effort out there to not reply to "crisis awareness" alerts like this but it caught me off guard and I hit send instead of the little x in the upper right corner.
BTW, the rollercoaster thing is real, it has to do with the pump position relative to acceleration. it's real in terms of a possible (although highly unlikely) unintended bolus and it would be really rare to have anyone get a bolus this way. I think the CDE who said it's a pump physical damage thing may not have taken physics.
the pump position thing means that the hydrostatic head, caused by a reservior being above the infusion site, can and does overcome the resistance (friction) if the dual o-rings in the reservior plunger. I aint buying it. plus I dont know what kind of infusion set they used... the quickset is vented to prevent siphon. so I call shenanigans on the whole thing. I am not going to do another tirade or dissertation, I swear.
JoeBTW, the rollercoaster thing is real, it has to do with the pump position relative to acceleration. it's real in terms of a possible (although highly unlikely) unintended bolus and it would be really rare to have anyone get a bolus this way. I think the CDE who said it's a pump physical damage thing may not have taken physics.
See, that's much more interesting than "it might come out of your pocket!" :) And it also makes me more inclined to disconnect when I get on a roller coaster (not that I have the opportunity often).
Oh, and not to dis her (much), but I'm surprised that particular CDE had enough brainpower to make it through nursing school, so yeah, probably never took physics. She was a little bit a of a dingbat... And on a related note, she's lucky I'm not a regular patient of hers, because I'd have snapped if she made that startling "eh eh eh!!!" sound at me just one more time! I'm a human adult, not a dog or toddler, so I appreciate it when people use words to correct me (especially when I'm about to stick a cannula into my abdomen for the very first time ever!).
Joe I am not going to do another tirade or dissertation, I swear.
I am not going to do another tirade or dissertation, I swear.
LOL - I bet i can inspire another one <EG>