Phoo on Glu

I just did a Glu survey last week and I'm still feeling disgruntled. There was no feedback form and it was written HORRIBLY and unlike most of the surveys I take there wasn't a "write to plony almony with comments or complaints" at the beginning plus as the consent form says, it's a commercial thing for profit.

And this is of and for the diabetes community?! Screw that. I'm not filling out any more glu surveys.

On Friday I got back on the Dexcom.
On Saturday, after fifteen months of pumping, I took off the pump and started on NPH (with R).

So far, my thoughts:
1. I NEED to get a vial protector to put on one vial because the N and R look way too similar. Feel too similar too.
2. Wow is it ever nice to get undressed without pulling on tubing.
3. Too bad I can't do corrections by just pressing a button.
4. I haven't figured out how NPH works in my body yet. I keep jumping to guesses that are proved wrong within hours.

Thinking about active insulin

On the Minimed 530 G, if I go to Basal Review, Standard Basal (11.35 u total), it looks like this:

1)00:00  0.850 U/H

2)05:30  0.200 U/H

3)14:30  0.450 U/H

4)20:00 0.600  U/H

If I pretend that Regular (which is the insulin that I pump) is equally active in the hour that I get it and the subsequent three hours, then the amount of basal insulin lowering my blood sugar in each hour is:

0000-0100) 0.6625

0100-0200) 0.7250

0200-0300) 0.7875

0300-0400) 0.8500

0400-0500) 0.8500

0500-0600) 0.7688

0600-0700) 0.6063

0700-0800) 0.4438

0800-0900) 0.2813

0900-1000) 0.2000

1000-1100) 0.2000

1100-1200) 0.2000

1200-1300) 0.2000

1300-1400) 0.2000

1400-1500) 0.2313

1500-1600) 0.2938

1600-1700) 0.2563

1700-1800) 0.4188

1800-1900) 0.4500

1900-2000) 0.4500

2000-2100) 0.4875

2100-2200) 0.5250

2200-2300) 0.5625

2300-0000) 0.6000

Which looks much more like a smooth rise from 2 in the afternoon until three in the morning, and a drop from five in the morning until about nine in the morning.

7 Prescriptions And What Became of Them

I went to the endocrinologist recently and got six prescriptions:

1. Novolin R, as usual. 
2. 6 Relion Prime test strips per day- as usual.
3. Syringes, for when I go off the pump, because the jet injector company appears to be out of business.
4. Novolin N, to give a try.
5. Glucagon, because the only ones I had were expired.
6. Multiclix drums, because I ought to change my lancet every now and then.

Then I took the prescriptions to Walmart. Here's what happened:

1. Insurance covered it but paid nothing. I paid $75 for three vials.
2. Insurance denied saying I needed prior authorization for such a large number. Also, that step testing was required. Paperwork was faxed to the endo. Does this make sense? No, particularly not given that my plan's formulary specifically states that PAST six per day, prior authorization is needed. I did not fill this 'scrip
3. Insurance covered but did not pay. So I bought just two boxes.
4. Insurance covered but did not pay. I bought one vial for $25.
5. The pharmacy had none in stock. As it turns out, insurance covers this and pays most of the cost, leaving me with $30 to pay should I ever fill the prescription.
6. Insurance paid 100%. I paid nothing for lancets.

Somehow this whole business seems backwards to me. They'll pay for the glucagon and lancets, which I could arguably do without, but not the insulin, syringes, or test strips?

I also called Dexcom last week to ask about getting insurance coverage to buy a new system. They left me a voice mail message saying that it's covered and I just need to call them back and approve it. Of course, I want to know how much insurance would leave me to pay, given that it has covered but left me with the full cost of most of my prescriptions so far!

In other news, I am now eight and a half years past diagnosis. My eyes still see, my heart still beats, my kidneys are making urine aplenty, and my feet are both still attached.