adjust ing pump while on pre-op diet

I will be starting my pre-op liquid diet soon-what adjustments do you make when using insulin pump? I am very insulin resistant and basal right now is 5.5u/hr. any advice on this?

I'm going through this right now!   I started my pre-op diet on Friday and it was hell the first day.  Check your sugars alot.  I'm working with a rep from diabetic teaching, but your Endo can help as well.    I am very resistant so I have a high basal.    I dropped all mine down by 0.40 to start and dropped my Bolus from 7 to 5.    This is keeping me in the 5.0 - 6.3 range.   I'm on Meditrim for my pre-op meal plan.  Shakes and bars and they are 17g of carb per serving.  I'm allowed 4 servings, water, crystal light, black coffee and tea. 

Good luck,  I know Friday I was scared when my sugars kept getting lower and lower and I was trying to avoid treating for a low.   My lapband surgery is on the 25th.   Take care.

You must frequently test your blood sugars. I was about at your basal and dropped it in 1/2. If you check your blood sugar and don't eat for 4 hours and your sugar remains the same your basal is set right. Bolus for meals very accurately, check the carbs on your drinks!. Good luck. I did great but was scared like you and not getting much guidance. 

Thanks for all the advice- I am on last day of pre-op diet. Basal rate reduction from 5.5 u/hr to 1.5u /hr since starting. BG running a little higher last 10-12 hrs .[150's] I think it may be a stress reaction. Don't feel stressed but must be..... Heres to coming home off Insulin!! I hope!

I am actually pleased to see other Type I - insulin dependent - pump users on this sight.  Prior to my surgery, now more than 3 yrs. ago, there wasn't a single person on here with the same type of diabetes or even a pump user like myself.  So, I'm sorry? to say that I'm glad to see your questions. 

What I did was to keep checking my blood sugars more often than usual.  If my sugars dropped too low, I would shut off my pump for 1/2 hour at a time.  I do that now if I am feel my blood sugars falling & know that I am not about to eat.  When you're on a liquid diet, it's hard, but not impossible to get your blood sugars up with either a SMALL sugar popsicle or a SMALL sugar drink.  You say you are vey insulin resistant, so you may not have that much of an issue with lows as I did.   The other thing is definitely talk to your endocrinologist about reducing your basal rates.  Since you'll be testing your blood sugars more often, if due to your basal rate being reduced, your blood sugars climb, you can always take the appropriate amount of insulin to cover your high blood sugars. 

AS ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR FIRST!!!!!

The wonderful thing for me after having my lapband procedure is that first, I lost my extra weight & have been able to keep a good majority of it off AND I reduced the overall daily requirement of insulin from over 100 units per day to some days less than 30 units or so!!!  It's 'cause your insulin resistance normally reduces as your weight comes off, thus making your body more sensitive to the insulin that you will be taking after the operation.  

I am still working on keeping my weight off, but with the lap band, I am able to request adjustments as often as I need. 

Hope this was helpful.

Sharon in DE

I would deff talk with your doctor, When i was on pre-opp the shakes were making me crash alot but i was not allowed to adjust my basil rate, i  just could  not to Bolus and or correct, i also think that every Doctor does things different. i was very insulin resitant and i was on my pump wich had to be filled 2 times a day = 600 units and on top of that i was taking 20-30 units of u-500 witch equals another 200-300 units of insulin i was on a lot of insulin  and oral meds . no doctor could get me regulated i was seeing specialist on top of specialist. I am 33 years old and got to a point in my life i just could not do this anymore so i decided to have the gastric bypass and i am now 4 weeks and 1 day out and i am doing great,. The night of my surgery i was off my pump and oral meds i just take 15 units @ bedtime for the next couple if weeks and then i will be weened off that too. I just wanted to let yu know what happened with me  and i wish you the best of luck...

I'm so glad I found this post! I am getting clearances for the rny, and on the pump. I am on U-500, 40 units max right now, with a basal of 1.75. I notice my levels are lower than before, but still not in control. I am very insulin resistant.

My concern is how to use the pump after surgery. Will I even need it? I go to see my endo again in March. He yelled at me to have the surgery because he said there is nothing more he can do, except increase the insulin. It has caused me to gain weight, and I have neuropathy in my feel and ankles, and am on temporary disability from work because of the pain. Also, a previous heart condition has returned, and I have just learned from the pulmonolgist's prescreening, I have emphysema.  I am starting to be scared they won't even do the surgery.

I don't have to do a pre surgery diet, but who wants to eat anyway? I don't and haven't eaten much of anything for years, but the pounds just stay and increase. I am so frustrated and tired of all of these problems, and the pain really doesn't help matters.

I too was very insulin resistant-- My insulin was down to 1.5u/hr preop -- post op it took about 6 months but came off insulin in September! I am almost 1 year post op and am on no diabetes meds! A1C  6.4 good luck to you!

I would definitely consult with doctor. I would not reduce basals personaly from 5.5 to 1.5 just on the pre op diet alone. I did reduce it to 80% off during presurgical diet, and then when i was post op, had basal plans set at reductions. I quickly went down. So from using 140 units daily pre op, I'm now a year and a half plus I use about 65 early post op I was down to 35daily. I had these changes written in a note book, so family members and doctors could relay the information when I was medicated.

Good luck see that your surgery date is tomorrow.