OK, this week I turned in my study pump-and-continuous-monitor, started using my new DexCom, started Symlin, went back to my old pump, had it break two days later, and am now using Lantus and a Novolog Jr pen until my replacement pump shows up on Saturday (right before the big family party at my house…) Busy, busy, busy.
I was going to jot down some of my first impresssions/pleas for improvements on the various hardware I’ve been using, but I left my notes at work, and I’m not going to be back in there until Wednesday, when I can hopefully come up with a more in-depth analysis of my pros/cons of the two continuous monitors I have used…
So instead, for today I’ll jump onto the Symlin-starters bandwagon and add my comments. Let me say that having a continuous monitor does a lot for my piece of mind, from trying the new drugs to guestimating the seldom-used back-up plan…
1. My dr’s office started me out on 2.5 units of Symlin with half my regular insulin dose. Believe it or not, for dinner this was perfect. I watched my BG on the DexCom arch gracefully up about 40 points and then back down, over the course of three hours or so. We still want to increase the Symlin, but I’ll have to cut the dinner insulin back to a quarter my regular dose.
2. Lunch seems to be better right now with about 80% of my insulin bolus plus the 2.5 units of Symlin.
3. Breakfast still sucks, even with 80% of the bolus dose. Tomorrow we try 100%, then scale it back on Sunday when I up the Symlin to 5 units.
4. I wish Symlin came in a pen – or that I could use it to fill some Novolog Jr cartridges. Symlin people – are you listening?
5. Even better, any plans to test out Symlin mixed with insulin? Maybe for people who’ve already done the ramp-up to a standard dose…
6. I haven’t experienced any nausea, or appetite issues. The theory is by starting out on a really low dose and ramping up gradually, your body will be less shocked into nausea. I hope so. Haven’t noticed any changes in my feeling full or snacking, either. Which is fine by me.
7. Symlin makes my continuous monitor graphs look more like a “typical” T1 reaction, instead of the near-vertical ups and downs. Or at least it did when I still had access to a combo bolus, which is pretty damn hard to do with a syringe (you push it veerrry slowly…) It seems to smooth stuff out overall, even at the lowest dose. We’ll see what happens when I’ve worked up to 10 units….
3 comments:
Symlin and Insulin in the same vial -- won't happen, different pH values so they are compatible.
Remember to inject in a different place than you inject insulin for the same reason.
I too have been begging for a pen, for just about a year now, but on the other hand, I doubt they will run out of vials like they are running out of pens (Byetta is having that problem and Amylin owns both).
I atteneded the ADA Scientific Sessions in Washington in early June. Amylin announced that they were working with their partner, Eli Lilly & Co., to introduce a Symlin Pen which will be available in the U.S. market during Q3 2006. (see my blog post at http://sstrumello.blogspot.com/2006/07/ada-66th-annual-scientific-sessions.html for mention of some other developments) In the interim, I would suggest using a Wright Prefilled Syringe Case? Its certainly easier than carrying a vial and syringe around!
Val
Can you skip Symlin if you are having a small meal or one that you think is less likely to create a high spike?
Just curious. I'd only heard about Symlin a few months ago and I'm going to be talking with my endo about it at my next visit.
Bernard
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