Diabetes Technologies

Using the latest technology will help you manage your diabetes

An insulin pump is a small electronic device that will deliver all the insulin you need throughout the day. The pump can mimic the way a healthy pancreas functions, replacing the need for frequent injections. That means you don’t have to worry about injecting yourself with insulin throughout the day, the pump does it all for you. The pump delivers precise doses of rapid-acting insulin 24 hours a day, to match your body’s needs so you don’t have to worry about it.

There are two ways the pancreas produces insulin: basal insulin and bolus insulin. The basal rate in the pump is a small amount of insulin released continuously throughout the day to mimic the background insulin production of the pancreas. Basically, we need insulin throughout the day which is what the basal rate is.

Bolus insulin is the additional insulin you need when you eat carbohydrates and this can be tailored to the amount of carbohydrates you eat at each meal. If you have a big bowl of pasta for example, you will need more insulin to transport the glucose from the carbohydrates into the muscles,

The pump works by delivering the insulin through an infusion set attached to you through a small plastic needle and a thin plastic tubing.

The tubing and insulin cartridge is being replaced every 3 days and it is not painful to insert the sets, the set is inserted in the stomach and once there you can’t feel it at all.

Book an appointment with one of our health professionals at D for Diabetes today to learn more about insulin pumps and whether they are right for you.

A bolus calculator app is a smartphone app that is used to calculate quick acting doses of insulin for carbohydrates and corrections. They will calculate your insulin dose based on your current blood glucose level and the amount of carbohydrates you are about to eat. The app will also prevent you from stacking insulin because of an insulin tracking system incorporated into the calculator.

They contain the same features as an insulin pump including an insulin-to-carbohydrate ratio, a correction factor, a target for your blood glucose and also the insulin on board feature.

If you’re not quite ready for an insulin pump or would prefer to remain on injections, a bolus calculator app is a good alternative.

All our health professionals are trained in all ways of treating diabetes, so contact us if you want to know more about these.

CGM and flash monitoring give you the option of monitoring your blood glucose level without- or reduced finger pricking.

The CGM can be programmed to give you warnings for high and low blood glucose levels. Some CGM works with insulin pumps and can be programmed to suspend the insulin before you have a “hypo” so it can stop or reduce the lows.

Other CGM works through an app on your phone so you at all times can see your blood glucose level on the phone and also get warnings for high levels as well as lows. You can even have people (parents, partners or friends) following your blood glucose level on their phone and warn you if your blood glucose levels are not on target.

Flash glucose monitoring is bypassing the blood glucose monitoring almost entirely. The sensor (Libre from Abbott) is applied and lasts for 2 weeks and with a monitor or/and an app on your phone, you can scan the blood glucose level throughout the day to be up to date with your glucose levels at all time.

CGM and flash glucose monitoring is supported by NDSS for a limited number of people with Type 1 Diabetes. Others will have to purchase the CGM themselves as there are no refund from the health funds for CGM and flash glucose monitoring.

If you want to know whether you are eligible for CGM or flash glucose monitoring, D for Diabetes can help you. We work closely with the government to get our clients the most back on their diabetes management tools. Contact us today to book a consultation to discuss your options.