My Veo – two days from retirement
As I’ve endlessly banged on about on your soaraway Shoot Up’s social media channels; I’m getting a new pump this week. Medtronic’s 640G no less.
The thing itself arrived yesterday and I spent an enjoyable (I define “enjoyable” quite widely in this context) evening reading the manual and programming my many and varied basal rates, etc., etc.
Given that human nature dictates that we love poking around in other people business, I thought I would publish all my pump settings for all your prurient, base interests.
So here we go, in all their glory:
| Pattern A | Basal u/h | Ratio | Sensitivity |
| 00:00 | 1.8 | 8 | 1.3 |
| 01:00 | 2 | 8 | 1.3 |
| 02:00 | 2 | 8 | 1.3 |
| 03:00 | 2 | 6.5 | 1.3 |
| 04:00 | 1.5 | 6.5 | 1.3 |
| 05:00 | 1.5 | 6.5 | 1.3 |
| 06:00 | 1.5 | 6.5 | 1.7 |
| 07:00 | 1.5 | 6.5 | 1.7 |
| 08:00 | 1.3 | 6.5 | 1.7 |
| 09:00 | 1 | 6.5 | 1.7 |
| 10:00 | 0.7 | 6.5 | 1.7 |
| 11:00 | 0.7 | 6.5 | 1.7 |
| 12:00 | 0.7 | 6.5 | 1.7 |
| 13:00 | 0.7 | 6.5 | 1.7 |
| 14:00 | 0.4 | 6.5 | 1.7 |
| 15:00 | 0.2 | 7.5 | 1.7 |
| 16:00 | 0.1 | 7.5 | 1.7 |
| 17:00 | 0.1 | 7.5 | 1.7 |
| 18:00 | 0.5 | 7.5 | 1.7 |
| 19:00 | 1 | 7.5 | 1.7 |
| 20:00 | 1 | 7.5 | 1.3 |
| 21:00 | 1 | 7.5 | 1.3 |
| 22:00 | 1 | 8 | 1.3 |
| 23:00 | 1.5 | 8 | 1.3 |
I’m always stunned that I need 0.1 u/h from 16:00-17:00 (and still have regular hypos at this time of day) but slop in 2.0 u/h during the night. What a difference! How I managed on multiple daily injections I don’t know. Here there are again in graph form- just look at that drop!
As an aside, those that are interested might want to know that I keep all my pump settings backed up in a Google Docs spreadsheet – which also produces the lovely graph I screenshotted above.
[Another update]
From the comments, I’ve charted the basal rates of everyone who’s commented below in a handy graph (this time in proper Excel 2016 format!) that’s on the same scale for everyone. Draw whatever conclusion you would like from this data:
It kills me to say it but it really is quite interesting to see that. I never really get to see other peoples’ basal patterns. That’s an impressive range you have there, far bigger than mine – my lowest rate is 1.05 overnight and my highest 1.55 in the evening.
Interestingly 4-5pm is the hypo witching hour for me too. Basal fiddling sorts it to a degree but never completely. Smartguard on the 640G with CGM is brilliant for that, it kicks in fairly often to prevent lows at that time (whereas if I just reduce my basal I end up high half the time as the lows don’t happen every day).
I’ve also thought about tweaking my ratios at lunchtime – perhaps that’s a cause of the dip? I need to experiment really; but life sometimes seems a little short.
Because I found it strangely interesting to compare basal patterns and see how different they are, here are mine:
00:00-07:30 1.05
07:30-14:00 1.45
14:00-18:00 1.40
18:00-00:00 1.55
Yours are really boring Alison!
You want interesting? Now here, is interesting (for a given value of interesting):
Time Basal 1 Basal 2
0-1 0.71 0.71
1-2 0.77 0.77
2-3 0.54 0.54
3-5 0.51 0.51
5-6 0.56 0.56
6-7 0.90 0.62
7-8 0.96 0.62
8-9 1.00 0.75
9-10 1.15 0.95
10-12 0.80 0.70
12-13 0.95 0.75
13-14 1.20 0.95
14-15 0.85 0.60
15-126 0.66 0.50
16-17 0.55 0.55
17-18 0.70 0.70
18-19 1.20 1.20
19-20 0.85 0.85
20-21 0.50 0.50
21-22 0.58 0.58
22-24 0.60 0.60
(Basal 1 is for work days, basal 2 is for non work days).
How I would love as smooth as basal curve as you, Alison! Even yours, Tim, are more regular than mine are. And I have basal tested them to death, and that’s where they are.
I’ve graphed both your basals and added them to the original article for general interest – I guess given you’d posted them in the comments you wouldn’t mind the unwashed masses pouring over them.
No worries – good for others to see how different everyone is 🙂
It is quite interesting, isn’t it? If we get any more I might do some cool graphy things to compare and contrast.
I’m in! Your rates all look too lofty, and your boluses too tiny. Here’s one for the more basally challenged/mega-bolusers:
0000 .500
0400 .550
0630 .750
0730 .850
0930 .650
1530 .600
1700 .700
2200 .500
Cheers Mike – graphed and added. These are all on different scales though making comparison really awful.
That’s really interesting to see. Sorry mine are so dull.
What are people’s bolus v basal percentages? Mine is 52% bolus v 48% basal.
Basal 60% bolus 40%. Interesting to note that the basals put up here all have a dip at 4pm. What is happening at 6pm across the country to make us all need less basal?
Basal 39%, bolus 61% – interesting.
Almost always 40% basal vs 60% bolus. Always were on MDI too.
That’s the article updated with a new chart with everyone’s basal rates on the same scale. If you too want to join in the fun then post your basal’s here (or email me at tim@shootuporputup.co.uk and I’ll add them anonymously if you prefer)
Oooh Data! I love comparing data! Here’s mine (please note I am apparently weird and a bit backward according to my hospital…):
Basal 1:
00 – 02 0.75
02 – 04 1.4
04 – 06 0.75
06 – 08 1.1
08 – 11 1.2
11 – 14 1.9
14 – 16 1.1
16 – 19 0.8
19 – 21 1.4
21 – 00 0.55
Basal 2:
00 – 02 1.3
04 – 06 1.4
06 – 08 1.2
08 – 11 1.4
11 – 14 2.9
14 – 16 1.5
16 – 19 1.0
19 – 21 1.9
21 – 00 0.65
(Basal one vs basal two are for different parts of my cycle – huge difference!)
Thanks Angie – duly added to the graph!
I love numbers, graphs and other people’s vastly different usage.
I love this thread! Tim, your profile has to be the most pump suited.
Mine’s fairly flat but it works for me (sometimes):
Average basal 44% to 56% bolus.
00:00 – 06:30 0.475
06:30 – 08:00 0.500
08:00 – 09:00 0.550
09:00 – 13:00 0.600
13:00 – 17:30 0.575
17:30 – 21:00 0.550
21:00 – 22:30 0.525
22:30 – 00:00 0.500
Lovely – I’ve added them to the graph Dave. Yours are quite dull – but at least they were quite quick to type into Excel!