teminology

[lahl]

Howdy:

i'm still new here and trying to decipher some of the things i'm reading. i'm in the process of shopping for a new pump and don't understand what some of the initials mean:

CGMS - i know this has something to do with counting carbs but could someone let me know what those initials mean and what these things do? why would i want and/or need one? i haven't had one for 20 years and i'm doing great, but i'm curious and open to change ...

DP - don't have the faintest idea what this means .... dead plants, dipping petunias, diabetic patient, don't point??

MDI - multiple daily injections?

are there any other initials i should understand?

oh, i've edited this in: i'm confused about the computer hook-up stuff, can anyone summarize for me what it does, how it works, what are its benefits. the pump companies assume i know what it is and i have no idea. it seems some companies have more than others but i'm having a heck of time sorting the technology end of thing.

thanks for your help.

lahl

[xMenace]

CGMS - Continuous Glucose Monitoring System

DP - Dawn Phenomenon

MDI - multiple daily injections?

PP - Post Prandial

GI - Glycemic Index

BG - Blood Glucose

[fgummett]

I suggest a sticky with commonly used forum acronyms..? :)

[Scrabblechick]

Good idea, Frank!

[Gary_W]

The computer end of things depends on the pump. I have the Animas 2020 and on that, the PC side allows you to edit any of the settings (not strictly needed as you can do it all on the pump), edit the food database to add your own items and it also allows you to download the history. This is useful as you can see the insulin taken vs BG which can help you spot trends and hopefully improve your control.

Gary

[xMenace]

I suggest a sticky with commonly used forum acronyms..? :)


I thought there was one already, but I couldn't find it.

[pegasus]

I suggest a sticky with commonly used forum acronyms..? :)

And a "sticky" is .... ?;)

[fgummett]

And a "sticky" is .... ?;)

It's a thread that is "stickied" at the top of the forum so it is readily available, as opposed to the normal threads that eventually disappear into the pile as others come along on top of them :)

[Subby]

Bit more to answer your questions:

CGMS - continuous glucose monitoring system. This is another device attached subcutaneously (below skin) that will take BG (blood glucose) readings through the day, commonly a few minute interals I believe. In the case of the Minimed pump+CGMS real time system, it will send the results to the pump and you'll get a nice little graph showing your recent BG trends. I don't know exactly the details with it: haven't used that system. I think you can set a range for it to beep at you, ie, too high, too low.

It sounds great right? I'm guessing it is pretty good to "own": I've borrowed an older CGMS for a few days at a time, and it's wonderful to get graphs of your blood glucose trends, good for researching and analysing all your insulin factors - all depending on what effort you put in, of course.

A few things it doesn't do: it doesn't make insulin delivery automatic, it's doesn't make it a "closed loop"... you still need to make decisions. Instead it gives a lot more BG history feedback (and possibly a warning of you BG trend... nice). It doesn't negate finger sticks, you need to calibrate it with a few (4, 6) tests a day. It's expensive, of course depending on your insurance/subsidy options. It seems to come with it's own set of issues in regard to accuracy, and set problems (attaching it, sore sites etc).

I've noticed people who use it who really get a lot out of it, and I am very much looking forward to the time it is government subsidised in Australia. But I don't think there's an automatic argument to jump on board with it when starting pumping, unless absolutely sure that's what you want. You can always add it in later, if with Minimed.

People with more experience feel free to correct me, please.

[Subby]

Dawn Phenomenon - many diabetics find they have an increased need for insulin around the time of waking up. This could be the increased adrenalin released into the blood stream, as the body activates. In effect it's like a release of "internal sugar". It is a common issue and the work around is usually with basal insulin. A fictional example: on the pump, a person might need to increase basal insulin rate for 10% from 6am to 8am, to cover the increased need at that time of day, and avoid their BG going high.

[Tony]

I found this post by Deusxm, a nice list.

If you guys like to get a good list going here we can compile it and make it a sticky.
Deus's Diabetes Dictionary v0.1

IDDM - Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (or T1 to you and me)

NIDDM - Non-insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (T2)

MODY - Mature-Onset Diabetes of the Young. T2 in under-30s, usually the term is only applied to those who appear to have developed the condition purely through genetics.

LADA - the opposite of MODY - Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (basically a form of T1 that occurs in adults that takes a while to develop, AKA T1.5) Also a poor-quality brand of car from the former USSR. Neither form of LADA is particularly fun to have and both require similar amounts of maintainance.

Dxed - diagnosed

MDI - Multiple Daily Injections (the insulin treatment plan that involves basal insulin injections and then bolus injections when you eat)

Basal - background insulin. This sort of insulin is usually long-lasting, slow-acting and shouldn't actually reduce your BG levels, it should just keep them constant.

Bolus - the extra insulin you take when you eat. Usually short-lasting, fast acting, and reduces any BG spikes.

BG, BM, BS - Blood Glucose, Blood Monitoring, Blood Sugar. All mean the same thing ie. it's the reading on your meter.

HbA1c - aka A1c. A blood test that evaluates your average BG for the last 3 months based on the haemoglobin of your blood cells. The more scientific-minded amongst us refer to it as 'how sticky your blood is' :biggrin:

DKA - Diabetic Ketoacidosis. What happens when you haven't got enough insulin. It's another form of metabolism that primarily burns fat and muscle and makes your blood all acidic. Will be fatal if not treated.

Ketones - waste products of DKA that show up in your urine. Generally not a good thing to have, although if you wake up in the morning and find really minor traces of ketones, it's probably not a problem, provided they go away.

Hypo - short for hypoglycaemia. Low blood sugar. Like being drunk but without the good bits. Needs some sugar in order to correct.

There's loads more, but now I'm bored with my dictionary.:boring:

[palefacegirl03]

YDMV = your diabetes may vary

[morrisma]

Might have missed these in previous postss but repitition helps everyone :D
YMMV - Your mileage may vary
BS - blood sugar
BG - blood glucose (same as BS)
FBG - fasting blood glucose