what is teathering?

[fortristan]

I've heard this mention a few times and I was curious as to what this method is.

[Jeff]

I think the correct question is "What is untethering?"

See:
http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/clinic/untethered.htm

[Amy C.]

Do you mean the non-tethered regime for using insulin?

This is using a shot of Lantus for the basal and the pump for boluses. It is described here: http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/clinic/untethered.htm.

I like the basal options offered by the and haven't seriously considered using this.

[miss_behave]

Not everyone untethers 100%. I think most do a percentage of pump basal and a percentage of Lantus. It allows you to disconnect for longer periods, and in the case of pump failure, there is some Lantus working so you don't go as high.
I don't understand why anyone would untether 100%.Why have a pump at all if you're only going to connect for a few seconds to bolus? You might as well just have an Iport for that, why need the tubing and the pump :confused:. One of the best things about the pump is the ability to have varying basal rates. And I've heard that you should have a small amount of basal running anyway, to "keep the port open"

[Ivan's Mum]

we're going to do it 100% are just getting the lantus basals right and sorting the I:C ratio before we connect to the pump - this is to make the transmission smoother.

We're connecting to the pump for the bolus alone for the following reasons
a) exact bolus - not to the nearest generous or small half unit
b) exact corrections - never underestimate a small tweek
c) we can connect if he's sick and needs a temp basal
d) we can do an extended bolus to cover pizza
e) he can run around all morning with no pump attached and I won't need t oconnect unless he eats
f) I won't find the pump hanging from a tree, roof, the neighbours house - he's pretty active:D
g) he's doesn't have to sleep with it.
h) we're coming up to summer!

Hope that helps, there are a few people doing it here and they're all pretty happy with it.

[Ali]

I have also heard about infusion sets and pump lines getting clogged without a continuous drip as another poster mentioned. Do you do anything special to make sure everything is working or has not gotten clogged while disconnected? Thanks for the info. Ali

[Ivan's Mum]

I have also heard about infusion sets and pump lines getting clogged without a continuous drip as another poster mentioned. Do you do anything special to make sure everything is working or has not gotten clogged while disconnected? Thanks for the info. Ali

We're leaving the pump running on the lowest basal (going animas so .025) even after a day this isn't much insulin wasted. With the site, I figure with the bolus that's going thru we should be fine, most of his bolus figures will be at least a few units entering at one time, his bfast ratio is 1:10 and he eats 80gms so even after a night, the flush down the line will be huge!

Either way the correction will be much better than I could deliver with a syringe.

I do think it's important to keep the pump running whilst not in use and it probably would use less insulin than continually priming the line.

Hope that helps.