Hi
@JJay
I switched to apump as I was finding it very difficult to get my basal to match my needs, and with The variability in each of my days I wanted to be able to make regular adjustments. I too have pens as my back up but have rarely needed them.
The fine tuning of the pump to suit your needs can help to reduce hypos, and also gives you the flexibility to make a change to basal insulin by temporarily turning it up or down. I do this for sports, turning my basal rate down an hour before I start and then stopping it when I finish. I also run my pump at just 50% basal and Bolus when I am out walking for a full day. So flexible. BUT it does require constant monitoring which does not suit everyone.
I have had two occasions when my pump went wrong in eight years. I soon noticed because my levels rose quickly, as others have said would happen, but I felt rough so tested, spotted the issue and used pens to give a correction whilst I sorted it out. Neither of these led to a DKA, although I did develop some ketones, but because of the monitoring I found out and sorted it. The levels started to drop within an hour and I just checked that they continued in the right direction.
I take my pens with me if I am going to be more than hour from home (if nearer I can get back to them if needed), but I very rarely need them, and although it was scary when I first went onto the pump I soon became confident in the tech, and my own monitoring.
