Consider declining pump

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Fagor

Fagor

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Had a "pump awareness" presentation yesterday (on TEAMS) with a view to getting pumped up.

However, I am considering declining the offer - have others decided pump is not for them?

There appears to be a lot of work involved, which I could probably handle. But the clinic is a 100 mile round trip, and seems like there will be a lot of them. It's Ok-ish when bright but I don't drive when dark (or snow). Can't use bus for other reasons.

But it has forced me to look at my carb counting, suspect may have been under-estimating.
 
There’s no right answer @Fagor Do what’s best for you. I have a pump but do take pump breaks. Since Covid, all my clinic appointments have been by phone. If it’s the distance that’s worrying you, could you see if they’d do the training by Zoom or similar?

But if you’ve simply changed your mind, that’s fine. It’s what’s right for you.
 
My kid was offered a pump fairly early on but it was about 2 1/2 years after diagnosis that he got his and then he used it for 6 months before stopping for a while. He’s back on it now though and does love it.

The initial set up is a little bit intensive but most of the training can be virtual these days so it’s worth talking to the team about how much you would need to be in the clinic. A pump will only work if you give it decent input though so working on your carb counting will be a benefit whatever you choose.

The consultant has told us that the biggest tech impact is a sensor so if you don’t already have one that may be a good interim step and should be less intensive for you and help you to keep track of your carbs too.
 
@Inka - thanks. Some of the sessions would be by Zoom (another new application).

And swapping between pens and pump was another area of concern - have to go gadget -free for MRIs etc.

I could go as far as the trial session (pump with saline) but currently think I don't even want to go that far.

@Thebearcametoo, also thanks. I think I've become complacent with my carb counting, so sure I'll get some benefit.
I've been using Libre system for couple of years now, great relief for my fingers as got some problems (in winter) with the tips.
The joys of T1 and age...
 
There is no right answer to decisions about your management, just what is right for you.

Just addressing some of the concerns that you have raised:
I am on a pump and I am able to remove it easily for any MRIs, xrays. I can just unclip my tubing from the cannula, and then put it back in afterwards, and carry on as before.
I do still have my pens as back up in case the pump goes wrong, it in 12 years that has happened once and it was after I had swum with it in and found that there was a crack in It …. So I don’t need to switch back and forth.
The pump gives you the flexibility to match your insulin more closely to what you need, and it does take some work at the beginning to get this match sorted. Like with injections we then need to make further changes to take account of changes that occur.

I know some people who simply prefer not to have anything attached to them. However they make use of the sensor they have in order to avoid highs and lows. They also use the data from the sensor to work out specific foods that give them big spikes, and so to make adjustments to their diet.

It is great that you have started to refine your carb counting, whichever way you decide to progress. Choose what suits you. Let us know how you get on.
 
I spent many years ‘pump averse’, so I can understand your caution.

Pump averse:

Every day ups and downs, a diabetes blog

Because no two days with type 1 diabetes are the same. Except when they are. The ups and downs of life with T1D.
www.everydayupsanddowns.co.uk www.everydayupsanddowns.co.uk
(earliest posts are at the bottom)

In the end, you have to decide if and when the time is right for you. And then give it a decent go (and expect a few hiccups along the way).

In the end I felt like I had taken MDI as far as I could, and I still have some BG excursions and (importantly) hypos that I couldn‘t sort out. So I decided to give a pump a go. And like many many others, I now can’t imagine switching back to MDI.

It’s not that people don’t swap back - it’s just that there aren’t many who do 🙂
 
Same as Mike was pump averse, didn't fancy idea at all. Then one day in clinic nurse suggested it again & showed me latest pump they had which was tubeless, liked look of it & said why not I will give it a try.

That will be 10 years ago & never gone back to pens in that time, so no regrets & find life so much more enjoyable since making change, before on pens could inject up to 6x daily.

Decision is yours, always something you can come back to in near future.
 
@Fagor , I'm not T1, nor do I use insulin, but it seems like you have identified some changes already that might positively impact your diabetes management. On that basis, would it be worthwhile discussing postponing a pump decision for a period of x (no idea what that value might be) to see what your improved carb counting (just what you mentioned) might do for your overall situation.

It doesn't make any sense to close any doors.
 
My advice is to talk to your DSN to understand why they think a pump would help you and your concerns.
I understand if you decide it is not for you at the moment but
1. as @AndBreathe suggests, try to keep the door open as our situations change
2. we are all different so a pump may not be suitable for you
3. from my experienc, trans to a pump is rarely smooth but it has been very worthwhile for me
4. if you think you need to improve your carb counting, I highly recommend tackling this first. With MDI, we often have “spare” basal insulin which can “mop up” carb miscounts because we have little control of basal at different times of the day. With a pump, our basal is adjusted for our differing needs every 30 minutes of the day. So we have very little spare for mopping up so i was advised to be more accurate with my carb counting.
 
Fagor said:
Had a "pump awareness" presentation yesterday (on TEAMS) with a view to getting pumped up.

However, I am considering declining the offer - have others decided pump is not for them?

There appears to be a lot of work involved, which I could probably handle. But the clinic is a 100 mile round trip, and seems like there will be a lot of them. It's Ok-ish when bright but I don't drive when dark (or snow). Can't use bus for other reasons.

But it has forced me to look at my carb counting, suspect may have been under-estimating.
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It's a big step to take and very few have no doubts before they take the plunge.

There is no need to attend countless apts regarding pump set up. Yes by all means go to the first one but if you have even the basics of common sense and can read the manual, you should be able to manage quite happily with a phone call when needed.

Yes pumps are a lot of hard work esp to begin with. Bottom line is you get out what you put in.
A pump wont cure your problems if it's a simple matter of not counting carbs correctly 🙂

As others have said talk to your nurse and discuss your fears/ worries esp the traveling distance.
 
Turning away from the subject though @Fagor - how come you live 50 miles away from the hospital clinic - whereabouts do you actually live to involve such a distance to the nearest one?
 
trophywench said:
Turning away from the subject though @Fagor - how come you live 50 miles away from the hospital clinic - whereabouts do you actually live to involve such a distance to the nearest one?
Click to expand...
I'm about 50miles from main hospital, living in the sticks this is nothing unusual 🙂
 
Fagor said:
Thanks to all.
I have decided to stick with injections.
Click to expand...

Good luck with tweaking your MDI strategies @Fagor

Hope you find a carb counting rejig helps 🙂
 
I spose I'm just not at all used to such huge distances between essential services but do know I've deliberately chosen to attend a diabetes clinic 20+ miles away instead of the mega busy one nearer where the diabetes clinic appointments got cancelled for years on end (this was in the early noughties not recently) it takes nearly an hour on the bus and you can never park because of how busy it is. Where we'd catch that bus, we'd have to catch a bus to, cos there's nowhere you could park. Hence, we only go there when we really have to. Wasn't quite so bad when we both drove so one could be dropped off and collected later whilst the other tried to park meanwhile.
 
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