I have a pretend pump for the next couple of days...

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grainger

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Type 1
So today I got given a pump complete with saline so I could see if I can deal with having something attached to me.

So... what can people recommend I ensure I try so I get a real experience of it? For example - sleeping is one of my big concerns. And how to access the pump if I'm wearing a dress etc!
 
I can offer no suggestions, but hope you get the most out of the experience and decide it's barely noticeable! 🙂
 
Have you found the secret to getting a pump? You say you are on 50g of carb a day and the dietitian freaks. Saying you will die, because your brain needs 130g. It was a humanitarian act to save your life. :D
 
Just do all the normal stuff apart from walking too close to door handles at speed or getting the tubing caught around drawer handles! Is it a pump with a tubing or an Omnipod? If it has a handset with it you can be more inventive where you keep it as you don't need to keep fishing it out to bolus. Mine doesn't have a handset so I keep it on my waistband or clipped inside a pocket.

With dresses I clip mine on my bra towards my arm, but there are loads of different products such as belts that go around your thigh/arm/waist so you can wear a dress but still get to your pump. This site has a good selection of ways to attach your pump to all sorts of places to keep it secure under clothing http://www.pouchforall.co.uk/product-category/thigh-pouches/

I hope you get on well with the trial and find that you soon forget you have a pump attached to you.
 
Bumping this in the hope that another woman with an insulin pump can answer Grainger's question about wearing a dress and pump at the same time and anyone can answer about sleeping with a pump. No doubt that there are extra tips, in addition to what Flower has typed.
 
I use a Velcro belt at night that came with my pump, and clip it to that. It's also useful when trying on clothes in shops. I seldom wear dresses, the best are shirtwaisters so I can still wear the pump on my belt. I have one tunic with big pockets, I cut a hole in one of them so I can feed the tube through it. For a posh frock I have a thigh pocket which I attach to a suspender belt and then I have to use the remote control Bluetooth feature on my meter. I very rarely do this and prefer separates so I can have my pump on my belt.
 
If I'm wearing a dress, I slip mine into the centre bit of my bra. Or into the top of one of the cups. Depends on the dress tbh! When I got married, it was in the centre part of my bra but on the inside so there was less of a bulge to be visible. I use a veo and have (had, it broke) a clip that I used.
When I sleep, I used to leave it next to me on the mattress. Now my youngest regularly sneaks into my bed in the night, so I tend to put it in a bra cup (but I was used to sleeping in a nursing bra anyway, so it might not work for everyone!).

Re what to do, just live life - and every time you eat something (even a single biscuit) count the carbs and dial them up to deliver saline.
 
Thanks all. This is helpful. Random and probably slightly too personal question.... I assume people unclip it for sex?

How long in general can you unclip it for before it would start to affect levels? I realise everyone is different but for example I swim in the mornings often and drive to the pool already in swim wear so I guess it would be off for about an hour and a bit in total - is that too long?
 
Haha, not always. DH is used to it 😉 sometimes I take it off part way through <blush> but I don't like to, as I worry I'll forget to reattach it afterwards! And how long you can leave it unattached for depends on how, ahem, active you are :D

For swimming, I wear mine inside my costume, unclip at the pool and stick it in a locker, then reattach pretty much as soon as I get out. And test and correct if required. But I've had it detached for 90 minutes or so before for swimming without any significant issues.
 
grainger said:
How long in general can you unclip it for before it would start to affect levels? I realise everyone is different but for example I swim in the mornings often and drive to the pool already in swim wear so I guess it would be off for about an hour and a bit in total - is that too long?
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I used to do that but stopped when I got the pump as I think it would be too long. An hour is the longest I would contemplate being disconnected. It means I have to change at the pool, unless I put my infusion site where it's accessible but that doesn't work for me.
 
I just keep the pump attached in bed, whatever we are doing. Pumpy sometimes gets in the way but is now part of me so stays with me. I use a long tubing and manage to turn over with no problem.

The worst I have had is it fell out of the bed so was now the wrong way up and as I had a few bubbles in it it did not deliver for a bit. Or at least that is what I think could explain the raised BG over that night.

I do the same as Cate for swimming. Just adjust as necessary when reconnecting. I also leave it running in the locker so that it does not keep bleeping.

Wearing dresses I just tuck it into the front of my bra in the middle. It sometimes wriggles up but usually stays put. Mine is blue toothed to the handset so once attached I do not need to touch it.

Any questions just ask. I love my pump and would not want to be without it now. I hope you find it easy.
 
This is great - thank you all.

I didn't realise you could get belts, pouches etc so that'll be helpful too!

So i've had this "pretend" pump on now for about 20 hours - I'm converted, it's not actually that much of a pain. Just told my consultant that I want one - they've given me two options - so I'm starting a new thread - I'd love peoples opinions please 🙂
 
Glad you were impressed and feel a pump is a good move for you 🙂
 
Its like everything. You will learn what suits you. I went up scar fell pike & put my basal on to 1& 2%. (very low) Had a bowel of porridge for breaky & perfect bg all day. No dinner & two bickys on the way up every few mins testing with my libra.
 
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