MDI or Pump - Poll

[stephknits]

Am currently on MDI and am hoping to go on a pump. My DSN has applied to the CCG for me, so we will see. @Clockworkdodo, when I went to the pump interest clinic there were several options for covering needles. The pump I am looking at inserts the needle for you when you press a button on the accompanying machine thing (so technical me) so you never see it and don't have to insert it yourself.

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

That sounds brilliant, Steph, just what I'd need.

I certainly need something to change - was 1.4 this afternoon and barely felt hypo - so maybe getting a pump would be a good idea for me. Can't think why, whenever DSN or consultant or whoever has said to me "have you thought of going on a pump?" and I've said "I can't because I'm needle phobic and I wouldn't be able to insert a cannula" they haven't said "Ah, but there are ones which insert themselves and you don't have to see, you just have to press a button ... " 🙄

 

[mikeyB]

That is the joy of being on this forum, Juliet🙂

You find out all the stuff they can't be bothered to tell you (if they even knew about it).

 

[KookyCat]

I snack quite a lot without stacking, Kooky - if I don't snack I tend to hypo anyway, so I just have to try to time it for when my bgl's starting to go down. What I snack on depends on what I think my bgl's doing too - dried fruit if I think it's going down too fast; Hobnobs if I'm gardening; crackers and cheese or chocolate and nuts if it's behaving sensibly and I want something lower carb. I rarely inject extra for a snack, and never if I've already got Novorapid on board.

That's what I used to do before I went very very tight on the basal to get rid of the nighttime hypos before I killed someone in a fit of sleep psychosis, it's not really enough basal for the morning, OK for the afternoon and just about perfect for the evening. So now no snacks without insulin in the morning or the afternoon, which has the medicals annoyed because I'm losing weight again, I don't need much insulin for the snack (I have a different ratio for that) but I have a "problem" with food that I beat into submission by therapy that encourages you to be more relaxed about food and eat when hungry. The long and the short of it is any stacking at all and I'm hypo, which makes me anything but relaxed about food. This is why I'd like a pump because without the basal playing silly beggars with me I could do both. The surgery nurse gave me some great advice though, truly stunning, "just ignore it and eat", much the same advice the GP gave my mother when I was 15 6ft and 8 stone, worked tremendously then can't imagine why I don't just get on with it and stuff my pie hole🙄

Have to say though, if I didn't have those challenges I'd stick with MDI because it's less faff, and I don't much like the idea of the DKA risk, once was quite enough for me thank you very much. I think it's entirely about the best solution for the individual. I quite like the restrictions around eating on MDI (which is really the root of the problem) but I don't like people constantly nagging about my % body fat (because that compounds the other problem), I don't much like the idea of being attached to something constantly, but I like the idea of shuffling off this mortal coil in my sleep even less. So Gill if you're struggling to decide, write a list of pros and cons and be honest, no reason is bad or good, its just what it is. Plus if you choose a pump and hate it give it back 🙂