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Pen or Pump?

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tomcamish

tomcamish

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi all,

On Monday this week i had an appointment with my diabetes specialist nurse - turns out my HBA1C has gone up again.

My nurse has given me an Acc-Chek Aviva Expert meter which so far has been brilliant. She also said it's exactly the same as the remote for the pump, and showed me how a pump works. I didnt know how they worked before then and it looks like it's a pretty good setup.

I'm just looking for some pros and cons of changing to a pump - I hate using the insulin pens, I bugger it up often and end up with bruises everywhere, so I'm thinking of asking to give the pump a go.

Any opinions would be great.

Thanks in advance.
 
The pump gives greater flexibility with basal doses as well as the advantage you’ve mentioned. You can fine tune the basal amounts much more closely than on long acting. As Hobie says, I recommend reading the threads on the Pump board.
 
I used an Expert meter for year or two too! I loved it and found it very helpful.

I’ve been using an insulin pump for several years now (I’m half way through the lifespan of my second one). I quickly found much to like, but I think (after 20-odd years) it probably took me a whole year before i fully felt I had got my head around it and had workable strategies for most of the meals/foods we eat regularly - including the tricky ones!

I write this after about 6 months comparing my experience of pump and MDI if it helps: https://www.everydayupsanddowns.co.uk/2012/05/face-off-mdi-vs-pump.html
 
Pump!!!
I switched from an Aviva expert over to a combo pump and it was so straight forward. Just the basal rates to sort out and then make use of all the extra facilities that the pump gave me over the MDI. So much more flexible.
 
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