To pump or not to pump, that is the question.

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

AngelaL

Active Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
I had type 1 for 11months now, I use Levemir and Novorapid at the moment but am still struggling to get my blood sugar where i need it to be. I saw the nurse on Thursday and she suggested i think about using an insulin pump. I have been given an information pack but it seems mostly to tell me why this specific make of pump is the right one for me, rather than telling me the advantages and disadvantages of switching to a pump.

I really want to get my sugars sorted as i want to start a family and i think a pump would help me do this, but i have lots of unanswered questions. hopefully someone can fill me in.

what do I do when i want to shower?
I move around a lot in my sleep what if I pull it out?
And as I said I want to start a family, to put it politely, what about when me and my fiance are in the act of trying for a baby, won't it get in the way?
And the main question is do you get used to it or will it annoy me for the rest of my life?

I'm injecting atleast 5 times a day at the moment so anything that can give me an easier life would be great but is a pump the answer?
 
Hey Angela,

- you unhook the pump when you go in the shower (although the Animas is waterproof, but you'd have to hold it the whole time unless you fancy attaching it to your skin! 😉). The cannula stays attached to you, and all the tubing and pump can be unhooked from the cannula.

- pumps, and cannulas, are sturdy! I toss and wriggle around in my sleep and have never pulled one out. They are designed to stay stuck on through showers etc - a bit of wriggling in bed shouldn't pull it out 🙂

- there's no pretty way of answering this. You just do what feels right at the time - you could unhook it if it's not going to be unhooked for too long, or you find someway to do it so you can leave it attached. Trust me, you work it out pretty quickly!!! PM me if you want to ask any more questions about it, I'm quite happy to answer them!

- I've been using a pump for almost 4 months and I am 100% used to it. I think I was used to it after the first few days! You just get used to it being attached. I often have to search my waistband (I usually use the plastic clip it comes with, and clip the pump to my jeans/trousers waistband) to find where I've left it!

A pump isn't a miracle cure or the 'answer' to diabetes (that'd be the cure). But many people who pump wouldn't go back - I certainly wouldn't. They are hard work and require a lot of focus on the d - but the benefits, for me, are worth it. If you are trying for a baby soon it would almost certainly help you get your levels where you need them to be.

You can have different basal rates at different times of the day, tiny tiny amounts of basal and bolus and different ways of bolusing.

Does your clinic have a pump that you could have a look at or borrow?
 
Hi Angela

Pumping is a very much more flexible way of delivering insulin, which gives the user both a pro-active and re-active ability to tame their control a lot easier than using MDI, they not magic wands as you still need to put effort into your control, more so at the begining as you sort out basal rates etc, but do become easier as you go along...

AngelaL said:
what do I do when i want to shower?

You unclip the pump from the infusion set, put it on the side and leave it runing, you can aslo do this for swiming and other exercise, if extended period of time then you might need to bolus the missing basal..

I move around a lot in my sleep what if I pull it out?

Again no problems, you can get verious clips and straps to wear, or has I do let it run around free over night.. I haven't pulled a set out in almost 3 years of pumping and I move around big time in my sleep

And as I said I want to start a family, to put it politely, what about when me and my fiance are in the act of trying for a baby, won't it get in the way?

At first sort of yes a bit, but you soon find your preferance, to either keep it on or not! A it's surprising how quicker you learn how to disconect from the infusion set and shove pump to one side discreatly


And the main question is do you get used to it or will it annoy me for the rest of my life?

Remember the first time you ever wore a bra? A bit lik this, first night or so you are very aware of it, but you soon forget you wearing it and it becomes as natural as wearing cloths

I'm injecting atleast 5 times a day at the moment so anything that can give me an easier life would be great but is a pump the answer?

Oh yes indeed, dependant on which cannular you choose, you change either every 2 or 3 days, you will always have your insulin with you, so plans can be changed... Bolus's, corrections etc are all a press of a button, no more deciding whether to retreat into a loo or not when out dining.

No more timed background injections

There is a disadvantage as the pump only uses quick acting insulin, so does put the diabetic at a higher risk of DKA, but with due care and attention this is brought right down to minimum levels, and most pumpers don't get a problem..

My best advice is, if they are offering go for it, as at the end of the day if you try it and decide it's not for you, then you can always hand it back! But there's not many people who do though once they've tried it
Click to expand...

I hope these answers have helped, and any more question just ask away, but my advise
 
Thanks for the help. i've got a month to think about it but i think i will give it a try. As you say, if i don't like it i can change my mind, although the nurse told me how much pumps cost so i would feel a little guilty returning it.
 
Don't feel guilty about the cost of pump thearpy..

Yes it's expensive with starting out, with the cost of the pump and monthly running costs are cheap at all... But if you compare it to the costs that can be involved for a diabetic long term, it can actually work out as a very cost effective treatment... Saving the NHS a fortune...

The cost of being admitted to A&E is about ?500...

A bed for the night costs ?350 then any treatment, tests ordered etc are adeded on top!

Laser treatment is over ?800 a go!

The only time a diabetic should feel guilty about the cost of insulin pump thearpy, is if they take it on and are not willing to put in the work invovled to utilize it to their best advantage...

As Shiv pointed out it's hard work and takes a lot of focus, but Shiv is still in her early days so still on the learning curve, for me 3 years down the line it is actually a lot less time consuming then the magament I put in with MDI and far far better results..

So don't feel guilty
 
AngelaL said:
what do I do when i want to shower?
I move around a lot in my sleep what if I pull it out?
And as I said I want to start a family, to put it politely, what about when me and my fiance are in the act of trying for a baby, won't it get in the way?
And the main question is do you get used to it or will it annoy me for the rest of my life?
Click to expand...

I don't move too much in my sleep bar tossing and turning just prior to dropping off. The pump moves with me. You can clip it to pyjamas if you wear them. I just pop it under the pillow.

When I shower I just take mine off and leave it out of the shower and reconnect when I get back out.

As for the last one. Well, you find what works best. Sometimes I take it off and leave it to one side or sometimes I leave it attatched.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top