To pump or not to pump?

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LinsayS

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hello All,

Hoping for a spot of advice. Went to the clinic and for various reasons, they recommended a pump for me. Mainly to help with better control.

I'm torn... I would like to be more in control but I don't like the idea of being attached to something all the time. I'm quite active and I know you can take it out for a bit but it's in the majority of the time isn't it?

If you have one, I'd love to know your experiences and how it feels etc.

I don't mind the injections but as I get older I'm finding it more and more difficult to keep a tight grip on the sugars...I'm 31 and have had type 1 for 21 years.

Help and invaluable experiences much appreciated! Please be honest!

Lins.x
 
Hey Linsay,

I'm about to go onto a pump after fourteen years of injections. My reasons behind this are many. Primarily, I'm a student and MDI just doesn't fit around the lifestyle that I have at the moment. Secondly, I feel the need for a basal that I can tailor to suit my needs. Thirdly, I am fed up with injections. Fourthly, I want a better HbA1c, given that all efforts over the years haven't been able to get that below eight percent I thought I might aswell.

Tom
 
My son has been on a pump for 6 months and his hba1c has come down from 9.6 to 7.1 - need i say more? He is extremely active and swims and goes on the trampolene etc - you can take it off for up to 2 hours and also set temp basals etc - it will change your life for the better.🙂Bev
 
Hi Lindsay

Its been suggested I go on a pump too. I was really freaked out at first as I have a bit of a phobia of IVs and things like that (anything with tubes going into me). My DSN put me onto a continuous glucose monitor for three days and after I came round from fainting (!) I actually didn't mind it at all. The first half a day I was walking around like a robot, scared to bend over and stuff but by the evening I realised that it wasn't going to pop out and I could barely feel it - and was doing all the stuff I usually do, including running and yoga, and I even slept on it! The only thing that got me was the bulky sensor which I had to wear under a sticking plaster next to the cannula but obviously you don't have those on a pump. After having that for three days I can say that I honestly don't mind going on a pump - and the benefits of one are brilliant. If you knew what a wuss I am you'd know that's a big thing for me to say! I can't wait to get mine now and get my blood sugar under control once and for all. There's a really good thread in the pumping section dealing with problems like what do with your pump on holiday/when swimming/when making love etc and I've found it really useful to read.
Hope this helps!
 
Lauren said:
Hi Lindsay

Its been suggested I go on a pump too. I was really freaked out at first as I have a bit of a phobia of IVs and things like that (anything with tubes going into me). My DSN put me onto a continuous glucose monitor for three days and after I came round from fainting (!) I actually didn't mind it at all. The first half a day I was walking around like a robot, scared to bend over and stuff but by the evening I realised that it wasn't going to pop out and I could barely feel it - and was doing all the stuff I usually do, including running and yoga, and I even slept on it! The only thing that got me was the bulky sensor which I had to wear under a sticking plaster next to the cannula but obviously you don't have those on a pump. After having that for three days I can say that I honestly don't mind going on a pump - and the benefits of one are brilliant. If you knew what a wuss I am you'd know that's a big thing for me to say! I can't wait to get mine now and get my blood sugar under control once and for all. There's a really good thread in the pumping section dealing with problems like what do with your pump on holiday/when swimming/when making love etc and I've found it really useful to read.
Hope this helps!
Click to expand...

I've just been put onto a CGM for a few days. Loving it. Been to the gym for an hour of pain on it. The last time I've had one was the opposite, I could barely walk because the nurse put in the sensor by hand and too high up on my body. That time I could barely walk a hundred metres without difficulty, now I've been to the gym for ten k's on the exercise bikes, two on a treadmill and five hundred on a rowing machine. I've also got quite a fear of venupuncture (bloods taken venously) and drips, can't stand them. I have however, worn a pump cannula which was fine, couldn't feel it. It was given to me by Viki, one of the users on this board at the London meet way back in November.

Tom
 
Hi Lynsays

My son is on a Veo pump and we are very pleased with it.

His blood sugars are ssssssooooooo much better on it, his hba1c has come down, his day to day control is better, his quality of life is better (he didnt like so many injections), he can eat what he wants when he wants.......... Of course, i can't personally comment on how it feels to wear it 24/7 as it is him that does that but he nevers moans about it. It does not disturb his sleep (mind you, kids sleep like the dead!) and he takes it off for some activities for an hour (or an hour and a half) but he able to keep it on for other activites and just puts himself onto a lower temp basal. The temp basal is just fantastic when blood sugars run high due to illness or run low due to activity.

There are disadvantages ie the pump needs to be managed, you need to do more frequent blood tests and occassionally the cannula bends or blocks which leads to a set change (sometimes at inconvenient times). And, of course, you have to wear it 24/7 which will suit some but not others.

It is a very personal choice between injections and a pump but all i can say is that for us, so far, the advantages have outweighed the disadvantages.

Good luck! 🙂
 
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