Oh the dilema…
I’ve been taking shots since I was first diagnosed in 1995. Although shots have been okay I’m starting to like the idea of using the pump, and feel that stability and better diabetic health is more easily attainable this way.
For those of you who switched, can you tell me what the first few days/weeks/months were like?
What did you have to do to get your pump working properly and the best for you?
Anything I should know that the FAQ booklets don’t tell me?
I love honesty so bring it =)
Well, I’ve been taking shots since 1980.
But sometimes it is worthwhile for us old dogs to learn new tricks. Even though we think we’re doing OK with the old school stuff, the new stuff really does have advantages.
I was diagnosed long enough ago that I did urine testing and only later began home blood bg testing. I was still pretty early at that. For a long time some of the docs though that their older T1 patients would be reluctant to do home bg testing. In retrospect, today, that seems kinda stupid, because the advantages of bg testing are so obvious.
On the other hand just because a doc or CDE is pressuring you to switch to a pump, should not be the only reason you do it.
If you think you have tried all there is to try, I mean different insulins (bolus and basal insulins), different waiting times and other little tweaks and you are still at an A1c of 7 then go for the pump. For the switch the books “pumping insulin” and “think like a pancreas” are often recommended in this forum (I have not read them yet).
I use Insulin pens, but if you like the idea of a pump, I say go for it. Seems to be a learning curve, but lots of people on this site use them successfully.
We’ve only been in the TRIAL run of our pump (my daughter age 9 diagnosed less than a year ago) and I am already completely sold on this pump. (We have the newest Medtronic). It is so easy to use.
Rebi,
I made the change to a pump after 38 years with Diabetes. So far it has been the best thing I have done. I read every thing possible, did the pump class online with the manufacture and I felt confident in the process. My biggest fear was the expense and what would I do if I did not have insurance. I had to get over that!
I started pumping late April. All the “first times” were my challanges. First time change a site, First time dealing with a high, first time dealing with a low, first time calling the CDE and say, How do we fix this? But now it is July and I feel really confident with the whole thing.
You asked, What was the first days like? Well not exactly what I expected. I was on Lantus, and I stopped taking it the day before my pump start. I struggled with lows. But it was because the Lantus was actually lingering in my system for 1.5 days. It seem as I was withdrawaling from it. Within a couple of days, some minor basal changes (closely monitor by my CDE) I had no problem. I actually have not had to make any additional major basal changes.
The first few weeks stay very focus on your carb counting. Try not to wing it. Stay focus. The Bolus Wizard is great, less math. Another reward is seeing your numbers on the carelink coming in line within range. That is a great sense of accomplishment.
So my final answer is, “I love it”. I wish you luck in your fact finding adventure. Drop me a note if you have any questions.
I just recently went to the OmniPod after 30 years of shots. I also went with a Dexcom 7 Plus almost concurrently. I started the Dex first. I like the OmniPod a lot. However, you may like a traditional pump, I can’t really speak to that since I’m not experienced with those. My adjustment has been pretty easy. I am able to fine-tune my bolus shots and can nearly micro manage BGs. There’s no long-acting insulin in the regimen so there are fewer unexpected lows. I’m having much of a problem with any facet of the pump. When I realized I wouldn’t be giving shots, I nearly cried. It’s plain to me even now that better control is attainable with the pump. My A1c went from 6.8 to 6.1 in three months, I hadn’t started using the pump until close to the end of that quarter. One downside I find is operating the PDM when the Dex gives me a high glucose alert in the wee small hours. You really should discuss it with your endo. My endo would gently try to move me to the pump but I was too afraid of the tubing. I could see myself ripping out an infusion set and the idea of that gave me the wiggins. The tubeless OmniPod took care of that. Search the web for the particular products you are interested in. I read hundreds of reviews by users before I signed up. You can check out the discussions here – it’s been a great resource. This morning when I got out of the shower I saw that I had been bleeding around the cannula. I was a little worried. My BGs were good so I wasn’t too freaked out. I was able to find a string here that dealt with that very same issue and there were a number of users who had similar experiences and they explained how they dealt with them. I really didn’t want to change this pod early. I’m still on schedule for 7:30 tomorrow morning. 
I had been on shots for 40 years before pumping and that was over 10 years ago. When I first started I was only pumping for a few weeks before I had to stop, my husband was sick and I couldn’t handle something new and his illness. I resumed pumping 6 months later and have been pumping since then.
I love pumping, in my case I believe it gives me more freedom and control over my D. On shots we have to eat when the insulin says we should. As compared to pumping we can eat most times when we want to and if we don’t want to we don’t have to. It helped give me the feeling of having control in my life and gave me the freedom I never knew. I sing the praises of pumping but it was the education that came with pumping that helps me manage my D.
The pump is only a tool that we use to help us manage our disease. It’s more work because you have to monitor your bs more and when something goes wrong such as a inclusions or incorrect insertions but having a thorough understanding of your disease and the pump can be very helpful.
Been pumping for less than a year now. Wouldn’t go back to shots. Eat when you want to not when you have to with shots. Go for it.
After 34 years of shots I finally got the omnipod. Before on the shots I had a LOT of hypos. I of course still get them, but nothing like before. I think it took me so long cuz I don’t like change, and with my A1C at 6.5, I figured my routine was working. I’ve been on the pod since 1-31-09 and I LOVE it.