I’m fairly new to this site so still getting to grips with things. I was on to my nurse specialist the other day and she asked me to consider a pump. I’ve been on injections for almost 21 years and the thoughts of a pump kind of scare me! I looked into a few years back and at the time I felt it wasnt right for me.
However, as I soon hope to be trying to conceive it really is important to me to get perfect control or as near as possible.
I know that this will probably sound ridiculous, but how do the females out there find it when wearing dresses? I wear trousers to work most of the time but I like to wear dress up a bit at weekends and I am wondering how you wear it with dresses?
I’m sorry if it sounds stupid but its important to me to find out these things before I agree to it.
Wow, I have the exact same questions. I am also currently considering switching to the pump. I have been on injections as well for over ten years.
My endo told me that some women put the pump in their bra… Wha?!? I’m guessing you’d have to have size double D to support the weight from the pump.
Hi Naomi, A pump will free you from injections.I am in the process of going on the pump and have learned alot.I heard that some women wear a garter belt and hook their pump to that.Also,some wear in on their bra.How much do you know about the pump?I’m not even on it yet but I feel like I have been because I found out so much.Don’t be afraid.
I have been wearing a pump for around 11 years now. I don’t wear dresses a lot, but when I do I wear a thigh wrap that is velcro and the pump fits into it. I have never worn it in my bra, but heard some do. For me, the flexibility of the pump is something you couldn’t pay me to give up, compared to the shots I did for a few years.
Naomi, I did MDI’s for 21 years before going on the pump. And I wish I’d done it years earlier. As for dresses (and some skirts!) I usually stick the pump in the side of my bra, under my arm. But there are other things like a “thigh thing” from Minimed that wraps around your leg with velcro and has a pocket for the pump. I have one, but personally find it uncomfortable. Other people I know swear by their’s. It’s really a trial and error thing. You have to find out what works for you.
I too have questions about the pump. I have been offered one, but am not sure how well I would do with it. I have no room to put it inside my bra and am a bit too round to have it hanging under my arm. The thigh might be an option, but I have questions about that also. I am a grandmother who has small grandchildren who run up and grab me around my legs. Could small fingers push buttons that should not be pushed? How about when climbing on and off your lap a lot? Other than those two places, where else could you put one?
I always wear mine in my pocket. I am a HS coach and a PE teacher, plus have a 3 and 4 year old, and I have never had it pulled off. You have to push more than one button to give a bolus, plus there is a lock feature on it if you are worried about that. I say go for it!
I love my pump but I don’t like wearing dresses as much because of it. The leg strap doesn’t seem to work as well when I have on panty hose and I can’t hide it in my bra in my wildest dreams. Skirts have become a good alternate since getting the pump.
Hey there
I have been on the Omnipod for 6 months now and BELIEVE me it took quite a while for me to even consider going on one. I had been on shots for 2 and half years and my A1C was 6.4. But like you said, I wanted to get my body ready for a pregnancy and everyone said the pump was the way to go. So after lots of pro and cons lists and yes, even some tears, I went with the Omnipod in July. As far as dresses, I do wear it with all of my old sundresses and skirts and while yes, in some you can see the POD (esp. when I wear it on my belly) I have found that most people don’t notice. I even sported it in a bikini! I guess in my old age (35) I’m just not caring as much anymore. I say that and I’m trying to figure out how to cover it up on my arm to go to the gym here in a minute! I chose the Omnipod system because of the lack of tubing and while it has been challenging I do love the convenience and not having to take as many shots. I am still working on my numbers (my A1C has gone up! so no baby yet). I’m not sure I’m doing the pumping thing as well as I did the shots but I am sticking with it. Good luck and it really is whatever you are most comfortable with. Feel free to ask any questions!
Betsy
Thanks so much for your replies. I’m still in two minds about it but I think I’ll be thinking about it all a bit more and more now!!! I’m hoping that I can ask the nurse can I wear a “dummy” one for a few days just to see if I could get on with it… Not sure if its possible but I might ask anyway.
Just re reading your message BPM, I cant believe you think yourself old at the young age of 35!!! I turn 30 in a few weeks and I definitely care about how I look and I do like to wear dresses occassionally. Sun holidays are the only time I’d wear a bikini but funnily enough, it wouldnt bother me wearing the pump with a bikini as it would a dress… I’ll ask the nurse to put me in contact with someone who wears one and try to get first hand experience of it. I really appreciate all the help here.
I’m feeling a bit uneasy this week as I’m getting by bloods done tomorrow and my last 2 HbA1c’s have been under 7 so if this one is, we get to start trying to conceive. Here’s hoping, fingers crossed!
That is definitely the time to get a pump then - or even better, a pump with the CGM. I couldnt imagine any pregnant person with diabetes trying to maintain BGs without a pump. Its close to impossible!
I am 54!!! and wondering if I could come to peace with trying to hide half a kiwi (Omnipod) under my clothes. Don’t you place it in one position for 3 days so that moving it around to suit your daily clothing choices would not be an option?
hehehehehe. I don’t think 35 is old! Just kidding! I’m just saying that if I were trying to wear the POD 10 years ago, I think I would be a lot more concerned with how it looks. You should test drive one. I bet your nurse could loan you one to try for a couple of days. It wouldn’t have insulin in it though I wouldn’t think.
Yes, you are right that once you place your POD you have it there for 2 or 3 days. That does dictate what you are wearing but honestly there has only been one time that I’ve changed clothes because of it.
You can always find a solution for wearing the pump. I’m with Erin, though that I generally prefer skirts over dresses (but for times when I wanted to wear a dress, I either used the thigh thing under pantyhose or had a pocket sewn on the inside of my dress-- also you could sew a pocket on a slip). For skirts, I use the insulin pump pouch available at: http://stores.ebay.com/Gettn-Creative
and the extension strap (all under $10). I wear the pump holder across my shoulder and the pump hangs around my waist. If I wear a tank top then the strap can be adjusted to be around my waist like a belt. Works for me!
As far as pump vs. multiple daily injections, I did not make the best transition because when I switched to the pump, I was at a point in my life where i didn’t make the time to learn to use it properly. Consequently, I saw very little improvement in my numbers (but when I was using injections i was taking much better care of myself). So if you do start on the pump, I highly recommend investing time to learn how to take advantage of all the great features!!
One day I got sick of my pump (basically I didn’t like having a visible sign of my diabetes) and I pulled it out with the plan to take a month “break” from the pump. Within two days, I had the pump back on. I had forgotten how much better life was with the pump!
My favorite spot is hooked onto my bra, right between the girls. I’m a C cup but I would think that a B-cup could get away with it if the shirt wasn’t too tight. It’s a perfect spot for me because there is nothing hanging off of my pants, which I hate. That is the only place I’ve found to wear it with dresses - my dresses are rather form-fitting and for some odd reason, it’s very easy to discretely take the pump out of the bra from the top of the dress. I can’t imagine having to dig underneath the dress to get it out of a thigh-thing. But I guess to each her own.
