I was just recently diagnosed with type 1& just soined this site?
how r ur experiences?
im really afraid to be low:(
and of course high!
i was checked into the hospital after a blood test at 3am with really high keytones and my blood sugar level was 460!! i spent a long 10 hours in the emergency room until i was transferred to a hospital for 3ish days. (and btw, i was REALLY FREAKED out by needles before this… the iv was horrible…i cried!) anyways…things have been going fairly good…im on homehospital still, just another homeschool/independant study program… my levels are CRAZY right now… im still on the higher side(still up to 270 but as low as99) it just recently went from 170 to 240!
And ive been bugging my nurse and doctor about getting a pump(getting one by summer!!!) and i am starting to get nervous about the switch. if any of you have answers…
1: when the needle/thing is in/on you does it hurt at all>?
2: does putting it on hurt?
3: does it make sports easier? cause i LOVE volleyball!
4: is it easy to sleep with?
5: are your levels more managable?
Thanks…
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i LOVE meeting new people.
Hi Megan!! I think that it is important to be patient with yourself in the beginning. Your numbers will not be perfect as you figure out your insulin doses, but the best thing that you can do is to write them down (or download them from your meter or use an online log like LogforLife). That way you can adjust your doses with your doctors and nurses!
1: when the needle/thing is in/on you does it hurt at all>?
2: does putting it on hurt?
Sometimes it hurts to insert it, sometimes not. It’s more like a pinch. It definitely hurts more than an insulin injection, but you only have to insert it every 3 days. After it is inserted, then I can usually feel it for about 10 minutes. Then I don’t feel it at all! Sometimes, I can insert it without feeling it at all. I think it depends if I hit a nerve or not.
3: does it make sports easier? cause i LOVE volleyball!
YES!! This is one of the main advantages of the pump, I think. You can turn down your basal (background) insulin before you exercise and that helps to prevent lows while exercising.
4: is it easy to sleep with?
You will get used to it really quickly! I don’t even notice it anymore. I just lay it next to me in the bed (and I roll around a lot in my sleep, but it’s never a problem). Also, when I wake up in the morning, my pump is always in my hand before I even realize where i am It’s so automatic-- it becomes part of your body!
5: are your levels more managable?
The pump does make some things more easier (like sports) and you can match your body’s insulin needs throughout the day (perhaps you need more basal insulin in the morning than in the afternoon). BUT THE PUMP IS A LOT OF WORK.
When I started on the pump, I thought that it would just automatically solve ALL my problems. It doesn’t. It is a GREAT tool, but it requires that you learn a lot to be able to use it well! You can do it, but it would be great for you to learn as much as possible before starting on the pump. You can even treat this as one of your classes
I highly recommend the book “Pumping Insulin” by John Walsh. You can buy it through Amazon at this link: Best Diabetes Books on page 2. A small amount of the proceeds supports our community and it doesn’t cost you any extra!!
It seems like you are doing really well! And that it great! But know that there will be hard days and that is normal. Make sure that you can people that you can talk to about how you are handling life with diabetes. I went to a school counselor the first year that I was diagnosed just to talk about diabetes stuff and that helped a lot. Also, know that we are here for you to celebrate on the good days and support you on the bad days!! Know that you are not alone in everything that you face now!! We’re here with you!!!
I can tell you as someone who is also terrified of needles more so before being diagnosed. I’m still a huge chicken when it comes to pain. I cried too when they inserted the IV but I can honestly say you won’t feel much pain using a pump all you really do feel is a small pinch.
As for sleeping with a pump I hook it onto my pajama bottom and it stays put.
I haven’t really tried playing any sports with my pump but plan to soon.
I just recently switched from shots to the pump, and so far I’m liking it pretty well.
1: when the needle/thing is in/on you does it hurt at all? There isn’t a needle in you, but rather a small flexible piece of tubing. I don’t feel it at all!
2: does putting it on hurt? I won’t lie, sometimes when you’re doing an infusion set change out there is some pain. I’ve had my pump almost three weeks now and have only had one painful experience (knock on wood). Otherwise it is pretty painless! This one took a while for me to get through because I was a little afraid of the infusion set process. If you’re interested in finding out how it feels first hand you could get in touch with a diabetes educator - mine had trial pumps available.
3: does it make sports easier? cause i LOVE volleyball! I’m not sure on that one. I can jog and rollerblade pretty easily with my animas ping - I don’t worry about it coming off or anything like that. Some people who are into sports swear by the Omnipod, though.
4: is it easy to sleep with? Totally. I just clip it onto my pajama pants and forget about it. But then again I sleep on my sides.
5: are your levels more managable? So far they have been. I’ve been more level then I had been before - less severe highs and lows. The great thing about the pump is that you can do a LOT of tweaking.
I
am currently using the omnipod pump which may be and interest to you as it has no tubing so sport, actually anything is super easy.
1: when the needle/thing is in/on you does it hurt at all>?
2: does putting it on hurt? I honestly have had a couple that are uncomfortable but not hurt. Sometimes there is a slight stinging that goes away soon after insertion of the " cannule"(sp) its kind of like having an IV which leave a small flexible tube in the skin. And the omnipod at first scared me when I first started it has a louder insertion, its automatic so you wouldnt have to poke yourself. I think it just feels like someone flicking you.
3: does it make sports easier? cause i LOVE volleyball! I also love sports and with the omnipod there is no tubing to get tangled with so that is a great freedom for me.
4: is it easy to sleep with? I have never had a problem with the pod its about the size of half a hard boiled egg (lenght wise) I wear in on my stomach and I and a stomach sleeper , actually I toss everywhere. Not a problem.
5: are your levels more managable? I feel like I am in way better control with the pump. My A1C before after being on MDI (multiple daily injections) for 17 years was 9.1 Pretty high. 3 months after starting the pump my A1C is now 6.5 which is so much better.
Check out myomnipod.com and order a sample set they will send you some trial pods to wear and get a feel for them, maybe you’ll like it. As with all other pumps try what you think will work for you and if you dont like it you can always go back to MDI…
I was diagnosed when I was 17, so I can relate a little bit as to what you are going through. My pump is an Animas Ping. I love it. I have had it since December. Before that, I was on 4-6 shots a day for 32 years. Thats around 40,000 shots I think! Ugh! I use an automatic inserter, and it has never hurt. I ride a bike and lift weights, and it has never been a problem. You may want to set a temporary basil to use during extended exercise so you won’t go low.
I usually sleep with it in a pocket in my PJ’s. Perhaps one of the ladies can address this question from their perspective better.
My levels are much, much, much better with the pump. My last A1c was a 6.1. I’m hoping the next one will be even better.
Keep writing with questions. Everyone on this site is here to help each other.
I’ve had my Paradigm for about 5 yrs now and it gives me so much more freedom than the injections. I love it. In answer to your questions, 1. very rarely I must have inserted near a nerve and feel a little pain with movement, but just a little sting. otherwise I don’t even know it’s there. 2. The cannula is inserted with a needle which is then taken out. It is just a little prick, not as bad as a fingerstick and not as bad as an injection I think. And it’s just every three days, not 2-3 times a day!
3. it should make your whole life easier! but it can make your bg drop very quickly so you will have to check it freguently.
4. yes, no problems for me. I have made myself a belt from wide elastic with plastic toggles to close and put the pump in a soft case. check camera and cell phone cases. this way it doesn’t get in my way and I can’t pull it out. 5. yes and no. refer back to no. 3. it did lower my A1c some and my high BG have not been so high. I think you will really be pleased with a pump. I would advise looking at several before you choose. Good luck to you!
Megan,
You’ve gotten some great advice here. Your numbers will probably be crazy for some time until they find the right dosages for you. As far as the switch to the pump, it can be nerve wracking now because it is unfamiliar to you, but trust me, you will love it once you have it.
1 and 2. Does it hurt-Not really. Inserting it is no more painful than a shot. It will sting for a bit (like less than a few minutes), and then you will seriously forget that its there. I sometimes have to check to see if it’s still there!
3. It will make sports easier for you. I don’t play sports, but exercise pretty intensely, and have always had issues with lows during exercise. Once i got the pump, it was easier to manage exercising because you can set temporary basal rates to avoid lows.
4. Easy to sleep with? Yep! Again, you don’t even know it’s there. I have a minimed pump, and it has the tubing, so I just put in next to me or in my pocket and sleep. Not a big deal at all.
5. yes! yes! yes!
Please post any other questions you may have! It can be a scary time, but we’ve all been through it, and you will be ok!!
1: when the needle/thing is in/on you does it hurt at all?
Once its in, you hardly feel it. If you push against it, you feel a little “pressure” in that area. But if you put it in where you have most fatty tissue, you won’t even notice.
2: does putting it on hurt?
I can’t call it “hurt”, more like sting. It also depends on how much fat you pluge the cannula in. It starts with a hard needle that is surrounded by a soft tubing (called the cannula). I don’t have much fat on me so sometimes I say “hey!” when I put it in. By the simple fact that you only insert it once every 3 to 7 days, beats the adds on hurting when with the shots/pens you do it multiple times per day. Well worth even if it “hurts” as much as the manual insulin administration.
3: does it make sports easier? cause i LOVE volleyball!
Oh yes, no need to stop. I ride the bicycle for 3 to 10 hours and I test while I ride. I don’t disconnect the pump or even put in on suspend more as I need insulin for the carb I eat get absorbed by my cells. I don’t know if that depends on people, and/or on the level of effort you do. I usually train and exercise at 80%-90% of my physical capability. So its pretty high. ALWAYS have carbs on you, sugar for quick boost and complex carb for sustaining your exercise.
4: is it easy to sleep with?
5: are your levels more manageable?
Absolutely. my A1c is today at 5.7%. I give the pump half the credit for it. The other half is my discipline with my diet, exercise and life style choice.
Good luck and don’t be afraid, the pump is wonderful, and I believe keeps you more in “one” with your condition and forces you more to make the right choices.
It’s so automatic-- it becomes part of your body!
