Thinking of taking a pump break. Recently started Dr. Bernstein's approach to eating. 6 carb breakfast 12 carb lunch 12 carb dinner. I'm able to reduce my insulin needs by quite a bit. Getting frustrated when my pump kinks or has an air bubble and causes highs that take days to get back under control. Considering going back to shots for a while and give myself a pump break. Been on the pump since 1999. Thoughts....anyone??
I have only been using a pump for a few months after 38 years of MDI. But there are a lot of folks who choose to take a pump vacation, whether they're tired of being hooked up to something 24/7 or they need to remember how to count carbs and actually do the math involved, or for a huge variety of reasons. My only thought is for me the pump allows me to take a 0.3 unit dose to correct, or turn off the basal for a while when I swim or play racquetball. Even if you get 1/2 unit pens, the smallest dose you can take is 1/2 unit and once you take your basal insulin you are stuck basically with it working for 12-24 hours and there's no way to turn it off. If you're physically active like me that can lead to some pretty bad hypos. Since I am still very new to this I am still in love with the whole experience. I have an Omnipod pump so there is no tubing to get kinked or air bubbles to worry about. But who knows in a year or two or 14 I might want to take a pump break as well. There are a few threads on here started by people taking pump vacations, but searching for them can be difficult. I'll see if I can find any of them and post them.
I would start by wondering how/why the tubing kinks and air bubbles are occurring?
Like Clare mentioned, I have a hard time envisioning going back to a long-acting basal insulin. Today, has been a perfect example where I suddenly got engaged in a high level of activity and was able to turn my basal rate down to compensate. I would have been low, low, low with a long-acting insulin.
I realize that pumping is not for everyone, but no regimen is a panacea. If you tried to specifically address the areas that are causing problems, you might get to a happier place faster than yo-yoing between different therapies. Just my opinion ...
I went on a pump vacation once: it lasted 3 weeks and i was back on my pump. I got so used to being able to reduce or rise my basal within minutes and just push a button when im eating. Air bubbles are easy to avoid, maybe just a change of pumps as clare suggested might work too. I hope that everything works out well for you!
If you feel you need a break I would take it, you can always go back to it later I think. And as others have said maybe address some of the issues you're having with the air bubbles and kinks if you can. I think that is great you're doing the 30g and it helps you. I've never been on a pump so I have no idea what it's like.
i wanted to do that too..... i talked to my doc about it and she said i can do whatever i want but i probably wont like not being on the pump and she was right! shockingly! so i lasted about 2 weeks on the needles again! good luck with your decision!