Do you know if TruSteel works with leaner body types?
Sometimes the empirical approach—“Try it and see”—is the only way to find out with this stuff because we’re all so different, and there are so many variables involved. Hope you’ll weigh back in when you’ve had a shot at it 
. I’m sure others will find it useful to hear about your experiences.
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I’ve got a note in to my doc, and I hope to start it next weekend. I’ll be sure to share my experience.
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If my pump breaks before the new one I want comes out, my plan is to go back to MDI… But I really don’t want to go back there!
My biggest reason for pump over MDI is simply because my bad habits are easier to overcome with a pump. I’m a foodie. I love creating amazing meals. I’m in the middle of making pumpkin gnocchi right now. I don’t want to eat the same thing over and over just because it’s predictable. A pump makes for easy corrections and flexible dosing. I generally over-estimate the amount of insulin I need, and extend part of the bolus. That way my pump can deliver the insulin I need, and suspend what I don’t need. And if I do need more insulin, I don’t hesitate to bolus a correction.
I’m like 34 years into this and I still don’t like the needles. I don’t like being a pin cushion and a walking biohazard. I wouldn’t bolus nearly as freely with MDI. I would constantly be weighing wether the insulin is worth it.
I had terrible control on MDI. I just can’t imagine it ever being a good solution for me. I didn’t have Dexcom then, though. So I might have better incentive. I don’t like having a paper trail that tattles on my bad behavior. I’m afraid I’d fall back into bad habits eventually, though.
It probably helps that I’m a major techie fanatic. I quite enjoy being a cyborg and the tubes don’t bother me in the least. I’m not really a beach fan (fair skin and no shade? No thank you!), but I do frequent the hot springs here. I generally try not to get my hair wet, so I can still clip my pump to the top of my suit or to a hair elastic. Omnipods work terribly for me, but if I were going somewhere where I’d be under water a lot, I would go back to them briefly. I can get older dash pods as a pharmacy benefit with no strings attached (but O5 is DME for me), and control them with my phone using the AndroidAPS looping app. They fail way too often for me to use regularly, but I could plan on going through them like water for a vacation. It’s been a non-issue traveling with my T:slim thus far, though.
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I’m in the same position- had Dexcom
2 weeks with MDI…waiting on Omni.
I have to say I’ve had a lot more lows but I think it’s because I’m watching it all too much and must be over bolusing/correcting. So much information to take on board.
Did you feel the same and does it get better?
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I had a problem with bad sites and high blood sugar in the early years of this century. I had been injecting into my upper abdomen. I used that part of my body so much that there was scar tissue building up beneath the skin surface. I had read about that problem, I started using my upper legs and the problem was solved. At the present time I am using my lower ab and legs, with no problems. My A1C’s have been in the 5.4-6.4 range for more than 15 years.
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Hi Robyn, actually my husband and I love food too. I think that most people do. Tonight we are having Minestrone soup chock full of potatoes and other vegetables. We make a large mixed green salad to have with most of our meals. This week will also include pumpkin bean soup, sweet potato,squash, and black bean enchiladas, potato leek soup, Chana saag, and veggie lo mein. There are many low fat vegan cookbooks with hundreds of recipes. We definitely don’t eat the same food over and over again. 
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@Marilyn6 I really enjoy when you share details (and menus) about your Mastering Diabetes WOE. I get why this works in terms of physiology but it’s not often I get to hear how tasty it is as well. Kudos.
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I am still an MDI after 40 years. I prefer using the BD 3/10 cc syringes with the 6mm 31 gauge needles. You can easily determine half-unit dosages or you can get them with half-unit gradients.
For long insulin, I really prefer the Tresiba insulin over the Lantus and Levimer insulins. I found the L’s to not be 24-hour insulin and needed to take these twice a day. I would forget to take the nightly does as I was falling asleep and not taking them.
I prefer the Novolog to the Humalog short due to it having a longer action curve. Your mileage may vary on these but I love having syringes over being connected to a device all day and night.
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I have been on a pump for over 30 years and I was having similar issues a couple of years ago and I took myself off my phone for over a year. My endocrinologist wasn’t excited about it but the sites were always bad no matter where I put it. I had a bit better control with the MDI sites, but it was a true pain in the butt calculating carbs and everything else. I went back on my pump after my body healed from all the infusion sites and I’ve been doing much better.
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MDI for 10 years before diagnosis changed to T1/LADA and pump/CGM. I never had a real problem with injecting, fingersticks infusion set changes at work or in public other one supervisor who was a psychopath and borderline sociopath. Once in a while, someone would ask diabetic or insulin.
I was actually more concerned that someone might think illegal drugs than anyone was actually concerned with my injecting in public. Oh, yes and eating in certain areas where food/eating was not allowed none of which were laboratories.
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I like you have been on a pump for as many years and I to eventually suffered from constant site failures with high BS. I was changing sites every 2 days but still noticed a bump when changing. I tried 3 different insulins with no change and different infusion sets. My TDD is under 40 units. Last year i started changing sites every day. Since I made the change I have very very few site problems and more constant control. My insurance had no problem with the extra sets and my Endo was whatever I need. I use the TSlim with Trusteel sets, the cartidge I change out about every 3 days.
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This is encouraging to hear! Thanks for sharing.
I had not thought of changing my site every day. That seems like a lot of work, but if it works consistently, it’s probably well worth it.
These are definite challenges to deal with.
I’ve been on MDI for 3 days now. So far my bgs are fairly stable, but I have concerns with my job as I’m in client’s homes for sometimes 2 hours at a time and how to manage if I need to take an injection. I’ll see what the workweek brings. I’m loving the stability of the long acting insulin running in the background. So far my levels have been much steadier and less reactive to exercise, meals etc. I do plan to give TruSteel a try. I’m waiting on some samples to come in the mail. We’ll see what the future holds.
Just a thought: if you are running out of infusion sites, would you ever consider changing to an OmniPod pump? Yes, you still have to find sites, but with no tubes attached, you have additional places on your body (back of upper arms, upper buttocks, etc.) which may be more comfortable and available with the OmniPod.
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I’ve never considered omnipod, but this is something worth looking into.
I am a very lean person and they work great for me.
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I switched to Tresiba and Lyumjev after 25 years of pump therapy for similar reasons. I also experienced 2 pump failures in 2 years, which convinced me to give MDI a try again. I am vey pleased after an adjustment period and I LOVE the freedom of one less “attachment” especially here in Florida where we are out in the water and sun frequently. I used to be a “snacker” and I am now a “3 meal a day-er” which has actually brought me better control and discipline overall. I love Lyumjev as it works more quickly than Humalog. It took me a few days to really get to know how it would work for me. I particularly like having a long acting basal on board as I had gone into keto very quickly a couple of times (pre-Dexcom) due to bad insertion sites/bent cannula etc. I pull my pen out and inject myself discreetly no matter where I’m at and Ive seldom had anyone notice. If they do, it’s always positive. Of course, this is easy here in Florida as we are usually wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts. I believe it’s worth giving it a reasonable trial to determine which is best for your lifestyle. As has been said, there are positives and negatives for both. My A1C went from 6.9 to 6.4. Wishing you the best!
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