Been a t1d since June 24th 1958 and had the best life I could have hoped for, except when I was hit by a car doing over 80 mph that made a mess of my legs.
Still free of any complications, and want to remain that way.
It has been suggested that I should start to look at a pump, the Omnipod Dash as the TSlim is not available to us here.
Does anybody have any thoughts or advice on this?
What do you know about insulin pumps? Have you read any books about their use? What insulin therapy have you used all these years?
I suspect that youâre using a basal/bolus multiple daily injection (MDI) regimen. Has that been a good treatment for you? What insulin brands/types do you use? How many injections do you typically take and what time of day do you take them?
Do you regularly use a fingerstick meter to check your glucose levels? How many times per day do you check? Will you share what your A1c numbers have been? I certainly understand if you prefer to keep this info private. If you do, can you characterize if your number falls in the diabetic, pre-diabetic, or non-diabetic range? Has the number improved or worsened over the years?
Do you use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM)? Many of us who use both a pump and a CGM value the CGM more highly than the pump. While the pump allows more insulin dosing flexibility the personal awareness that a CGM enables is an education that can be gained no other way.
I suggest that you first acquire a CGM and learn how your body responds to your current insulin dosing system and your food choices, exercise habits, and many other factors that affect blood glucose.
You may search all the posts on this site using the magnifying glass icon at the upper right corner of your display. I used the search term, âstarting on an insulin pump,â and found over 50 results that might interest you.
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Wow Tongey, 63 yrs of having type 1 without any complications is fantastic! May I ask why you want to go on a pump at this point? I was dx in 1959 with type 1 and still do multiple injections. I think about getting a pump once in awhile, so I will follow this post. I still consider MDI to be an easy way to treat my diabetes, and am concerned about wearing another device, but I am certainly open to learning new things.
I agree with the others who have posted, what are you looking for with a pump? Why the need to change? What are you thinking a pump can do for you? What are you missing with your current treatment plan & can a pump fix it? Are you aware of the extra work a pump may entail? And have you researched the pumps you might be interested in? It can be a little thing that your pump might have that drives you nuts. Getting your hands on the pumps to play with them is key. Nothing sucks more than having a pump where you hate the buttons you have to push to activate anything.
I love my pump but when I first started, it wasnât my favorite. I had been taking 5 shots a day but just couldnât get the overnight numbers in line to get the ok to try for children. It took it a long while to get it where it needed to be. I thought it was going to be easy but it was work. Keep in mind this over 30 years ago. Things are much easier now but a pump isnât the answer to easier. Either treatment plan has good and bad. Each has pros and cons. You just need to sit down and write down what you want and need in a pump system and research the choices available to you. Good luck! I would never say a pump is the way to go. Each person needs to find their sweet spot.
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Terry, thanks for this and it is not me pressing for a pump. My last conversation with my Doc I mentioned that I was worried that my insulin regime was wearing the sites for injecting. Like most, certainly long-standing diabetics, I have a lot of good but also some not so good sites and she mentioned that I was probably ready for a pump.
My âin rangeâ appears to be okay, mostly between 80 and 100% and everything seems okay.
From everything that is being posted here, it tells me that much more research is required by me into whether this will be good for me to get onto.
The research I have done leads me to feel that until Abbott get a relationship with a Pump Manufacturer or the NHS bring on Dexcom and TSlim it is something I can possibly live without.
Thanks, I have replied with the details to Terry, but would like to thank you for the response you applied also.
I was not asking any such questions, it was on the basis that my Doctor suggested it was a good time to go that way.
My management appears to work just fine, although I do have the occasional blip of lows and highs. I only have to inject at most 3 or 4 times a day, including BASAL, my only problem is that sometimes it takes an age for my fast acting BOLUS to get into action and my CGM and in range records show this.
Personally I hate highs more than lows, I know that lows are more dangerous but knowing they are appearing or happening makes it easier to recover. I get that with my Libre 2, only been on a CGM for coming up to 3 years now and I was gobsmacked at the difference that has made.
I will look more seriously now, thanks.
It was my Doctor that wants me to do this.
Whilst I have not made a decision yet, I have a bit of work to do to get there.
Nearly as long, hope you are as well as I am.
I have never let diabetes get in my way, but with just a tad more care and consideration I have got this far without all those things I was (via my parents) told would be with me many years earlier than I am now.
I have diabetes; diabetes does not have me.
Tongey, I have been lucky as my skin is great with no over used spots that I am aware of. I can see why a pump might be a good idea for you, but wearing a pump and a GMC might still hard on your body.
Diabetes at this time has me in itâs grips. I have very recently been diagnosed with retinopathy, have neuropathy from the use of a statin, and I have had heart stents for 11 yrs. I doubt any of this would have happened if I wasnât a diabetic.
My A1c has been 4.7 to 5.4 for about 17 yrs. my TIR is very good. For 30 + yrs before that my A1c was under 6.8. The years of urine testing especially during college and after were fairly uncontrolled.
Good luck with your decision!
Marilyn, thanks.
Really sorry to hear about your issues and your A1c levels are superb in comparison to my own, I doubt I have ever been as well controlled as that.
Using the mmol/L levels leads me to think you may be in the UK, are you?
I love the UK, but I live in the US. Some people with diabetes donât seem to get the complications and others, even with very good care get them. I got through the first 50 yrs of diabetes in really good shape.