One more link to send you. Not sure if the UK will have a different set of pumps than the US does.
Comparison of Current Insulin Pumps
If I know I am going to be swimming, or other sport tope stuff, I put vet wrap over the pod. Why would I remove it???
I was just like you, resistant to the pump after doing fine on injections for years. My doc kept trying to get me to do it and I said no. Then I got pregnant and he explained how managing my diabetes while pg was going to be really difficult and it would be better for me and baby to go on the pump. So I said Ok and had planned to only do it for 9 months. Fast forward to 6 years later and I would NEVER ever go back to shots! I LOVE my pump and the freedom it gives me. Plus I had a GREAT pregnancy and completely healthy baby - one of the docs in the surgery room when she was born said my daughter was the healthiest baby he'd ever seen born to a diabetic. I know I could not have done that well with shots as my BS was crazy, all over the place when pg.
As a woman, I understand your hesitations. I did not want something always attached to me and vainly, I was worried about how I would wear it and it not look bad with clothing - I was really concerned about that! But then a nurse who has type 1 at my dr/'s office showed me how to hide it in the side of my bra - brilliant! That is where I wear it so I don't have to clip it to my pants and have it look like a beeper or phone. Now some outfits it can be a challenge, but as I've hit over 40 and gained weight (pregnancy + insulin, see my other post!), I don't really wear the cute little skimpy outfits anymore where it would show. The only time it is a pain or an issue for me is wearing at the pool or beach. Again, now that I am a mommy, I don't sport the cute little bikinis anymore but if I did, not sure where or how I'd wear my pump. But I wear a 2-pc tankini and can either just clip the pump inside the bottoms or wear it like I normally do in my bra top.
It really has given me more freedom - I like not having to carry insulin and syringes everywhere b/c often times I'd forget them. I can more discreetly take my insulin when out to eat (I have a Onetouch Ping). I also have more freedom over when I want to eat and can reduce insulin much easier for exercise, low carbs, etc.
Really, I was just like you, very hesitant, but now I'd never go back.
And also, I take it off for the 10 mins I shower, I will wear it in a pool unless I plan to swim a long time, I take it off when going in the ocean and I take it off for those intimate times with my hubby. It's not a big deal. Sometimes sleeping can be kinda challenging but I use really long tubing and place the pump under my pillow or I'll clip it to front of PJs. There are lots of ways to work it out. I do wear mine with exercise and just tuck it in the side of my sports bra. And with the pump, I can do temp basals and not worry too much about going low when exercising like I did w/shots.
I went 35 years on shots. My doctors wanted me to try it, but I always backed off.I Had the same, MOSTLY self-image and day to day living with the pump,reservations about that the OP Has:
I will be always connected..
Everyone will know I am diabetic and what will they think about me?..
I am USED to shots, and
It will be too much !!! the pump and all those supplies require too much training and learning that I do not have time for..
Maybe it will decrease my viability as a romantic partner if people can see immediately that I am wearing something medical and "strange"..
How will I be able to swim, shower and bathe with that "thing "on me all the time?
I found that when once got to the root of my emotional issues, I wanted to use the pump. I had a bad health scare in 2002, pernicious anemeia (b-12 deficiency), and a long hospitalization, and a spiritual re-birth, that changed my way of "let;s hide the diabetes as much as possible" thinking. I started to not care about who knew I was diabetic and focussed on taking the best care of me that was possible. I was not able to do that on MDI. I got tired of carrying around syringes and bottles of insulin ( I never did pens, I am an old-school diabetic, trained in 1968 on one shot of pork insulin;urine glucose analysis with strips). I also had started to bruise and bump up from the shots. I did not like that at all. I was very active and just did not like to carry around all that stuff, and like other posters, I would sometimes forget if I had given myself a bolus.
I would never go back to using shots.: It is Too inconvenient. the pump remembers what I cannot remember, makes it far easier to get stable blood sugars, and it is as concealable as you want it to be. I wear it 24/7 the only times I go longterm untherered is when I go day-long swimming, boating, or canoeing (my MM pump is not waterproof) . No problems at all with wearing it ( I too hide it in the bra, If people see it on my belt or pants, they ususlly oay no attention, and if they do , I kindly tell them what it is. I never had any problem with being rejected because I was diabetic or wore a opump.. If men do not"choose'; me to date because I wear a pump, then they are not anybody I would want to be around anyway....And the boyfriend at the time I changed from injections to a pump had no problem with it.
Yes, the pump learning curve is long; there IS a LOT to learn and read and much trial and error in setting bvasals, etc, and learning hw to take advantage of all the oumno's features.. I never did dual or square-wave until I had beenon the pump for 3 years... but my blood glucoses sare much easier to stabilize, I have freedom to sleep in and eat when I want, even skip meals. Never did that on injections, even with Lantus.. I found it had a slight peak that I had to eat for.. and I just do not at all miss MDI.. I love not geting the shot "lumpy bumpies".
The Only down side to the pump is that you have to make sure the infusion set is intact and functioning at all times... You can creep up very high very quickly if you are not getting any of that short acting insulin.. so you have to watch it and make sure all is well. Think about choosing a pump. I do not think you will regret it. I don't for a minute.
God bless,
Brunetta
Type one 43 years.
Hi all I can say for me, I wish I had made the switch to a pump YEARS ago, there is so much freedom and flexibilty with being on a pump, much more so than you can ever have on MDI...but that being said, the pump is a lot of keeping up with, and you have to be dedicated to testing frequently because if things go bad they can go bad QUICKLY. And the pump is not a magic fix, its only as good as the person operating it, and the amount of time and effort they want to put into good control. So while I wish I had done it much sooner, YOU truly have to be ready to want to do it. I LOVE mine, and I dont think I'd ever go back to MDI...however being on a pump is NOT a permanent thing, and if at any time anyone on one wishes to go back to MDI, we certainly can. I say demo a bunch of different ones...see what you like, dont like about them and just be open to the possibilities that i can bring.
I've honestly never had any interest in one for a variety of reasons but understand the more pumps they sell the more money they make so of course the doctors push them. I wouldn't be surprised if they get a piece of the action. Insulin needles are cheap and the profit is not much compared to a pump. I believe they could care less if it is helpful to the patient. To the manufacturer its just a business and nothing more. For that reason alone I would never get one. Also remember all it is is another way to get the insulin in your body.. Yeah you can program your basil to work more pancreas like but lets be real, when you go out to eat at a restaurant and don't know the exact carbs or you get stressed at work or you walk back and forth while your talking on the phone do you really think that precise basil is really gonna do much of anything? I rest my case! If your getting somewhat acceptable control on shots I'd stick with them.
I don't think doctors get all that much more money out of a pump. I think an endo bills to a "level of service" based on how complex the visit is. A "pump installation" might be a "level 4" or "level 5" instead of a "level 3" or "level 4" but that's not a whole bunch of a money for an endo. I think they push them because they get better data from their patients. I suspect they may also see jollier patients? A lot of docs I've encountered in other specialties (surgeons, ER docs, the Anesthesiologist before I had my umbilical hernia fixed was *really* pleased to see I had one, although he didn't want to look at the CGM, which I thought was wierd...) have really been almost more enthusiastic about them?
hello I was diagnosed w type 1 five yrs ago (31 yrs old) I did injections at first then went on the pump. the pump is very complicated in the begining. a lot of testing n calling ur dr so they are able to fig out how much insulin u wil need during the coarse of ur day n night. and its attached to u aswell which is an adjustment. but once u get past tht n understand the pump n changing it…u actually have more freedom. no injections all the time. the insulin is w u at all times which is convienint…down side is u have a site tht stays on u. u change it every 3 days. n tight clothing can make it tough to hide the pump. I usd to put it in the centr of my bra or I used something called a thigh thing. lol u can attache it to ur inner thigh. It def takes a lot getting used to. I, myself, am on the oposite side. I went back to injections n feel more incontrol n free from it having to stay attachd to me. most ppl love it tho…n there is a type of pump tht is coming out soon that tests ur bg for u. its a type of pod. thts a great invention if it comes out! if u have any questions feel free to ask. I was on it for 3 yrs…jessica
Every doctor bills to a level of service, your exactly right. Most visits are billed around a level 3...so a pump initally would be billed probably at a level 4...its not THAT much more they get from a pump visit, and that would most likely be just for the initial visit...my CDE see's me for my pump and my initial visit...so my endo doesn't even get any kind of "kick back" me being on a pump because the CDE's bill differently from the Dr's. I too suspect the reasons Endo's push them so much is simply because they do get better data and I really do think they probably give the patient a better level of control than can be acheieved on MDI...not saying you can't have a good level of control on MDI, but I think the pump really tightens up that control, that otherwise you can't really do with MDI. And I think in the long run Endo's want the best possible treatment options with the best possible outcomes...not to say if you choose MDI you wont have good control...its just a tighter level of control that is possible on the pump...its also good for people who are really insulin sensitive like myself...where the difference in being able to much more accurately dose is a huge benefit.
So it's all a conspiracy?
I have found myself having a lot greater control now that I'm not using Lantus and only need to deal with regular insulin. Your statements regarding basal (basil is an herb) rates indicates that you are very unfamiliar with pump therapy.
The OmniPod was invented by a guy who had a daughter diagnosed with T1 and wanted to make pump therapy easier. God bless him and I hope he made a lot of money on the idea.
Tighter control is easier with a pump. I kick myself for not doing it sooner. And whether or not you are stressed at work or pace while you're on the phone doesn't really have anything to do with your basal rates. Basal rates can change due to the season or weather. Your reaction to stress can be more significant or less, we don't all run to the same clock.
Until there's a fix for this condition, we still need development of things that will help make management easier. Attributing everything to profit motive isn't very helpful. I doubt my doctor at a teaching hospital is making bank by suggesting pump therapy to his patients.
Jackie, out of curiosity what pump were you using?
I think it's a mixed bag.
I personally wouldn't want to go back to syringes, but I've known of people who'v used them their whole lives and obtain excellent results.
I've also heard of Doctors being more hesitant to those people because they've found a groove that works, improving something that doesn't need to be improved upon can throw up new issues.
I love not carrying around needles, but I do still feel a sense of freedom when I rip out the infusion set, and the pump isn't suspended or hanging off of any part of me and I can just have a shower or whatever unencumbered.
I suppose I would tell you, if your insurance covers it and it isn't breaking you, then try it, and give it a couple of months to get over the odd sensation of having this prosthetic. As I said, I always kind of feel it there, but absolutely nowhere near as much as in the early days. Once that feeling fades you can enjoy the other end of this argument.
Not carrying around insulin and even limited blood test sticks if you go the extra step over to continuous glucose monitoring.
Pluses and minuses everywhere, but at the end of the day I would enact a cruel and savage revenge on anyone who tried to take mine away. I feel I've earned the right to the lifestyle advantages this now gives me.
A PUMP = FREEDOM. You will never regret having one--believe all of us! Yes, you are attached, but this is 2012 and EVERYONE is attached to email, cell phone, tablets. The pump is minor attaching tech that will improve your life in amazing ways and drastically improve you control. And you can figure out ways to work with it during exercise, and other activities....
I fought it too--being attached freaked me out. After 10 years, I now refer to myself as the "Six Thousand Dollar Woman" (if you get that, you are also older than a 5th grader!)
I wildly encourage you! Go for the the GOLD! You will be very glad you did.
I LOVE THE PUMP & WOULD NEVER GIVE IT UP. AS A MATTER OF FACT WHEN MY MINIMED MALFUNCTIONED & HAD TO BE REPLACED I COULDN'T WAIT TO GET BACK ON IT THE NEXT DAY.JUST GIVE IT A CHANCE & BE PATIENT.DON'T GIVE UP .:)
For years when I was on MDI, if I had to "sneak" a shot because I was not able to "shoot up" in a private setting, I'd jab myself in the top of the thigh. After years of doing that the fat on the tops of my legs got pretty knotty. I'm really thin, and almost 7 years after I gave up steel for a pump some of those bumps are still there. I used to bleed & bruise from shots but with my Minimed pump cannula I have not had more than one or two bruises in all that time. Same for bleeders and those were about as much as for a BG test.
I'd echo the idea that you can always try a pump and if you decide it isn't for you then go back to what you are doing now. I know that for me the first week or two on the pump were a little intimidating, but so was learning to play golf.
I'm in the process of getting data on whether a pump/cgm is right for me. My endo has some deal with medtronic, and I have to admit the idea that the two could be integrated is sweet. I'm not that worried about tubing, although I do have a slight fear of adhesive burn--when I was in ICU, I had serious problems with that.
To tell you the truth, I'm leaning more toward a cgm if there has to be a choice, which there might because I'm desperately poor at the moment. What gets me is the cost--right now my copays for prescriptions are $40/month--$10 each for levemir, novolog, 200 syringes, and 300 test strips. But my insurance only pays 80% for durable medical supplies, which would mean something like $220/three months for sensors for the cgm, $155/three months for infusion sets--and I would still have to have the novolog (and still have to throw out more than half a bottle at the end of the month) and the test strips (less quantity, same copay). And that's not even counting the set up charges--which are high because I've not met my deductible yet this year.
The pump sales people are trying to see whether I'd qualify for assistance, but I don't know whether it will be a cost effective solution when I'm really doing fine on MDI.
When the minimed rep saw my bg charts, he was impressed with how often I test.
I know how you feel; I felt the same way. That was 10 years ago. After going to pump class I decided to give it a try. Scared the daylights out of me & was a huge hassle for about a month...then, love. You may never appreciate it like those of us who were on shots for decades but when I realized I didn't have to be up every morning by 8 to get insulin going and eat within half an hour of when insulins injected hours earlier will peak so dinner can be at 9 or 10 or whenever...freedom! The downside [unfortunately, we still have diabetes] is that pumps are higher maintenance, demand full commitment and sometimes fail, which is a hassle and can become an emergency if you aren't diligent in responding. That said, 10 years, no emergencies & I'm not a highly detailed person. Try it and consider the Omnipod system, you'll forget you even have it on and, as a chick, you won't have to figure out where to hide the tubing & pump.
Since being on my pump, I've had MORE freedom.
In my case, if they want to take it away, they'll have to pry it out of my cold, dead hands. I've been the whole route with 70/30 (an old pre-mixed insulin) NPH and R, and then Humalog before I got my pump, and I could NEVER get the good control that I now have on the pump. Before I got the pump (13 years ago) I was taking about 8 shots a day. Really a nuisance. And because I'm not a stylish dresser, I usually wear jeans, and the pump just goes in my pocket. In the rare instance that I do wear a dress, I either cut a hole in the seam of the pocket to thread the tubing through, or I wear a leg band, which while not my preferred method, is still better than shots. Of course, if you go for the Omnipod, this is not an issue, but for me, the Omnipod is too big and bulky and I would find it more of an interference with my life than just tucking the pump in my pocket.
I HAVE gone back to injections, but just once. I really didn't like it.
The only proviso, which I'm sure others have mentioned, is that there is a steep learning curve if you really want to take advantage of all the pump's features. Terminology differs, but the square wave or dual wave can be very useful after you learn how. And the ability to set different basal rates and carb ratios and correction factors depending on the time of day or changes in schedule is priceless. You just have to endure less than perfect BGs during your learning period.
Yeah, I'm enthusiastic about it, but the bottom line is that you really won't know until you try it. Maybe you can get a loaner, I don't know, but I think it's worth a try!