Im considering getting an insulin Pump. Ive only been diabetic for around 3 and a half years but have tried DAFNE courses and everything else under the sun. Im on around 7 injections a day now (whenever i snack really and im a hungry guy) lol. Any advice and any Con’s? Ive only heard Pro’s ,which is no bad thing but i wouldnt like to find out the hard way.
Thanks a lot
I will keep it short-I am a pumper and can not imagine not pumping. MDI’s forget, it too much messing around and calculating.
The only “con” for me was affording a pump. Therefore, I waited 52 1/2 Type 1 years. Now Medicare paid 80% of the pump’s cost and my AARP supplement picked up the other 20%. The only insulin for which Medicare will pay is insulin being pumped: not MDI’d. Go figure. Having everything coming without cost, insurance premiums excepted, is one benefit. The best benefit from my little over 3 months on the pump is much better control and a lower A1C.
Nice One thanks a lot
Useful Thanks a lot
Woah… 7 times a day!? I was only doing MDI 4x a day… and that drove me crazy! I started my pump 4 months after I was diagnosed!
I can’t say anything bad about pumping. I think you’d be really happy with pumping, and you’d probably question yourself why you hadn’t switched sooner! lol. Not only is it easier… but it’s also healthier. My pump has helped me a achieve an A1c of 5.6. Also, my assurance paid for 90% of my pump. that was nice!
Ok smart one, so you want some con’s-getting the tubing caught on door knobs, hurts like hell. Unless you get and Omnipod then you just have to worry about it falling off. Always being attached to a device and having to take it off for showers, swimming and other fun things. The cost unless you have wonderful insurance. Having your infusion site bleed after removing a set even though it rarely happens. Air bubbles in the tube or cartridge, again with practice this is a non-issue.
In the end this is all stuff to take into consideration before getting a pump but after practice (at least for me) you will quickly forget about these things because pumping is the next best thing if your pancreas isn’t working properly.
Haha thanks a lot…i think 
Dude the biggest con is that it takes up one of my pockets
My biggest con was getting sets to stay stuck for even 2 days days (tried mastisol, skin-tac, etc, nothing really worked well for me)… nevermind 3+. It’s part of why I’m on a pump break right now.
That, and the cost if you only have 80% coverage can add up quickly… otherwise I loved pumping.
I use MDI very similar to how I used my pump, so for me there’s not a lot of difference in control or a1c, it’s really all about convenience and ease of use, and the pump really beats out MDI there. That, and for me it means less logging… I constantly forget to log shots.
I pump for several reasons. I was up to 18 MDI a day, and got tired of chasing my blood sugar.
Pros : tighter control, better overall feeling. More rest at night.
Cons - it can get frustrating to have something attached to you 24/7
Doorknobs can scare you if you go the standard tubed route
cost of upkeep / supplies - while pumping is generally more expensive for supplies - sometimes insurance covers more
basal rates - this changes every few months / few years depending on your body and other factors - the 2 hour testing through the night… is pure hell
Pumping is a lot of work. I’ve been pumping for 8 years now and just found out I’ve been doing it wrong for about 5 years. Just recently I’m calibrating my basal rates and I can’t believe that no one has mentioned this as a con. I’ve skipped breakfast at least 7 times in the last three weeks and each morning I do I’ve checked my BG every half hour until lunchtime. And that’s just what I’ve gone through for the breakfast basal rates. Lunch and Dinner are still to come! I think calibrating your basal rate and carb/insulin ratios are definitely the hardest part of using a pump. But then again it could just be a problem with me. I guess that’s what you get when you don’t attempt to look at those things for 5 years, huh?
Other minor things to think about are infusion sets and sites, and just getting used to the lifestyle. Carb counting was difficult for me, but I’m pretty much a pro now. Most everything gets fixed over time if you are diligent, and most mechanical or physical issues with the pump (tubing, etc) are pretty much a non issue, as I haven’t had any problems like that for years. I use MiniMed products, FYI, and I feel that they work hard to improve their products. I really like them and not just because it’s what my insurance covers!
I’ve found that getting a pump has made me keep track of my BGs much more than when I was injecting. I’ve got MM’s carelink system and it really helps when I talk to my Nurse about these things. Just wish Kaiser would cover the CGMS now!
Oh, and there is a simple solution to Joshua’s problem. Get a belt clip!
Sure, that works but i just clip it to the inside of my pocket, more comfortable.
I did MDI for nearly 40 years before pumping and now, having been pumping for about 6 months, I cannot imagine going back. It is work and takes disciple but the results can be amazing
Go for it! I cannot imagine my life without my pump. I’ve had D for almost 30 years, and I’ve been pumping for the last 3. I used to think of my life as pre-diabetes and post diabetes…now it’s pre-pump and post pump! I would not go back to my pre-pump days for anything.
I guess a con is the expense. If you have good insurance coverage, then it’s not really that much of an issue. The pro’s outweigh the con’s by a landslide!!!
If you are snacking throughout the day and need to take shots for all the times you eat, then pumping may be the way to go!
Good luck with whatever you decide!
i love my pump and resisted for 26 years. the difference is profound. Cons? More testing, I test more. is that a con? I got a pump because i met with a group of HS diabetics and not a single one of them was taking shots. i felt no way can i be htis far behind. Three months later i started pumping. Best diabetic decision i have ever made.
rick phillips
For me, there are not a whole lot of cons…except for expense. My insurance covered most of my pump, but they don’t pay for Infusion Sets or Reservoirs. It definitely adds up trying to afford it, but to me…it is worth it.
I haven’t had issues with the tubing getting caught anywhere…so that isn’t a con for me either. I use both 43’ and 23’ length (I use the longer one when I do arm sites).
I do agree with sometimes figuring out new basal rates can be a bit difficult, as there are a few more factors on a pump that can affect your BG.
Other then that though, I LOVE pumping. I don’t feel ‘attached’ to anything, I feel like I have more freedom on a pump. There have been many situations where afterwards I am thankful for the pump, as it made the situation easier to deal with (like my brothers 35th birthday where the dinner was spread over 2 hours with lots of grazing). To me, the pump has made a huge difference in my life. Not just with BG control, but with just my life in general. It feels great to just ‘push a few buttons’ and get insulin.
I really do believe if most people gave the pump a try, the pros would outweigh any cons.
The cons for me included the increased testing I have to do. I also have to work on the carb counting thing (I am new to this, I was still using exchanges before I got on the pump!). I hate skipping meals to adjust basal rates but it isn’t so bad as you get to see the results of better numbers when you do it. I thought it would be hard to be attached to a machine all the time but for me that was easy to get use to.
The pros far outweigh the cons, I will never go back to MDI. I lived with diabetes for 22 years before I broke down and decided to get a pump. Now I kick myself wondering why I waited so long!
The pump has helped me more than anything. The continuous “flow” of insulin acts more like a pancreas. I started on a MiniMed, and then after one year, switched to the OmniPod because I wanted to be able to wear 24/7 ( can shower, swim, etc) with it and no tubing. The only con I had was the tubing with the MiniMed. The only con with the OmniPod is sometimes the Pod can occlude and you have to change it. The pod holds 200 units, and is good for three days. I change every other day, as I use at least 100 units a day.
Gordie,
Not to dispute you as your situation may be different but Medicare pays for my injected insulin. It is processed thru the Part D drug card and my current carrier is AARP. Maybe it’s the drug card you have that doesn’t cover it. You have to pick a card that covers what meds you use. That makes me wonder if I’ll have to change companies when I go on the pump.
Karla