Would a pump make things more difficult?

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6
Advice about pumps please. I am T1, lead a very un-routine and hectic life, and manage to keep my HbA1c to 45, but only by carb counting and testing my blood glucose about 10 times a day. Some professionals have said I should try a pump, as it would make my life easier. So, asked the specialist doctor the other day and she told me my diabetes was too well controlled to need a pump and it would just make things harder for me. Would love to hear what users of a pump think about this. Thanks
 

noblehead

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I believe in the initial stages of changing to a pump it is hard work and takes a lot of time and commitment, however after this period very few would revert back to injections...... going by what I've read on this forum over the last 5 years.
 

donnellysdogs

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Are you having many hypos with hba1c of 45?
Unless your hba is higher then hypos are probably the only considerstion that your Hcps would give to getting a pump...
 

mrman

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48 equivalent to 6.5. My last was 6.7 but should definately have a lower one next time from my daily readings since :)
Must say for me on mdi no way would I have got these figures without loads of hypos. Now pumping waking up 5~6, pre meals 4.5~5.5 and 2 hour after meals 6~8 with the odd 9 thrown in. never giving up my pump lol

Sent from my GT-S5360
 

mrman

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Just re checked 45 = 6.3.
if it ain't broke, dont fix it :)

Sent from my GT-S5360
 

pumppimp

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246
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Hi,
I would say a pump makes things a lot easier for someone who doesn't have a regular routine. It all depends on what you want to expect from it. For instance if I need to go from work to uni I have to cycle (its about 7 miles up hill) I don't usually have to take on board any extra carbs, I can just turn my basal rate down about 30mins before I go, whereas if I was on injections to do exercise without taking on extra carbs I would have to lower my basal the night before. I find that my control is not just much better but also tighter with less highs and lows than when on injections.
Pumps are really hard to get for a lot of people the nice criteria are listed on lots of different threads have a read. I think I'd be right in saying though that you would only qualify for one if you were having lots of problems with hypos. To get your basal settings right and bolus and carb ratios right is very intensive to start off with. For me the intensive bit took about 6-8 weeks then another couple of months to get properly sorted, I think that's quite quick compared with some other people. For the intensive bit it entails doing a lot of fasting basal tests and experimenting with bolus and bolus timing and then experimenting with temporary basal rates. So that would be doing anywhere from 10 to 20 tests a day and recording all the carbs fat and protein your eating, what your doing with your pump and what your bg is then trying to analyse it all and then adjust until you get it spot on. In saying all that you will have to keep changing all the aspects as your body changes eg weight, age, stress, (if you're a lady hormones). Although this isn't exclusive to the pump if you are carb counting and on basal bolus you would have to do that with injections as well.
I would definitely never give my pump back I couldn't cope on injections and I definitely couldn't have the type of lifestyle that I have and want to have if I was on injections. If you are doing okay on injections though how would having a pump make things better that's what you need to think of.
 
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6
Thanks for all of your thoughts everyone. This is what I need to hear. I don't have too many hypos, at least not bad ones, my bg will go down to low 4's at times, but only when I have exercised without planning and taking on extra carbs. I work with animals, so I cannot always plan ahead! I have never had a hypo that I needed help to treat, so guess I'm not doing too badly for now. I will talk to my DSN about a pump, but from what I have been reading on here and else where, I think that I will not qualify for one, even if it would make things easier for me. Other people will be much higher up the list tan me and in much greater need of a pump.

Thanks again for comments, they are all very interesting to read :)
 

Trina

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I would definitely say things would be easier on the pump. I have been type 1 diabetic for over 50 years and I have now been on a pump for 9 months, there have been some scared moments but that was only because of my inability to understand. The support is second to none and the benefits even higher. I'm on an accuchek pump by the way.
 

Paulh1

Newbie
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1
I've been on a pump a little over a week now (accu check) and believe me its not easy but a bit of perspective is needed. Things arent going to get better overnight and I believe you have to put in the hard yards to begin with. Once that is done though the flexibility will hopefully be liberating.

My HB1AC was 7.3 before pump. I'm not sure of the figures you guys are using as I live in Australia.