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Insulin pump - no thanks, am I crazy?

Jason_Avoneg

Jason_Avoneg

Active Member
Messages
36
Hi,

So I asked for some fiasp and GP was happy to prescribe, unfortunately my hba1c has been pretty **** for the last few years...

My gp looked at my charts on my Libre, and my average hba1c and said he can recommend me for a pump...at first I thought oh wow, a CGM system is sweet...

But then realised it's just a pump that pumps insulin...*** I can just inject?

Also I don't want to wear some pump unit and wire, it doesn't look cool and I don't want more tech to carry around and another device to worry about and sleep with?

So I'm just going to say thanks but no thanks when the appt comes and stick to the traditional route.

Thoughts/views/opinions?
 
I complete understand where you are coming from. I had exactly the same view as you for years.
There were two things which changed my opinion
- basal. Injections assume a pretty stead basal requirement at all times of the day. Sure, you can split your dose so you can effectively have one dose for the day and one dose for the night. This is great if your basal needs are steady for 24 or 12 hours. Although this is a great model, it is a simplification and things like dawn phenomenon and exercise change our basal needs. the way a pump provides basal is to drip fast acting insulin 24x7. This gives us the chance to change basal pretty quickly. We can set up a daily schedule which adjusts for dawn phenomenon and evenings slumped in front of the telly; we can also temporarily change that to provide more insulin for climbing, in my case, or less insulin for running. In other words, a pump allows us to adjust the basal dose to match our body's needs closer than a single (or two) doses.
- it's not permanent. You can try out the pump and, if you really don't like it, you can give it back and go back to injections.

As far as appearance goes, I confess this is the thing that I really don't like. I was told it was small (about the size of a pack of cards) so you can hide it in your pocket or (for a woman) in your bra. Put a packet of cards in my trouser pocket (or bra) and you can see it - I am not big enough to hide something of that size. But many people are.
And there are tubeless options, if you are lucky (I was not).

I have had my pump for nearly two years and my BG control has significantly improved.
At first it took a bit more effort than injecting - some time to get the basal schedule correct and, because your basal is not a single injection, you don't have "spare insulin" to mop up under counting carbs.
Today, if someone told me they were going to take my pump away, I would be annoyed. Not just because it is a rubbish thing to give a child a new toy and then take it away from them but also because I have seen significant improvements in exercise - I can climb harder routes, lift heavier weights and do cardio at the gym without worrying about hypoing as often.
 
Personally I think you need to go do some research :) You have made a typical knee jerk reaction due to fear of the unknown.
Pumping is hard work but then you only reap what you sow, yes control/HbA1c does improve but only if you put the work in.
Obviously you have weighed up high A1c's and the likelihood of complications........ sight loss/impairment, kidney problems nerve damage etc.
There are pumps on the market that have CGM function and as you have the libre just change the purchase cost of the sensors for that over to your pump sensors or use your Libre as many others do.
 
@helensaramay Thanks for that super informative and helpful post.

Definitely some things to consider, the trouble is it's tax payers money so I definitely don't want to trial something I may not use in the long term.

I'm going to see how the Fiasp works out and see if I can regain good control, if not I'll look into the pump avenue.

I'm not super fat either so don't know how to hide this, a guy noticed my libra sensor through my shirt *** today, that was odd enough.

I just don't want to be *that* diabetic guy with the weird gizmos. I'm pretty serious about my career these days, and prefer not to have obvious signs of some sort of medical condition.

I know everyone has their own issues, but still, I hate it when people try and make a fuss or are all zomg are you ablez 2 eet dat n not di? I'm pretty sleek with injecting and one of the deciding factors for the libre was the fact that it's a super discrete solution.

I'm not saying being diabetic makes me, or anyone else a lesser person, or uncool, but this is how I see it, this is what I feel to be my situation, and so yeah...

Anyway thanks
 
I avoided a pump for years, probably down to my irrational fears and vanity.

What surprised me most is how discreet a pump is and how much more convenient. I went from injecting 4-5 times a day (and often forgetting) to changing my pump every 3 days - what a luxury!

So in answer to your question I'd say not crazy in fact pretty sensible if you are looking to tighten your control and have more flexibility.
 
Jason_Avoneg said:
Hi,

So I asked for some fiasp and GP was happy to prescribe, unfortunately my hba1c has been pretty **** for the last few years...

My gp looked at my charts on my Libre, and my average hba1c and said he can recommend me for a pump...at first I thought oh wow, a CGM system is sweet...

But then realised it's just a pump that pumps insulin...*** I can just inject?

Also I don't want to wear some pump unit and wire, it doesn't look cool and I don't want more tech to carry around and another device to worry about and sleep with?

So I'm just going to say thanks but no thanks when the appt comes and stick to the traditional route.

Thoughts/views/opinions?
Click to expand...

I had pretty similar view on pumping when I was told I needed one. Not so much an aversion to carrying technology around with me, because I was already using a CGM. More an aversion to being wired. The idea just turned me off. But I did need a pump and I researched available pumps and chose an omnipod, because it isn't wired. Omnipod is a patch pump, so there are no wires, you don't wear it as such you stick it so it isn't at all noticable under clothing, it's a very discrete pump an a very convenient way to bolus because the pump is controlled remotely - so if you want to bolus you do so from the remote, thers no need to get at the pod under any clothing.

I have used a tubed pump since, because I needed the low suspend feature on the Medtronic 640. I really didn't mind being wired, it wasn't an issue at all. Sleeping with it really wasn't a problem.

I have given my tubed pump back because it wasn't working for me (because the sensors just don't like me) and I'm pretty confident I didn't waste tax payers money in trialing it as I was told it would be reset and given to pregnant ladies in the clinic who needed a pump urgently.
 
I'm on a Medtronic 640g too so wired for insulin, I had to put in a lot of effort initially over 3 months to tweak adjust and monitor, it's very much down to user input. I don't use the CGM feature but use the Libre instead as I only use a sensor about once a month. I too didn't like the fact of being controlled by a pump when it was first suggested to me and thought it would be too clunky, but have a pump belt so can sleep without it getting in the way and it's easy to transport. It's been a game changer for me, reduced my HbA1c, I can bolus in smaller units and preset basal for exercise or put a temporary basal action on, I have 7 varying basal rates through the day, my control is so much tighter, and hypos are less severe, I rarely get a hypo below 3 mmol/l, although still average 2-3 a week, they are pretty insignificant and easy to recover from. I am in touch with my DSN every month to review my results.

Worst case scenario you don't like it, hand it back and someone else would receive it..
 
Jason_Avoneg said:
I just don't want to be *that* diabetic guy with the weird gizmos. I'm pretty serious about my career these days, and prefer not to have obvious signs of some sort of medical condition.
Click to expand...
As someone who is in a line of work that's fairly "dog eat dog", I can certainly comment on this - it's your delivery that makes a difference*. People don't give a stuff about your medical status, unless it affects your ability to do your job. The majority just think you are wearing an 80s pager! Believe me, in my industry, if it was an issue, I'd know about it.

*Caveat - unless your delivery involves taking your clothes off and looking aesthetically pleasing, then a pump might be a slightly different matter :D
 
Ok thanks all, I'll explore the options, if a sleek setup that doesn't look like I'm carrying a pager is available I'll look into it.

Edit: no I'm not a stripper... definitely not with my potato face.
 
I would take the pump over the Libre any day of the week......

Its knowledge and understanding of insulin and carbs that will ultimately improve your control though...
 
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