injections or pump.

[sophsmam]

Our daughter at the minute is going though a bad stage hating her diabetes,she got herself all upset today and is now thinking off going on the pump.For the past year she's said she didn't want it so maybe once she's calmed down things might be different.
So really i just want to know people's opinions whats best injections or pump.at the minute im in two minds but it's not me with the diabetes.

 

[diabetesmum]

Both my daughters are on the pump. We would not choose to go back on injections. But there are pros and cons for both forms of treatment. And the pump will not necessarily stop your daughter hating her diabetes, it certainly hasn't mine!

 

[sophsmam]

she's just at the minute she hates doing her needles and think s the pump is the best option

 

[iHs]

Just wondered, although you use MDI, hasn't a consultant or dsn spoke to you about injecting insulin twice a day using biphasic insulins? For kids, this type of regime is better really even though one has to eat to the action of the insulin - usually little and often, but it does tend to give a smoother control over bg levels and of course does away from needing to inject 4-6 times a day

 

[jopar]

The pump can be a much more flexible with handling control, then insulin injections...

Some advantages

She will always have her insulin with her
She can change delivery of basal rates to match her needs, most pumps come with 5 programable basal profiles, she could set up a profile for a normal school day, PE days, weekends/holidays..
If she eating with friends, no worries about whether to inject there and then or retreat to somewhere quite!!
Is she decides to have an after, or a pizza type meal where you would either have to another injection or split to cover the meal it's all a case of pressing buttons and perhaps choosing which bolus suits best..
She can tempory adjust her basal rate up or down, by using the TBR function on pumps to better meet her needs...
She can adjust her basal rate, by the hour (some pumps I think now have this at 1/2 hour interviews)
As her body changes from child to womenhood she be more able to keep up with the effects of changing hormones..

How many of the above can you do with injections?

I know that you say for the last year she has shyed away from the idea of an insulin pump,but maybe that was because she wasn't ready for one, and the change now is being a year older and a year wiser she feels now is the right time to get one..

I would say is if she wants one, then let her go for it... At the end of the day if she doesn't like it then she can easily go back to injections and you've been the best mum because you've given her a choice and allowed her to make it..

 

[diabetesmum]

I agree with everything Jopar has said.
And if she is really hating her jabs then the pump will help because it is one needle every 2 or 3 days, instead of 4 or 5 a day. I would say let her go for it, it will make things more flexible, but it won't magically make her happier about having diabetes. In the early days of setting the pump up it's hard work, and makes diabetes seem even more 'in your face', but then things settle down, and as I said before, we would not go back to injections, no matter what the regime.
Best wishes
Sue

 

[Shazza]

We werent told anything about the pump at the hospital, it does sound like a great idea, My Son is on 2 injections just now, he is about to change to 4 which I suspect will somedays be 5 by what I have read, he says he is ok about the extra injections but I am not, I hate to think of him having to jag even more than now. Your daughter sounds very mature, she could always go back to injections if it doesnt work out

 

[sophsmam]

Its been nearly a week since sophie was very upset and everything seems to be ok.Sophie is on 1 unit per 5 grams so this week, i've reduced her carb intake and between 10 to 20 less units of novorapid thoughout the day.we have got the levemir spot on so the past 5 days she's only had 4 injections and no correction dosages.She seems to be a lot happier with her b/s hopefully for the time being under control.She is at the hopsital in december and she may mention about the pump then.