Insulin pump

[Xchynnax]

Hi I was just wondering if people could give me their opinions on the insulin pump as I have been asked to attend a meeting about having one and would love to hear other people's views

 

[azure]

Hi I was just wondering if people could give me their opinions on the insulin pump as I have been asked to attend a meeting about having one and would love to hear other people's views

Hi @Xchynnax

If you look around the Pump section here you'll find a number of threads discussing the pros and cons of a pump. The pros usually far outweigh the cons!

A pump doesn't suit everyone because we're all different, but personally I absolutely love my pump! It gives me the chance to perfect my basal in a way no injections could; it allows me to set temp basals for exercise or illness; it lets me do very precise boluses - and it makes me feel normal

It does take work though. The pump only does what you tell it to so you need to understand carb counting and your diabetes.

 

[dancer]

Before going on the insulin pump, I couldn't achieve an HbA1c below 8% without at least 40 hypos per month. Also, before the pump was even mentioned, my BG would rise from 5.? before breakfast to over 15, two hours after. If I took a higher bolus, I would hypo around 10 or 11am but my postprandial reading would still be in double figures. I was told not to test after breakfast so that I wouldn't know how high my BG was going!

After being on the pump for almost 7 years, my HbA1c isn't as low as I'd like but is always below 8%, usually around 7.5%. Unfortunately I am insulin sensitive, so have been advised that I shouldn't aim for a lower HbA1c.
Using a temporary basal at breakfast, helped me have good postprandial results (taking an earlier bolus tended to send me hypo).

The flexibility with the pump is great and I wouldn't be without it, but it is a lot of hard work to begin with . . . It is definitely worth it!

 

[noblehead]

Hi I was just wondering if people could give me their opinions on the insulin pump as I have been asked to attend a meeting about having one and would love to hear other people's views

Quite simply a pump is a great piece of kit and I for one wouldn't want to go back to MDI having been using one for the last 2 years.

If you look on Youtube there's any amount of video's showing people using the various models on offer, it's good as it gives you some insight into what pumping insulin entails and there's also some helpful user feedback.

 

[Juicyj]

I struggled alot with my control before on MDI, the pump really was the last resort in trying to manage my BG better, I have to admit I was pretty worried about wearing a pump 24 hours a day as I couldn't get used to the idea of having a machine attached, however it soon blends into your clothing and is versatile for exercise including swimming, also sleep is never an issue wearing a pump. I have now managed to get my HbA1c down to 52 which was an impossibility for me beforehand, so the honest answer now is that I couldn't do without it

 

[Gaz-M]

having an Insulin has given me so much better control over the past 16 month compared to MDI, alot fewer hypo's and fewer highs. Its the best thing that has happened regarding my Diabetes and would recommend it to anyone that gets the chance, it is however more work involved than on MDI but the benefits out weigh the little bit of work you have to do while using a pump

 

[Xchynnax]

Thanks for all your replies my main concern is wearing the pump I don't care how it looks but is it comfortable ?? I am concerned about catching it and tugging it out and things like that does I think get in the way or is it easy to manage ? X

 

[azure]

Thanks for all your replies my main concern is wearing the pump I don't care how it looks but is it comfortable ?? I am concerned about catching it and tugging it out and things like that does I think get in the way or is it easy to manage ? X

I don't notice my pump at all. When I first had it, the pump trainer told me about someone who went to work then suddenly realised they didn't have their pump on! I couldn't believe that would happen because I assumed it would be very much in your thoughts - but it isn't. You don't notice it.

Yes, it's totally comfortable

 

[Juicyj]

If you keep the pump in a pump belt then you tuck any spare tubing into the belt and always use the shortest cannula set available, they started me on a very long set which was a nightmare to tuck in, once i'd got the shortest length it hasn't been an issue, it is very comfortable too, you don't notice it very much at all once you start wearing it - however it does take a few days to get used to it

 

[Xchynnax]

Aw brilliant thanks everyone feel lots more confident now fingers crossed I'll get accepted to have one then x

 

[Deleted Account]

Unlike others, I most certainly DO notice my pump and I sometimes catch it.
My stomach is covered in pin pricks from the last few weeks' of cannulars (I wonder if you could use it as a dot-to-dot puzzle).
The stickiness irritates my skin so I have to change it every other day.
The cannular can be uncomfortable if I put it in the wrong place (like under my waist band) but over time I have learnt the best places.
I find a belt under my top gets sweaty in hot weather. I find limited places to clip it to my belt because it sticks into my hip bones. I find it falls down if I try to wear it on a thigh belt.
I have experienced the worst Hypers ever when the set was not correctly placed.

However, my BG control is better than MDI and I am learning where is best for me to deploy the cannular and how to wear the pump. I have also got used to temporarily disconnecting my pump at times when I may get tangled in the tube (e.g. when changing clothes). And I have got better at spotting when the set was not correctly placed to avoid hypers.

In other words, it's not all sun and roses: it is a learning experience. But it's worth it.

 

[Snapsy]

@Xchynnax my pump doesn't bother me, but I'm aware that I'm wearing it, although only in the same way that I'm aware I'm wearing a bra or my glasses.

I normally wear mine in a really comfy stretchy belt either round my chest or my tummy or my hips, depending on what I'm doing or wearing.

I miss it when I'm not wearing it (in those few minutes between, say, getting out of the shower and getting dressed, which is when I reconnect). It's sort of like being without a hug.

 

[noblehead]

It's sort of like being without a hug.

Wow I wouldn't go that far @Snapsy

 

[Snapsy]

LOL @noblehead !

It's just that I'm so used to having something all the way around me - my pump belt - that it IS sort of huggy.....

Am I going soft?!

 

[Xchynnax]

Unlike others, I most certainly DO notice my pump and I sometimes catch it.
My stomach is covered in pin pricks from the last few weeks' of cannulars (I wonder if you could use it as a dot-to-dot puzzle).
The stickiness irritates my skin so I have to change it every other day.
The cannular can be uncomfortable if I put it in the wrong place (like under my waist band) but over time I have learnt the best places.
I find a belt under my top gets sweaty in hot weather. I find limited places to clip it to my belt because it sticks into my hip bones. I find it falls down if I try to wear it on a thigh belt.
I have experienced the worst Hypers ever when the set was not correctly placed.

However, my BG control is better than MDI and I am learning where is best for me to deploy the cannular and how to wear the pump. I have also got used to temporarily disconnecting my pump at times when I may get tangled in the tube (e.g. when changing clothes). And I have got better at spotting when the set was not correctly placed to avoid hypers.

In other words, it's not all sun and roses: it is a learning experience. But it's worth it.

Thanks for it your very honest reply and even though you have said these cons you still think it's worth it so that's great to hear I hope it all gets better for you

 

[Battman]

Hi, I'm on a cellnovo patch pump. It's gr8, no tubing, can wear it anywhere u have afar layer under the skin, doesn't get caught on me! Goes for 3 days with 150u of fast acting insulin in the remote control pump. The handset stores all the basal and bonus controls and sends information to a good website every 2 hours so u can review an share with ur HCP

 

[jnk001]

Hi I was just wondering if people could give me their opinions on the insulin pump as I have been asked to attend a meeting about having one and would love to hear other people's views

I was put off having a pump by the idea of having to have it attached to my belt with the canula piped from it. Then I was told about the omnipod which operated by bluetooth so the pod which is about the size of a cockroach i stuck to your body , you can swim and shower with it on , the control unit/ blood tester is separate .

I am on animal insulin as I can't tolerate human , and i must admit it is quite difficult to get it right , it is a bit better than injecting . the main thing against is that as i play golf i have been told not to put the pod on my arm as it may be affected by my golf swing , i've tried it on my leg but that didn't work out so I am only left with around my stomach so the sites are getting a bit bad. when i was injecting I used my bottom and as that is a large area I never had any injection site problem.

one of the hospitals I was referred to said i had to sign a contract for a minimum of 3 years so I couldn't try it out but they refused to do one with animal insulin , when I found a hospital that would do animal insulin they said no problem with trying one and giving it back if it didn't work out - as the doctor said they always have a waiting list so would just give it to someone else

 

[zerospam]

Had an OmniPod for about 2 years now. Wouldn't want to change back. When people ask me about it, I say "when I was diagnosed had 2 injections a day. A few years later, 4 injections a day for flexibility then 5 a day for better control, now I am on 483* injections a day for flexibility and control"

The pump is great but took a few weeks to get used to but would definitely recommend. I wear on legs, arms and stomach. It has fallen of when I have been rowing (worn on stomach) and have knocked it off when climbing under a desk (worn on arm).

*483 based on a bolus of 1U/hr basal and 3 meals.

 

[noblehead]

I wear on legs, arms and stomach.

Interesting, I've tried the pod on my legs a few times without success, arms, sides and stomach are fine but legs are a no-no

 

[Janet_rabbit]

I didn't know you could wear it on your legs... I'll maybe give that a try. Has anyone else found it works there?