Is it worth all the hassle?

[albannach2]

Hi
I have been pumping for four months now and have a Minimed 712. Previously I had been using MDI to the DAFNE regime but was having lots of disabling hypos, hence the suggestion of having a pump. Apart from the fact these awful hypos have disasppeared I cannot honestly see any other benefits of having a pump. It seems that you have to think about Diabetes even more than I used to have to on MDI, plus with all the calculations, and worrying about if its working or not plus changing the cannula which is a bit hit and miss. At least once you've done your injections you can forget about it for a bit, you don't have a box attached to you continually reminding you. The hour that I can dicsonnect is absolute bliss for me, a great reason for going swimming. Perhaps I am missing something, would appreciate your help in hearing if there is anything positive about the pump, as at the moment I am considering returning to MDI. Is it worth all the hassle?

 

[Stuboy]

surely the less hypo's thing is a really good reason?

I've got 4 weeks to go before hopefully (if all goes to plan) being hooked up to the pump, so i can't say from experience, but personally i can't wait! I can't wait for some steady control without hypo's... it'll improve my mood and mood swings to no end i think! And being able to react to high/low blood sugars much quicker than you can on MDI...

Maybe you're still getting used to it?

You said about calculations... does your pump allow you to enter your BG and carbs? The Animas2020 will let you enter BG and carbs and will calulate the dose for you, plus it will take into consideration insulin that you already have on board.

Perhaps you just have the wrong pump for you?

 

[albannach2]

Hi
Ah so you're getting closer to gettting a pump, thats good news

Yes the no horrid hypos thing is good, but am still getting hypos without warning which is a shame, as I had hoped the pump would sort that out. Yes it has a bolus wizard that works out how much insulin to give for the carbo ratio, but I find that when Im lowish, say 5 it over gives the insulin, so end up going low again a bit later on. But I understand thats the problem with that pump, perhaps as you say Im not on the right pump. Am going to see my pump nurse this week so am hoping she can shed some light on this.

It could just be early days for me, no idea how long it takes to fully get used to having it, would be interested to know from more experienced pump users ....

 

[jopar]

albannach2

It sounds as though your premineters that you have set for your wizard might need tweaking if it's over correcting, as it can only calculate from the informaion that was put into it..

My pump doesn't have wizards included so have to do all my own calculations and judgements, I know that some who started pumping on the older pumps that didn't have the wizards actually don't use this features of there newer pumps!

It does take time to get used to a pump and find the best setting etc how long this is, is very dependant to the individaul some people find that within weeks or months that they got it all sorted, and others find it does take a lot longer to achieve...

I now find that my pump actually requires less effort now than my MDI use to take, and I am getting better results... I've gone from having hypos on a daily bases to very few in a month, where on MDI a hypo could be very disruptive and time consumming I now find that if I have one the impact is very mimimal indeed...

The biggestt plus I've experienced with my pump, which outweighs everything for me, it the improvement of the quaility of life that I now have compared to my last couple of years of MDI, It has given me my life back, I am such a more positive person now than I'd been for a long while... It has opened up opertunities that were really closed to me before I had the pump...

I used to end up banging my head against a brick wall with MDI as a insuling pen nor a syringe, could deliver my insulin in the small quanities or match the veriations of my basal needs, so I was putting in very hard work for no results.... So it isn't a surprise that I was such a negetive persons with a negetive outlook of life, but because of my pumps ability I can put the same and now less effort in and achieve far better results, so I am now a positive person with a positvie out look...

 

[albannach2]

Hi
Thanks for your response, its good to hear that it is easier for you, perhaps Im just being impatient, typical me I just kind of thought Id have it sussed by now,but it appears not.

I haven't tried the manual bolus setting yet, only used the wizard option, although from what you say the manual one is easier, will give it a go, thanks for the tip

 

[bonerp]

i've had the same thoughts about the pump. For example I find a profile that works, then within a month I'm having to change it again which is frustrating. I hate doing basal testing cos I need to eat regularly! My discipline isnt most effective all the time!

Another thing, for example every lunchtime I have a cup of soup and slice of thick cut bread. Within an hour or 2 some lunchtimes the BGs are good and like today and yesterday its approx 12/13. Why? Not a clue. I have swings and fluctuations which have no rhyme or reason.

I am now convinced that men (or maybe just me?!) suffer 'periods' that cause an imbalance in hormones which affect BGs. Also my reason for being really grumpy over the last few days again! Yes this is a monthly cycle!

I also find being attached quite restricting sometimes and quite frankly a pain.

I even tried a pump break for 3 or 4 days and had excellent BGs! Whats that all about? - never could with MDI before!!!

Only thing I have found is I take less insulin which has to be good. Also my HBA1C has progressively come down too. That must be good? And the main reason and target for going on a pump.

I also dont swing as high as I used to. If I have a 17mmol test now I'm quite shocked! Cant remember the last time I saw 19+. I did fairly often on MDI.

Swings and roundabouts I suppose.

Stick with it.
Paul

 

[hanadr]

I know pretty much nothing about pumps, but you say ," when I am lowish, say 5" 5 isn't low. so what numbers are you running at?
I'm a T2 low carbing and using 2 x 500 Metformin. I've hiked 4 miles cross country today and my BG has not been up to 5 yet.
I don't feel hypo at all.
Perhaps you just got used to running high and that's why it seemed as if you had many hypos What numbers were you getting?
If that is the case, keeping steady at a better level( around5) should sort it out.

 

[phoenix]

It sounds as though your premineters that you have set for your wizard might need tweaking if it's over correcting, as it can only calculate from the informaion that was put into it
I agree with Jopar.
Sorry, I've just written this and realised that you have a 712 and my pump is a 515, it may differ but I'm not sure by how much

In the bolus wizard setup check tyour target. If BG is on target at mealtimes it will give the full calcualted dose, if BG is belo, w target it will give less insulin and vice versa.
perhaps most important maybe your carb ratio needs a bit of tweaking for that time of day. Many peoples vary.

Manual bolus is easy, just press manual and use the arrow keys
you can also use easy bolus, by pressing the up key but you need to set that up first.

Another thought I had is it might be that the insulin is working too quickly for you so that its working before the food. I've found this and for more and more meals I'm using a square wave bolus over an hour.

 

[albannach2]

Hi bonerp and phoenix

Glad to hear Im not the only one who finds it a pain to wear. Didnt think I would but have to say I really hate it ... I am sure there are far worse things, but .... thank god for my swimming routine lets just say!!

I had thought that I would be taking lower insulin levels, had heard that in theory you take 25 to 40%less, nothing has changed for me, Im pretty on the same levels and putting on weight like anything yet my diet hasn;t changed.

Generally before the pump my hba1c's were 8.2 and ranged from 1.3 to 11 on most days ... the lower end too much for me certainly. Its is good to have a bit more balance but is still rather unpredicatable. Had a hypo yesterday at 1.8 and no notice, felt ok but very very hot but had been cooking so put it down to that and took ages to come back up, felt like being on MDI - so no advantage for me yet. But is 4 months quite short timescale, cam anyone help on that one?

 

[bonerp]

My doses didnt really drop using Novorapid. Also found that it worked quite late then peaked quite quickly making me hypo.

I'm now on Apidra which seems better but still have strange results for no reason but I'm taking a 3rd less basal. Bolus is the same.

 

[albannach2]

Hi
I had a really useful chat with my diabetes specialist nurse last week at Kings Hospital who I have to say has changed my view on all this She reckoned that as I'd recently had a cold, bronchitis and then cracked ribs that I wasnt really giving my first months on a pump a fair chance, so Ive decided to start again .... going ok so far, although still greatly fluctuating levels ..... have to be honest in that I don't like the feeling of being attached the whole time but would rather that than the scary hypos I was having
Id be interested to know if anyone else has had a "change of mind" about the pump and what they decided in the end?