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Cgm's and insulin pumps

Diabeticger

Diabeticger

Well-Known Member
Messages
116
Location
Ireland
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Bread, Potatoes, anything Carby
How do people find them (those that use them) cant imagine having something attached to the body 24/7
 
I have not found a problem having them attached, they give you a lot more control and better than doing 12 finger prick tests a day
 
@Diabeticger are you asking what it is like to have a pump and/or a CGM attached to you 24/7.
I would say it was weird having a pump attached at first but I son got used to and the improvements to my diabetes management have made up for the initial discomfort. Most I the time I forget that I am attached.

Regarding a CGM, that was even easier to ignore. Until my phone alerted me to a high or low ... which is the point of having it.
 
Doesn’t bother me at all, I have the Medtronic 780G attached to me which as a tubed pump & then the guardian 3 cgm which is quite large for a cgm. I wouldn’t be without it to be honest,
 
I don't have a cgm, I use a libre and a pump but you just get used to it, they don't hurt and aside from having the pump on my waistband which sometimes gets in my way I don't know they're there. It's just part of my quest to become a bionic woman :D:D:D
 
Hello @Diabeticger

When I first started using the pump I felt weird about being attached to something 24/7, it soon passed though, you don't notice it's there until it's time to change clothes, shower/bathe or to do a cannula set change, it's amazing how quickly you adapt to it. I don't notice my CGM at all either until I change it every 10 days, it's stuck to the back of my arm so not noticeable to me at all.
 
This was always the barrier for me in starting a pump (for years!). My endo would say it’s not an issue for people, but I was stubborn. Now I have the 670g (pump + CGM on auto mode) and I absolutely love it. My control is the best ever. What changed my mind was wearing a sensor (without insertion), just to feel what it was like. It eliminated all my concerns. Feels like it isn’t even there, and lots of options to keep it secrete if that’s what you’re concerned about. You have to be ready yourself, but I’d say go for it, and if it doesn’t work for you, go back. But you’ll be happy you tried!
 
Thanks everyone, much appreciated, the only reason I'm cautious about it is when I was younger (much) I had a central line in , all I can remember is uncomfortable nights and being very aware of it
 
Diabeticger said:
How do people find them (those that use them) cant imagine having something attached to the body 24/7
Click to expand...
Had same concerns as you but the pump is a useful tool for me allowing for subtle hourly variations to my basal dose. Sometimes there are mechanical difficulties and cannula site problems; the latter problem is common to jabs too.
Using the pump plus flash monitoring is very helpful compared to basal/bolus insulin pens plus blood tests.
Looking forward to the tandem (pump) working with the dexcom (cgm) to anticipate blood sugar variations and correct them as this system seems to be available within my CCG!
 
Love my Dexcom G6 CGM, much more reliable than my first CGM attempt for about a year with the Medtronic standalone CGM (I think going forward they are focusing on a combined with pump solution). But still unsure whether I'm willing to commit to a pump.
 
I have similar reservations about a pump being constantly attached to me. The libre has made my life so much easier that I've got over the fact that it is visible (back of arm, often wear short sleeves/strappy tops, had big reservations about this for a long time). I'm very happy with libre and MDI, the injections have never bothered me and I luckily seem to get on with them well, with good HbA1c and time in range/glucose variability stats. My fingers are happy not to be pin cushions any more though, so if you can try some sort of flash or continuous glucose monitor I'd definitely advise that as a first step. I guess it depends on how you're getting on with MDI as to whether you pursue a pump. The extra insight a libre or CGM sensor gives you over finger prick blood tests is invaluable though, can't recommend that enough.
 
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