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injections or pump?

CR741

CR741

Well-Known Member
Messages
120
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
hey, i was just wondering what other peoples opinions were about injections and pumps. i don't have a problem with taking injections, but i heard that pumps give you better control, is this true? i would like to know what you think gives better control, the injections or the pump.
thanks
CR :wink:
 
Hey there, i also heard pumps are ment to be better for control and QOL(quality of life). im on 5 a day and was thinking of going onto one but the throught of having a needle under my skin well i sleep, go to college and everything made me feel sick. imagine sitting on say the train and someone starts on you next thing u no you have had the needle pulled out... maybe im exagerating but its enough to stop the idea there :lol: back to the question, no doubt the pump would give you better control, not only is the insulin injecting throught at a constant rate its not going into lumpy sights with bad absorbent rates.
 
yeah, i'm stuck on this one. it's either carry on with four or more injections a day, or one every three days but having something attached onto you. i guess it would be a lot easier when out and about, but then again if it falls out you will have to stop to get it back in anyway. i like the idea of not having to stop to take the injections but is it really more practical to have it on you all the time? i'm not sure...i got offered one but i don't want to just rule it out because i heard many people say how much better they find it. also i may not be offered it again...
any opinions woud help :)
 
Pumps are only as good as the user... They aren't plug and play but with saying that if you use them right they are a fantastic bit of kit...

To address your fears a little...

You don't feel the cannular under the skin at all, I self insert and it's no difference than injecting with either syringe or pen, a little fliddly at first getting the backing of the dressing to stick down, but soon get the knack though...

As to wearing it, don't take any more notice of it than my watch or wedding ring or any item of my clothing...

Sleeping with it, no problems I allow mine to roam at will overnight, and just follow the tubing when I wake... It took one night to get used to sleeping with it, and it makes a very good anti-soring device works a treat shoving in under hubby's back :lol: :lol:

As to having canulars yank out, they are well stuck down, I worked in kennels and one of the residents a ill mannered rather large and hefty Staffishire bull terrier, who constantly jumped at you, managed to get his back paw caught in the tubing, pulling it down... The pump stayed clipped to my waistband and cannular stayed in situ, but alas my 60cm length tubing did end up measuring around 110cm long after being streatched :lol: :lol: :lol:

When I started on the pump, I inject a mim of 6 times a day and could be up to 10 times depending on foods and/or corrections required..

As to quaility of life, it's very hard to discribe the impact it has had on improving my quaility of life, and I have an older pump without all the wizards on, so have to mentally calculate everything...
 
I am on 5 injections a day and I don't really like the idea of a pump.
I wouldn't be keen on the idea of having something attached to me 24/7.
I like the freedom of doing an injection and then being able to put the insulin pen down and walk away until the next time I need it.
 
Jopar or anyone else who knows....


In what ways does the pump improve your QOL that multi-injections can't?

My last Hba1c was 6.3 but I take about 8 injections a day. I stick to a strict diet.

Would having a pump make a big difference or not?
 
Hi,

I have been using my pump for a month and for me the difference is incredible.

I was on multi-injections (5+ a day), have been for 12 years and it stopped working for me. When it was suggested I try a pump I was a bit dubious. My initial concern was being attached to something 24/7 but it is not that bad.

My control is now very good instead of being all over the place. My bs is now in single figures all day instead of having most days in double figures. Before you all jump on me I had tried everything in the past 18 months to bring my bs down. I also suffered from multiple hypos, mainly at night but had some during the day so it was suggested to try the pump because it can help reduce the amount of hypos. The other benefits are that it can fit around your life instead of fitting your life around it. For example, when i do the school run i can reduce the amount of insulin i am havin to can accomodate the amount of walking i do to get children to school. Your control can be tighter,you have a bit of freedom to eat when you want not when you have to.
As to having it on 24/7 i was offered a 4 day trial period with a pump to see if i could wear it or not.
The negatives are that you are attached to it 24/7 but you are allowed to disconnect for an hour to have a bath/shower and it can get in the way of your clothes because you have to think about where you are gonna put your pump. You also have to carb count every meal but if you find that you eat the same breakfast you will know how many carbs are in it.

Everybody is different but for me it works and i do feel happier about my diabetes control by having it. :)

Josie
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. I went to a talk about the pump with my nurses and i am going to have one fitted this monday. they said it shouldn't get in ihe way as there are so many pouches and things they do for it, also you can just clip it on a belt or in a pocket.
well, i'll let you know how i get on.
thanks again
cr741 :D
 
Hi guys,

I've had my insulin pump for 18 months and I wouldn't trade it for the world. Before I went on it I was doing up to 6 or 8 injections a day with the worst control imaginable, but now my control is slowly evening out and I'm much happier on it.

I was worried about having something permanently attached to me but once I had it in me for a day or two it felt natural and my partner didn't mind it either. I tend to clip my pump to my pants, pockets and during the day in the middle bit of my bra (sorry boys) I hardly notice it too be honest. The pumps are reasonably durable as I have sat on mine, rolled on it and dropped it once or twice and it's still going strong.

Carb counting is a bit of a pain at first but once you get used to it you remember the doses and portion sizes that you need to give yourself. Its definitely worth it in the long run.

Good luck tomorrow cr741, let us know how you find it
jo
 
thanks jo.
yes, i have too been carb counting, but using injections instead of the pump. i heard it is quite hard to determine what your basal units are though. Some people say they keep the meal ratios mainly the same, just reduce background about 20% and if it doesn't work reduce or up it accordingly. Others say you need to do a proper fasting test to work out what you need for breakfast, morning, afternoon, evening and night time. :|
did you do any of this?
lol i will work it out eventually, thay will tell me more tomorrow.
thanks
cr741
:D
 
Yourpump nurse will work out your starting basal from you last several TDD of insulin, and will also work out your lkely correction dose...

Different clinics start with different protocols concerning the basal, a lot will start you off on a flat 24 basal, other will use you bg data to see if they can build a starting profile off.. When I started I kept to the same ratio's for bolusing again some clinci pefer otherwise..

I know that some clinics do like to avoid fasting tests as they haven't always quite moved on from the old theory of the diabetic needs to consume carbs at regular interviews :? Not sure why perhaps we can't be trusted to carry out a fasting test safely :)

But there really isn't any other effective way than doing a fasting test to find out what the basal is up to, and where to make you adjusments to... believe me if there was I would be using it..

Getting your basal some find it's hard going other find it not so bad, but it very much depends how much matching there really needs to do to match the flutuating deliver of glucose of the liver... And if you don't do fasting tests then you are going to find it extremely difficult and almost impossible to pin down your basal..

Remember though that your last dose of background insulin will take a couple of days to filter out your system, suprising how long it can last when you don't want it to! So give it a couple of days for this to clear before doing any fasting tests...

Also remember the same rule from MDI of changing one thing at a time also applies to insulin pumping, when basal testing concetrate on one basal fasting sector at a time, get this sorted then move onto the next, sometime due to a knock on effect you might have to stop working on one sector, and have a look what happening in another sector and sort though..

Same has with MDI, if you make an adjustment the give it a day or so, to see how it pans out..

Good luck for tomorrow,

A good book to get is Pumping Insulin by John Walsh, it is often referred to as the pumpers bible I've got it and it's worth every penny I spent on it, at the moment it's on offer on Amazon for just over a tenner.. And this is as far as I know the only place you can order it..
 
CR741 I agree with Jopar, all the clinics run things differently. My nurse worked my initial background basal for me but as the week went on we found it was too high and I kept going hypo so I lowered mine until I stopped going hypo and maintained about 10mmol, then we worked on fine tuning it etc
For the first month yes, I did my blood sugars constantly, you may have to tell your GP as they were reluctant to give me more testing strips until I told them I needed them on the pump. After that though, once your settled you can go back too 3-4 times daily testing.
Hopefully you'll pick it up quick and your nurses are there if you need them, luckily mine was really good, but if your having any problems I'm sure we'll all muck together and help you out :)
 
aww thanks. Just 14 hours and 30 minutes until i arrive to get it fitted, ooooh :D
thanks for the help everyone!
 
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