Just started on a pump after 40 yrs injecting & completely overwhelmed

[Melody123]

Hi there I’m a 54 Yr old T1 & I’ve just started training on the Medtronic pump + G4 sensor. I was on the Dexcom g7 before this which I found great. My time in range has always been around 60% so overall control could be better. I’m finding the pump itself very uncomfortable & awkward…it keeps falling out of my pocket/ bra etc, is itchy & I just want to pull it off! The sensor is also really fiddly to insert & much bigger than the Dexcom. I was told by my diabetic doctor that this combo was much better than the Dexcom & the tslim so that’s why I went with it. I feel like crying as I find it awful & am only on the saline solution as I’m only starting out. Id love to know if anyone else felt this frustrated when they started using this & does it get any easier?? Also am going on holiday shortly & am worried that it’ll be a nightmare & I won’t be able to manage it. Any advice greatly appreciated. Thank you

 

[EllieM]

Hi @Melody123 I can't help much because I made the opposite decision (tslim rather than medtronic, mainly because of the sensor issue) but I do know that there are very many happy users of the medtronic here.

It seems to me that the trouble with starting with saline is that you get all the pump disadvantages and none of the advantages, so my advice would be to hang in there. My (limited) understanding of the medtronic is that once you've been wearing it long enough for it to learn your system things should drastically improve.

I can definitely sympathise with the pump location issue, but I think that is mainly a question of getting used to it? I'm heavily using the bra option in the day time but am currently still struggling a bit at night (pump is loose in bed with me and I need to keep it face up so it doesn't lose signal). You can get dedicated pump belts to wear round your waist???

Good luck.

(ps And I find myself thinking longingly of the medtronic as I wrestle with changing insulin ratios, so I suspect it's a question of the grass being greener on the other side of the fence?)

 

[Hopeful34]

Hi @Melody123 I'm also using the Tslim /Dexcom combo, but will tag @Nicola M who uses the Medtronic pump.

In terms of the itching, maybe try applying Cavilon or Sorbaderm (both available on prescription) before you insert your cannula and sensor.

I'm not sure what type of clip comes with your pump, but maybe the rep or your nurse could suggest alternatives, or something like a Hid-In belt would be useful.

It's a big step starting pump therapy, and it can often feel overwhelming to begin with after MDI, so be kind to yourself, and take it a day at a time to begin with. I'd hate to go back to MDI, but there's been hiccups along the way.

If your holiday is very soon, it may be better to start pump therapy after it, if that would be an option at all??

 

[Dexta]

Hi @Melody123 As a long term Medtronic user I’ve been on the M780G with G4 sensors for just about a year now and once it’s correctly set up and established it will have the potential to significantly improve your time in range.
From the male perspective I always wear mine in my pocket and it has a silicon skin from Medtronic to help protect it.
I sympathise with your thoughts on the fiddly G4 sensor insertion but this becomes much easier with practise. However, this is very soon to be succeeded by the new Simplera Sync sensor which will be much smaller and easier to install.
For me the greatest advantage is with the Extended 7 day Infusion sets and reservoirs (if you can get access them).
I can understand your apprehension about going on holiday as a new pump user. I think the best advice is to ensure you have back up batteries, infusion sets etc and the ability to revert to MDI in the unlikely event it all goes wrong.

 

[Deleted member 527103]

Wow @Melody123 I had to look back - it was as if I wrote your post albeit a different pump.

When I started pumping on saline, I hated it. It wouldn't stay in my pocket, if I clipped it to my belt, my diabetes was on display. I am too small to put it on or in my bra. Then there was the cannula: the DSN told the class that it would sting slightly when you applied it. Hours later, it was still hurting me. My first pump change took hours and was so fiddly.
I remember going away for work and dressing for dinner, I threw it across the room in disgust and went down to dinner pumpless but knowing I could only do that when it had saline in
I did not have a CGM - I was not entitled to one (and still only entitled to Libre) but I know when I started with the Libre, I was frustrated by its inaccuracies.

I am an engineer so I love new technology but I really didn't like it attached to me.

I quickly changed my cannula to one that didn't hurt which helped.
Pump changes soon became something I could do in my sleep. It was as if I developed pump filling muscle memory.
I used a HidIn pump belt which was slightly more comfortable although it couldn't hide the bulge from the pump when I wore tailored clothes. Sometimes I would clip my pump to my belt but never stopped getting bruises on my hips.

But it definitely gave me more control. I had far less high BGs and far far far less hypos.

I guess you could say that, overtime, we built up a love-hate relationship and tolerated each other.

I have been pumping for about 8 years now. I am on my third pump. When I had to revert to injecting for a few days, it was as if I was using a sledge hammer to crack a nut. I am now a convert. But it took time.

So, my advice is to give yourself time and, if you feel like throwing the pump across the room, aim at the bed.

 

[Juicyj]

Hello @Melody123

I absolutely sympathise with you.. I remember when I got mine and it felt uncomfortable, the tubing got caught on everything, I started on insulin too and couldn't get used to the difference with my readings, no one prepared me mentally for the first few weeks and I didn't realise how hard they would be, I kept questioning myself in regards to going back to MDI, looking back now it was such a huge change, I didn't think i'd ever get used to it. That was over 7 years ago now, today it's intrinsically part of my body now, it's an attachment yet but it's also me now, everything is done intuitively and without second thought, I couldn't live without it now.

My advice is to stick it out, get a clip or belt pump, shorten the tubing length if too long, get a pump sticker for it, personalise it, own it, it will get alot better.

 

[Nicola M]

Hello @Melody123

Thank you @Hopeful34 for the tag!

I think I’m just going to echo a lot of what has been said above, you will definitely get more used to it with time. I’ve been pumping for going on 9 years now and my pump is just a normal piece of my day to day life and I forget it’s there half the time.

I am one of those that clips my pump to the centre of my bra and that works well for me but I’m also a slightly bigger chested woman so I have no worries about it falling off. I have used a HidIn belt on occasion when I’ve needed to (bridesmaid at a wedding) and due to the design it was extremely secure and I had no worries about it falling out.

I found the insertion is the G4 sensor very time consuming at first especially as I was used to using Libre previously and that only took 2 short steps but it does get easier the more times you do it, it’s basically second nature to me now, I know it is slightly clunky but I suppose you do have to remember at the end of the day this is a life saving device and unfortunately there is always going to be some drawbacks but I’d rather have a clunky device and have good control than nothing at all.

In terms of going on holiday make sure you take pens and needles etc with you just incase of pump failure and take plenty of supplies, more than you would actually need. It’s also best practice if going abroad to take your supplies in your carry on as luggage can and does go missing. Also during security checks you can go through the metal scanners but you cannot go through the full body xray scanners, if they ask you to go through it ask for a pat down instead.

It will get easier you just have to persevere!

 

[Melody123]

Hi @Melody123 I can't help much because I made the opposite decision (tslim rather than medtronic, mainly because of the sensor issue) but I do know that there are very many happy users of the medtronic here.

It seems to me that the trouble with starting with saline is that you get all the pump disadvantages and none of the advantages, so my advice would be to hang in there. My (limited) understanding of the medtronic is that once you've been wearing it long enough for it to learn your system things should drastically improve.

I can definitely sympathise with the pump location issue, but I think that is mainly a question of getting used to it? I'm heavily using the bra option in the day time but am currently still struggling a bit at night (pump is loose in bed with me and I need to keep it face up so it doesn't lose signal). You can get dedicated pump belts to wear round your waist???

Good luck.

(ps And I find myself thinking longingly of the medtronic as I wrestle with changing insulin ratios, so I suspect it's a question of the grass being greener on the other side of the fence?)

Thanks so much Ellie…I’ll try & persevere! My sensor has also just fallen off my arm…eek! It all takes a bit of getting used to but hopefully it’ll improve once I’m onto the insulin & I see the benefits!

 

[Melody123]

Hi @Melody123 I'm also using the Tslim /Dexcom combo, but will tag @Nicola M who uses the Medtronic pump.

In terms of the itching, maybe try applying Cavilon or Sorbaderm (both available on prescription) before you insert your cannula and sensor.

I'm not sure what type of clip comes with your pump, but maybe the rep or your nurse could suggest alternatives, or something like a Hid-In belt would be useful.

It's a big step starting pump therapy, and it can often feel overwhelming to begin with after MDI, so be kind to yourself, and take it a day at a time to begin with. I'd hate to go back to MDI, but there's been hiccups along the way.

If your holiday is very soon, it may be better to start pump therapy after it, if that would be an option at all??

Thanks @Hopeful34 I might just ask if this is possible.

 

[Melody123]

Wow @Melody123 I had to look back - it was as if I wrote your post albeit a different pump.

When I started pumping on saline, I hated it. It wouldn't stay in my pocket, if I clipped it to my belt, my diabetes was on display. I am too small to put it on or in my bra. Then there was the cannula: the DSN told the class that it would sting slightly when you applied it. Hours later, it was still hurting me. My first pump change took hours and was so fiddly.
I remember going away for work and dressing for dinner, I threw it across the room in disgust and went down to dinner pumpless but knowing I could only do that when it had saline in
I did not have a CGM - I was not entitled to one (and still only entitled to Libre) but I know when I started with the Libre, I was frustrated by its inaccuracies.

I am an engineer so I love new technology but I really didn't like it attached to me.

I quickly changed my cannula to one that didn't hurt which helped.
Pump changes soon became something I could do in my sleep. It was as if I developed pump filling muscle memory.
I used a HidIn pump belt which was slightly more comfortable although it couldn't hide the bulge from the pump when I wore tailored clothes. Sometimes I would clip my pump to my belt but never stopped getting bruises on my hips.

But it definitely gave me more control. I had far less high BGs and far far far less hypos.

I guess you could say that, overtime, we built up a love-hate relationship and tolerated each other.

I have been pumping for about 8 years now. I am on my third pump. When I had to revert to injecting for a few days, it was as if I was using a sledge hammer to crack a nut. I am now a convert. But it took time.

So, my advice is to give yourself time and, if you feel like throwing the pump across the room, aim at the bed.

Haha thanks for your reply, it made me laugh for the first time

 

[Melody123]

Hi @Melody123 As a long term Medtronic user I’ve been on the M780G with G4 sensors for just about a year now and once it’s correctly set up and established it will have the potential to significantly improve your time in range.
From the male perspective I always wear mine in my pocket and it has a silicon skin from Medtronic to help protect it.
I sympathise with your thoughts on the fiddly G4 sensor insertion but this becomes much easier with practise. However, this is very soon to be succeeded by the new Simplera Sync sensor which will be much smaller and easier to install.
For me the greatest advantage is with the Extended 7 day Infusion sets and reservoirs (if you can get access them).
I can understand your apprehension about going on holiday as a new pump user. I think the best advice is to ensure you have back up batteries, infusion sets etc and the ability to revert to MDI in the unlikely event it all goes wrong.

Thank you @Dexta, great advice

 

[Melody123]

Hello @Melody123

I absolutely sympathise with you.. I remember when I got mine and it felt uncomfortable, the tubing got caught on everything, I started on insulin too and couldn't get used to the difference with my readings, no one prepared me mentally for the first few weeks and I didn't realise how hard they would be, I kept questioning myself in regards to going back to MDI, looking back now it was such a huge change, I didn't think i'd ever get used to it. That was over 7 years ago now, today it's intrinsically part of my body now, it's an attachment yet but it's also me now, everything is done intuitively and without second thought, I couldn't live without it now.

My advice is to stick it out, get a clip or belt pump, shorten the tubing length if too long, get a pump sticker for it, personalise it, own it, it will get alot better.

Oh thanks @Juicyj it’s great to hear other people have had a similar experience & stuck with it. It gives me hope!

 

[Melody123]

Hello @Melody123

Thank you @Hopeful34 for the tag!

I think I’m just going to echo a lot of what has been said above, you will definitely get more used to it with time. I’ve been pumping for going on 9 years now and my pump is just a normal piece of my day to day life and I forget it’s there half the time.

I am one of those that clips my pump to the centre of my bra and that works well for me but I’m also a slightly bigger chested woman so I have no worries about it falling off. I have used a HidIn belt on occasion when I’ve needed to (bridesmaid at a wedding) and due to the design it was extremely secure and I had no worries about it falling out.

I found the insertion is the G4 sensor very time consuming at first especially as I was used to using Libre previously and that only took 2 short steps but it does get easier the more times you do it, it’s basically second nature to me now, I know it is slightly clunky but I suppose you do have to remember at the end of the day this is a life saving device and unfortunately there is always going to be some drawbacks but I’d rather have a clunky device and have good control than nothing at all.

In terms of going on holiday make sure you take pens and needles etc with you just incase of pump failure and take plenty of supplies, more than you would actually need. It’s also best practice if going abroad to take your supplies in your carry on as luggage can and does go missing. Also during security checks you can go through the metal scanners but you cannot go through the full body xray scanners, if they ask you to go through it ask for a pat down instead.

It will get easier you just have to persevere!

Thanks so much Nicola…there’s sooo much to take in but you’re right about it being all about getting good control so fingers crossed. Great to hear it gets easier!

 

[honda90]

I've just gone on a pump after 53 years, I opted for the omnipod as everything is in one unit. Started on the Dash November last year, upgraded to 5 on Tuesday might be worth considering the omnipod, I was put off other pumps because of the tubing. Since going on the Omnipod 5 on Tuesday I'm over 90% in target when in automated mode.

 

[Deleted member 527103]

@honda90 typically, pumps are allocated for a 4 year period including warranty and it is not possible to change from one pump to the other within that time unless there are very good reasons.
It may be different for OmniPod because they are single units but with tubed pumps, the body is reused for those full 4 years (unless they have a fault) and cannot be given back because you fancy something different.
The other thing to consider with patch pumps like the OmniPod is that you are restricted to a single cannula type. As the cannula is the connection between the person and the pump, it is the rea where we have most differing needs - many of us who started on tubed pumps found it took a few different cannula types before we found the one that suited our body. With an OmniPod, there is no choice.
Finally, pump choices vary by clinic. OmniPod is considered too expensive at my clinic and is not an option.

So, the idea that

It might be worth considering the OmniPod

is an unlikely thing to consider when the OP has only just started.