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Pump v injecting

Trixy83

Trixy83

Well-Known Member
Messages
98
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
So as a relative newbie, although I feel like I've been this way forever now (since end Janurary) I'm currently on the basel/bolus regime which works well for me. Took me a while but I now have everything under control for the moment and quite happy with what I'm doing. Injecting is not an issue and it doesn't bother me having to do it while at work/out etc. I know a lot of you are on pumps and seem to find that more effective for controlling your blood. Personally I don't think it's something I would want but that's maybe due to a bit of naivety on my part. I find injecting relatively easy and discreet. When I eat I take 2 minutes to inject, done, so I don't see the appeal (for me) to be hooked up to a pump. Are you connected all day? I don't think it's something I would be offered anytime soon but in my current mind it not something I would want to be offered either. So in your opinion what's the pros and cons of pump v injecting?
 
I agree with you. I'm also newly diagnosed (December) and although I first considered a pump would be desirable I'm now of the opinion that being strapped to it 24/7 wouldn't appeal to me at my current stage of life and that a CGM is far more beneficial.

Also, as we are newly diagnosed, we are probably still in the honeymoon phase so are likely finding tight control much easier than it will be later down the line. I am currently eating a completely normal diet and maintaining good control and managing to keep my postprandial levels down to those of a non-diabetic ... I expect that won't be so easy in a few months or years ...

I think, for me, a pump will definitely be something to consider in the future but I'm also adapting to MDIs and it no longer bothers me too much either. I also think the current range of pumps have a long way to go in terms of technology and appearance - I can't believe that there isn't something better given technological advancements in other areas of medicine. In particular, I can't imagine dealing with the tubes - if I did have a pump now I would only want the OmniPod.

However, I think there is no doubt that - all things being equal - we would be doing our diabetes a favour by getting a pump as - regardless of how good our control is - it must surely be better to more closely mimic the natural excretion of insulin by the pancreas on an incremental, constant basis rather than doing it in random shots throughout the day as we do via MDIs.
 
Hi guys, I've been diabetic for over 2 years now. I'm currently awaiting a pump as it is better for me than MDI. After a while you get fed up of MDI and just can't be bothered anymore. However, I do see where you are coming from with not wanting the pump. But I suppose after a while you'd get used to it.
 
I preferred MDI but I was having a lot of hypos despite my being very strict/regimented with my MDI/testing etc. I met the NICE criteria for a pump (you can't just decide for yourself you want a pump and it's hard work) and it's changed my life, no hypos and excellent control. It's not an easy option though, more appointments, more testing, risk of infection from sites, risk of DKA quickly, etc but I wouldn't have it any other way, I still prefer MDI from the perspective of not being attached 24/7 but I love my pump and wouldn't want to go back to MDI as I don't want to have not great control again.
 
ConsultingTimeLordElf said:
After a while you get fed up of MDI and just can't be bothered anymore.
Click to expand...
See, I'd completely disagree with this statement. And if this is how you feel, a pump won't be any easier as it is more involving than MDI, not something you apply and forget.

And I've certainly never got fed up of MDI. Occasionally fed up of diabetes, yes, but not specifically how I treat it!
 
I suppose everyone is different and has different feelings about MDI. Personally I don't have hypo awareness and my consultant has said I meet the criteria for a pump and feels I would benefit from a pump.
 
Trixy83................if it ain't broken don't fix it.

In other words if your happy on MDI then stay where you are, no point in going into great detail about the pro's & con's when your minds made up.
 
tim2000s said:
See, I'd completely disagree with this statement. And if this is how you feel, a pump won't be any easier as it is more involving than MDI, not something you apply and forget.

And I've certainly never got fed up of MDI. Occasionally fed up of diabetes, yes, but not specifically how I treat it!
Click to expand...

I agree about the pump but not about the MDI and not getting fed up with it.

I've had my pump for around 9months now and love it. My main reason for wanting a pump was to help with control as I struggled no matter how hard I was trying to get in the right zone using MDI. I was doing in the region of 10-20 injections a day to cover food I was eating and was at the stage where I was totally fed up with it. Having to inject all the time, the bruises etc Now with the pump I change my site every 2nd day and don't have to be the human pin cushion I felt like before.

The pump is a totally personal choice you have to be ready to change over and also be willing to put the work in to make it work.

To me it sounds like your not ready to use the pump yet and if your fine with injections and your hypo and hyper awareness is ok it's probably best you stick to what your doung
 
Interesting! I'm not saying I would never do it. Obviously if it was better for me if I lost control then I'll do absolutely anything to stay as healthy as possible. Right now I feel the injection route is more manageable and better for my current circumstances but I'm a never say never kinda girl so was just curious.
 
@LaineyK, some years ago a few forum members put together a list of abbreviations used in diabetes circles, you might want to save them or print it off for future reference:


  • Amylin (Islet Amyloid Polypeptide) - Slows the rate at which digested carbohydrate appears as glucose in the blood and thus reduces total insulin demand
  • Basal - referred to as the slow acting insulin used to cover your bodies own glucose stores
  • Beta cells - Pancreatic cells responsible for the production of insulin, amylin and C-peptide
  • BG - blood glucose (this is the measurement of glucose circulating in the blood)
  • Biphasic insulin - An insulin mixture containing both fast acting and slow acting insulin, usually injected twice daily
  • Bolus - referred to as the fast acting insulin used to cover food, typically carbohydrates, some cover for protein as well.
  • BP - Blood Pressure
  • Brittle diabetes (labile diabetes) - Most often seen in type 1
  • BS - blood sugar (as above)
  • CHO - Carbohydrate (Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen)
  • C-peptide - A by-product of normal insulin production
  • CTS - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • CVD - Cardiovascular Disease
  • Double diabetes - Comprises symptoms of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes
  • DSN - Diabetic Specialist Nurse
  • ED- Erectile Disorder
  • FS - Frozen Shoulder
  • Fulminant type 1 - An idiopathic subtype which has a very rapid onset and no honeymoon period
  • G.I - Glycemic index. A G.I value tells you how rapidly a particular carbohydrate is turned
  • G.L - Glycemic load. A G.L value takes into account not only G.I, but also the total quantity
  • GAD (Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase) - Antibodies test
  • GDM - Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
  • Glucagon - A hormone produced in the alpha cells of the pancreas
  • Glycogen - The storage form of glucose in animals and humans
  • Glycogenesis - Glucose storage, mainly in the liver and muscles
  • Glycogenolysis - The breaking down of glycogen stores in liver and muscle tissue
  • GNG (Gluconeogenesis) - The generation of glucose from non-carbohydrate carbon substrates
  • HBA1C - HbA1c is the scientific shorthand for Glycosylated Haemoglobin
  • HCP/HP - Health care professional
  • HDL - High Density Lipoprotein (the "good" cholesterol)
  • Honeymoon period - The period of time after a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes when there is better than expected blood glucose control
  • Hypo - hypoglycaemia (this means blood sugar level is too low)
  • Insulin - A hormone which causes most of the body's cells to take up glucose from the blood
  • Insulin analogues - Genetically altered versions of insulin
  • Insulin antibodies - An immune response to exogenous(injected) insulin
  • Insulin resistance - Normal amounts of insulin are inadequate to produce a normal insulin level.
  • Ketoacidosis - A severe accumulation of keto acids in the blood, resulting in acidosis
  • Ketones - Ketone bodies are acids left over as a byproduct of ketosis
  • Ketosis - A process in which your body converts fats into energy
  • Lantus - Long-acting insulin analogue used as a basal(background) insulin. Normally injected
  • LDL - Low Density Lipoprotein (the "bad" cholesterol)
  • Levemir - Long-acting insulin analogue used as a basal(background) insulin.
  • LHB (Local Health Board) Welsh equivalent of a PCT (Primary Care Trust)
  • Liver dump - The common term given to glucose production from the liver
  • Low-carb diet - A proportional reduction of dietary carbohydrate
  • MDI - Multiple Daily Injections - an insulin regimen adopted by the majority of type 1 diabetics
  • MODY - Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young refers to a number of dominantly inherited, monogenic defects of insulin secretion. There are currently eight different varieties of MODY
  • Nephropathy - Damage to or disease of the kidneys
  • NICE - National Institute for Clinical Health and Excellence
  • NSF - National Strategic Framework
  • PCT - Primary Care Trust
  • Peripheral neuropathy - Damage to the nerves of the peripheral nervous system
  • PP - post prandial (this means a period of time after eating, usually recorded as 2 hours but often 1)
  • Pump - Insulin Pump, used as an alternative insulin delivery method to MDI. The pump is connected to you 24/7 and pumps tiny doses of insulin thorought the day, with the ability to give extra doses at meals times and with snacks.
  • Retinopathy - Non-inflammatory damage to the retina of the eye
  • SHA - Strategic Health Authority
  • Somogyi effect (rebound hyperglycemia) - A high blood sugar (hyperglycemia)
  • TG or Trigs Triglycerides - the main component part of VLDL and a significant cause of strokes and heart attacks
  • Type 1 (autoimmune) - The most common form of type 1 diabetes
  • Type 1 (idiopathic) - All forms of type 1 which occur without a known cause
  • Type 1 (surgical) - Diabetes caused by partial or complete removal of the pancreas
  • Type 1.5 - Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA), also known as slow onset type 1
  • Type 2 - Diabetes mellitus type 2 is most often attributed to insulin resistance and relative
  • VLDL - Very Low Density Lipoprotein (the "very bad" cholesterol)
  • Young-onset type 2 - Anyone diagnosed with type 2 under the age of 45 is considered young
 
Wow amazing Noble, ta..
Anyway, I've just looked up what a freestyle libre is....Amazing!!!! I want one!!!, has anyone got one?
 
Lol, yes Noble, just seen the thread, think I will have a read tonight..
 
Trixy83 I've been a diabetic type 1 for 43 years this month and well controlled with no complications (that's not to say I've always been the best diabetic ever - but I've never missed an injection and I've never had DKA either. I've lived a very full and fun life and also had 3 children. I've always been on insulin injections, and for the past few years have gone on to multiple daily injections (basal/bolus), which combined with carb counting (I did the New Deal course 2 years ago - known as DAFNE in England - I live in Scotland!). My HBAC1 last year was mostly around 7.8. Because there are available funds from the Scottish government, the availability of pumps is much easier, so I was offered one last year. I turned the offer down, because I felt "if it's not broke don't fix it" . I was offered another chance earlier this year and after much thought and deliberation I refused again. I have been told by my excellent diabetes team that it is totally up to me, and the pump will still be available to me, if I change my mind.

Like you the injections don't bother me, I find MDI to be very flexible, and I also don't like the thought of being attached to something nearly all day and night.

In my opinion, and from my experience with considering the pump versus injections, if injections suit you and your lifestyle, well, keep with that.

Each to their own I guess. But I am happy to be on the injections and not the pump. Maybe I would feel differently if I was having control problems, but fingers crossed despite sometimes going off the rails a wee bit, I feel I am happy to leave things be, and continue with injections.

I hope this helps you.
 
I managed on MDI for approx 10 years. I'd heard about pumps but thought, like you, it'd be bad being 'tied' to something 24 hours a day. I thought it would mean I coukd never forget my diabetes because I'd have a pump plugged into me all the time.

And then I read a comment from a pump user that basically said he was afraid that having a pump would be like being a prisoner of diabetes, but actually it had given him freedom!

That comment caught my imagination and I researched more, got a pump and wouldn't ever give it up! I love it!

- My pump allows me to fine tune my insulin doses for every hour of the day.
- I can reduce insulin for exercise or increase it fior illness.
- I can go all day without eating if I want (which I did when I moved house)
- I can do extended boluses to cover slow-digesting foods
- I can adjust my doses in tiny fractions of units for a precise dosage

That's a very short list for you. I could have written lots more! It's not so much about not having to do injections, it's about getting the most appropriate doses of insulin for you as an individual, and keeping your blood sugar levels as smooth as possible.

My pump did away with my horrible nighttime hypos. It also covers the Dawn Phenomen when my blood sugars would go high. There's NO long-acting insulin that can do that. My pump is adjusted to cover that rise perfectly, almost like my pancreas would do.

Pumps are hard work. You don't just stick it on and forget about it. But diabetes is hard work anyway. Personally, I prefer my hard work to be worthwhile and to give me the best results. That's why I have a pump.

As for the freedom I mentioned early in this post - yes, that man was absolutely right! My pump does give me freedom. I also felt ten years younger a couple of days after getting it, simply because I felt more normal, more energetic, and more like the old me.

Edited to add - my last HbA1C was 28 ( or approx 4.7 in old units). I couldn't have done that safely without my pump.
 
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Azure - I am glad you like your pump, I have a dog walking pal who is exactly the same plus another friend who cannot understand why I wish to stay as I am. But I have never had any really bad hypos, maybe two/three in the past 43 years. Since being on MDI as opposed to the two injections a day I had been doing, I have found it to be as flexible as I could wish for. If I don't want to eat all day I can just do the long acting one and go without food all day (have to say that would be unlikely for me). Also I can miss lunch if I want to, which means no fast acting, or have a big salad with no carbs, and then again no fast acting needed. Maybe I am lucky but I don't really the get the dawn phenonem very much - I think if the pump suits you, then that's absolutely fantastic. But for me, I am full of energy and life, and maybe at my great age of 61 this month - though I feel about 18 still ) I just don't want to go on a pump when everything is working well for me. My results are very good and my diabetic team are well pleased with how I am doing. If and when I have worse control maybe I will think again, but for now I am happy with my insulin pens and the 4mm needles. Each to their own as I said previously. In fact I don't really think about diabetes much once I've done my blood test, eaten, then I use my fast acting pen after I've eaten, as I count the carbs, I've done my injection in public very discreetly and also with friends and family.

I am always pleased to hear of someone who is doing so well on the pump like you, fingers crossed one day there will be a cure and we can forget the pumps, the pens and the blood testing.

All good wishes from a confirmed MDI
 
Kind of wish there was another word which means injection really, as the word "injection" conjures up visions of huge syringes with giant needles. Whereas using an insulin pen with a tiny tiny needle is just a tiny weeny stab which you don't feel.
 
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