-
Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »
The Pump
- Thread starter Lynz84
- Start Date
- Messages
- 23,618
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Pump
- Dislikes
- Disrespectful people
I honestly believe we all become control freaks when you have type 1, but you don't completely hand over control to the pump as you still control the settings and the insulin that it delivers.
As far as I'm concerned pumps are a fantastic piece of kit and wouldn't like to go back to MDI.
As far as I'm concerned pumps are a fantastic piece of kit and wouldn't like to go back to MDI.
Hi Lynx84 I've just had the pump fitted round bout a week ago and am having some teething problems but I seem to be finding my way around. I'm quite a technophobe so I was very anxious to start the process. Although not quite there yet I am feeling a slight benefit and hoping this will get better as time goes on. It's taking me some time get to grips with the fact I have to control things but I'm improving a very little daily. Hope this of some help. I will document my progress as I get going along 
Last edited by a moderator:
GrantGam
Well-Known Member
Hello
It's not really about handing over control. You're still fully in control of what happens as pumps are "open loop", meaning that you still have to give it feedback to produce the correct output. Thus, the pump will only really do what you tell it to. There are situations where it will for instance stop administering insulin if it detects low BG when connected to a CGM device. I think this is incredible! Not that I have a pump nor have I tried one out.
Data shows that pump users overall have tighter control and less hypers/hypos. Yet not all pump users achieve better control.
All in all, pumps give the user so much clever little tools at their disposal but it still requires close monitoring and careful adjustment. The pump will only be as good as the user makes it.
You'll get loads of first hand feedback from forum members soon. @noblehead and @tim2000s are both pump users. Tim is especially clued up with tech and is doing some really cool stuff with his!
Regards,
Grant
It's not really about handing over control. You're still fully in control of what happens as pumps are "open loop", meaning that you still have to give it feedback to produce the correct output. Thus, the pump will only really do what you tell it to. There are situations where it will for instance stop administering insulin if it detects low BG when connected to a CGM device. I think this is incredible! Not that I have a pump nor have I tried one out.
Data shows that pump users overall have tighter control and less hypers/hypos. Yet not all pump users achieve better control.
All in all, pumps give the user so much clever little tools at their disposal but it still requires close monitoring and careful adjustment. The pump will only be as good as the user makes it.
You'll get loads of first hand feedback from forum members soon. @noblehead and @tim2000s are both pump users. Tim is especially clued up with tech and is doing some really cool stuff with his!
Regards,
Grant
Hi @Lynz84. Don't think if it as handing control over to a machine. Think of it as having the ability to more finely control what insulin you get at the times it is delivered to better match you.
If you think about what happens when you inject basal insulin, you effectively give control to the insulin that you inject for the 24 hours it is in your body, and the "control" is the profile of the insulin.
A pump allows you to adjust that profile and make it work for you. The difference is that you get multiple smaller "injections" instead of one big one, and you can always turn it off.
You are still in control, and you now have much more controll!
If you think about what happens when you inject basal insulin, you effectively give control to the insulin that you inject for the 24 hours it is in your body, and the "control" is the profile of the insulin.
A pump allows you to adjust that profile and make it work for you. The difference is that you get multiple smaller "injections" instead of one big one, and you can always turn it off.
You are still in control, and you now have much more controll!
Last edited by a moderator:
catapillar
Well-Known Member
I havent handed over a single iota of control to the pump - if anything it's given me more power to manage my diabetes the way I want to!
On MDI I gave a basal dose at night and in the morning and hoped that worked for what I was up to during the day. On the pump I can quickly adjust my basal with temporary basal rates to have an impact within 2 hours. I can bespoke the basal rate to suit me.
On MDI I could give a minimum of 1 unit. I'm on a 1:12 ratio. So if I'm eating something with 28g of carbs 2 units isn't enough, but 3 units is way too much. On pump I can actually give the correct amount of insulin at I can bolus in 0.05 increments.
On MDI I gave a basal dose at night and in the morning and hoped that worked for what I was up to during the day. On the pump I can quickly adjust my basal with temporary basal rates to have an impact within 2 hours. I can bespoke the basal rate to suit me.
On MDI I could give a minimum of 1 unit. I'm on a 1:12 ratio. So if I'm eating something with 28g of carbs 2 units isn't enough, but 3 units is way too much. On pump I can actually give the correct amount of insulin at I can bolus in 0.05 increments.
rockape37
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 351
- Location
- Kettering, Northamptonshire
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Pump
- Dislikes
- Over the top political correctness
I think everything has been answered above. Go for it you won't want to go back to MDI.
Ask your Nurse / Consultant to apply for funding. You dont need to be a techo wizard to use a pump and as you said you have a lovely friend at work with whom you can conferr with.
Martin
Ask your Nurse / Consultant to apply for funding. You dont need to be a techo wizard to use a pump and as you said you have a lovely friend at work with whom you can conferr with.
Martin
Last edited by a moderator:
jessnataliex
Newbie
- Messages
- 2
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
I've been on the pump now for 5 years. At first I wasn't so keen but I am scared of needles so could not inject myself so the hospital recommend a pump and honestly it is one of the best decisions I have ever made. My HBA1C was extremely high and I mean the hospital were worried and now it is in the perfect range as a result of the pump helping to maintain my blood sugars. I would recommend getting one! One of the best decisions I have ever made as I said
Diamattic
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 678
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Insulin
You wont be handing over anything!
I love my pump and its only given me much much more control.
You still have to finger pick, and you still have to carb count, and you still have to tell it how much insulin to give for every second of the day, the only difference is that you dont have to inject through a needle.
You get MORE control in that at any time you can increase or decrease your basal rates, or take insulin without needing a needle. You can dose much more precisely, and it really makes every carb meaningful rather then having to round to the hearest half or full unit.
If you are a control freak then you have really been missing out on the added control you get from a pump. It doesnt do anything you don't tell it too, so don't worry about that at all.
I love my pump and its only given me much much more control.
You still have to finger pick, and you still have to carb count, and you still have to tell it how much insulin to give for every second of the day, the only difference is that you dont have to inject through a needle.
You get MORE control in that at any time you can increase or decrease your basal rates, or take insulin without needing a needle. You can dose much more precisely, and it really makes every carb meaningful rather then having to round to the hearest half or full unit.
If you are a control freak then you have really been missing out on the added control you get from a pump. It doesnt do anything you don't tell it too, so don't worry about that at all.
endocrinegremlin
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 433
- Location
- Scotland
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Pump
- Dislikes
- People telling me how to control my diabetes. My health. Isms. People walking their dogs off leads in illegal areas. Meat that bleeds. Late buses.
The pump is a lot of work. I'd say more than MDI. With MDI you take a jag and you forget. A pump is always there. and it can always go wrong, fail at any time. In many ways. The pump does not 'do it all for you'. It only works well based on the info you give it. That includes what your bg is, what your ratios is and if the sets take and hold up and the cables come together. The machine can break without warning. I'm not trying to put you off. I'm just trying to be realistic given many think it is the end of their problems. A pump needs more attention than jags. There is a higher margin for error. You have to be serious about it.
