Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pump?

Pump without a doubt, my control is so much better, than when I was doing 5 injections a day. I transfered from local hosp, to a local pumping centre, waited for another year to get a pump, still no pump. Got asked if I wanted to transfer to Kings, so said yes. First appointment with the Professor and got told I needed a pump, had app with DSN who asked me which pump I liked. And have been pumping since Nov13. I've only been trying to get one for 13years. But no more MDI for me.

SimonClifford said:

I love my pump, but on a holiday in the sun I go back into injections. I find that people only stare at what you're looking at. So I sort myself out, sort the dose etc. then lift up my t-shirt - stare stolidly skywards and in-clickedy-click-out! Nobody seems to bat an eyelid. I walked through the middle of Birmingham's new Bull-Ring on a Sat afty & injected - no worries! :-D


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well im happy with my novorapid and lantus injections probebly because ive got into the routine, i supose pumps are better but no one ever tell s me anything about them ,

I found that Lantus wasn't working for 24 hours, it got more & more of a difficulty controlling a background rate when I was eating erratic meals maybe only 1-2 times a day.
I wasn't told about pumps either, but my brother (who was working in South Carolina at the time) said. "You gotta chat to one of my colleague chemists, he's got a pump." When I visited him at work we had a chat for 45 mins or so & realised my concerns were minor & the benefits enormous.
That said, I'm not sure I would've like to have been tied to a box when I was in my 20s. When you start getting cheesed off with the sting of Lantus & the erratic dosing - THATS the time to look at alternatives.
Lantus & novorapid did me well since they were invented!


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I'm 46 and have late onset type 1, I was diagnosed just over 12 months ago.

Fortunately I had good support immediately from my local hospital who gave me an Aviva Accuchek Meter (the same one that apparently works with pumps) and explained carb counting to me.. it's been essential in me quickly getting to grips with this life changing event and so far things are going pretty well, first HBA1C was 5.3.

Slightly off topic but I honestly can't see how I'd cope with day to day events if I wasn't carb counting and injecting the relevant dosage at meals, if people out there aren't doing this I really think they should try it.

Looking at pumps I can't make up my mind, I think one advantage would be regarding my hobby.. mountain hiking, it's a bit of a struggle to be honest, nearly 2 bags of jelly babies per hike seems a bit mad but the problem with the basal/bolus injections is that I can't seem to reduce my background insulin quick enough to compensate. It seems on a pump it's much easier to regulate dosage so I may well consider one in future so I can get up those mountains with more ease

Simon

I've got an Aviva - splendid bit of kit & you can tinker with all the settings to get things just right!
Good one for you - carb counting really works - I only started that about 2 yrs ago (after being T1 diabetic for 38 yrs) - I'm amazed how I managed, well, I DID Carb-count after a fashion. I'd look at a meal & go, "yeah, that's 12 units".


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I had a pump, gave it back after it nearly killed me.
Not expected to survive, still suffering five years later with the after effects - inc brain damage.
My short term memory is virtually non-existent.

My hba1c is generally between 7 and 7.5 and although I know I could probably be slightly better controlled on a pump I am very unkeen to do so.

I was born very premature and one of the complications of that is I am unable to block out external stimulae

A good example of this is that I cannot "ignore" a ticking clock.

I equally hate the feeling of things sitting on my skin. I cannot wear plasters easily, hate wearing gloves, cannot have headphones on my head and struggle with simple things such as labels in my shirts.

Because of this i know something longterm in me/on me would get picked at knocked fiddled with and would cause me a lot of problems.

anyone else have similar issues?

benedict said:

Today's Diabetes Week question is for type 1s: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pump?

Are you someone who has constantly been asking to go onto a pump?
Are you on a pump and now reaping benefits?
Have you gone onto a pump but are now questioning whether it's best for you?
Or do you prefer to stay on injections?

Let us know which you prefer and why?

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i've been doing injections for 26 yrs, its never been an easy ride and my averages have never been that great!! now I have knackered my injection sites almost completely from constantly topping up to attempt to combat the levels of blood sugars!! it has taken a year of me arguing my point to finally have been put forward for a pump which will hopefully come into my life next year, I cant wait because life isn't worth living feeling this awful 24/7!!!!

I've been Type1 for over 53 years and on a pump since June this year.I had no problems with MDI and had maintained good control for the past 30 odd years,I lost my 'Hypo' awareness over the past 3 years.It was not fun not going to sleep for fear of 'hypo's' and testing every hour,but thankfully I am back to my happy self.My only comment why o why couldn't I have had a pump when I was diagnosed in the really BAD old days.

I've been on both (pump and injections) and my body/mind prefers injections.

I have been on a pump for nearly 9 years its been realy good it has given me back my life after suffering so many hypos for years the pump has reduced these greatly would strongly recommend it

Dessi said:

I've been on both (pump and injections) and my body/mind prefers injections.

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Me too!

I prefer my pump. I've had it more than 11 years and I feel it gave me my life back. My insulin needs vary greatly throughout the day and night, and no basal insulin could match my needs. The pump can match them brilliantly.

Without my pump I'd be back to terrifying nighttime hypos and generally not feeling right.

georgefrench93 said:

Hi iv been diabetic since I was 14 I'm not 20 I inject 5 times a day but struggle to come up with good results of blood sugars, I'm a very active person play a lot of football and I do a lot of boxing too, so would the pump affect my sports?


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Yes, it would be much easier to manage.