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

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

After 10 years of being on the injections, and newly getting my insulin pump, I would definitely have to say the pump. Happier and healthier with it . Definitely my best friend haha. x

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

I have been on my pump for about a month and fought like hell to get it sooner rather than later. My experience so far has been mainly positive and being able to manage through sudden changes in events and with illness has been fantastically beneficial.

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

PS cannot wait to follow this up with a CGM at some point - I think they will become available

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

I don't understand how the pump works & I thought you had to be type 1 to have a pump?

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

I've been on injections for 20 years now and I have never wanted to be on a pump and can't see me wanting to be on one in the future.

I just hate the idea of having something constantly attached to me, something that's not part of me. I have terrible trouble with healing - even before I was diabetic I didn't heal well and I feel there'd be too much risk of infection... but really, the main reason is I don't want something foreign on my body all the time.

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

I've been on injections for 14 years now & never had a problem. Am on lantus & humolog managing just fine. Don't see the need to move onto a pump

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

I went on to a patch pump in Jan this year and feel it has been a real benefit to my control, especially the flexibility with the basal insulin. I feel I have been able to be more spontaneous because I have been able to adjust the basal levels throughout the day. I was unsure at first of having the pump attached all the time but now I am used to it, I honestly forget it's there.

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

I've been on the Accu-Check spirit Combo for around two years and it has been a god-send. I'm really insulin sensitive and was struggling to control my sugar levels using Lantus and Novorapid. I currently use no more than 15u of insulin in any one day and my HBA1c is always between 6 and 7.

It took a number of months to get it approved - especially as I go to a hospital clinic that is in a different PCT. Ever since I've had the pump I get regular supplies sent to me (including batteries) that I do NOT pay for - the only down side is that the regular order only last 1 year so I have to ring up and re-order supplies.

It took me a while to get used to having the pump connected to me in bed, but, it's like a part of me now, feels weird when I bathe or swim not to have it with me.

I also thought that the needle stayed in you, but it is only used for inserting the small plastic tube.

PUMP all the way

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

No contest. I've been on the pump for just over 2 weeks......no contest, pump is so much better. As I have been type 1 diabetic for nearly 50 years and injecting 4 to 5 times a day, what do you think. Yes, it's had it's challenges, but oh the convenience of the pump. It's heaven in comparison.

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

My DSN and consultant have recently recommended a pump because we've tried all combination of basal & bolus insulins and concluded MDI doesn't work. Constant unpredictable dawn phenomenon each morning and the lowest Hba1c in the last 10yr is 8.8% so they are beginning my referral to see if I qualify although both are comfident I meet NICE criteria and the multidisciplinary team only need to gauge the priority before the the waiting begins.

I was never keen on the idea of the pump though because being constantly attached gave me a bit of a mental block. After doing a lot of reading though the pro's changed my mind. The thought of only 1 needle every 3 days instead multiple each day, high level of flexability and no rigid format for meals swayed me.

Hopefully I will see soon that I was right and it's suitable afterall.

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

Hi
I know this is an old thread buti would be really interested in advice on how to find out my options on getting a pump. I am type 1 and take 2 long acting injections per day and 3 fast acting injections per day. I also chk my blood glucose before each meal and 2 hours after. I have very poor control and I'm worried if I don't do something it will really affect my long term health

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

Hi

I would definatley prefer injections, i tried the insulin pump back in 2010 and had a really bad experience with it it made me ill my sugar levels went off the scale for what reason i don't know i done everything from what i was shown and told, and gave it back to the consultant 3 weeks later, its very demanding and i find carb counting and injecting alot less stressful.

tracey167

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

Hi. I would have said injection but now being on 60 units a day I am beginning to think again, injecting 30 units into my tummy leaves me uncomfortable in that area for a short time. Surely being type 1 on that measure entitles you to have a pump as an alternative, if anyone has any input as to how I can get put on a pump please let me know how thanx.

Have a Great Christmas


Simon aka Cobra3164

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

MegHarveyJones said:

Desperately trying to get an insulin pump,my local Diabetic Centre in the West Midlands are eager to reccomend it,but that's all they do. I have learned that its hard for Type 1 Diabetics to get an insulin pump in the UK,without having to pay for it yourself. Im very frustrated and just want to get one to improve my Diabetes.

Click to expand...

Me too, desperately been trying to get a pump for the last 4 years. Tried clinic after clinic in the area and across 3 PCTs. I THOUGHT I'd nearly got there a few months ago, with appointments booked with the pump clinic nurse. I'd done my research, I've done DAFNE, I've been using an Aviva-Expert, I've got pictures of carb-counted meals, I've gone and got a 0.5u pen (back on cartridges). Only to discover, "Well, actually, we call ourselves a pump clinic because we don't have enough staff to run a standard diabetic clinic as well" <cue sound of pedals going backwards quickly> I'm afraid your HBa1c is showing you're very well controlled [6.7] (blooming well should be after 6 blood tests a day, and correction injections every 3-4 hours). Although we often admit to being quite free with pumps and we do give them to type-2 diabetics as well {WHAT THE!!!?} we DO adhere quite strictly to the NICE guidelines. (except for the type-2 thing, I suppose).
So now I'm wondering if the only way is to "engineer" results to comply with NICE guidelines (yes I am completely FED UP with 8 injections a day, my injection sites are all swelling up <"you can use the top of your thighs and buttocks too you know" Yeah - right, they'll love me pulling my trousers down in the office every 3 hours, I'm sure!> So how do you "engineer" your results as the DSN "alluded" to? just HOW LONG is a "persistent HBa1c >8.5%" - how long am I going to have to sustain that? Alternatively, a little bit of chemistry might help ... "fear of unexpected hypos". Hmm, well guys, by my calculation, a standard dextrose tablet is 15mmol of glucose.

On a completely different, totally unassociated and off-topic line of thought, if a standard Boots lucozade tablet was diluted in 1l of tapwater you'd have 15mmol/l "blood" - dilute 100ml of THAT in another 300ml of water and you've got ~3.3mmol/l "hypo in a bottle". Its interesting to observe that the Aviva Expert meter doesn't do a conductivity test to see if real blood is present. The Insulix does, so a small amount of salt would be needed to get THAT meter to provide a result with this solution. Of course this is all purely hypothetical and I dare say that NOBODY keen on getting a pump would EVER consider using such a 3mmol/l solution of glucose randomly every couple of days. :roll:

... Interesting to note also, that if the consultant sees NICE-compliant reasons, then the budgets associated with the clinic are NOT a reason to deny a pump.

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

I would love to have a pump. My hbc1a is 9.8 and I will be attending the dafne course in march. Fingers crossed ill get funding

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

My son does a lot of sports and although he wants to go on the pump I'm not sure how well it would work for him. His sugar levels are good except for when we go on winter holidays, their quite high. Would be good to know if anyone is on the pump with an active lifestyle eg. lots sports?

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

Hi Pumpers,
Been type 1 for 4 years and now using porcine neutral and isophane after hell on levemir and lantus with novorapid. My DSN in King's Lynn has suggested that I 'get' referred to Cambridge re: having a pump fitted. At present no luck in getting referred by GP or hospital diabetes team as my HBA1C is 8.4% not 8.5%. I may also suffer from the DAWN PHOEN. King's Lynn may soon be 'doing' it own pump work but my DSN would prefer NOT to treat me as I have problems with analogue insulins and quickly dropping BS when I do ANY physical work and immediately after I finish work my BS tend to drop from 10 to 3s within 1/2 hour of just sitting down. Also she's only being trained in analogue insulins for pumps and she has told me that as I'm on porcine I cannot use a pump...but I know from the forum that her statement is not correct.
Please can you tell me if I got a pump I'd have to STOP driving for 3 months. I drive for a living and this would cause a big problem...mind you I'm over 63 years old and nearing RETIREMENT in 2014!!!!

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

I've tried everything, from needle injections, to pens to a pump and now I'm back to using insulin pens.
I've decided that for now the pens are a good choice for me. With a pump it is really easy to get used to and it is almost like having a new pancreas. It caused me to start slacking with what I was eating because it was just so easy to use that I went crazy with using it.

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

I think in 5 years time we'll all be discussing the benefits of cgms...or not..
Got both....
Accuchek combo pump and navigator cgm..

Pump ... 9/10
Navigator1/10... Horrendous differences to 2 different blood meters...

20+ years ago my dad promised to me there would be a 'cure' for T1 in my lifetime... I can't see it happening.

But lets hope that through the research, us diabetics, forums, that the next generation stand to hsve a cure...

I prefer my pump to injections but would prefer to see a cure for the future..

Re: Would you prefer to be on insulin injections or on a pum

I would prefer not to be on anything...... but.....I give pumping 7 out 10. They are the Good, the Bad and the Ugly in one


Insulin pumps are only any good when they are working all ok with the infusion set that is being used and the area on the body where the infusion is located. Bg testing is essential and no one should be pumping unless they are willing to test frequently as failure to do so can easily put diabetics in grave danger of developing very high bg levels extremely quickly especially if insulin isnt being pumped wonderfully well through the tubing into the infusion set.