What are the benefits of using an insulin pump over injections?!
Question: I've been using a pump now for some 9? years, and I can honestly say it's been the best thing ever for my diabetes control.
As has already been stated, it's like having one injection every 3 or 4 days instead of multiple daily injections. Of course, you do test your blood sugar level more frequently, but that's because pumps use fast-acting insulins.
It behaves much more like a 'normal' pancreas would in that it delivers a background (basal) insulin flow throughout the 24 hour period. (You can program the pump to deliver any number of basal rates ... within reason ... for any periods throughout that 24 hour period, meaning that if your blood sugar level naturally rises during the night, you can have the pump deliver more insulin during night time hours.)
When you eat a meal, you estimate the amount of carbohydrate that you've eaten, and then infuse a set amount of insulin to cater for that food. (This is called a bolus.)
Given time, and experience, you'll find that if you have your basal rates set correctly for your needs, that you can miss meals if you don't feel like eating, or you can eat more and adjust the bolus amount of insulin that you infuse. This can be done in quite precise amounts. (My own pump allows you to infuse in 0.1 units, and multiples thereof.)
The pump, which is not waterproof, can safely be removed for such things as bathing, taking part in sports, and more intimate pastimes, and then safely reconnected.
There are all sorts of attachments that you can use in order for you to position the pump out of sight, if you're worried about it being on show. (To be honest, the one I use looks very similar in size and shape to a pager, but then again, it wouldn't worry me if people asked what it was.)
I am presently using a continuous glucose monitoring system that 'talks' directly to my pump. Although this doesn't automatically adjust insulin doses (the company are actually working on that becoming a reality), it does let you know by displaying on the pump face whether your blood sugar is going up, remaining on an even keel, or going down. If you find that your blood sugar is falling, a simple fingerprick check to confirm the reading gives you adequate time to suspend the pump. This means that the pump is no longer pumping the basal rate of insulin that was previously set, but is still attached to you so that you can restart it in a second's notice.
If there's anything that you wish to ask me about using a pump, or anything about diabetes .... or anything else, simply click on my avatar/photograph and click on send email. I'll be only too pleased to help in any way I can.
Answers: I've been using a pump now for some 9? years, and I can honestly say it's been the best thing ever for my diabetes control.
As has already been stated, it's like having one injection every 3 or 4 days instead of multiple daily injections. Of course, you do test your blood sugar level more frequently, but that's because pumps use fast-acting insulins.
It behaves much more like a 'normal' pancreas would in that it delivers a background (basal) insulin flow throughout the 24 hour period. (You can program the pump to deliver any number of basal rates ... within reason ... for any periods throughout that 24 hour period, meaning that if your blood sugar level naturally rises during the night, you can have the pump deliver more insulin during night time hours.)
When you eat a meal, you estimate the amount of carbohydrate that you've eaten, and then infuse a set amount of insulin to cater for that food. (This is called a bolus.)
Given time, and experience, you'll find that if you have your basal rates set correctly for your needs, that you can miss meals if you don't feel like eating, or you can eat more and adjust the bolus amount of insulin that you infuse. This can be done in quite precise amounts. (My own pump allows you to infuse in 0.1 units, and multiples thereof.)
The pump, which is not waterproof, can safely be removed for such things as bathing, taking part in sports, and more intimate pastimes, and then safely reconnected.
There are all sorts of attachments that you can use in order for you to position the pump out of sight, if you're worried about it being on show. (To be honest, the one I use looks very similar in size and shape to a pager, but then again, it wouldn't worry me if people asked what it was.)
I am presently using a continuous glucose monitoring system that 'talks' directly to my pump. Although this doesn't automatically adjust insulin doses (the company are actually working on that becoming a reality), it does let you know by displaying on the pump face whether your blood sugar is going up, remaining on an even keel, or going down. If you find that your blood sugar is falling, a simple fingerprick check to confirm the reading gives you adequate time to suspend the pump. This means that the pump is no longer pumping the basal rate of insulin that was previously set, but is still attached to you so that you can restart it in a second's notice.
If there's anything that you wish to ask me about using a pump, or anything about diabetes .... or anything else, simply click on my avatar/photograph and click on send email. I'll be only too pleased to help in any way I can.
You don't have to worry all the time about your intake, allowing more flexibility to your lifestyle. It CAN make your glucose control much stronger and a lot better!
I've been on one for 5 years and I love it! Only one needle every 3-4 days, but the best part is the control it gives you. You can dial it down when you exercise so you don't have to eat, you can program different baseline (basal) rates for various times of day, especially good in the morning if you have dawn phenomenon. You can program in how much carb you're eating, and it will calculate the insulin for you based on the ratios you set up (can set those differently for various times of day, too). The only things that bug me is adjusting it when I sleep because I toss and turn a lot, and where to put it when you're wearing lingerie!! You will also need to check your BG more, but that's easy to adjust to. But it's the best thing ever, the closest thing to having an artificial pancreas.
The biggest benefit of a pump over injections is the flexibility that you get with a pump. Once all the basal and bolus rates are set up, you can eat when and what you want, and sleep in. It allows for much better control of your diabetes than injections ever will. And of course, there are less injections.