Pros and Cons of the Pump?
I have been told by my high risk OB drs that i should probably be on the pump. To be completely honest, I have a mixed bag of emotions regarding getting one. I have done some research and generally hear that it gives the diabetic much more freedom.
I guess I am skeptical if thats really the case. It seems like it would be more difficult wearing a contraption almost 24 hours a day, and learning the equipment and calculations or lugging the techy stuff with you that does the calculations for you. And the part of me that is girly and vain wonders how my clothes will fit, does the tubing show, etc. I also have concerns about infection. Altho I have never tested positive for MRSA I have had staph/cellulitis several times in the past few years resulting in extensive hospital stays.
I am interested in hearing the pros AND cons. Most stuff i seem to find net wise is slanted toward the positive. But on the flip side, the doubting Thomas in me always wonders how much is pure hype by Drs and the pharmacutical community.
I guess I am skeptical if thats really the case. It seems like it would be more difficult wearing a contraption almost 24 hours a day, and learning the equipment and calculations or lugging the techy stuff with you that does the calculations for you. And the part of me that is girly and vain wonders how my clothes will fit, does the tubing show, etc. I also have concerns about infection. Altho I have never tested positive for MRSA I have had staph/cellulitis several times in the past few years resulting in extensive hospital stays.
I am interested in hearing the pros AND cons. Most stuff i seem to find net wise is slanted toward the positive. But on the flip side, the doubting Thomas in me always wonders how much is pure hype by Drs and the pharmacutical community.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Sue on -
Cynthia - I just joined this site and have been type 1 diabetic for 36 years. I am seriously thinking about using the pump and went to a Medtronic meeting. I am really dreading the tubing and being hooked up. I'm very active and around the lake and in swim suits all summer. I have read and studied on the omnipod and have just received the demo to try. It is definitely bigger than the medronic but I love the idea of no tubing. I have read some problems about them concerning the pump failure. Did your insurance cover the cost? Are you on the omnipod now? If I don't like one of the pumps what hassles do the insurance companies give you to change to another pump. How long were you on Medtronic Miniped and what are your reasons for switching to Omnipod? If you switched do you like it better. I liked the idea of the carb counter on the Onmipod. Does Medtronic have that? I have been on shots for so long, but would love not taking so many and having more freedom. I take 12 units of lantus and from 7-9 units of humalog on most days. Thanks.
-
Permalink Reply by Dave on -
I think the most common issue a person who is considering getting a pump is that you are attached to it 24/7. Like anything that you first get it is so cool, new and interesting that you focus all of your energy on it. Once you have worn it, changed your set and realized that the needle isn't really that big you forget that you are even wearing it. I sleep on top of my pump and don't even realize I am laying on it or if I do I just reposition it without even thinking about it. I wear it on my pants pocket and I will see people look at it, some ask, is that and insulin pump or are you diabetic? I am glad to answer them because they are just curious. For me it is way of just being as normal as normal can be.
I suggest getting a pump I think you will be very happy and if you don't like it at least you can say you tried it and you will have your own reasons for your decision.
-
Permalink Reply by Andy Barnes on -
Tammaney, I was diagnosed in Dec. 1971 and did not go on the pump til Feb 2007 I have had some ups and downs with Diabetes. Prase God I have no more complications than I have since I went for years and did not take care of myself. I got back on the wagon about 4 years ago and ende up in a ditch driving thank God I did not kill anyone or myself. that was when I walked into the Dr.s office and laid a pamplet down and said "I want one of these!" Has changed my life. I was taking about 125u of insulin on 6 to 8 shots a day now most days I take only 30 to 40u a day. I have lost 85 lbs and have more energy. I will say I lean to the Pro side of the coin. I now take an active part in controling my Diabetes as apposed to observing it.
Good luck on your choise. Hiding it has not been an issue for me. I use a pump case on my belt.
-
Permalink Reply by Andy Stanton on -
I had an A1C of 8.8 in May before going on the pump in June. Last week I had another A1C - it was down to 7.2.
Enough said.
-
Permalink Reply by Richard157 on -
I used inejctions for 61 years. I had good control and an A1c of 5.6 but I had too many highs and lows. A good A1c is great and the highs and lows can compensate for each other to keep that A1c low, however, the highs and lows can lead to long term complications no matter how good the overall average is. I wanted off that roller coaster ride and I wanted to experience the many freedoms that pumping provides. My doc tor said I had good control and pumping was not needed. I found an endo in another city who approved though and now I have pumped for 15 months. My A1c is about the same as before pumping but I have far fewer highs and lows. Now I stay between 70 and 120 about 80% of the time. Before pumping it was about 50% of the time. My highs rarely exceed 150 and my lows are rarely below 60. The roller coaster has been reduced to a few bumps in the road. I am very happy with pumping.
My biggest problem with pumping is with scar tissue. I had terrible highs in December and Janurary when using my upper abdomen. I had injected there so many years that I had developed scar tissue. Absorption is slow and uneven in scar tissue. I gave my upper abdomen a 7 month rest and tried again. It is still there. The scar tissue seems to be permanent. Now I use my lower abdomen and my upper legs. I rotate sites to keep scar tissue from forming. Everything is going very smoothly.
If you can get this kind of control with pumping before you become pregnant then you will be more likely to have a very healthy pregnancy. Good luck!
-
Permalink Reply by Trista on -
I had the exact same feelings...being attached to something 24/7, borging out, and I also consider myself a fashonista and was concerned how to wear it with my clothes. But I finally bit the bullet and I'm so glad I did.
You get used to being attached and I'm so glad to be off shots...my skin is forever grateful and my lumpy painful injections sites have all but disappeared. I have found some handy accessories for wearing the pump even come up with some of my own, to make it work with various outfits. I've very thin and I often wear clothing that is form fitting, so it's not easy to hide a pump, but I manage to do it, no one has ever noticed my pump.
The hardest part was wearing it with Lingere I just felt like it didn't belong... But I've gotten over that, my husband is a sci-fi geek and thinks borgs are sexy ;) haha.
I even wear it when teaching dance, which is my profession and none of my students have ever noticed it or said anything and let me tell you, a 5 yr old notices everything and has no qualms about tell you point blank. When teaching I'm usually wearing a leotard and yoga pants or leggings. In Yoga pants, I wear my pump on a leg strap just under my knee, where the pants begin to flare out. If I'm wearing tight leggings, I put it in my leotard top or wear a small sports bra under to hold the pump in place. I line the tubing up with the seams on my clothes and you can't see it this way, and I'm talking about wear lycra/spandex here, so if I can pull this off....I think any outfit is possible ;)
-
Permalink Reply by Jamie on -
Well, I am 28 and was diagnosed at age 10. I didn't start on a pump until I was 24 for the exact same reasons you have mentioned. It's so natural to be concerned about the day-to-day stuff with a pump. I wear fitted tops and jeans, bikinis, and all that stuff that causes concern. In all honesty, it took me about 2 days to adjust to. I almost always wear my pump in my front pocket and tuck the tubing down into my pants. In my wedding dress or when I wear a dress, I wear a garter belt and clip it to it. Nobody notices. As far as supplies- I'm sure this isn't smart, but unless I'm going away overnight or on vacation, I never take anything with me besides my meter. I always figure I'm close enough to get home if the need be.
I LOVE my pump!! I wish I would have gone on a pump earlier. My control, flexibility, quality of life, etc is so much better. I worry about my diabetes 100% less being on a pump because I have that much better control. I also have a 2-yr old daughter and can't imagine what my pregnancy would have been like without my pump. I have crazy swings in my blood sugar, which are controlled well. I can tell you that when I bought the pump, I honestly didn't think I would like it or continue to use it. My insurance paid 100%. I thought I had nothing to lose and figured I'd try it out and go back on shots.
For the cons- It's always there. It can be expensive, though almost all insurances will cover the pump and supplies. I hate wearing it on vacation when I'm in a pool or the ocean all day. My daughter is very interested in it and is constantly trying to get to the buttons. All that aside, I would not go back to injections. It has truly changed everything for the better.
-
Permalink Reply by Allen on -
The pump is the only way to go. I would never go back to shots. I did for awhile just to see how it would be after being on the pump for 6 years. The pump gives you FREEDOM. And you know what? When you want a break, take it off and take shots for a day. Plus you can always go back to shots. That's the first thing I asked before I got my pump.
I think people get stuck into the thinking they can never take the pump off. For me, wearing the pump is no different than carrying my cell phone everywhere I go.
I have been in the minimed paradigm but just switched to the Cozmo last week. Both are great.
My negatives would be whenever I have to deal with a clogged infusion set which results in high blood sugars. The type of infusion set you pick means everything. There are a lot out there to try and no reason to stay with a set you hate.
I hope you give it a try! Good luck!
-
Permalink Reply by gw on -
Ive been pumping for only 1 week, and I feel much better already. My BG swings less, and I am using 25% less insulin than
I was only a week ago, replacing levemir/humalog with humalog entirely. I have always had difficulties metabolizing the long acting insulins (unpredictability and nocturnal hypo's), and for this the pump is a blessing. My mood is better, and so far everything seems a bit easier to manage. Some have complained of the stings of the pump, but to me it is a subtle reminder of syringes and cold insulin, which were usually quite worse.
In terms of the hype, there is a good deal of that; in fact I noticed that the customer support from each company was very interested in me before I became a pumper, but once I received one, I had a more difficult time getting through to someone. Nothing bad resulted from this, nothing more than a 2 week nuisance I spent wondering when I would be trained. I actually received a free lunch and a free BG meter during meetings with the sales reps. The Animas Ping is easily concealable and remotely controllable, and was not hard to learn at all. For more customizable software features, the Cozmo is better, but seems a bit more bulky and uses standard batteries with a limited battery life, as opposed to the Ping which uses lithium.
If you live a flexible lifestyle my opinion is that the Ping excels, with its ezCarb, and ezBG calculators, while customizing meal reminders and site change reminders (which are features the Cozmo has) are a bit more oriented towards a different lifestyle. Also the .25 unit delivery rate is unique to the Ping. On looks the Ping is streamlined and savvy, whereas the Cozmo is cute. Then there are other Pumps of which I can't say much, but the minimed has cool skins! CGMS, which unlike most, I think is not at all necessary, will be included in them all in the next several years.
No matter what, most of the hype is true, except something a salesperson told me, which I thought was ridiculous: that on a pump, I would be able to carry less around. In fact you need to carry more stuff, your pump supplies and syringes and backup insulin in case something happens. But that's not a problem, it's par for the course with any treatment method. Good luck to you in your decision.
-
Permalink Reply by Colleen Myers on -
I was told I wasn't a candidate for the pump because my only insulin was Lantus. But I had a few friends with it and they all LOVED it. Why? Because of the reductions in insulin injections. They don't even notice it anymore. Colleen
-
Permalink Reply by Maureen on -
There are lots of pros and cons listed - I'll just say that the biggest pro for me has been really great A1C1's, less lows, less highs, and the ability to do the things I love (golfing, hiking, etc.) without going low all the time. The cons for me are the same as with multiple injections - I just wish I could live life without worrying about diabetes at all.
-
Permalink Reply by Carla on -
so much info! this is great!! been on the mini med pump 522 six months and have to say that all my fear has gone away.... as in everyone's replies the pump has made life much simpler and easier. i wear clipped to my underwear inside my pants when i need to be discreet but other than that where it like a pager and no one even notices. there are cons and you figure them out as you go along; ie hot tubs, yanking the inset by catching the tubing, where to place the meter when wearing a formal dress, etc.
the cons, i eat more "junk" food....
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- 3
- Next ›
Advertisement
REsources
Groups
From the Diabetes Hands Foundation blog...
Congratulations Diabetes Advocates Scholarship Recipients!
The Diabetes Hands Foundation and Diabetes Advocates Program is proud to announce and congratulate the members of DA who were granted scholarships to attend diabetes conferences in 2013! Thanks to a generous grant from Novo Nordisk, in 2013 we were …Continue Reading
La Familia de EsTuDiabetes Sigue Creciendo
El Centro Nacional de Prevención de Enfermedades Crónicas y Promoción de la Salud en el Estados Unidos encontró que a partir de 2002-2009, el 11,8% de los hispanos mayores de 20 años, que viven en los EU, viven con diabetes …Continue Reading
TuDiabetes Team
DHF STAFF
 Manny Hernandez(Co-Founder, Editor, has LADA)
|
DHF VOLUNTEERS
Lead Administrator
 Bradford (has type 1) |
Administrators
 Lorraine (mother of type 1) |
 Marie B (has type 1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIKE us on Facebook
Spread the word
This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
© 2013 A community of people touched by diabetes, run by the Diabetes Hands Foundation.
