Are you on the needle or on the pump?
At the start of my letter called "The truth about diabetes."I clearly state that with those on the pump the situation is somewhat different. However I have noticed that often letter readers only see what they want to see.
There really is not that much difference between pump people and daily needles people. I guess it has been sufficiently pointed out that some crying when one gets a set back in life often gets rid of the new tension brought on by a diabetes diagnoses. I didn't cry, but my wife did. It is a shocker to most if not all.
I just wonder , before one became diabetic was it not normal to eat your breakfast after getting up in the morning? Different times for some but if it was 7 AM it would always be around that time.
Same for lunchtime, you wouldn't have lunch in your office or other workplace just at anytime, but more at the dessignated time let's say 1 to2 pm?
For most people dinner would be around 6 pm. Not all of cause but there was a certain routine that worked because if you got late you felt the hunger eating away at you.
I guess that became the same time with people after getting diabetes. Your stomach would tell you that it was time to eat.
Being on the pump gives you more leeway and you can eat later (some) or sooner but is that such a benefit? Is that vitally important?
It is far easier to give a few clicks to take insulin than taken it with a syrinse everytime.
So why are not all diabetics on the pump?
Well there are some answers to that question.
There is the cost..... for me I have to shell out $ 8,000. in the hope that it will suit me to be on the pump. Not all people are happy on the pump. But the $ 8,000. is gone.
There are medical reasons. For me, I get ulcers if I use a very sticky bandages if I need them.
Particularly the tape pump users use because you cannot have the pump loosely on the belly, must use tape that really sticks. I have heard that there are creams one can put on before using the tape that may make things better. Maybe so.
If a person stays with the needle taking instead of being on the pump is he behind the times as some claim him to be? Maybe there are reasons for him to stay on the needles. Possible?
I think so.
We all have diabetes and we all should try to understand the other if he does things a bit different than he/she itself does. Again in my letter I started out saying that things on the pump are a bit different. I recognized that right off. I hope we can all work together for a better way of living with diabetes. I certainly appreciated all the replies I get. Only yesterday I got an email from a lady who stated that my letter made her realize that there is life after diabetes when she did read I'm at it for 50 years.
Thank you for reading,
JOHNBEN or JB.(that's me!)
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Super_sally on -
Seeing I don't have insurance that covers things diabetic, there is absolutely no way in the world I can do the pump. I must do things the cheapest way possible, which includes shots and minimising even those with diet.
I never thought about the plaster and skin irritation issues. Maybe that will be an issue for me if ever.
Anyway, i will have to manage this without a pump. No 2 ways about it.
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Permalink Reply by Terrie on -
I have had the option of a free pump and supplies for the last 7 years but I prefer syringes Thanks. I did use the pens before but I didn't trust them plus they leaked. I see too many problems with the pumps. I don't normally swear but I have a feeling I would be with a pump. I don't have enough patience to be a Pumper.
My A1c's have been Good and stable(except for the last one because of drug reactions), I have no complications worth mentioning and all my tests usually come back in the normal range(Touch Wood). Maybe in the future for a pump when they are less problematic.
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Permalink Reply by Holger Schmeken on -
There are good arguments pro pump like Barb and Joe wrote. What I have a problem with is the glorification of pumping. People seeing the biggest improvements when switching from MDI to pumping have had poor control with MDI. So the real question for me is: why was the control so poor then? What has changed with the pump? I am convinced that the better basal profile of the pump did the trick. So this boiles down to: why was the basal insulin not doing its job on MDI? And here we come to a very unpleasant reality: basal insulins for MDI are rarely questioned in their effectiveness and application scheme. But there are huge differences from individual to individual:
-get rid of NPH basal insulin and replace it with Levemir. Dosage can be transfered 1:1. The improvement in life quality will be breath taking (if Levemir is applied twice a day).
-will one shot of Lantus cover 24 hours? If your I:C ratios show a high variation your coverage may not be perfect. Alternate: two shots of Levemir or two shots of Lantus (although this is less recommendable because of the insulin stacking effect).
-will one shot of Levemir cover 24 hours? Definitely not! Distribute your dosage on two shots every 12 hours.
These methods do not guarantee success but if you are struggling with bad control these are good points to try before switching to a pump.
I am on MDI since 1987 and I dislike to be attached to something so my opinion may be biased ;-)
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Permalink Reply by nel on
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Holger, when I switched from MDI to pumping in 2001 , both Levemir and Lantus unavailable in Canada then . Had those choices been available , who knows .I and my Team were aware, that NPH did me in , so to speak .
For me at my age ( 70 ) I am " used to" pumping and the pluses that go with it ( travel through time zones, travel by myself etc. etc. ) One day , when in " the home " I may have no choice but be back on MDI and may need the help from the Staff to inject . Fortunately I don't think about this too often .
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Permalink Reply by Johnben. on -
I like to thank all you many repliers (Is this a word?) for your so interesting replies.
JB or Johnben.
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Permalink Reply by FHS on -
Just switched to a pump after nearly 25 years, all MDI, the last 8 using pens. As with others who have commented, the idea of being tethered kept me off the pump. The Omnipod was the only option for me and, so far, I'm glad I switched. Ultimately, I want equal or better control than with MDI. That will determine my long term satisfaction with pumping. For now, I'm content with the convenience and I'm just constantly amazed at how different life is now that I have the ability to adjust basal rates.
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