# To pump or not to pump??????



## Ginger_J (May 18, 2012)

I am Type 1 and currently inject. I take Lantus every night and Novorapid during the day.

I am considering going onto a pump to help whilst I am running but I am not sure what the advantages of having a pump are? Lower HBA1cs? Less hypos?

Is having a canula in your stomach the whole time difficult/painful? Difficult to sleep with? OK to sunbathe with?

I would be grateful if all you kind people could give me your views, experiences and results from having a pump. Also anyone who has had a pump fitted and then decided it was not for them.

Thank you everyone indeed!


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## Ellie Jones (May 18, 2012)

Pumps are so versatile because of their fine tuning abilities..  And being able to flick from one basal profile to another at a couple presses of the buttons...

I don't feel my cannula when it's inserted, I self insert as I use a teflon angled set, inserting them isn't any different than injecting... Sleeping wise, I allow my pump to roam freely, doesn't cause a problem and I've never pulled out the cannula in 4 years of pumping others chose to clip their to night cloths or use one of the various straps that will secure pump to thigh, arm or waist... 

Can't really answer the sunbathing as something I don't do, but you do need to remember not to leave pump and too much of the tubing in direct sunlight, as it can get pretty warm, so in theory could bake your insulin rendering it useless..

At first it can seem a bit of a challenge juggling the pump when you dressing/undressing, where best to place pump with what clothing you'll wearing but it soon becomes second nature..

As to handing them back,  few and far between


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## Ginger_J (May 18, 2012)

Ellie Jones said:


> Pumps are so versatile because of their fine tuning abilities..  And being able to flick from one basal profile to another at a couple presses of the buttons...
> 
> I don't feel my cannula when it's inserted, I self insert as I use a teflon angled set, inserting them isn't any different than injecting... Sleeping wise, I allow my pump to roam freely, doesn't cause a problem and I've never pulled out the cannula in 4 years of pumping others chose to clip their to night cloths or use one of the various straps that will secure pump to thigh, arm or waist...
> 
> ...



If you wear a dress, do you attach the pump to your panties?????? Sorry but its all very very big mystery! Thank you


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## RuthieG (May 18, 2012)

I used to keep my pump attached to the centre of my bra for wearing dresses but as I have got more heavily pregnant my tummy is in the way so it is either attached to my waistband or under my arm (although you can see it a bit there but nobody has ever asked about it).

I have had the pump since early Feb and it has helped with fine tweaking. It is amazing how tiny tweaks you make change levels.

Having the cannula in is fine and doesn't hurt even when you roll on it in bed, play netball, walk and play with dog, have sex or anything, basically. I usually clip it to my night clothes for sleep and don't think I'd like it loose but everyone probably finds their preferred way. I too have never ripped it out. 

I have not always found it easy to get it in right and I don't know why. I have emailed the pump DSN for advice with this as it is a problem. It doesn't happen every time a resite it by any means though.


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## everydayupsanddowns (May 18, 2012)

There are all sorts of ways to wear a pump. Many people clip to belt (and many women clip to bra). Others just carry in pockets, One member here hangs on lanyard around the neck when sunbathing/wandering about in swimwear. Others buy a little pouch/belt to carry it in. You can slide into an elasticated bandage too, or attach cotton pouches inside dresses/tops.

At nighttime you can attach it to whatever nightwear you find comfy or just let it roam freely in the bed - it will just follow you around as you turn over.

Sex/swimming/showers are no bother - you can disconnect for an hour or so no problems. Longer if need be (but you might have to 'top up' basal from time to time)

Pumping isn't for everyone and it isn't a 'magic solution'. You do still have to put the work in. What you get though is an incredibly sophisitcated and subtle way of delivering insulin. Ellie's right - there are very few people who hand pumps back. For sport/activity they are particularly useful as you can adjust basal and bolus doses 'on the go'

I'm just past 6 months into the experience and compared my experience of pumps to MDI here: http://www.everydayupsanddowns.co.uk/2012/05/face-off-mdi-vs-pump.html

Good luck with your decision!
M


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## trophywench (May 20, 2012)

Oh Mike, you've just made me howl with laughter!

I am that woman who uses a lanyard whilst on the beach.  Fact is - my beaches are naturist beaches - and you can hardly clip anything to your clothing if you simply haven't got any on !  ROFL

I chuck a pareo or a paperback on top of it if I haven't got my head under the brolly and I can put it in the shade as well, and I don't use a full reservoir - my pump has 300ml reservoirs which last me about 12 days - so I stick about 100ml in when I'm in 'baking in the sun' mode, so I get new insulin more frequently.

I think people assume it's a peculiar looking MP3 player or something?  LOL

You sleep on the cannulas NP at all.  I wear beach clothes in bed (LOL) and the pump just roams - I put it the side of me where Pete isn't.  I used to forget to pick it up first when getting out for a wee etc, but it's quickly habit forming.  Like everything, the first cannula change you do it takes you ages. but you get quicker all the time.  Bout 30 secs now.

Never had a kinked cannula, I don't think my make are prone to it.


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## HOBIE (May 20, 2012)

I have been on pump for a few years now & wouldnt give back !   Last night at about 11.30 bg was 3.8  I didnt want any food so redused basal for an hour by 50%. Went to bed & woke up to a 6.8 bg.         You cant do that on injections.  The best thing for me is being allowed "NOT" to have meals.  Go 4 it !


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## Monkey (May 20, 2012)

HOBIE said:


> I have been on pump for a few years now & wouldnt give back !   Last night at about 11.30 bg was 3.8  I didnt want any food so redused basal for an hour by 50%. Went to bed & woke up to a 6.8 bg.         You cant do that on injections.  The best thing for me is being allowed "NOT" to have meals.  Go 4 it !



Fab thread - some really interesting things to think about. Gatecrashing, but thanks regardless!


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## everydayupsanddowns (May 20, 2012)

Thanks TW - didn't want to say that on your behalf!


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## trophywench (May 20, 2012)

Hee hee Mike, like I care?

It may no longer be a pretty sight (well frankly it def isn't) but it doesn't matter in that company which is one of the great things about it.


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## Babysaurus (May 21, 2012)

Hi, I am one of the very few who hates their pump and cannot wait to give it back. After great control for over 30 years I am now pregnant and was issued with a pump at 4 months in as it makes control  easier as you can tweak it up and down depending on what you are doing (which has proved invaluable in recent months with the tight control you are meant to have during pregnancy.) For that, I have to say it is brilliant and far more sophisticated than insulin pens. 
However, the reason I cannot wait to give the bloody thing back is that I cannot bear wearing it. It gets in the way and being attached to a medical device 24 hours a day makes me feel like a patient. I have had soreness at some of the cannula sites (this may be pregnancy related though as my middle is now quite tight and round and every time I tried it in my legs it hurt / got caught on things). I have also ripped it out twice and can get horrid circles of dry skin where the previous cannulas have been. I think the best way to describe wearing it in bed, is like wearing a pager in bed - not something I'd chose to do if I had the choice! 
There is only one reason I can think of to keep hold of it, and that is the exercise one as I won't need to carb up before I go for a run or similar (I hope to do the London Triathlon next August) as that has been a pain in the bum when training before. However, that's a small chunk of my life and as I didn't have any major problems before I was pregnant I shall be giving it back (last HbA1c pre pump was 5.3 and latest one was 4.7, not prone to scary hypo's, dawn high's or anything else so am lucky in that respect.)

In short, after all that I think that they are worth a try. Like most other people, you might love it and wonder what on earth you did without it. I just know they are not for me (have had it since 1st Feb and resent it more all the time!)


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## RuthieG (May 21, 2012)

*4.7!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*


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## Babysaurus (May 21, 2012)

I was quite shocked at that too! 

Still, if you saw the precision I am living my life with at the moment you will probably understand why it's that low, I have never been so conscientious (and possibly never will be again either...!)


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## RuthieG (May 21, 2012)

Me too.

We are reaching new depths of HbA1c!

Although I now seem to be having post breakfast highs again so have reset ratio to 1 unit:2.8g carbs.

I may have high jacked this slightly due to the shock of seeing 4.7 but pump-wise this shows how precise you can be with a pump, in that at dofferent times of day you can set it to work at different insulin:carb ratios.


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## Babysaurus (May 21, 2012)

Good point Ruthie, the pump in the respect of being able to alter insulin requirements throughout the day has been amazing. 

I have had a couple of 9's and 10's (and that hideous evening where it went up to 19 and didn't come down even after LOADS of insulin) but that's it. However, I have got the basal rate quite high now (up to 2 units an hour at times, but always at least 1.20 units an hour) as I am incapable of doing the vast amounts of rushing about and dog walking that I was doing for the first 8 months (have only become less mobile this past week though so quite proud of that.) 

It's still going back though...


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## Babysaurus (May 21, 2012)

Am hijacking now too but also wanted to add that normally an HbA1c between 6.4 and 6.0 (which I managed without even trying) is what I am happy to go back to. I find that easily achievable without having to be overly careful and cautious with everything I do like I am at the moment, which is far more preferable to me than a lower HbA1c!


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## everydayupsanddowns (May 21, 2012)

Babysaurus said:


> ...and was issued with a pump at 4 months in as it makes control  easier...



I don't think anyone can argue with your reasons for considering giving the pump back Babysaurus - especially given your notable sucessses on MDI and discomfort with the experience. I do wonder whether the fact that you were *issued* with the pump rather than _wanted to see if it could fix some problems_ (however minor they might have been on MDI) is central to how you feel about it.

It took me a looooooong time to come round to wanting to try a pump to see if it would help (even though I did not find the idea appealing in the least). Had I 'been issued' with a pump several years earlier I'm not sure how I would have found the experience to be honest. 

But having come to a point where I wanted to see it if could help me... 1. It has begun to and 2. There have been added (unexpected) benefits into the bargain.

We've all got to find out own way through the maze I guess.


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## Babysaurus (May 21, 2012)

Mike, I wasn't issued with it per se, I actually asked for one as I was struggling with the doses of Lantus (ie low's overnight, no warning but if I lowered the dose any more I was too high in the day - as you have such tight guidelines when pregnant there wasn't much room for error.) The DSN told me that the pump would be more flexible in that respect - turning it down overnight and then up during the day - so I decided that, after nearly two weeks of having to set my alarm twice to wake up in the night to make sure I wasn't going low, that the pump would be better, at least for now. 

Sorry, should not have used the word 'issued' as it sounds as if I had no choice! I said I was 'issued it at 4 months as opposed' to saying 'I was given it...'


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