# Wearing a pump with a suit



## Ref (Nov 15, 2016)

I've been doing some research and reading since requesting a pump and I'm thinking about what my pump requirements are. 

My question is in the title - how do you wear a pump with a suit (which I have to wear for work)?  None of the websites seem to have this information - they show people wearing pumps with swimwear, long tops or no top but not with a suit.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Thanks


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## Northerner (Nov 16, 2016)

Giving this a <bump> I don't have a pump, but I know a lot of people either wear them on their belt (like a pager - remember them? ) or just keep them in their pocket. I believe there are also various belts that would allow you to wear the pump under your shirt, should you wish 

Hopefully, some actual pump users will be along to help!


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## novorapidboi26 (Nov 16, 2016)

In the past I have simply put the pump tubing out the bottom of my shirt and put the pump into one of the pockets.......

its not ideal as the pump is large in a pair of suit trousers, but I cant see any other option.....


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## stephknits (Nov 16, 2016)

You could look at a patch pump ( omnipod) which doesn't have any tubing, it just sticks to your body, so clothing not so much of an issue


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## Ref (Nov 16, 2016)

Thanks.  I was hoping there was some neat trick or technique not obvious to the uninitiated.

I've seen the belts you can wear under your shirt.  Anyone tried them? I have a feeling they would be uncomfortable? especially during the summer on hot trains.  From what I've read I don't think the omnipod has the range of options for multi-bolus I'm going to need but I'll bear this in mind and discuss with the 'pump nurse' when I see her.  I can see me ending up with the tube coming out of my shirt and the pump on my belt - nicely positioned for me to catch on door handles etc.


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## novorapidboi26 (Nov 16, 2016)

On the belt isn't that bad to be honest, thats where mine lives every day.......

it isn't on show however, where as with a tucked in shirt, it would be visible.....

and as far as door handles go, prepare to be caught on a few regardless of where you end up putting it....


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## trophywench (Nov 16, 2016)

Roche make a soft thin stretchy fabric 'Bra hanger' which their pumps fit in and the flexible, flat clip literally hangs onto the side of a bra with the pump below it at the side of the ribcage and the tubing coming out of the base of the container.  The pump is totally enclosed because all functions and calculations are done using the meter/remote control.

Not a girl?  No problem!  I've frequently worn the pump using this, attached to the waistband of a skirt or trousers, pump on the inside (just move it round the waistband until it's in a comfy place for sitting, driving, walking etc) and being as the clip itself is transparent it is literally hardly noticeable.

The access aperture is tiny though and quite a struggle sometimes to get the pump into it - but nowhere near as difficult as trying to fit a new door seal on an automatic washing machine !  LOL

As it fitted the Combo as well as it does the smaller Insight, one assumes it would fit any make of pump.  But - utterly useless if you need access cos the bolus etc calculator is on the pump itself.

If trousers - or skirts - have a side pocket, just stick it in there with the 'spare' tubing stuffed back down the inside of the garment.


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## Ref (Nov 16, 2016)

Thanks - as I read your first para, I thought you were going to suggest I start wearing a bra .  Just looked up the accessory you're referring to and I can see what you are getting at.

It's good to have options so I'll just have to wait and see what pumps i'm offered.


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## trophywench (Nov 16, 2016)

I haven't had to pay for one so far - freebies from my diabetes clinic!


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## HOBIE (Nov 16, 2016)

Ref said:


> I've been doing some research and reading since requesting a pump and I'm thinking about what my pump requirements are.
> 
> My question is in the title - how do you wear a pump with a suit (which I have to wear for work)?  None of the websites seem to have this information - they show people wearing pumps with swimwear, long tops or no top but not with a suit.
> 
> ...


In Trouser pocket


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## trophywench (Nov 17, 2016)

Just thought - Bloke I met at a DUK meeting (at their main office I mean) had a Combo same as me at the time and used the ungainly horrible 'hard case with bright blue clip' they used to supply with every one - ghastly ugly thing that it was - with the clip on the waistband of his suit kecks in the middle of his back.  I was horrified and chucked him my soft latex 'pump skin' also with clip, to have a play with across the meeting room table.

They really were the best thing since sliced bread after pumps themselves - but they were specifically Combo and they don't make one for the Insight.  However I believe they are commercially available for other makes of pump.  (Have a look at 'Funky Pumpers' website maybe?)


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## Ref (Nov 17, 2016)

Thanks
Exchanged emails with my consultant and DSN this morning.  I do have a choice of pump and the process will speed up if I make a decision and let them know what I prefer.

Neither thinks the omnipod is suitable for me.  My consultant mentioned the Medtronic (640g I assume) and the DSN suggested the Animas (Vibe I assume).  I've said I'll make a decision this weekend and let them know on Monday.

As far as I can gather there isn't a massive difference between the two and most people like the pump they end up with - is that a fair assessment?


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## Radders (Nov 17, 2016)

I wear mine on my waistband 90% of the time. The only time I tried it in a pocket for a whole day, the tubing managed to disconnect itself from the pump. It also concerns me that the pump would come to rest with the tube uppermost so bubbles would get into the tubing more easily.


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## Ref (Nov 18, 2016)

Do you just have the tube coming out between the buttons of your shirt?


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## Radders (Nov 18, 2016)

Ref said:


> Do you just have the tube coming out between the buttons of your shirt?


It depends on whereabouts my cannula is. The tube is quite long so it doesn't usually need to go between the buttons, it will often reach around the hem of the shirt.


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## HOBIE (Nov 18, 2016)

trophywench said:


> Just thought - Bloke I met at a DUK meeting (at their main office I mean) had a Combo same as me at the time and used the ungainly horrible 'hard case with bright blue clip' they used to supply with every one - ghastly ugly thing that it was - with the clip on the waistband of his suit kecks in the middle of his back.  I was horrified and chucked him my soft latex 'pump skin' also with clip, to have a play with across the meeting room table.
> 
> They really were the best thing since sliced bread after pumps themselves - but they were specifically Combo and they don't make one for the Insight.  However I believe they are commercially available for other makes of pump.  (Have a look at 'Funky Pumpers' website maybe?)


good luck, in a few months you will think why you did not get one sooner


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## everydayupsanddowns (Nov 21, 2016)

I generally wear mine on my belt, but I have found on the rare occasions that I wear a suit that it doesn't help the way the jacket hangs (probably depends on the fit of the suit and whether you button your jacket.

Whenever I have been wearing the jacket buttoned, I have passed the tubing through gaps between shirt buttons as if wearing on belt but then pop 'Threepio' into one of the lower inside pockets in my jacket. Just have to remember to swap back to belt when I take the jacket off!


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## everydayupsanddowns (Nov 21, 2016)

Ref said:


> As far as I can gather there isn't a massive difference between the two and most people like the pump they end up with - is that a fair assessment?



Yep. That's pretty much it! More difficult to move from one existing pump to another I think as you will have got used to liking certain things which another may handle differently.

Each pump has it's own foibles, of course, and some of the slight differences are deal-breakers for some people (eg whether or not is has a fully functioning remote) but by and large they all do the same thing and all do it well.


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## Ref (Nov 21, 2016)

Thanks.  My digestive system likes to be kept busy otherwise it kicks up a fuss so I have to eat something every couple of hours (not always carbs but sometimes that's all there is available) so I need to work out which one has the most flexibility around different bolus patterns and bolus on bolus calculations.

Interesting point about the remotes.  I had assumed that you could do everything from the remote that you can do on the pump but I guess not. 

I may give them both a ring.


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## trophywench (Nov 21, 2016)

You can bolus upon bolus on the Insight if necessary - so say I've done a bolus - even a multiwave or extended one - if you want to eat more carbs or miscalculated and you realise you ate more carbs than you jabbed for, you just retest and recalculate and the handset does all the sums and then you tell it what type of bolus you want - eg possibly you decide to have a pud - say something mega sweet, sticky toffee pudding and custard, you know that will have sugar too cos you're at the pub - so you'll probably need to have the insulin for that immediately even though the original one will still be delivering for another hour cos it was a fatty main course - just say you want a 'standard' blus this time - and after you've pressed the necessary 'OK' buttons, wham, it's in.

I can't think of anything you can't do on the handset - apart from changing the cartridge and the pump AAA battery of course!  And the handset's rechargeable and the opposite of phone batts - it MUST be charged 'little and often' - NEVER run down to zilch, else it will DIE very shortly.  LOL  And it is definitely slower than the Combo one - but it is more complicated and after a year I just say eg Gerron with it FFS and Allelujah and things, when at home LOL  It certainly isn't a thing that would make me rip it out and go back to MDI !


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## everydayupsanddowns (Nov 21, 2016)

Medtronic allows you to do a standard bolus on top of a running dual/square wave. As with most pumps the wizard assumes any bolus given against carbs was correct and although adjusting subsequent doses for BG and correction (if iob) it will not reduce the i:c dose itself based on excessive doses already given. I have never come across one which does. Doses against carbs are always assumed to be right.


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## Ref (Nov 22, 2016)

Interesting, thank you.

I'd previously ruled out the Insight but I can't remember why, even after looking again at their website (not waterproof?) - beginning to think they removed some of my memory with my pancreas 

Been thinking about the remote and I keep changing my mind as to how important it is.

Had a long conversation with Animas on the phone today.  Tried to call Medtronic but no-one picked up - is their customer service normally Ok?
Animas said you can 'bolus on bolus' and 'bolus on extended bolus' but can't 'extended bolus on extended bolus'.  I'm guessing this is the same for all pumps?

Got a feeling i'm going to end up tossing a coin or going with which ever they can get me on the quickest.


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## trophywench (Nov 23, 2016)

Err, I think it might be with the Insight but I don't know for a fact, perhaps eg @pottersusan might know?  Was it discarded as you can only use Novorapid pump cartridges?


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## HOBIE (Nov 23, 2016)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Medtronic allows you to do a standard bolus on top of a running dual/square wave. As with most pumps the wizard assumes any bolus given against carbs was correct and although adjusting subsequent doses for BG and correction (if iob) it will not reduce the i:c dose itself based on excessive doses already given. I have never come across one which does. Doses against carbs are always assumed to be right.


There is so much to learn. Pumps are so adaptable to the individual


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## Lauren (Nov 24, 2016)

How about cutting a small hole inside of one of your pockets and threading the cannula tubing through that hole so that it doesn't show? Then you can wear the pump in your pocket without having tubing poking out. That's what I do when I wear skirts with pockets   Does that make sense?


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## HOBIE (Nov 24, 2016)

Lauren said:


> How about cutting a small hole inside of one of your pockets and threading the cannula tubing through that hole so that it doesn't show? Then you can wear the pump in your pocket without having tubing poking out. That's what I do when I wear skirts with pockets   Does that make sense?


There is always a way !


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## SB2015 (Nov 24, 2016)

trophywench said:


> Roche make a soft thin stretchy fabric 'Bra hanger' which their pumps fit in and the flexible, flat clip literally hangs onto the side of a bra with the pump below it at the side of the ribcage and the tubing coming out of the base of the container.  The pump is totally enclosed because all functions and calculations are done using the meter/remote control.
> 
> Not a girl?  No problem!  I've frequently worn the pump using this, attached to the waistband of a skirt or trousers, pump on the inside (just move it round the waistband until it's in a comfy place for sitting, driving, walking etc) and being as the clip itself is transparent it is literally hardly noticeable.
> 
> ...


Did you have any of the hooks break.  I have gone through quite a few and they do not sell them separately, so if I wanted to carry on using them I had to fork out £20 for a new complete ouch.  I have tried a variety of alternatives including giant paper clips, curtain hooks, but none are as comfortable as the flat ones that they provide.  Any suggestions or is it just that I take them off without enough care.


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## pottersusan (Nov 25, 2016)

trophywench said:


> Err, I think it might be with the Insight but I don't know for a fact, perhaps eg @pottersusan might know?  Was it discarded as you can only use Novorapid pump cartridges?


Sorry - being dense - what's the question?!


SB2015 said:


> Did you have any of the hooks break.  I have gone through quite a few and they do not sell them separately, so if I wanted to carry on using them I had to fork out £20 for a new complete ouch.  I have tried a variety of alternatives including giant paper clips, curtain hooks, but none are as comfortable as the flat ones that they provide.  Any suggestions or is it just that I take them off without enough care.


Roche have sent me some clips free of charge.


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## trophywench (Nov 28, 2016)

I don't use the Insight clips - far too rigid for me.  I assume that's what you are referring to as you couldn't break the ones on the bra hanger or the old Combo 'skin' ? - and if so Roche are aware they aren't the bees knees.

@pottersusan - it was whether you could program in another multi-wave or extended bolus, when an earlier one hadn't yet finished delivering it's insulin and still had time to run?


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## SB2015 (Nov 28, 2016)

trophywench said:


> I don't use the Insight clips - far too rigid for me. I assume that's what you are referring to as you couldn't break the ones on the bra hanger or the old Combo 'skin' ? - and if so Roche are aware they aren't the bees knees.


 Maybe it is me then.  I have broken two of the ones for Combo bra pouch!!  
I will try and asking for some replacements.


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## trophywench (Nov 29, 2016)

It's bendy plastic - and of course being next to your skin in a warm location, I'd have thought that would help maintain the suppleness?


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## pottersusan (Nov 29, 2016)

trophywench said:


> I don't use the Insight clips - far too rigid for me.  I assume that's what you are referring to as you couldn't break the ones on the bra hanger or the old Combo 'skin' ? - and if so Roche are aware they aren't the bees knees.
> 
> @pottersusan - it was whether you could program in another multi-wave or extended bolus, when an earlier one hadn't yet finished delivering it's insulin and still had time to run?


Sorry - don't know. I don't use them very much.


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## trophywench (Nov 29, 2016)

It was just a thought Susan - knowing you have the Insight and we're all different and each of us most likely makes more use of certain features that others don't need.

Wonder if Amanda does cos with the delayed digestion, I know she uses both the extended and multiwave for more meals than yer average user.


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