reasons for pumping?

[new pumper]

Hey guys,
As my name suggests i have only started pumping recently. I have been a type one for 15yrs and didnt have very tight control resulting in bad hbA1c's so decided to try pump therapy. This seems to be the reason for most that i talk to but i want to find out why other poeple started pumping. Please let me know as im interested to hear what you have to say.

[catgalla]

I started pumping because I wanted better control and also more freedom to eat the foods I like. I'm not good at dieting what so ever. I've had great a1c's since I've starting pumping back in 2000 and I couldn't imagine my life without using the pump. Ya, sometimes I hate being attached to this because it does irritate and get in my way, but then I look at all the pluses of having it!!!

[notme]

I was also looking for better control. I also wanted freedom to have my insulin with me and not have to remember to lug around my needles and bottles of insulin. It was an experiment for me that turned into "love".

[June91]

I found it very difficult to have basal bgs anywhere near normal without the pump.

[JediSkipdogg]

I started pumping back in 2002 because of my campus security job at college. I worked 9 pm till 3 am generally and it was hard to keep in check then. Not to mention, there'd be times we would order food on the shift and I wouldn't have a shot on me so I'd have to pass. And going 6 hours of walking (we didn't have cars, or we did, but weren't suppose to use them) burned alot of energy therefore needing food. Once I pumped it became so much easier.

[RLK]

I had way too many lows on MDI because of my unpredictable activity level, and I was battling dawn phenomenon as well. Pumping allows me to fine-tune things much more carefully, and to suspend all insulin delivery if necessary.

[xMenace]

http://www.gifs.net/Animation11/Hobbies_and_Entertainment/Toys/Alien_yoyo.gif

[Funnygrl]

Lol Menace- it took me a second to figure out what that meant.

My control wasn't bad by any stretch, but I needed to be able to take very small boluses at the time. My ISF was like 100 at first, and my carb ratio was 45 I believe.

I would forget if I had taken my shot or not, or get some place and realize I didn't have a syringe with me. I would forget to take my shot cause I was in a hurry.

I was high every night and low every morning- I needed varying basals.

I had gastroparesis and the idea of extended and combo boluses appealed.

I was taking like 6 shots a day and it just seemed like there was a better way.

[w5wjp]

MDI = 12+ injections per day, morning highs, afternoon lows, injecting in public

Pumping = only one "injection" every 2 days, no public injections, much more consistent control

[GrammyByer]

I love my pump. I started using it 4 years ago for a few reasond. I wanted better control. I wanted more freedom. I was tired of looking like a pin cushion. And I am severely hypoglycemia unaware, so the pump gives me fewer scarey lows (I can drop to 25 or so and not realize that something is wrong).

[tanyatype1]

I was only on MDI for 6 or 7 months before getting my pump. We were told about the pump in the hospital at the time of diagnosis, and I just new that was what I wanted. Skipping X - amount of needles DAILY? YES PLEASE! Lots of benefits followed, but my initial interest was because of the "one needle every three days" thing!

[JungleJim]

I was having too many lows on MDI, and going to a pump solved that problem for me. As a bonus, if I test and see that I am high by whatever amount, it makes it so easy to do something about it.

[Tyler]

Better social life.

[karyn]

I did it for the flexibility... my last A1C before the pump (3 years ago) was 6.1 - because i had TONS of lows! I've never had an A1C lower than 6.8 on the pump but I think 7.1 was my worst. I am very active and for some reason my friends always called at bedtime to ask if I wanted to go hiking the next day - after my Lantus. I couldn't adjust and I'd go anyway and eat until I couldn't eat anymore just in an effort to keep my blood sugar up (which never worked).

I can't imagine my life without the pump - and neither can my hubby. He said the mood swings from the BG ups and downs made him think about leaving me (we are newly married).

[sleepy_hound]

My latest A1c was 6.3%, I was only on 4 injections a day. But I really wanted to be able to accurately inject insulin for the type of meal I was having instead of a generic dose of insulin for everything. I would also be less inclined to inject in public and just eat without injecting. (I would test, but not inject, oddly) And I am also planning to get pregnant in the next year, so I thought this was the best way to be at my optimum health. So far, I love it.

[Lloyd]

Better control, fewer needle sticks, getting rid of my Dawn Phenomenon.

-Lloyd

[Roada]

I havn't started pumping yet, but I wanted to start with pump therapy because I don't want to inject in public. I hate it! My hbA1c has never been over 5.8 (If I'm not to high, I'm to low), so I didn't have any medical reason. My latest hbA1c was 5.4 and I was diagnosed type 1 June 2 2006.

I'm from Sweden if you wonder why my english is pretty bad. :)