Pumps vs. pens

[Colin_G]

Before I start, please forgive my ignorance, I am just getting into the jargon.

I am currently using Humalog (x3 daily) and Levemir (x1 daily), administered via pens. Is this the kind of regime I've seen referred to as MDI?

What I really want to know is, from those of you who've gone onto a pump regime, how does it compare to four injections a day? I was identified as an ideal candidate for pump therapy in 2003 and reached the top of the very long waiting list for one. But because I was moving away, the ongoing support could not be given long distance and so I've had to start again with a new consultant.

The thing is, he seems quite reluctant to put me on one, even though my condition hasn't really changed since '03, and I am still keen to try it out. So I'm trying to arm myself with as much information as possible before my clinic visit next month.

So what are your experiences of using pumps? Doesn't it get to be a pain in the arse wearing it 24/7? And I read somewhere else that someone had problems with scars - is that common? I've been counting carbs for at least three years now, so I've got that bit nailed anyway.

Whatever advice you can offer will be greatly appreciated.

[JediSkipdogg]

Anything to do with a shot more than one time a day is MDI. That would be what you are doing now since a pen is a shot.

My experiences are great with a pump. I can eat whenever I want and not have to worry about taking an extra needle jab. Wearing it 24/7 can be a pain, but that mainly depends on how active you are. If you are a professional business person that doesn't have any fun, it's perfect. If you're a sport athlete, then it could get in the way, but many athletes wear one. It's all up to the person.

Scars vary for many. I think the best thing one can do is before they insert an infusion set is to wipe it with an alcohol prep first to make sure the area is clean. And then possibly once they remove the site, rub a tad of neosporin on it. It should heal up alot faster that way and never be noticable.

If you have any other questions, ask away.

[Cinnabon]

Hey Colin...

I was on MDI (multiple daily injection) for a very long time. The most important is that you have the CARB count down. There are some Endos that don't like the pump, don't know why.
The great thing with the pump FLEXIBILITY & FREEDOM:
eat what you want, when you want.
Your A1Cs improve dramatically and its the ideal thing to avoid all of these complications, this wonderful treat that we got, bring to our lives. Your overall control is pretty great. You definitely get the feel for having the complete control over your Diabetes.

The pump scars go away and its a bit of bruising, not too far off from the scared tissue the MDI brings. The trick is, like MDI, rotating your site location.

[jen_slc]

I am an ex-pumper and seem to be one of the very few people around here who had a bad time with the pump. I was doing MDI (Ultralente & Humalog) for a few years before I switched to the pump but because of the problems I experienced, I am now back to MDI (this time Lantus & Novolog) and have been for 3 years. I will say that most of the time on the pump, I was happy and my bg was decent - my A1cs weren't fantastic but they were lower than pre-pumping. It was also my university years, so I really did enjoy the convenience of the pump.

But into my 6th and 7th years on it, I started having problems - bad scarring, bad absorption, lots of pain, tons of bruising, tons of bleeding, bad bg levels - all this despite my best efforts in rotating sites, trying out every possible infusion set, etc etc. It did scar me a bit mentally as well as physically, so much so that I got to be very very afraid of changing my site... knowing that I would end up bleeding profusely, crying from the pain and going through 3 sets at a time just to get a good one in. I just got so frustrated and miserable with it all that I begged my doc to come off it and go back to MDI. It sounds funny that I would prefer multiple daily shots vs the once-every-3-days with the pump, but I'm so much happier this way and I am less scarred. And, I'd like to add, my bg control is MUCH MUCH better now. My A1cs are the best they have been, I still feel like I have tons of freedom, I still eat what I want, when I want.

You'll have to weigh the pros and cons of how you personally feel about being attached to it 24/7 (I was having so many problems that eventually I really came to resent my little machine and hated that it was always there!), what sites you can use/how much 'padding' you'll have (I was limited to my belly and butt so they did get overused despite rotating), as well as how important the convenience factor is for you in your life. You might not like the idea of 24/7 attachment but you might really benefit from tighter control and grow to love it. :proud:

I don't want to discourage anybody from trying the pump because I do think it's a fabulous device and I *would* highly recommend it. I just wanted to bring up the *small* possibility that there could be problems. But out of all the pumpers I've seen on here, I think there may only be 2-3 of us who've discontinued it totally or temporarily because of problems? I don't think it's common. :thumbsup:

[Doetsch]

I am an ex-pumper and seem to be one of the very few people around here who had a bad time with the pump. I was doing MDI (Ultralente & Humalog) for a few years before I switched to the pump but because of the problems I experienced, I am now back to MDI (this time Lantus & Novolog) and have been for 3 years. I will say that most of the time on the pump, I was happy and my bg was decent - my A1cs weren't fantastic but they were lower than pre-pumping. It was also my university years, so I really did enjoy the convenience of the pump.

But into my 6th and 7th years on it, I started having problems - bad scarring, bad absorption, lots of pain, tons of bruising, tons of bleeding, bad bg levels - all this despite my best efforts in rotating sites, trying out every possible infusion set, etc etc. It did scar me a bit mentally as well as physically, so much so that I got to be very very afraid of changing my site... knowing that I would end up bleeding profusely, crying from the pain and going through 3 sets at a time just to get a good one in. I just got so frustrated and miserable with it all that I begged my doc to come off it and go back to MDI. It sounds funny that I would prefer multiple daily shots vs the once-every-3-days with the pump, but I'm so much happier this way and I am less scarred. And, I'd like to add, my bg control is MUCH MUCH better now. My A1cs are the best they have been, I still feel like I have tons of freedom, I still eat what I want, when I want.

You'll have to weigh the pros and cons of how you personally feel about being attached to it 24/7 (I was having so many problems that eventually I really came to resent my little machine and hated that it was always there!), what sites you can use/how much 'padding' you'll have (I was limited to my belly and butt so they did get overused despite rotating), as well as how important the convenience factor is for you in your life. You might not like the idea of 24/7 attachment but you might really benefit from tighter control and grow to love it. :proud:

I don't want to discourage anybody from trying the pump because I do think it's a fabulous device and I *would* highly recommend it. I just wanted to bring up the *small* possibility that there could be problems. But out of all the pumpers I've seen on here, I think there may only be 2-3 of us who've discontinued it totally or temporarily because of problems? I don't think it's common. :thumbsup:

I had problems with scarring too, When I first started, the pump was only available in Manual Insertion Infusion Sets. They are much more advanced now with Auto Insertion and can really help with scarring and good absortion due to good connections. I don't know how long it's been since you have been on a pump but as I said, just in the past 2 years ; Pumping has advanced tremondously ;)

[jen_slc]

I had problems with scarring too, When I first started, the pump was only available in Manual Insertion Infusion Sets. They are much more advanced now with Auto Insertion and can really help with scarring and good absortion due to good connections. I don't know how long it's been since you have been on a pump but as I said, just in the past 2 years ; Pumping has advanced tremondously ;)Not to hijack the thread or anything, but...when you mean 'manual insertion' you are talking about just your hand, the set and you jam it in, right? And the 'auto insertion' involves those little plasticey doohickey devices that you put the set into, push a button and it jams it in for you, right? I could never do it manually, only in emergency situations, I had a block against it or something. I always used the auto inserters but hated those too - god, such pain. Just the thought of those gadgets clicking and thwumping makes my waist recoil in fear :vroam: *shudder* But Colin_G, I am sure there are plenty of choices out there for all your pumping needs these days. Maybe my problem was MiniMed, given the less-than-great reviews around here - I never even knew other pumps existed... not that it matters now though! :laugh:

[Doetsch]

I went 2 years with "Jabbing It In" myself and I hated it, I didn't even know that there were "Auto Inserters" until recently. They make my world a whole lot easier. I understand though. Diabetes is different with every person. What work's for one does not work for another...

[spike]

Before I start, please forgive my ignorance, I am just getting into the jargon.

I am currently using Humalog (x3 daily) and Levemir (x1 daily), administered via pens. Is this the kind of regime I've seen referred to as MDI?

What I really want to know is, from those of you who've gone onto a pump regime, how does it compare to four injections a day? I was identified as an ideal candidate for pump therapy in 2003 and reached the top of the very long waiting list for one. But because I was moving away, the ongoing support could not be given long distance and so I've had to start again with a new consultant.

The thing is, he seems quite reluctant to put me on one, even though my condition hasn't really changed since '03, and I am still keen to try it out. So I'm trying to arm myself with as much information as possible before my clinic visit next month.

So what are your experiences of using pumps? Doesn't it get to be a pain in the arse wearing it 24/7? And I read somewhere else that someone had problems with scars - is that common? I've been counting carbs for at least three years now, so I've got that bit nailed anyway.

Whatever advice you can offer will be greatly appreciated.


10 years of wearing a pump and I never feel it's a PITA. I got used to wearing it the first day.

Scarring is a common problem, but I've got just a small area that's problematic.

A pump can tame DP; try doing that with MDI.

A pump can be slowed down for a while for strenous activity. try doing that with lantus. Once it's in, it's in for the day (lantus).

Try being ultraprecise with a syringe or pen. No where near the precision of insulin delivery from a pump.

[kgm0612]

I used Novolin NPH and Novolog 70/30, both in pen form for two years before just recently going on the pump in December. Although my blood sugars were terrific and my A1c was 6.3, I was STARVING all the time.

I saw my endo in November and he said the only way to help with the starving issue was to add 2 more shots a day to cover ALL meals, or go on the pump. I opted for the pump. I've only been pumping seven weeks but have had very good luck with it. I went with the Mini Med 515 and I use an inserter to insert the infusion set. Too big of a chicken to do it manually....LOL.

Karen

[Tokyo Cate]

I used a Minimed 506 from November 1993-September 2005. I thought it was great because after starting the pump, the serious lows that I had as a result of reactions between short-acting and long-acting insulin stopped (though I still had lows, believe me). The pump gave me freedom to eat what I wanted and to slow it down if I wanted to go for a run or if I didn't feel like eating at a "usual mealtime."

However, because of the high humidity in Tokyo, the set wasn't staying in place as it should and the result was a lot of scar tissue and a lot of high blood sugars resulting from the set becoming dislodged (I would usually wait for two high blood sugar readings in a row before changing the set because changing it is a pain). With the pump, I had to carry around a lot of supplies (two spare sets--just in case, insulin, syringes--just in case, glucose, plus monitoring supplies and the inserting device for the set).

Pump therapy can be really good and I think that AT THE TIME it was the best treatment option for me, but since making the change the MDI I feel I have better control and more freedom.

[duck]

I used a Minimed 506 from November 1993-September 2005. I thought it was great because after starting the pump, the serious lows that I had as a result of reactions between short-acting and long-acting insulin stopped (though I still had lows, believe me). The pump gave me freedom to eat what I wanted and to slow it down if I wanted to go for a run or if I didn't feel like eating at a "usual mealtime."

However, because of the high humidity in Tokyo, the set wasn't staying in place as it should and the result was a lot of scar tissue and a lot of high blood sugars resulting from the set becoming dislodged (I would usually wait for two high blood sugar readings in a row before changing the set because changing it is a pain). With the pump, I had to carry around a lot of supplies (two spare sets--just in case, insulin, syringes--just in case, glucose, plus monitoring supplies and the inserting device for the set).

Pump therapy can be really good and I think that AT THE TIME it was the best treatment option for me, but since making the change the MDI I feel I have better control and more freedom.

Hey Cate,

I had a hard time with sets in high-humidity or in situations where I would sweat a decent amount (in the summer, I cannot use my stomach at all)--Until I started using the insertion sets that used to come with the Cozmore pump...The "Comfort" set by Unomedical sticks to me in every circumstance that the old sofsets from MM would not stick, so it may take some fiddling around with different sets to find one tha works better...