[Cookie]

Ok, I admit it - I know about 1% of what there is to know about insulin pumps.



Can someone fill me in and tell me in laymans terms what it is and how it works?

Many thanks

[Cinnabon]

Well.. You probably know more than me, LOL.

I have mine sitting on the dining room table awaiting my instructor to come. We have a lot of GREAT pump users here. I can tell you its a portable, battery-operated device that delivers a specific amount of insulin. It looks like a pager It can be programmed to deliver different doses at different times of the day, according to the body's needs. You dont have to eat a certain amount of food at a specific time.. In easier terms: FREEDOM!!!!
No specific times to eat...
being able to sleep in...
and so many more advantages that you will hear all about from other members.

[camjen1]

A pump is a portable pancreas. It gives you a continuous amout of insulin that is determined by your DR and you (also called Basal). The basal in other words will maintain your sugar throughout the day if you never eat. Now if you eat you have to program a bolus in which depends on that persons insulin to carb ratio. As mine is 1 unit for every 15 carbs I eat. If I ate 2 pieces of bread I would have to program a bolus in the amount of 2 units. The insulin is delivered thru a tubing set called an infusion set. The infusion set is inserted and the needle is removed. All that is left under the skin is a plastic cannula. This stays in place anywhere from 1-3 days, after its use you have to replace it with another one somewhere else on the body. Checking sugars is essential as things can go wrong with the pump.

Hope that helps. Welcome to the board.

[duck]

There is no surgery involved--that seems to be a common misconception as well...

[ricardo]

Originally Posted by Cookie

Ok, I admit it - I know about 1% of what there is to know about insulin pumps.



Can someone fill me in and tell me in laymans terms what it is and how it works?

Many thanks

go here: http://www.insulin-pumpers.org/links.shtml