so i have been considering talking to my doctor about switching to a pump....and im wondering how people like it. please feel free to give me your opinion on whether or not you prefer pumps or shots...
oh yea, and i dont know how it would work for me because i take lantus and humalog everyday. does anyone else do this??
I take lantus and humalog everyday too. I will be getting the omnipod soon, so excited! You can order the test kit for free and wear it for a couple days without insulin just to see what it feels like. Here is their web site:
http://www.myomnipod.com/
Just so you know you would not have to take lantus anymore once you start using a pump. The fast acting insulin is the basal, like an IV drip gives it gradually continuous small units. I'll let ya know how it goes once I start the pump :)
I take Lantus and Novorapid every day. On the pump you only take a short acting insulin, like mentioned above it's a drip system so your body is consistently getting a small amount of short acting.
There are many pros and cons to the pump. There are also at least a few of us on here who have tried the pump but decided it's not for us.
First you really need to ask why you want the pump and what you want to get out of switching.
Personally, I lasted three months before I sent mine back. I had a hell of a time. I couldn't get my basal's right (it can take months to get it correct for some people) so I was always spiking and then dropping and then spiking and then dropping. My A1C improved a whole percentage, but my control was much worse than when I was on Lantus and Novorapid.
I also had a hard time adapting after 16years to being attached to a machine 24/7 rather than just having to carry a few needles and vials. (People say you carry less when you're on the pump, but I always had to carry at least two infusion sites, a vial of Novorapid, a few needles just in case, the swipes to clean the site..my bag got a LOT bigger with that, than it is carrying a bag of needles and two vials!).
I had a number of site failures and I had a really bad problem with ripping my site out while sleeping. I also has my site ripped out a few times when the tubing caught onto things. I also had problems with clothing. It would take 3hours of destroying my closest and ending up sobbing to find something comfortable to wear out to the bar or even to my Staff X-Mas party. I had all the accessories to allow me to wear skirts and dresses with the pump, but they were so uncomfortable I couldn't use them. I always ended up in a pair of jeans and a long tank top so I could hook the pump to my belt while my girlfriends were able to get all dressed up to go dancing. I don't always dress up, but not even having the choice too was a real blow to my self-esteem.
I met my boyfriend and started dating a few weeks after I started the pump..he thought I was crazy (really it was just dealing with the multiple lows a day - i went from one or two a month to 3x a week min but usually more like 3 a day - and then spiking right after) and he always thought I had a problem with feeling bad in my clothing (which is partially true but it was much worse on the pump). We've been together over a year now and he def saw a bit difference in my attitude once I went back to shots. Same with my mom, who started off being my biggest supporter of getting the pump (after years of suggesting it) who quickly changed her mind once she saw how much of a struggle I was having trying to get my basal's right and stop feeling so crappy all the time.
When I went to my endo's to discuss keeping or getting rid of the pump as the 3month money-back guarantee was almost up...I had a low that morning in the office, then again in the MIDDLE of our meeting. We decided the lows and the spikes were not worth it. Neither of us are happy with the current technology (he'd like to see the pump do all the work and act like a pancreas with less user interaction) but we will come back to the discussion of possibly trying again when I have a family or the technology improves.
In the end though, it was a good experience because I did learn that what I am doing now is what works best for me.
That doesn't mean you'll have the same experience, some people love the pump and their lives had improved greatly..but just like pens and syringes, it's just another tool we have available to us so if it doesn't work, you still have options.
If it doesn't work for you and in the end isn't what you thought it would be, there's nothing wrong with that. If you get it and it changes your life for the better, that's great too.
I recommend trying the saline trial of a few pumps you are looking into. Looking back on it, the saline trial didn't really help me learn what life would be like on the pump (because you can take it off whenever you want), it was helpful to learn the pump itself before my official training and learn how to put in sites, etc. It'll also help you learn what different features you are looking for in a pump, so you can decide which will work best for you.
Best of luck with your decision. Remember, no one can make this decision for you.
thank you guys for your stories and input. im going to weigh the options and probably get the test pump to see if i would like it and feel comfortable. but thank you both so much. i appreciate every ounce of advice that i can get on the topic :)
Cheyanne,
A lot of great info above. I would also recommend doing a little reading on the way into the pump evaluation. The two books that were a big help to me were:
Pumping Insulin - by John Walsh
Think Like a Pancreas - by Gary Scheiner
It is a shift and I know when I made the jump from Lantus and Humalog to the pump (and Humalog only) - the wearing the equipment, the speed of the highs took a small amount of adjustment. The ability to lower the basal (ever have a day you wish you could dial back your Lantus or crank it up mid-day? - that you can do with the pump), the ability to give more accurate doses (down to .05 of a unit) and the ability to shut insulin off during a low were all compelling reasons for me to go with the pump.
There are a lot of people here with a lot more information and experience than I and I'm sure you'll get some more great feedback. Keep the questions coming!
Cheers!
A-D
I used to take Lantus & Humalog, but on the pump you only use meal time insulin so no more Lantus! Hurray! I hated that stuff, it always stung! Being on a pump is a personal decision. I know a couple people who went on the pumps, didn't like them, and went back to injections. For me, I LOVE BEING ON THE PUMP! I will never go back on shots! It may sound cliché, but going on the pump has "changed my life". LOL Honestly it has though. It has made diabetes a smaller part of my life. I don't stress about it so much anymore. I have more freedom to eat what I want and be active when I want. I don't have to take shots in front of strangers anymore. I used to hate how people would just stare at me when I took my shots! I'm not on such a strict routine anymore. If I'm not hungry and want to skip a meal, OK! I can! If I'm super hungry and feeling like chowing down on an all you can eat buffet, I can! I wear the OmniPod. It stays right under my clothes and no one notices it. It's simple and easy. Doesn't hurt at all! And you only have to change it every 3 days! It beats the 150 or more shots I used to take in 1 months time! So for me, yes I very much prefer being on a pump. But it DOES really depend on the individual. You should be able to schedule an appt. with your endo to play around with different pumps. At least, that's what I did before I picked a pump. I also liked the Animas One Touch Ping, but I still preferred the tubing free OmniPod. My hospital even let us use an infusion set so we could see how much it hurt or how uncomfortable it was. (By the way, it doesn't hurt!) If you go to OmniPod's website you can request a free demo pod. Goodluck!
I was on Humalog and Lantus injections. I think the pump is the smartest choice I ever made. I can live a normal life and not have blood sugars jumping . It feels like having a fully functioning pancreas..you will not believe the difference. Lantus is not a terrific insulin. Humalog is more like one's own insulin. I am on the Omnipod and I would never choose any other pump. No tubing, no hassles. It takes a while to get used to putting it on. If you are active criss cross tape on the nose of the pod. Good luck with whatever you choose.
I had the opposite experience and a great Physician that started me on dose on my Omnipod that was fairly close. I never had blood sugar spikes except in the beginning I did not put the pod on properly. That goes away fast since you figure out why quickly. No tubing is great. It does take anywhere from 2 weeks to one month to get your dose exactly right..but remember you have a constant drip like a pancreas and a bolus to correct any errors..I had good control on Lantus/Humalog injections but suffered with lows alot since I am active but now incredible control with the pump. If you get a low it is not like the injections low. My lows are extremely rare. I was low in the mornings on injections I fixed that by cutting my day basal to about half from 3-8 a.m. No more morning lows. I can wake up 78 alot and with the shots I woke up 130. I wish someone would have told me this 20 years ago. The Omnipod is a miraculous invention.
Hi there! My daughter (almost 12 yrs old) was just diagnosed about 6 weeks ago. Her endo said we could talk about a pump in 6 months (June/July). I am wondering how active you are as far as sports, swimming, etc.? My daughter plays basketball for her school and frequently bumps and gets bumped while playing. I'm worried that a pump would be dangerous. Are you able to take it off temporarily in order to play sports, etc.? Thanks.
i do more of hiking and climbing. but i've heard of people that play more contact sports and they haven't had problems. or sometimes take their pumps off to play and check bg throughout the game.
Eyemon I am pretty active since I teach Yoga classes 5 days a week. I do back bends from the floor up and have the pod on my side or belly. I do alot of backbbends. In the beginning I had a few times where the canula was not all the way in but then my trainer from Omnipod told me to tape the nose of the pod down. So now I criss cross a thin piece of tape around the nose/narrower area. I buy medtape at a medical supply. It leaves no residue when you remove it and I have showered with it. Now I never have any problems. There are alot of spots your daughter coud place it where maybe there would be less chances of being hit. If you look at their demo www.mypod.com there are inner thigh areas to put it on and maybe she could place a pair of tight exercise shorts there to fit under her other shorts. I find the tape really helps. I do not know what the chances are she could be bumped there. I wear it on the back/side of upper arm, and sides of my body, belly but maybe those places would have more chance of being bumped. Good luck. I never thought I could feel this good...I was taking shots for 40 years and my brain even works better now. As you know it is easy to get lows with exercise but adding fat/protein really holds the blood sugar even and a carb or so. It is individual. I know a woman who wore a pod as a child and was a basketball player almost every day a week.
eyemom forgot to add to my previous post that I never take the pod off. You might talk with your Dr. about what he advises. You can turn your insulin way down and it takes a few seconds to do that. Good luck
I am extremely active. I work on a farm with over 100 animals. I do about 30 minutes cardio daily, I also do P90X sometimes with my husband. During the summer we do lots of hiking, swimming, horseback riding, etc. I have heard from some people that the OmniPod is too "bulky" for active people. Honestly, I have never had a problem. I've never had a pod ripped off before, and I have never used any tape to hold it on. I just wear it right under my clothes. You cannot take a pod off without replacing it, but if you choose a different pump like the MiniMed or Animas One Touch Ping you can disconnect the pump during contact sports. The pods are meant to wear 100% of the time. You do everything in them. Even showering and swimming. They are waterproof! Bu again, I am very active and have no problems wearing the OmniPod. Personally, I love that it's tubing free.
Thanks very much for your feedback! Is the Omni Pod expensive? a lot more so than traditional pumps? We have health insurance but not sure how much would be covered.
thanks! how often do you have to replace your Pod?
I love it. I much prefer punching a few buttons before I eat instead of taking a shot. Every now and then I wish I weren't always attached to a pump, but it rarely gets in the way and is so much simpler than multiple shots.
I took lantus and novolog which is like humalog) every day before the pump. They would just switch you to only humalog on the pump (the pump would give you a LITTLE humalog ALL the time in order to replace the long-acting lantus). I do better on the pump than I did on lantus. It's easy to get your basal rate right with a pump, once you've been on it long enough to work out the kinks.
Eyemom I bought mine through Edgepark medical supply. They told me upfront what I would have to pay after insurance. I know for the pump brain which you put in your purse it is called a PDM and three months of pods (you change it every three days) it cost $450. I have heard most other pumps are very expensive. Now what I paid may not be close to what you pay ..it all depends on what your insurance covers. The only supply I buy now are the pods. I do not carry an extra one around since if you do it can not jiggle around in your purse. You have to put it in a box and cushion..that is what I do when I fly on a triip. The cost for me is around $60 a month for pods since my insurance pays the rest. I hope this is correct since it was billed in one lump charge.I think most insurance companies know people on pumps are alot healthier and so they probably would prefer to pay for this rather than syringes, pen insulin etc. I buy Humalog at the pharmacy and ofcourse my insurance covers that.
eyemom,
You asked about replacement. The Pods hold a little over 200 units (stated max is - i think 225) and they have a built in 80 hour timer. The pods alarm (by default) 12 hours ahead of formal expiration which is at 72 hours of use. When the pod expires, it will run for an additional 8 hours before it flatlines (yes, solid tone and all) and dies. I usually run mine out pretty close to (if not all the way to) the 80 hour mark but I know a number of folks who prefer to replace as soon as the 72 hour expiration alert shows up.
Anyhow, a long winding answer - but hopefully answered your question... did i answer your question?
Cheers!
A-D
thank you so much for your input!! i appreciate it a lot :)
i also took lantus and humalog about 3 years ago ive had my pump for that long i love it the pump it will take over the lantus part cuz its constantly pumps a small dose of insulin in you all day the pump also helps with the ups and downs of your blood sugar there not so drastic i would highly recommend the pump it pretty much saved my life