G'day all,
I am getting hooked up to the pump on 1 Feb.
A fello T1D who is on the pump told me to expect a rough couple of weeks adjusting to the pump as opposed to needles. Has anyone else found that the initial period on the pump was tough and if so how?
If anyone has recently been hooked up, how are you going with it?
Cheers
I started the pump last week and I've not had any troubles, we've changed ratios and stuff, but I've seen my sugars go way down, like back to normal lol
In my opinion, the hardest part was being committed to doing A LOT of BGs! However, in my case, those couple of weeks of adjusting basals and constantly checking BGs actually formed a good habit for me. Now, even after more than a year with my pump, I still do BGs about 5 to 8 times a day!
It varies honestly. Personally, I found it rough but not too bad the first few weeks. Nothing I couldn't deal with but I ended up getting rid of it at the 3month mark. Some diabetics have a really rough time. I moved home while I started on the pump so I wasn't worrying about rent & house bills while I was adjusting which made it a lot easier for me. I don't think you should expect it to be easy, be prepared to have a rough time is about all you can/should do.
We are in day 7 of the pump. It isn't rough but there is a lot to remember and you use the manual alot. For example, you will receive if you ask for it the E Z manager and sometimes that is hard to sync up the first time (Ping). Then you have the infusion set hook up. Not hard but I had to look at the video a few times to go thru the steps for the spring loaded ones but it gets easier every time. You also have to assemble the cartridge and fill with insulin and typically there is a bubble that does not go away so you start again. That is getting easier also.
To bolus and set the basal rate it is pretty easy. Its the little things you have to learn like how to enter a BG number if you use another meter to test. (My son has a different meter in the nurses office) and when he tests she sends the numbers home and I enter them in but you have to learn how to do that.
For us the first day we had to do between 8-10 BG tests. Typically its before meals and snacks and then 2 hours after but it ends up being about 8-10 in the course of a day. For the first 10 days they want us to do a BG at midnight and 3 a.m. That is to see how the nighttime numbers are looking so they can adjust the basel rate.
After getting the pump we had to call in our numbers to the hospital (endo) nurses the first 12 hours and then 3 days later and now we have a week.
We did have some problem with the infusions - sometimes you can do everything right and while sleeping it catches. My son was always high but the meter has really made his numbers stay in line but we have had 2 lows (44 and 46) over two nights. Part of that was his grabbing something to eat before bed and not adjusting correctly. One time he woke up with a low and the other time he did not. Had I not been there and checked at 1 pm (he was 46) he would have slept thru the night.
The manual is great but Animas has been experiencing about a 15 minute wait whenever you call - I have called at 1 am and had been put on hold.
There is also things that you should have with the meter like prep that goes on before the infusion to make it stickier for the infusion to stick. Typically you don't have that with needles but you should get it. AS Batts said it is different for everyone.
Good luck -
Thank you all for your feedback.
Yeah it does seem like it is very much a person by person thing.
Anxious to see how it all goes. Typically I have suddenly got very busy with work, so this could be an interesting time.
Congrats, I started on the pump in July. I wouldnt say it was really tough but it definitely took me some time to adjust my pump to get better control. They usually start you on a slightly lower dosage than they think u need so that you go high more often than low and then adjust it as necessary. I think that also was due to the fact that I work on a rotating schedule it took me a little longer to get where I wanted to be. I now have 3 different basals now set up and love the pump. Goodluck!
-Rosemary
My 11 year old daughter was hooked up a week ago and the first week has been a little tough in some ways and easier in others. We were put on 3 hour checks around the clock which was difficult. Our first few days we found very stable blood sugars but then she got the flu and blood sugars skyrocketed. The great thing was that we were able to correct them with the pump easily instead of giving more shots. The infusion changes were great. We were fortunate to have the hospital she goes to give us our training and I was given a great technique for insertion. We are currently changing her sight every 2 days but will be able to do it every three days eventually. I recommend taking it slow and enjoying a life with no shots. We have kept in very close contact with the hospital because I know with no lantus on board things can go bad very quickly. We did get a spibelt for her to keep the pump in and I highly recommend it. The pump fits securly in the pouch and doesn't bounce around in it. My daughter wears it around the clock and loves it. Good luck in your new life. I hope you have a great experience!
It can be rough the first few days. Numbers can jump and drop and since you are used to more stable numbers this could bother you. The fact that you have to remember to bolus every time you eat could be odd, but it might also be nice knowing that you don't have to use a needle to inject all the time. The first time you have to do a site change alone is always interesting. For me, my first site change I did not panic, cause I had issues with my first site, so I needed to do it right this time. However, sometimes, even now with the infusion set, I panic a little.
The weirdest thing that I have found for me was just adjusting to the mall things with the pump. Going to the bathroom, where to put the pump. showering do I disconnect or leave it on, sleeping, where to put it. That was the weirdest thing for me. As for other stuff and using the pump, I had read the manual and prep book so many times, that I was ready for most everything. Good luck to you though.
[quote user="Brian Q."]
It can be rough the first few days. Numbers can jump and drop and since you are used to more stable numbers this could bother you. The fact that you have to remember to bolus every time you eat could be odd, but it might also be nice knowing that you don't have to use a needle to inject all the time. The first time you have to do a site change alone is always interesting. For me, my first site change I did not panic, cause I had issues with my first site, so I needed to do it right this time. However, sometimes, even now with the infusion set, I panic a little.
The weirdest thing that I have found for me was just adjusting to the mall things with the pump. Going to the bathroom, where to put the pump. showering do I disconnect or leave it on, sleeping, where to put it. That was the weirdest thing for me. As for other stuff and using the pump, I had read the manual and prep book so many times, that I was ready for most everything. Good luck to you though.
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figuring out what to do with the pump was the worst! 3months later i still didn't have any idea what to do! haha
Hi Batts
Thought you had decided to give up the pump.??
[quote user="Keith"]
Hi Batts
Thought you had decided to give up the pump.??
[/quote]
that i did! but i spent the whole 3months trying to figure out on a daily basis where i was going to put my pump that day, trying to not rip it out when i had to go to the washroom(unlike guys, us girls gotta pull down the pants to pee haha), etc.
I remember your issues. Sometimes it can be a pain to find a spot. But I've said it before, sometimes it's good to be a guy. Sorry.
I don't know I have met some girls that don't have to sit - The pump thing isn't hard but I have leaning the in's and outs and since the pump uses equipment I had to finally get organized. I took all the old syringes, alcohol pads, and just about everything you use before the pump and then went thru EVERY I had in term on diabetes stuff. ( I found I had about 10 meters - some were given at the hospital, some by the endo, some by the company and I had a friend who gave us a couple. Of, course they are all different as are the lancing devices. I like to use the Accu-Chek Multi Clix lancing device (that is the one with 6 needles in a penlike device) but I like and use the ONe Touch Ultra Smart when in the car since it goes well with the Ping.
I had a final count of 5 multi clix lancing devices and guess what - everyone needed a new cartidge and had for awhile. So I replaced and put the other ones away and have only one lancing pen with his meter. So, I ended up with a small supply tray with the ping meter, the strips, the Tacky Prep stuff, extra strips, insulin, extra lancet cartridges and Ketone strips. Believe me it took a lot less space.
We had been having problems with the infusions stayng on but I hope the Tacky Prep does the trick. I have gotten him the Ping leather case for the belt which is o.k. but I can't seem to be able to use it with the rubber skin. I hate the idea of giving up on the rubber skin.
Well, just wanted to say Hi.
[quote user="Brian Q."]
I remember your issues. Sometimes it can be a pain to find a spot. But I've said it before, sometimes it's good to be a guy. Sorry.
[/quote]
i won't hold it against you :P haha
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Going to the bathroom was one of my big questions just before I started with my pump too, so Batts' comment makes me chuckle! I mostly wear my pump clipped to my waistband and my tubing is just long enough to allow me to go to the bathroom "girl-style"! LOL