PS. The Medtronic banner-ad on Juvenation still bothers me considerably. I feel like making a parody advertising MDI.
"Tired of the pump?"
"You have options."
Also, the photographs they use in their advertisement are ridiculous. Is the woman running even wearing a pump? Not that I can tell. That kind of outfit is pretty much out of the question in my wardrobe. Wear a cropped shirt to show each passerby my insertion site and previous scars? No thanks. Wear loose-fitting pants with no pockets while working out so that my clipped on pump can pull my waistband down further and further with each stride? I'll pass. And the guy with the kids confuses me as well. "Oh, look what you can do with a pump! You can hold a child in one arm while you hold hands with another while walking on a beautiful beach!" Does MDI inhibit people from this activity? I would think MDI would actually make it more convenient to hold a child- no tubing to get caught in or canulas to dislodge.
Sorry. This type of stuff just really gets to me. Rant over.
hi Jackiel :} My daughter has never tried the pump and when I hear the words-better control--my ears perk up,ha. I would like her to one day give it a try for better control.,etc. When you say you had to sacrifice your psychological well being with the pump,how ? My daughter said she does not want something attached to her because it would remind her of d all the time.But I thought after wearing it for a while,it wouln't be a reminder as much....Batts,don't mean to turn your post,Just trying to understand,thanks... :)
For the record, I am completely on your side with this one, although I realize the original intention of your post was just to note the opinions of your endos, and not to invoke a debate. I am constantly frustrated by the attitude of the T1 community regarding pumping. I felt looked down upon multiple times for disagreeing that the pump is not the "MOST AWESOME THING EVER!!!!!". I don't go around telling people about how much MDI is like "OMG TOTALLY THE BEST AND THEY SHOULD DO IT TOO!!!!", because I find that disrespectful. Therefore I do not understand why so many pumpers out there are so eager to convince MDI-ers of the pump's greatness. It is almost as if people who don't like the pump are considered "bad" diabetics because they aren't choosing "the most effective treatment." There are MANY, MANY cons to insulin pump therapy, and MDI can be just as effective, or even more so, for many people who have what it takes to make it work.
I guess I should also note that I am currently on a pump, even though I despise them so much. After I was first diagnosed, I went on a pump within the first year, and used it for about 3 years before going back to shots for another 3 years. I recently changed back to the pump last September. Although I was able to maintain good A1Cs with MDI, my control is better with the pump. This and this only is the reason I have not switched back. Unfortunately, this means I have decided to sacrifice my psychological well-being in favor of my physical health because I believe I have an obligation to my loved ones to stay alive and complication-free for as long as possible (and I want to have kids in the future as well).
Just know you are not alone in your frustration- and thanks for sharing the bit about your doctors- this is refreshing news for me.
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i tried it for better control, but my control was worse with it actually. my levels also aren't ideal for the pump, i'm not one of those people that has a "pattern" to when their levels go up or down. i can do/eat the same thing three days in a row, test at the same time each day and come out with three different results for each of those timed tests.
and i hear you on the psychological well-being. i spent a lot of time crying with that pump on!
hi Jackiel :} My daughter has never tried the pump and when I hear the words-better control--my ears perk up,ha. I would like her to one day give it a try for better control.,etc. When you say you had to sacrifice your psychological well being with the pump,how ? My daughter said she does not want something attached to her because it would remind her of d all the time.But I thought after wearing it for a while,it wouln't be a reminder as much....Batts,don't mean to turn your post,Just trying to understand,thanks... :)
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the pump can be good, but it can be really stressful. especially on your self-esteem if you're used to not having your diabetes "in the open".
i don't know if you remember..but i think i once mentioned having spent 3hours trying on outfits in my closest trying to find something to wear to my staff Christmas party, and ending that search in tears before giving up and just wearing work pants and a work top(that i had bought specifically to allow me to comfortable wear the pump and hide it). going out for a "girls night" and dressing up, caused the same affect, I'd end up in jeans and a long tank top with a sweater while my girlfriends wore skirts and dresses. i spent money on accessories like the thigh-thing and the leg-thing and found them awkward and uncomfortable. my self-esteem went waaay down during that period, just from knowing everyone could see the pump and from having to spend more hours than i already did, just to find something that made me feel like i looked good while allowing me to comfortable wear the pump.
that being said, not everyone experiences things like that. i'm so used to it not being visible that i have diabetes and not having to buy my clothes according to where i can clip the pump, that it was a huge chance and while I normally deal with change well..it wasn't something that i could deal with.
I can totally see how that could be demoralizing, Batts. For me, I unfortunatley have enough squish that the pump just kinda blends in under my clothing. :( If/when I can lose some more weight, I'm sure "hiding" the pump will be more challenging. And, the pump does affect my clothing purchases and choices... which blows.
hi Batts :) You know that my having a daughter with d, that I totally get that.Pulls at my heart strings too... I think your mom was like me-it was just give it a try thing.You did that-maybe it was for her asking and your reading about others liking it-- that helped in your decision to try it..Next time you might give it a try because it is something that you want to do.That is what I am hoping for here...Either way, pumps or shots are just fine :)
batts, back to your original thought (I think). My endocrinologist is very open on this too. I've asked his opinion on it a few times. He's not pro or con. He says it's another way to control. He also says it's not for everyone. Some people like it some don't. When I asked him about it the first time I expected him to be heavy pro pump, but he wasn't.
I do see the "fad" element though. It seems that nowadays on here and elsewhere that as soon as someone gets diagnosed they want to get on the pump to avoid shots. They assume it's better and some have misconceptions. I see this among teens and younger because in this gadget crazed world we live in now, they see it as another cool gadget. Nothing wrong with that, but I think it's part of what's driving it.
Don't get me wrong, the pump is not a fad. It is a very effective way to control blood sugar for some people. If it works for you , great. Just don't think you have to be a pump evangelist. There's no reason for that. There's more than one way to skin a cat.
my bf doesnt want a pump; he'd prefer to dose himself -- he says, too that way you KN0W how much you are getting if you use the pen or the syringe & can make sure you get the full dose where a pump, you dont know and can clog or infiltrate, yano.. & yet, I think there is a convenience of not carrying as much -- or for children, mainly. where the parent would control the pump, one "poke" from that is much easier on kids than trying to tackle them or get them to let you do it more than a few times a day; Some people prefer it -- some dont, but I wont "down" either way -- its which works best for each person, just like the meds they take, they need their individual way of administering it ; but I get where a lot of people try to push people into getting the pump, saying it allows better numbers and control -- my bf doesnt have a pump and just does injections, exercises & stays to the 60 grams of carbohydrates per meal & drinks diet soda water crystal light that type of drink or the gatorade G2, or Sobe Lean or Powerade Zer0 -- & his a1c at diagnosis was 12.3 & blood glucose level of 686 :*( AND since that week stay and 2 months after; his a1c has been 5.6!! which is below 6 and where people without type1 would have theirs to be; & I mean he has good control -- to hte point we never see the 200s unless a food has "lied" -- which is usually when a restaurant says nooo this isnt honey bread >:| directed at Arbys. eesh. or when he was sickkkk once. & got steroids as treatment. but, usually its 70-125 or so.
So, "tight control" can be achieved without the use of a pump :) & good for you for not thinkin the pumps the only way -- although for some it may be <3
Idk, there are soo many misconceptions, assumptions & myths.. like the other day -- in the drs office I hear a guy with a health company -- the way medication companies send people to sell their products -- and he was talking about Lantus solostar pens, and yes, I like those -- my bf uses them, but some of the things he said wasnt accurate, & I know first hand all about it.. like 1 pen lasts my bf 6 days, including doing the 2unit test each time, the vial lasts him 22 days, one point the guy said was getting however many pens it was he said, that you get more than the vial and less expensive, not true. it would take him 3 pens at 40.00 a piece and that would only be 18 days of coverage, where 1 vial at 90.00 would last 22 days.. S0, 120 for 18 days or 90 for 22 days.. I finally turned around and was like, Excuse me, but -- do you take this medication yourself or administer it to anyone? he says "No, I dont, why do you ask?" & I say " I just wondered because I do and I think that sometimes if people should pitch somethin they should use it or be familiar with it because theres a difference than being informed about it.-- but, thats all I have to say. "
I have lots of thoughts about why different health care professionals are so excited (or not) about the pump.
1. Studies have shows a reduce in A1c. Now, that doesn't mean everyone reduces their A1c, it just means that enough people responded to the change from MDI to pumping with a reduced A1c that the studies can claim that pumping reduces A1c. I'm sure lots of those folks were like you, Batts, and had a reduce in A1c because of an increase in lows, which is certainly not any healthier.
2. It seems like LOTS of endos know almost nothing about the pump. You ask them to change your basals, and they hand it back to you and tell you to set an appointment with a CDE. (I've actually only met "my endo" once, when I was in the hospital at diagnosis. Every appointment I have is with an NP or CDE. I think they're amazing and don't know what I would do without them.) So while I'm not saying that no endo knows about the pump - about how well the pump actually works on patients, as opposed to on subjects in clinical trials - I think many of them don't. If you've never interacted with a patient who doesn't like the pump and/or for whom the pump doesn't work, there's no reason to have any hesitation about it.
3. Without trying the pump, no one can know if it will work. Even if on MDI you have an A1c of 6 with one low a week, there's always a possibility that the pump could help you bring your A1c down to 5.5 with one low a week, and without trying it, you can't know. So I think endos are more likely to advise trying it - I actually think that most endos, presented with a patient who had tried the pump, hated it, and not really gotten better control, would think the patient should go back to MDI. If they don't think that, they shouldn't be endos.
When I was first diagnosed 10 years ago I was on MDI and the doctor I had at the time was so against the pump. He told me that I didn't need it and would have to have diabetes for at least a year before going on one anyway. Having said that I changed doctors because I didn't like him, and started seeing a new endo (my current endo) who was very pro pumps. He is the reason that I went on it. Even though I had great success with MDI he did talk me into it. Now looking back I feel that the timing was off. I was thinking back to that time and I never had an a1c over 6.4, now I haven't had an a1c lower than 7.2. I just think I wasn't ready at that time.
Some doctors are really for pump and some are really for MDI. If whatever you are doing works for you I say stick with it. I regret going on the pump sometimes but, then when I am shots I feel like I can't do it, it makes my life easier but as that saying online goes Your Mileage May Vary.
I'm a little surprised by these posts. I've seen 3 endos in the last few years. All were very positive about the pump. But, when I explained that they don't work as well for me as MDI (I have an insulin allergy that causes hives where I inject and a 3 day pump site caused awful absorption...), they've all supported my choice to continue with MDI. I guess if you come in knowing what's best for you and showing you've been willing to try explore all methods but have found what gives you the best a1c, why should they argue with you?? As my current endo says, this is a disease mostly managed by the patient, but she's there as my adviser. I'm just not understanding why an endo would be pro- OR anti-pump. Isn't it best to make a decision based on each patient?
My endo was against me getting a pump too. But he did it anyway. In his opinion, he felt that pump technology wasn't advanced enough yet to accomplish what pump companies claim the pump can already do. At my first appointment with him after starting my pump, the first words out of his mouth were "And what problems are you having?" It made me laugh because I really struggled in the beginning. I love my pump, but I understand what he's saying: it's not all it's cracked up to be.....at least not yet.