Well, I am new to this site. So far I have been a diabetic for about 7 years. I was just recently put on a pump and I am still nervous because I am still learning all the bells and whistles. However, I am liking the fact that I am not inserts multiple shots into me a day. However, I am still trying to learn how to sleep with it on.. and I am afraid to sleep on the tubing along the patch-thingy.. which can make it hard when you want to hold onto your husband at night. I think most of it is that I am just being paranoid. However, how do most of you sleep with it?
Congrats and welcome to the pump!
I wrap mine in a pillow case or small blanket and lay it a few inches away from me, I tend to roll all over and having a soft exterior for it helps the comfort factor. The tubing is super durable and can kink to a pretty high extent without interference and sleeping directly on your site shouldn't interfere either, so fear not.
p.s. this is pretty rad if you need something to cuddle beside your husband lol... https://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/mmStore//application?origin=sub_category_view.jsp&event=bea.portal.framework.internal.portlet.event&pageid=Products&portletid=Products&wfevent=product_detail_direct.event&wlcs_catalog_category_key=C-ACC-405
I don't do anything special with mine when I sleep. I put it in my pajama pants pocket, but a lot of times it falls out in my sleep and just lays next to me. I haven't had any issues from rolling over on it (or even laying on it) while sleeping in the 5 years I've been wearing pumps. These things can take a beating, don't worry! :)
i found sleeping to one of the annoying things that later caused me to get rid of the pump(it wasn't helping my control anyways, was making it worse). i usually just let it drag around the bed with me. i would always place it behind my back when i went to sleep though first. when i started dating my boyfriend, i would put the tubing under me and have the pump laying in front of my stomach first. then..well.it would end up wrapped around me sometimes, depending on how much i moved..but only pulled the site out...a few times.
i tried clipping it to me, but i move so much i found it woke me if i rolled onto it.
if i'm wearing pants, i'll clip it to the waistband around the back (i'm a side/tummy sleeper). if i'm not, which is most of the time, i'll just let it roll around the bed. i've been wearing a pump about 10.5 years, and can only remember ever pulling it out while sleeping once or twice. i'm a fairly light sleeper, and the pump doesn't normally wake me up. if it does, i'll move it and go back to sleep. the pump doesn't typically interfere with my cuddles either. the tubing is long enough it can be moved around to almost anywhere. you only think about it more the first couple weeks you're wearing it because you aren't used to it yet.
Amanda:
Congratulations for becoming a pumper!! You will learn soon it is one of the most liberating moves a Type-1 can make, it will improve the quality and flexibility of your life. I think in less than 2 months, you will be so comfortable, pumping will be so second-nature, you will do the few required tasks without even thinking about it.
Regarding your concern about sleeping on the tubing and the 'patchy-thingy' (the 'set', which contains the cannula - which is the tubing that goes under your skin), don't worry about it. You will not stop the flow of insulin, it will not bend so much as to crimp the tubing, and the set will not be affected by sleeping on it. The only real area of concern is your comfort, and you should find it soon. Without getting too personal, I will admit I sleep naked and have my pump and tubing simply move with me as i sleep. I personally use a 43" tubing set to make this more comfortable (the pump pretty much stays where it is even when I toss and turn). The only issue many pumpers have is living with such a long tube when they are awake and dressed. My solution for this is the use of the Unomedical TubeGuard, which is a very clever spool what you can wrap your tubing around and place on your belt or simply tuck away anywhere. Its advantage is that if and when you catch your tubing on something (like a door handle or a drawer handle), the spindle will release the tubing so you do not pull your set out. You can check out this inexpensive, but highly usable product at - www.infusion-set.com/index.asp?pageid=H2306
Last quick tip on an unrelated, but important item. If you have a smartphone, bookmark on its web browser the following web site - www.calorieking.com/foods/ Counting the carbohydrates you eat is the most important skill you will need to develop as a pumper. This website has every food you can think of and will help build your eye-balling skills to judge how much insulin you need to administer at each meal. I know many pumps have this feature, but CalorieKing is constantly updated and makes it very easy and clear. BTW - have you had a hot fudge Sunday yet?? It was the first thing I did when I started pumping, it had been years since I had allowed myself to eat any sugary foods, but with a pump, you can and should eat 'normal' items, as long as you do so in moderation and you can figure out exactly how much insulin you need to bolus.
Hope this helps!
GARY.
I clip mine to my waist or put it in a pocket. There are times when I just lay it on the bed next to me but I tend to roll over and then it loses its connection to my CGM sensor and wakes me up. Don't be afraid to sleep on any of it. They are durable and at the most you may just find it uncomfortable for yourself. I hate laying on it because I am a light sleeper and it tends to wake me up. But if I clip it to my waist I tend to not feel it or notice it.
Congrats on getting on the pump. I have found that clipping it to my shorts, or running it up thru my shirt and clipping it on my shirt collar are the best places for me to place the pump when sleeping. I would recommend taking everyone's suggestions and trying them out. If you don't like one, don't keep trying, go onto the next one. Most of the suggestions work, but depend on what you wear/don't wear while sleeping.
Like stated above you don't have to worry about the infusion set (patch), or the tubing. I believe all manufactures are the same, the tube is a tube in the tube design, with the inner tube star shape that is what carries the insulin. Because it is star or other geometric shaped, kinks will not block the flow of insulin to your body.
When I had my pump, I found it easier to sleep with it behind me!!! I don't sleep on my back very often, so I wouldn't attach it to my clothing....and I left it lay behind me!!! Don't worry about the tubing....it usually holds up well.....When you switch positions...you just kind of have to adjust unless you are a really sound sleeper......this also helped when I wanted to cuddle up with my husband....it was out of the way.....hope the pump works well for you! Best of luck!
Well, I figure out so far that I don't mind the pump clip to my bra or shirt works the best so far. I am going to continue to experiment. On the positive note, I did have a better night sleep with it on last night than the night before.
Tomorrow, I get to go back to class to exchange the setting and reservoir. Kind of excited to do so. My health goals currently is to take care of my body and lose some weight. I am getting excited for this nice weather so I can go out for walks w/ the hubby (looking out for his health too).
Since I graduated from college last may and not been able to find a job (except a few temp jobs here and there); I figure I should work out and do something except sitting around job searching online and watching tv. I know I did put on weight with becoming hyper to hypothyriodism and not being as active as I was when I was in college.. I don't have those long walks from going to class to class. Does anyone have any good exercising tips?
I think the key to sleeping with the pump is just getting used to it. I also clip it to my PJ pants when I sleep, and in my sleep, if it is in the way, i just move it to the other side. It doesn't interrupt my sleep at all. maybe i am a heavy sleeper, because even when cgm alarms are going off, my husband has to wake my up to tell me...haha.
BTW...Gary...Hot fudge sundae was the first thing i ate too 10 years ago when I first went on the pump.
I don't do anything special to it hahaha. At first, my site used to peel off, but I haven't had that problem in like 3 or 4 years (I have had the pump for 5). I usually just put it in my pocket or in its case and it just lies next to me. Laying on it won't damage it, it is walking into the wall in the morning when you are all groggy that you need to worry about; I broke 3 pumps that way! hahaha
[quote user="Kim"]
I don't do anything special with mine when I sleep. I put it in my pajama pants pocket, but a lot of times it falls out in my sleep and just lays next to me. I haven't had any issues from rolling over on it (or even laying on it) while sleeping in the 5 years I've been wearing pumps. These things can take a beating, don't worry! :)
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I would have written exactly the same thing -- I wish I knew something...anything...about designing clothes. Anybody know of any online or offline sources for cute pajamas that have pump pockets?.
I usually just unclip it and set it on the bed right beside me, hasn't caused me any problems yet!
My son has a soft flannel belt with a pock on it that he wears. It's comfortable and he doesn't have to worry about where the pump is. It also helps that he sleeps like a rock!
I'm happy that you switched to a pump and wish you the best with it. Ted has been on one since he was 3 (almost 8 years now!) We'd never go back to shots!
I do the same, just lay it in the bed next to me. The worst thing that will happen is you'll turn over several times in your sleep and when you awake, you'll have to figure out how to untangle it before it falls on the floor! I found that clipping it to me uncomfortable (because I roll over a lot) and is difficult when I sleep sans pjs.
Hi Amanda,
I also have the insulin pump and actually it only took me about 1 night to get use to it. I manage to sleep with the pump and I do get all snuggled up to my hubby. The tubing really doesn’t get in the way at all, its so small and flexible. I have had the pump now for about 7 yrs and like you said its so great not having to get all those needles every day.
I clip it to my pjs with the belt clip (for my Minimed Pardigm). I sleep on top of it all the time. Don't worry about damaging the tubing or the site-- unless you really yank on the tubing or hit the site hard (which would be weird when you're sleeping anyway), it'll be fine. Also I sleep on my stomach at first so I clip it to the back of my pj pants and then it shifts around during the night anyway as I toss and turn. For the first three nights I was on the pump I literally didn't sleep because I was freaking out about what if something goes wrong or I break my pump. You'll get used to it :)
Good luck!
[quote user="Jacquie CDV"]
[quote user="Kim"]
I don't do anything special with mine when I sleep. I put it in my pajama pants pocket, but a lot of times it falls out in my sleep and just lays next to me. I haven't had any issues from rolling over on it (or even laying on it) while sleeping in the 5 years I've been wearing pumps. These things can take a beating, don't worry! :)
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I would have written exactly the same thing -- I wish I knew something...anything...about designing clothes. Anybody know of any online or offline sources for cute pajamas that have pump pockets?.
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Jacquie, I keep wondering that too! If ever there's a niche market waiting for an entrepreneur, it's in making nice pajamas for people with pumps.
Other than clipping it to a waistband, sometimes, if I want to wear a negligee or nightshirt, I wear my pump on my leg with one of these. It kills me how expensive it is to buy one of them, though - it's just a piece of spandex-like material folded in two with a seam sewed like a pocket. If only I knew how to sew...
Congrats on getting ur pump i usually just sleep with a blanket over my pump!