Hi everyone. I've never been a part of a community like this & its all so new to me so please bare with me. I just recently started the medtronic insulin pump. My endocrinologist recommended it to better my A1C & eliminate the numerous injections I take daily. My husband & I are starting to discuss having a baby. Does anyone have any tips or advice for someone like me who hasn't always had the best A1C & is now on an insulin pump? Is there an amount of time I should be on the pump before trying? Thanks!
I would recommend getting on the pump. After 18 years being Type 1 and barely got on the pump about 5 months. I love it. It better controls my sugar level where as before it was out of control. I am also 20 weeks pregnant so right when i got on the pump i got pregnant. So far i have been in control with a 6.4 A1C. Before i got pregnant i was 10% so big difference. Get on the pump!
try the pump for a couple of month and make the appropriate adjustments. I would wake up every 2 hours at night to check my sugar because at night when your asleep it is so unpredictable. I still get up at night because being pregnant and on the pump will need some adjustments. My sugar drops at night and dont realize it. i would just say give it two to three months before you try to get prego. It will be hard but it is well worth it. Best of Luck
I don't think it matters how long you're on the pump before getting pregnant, as long as your A1Cs are where you and your healthcare provider feel comfortable. I honestly cannot imagine being pregnant and not being on the pump. I'm also on a Medtronic (Paradigm) pump and with the carelink software, download my info once weekly and have my endocrinologist go over it with me. At first I found it a little too intrusive to be honest (i.e. my endo would get back to me and say "I see you're snacking late at night" or "you're eating too many carbs.....cool it with Coldstone, already!") but ultimately sacrificing a little bit of my privacy for the health of my baby is a no brainer. The pump is so great in regard to what and how much info/feedback it can provide to you and your provider and how much it helps in knowing where and when to tweak your basal rates, carb ratios, and sensitivity levels. I just got the pump about 8 years ago after having T1 since 1985 and cannot say enough good things about the level of control it affords you.
Best of luck to you when you do decide it's the right time to start trying!
My question is once you got on the pump did you notice a lot of weight gain? That is also one of my fears.
Nicole,
I never had that problem. I didn't notice a difference other than it was AWESOME! No more eating when I didn't want to and not eating what I wanted to. I have been on a pump for 14 years now and wouldn't trade it for the world!!
I agree with the Rose and the other ladies. I was on the pump in HS and hated it then because I took advantage of the ability to have extra portions, after suffering through wait time with Regular insulin, and gained a lot of weight then.
I went off it in HS and didnt go back on up till last year (many years later) while trying to get pregnant. It was the best blessing ever. I had amazing control throughout my pregnancy and only gained 17lbs. Its helped me (along with the CGM from Medtronics paradigm system) to control my bs while nursing and I couldn't imagine doing it any other way.
[quote user="Danielle"]
I agree with the Rose and the other ladies. I was on the pump in HS and hated it then because I took advantage of the ability to have extra portions, after suffering through wait time with Regular insulin, and gained a lot of weight then.
I went off it in HS and didnt go back on up till last year (many years later) while trying to get pregnant. It was the best blessing ever. I had amazing control throughout my pregnancy and only gained 17lbs. Its helped me (along with the CGM from Medtronics paradigm system) to control my bs while nursing and I couldn't imagine doing it any other way.
[/quote]Wait!!!!! -You only gained 17lbs while pregnant?! You must share your secret! I gained about 45 with my first pregnancy and I've already gained almost 20 with this one and I'm only 24 weeks! I lost all the weight within 6 months of giving birth to my first, but still, I'd rather just not gain it at all. I can't exactly pinpoint what made me gain all the weight, since I really didn't eat much differently and I stayed active and excercised right up until I gave birth. I kind of just attributed it to how much more insulin I had to take while pregnant (3-4 times my pre-pregnancy doses by the end of the 3rd trimester).
To answer the original question in this post: No, I didn't experience any weight gain when I first went on the pump. Like someone before me here said, all I noticed was that it was awesome! I had such better control, I could actually work out more and control my blood sugars better so that I wasn't having to guzzle juice to keep blood sugars up. I also actually started takin less insulin in the pump than I had in the shots. I think like a third less.
My secret, hmm, I guess self control and an overall healthy diet. I am pretty much vegan (except for the occasional monthly piece of fish or organic eggs), and base my diet on mostly vegetables and whole grains and beans. So that really helped my bloodsugar control overall and reduced my insulin needs. Less insulin, as you said, helps to reduce fat/weight gain. I also have a pretty athletic build so while I did not consistently work out more than walks here and there (I was too tired), I had been very active before pregnancy. I think I lost weight in muscle and it kind of balanced out with the fat gain.
My recommendation is to try to sidetrack cravings with healthy options. You want sweet, grab fruit or a low GI version of what you crave. Stick to salads and whole grain bread and watch fat intake. Most of my fats come from nuts and beans or hummus. I think it's possible to still enjoy the "eating part" of being pregnant without indulging daily or too much. It just takes a bit of calculating and reasoning with yourself. Thanks to nursing I'm back down to my preprego weight and its only 7 weeks later. I wish you luck and am happy to give recipe ideas if you want to try it!
Thank you all for this useful information & kind words. I'm glad to know that there are women on the pump that have had successful pregnancies. I'll be sure to remember all of the tips & points made.... & if I need recipes :o)
Danielle, Rose, and Candace -
Well that is super encouraging. My minimed pump and CGM is on its way and should be here tomorrow. I just got finished losing my first pregnancy and so now I am on the road to better A1C's and keeping my weight in check. I am pretty athleticly built and I too am going to go pretty much vegan. I want to keep my fat low. I also know that the less carbs I eat the less I gain in weight. I am excited to try this pump out and see if I can take less insulin. I am really nervous about my next pregnancy. We are going to try again after one cycle. I have a hard time controlling portions. I need to find low calorie low fat options to snack on...Where do you guys put your pump????
Well it depends on what I am wearing. If I am wearing jeans or pants with pockets then I just put it in my front pocket. If I am wearing a skirt or a dress that doesn't have pockets then I put it in my bra, right in the middle. And sometimes I just clip it to my pants or skirt with the clip that comes with it. I used to have this leg pouch that I used to wear when I wore a dress or pants with no pockets, but I lost it. That was a great thing to have. They make all kinds of pouches. If you go on the minimed website and go to the store you will see it all there.
I am excited for you that your getting a pump. Best thing ever, in my opinion. Also I used to use the minimed CGM (but now use Dexcom) if you have any questions about that.
I do the same as Rose. Best place is in your bra in the middle unless you are breastfeeding or sore from hormones. I also have a pouch thing that can go under dresses from the Minimed store. It's helpful if the dress is looser. Keep us posted girl and stay healthy!
I've tried it in my bra - but it's always a little awkward when I want to eat something and have to fish it out in order to bolus! Or if an alarm goes off that I have to clear. How do you ladies get around that one?
Haha yea that can get a little akward but I am to the point where I just say the heck with it and pull it out anyway. I just not to focus too much on what people might be thinking. Its funny to see their reactions though because they have no idea what you could be possibly pulling out of your shirt.
I totally agree! I don't care what it looks like. So what if I have to dig in my bra for a minute. Worst place so far for a beep, while pump was clipped to my bra...at church in the middle of my nephew's christening. Awesome. I guess it's a good thing I am not shy!
For dresses I go with the middle of the bra. For pants/shorts I just clip it on my waist band or pocket. And for dresses that won't allow a bra it can be clipped to, I use the garter I wore in my wedding!! I got married last May and wore my pump on my garter, and it has come in handy a few times since then too!!
I was diagnosed with T1DM 10/1/09, and got my pump...against my endo's wishes...2/2010. He thought it was too soon. However, I am a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner and told him it was happening. Finally talked him into it. :) There are just too many wonderful benefits to pump therapy for me to have waited longer for it. I LOVE IT and wouldn't trade it for the world!!
I have now been on the pump for two days and the only thing I have a problem with is having to many lows and not knowing where to put it at night. I used to sleep naked but now I have to wear shorts or underware for the clip to stay on. I am also a stomach sleeper so it feels a little awkward but not bad. It is pretty cool not having to lift my shirt up and shoot up. I took my first spin class today and it worked marvelous. I have the medtronic mini med. I also ordered the CGM and I will be putting that on tonight I think. We are letting my body get pregnant again when it wants to. My OB said I needed to wait three months or three cycles after my miscarriage on 10/24.
It's still possible to sleep naked and on your tummy with a pump! I do it all the time - well not at the moment as I am 24 weeks pregnant but before getting a bump I did! Just a tip, I tend to use longer tubing - that seems to work better for me when sleeping in the nude as the pump can then either stay under the pillow or roam around the bed! Hope that helps, Susan
I always just lay it beside me. I use the longer tubing and I just put it in between my husband and myself. There has never been and issue of it getting tangled or it coming out due to too much moving around when you sleep. So it works for me to just lay it beside of me. The under the pillow idea sounds good too, I might have to try that!
I might have to get longer tubing then. Mine is the short tubing. good idea under the pillow...or just laying it beside you. I am going to try that :)