am i the only person that does not like wearing a pump? I havent had it on for a week yet and I already miss my shots! My blood sugars are so high, whereas they were nearly perfect before I went on the omnipod. And, I HATE having this thing always attatched to me....
I tried the pump for 3months after 16years on shots, I ended up getting rid of it. Like you, I didn't like to be attached to it 24/7 and I had horrible control on the pump, so I gave it up. In Canada though, we don't have the OMNIpod available, so there's no option to try a tubeless pump. If there was, I might have given that a chance too before deciding the pump really isn't for me.
I found the first week on the pump was the hardest week and it got easier but in the end, I just didn't like it and it just wasn't as "flexible" for my life right now as people say it is.
I'd give it some time and if you still feel this way, talk to your parents about going back on the OMNIpod or back to shots. You didn't sign your life away to being attached to the pump forever. If it's not working out for you now, you do have options. If you decide to give it a shot later on down the road and it works, great. If you do again and it doesn't, or you decide not to try again, that's fine too.
I'm probably going to look at it down the road when I'm ready for a family, but for now, I'm more than happy taking shots.
I didn't mind it at all. If you don't mind my asking, why did you go on the pump? I don't mean that sarcastically at all. What you need to evaluate (once you get things settled) is whether or not it actually does for you what you want it to do. If you had excellent control before and didn't mind the shots, then you might want to spare yourself the continued expense of pumping. I loved my pump because I was so sick and tired of shots and I also needed the tiny fractions of units that you can deliver with a pump and can't do with shots.
Don't feel pressure to keep it if you don't like it. All I would suggest is that you give it a month or two to see how well things settle for you. Best of luck.
Cora
When my pump arrived in the mail, I started wearing it until my scheduled date for training. I wore my pump for a month before I started pumping insulin. That made it easier when I started pumping. My numbers were awfully high for my first few days. I went back to injections until everything was stable and then started over again. My endo gave me totally wrong programming for my start. I had read the manual, researched online and had help from experienced pumpers on the diabetes sites. After three months of tweaking the basal rates, carb ratios, and insulin sensitivities I had the right combination. My first A1c after that was a 5.7. I have now been pumping for 3 years and all of my A1c's have been less than 6.0. Before pumping I had good A1c's, but I had too many highs above 150 and lows below 60. Now I rarely have those extremes.
It took me a long time to get things going smoothly, but things are going so well now that I would never dream of quitting. I have read about people giving up pumping, on several diabetes sites. They usually do so without giving it much of a try. Not really understanding the necessary steps, and not getting appropriate help, can lead to discouragement. Some people received poor training. That could lead to poor results and wanting to quit. I can understand that.
My endo has really been suggesting it to me for years just to get away from shots and b/c it is supposed to make life easier. The only thing pressing me to decide so quickly is finances. It is a stretch for my family to afford this right now, but they are willing to make sacrifices if this is what I want. I have 45 days from when the pump shipped to send it back and get a full refund if I decide it's not for me. I am really unsatisfied with it right now, but i don't know if that's simply me adjusting to it. However, I would hate to keep it for a few extra months only to decide that I want to go back to shots and lose my family so much money. So I am really trying to weigh out the pros and cons now so I don't make a decision I regret. I am really uncomfortable wearing it and I feel like I have so much less control with it than I did with injections. But thanks for the advice guys! I really appreciate the responses.
[quote user="Richard Vaughn"]
I have read about people giving up pumping, on several diabetes sites. They usually do so without giving it much of a try. Not really understanding the necessary steps, and not getting appropriate help, can lead to discouragement. Some people received poor training. That could lead to poor results and wanting to quit. I can understand that.
[/quote]
I have to disagree. The pump isn't for everyone, Richard. I gave it a full 6 months and would have longer of the CDE hadn't told me, "You know Sarah, you can go back to shots." I actually cried when she said that! I was at Joslin in Boston and completed all of their required trainings, so I know my care couldn't have been better during that 6 months. They are world leaders in D care! For me, an insulin allergy led to horrible painful hives and poor absorption at the site.
Hopefully with more time and getting your basals worked out, the omnipod will work for you! But, it does rub me the wrong way to hear that the pump will work for someone if they just do enough research. And, I'll be honest, I actually like being on shots better about 80% of the time because I'm not attached to anything. I can just ditch my dexcom receiver for a bit if I feel like it (although I never do, lol). I think that pump technology is great, but I hope we all keep in mind that there are different ways for each person to reach the same goal of tight control.
[quote user="Sarah"]
[quote user="Richard Vaughn"]
I have read about people giving up pumping, on several diabetes sites. They usually do so without giving it much of a try. Not really understanding the necessary steps, and not getting appropriate help, can lead to discouragement. Some people received poor training. That could lead to poor results and wanting to quit. I can understand that.
[/quote]
I have to disagree. The pump isn't for everyone, Richard. I gave it a full 6 months and would have longer of the CDE hadn't told me, "You know Sarah, you can go back to shots." I actually cried when she said that! I was at Joslin in Boston and completed all of their required trainings, so I know my care couldn't have been better during that 6 months. They are world leaders in D care! For me, an insulin allergy led to horrible painful hives and poor absorption at the site.
Hopefully with more time and getting your basals worked out, the omnipod will work for you! But, it does rub me the wrong way to hear that the pump will work for someone if they just do enough research. And, I'll be honest, I actually like being on shots better about 80% of the time because I'm not attached to anything. I can just ditch my dexcom receiver for a bit if I feel like it (although I never do, lol). I think that pump technology is great, but I hope we all keep in mind that there are different ways for each person to reach the same goal of tight control.
[/quote]
woot for sarah :)
the pump isn't for everyone and no matter the amount of training, if it's not right..it's won't necessarily ever be right. if you don't feel more comfortable leading up to the 45day return date, don't feel you're levels are getting better..there's no reason you can't go back to shots and the pump again later, when you're older or when the technology has changed, or even next year. As someone who tried it and gone back, I can tell you trying it for as long as you can so you get the most out of it without risking not being able to get your money back..it was helpful to take that time and not just go back to shots at the first problem. It's hard, but it's worth it. It will, if anything, make you better understand why it isn't for you or why it is.
if you haven't already, i suggest talking to your parents about how you're feeling and keep in touch with them about the ups and the downs. In the end, they just want what's best and that's obvious by the fact they are giving you this chance, and if you keep it or don't, I'm sure they will have your back :)
Lindsay-
How did you choose OmniPod? Did you try out other pumps? I didn't like OmniPod (it was huge and the adhesive hurt), but my Medtronic pump doesn't bother me at all. The only way a pump is better than shots is if you set an accurate basal rate and program in your correct target blood sugar, carb correction factor and other settings. Do you have someone helping you to do this?
A pump just might not be right for you now. Especially if it's causing financial stress. You can always go back to shots and, maybe down the road, try a pump again.
Lindsay-
Good for you for speaking up if something isn't working for you. I think it is hard for those of us on the pump to understand why someone would ever go off the pump, but you need to do what works best for you. I will add that the OmniPod is much different from a pump with tubing and has problems (not adhering, not administering) that has caused some people to stop using it. The added cost to your family is probably making an already stressful situation even worse. :(
You didn't directly ask, but I will tell you why I love being on a pump so much:
1) More control:
I can have multiple basal rates to take into account weekends vs. weekdays, time of day, etc. If I am sick, or if it is the week before my period, I can easily bump up my basal by 20% (or 30% or 40% ....) to keep from going high
2) Closer to what an actual pancreas does:
A "normal" pancreas excretes insulin (basal) every few minutes in the human body and then shoots out a higher burst (bolus) when it senses food. The pump mimics this closely.
3) Convenience:
I always have my insulin with me, I can bolus while riding in a car, sitting in a plane or sitting in a dark movie theater without having to pull out a needle and bottle.
4) Less pokes:
I went from 8-10 shots a day (one for lantus, the rest for when I ate carbs) to 1 poke every 3 days.
I will also say that I cried the day I picked out my pump. I thought that everyone would stare at me (and maybe even point) as I walked down the street. I thought that I would feel tied down and trapped. As it turns out, I would happily tape my pump to my forehead 24/7, I love it that much.
This might not be the right time for you, this might not be the right pump for you, but do please give it a try.
Batts- Can you elaborate on why the pump wasn't flexible enough for you? I agree that the pump isn't for everyone, but I've never had the chance to really understand why.
[quote user="Lia Hollander"]
Batts- Can you elaborate on why the pump wasn't flexible enough for you? I agree that the pump isn't for everyone, but I've never had the chance to really understand why.
[/quote]
i have weird insulin needs. even though with the pump you can set hourly rates, mine just change too much. i have more control with my set lantus doses for background insulin, than with taking hourly basal rates. we never changed my rates right away, because one day they would be too low, the next fine, the day after that too high...even if i made sure to do the exact same thing, eat the same thing/same amount of carbs for those 3days. there's no pattern to my levels (waiting for my clinic to get an iPro, which is like a CGM only you don't get real-time results and you only wear it for 3days at a time, so we can try to pinpoint a pattern) so it just wasn't working for me. While on shots, I rarely go low..but on the pump i was dropping low no less than 3x a week. the day i went to my endo and we decided to discontinue, i was fine all morning, then i went low in his office, treated, went home, had a 2hour nap and woke up low again. my a1c was down 1% but my endo and i were concerned about the number of lows. I also had more and worse highs. While i don't have the best levels now, I don't spike and drop, spike and drop in such extremes like i did with the pump. I did range better "good numbers" than on shots, but the highs and lows were too extreme to make it worth that. my a1c was better, but it's the individual numbers that really matter.
plus it got in the way, it wasn't convenient for me to give insulin because i was always fiddling with clothing. i stopped wearing skirts and dresses, i stopped dressing up, even with the thigh-thing and leg-thing..i just couldn't wear it comfortably. everytime i tried to dress up, 3hours later i would still be looking for something to wear but sobbing because i was so frustrated. i cried a lot when i was on the pump, i was either happy because it was a good day on the pump or crying because it was a bad day..and i HATE crying. if i'm crying, it means something is very wrong. i also couldn't use any other area on my body except my "love handles". i also had a lot of problems with the pump sites coming out early even with the skintac. i got it caught on a tree branch and rip out when i was jogging around the lake once and didn't realize the tubing had come un-tucked from my waist and was just flying around (I switched to the longer tubing so i could use the leg-thing for work) and another time it almost ripped out when it caught on a stair rail when i was vacuuming my stairs.. and i realized that after 16years of taking shots..they are like my security blanket. it's a pain sometimes to carry my stuff around, but i like it better than having to carry around a machine and having to worry about the sites, worry about the tubing coming un-tucked. i had fun scaring my friend who hates needles by showing him the sites and telling him how it stays in, etc..but it just wasn't worth the hassle of everyday life with the pump.
it's been almost a year since i got rid of the pump (oct 17, 2009-dec 24, 2009) and i couldn't be happier.
and yes, i did get training, i did have almost daily contact with my trainer at the clinic and had done a saline trial for just over a week and did my research on pumping basal rates, etc.
Hi Batts!
Thanks for taking time to explain all this to me. I really appreciate it.
I've heard alot of good things about CGMs (my insurance won't cover it) and I hope it answers some questions for you. Be aware that all that information may be overwhelming at first.
Going on the pump can reduce your overall blood sugar numbers (thus reducing your A1C) but, as you found out, it means you are more apt to go low. And because you are only taking short acting insulin, any interruption in that insulin (bubble, left off pump for too long) can make you spike way high! All of this comes with being on the pump. Anyone that thinks you just slap it on once and go, is setting themselves up for failure (I'm not saying that is what you did.). It takes more work then just giving shots, but for the vast majority the trade-off is worth it. And over time, you learn how to manage it all much better.
That spike & drop cycle (usually because you over treated a low, or because your body also pumped in some glucose during your low) is so exhausting! And even just being low all the time is exhausting & frustrating. (This doesn't just happen on the pump but it usually means your basal is too low.)
The pump manufacturers have heard our call of how annoying it was to have to go the bathroom every time we wanted to bolus (if we had hidden our pump) and now most of them have remotes. *VERY HANDY* The clothing issue can be frustrating too. (Especially if you are really sick of being diabetic and want it all to just go away.) I usually clip it on my hip or on the middle strap of my bra. I've caught on a few doorknobs but haven't ever ripped a site out (you must move fast!). I prefer the shorter tubing because there is less to get caught up in things.
I've been getting more creative with my site areas lately. In addition to the "love handles" I pop them on any big fat deposits on my back (usually right under my shoulder blade).
As for "security blankets". I believe that because we have to fight (our doctors, our insurance) so much to get what we need, and because there is this stupid underlying guilty feeling (that diabetes is our fault, that we were bad, etc.) and this idiotic notion that diabetic control can ever be perfected, that once we find something that does work for us, we hold on tight with all our might. And sadly, it often spills out into disagreements with other diabetics: "Long tubing is better than short", "Animas is better than MiniMed", etc.
So... I am glad that you tried out the pump but I am even more glad that you did what was best for you. And, if you decide to re-visit using the pump, you will already know what to look out for. :)
[quote user="jennagrant"]
Lindsay-
How did you choose OmniPod? Did you try out other pumps? I didn't like OmniPod (it was huge and the adhesive hurt), but my Medtronic pump doesn't bother me at all. The only way a pump is better than shots is if you set an accurate basal rate and program in your correct target blood sugar, carb correction factor and other settings. Do you have someone helping you to do this?
A pump just might not be right for you now. Especially if it's causing financial stress. You can always go back to shots and, maybe down the road, try a pump again.
[/quote]
I didn't want a pump for a long time because I knew that I would not be able to handle the tubing and having to always find somewhere to hook my pump. And when I found out about the omnipod, I thought I would give it a try. I am getting more accustomed to it being on me, but at the same time, I don't particularly like it. And you're definitely right, I do have the option of trying it out down the road, when it might work out better, which is what I'm really leaning towards right now. Oh and yes, I do have someone helping me with my basal rates and everything. That factor is just going to take time, I suppose. Everything isn't quite adjusted yet. But thank you soo much for your imput! This is definitely helping me weigh out my options
[quote user="Lia Hollander"]
Lindsay-
Good for you for speaking up if something isn't working for you. I think it is hard for those of us on the pump to understand why someone would ever go off the pump, but you need to do what works best for you. I will add that the OmniPod is much different from a pump with tubing and has problems (not adhering, not administering) that has caused some people to stop using it. The added cost to your family is probably making an already stressful situation even worse. :(
You didn't directly ask, but I will tell you why I love being on a pump so much:
1) More control:
I can have multiple basal rates to take into account weekends vs. weekdays, time of day, etc. If I am sick, or if it is the week before my period, I can easily bump up my basal by 20% (or 30% or 40% ....) to keep from going high
2) Closer to what an actual pancreas does:
A "normal" pancreas excretes insulin (basal) every few minutes in the human body and then shoots out a higher burst (bolus) when it senses food. The pump mimics this closely.
3) Convenience:
I always have my insulin with me, I can bolus while riding in a car, sitting in a plane or sitting in a dark movie theater without having to pull out a needle and bottle.
4) Less pokes:
I went from 8-10 shots a day (one for lantus, the rest for when I ate carbs) to 1 poke every 3 days.
I will also say that I cried the day I picked out my pump. I thought that everyone would stare at me (and maybe even point) as I walked down the street. I thought that I would feel tied down and trapped. As it turns out, I would happily tape my pump to my forehead 24/7, I love it that much.
This might not be the right time for you, this might not be the right pump for you, but do please give it a try.
[/quote]
Lisa,I totally understand the pros of a pump and the convenience it has for most people. Thank you soooo much for sharing this with me. I totally agree on the fact that it is better because it acts more like a pancreas. That is one of the main reasons I wanted to try out a pump....even though I forgot to say that previously...haha whoops. But yeah, the long term effects are supposedly better for those who pump than those who do injections, and that is, of course, very appealing to me. I know that my basal rates have not been perfected yet, and that is probably why I am running so high; I just have to wait b/c the person that is helping me with all of this is adjusting really slow to make sure that I am not getting too much insulin. And I do have to admit that it is much more convenient to simply punch in numbers and bolus that whip out a pen and needle and take a shot. I never really minded shots that much, however. They weren't that big of a deal for me. Plus, the infusion sites definitely hurt worse than a needle poke.Haha and i totally agree with you when you say you thought everyone would stare at you. My pump is verrry noticeable no matter where I place it, and someone points and asks me about it everyday. It;s very weird for me because not many people knew that I was diabetic before...and now they do...haha I'm not sure why it bothers me so much, but for some reason it does. And I also feel very tied down with the pump. I feel like I had more freedom taking shots. But I am definitely going to wait it out until the last possible second and make the best decision I can. Thanks for your input :-)
I had the pump since January of 2003 I was diagnosed in October 2002. I thought that the pump would make my life easier and help me keep control of my sugars, but my A1C just kept going up and up and my sugars were getting more out of control. I had tried the continous glucose monitor, and new sites but it didnt help because everytime I wanted to eat I just pushed the button without checking my sugars. But the August that just pasted i decided I wanted to take control and switch to shots but with the shots I have to check my sugars all the time and now my sugars are great and I will see what my A1C is in October. Hope it helpss Bye :)
I've been wearing a pump since November of last year (2009) and I've got to admit I love it compared to taking 6 or 7 shots a day.
I was 21 years old, before I got a pump. I was always afraid that I wouldn't like it because I didn't like the idea of being attached to a machine 24/7 but I've learned to love it. Being a student, its hard eating at a certain time during the day, so the pump makes it a lot easier. I'm definitely glad that I decided to start using a pump!
Jessica Morris, I love your signature!
I got a pump a year ago, and wore it every day eleven months. Then I had site issues for some ungodly hot and humid days in August, and took the pump off. I put it back on after it rained, and wore it for a week, then went on an overnight without realizing the cartridge was low and so went back to shots when it ran out. It's been beeping at me in my room for the last week and a half, and I haven't put it back on because it just seems like so much work. The infusion set, filling the cartridge, priming, getting the tubing to actually connect to the site (i put my sites out of sight a lot of the time.), carrying it, thinking about having all the extra supplies with me EVERY WEEKEND while i'm working two hours away from home for two days...
And my BG is definitely suffering. (I've been over 200 for the last 4 hours, which NEVER happens on the pump. I've also been having more lows, but my average is still higher. What I'm saying is my control sucks on shots.)
I've wore the pump now for almost a full year! I've loved every minute of it. Yes at times, I wish it wasn't connected to me. But I've come to accept that without insulin I wouldn't be here. And I always hated taking those god forbided shots because I was taking them 6 or 7 times a day and I hated having to do it in front of people cause I'm really self councious. So unfortunately I would wait to tak emy shot, so everyone around me couldn't see me taking them.
But now with the pump it seems more convient for me. Yes it's alot of work with having to fill the reservior, prime the pump, getting the tube to stick into your skin just the right way without hurting you. But for me it just seems easier and this is what I do to make things easier one me.
When I order my medicine for my diabetes, I normally get about 10 bottles of insulin (because I get mine for a 90 day supply) I always take a couple of bottles out and a couple of reserviors and I fill them up ahead of time (doctor, told me that this was okay) that way when I run out i'll always have some reserviors already filled up. I normally try to take a shower right before I change my infusion so I take it off and go ahead and rewind my pump while I'm taking a shower. Then I hook my reservior to my infusion and I've got a blue plunger that helps me put it on my body (makes it hurt a lot less too - most insurance companies will pay for them if not their like $45.00) You can put your infusion anywhere on your body that you could take a shot, so far I've only found that I like my stomach so I try to space it out around my stomach. Then I prime it, as soon as I put it on it.
SO for me the pump is great cause I'm always on the move and I hate people gwaking at me watching me take shots. So the pump makes it more private and I enjoy learning about the pump.
Do you count carbs? My average is is a 186 which when you take your A1C it normally comes out about 8.5 but on the shots I use to have 5 or 6 A1C's but that's when my parents were helping me and I wasn't on my own. Working, Going to school etc. How much insulin do you take in a day's period? I normally take about 70 units of insulin a day. That's with the pump giving me 2 units every hour.
Usually when I go somewhere I always make sure there is a infusion set in the glove compartment of my car and some syringes. Just in case my pump doesn't work correctly during the time that I'm gone. If it stops working, then I just stick a needle in the top of the reservior and give myself insulin through a syringe. But other than that, I don't usually take more insulin with me unless when I leave I notice I don't have enough insulin for the day. Then I'll take a cooler with a couple of icepacks in it and i'll stick my insulin in there, just in case I run low. I have an alarm on my insulin pump that warns me when I get down to about 100 units left in my pump, it reminds me to grab some before I leave that day :)
I love reading everyone's different opinions about the pump.
I've been on the pump for a year now and could not think about ever going back to shots! About 3 1/2 months ago my pump broke and I was waiting for the new one in the mail, the pump completely shut down on me. I cried because I didn't even want to go on shots again for a day! So I went to my internship had some insulin and syringes with me, but wound up not eating any carbs at all and not giving myself insulin all day. The thought of having to give myself 6+ shots a day again, I could not handle that!
I'm not very self-concious about my pump, so that doesn't really bother me. And I don't really see it as a hassle. I see my pump as an easier way to control my diabetes, and I find that I carry around less supplies with the pump than I did when i was on shots. I keep an extra inset in my car and usually never have to us it.
Lindsay,
Where are you wearing your Omnipod? I found that wearing it on my stomach was really uncomfortable. Try it indifferend areas and see if that helps. I like mine on my arm. I hardly notice it there. Some people like it on their legs or their back.