Hi, My name is Rylie and I was diagnosed with T1D when I was 14 months old (I’m currently 18). I have been on an insulin pump for as long as I can remember. Lately I feel as though I have been struggling to take care of my diabetes as well as myself. I am feeling very very burnt out on anything and everything that has to do with diabetes. I listened to a seminar about college with my Endo and they mentioned that people take “Pump Breaks” and I am wondering if I basically “reset” my mind into the beginning mode of diabetes if I will take better care of my levels and begin to fully understand the importance of taking care of everything and the negative things that can come if you ignore this disease. So basically, I am in search of opinions of people on whether they think that taking a pump break would be beneficial.
Thank you,
Rylie Snedeker
Hello @rylie_snedeker and welcome to Type One Nation
Sometimes making a change (any change) is enough to break the drudgery and have some positive affect. Burnout is a difficult topic because no one here knows what is truly bothering you, for example, is it an avoidance of bolusing for carbs, not caring about blood sugar, a horrible recent low, or people bothering you about “if you can eat that”? We can provide direct feedback by telling you about how we’ve dealt with these things.
a pump break is pretty easy, take your pump and set off and start with whatever your doctor recommends for long acting and, in general, you would continue to use your fast acting as meal-time insulin and as “correction” but you might need a script for pens or syringes.
The harder part IMO is getting back on the pump because you don’t want to have long acting insulin and be back on your pump basal but that’s just a timing thing.
If you have anxiety about wearing a pump, this could be a big change, if you have anxiety about shooting in public this could be a tough change… etc. as far as a change for change’s sake, I think it qualifies.
I made a change too I put on a Dexcom g6, and bought a apple watch used, and started weight and cardio exercises more regularly. I figured it’s also a change.
I’ve had this for 42 years, some here have had it 50, 60 , and 70 years so we are not new to burnout, anything you want to talk about, I hope you feel free.
@rylie_snedeker Hi Rylie, and Welcome to the JDRF TypeOneNation Forum!
I won’t so much offer you an opinion about what you should do, but rather share my travel of 64 years with diabetes. During my time living with diabetes, I have had many different tactics, dosing regimens and devices. My first 47 years were before I tried using a pump; now I use an almost completely automated insulin delivery system. Every time I tried new methods, or new types of insulin [I’ve used at least sis types of insulin formulations from animal extract to the current analog], I would “reset”. That is, I would take that time to look at how my diabetes was managed and what “success” I experienced, and look forward how the new plan MIGHT make my life better. I suggest that you take this approach - college life may dictate some of the reasons to change.
If you are not comfortable making your own insulin dose changes, do ask for guidance. A @Joe said, with moving away from a pump, you may need to begin using both a background basal insulin plus a rapid-acting mealtime insulin. There is also a very effective inhaled insulin available.
Good luck with whichever decision you make - and a change doesn’t mean you can’t move back to your pump.
Hello Rylie and welcome to the forum (applause). We have several things in common. I too was diagnosed at 14 months in 1963 and don’t know of a day in my life without my little monster. Everyone that has T1D is prone to times of burnout trying to keep within ranges, juggling lows and highs, dosage changes, etc. along with daily life in general and it can become a struggle. Thankfully there are so many modern devices and info to make the battle goals easier to be obtained. I personally have found it beneficial to be able to talk to others as you are doing here now to know; Hey I’m not crazy, someone else has experienced the same thing I’m dealing with now. Taking a pump break and being successful to reset will all depend on how well you manage your alternate methods. If you go to injections are you going to be disciplined enough to keep your BGL’s in their proper range, or will you fall into stages of forgetfulness or just delays that could cause additional issues? I’ll admit to you, which I’ve never done until talking to others on this forum, that for years I chose not to take my T1D seriously, and for those choices I’m paying a penance now after my 58 years of having T1D. These decisions are difficult for all of us to make, but maybe consider some T1D counseling that might help you get through this rough patch and can set you on a course to do better resulting in a healthy LONG life. To have come this far is a success in it’s self, you are obviously strong and just need to find the support system to help get you in the right direction. You can do this, in fact there are very young T1D children that you maybe able to help on this forum with your experinces so they don’t have to listen to us dinosaurs (that’s a pun). You’re a T1D warrior princess and will succeed in this and all future battles, you’ve got this.
Hi Rylie Welcome to the forum. All you can do is try! Maybe going off the pump for a while may help, maybe it won’t. Try to keep track of your numbers and not to far off the deep end. Also try to keep as physically active as you are able. There are many different strategies out there and you need to adapt one to fit you. I was diagnosed when I was 11 which was 45 years ago. been on at least 5 different insulins and multiple different testing regimens. When I started urine testing was it, and after the first month or 2 didn’t get done much. The first blood sugar machine I got took about 3 minutes and required you to rinse the strip so that didn’t get done much either. I was on multiple injections until about 2 years ago when I got my first pump. Living with multiple injections is possible but I found it to much more regimented. Generally people tend to be on 1 or 2 shots of a basal insulin like tresiba or lantus and then quick acting insulins for meals. With the basal insulins I had to make sure I ate much more regularly otherwise my sugar would drop. so breakfast at a regular time then halfway between that and lunch a snack, then 1/2 way between lunch and dinner another snack. between dinner and bedtime another snack. The regimentation is difficult if you don’t have a regular schedule (like in college) I was able to do that okay while working, but weekends and vacations my sugars tended to be further off the mark then I wanted. These were my experiences and observations. Talk to an Endo, and try it for a while. As much as I dislike my little blood demon, (medtronic device is always asking for blood at worst times), I don’t think I will go back to multiple daily injections.
Your post caught my attention, because I have also considered a pump break. It’s not uncommon, because my Endo actually mentioned it to me, without me asking. You are smart to weigh your options.
After MDIs for many years, I’m hesitant to return. I’ve only been on a pump for a few years, but returning to MDI seems a daunting task now. I ask myself, is changing infusion sites that difficult? I have discovered that for me, it’s not the pump that stresses and exhausts me, but my CGM. It’s definitely a love/hate relationship…for now, I’m persevering, but weighing my options for a different CGM. I’m learning a lot reading about other people’s perspectives. It seems most products have issues of some sort. And I have a great Endo team that will support me regardless. I think that really helps.