My husband and I recently moved from one state to another. Our 5 year old has T1. In Michigan, her endo and the diabetes educators were leaning towards the pump. I very specifically remember one of the educators saying in a class, "The closer you can emulate the pancreas the better it is for the diabetes." This was in reference to the pump and stacking shots. We moved to Illinois and saw an endo in Missouri. She said the the pump isn't proven to be more effective than insulin shot therapy. She wants Ellie to be on meal and shot schedule and she specifically said, "We don't want the two of you trying to be her pancreas."
Someone has to be wrong here. Im at a loss as to what to do. I've never heard anyone say anything negative about the pump except that the line can get crimped. I would love everyone's input.
I know that as soon as my rates were regulated ( a few months after diagnosis) my endo tried getting me on the pump. I don't know how effective it is as far as age goes ( I was 16) but he said it helps a lot for teenagers. He told me over and over again how much better control is. You don't get insulin build up because your pump calculates the insulin that is already in your body, and your blood sugars, so you have far less chance of having lows.
Rather than taking a long acting insulin, the pump has basal rates. Basal rates are the constant drip given per hour and these are adjustable so you have better control. Also, depending on the pump, you can take units for your food in .25 incriments. So lets say your insulin to carb ratio is 1:15 and you are eating something with 52 carbs. You can take 3.5 units instead of taking 3 and possibly being high or 4 and possibly being low. Some pumps are even more accurate!
I think the only discrepency or difference in opinion would be the age factor. I've never had crimped tubing and I don't think its very likely unless you play with it and make a physical crease. Maybe try seeing another endo? I'd refer you to mine, but he's in Texas. I don't know how much my response has helped, but hopefully it will help you make a decision. Just listen to your gut. You know what is best for your child. The parent is the expert on their children, not the doctor. If you think the pump would be better for him, then its your call! :-)
Does a meal and shot schedule mean set times for your meals each day? Perhaps, with great dicipline, this would be accomplished but who would want to. This concept seems to be very restrictive and I don't think families (especially ones dealing with Type 1) need any more stress. Even when my daughter was still on shots a meal schedule was not neccessary. I think to pump or not to pump is an individual decision but the Animas Ping has made life much easier and much more convenient. Diabetes has had much less power over our lives.
Bottom line, if a shot and meal schedule were the treatment regiment prescribed by our endo, I would switch endos.
Some people on this site prefer shots, some prefer pumping...it comes down to what works best for you. I can't always afford pump supplies, but I feel much better and have much better control when I pump. It may have something to do with the fact that I don't hold a constant schedule, and I forget to perform injections but somehow remember to bolus.
My advice would be to immediately get her in to see a new endo. It sounds as if the current one is antiquated, and that's probably the last thing you (and your daughter) need at this point. Technology is what's keeping T1s in better and better control. Any endo that would want you to do things the old way is not the type of doctor I'd want to see.
I'm sure there's probably plenty of diabetics out there who prefer to still do shots with meals, but at 5 years old, do you want to be giving her shots several times per day? It seems as though the pump would not only give you more piece of mind, but also be much less invasive for her.
I live in Illinois and we switched endocronologists for pump reasons. My endo made me stay on shots for a year after i was diagnosed. I an understand this decision becaue I do think that staying on shots for a period of time can help people to better understand diabetes management. But i think that year was the longest of my life. I went on a minimed pump when my year was up, but later on my sister was diagnosed at age 3. Around the same time I decided that i wanted to switch to the deltec pump, but my endo wouldn't have it. He said he would not support me as a patient if i wasn't on the minimed pump. So we left. We now see an endo at the university of chicago and we LOVE it there. Our endo is amazing and shes always a vailable for phone calls and emails when we have questions between appointments. My sister just turned six in July and she is happily pumping while being in gymnastics, ballet, religious ed and girl scouts. Without the pump and our supportive endo, I wonder if this would be possible.
I know that the pump has made my little sisters life so much easier, more than I can even describe.
She wants Ellie to be on meal and shot schedule and she specifically said, "We don't want the two of you trying to be her pancreas."
Someone has to be wrong here. Im at a loss as to what to do. I've never heard anyone say anything negative about the pump except that the line can get crimped. I would love everyone's input.
[/quote]
You are "trying to be her pancreas" either way - with shots or with the pump. That is a dumb statement. I highly recommend the book "Think Like a Pancreas" because it will explain how good diabetes management is done. Understanding how the healthy pancreas works, how a diabetic pancreas doesn't, and how a person can best figure out how to replicate the function of this vital organ with shot or with the pump.
For me, since we are already counting carbs, it would be a huge (and painful) adjustment to a meal and shot schedule! (Which I assume means eating at certain times every day.) This would just not work for our family. So regardless of the pump question I would be frustrated by this doctors opinion.
I would look for another endo - if you aren't comfortable with her or believe in her; you aren't going to trust what she recommends for your daughter. It is a pain, but I think it would be worth it.
James Lance here. I have some incredible
information that I would like to share with you that I believe can totally resolve your 5 year old's T1 problem . I would prefer
that you call me directly on my cell phone so I may speak personally with you.
Thank you ssturg. You may reach me at (417) 693-3196.
I am all for being supportive of new people on this site. But this guy just tells everyone to call him. Scam much?
It's all about what you want. If you guys feel more comfortable on a pump do it, if not don't. As long as her blood sugars are under control and she is ready for it, I say find another doctor.
In my own experience, I was diagnosed in February of this year. I got my pump in July, it was just barely under 5 months from diagnosis that I got my pump. I saw my endo. and asked her when we would be looking toward getting a pump, her reply was "Have you looked into it at all?" I had googled and researched everything before I went to see her that day and told her specifically that I wanted the OneTouch Ping. She said fill out the paper work, fax it to me and I'll send it to Animas for you.
If you know what you want and you show them that you are ready and that you have researched it there shouldn't be a problem with a pump.
If the information you have is so important to diabetics, why don't you share it with all of us here on Juvenation, rather than have all of us call you individually. That seems like it might be a much more effective route.
ooh he did not know who he was talking to when he got on Juvenation... ha, poor guy. This is the stuff that our forums are made of. "I can cure your autoimmune disease with this specially formulated juice..." I really have heard it all!
My daughter is 4 and when she came out of her "honeymoon" she was put on a pump because they said it works much better for these kids. The shots can only go by .10 unit and the pump can get as close at .1 It has been wonderful for our little girl and with kids they like to "graze", the pump allows more room for that! I would try a different endo, I know ours wanted us to get on the pump as soon as she could because it reduces the risk of complications later!