Hi everyone,
I’m having some issues with the pump my blood sugars haven’t been in range. I’m thinking of going back on shots. Any advice.
Thanks,
Meghan
I had malfunctions both times I had the pump. I really like doing the shots because I feel like I have more control and I don’t have to hook a pump somewhere, especially when wearing a dress. My A1c went from a 9.9 on the pump to a 7.7 on shots.
Shelly
Meghan–I have been on both shots and the pump. For me, I achieve much better control on the pump than I ever did on shots. I have had type 1 for almost 42 years, so that could be part of it for me. I have been on an insulin pump for a total of about half of the years I have had diabetes. That means 21 years of shots and 21 years of the pump. Even Steven!
My first suggestion to you would be to find out if your insurance has coverage for you to see a diabetes educator. They can help so much with talking through the differences and determining what your goals are. Once you determine what you want the outcome to be, the rest will be easier to figure out.
I have diabetic friends who are on shots and those who are on pumps. Some of the ones who are on shots achieve better A1c’s than those on pumps.
I think anything thing to be determined is your level of burnout. Sometimes we just need a break from one way of doing something to try another way and see if it works. There is no right or wrong here. Just different ways of achieving good blood glucoses. Go with your gut instinct.
Hi @Meghantk
I have a couple of thoughts on this… I think that if you want to take a pump vacation and go on shots do it! This way you can see which you have better management with and what you feel more comfortable doing.
Personally, I think you should talk to your Endo and or/CDE because maybe you need a basal/bolus adjustment. I know for me my rates change all the time. For a couple of months I may be doing fine, and then all of a sudden I will need my rates to be more or less depending on which season we are in. Winter months are harder because I am less active and maybe need a little more insulin. Summer and spring I need a lot less insulin because I am more active.
What do you feel the main issues you are having are? Less active? Eating more, Stress? all of the above? A lot of these things are huge factors in fluctuating blood sugars!
hi Meghan, if you are just starting out on a pump, it takes time. if you’ve been on a pump a long time, every once in a while they need a tune up (stress is my big variable). If you’d like to learn more click this amazon link.
it took me almost year to get my settings right. all said, pumping is not for everybody. and I have learned that you can make any insulin system work with enough effort.
good luck!
What problems are you having with the pump?
The most common issues new users have are finding the right infusion set and getting accurate basal rates and other settings. Do you have a good diabetes educator who’s helping you with this?
Pumps and shots each have different pros and cons, but pumps work more like a pancreas so most people have improved control with them. Make sure to give your pump a real try before you give up on it.
Let us know your specific issues.
Hi everyone,
Thanks for the feed back I have had type 1 diabetes for almost 20 years I started out on the shots had really good control. My doctor suggested going on the pump for a little more freedom been on the pump for almost 2 years now.
I’m having issues with my blood sugars going up sometimes I will stay at 19 for 2 to 3 hours. Couple of month before this my sugars where quite good but now I feel like I’m struggling and frustrated. I have started to gain weight which I don’t like. I think stress is playing a role in all this. I try to eat healthy and excercise but sometimes I’m just tired.
Gina maybe your right I might just need a break from the pump.
I have went to diabetic educator she really didn’t help me that much.
My doctor put me on metformin to see if that helps but I don’t believe in taking pills for rest of my life, it’s bad enough I’m on insulin.
Thanks for your advice.
I go on a 2-week pump vacation periodically when the pump gets to be too much. By the end of the two week period I am usually ready to go back. For me, I most appreciate that on the pump my lows don’t get as bad as often, and I don’t have to sneak out to the bathroom to take a shot during a meal when I am at a lunch meeting. I have been on a few pumps now over the last 10 years, and my current pump (the OmniPod) is my favorite. It has no tube. Tubeless! Taking a bolus is easy and discrete and doesn’t require pulling out anything from underneath my clothes. (And I haven’t felt like I have needed a pump vacation since being on this one, though I still take a vacation from my CGM.)
Sorry, I misread and thought you were new to the pump. Stress can definitely cause high blood sugars. And even a small weight gain can make your insulin needs go up.
I don’t think the pump is the problem… within a couple of days or a week you can adjust your basal rates and have decent numbers again.
But if you’re tired of the pump, take a break. You should choose the treatment options that are helping YOU, not the ones your doctor likes best. Take care.