I was 19 when I was diagnosed and did shots for 3 months before I got my first pump. It’s the best thing I ever did, and have been a pump user nonstop for almost 15 years. I’ve also used the Dexcom and highly recommend it. As far as pumps go, I’ve used the Omnipod and Minimed. I’m currently on the Minimed 670G, which I love, but it’s not for everyone. I’d suggest “walk before you run” with the Minimed 670G because it requires a little pump familiarity.
I’ve also had my fair share of I’ll advice from medical professionals. I’d suggest calling Minimed or Omnipod and speaking to one of their people to learn more. At the end of the day, it’s yours and your son’s decision, not the doctors!
We are in a very similar situation. In January, my then 12 year old son was hospitalized and diagnosed with T1D. Fortunately, he is also very responsible and took ownership right from the start; checking his BG, counting carbs, making his lunch, carrying emergency essentials and giving his own injections. We started with a pump just over one month after his diagnosis. The learning process has continued for us over the past 9 months and will continue. Sometimes we are at a “run”, but still times that we are “walking” or even “crawling.”
In my opinion, if your son wants the pump he should tell his doctors this regularly and frequently. His body, his care. I keep reminding my son at appointments that there is no better time than the present to speak up and be in control of his health care. Good luck to you!
Kathy Murphy
My son was diagnosed at 12 and was on the pump less than 3 months later. Admittedly, I am a physician and understood the basics of pumping (agree that Pumping Insulin is an excellent resource) and I advocated strongly for an early pump, but it is ultimately your and your son’s decision. Our son’s pump (Omnipod) has greatly improved his quality of life - fewer injections, more freedom and flexibility, and much more confidence and independence in managing his condition, not to mention excellent glycemic control. There is definitely a learning curve and there are downsides but ultimately, your medical team should be supportive of what you and your son decide are best for him. This is not to say that excellent control, independence and confidence can’t be achieved with MDIs, simply sharing our experience and success. Best of luck!
Aside from the insurance companies not wanting to pay for a $9000 device when they’re not convinced you can manage your BGs, for your own benefit as a diabetic, you should be proficient at injections in the event of a pump failure. Because life conspires.
Get on the cgm of choice (as a parent and an intensive care nurse I prefer the Dexcom because it sends you the data) and learn it, because it too has a curve. You have to allow 30-40 minutes to see the results of an intervention, for example.
Keep advocating for the pump, because it will be better than injections when used correctly, the data supports this. It’s usually about 6 months after diagnosis, which seems like a lot but will be a flash after the first year is past.
Hello. My 9 year old son was just diagnosed with T1D a few weeks ago (similar experience) and we are now using/getting used to the Dexcom G6. We’ve also been told to wait a while for a pump and after some research I’m honestly a little nervous about him getting one. Just curious if your son ever got a pump and if so, how is it going?
I was diagnosed just before I turned 15. I can completely relate to the experience of those first days you spend in the hospital after being diagnosed, and the whole feeling of how unreal it all is. To this day, I have specific memories of who was there, what took place, what I saw… I remember the faces of the nurses who took my blood, watching Pepsi commercials on TV in the ER (which I feel counts as cruel and unusual punishment since they won’t let you eat or drink anything after you arrive at the hospital), I remember that there were stickers of tropical fish on the ceiling, and so many more details. That day is “the line in the sand” that separates my life “before diagnosis” from everything ever since.
Unfortunately it all happened so long ago and I didn’t understand a lot of the finer details of what was going on at the time because I was too young to understand the insurance side of things and finding doctors and making appointments. I think my first endo was associated with the hospital where I was treated. I’m pretty sure I was at the children’s hospital. I remember my parents were looking into the insulin pump option, but apparently this guy wanted me to wait until I was a year out from my initial diagnosis before considering a pump.
I can’t remember when or why exactly my parents sought a second opinion. I do remember that having to take insulin shots multiple times a day throughout the school day was a real hassle. Plus, I was a teenage, and I tended to snack a lot (I still do!), so that just meant MORE shots for which I would have to excuse myself from class and go down to the nurse’s office to take my insulin. Also, I remember that my BG was subject to natural peaks and valleys that would occur from taking my long-acting insulin. For me, this meant that I was constantly going low about an hour after bedtime and having to get up again to get a snack.
In any case, my parents sought a second opinion. This new doctor was like, “No! She doesn’t need to wait a year; that’s a really old-fashioned way of thinking. The sooner she can get on a pump, the faster she can start taking control of her own life! She needs to get on it as soon as she feels ready!” I ultimately got my first pump – a Deltec Cozmo which my Dad named “Bob” – about 6 months after diagnosis.
I may not have understood the insurance/medical side of things, but I had already proven by this time that I was fully capable of handling my own care. I think whether or not you’re ready for a pump has a lot to do with individual maturity, expectations and comfort level. I was a pretty mature 14-year old, and I’ve never been afraid of math, and I’ve not yet met a teenager in this day and age who is afraid of technology. I went through the 5 stages of grief that first night in the hospital and came out the other side ready to learn how to take care of myself from now on. Within a few months, I was operating pretty much independently of my parents’ direct supervision. Understand now – it’s not that my parents weren’t involved in my day-to-day care – it’s just that everyone at the hospital kind of directed their education towards me, and I think my whole family kind of left with the expectation that I would pretty much be handling this thing for myself. I was given the reins and just took control from the outset. And I didn’t resent it in the least – quite the opposite. During this period where I felt like this unexpected thing was happening to me, it actually helped restore my confidence in a big way to be the one “in charge”.
He got a pump back at the end of December and started wearing it in January. I have to say, overall, it has been great! Although the pump does have its challenges, he loves it and wouldn’t go back to shots unless he absolutely had to. It is a bit more expensive than shots, with all the needed supplies, but I wold say it is definitely worth it!
You may want to explore further with your doctor why he/she is so hesitant
to start on a pump and CGM straightaway, especially if you have the insurance coverage.
Bearing in mind that while a pump and CGM are tools, and not ‘solutions,’ both have proven to be very effective, and greatly assist in the management of diabetes. Having a pump is easy to adapt to, and certainly far more convenient to manage than 4 shots / day.
If your doctor cannot provide a solid reason for waiting, than perhaps you should seek an alternative endocrinologist, one with experience of pumps and CGM.
There are a number of nationally recognized clinics out there, such as Joslin, Hopkins, Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic where you could also research the topic and get the support you may need,