For those who need insulin injections, the pump is almost certainly superior to numerous shots by syringes.
I've been diabetic 36 years, and a pump user for the last dozen years. I delayed my doctor's wishes for 2 years, and when I finally went on it, it only took 48 hours to realize I wish I had not waited. It is far, far superior control.
Most endocrinologists who put patients on a pump, will also have them convert to the latest insulin called Humalog. Humalog requires an Rx to obtain (which is complete nonsense control by the FDA, again, ... don't get me started!), and costs $50/bottle. Humulin comes in at around $38/bottle. I'm refering now to the Regular, fast-acting insulins.
Humalog begins acting in the body and bringing glucose levels down almost immediately, like within 15 minutes. So you can begin eating and take your bolus (shot of extra insulin to cover whatever you eat), at the same time. No need to wait.
Humulin, on the other hand, does not really start to work until 2 to 3 hours have lapsed. You can study the diagrams and response curves.
Things to understand:
A pump, more accurately simulates the actions of the human pancreas. You need to learn a couple of terms, to understand why.
1) Basel rate - the continuous feed of insulin into the human body, regardless off eating or fasting. In nondiabetics, their pancreas is putting insulin into their bodies 24 hours a day, even when they do not eat at all. The Basel amount, graphically, looks like a steady stream of insulin into the body. If a person does not eat for days, their body still requires insulin to break down sugars (and proteins and fats, too) to keep the system operating normally.
In a pump user, this amount of continuous stream of insulin, the Basel rate, is programmed into the pump, and it continues to feed insulin into the human all the day long. Usually, a drop of insulin every 8 minutes.
2) Bolus - this is the added insulin that people shoot up by syringe, or by programming the extra units into their system by pushing a button on the pump.
When the diabetic eats, he/she adds insulin, manually, by programming the 7 or 8 (as an example) units of Insulin, by pushing the button on the pump... and that is that. Very simple.
The beauty of this system, is that it more closely resembles the true pancreas functionality, of a non-diabetic. It also make life far more easy, and gives way better control over blood sugars.
A new pump has just been introduced by Medtronics, that is even better still. The new one (almost a completely closed loop system), now incorporates 24 hour constant blood sugar monitoring, in addition to the insulin pump system.
This allows the pump to alert the diabetic that sugars are going above or below the desired range, and immediately allows the user to take corrective action!
Can you see how fantastic this is? Keeping your blood sugars in the 80 to 120 range, almost always. Ideal.
The pump is not cheap. If a doctor orders it, an insurance company will pay for it, usually. Mine originally cost $5,000. I spoke to a kid last month who got on the pump 5 years ago. Same pump, cost $15,000. His parents insurance picked up the majority of it.
That new pump I described, with the added glucose monitoring, I can only imagine. I have not called the company to discover, but I know it "ain't" gonna be cheap.
- - - - - - - - -
There was a time, 15 years or so ago.. I was actually taking 5 shots a day. My control needed that many injections. The pump is amazingly superior.
Ask me questions if you like. I'll be glad to answer them.
I can also talk to people, accurately, regarding complications, and autonomic neuropathy, and cautions regarding drinking alcohol, and more.
For years, I had the very best doctor(s) in the country, and parents were on the board of directors for the American Diabetes Association (ADA).
I've been diabetic 36 years, and a pump user for the last dozen years. I delayed my doctor's wishes for 2 years, and when I finally went on it, it only took 48 hours to realize I wish I had not waited. It is far, far superior control.
Most endocrinologists who put patients on a pump, will also have them convert to the latest insulin called Humalog. Humalog requires an Rx to obtain (which is complete nonsense control by the FDA, again, ... don't get me started!), and costs $50/bottle. Humulin comes in at around $38/bottle. I'm refering now to the Regular, fast-acting insulins.
Humalog begins acting in the body and bringing glucose levels down almost immediately, like within 15 minutes. So you can begin eating and take your bolus (shot of extra insulin to cover whatever you eat), at the same time. No need to wait.
Humulin, on the other hand, does not really start to work until 2 to 3 hours have lapsed. You can study the diagrams and response curves.
Things to understand:
A pump, more accurately simulates the actions of the human pancreas. You need to learn a couple of terms, to understand why.
1) Basel rate - the continuous feed of insulin into the human body, regardless off eating or fasting. In nondiabetics, their pancreas is putting insulin into their bodies 24 hours a day, even when they do not eat at all. The Basel amount, graphically, looks like a steady stream of insulin into the body. If a person does not eat for days, their body still requires insulin to break down sugars (and proteins and fats, too) to keep the system operating normally.
In a pump user, this amount of continuous stream of insulin, the Basel rate, is programmed into the pump, and it continues to feed insulin into the human all the day long. Usually, a drop of insulin every 8 minutes.
2) Bolus - this is the added insulin that people shoot up by syringe, or by programming the extra units into their system by pushing a button on the pump.
When the diabetic eats, he/she adds insulin, manually, by programming the 7 or 8 (as an example) units of Insulin, by pushing the button on the pump... and that is that. Very simple.
The beauty of this system, is that it more closely resembles the true pancreas functionality, of a non-diabetic. It also make life far more easy, and gives way better control over blood sugars.
A new pump has just been introduced by Medtronics, that is even better still. The new one (almost a completely closed loop system), now incorporates 24 hour constant blood sugar monitoring, in addition to the insulin pump system.
This allows the pump to alert the diabetic that sugars are going above or below the desired range, and immediately allows the user to take corrective action!
Can you see how fantastic this is? Keeping your blood sugars in the 80 to 120 range, almost always. Ideal.
The pump is not cheap. If a doctor orders it, an insurance company will pay for it, usually. Mine originally cost $5,000. I spoke to a kid last month who got on the pump 5 years ago. Same pump, cost $15,000. His parents insurance picked up the majority of it.
That new pump I described, with the added glucose monitoring, I can only imagine. I have not called the company to discover, but I know it "ain't" gonna be cheap.
- - - - - - - - -
There was a time, 15 years or so ago.. I was actually taking 5 shots a day. My control needed that many injections. The pump is amazingly superior.
Ask me questions if you like. I'll be glad to answer them.
I can also talk to people, accurately, regarding complications, and autonomic neuropathy, and cautions regarding drinking alcohol, and more.
For years, I had the very best doctor(s) in the country, and parents were on the board of directors for the American Diabetes Association (ADA).
