Insulin Pump Therapy For Diabetes - My Story

I am, and have been for a long time, insulin dependent. It is my opinion that insulin pump therapy is a superior way for most insulin dependent diabetics to control their disease. This hub is an introduction to diabetic insulin pump therapy.

I will not make brand suggestions in this hub. I only want to let you see some of the essentials to insulin pump treatment!

What do I use? I am now using a Medtronic Paradigm Insulin Pump. I do not use the continuous monitoring system. This is because of cost and because of insurance restraints. The nonstop systems keep a near real-time blood sugar check and are very good, although very costly. Instead, I check my blood glucose level several times during the day and use a built-in insulin bolus wizard to calculate how much insulin to fill through the pump.

Initially, I used an older version of the pump several years ago. I recommend insulin pump therapy FOR THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD IT. The truth is that the pumps and supplies are ghastly overpriced. Many folks even struggle with the co pays under most insurance company policies. For example, my pump new costs around $7,000, and the month-to-month supplies are also high!

If you cannot afford the insulin pump, take heart. I can testify that you CAN manage your diabetes without it! So, do not despair. However, if you get the occasion to try the pump therapy, I believe you will like it.

An insulin pump is a therapeutic device used for the management of insulin in the handling of diabetes. Most pump devices include:

• · the pump itself
• · a throwaway reservoir for insulin which is housed inside the pump
• · A not reusable infusion set, including a cannula (devise for under-the-skin (subcutaneous) introduction of insulin and a tubing structure to carry the insulin from the reservoir to the cannula.

An insulin pump is a substitute to multiple daily insulin shots. It allows for for a more intense insulin therapy. Blood sugar monitoring and counting carbohydrate are also necessary! Your endocrinologist will aid the patient in calculating how much insulin to infuse per carb count!

To make use of an insulin pump, the reservoir must be filled with insulin. Some pumps use prefilled reservoirs but most require the patient to fill with insulin (usually Apidra, Humalog or Novalog).

Here is what you will do:

• · Open a new sterile empty reservoir.
• · Draw the plunger back and insert the needle into the vial of prescribed fast-acting insulin.
• · Pressurize the vial by injecting the air from the reservoir into the vial.
• · Draw the insulin from the vial by pulling the plunger backwards. Warnings… don’t pull too far or you will have a mess!
• · Remove the needle from the vial.
• · Try to plunge out as much air as possible.
• · Attach the reservoir to the infusion tubing.
• · Prime the tubing by plunging insulin till the insulin flows through cannula
• · Attach cannula under the skin.
• · Your endocrinologist will aid you with each step till you are well acquainted with the procedure!
• · An insulin pump allows the replacement of the slow-acting insulin for basal needs with a continuous infusion of rapid-acting insulin.  This basal or base amount can come closer to the natural ebb and flow of the body needs than the long acting insulin!
  
• · The insulin pump delivers a single type of fast-acting insulin in two ways:

1. A bolus dosage that is pumped to cover food eaten or to correct a high blood sugar level.

2. A basal dose that is pumped continuously at a flexible base line rate to deliver insulin needed between mealtimes and throughout the night.

_{(Note: some of the above information was reworded from and article by Wikipedia - I include the link in the links section of this hub - Thanks Wbisbill)}

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