People suffering from Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes need to take insulin for managing their blood sugar levels. For those who are tired of using insulin injections, an insulin pump is a welcome relief.
Melissa Thompson of Diabetes 365 notes “An insulin pump is a small digital device that delivers insulin through a thin flexible plastic tube called a catheter tube that goes under the skin. This type of diabetes technology makes life a little bit easier for the type 1 diabetes community.”
Purpose of insulin pump
An insulin pump releases insulin in the same natural way as your body does.
- In a measured and continuous dose during day and night called the basal insulin
- An extra dose at mealtime called a bolus to control the rising sugar levels from the food that you ate.
- The pump is programmed for both bolus and basal doses
- You can program for a bigger bolus to compensate for the carbs in your diet if you eat more than usual
How is it used?
Insulin pumps use short but fast-acting insulin rather than long-acting as the pump is set to administer a tiny quantity of insulin continually to maintain your sugar levels consistently.
The device is the size of a smartphone and is attached to your body by using an infusion set.
- Insulin doses are delivered through a thin, flexible plastic tube called the catheter
- The catheter is inserted into the skin with the help of a small needle and is taped in place
- The entire combination of the tube and needle is called an infusion set.
- It is put in your belly, buttock, or thighs which is called the infusion area.
Advantages of an insulin pump
- Less number of needle sticks are needed
- A pump needs one shot in a few days while changing the infusion set
- More accurate than shots and improves the blood sugar levels
- Helps to optimize sugar levels in case of low sugar
- Helps to manage early morning high blood sugar levels
- Using an insulin pump may help rates for type 1 diabetes life insurance
Disadvantages
- You need to keep monitoring your sugar levels
- If the pump stops working, it can cause blood sugar levels to rise to cause diabetes ketoacidosis (DKA), which is dangerous.
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- Hence, regular insulin injections should be kept in handy
- Information is to be entered into the pump all day and the infusion set has to be changed every few days.
- Proper training is needed to understand how the pump works
- The supplies of the pump can be expensive
Choosing a pump
Choosing an insulin pump is a personal choice as all of them have benefits and drawbacks. Your choice depends on your priority.
- If you need a traditional pump, tubeless or pump with a remote
- For kids, pumps with small reservoirs would be suitable, adults might want larger ones
- If the pump delivers insulin in small dosages which are necessary for kids and sensitive people
- Check if the pump includes the carb counts of common foods to decide the amount of insulin you need
- If the pump can interact with a continuous glucose meter (CGM) and the software is compatible with your phone or laptop
- Check if your insurance company covers the pump you have selected.
Research well which insulin pump would be best for you. Speak with a doctor about the options.
