Diabetes: Should I Get an Insulin Pump?
You may want to have a say in this decision, or you may simply want to follow your doctor's recommendation. Either way, this information will help you understand what your choices are so that you can talk to your doctor about them.
Diabetes: Should I Get an Insulin Pump?
Get the facts
Your options
- Get an insulin pump.
- Keep doing
insulin injections.
Key points to remember
- An
insulin pump can free you from a strict regimen of
meals, sleep, and exercise, because you can program it to match your changing
schedule.
- After you learn how to work with a pump, it
can make living with diabetes easier. But it takes some time and effort to
learn how to use the pump to keep it working properly and to control your
diabetes.
- Using a pump includes checking your blood sugar 3 or
more times a day and carefully counting the grams of
carbohydrate that you eat.
- Using an insulin pump can keep your blood
sugar at a more constant level so that you don't have as many big swings in
your levels. People who use pumps have fewer problems with very low blood
sugar.
- Many insurance companies
cover the cost of insulin pumps, but they have strict guidelines that you will
have to follow before they will pay.
FAQs
An insulin pump constantly
gives you a small amount of insulin, called a "basal rate," throughout the day
and night to help control your blood sugar. When you need extra insulin to
cover a meal or to correct high blood sugar, you tell the pump to give you a
small dose of rapid-acting insulin.
A traditional insulin pump, which is about the size of a deck of cards, can be clipped to a belt or
somewhere in your clothing. Plastic tubing connects the pump to a catheter just
under your skin. The catheter is a tiny plastic tube that you insert into your
skin using a special needle. You have to change the catheter every 2 or 3
days. You can disconnect the pump from the catheter site for brief
periods when you want to go swimming or take a shower.
Some pumps attach directly to the body and do not need tubing. A remote device controls the pump.
Some pumps also work as a blood sugar meter or will communicate with your meter. Some pumps can suggest how much insulin you need based on the blood sugar reading.
- With a pump, you can plan your insulin
around your life instead of planning your life around your insulin shots. Your
basal rate is set and runs automatically. If you decide to stay out late, skip
a meal, or work at a job with changing shifts, you can adjust your insulin at
the push of a button.
- A pump can deliver an exact amount of insulin and in very small amounts.
- Instead of giving yourself shots several
times a day, you only need to insert a catheter needle once every 2 or 3
days.
- With a pump, you don't have to stop what you're doing and
pull out a syringe or an
insulin pen to give yourself insulin. You just push a
button to give yourself the right dose.
- A pump may help you keep
your blood sugar in your target range. People who use a pump have fewer big swings
in their blood sugar levels.
- Pumps work well for people who can't find an insulin dose that
keeps blood sugar under control without also causing low blood sugar.
- You may have to stay in the hospital, or
spend a whole day at a clinic, while you learn how to use your
pump.
- Setting your basal rates for the first time may take a few
days. You may have to skip a few meals and check your sugar levels extra often
while you get used to the pump.
- People who keep their sugar levels
in a tight range may be less able to sense when their blood sugar is low. So
you will need to check your blood sugar often, at least 3 times a day, when you
use an insulin pump.
- If you are not good at counting your
carbohydrate grams, an insulin pump may not help you control your
diabetes.
- Infection at the area where the catheter goes into the
skin is a common problem with insulin pumps. It is one of the most
common reasons why people stop using pumps. So it's
important to take good care of the site and change the catheter on
schedule.
- The pump could stop working without your noticing. A pump has
an alarm system to tell you when something is wrong with insulin delivery or if
the pump's battery is getting low. But the alarm system will not tell you if the catheter is bent or has pulled out, so
it's important to check the site often.
- Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a life-threatening condition, may happen more often and more
quickly with an insulin pump than with injections.
Your blood sugar could get too high if something goes wrong with the catheter
or pump without your noticing. Most studies show that this is usually not a
problem with training and practice.
- Many
insurance companies will pay for insulin pumps, but they have strict guidelines
that you will have to follow before they will pay.
Your doctor might encourage you to get an insulin pump if:
- You have big swings in your blood sugar
levels.
- You cannot find an insulin dose that keeps your blood sugar
under control without also causing low blood sugar.
- Your lifestyle makes it hard to stop and give yourself insulin injections.
- Your eating and activity schedule changes often, so you need a more flexible insulin schedule.
- You need to inject yourself with insulin often.
Compare your options
|
|
|
|
What is usually involved?
|
|
|
|
What are the benefits?
|
|
|
|
What are the risks and side effects?
|
|
|
Using an insulin pump
Using an insulin pump
- Instead of giving yourself
insulin shots every day, you insert a catheter every few days.
- You test your blood sugar often, and you carefully count carbs so
that you can program the pump.
- Infusion sites can get infected, so
it's important to know how to place the catheter correctly and to keep the area
clean.
- People who use pumps have
fewer big swings in their blood sugar levels.
- People who use pumps
have fewer problems with very low blood sugar.
- For some people,
pumps improve hemoglobin A1c levels.
- Using a pump
may not improve blood sugar control in people who are already giving themselves
insulin shots 3 or more times a day.
- People who keep their sugar
levels in a tight range—which a pump helps you to do—may be less able to sense
when their blood sugar is low.
- The pump could stop working without your noticing.
Not using an insulin
pump Not using an insulin
pump
- You keep giving
yourself daily insulin shots to control your blood sugar.
- For some people,
daily shots work well to control blood sugar.
- Daily
shots may not control your blood sugar as well as a pump
would.
- People who use daily shots have more problems with very low
blood sugar.
Personal stories
Are you interested in what others decided to do? Many people have faced this decision. These personal stories may help you decide.
I got my
insulin pump 3 years ago. I was pretty nervous about how well I'd be able to
program my pump and take care of it. There was so much to learn! But I had a
great team of people helping me, including my doctor, my dietitian, and even
the manufacturer of my pump. Still, I almost gave up after 3 months. It was always there to remind me that I
had diabetes, you know? But my doctor talked me into sticking with it a little
longer. Now I would not want to go back. Before the pump, diabetes controlled
my life. With the pump, I feel like I am now in control of my diabetes—and my
life.
I was on an insulin pump for more than 2
years, and then I quit. For me, the hassle of constantly
taking my blood sugar and figuring out how to program my doses wasn't worth it.
Plus, I got a lot of infections at the catheter site. I went back to injections
and feel happier with my life now.
I got my
pump as a teenager, and I love it. I'm a police officer now, and having a pump makes it
much easier to do my job.
I have several reasons for not wanting an
insulin pump. I'm a pretty private person and I wouldn't want people to notice
that I'm wearing a pump. Also, I play football and basketball almost
year-round, and it's a big part of my life. I know you can safely disconnect
the pump for an hour or so, but my games last longer than that. I just don't
like the idea of a pump.
What matters most to you?
Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.
Reasons to get an insulin pump
Reasons not to get an insulin pump
I wish I didn't have to give myself insulin shots every day.
I am comfortable giving myself injections.
More important
Equally important
More important
I feel ready to take on the responsibilities involved in using an insulin pump.
Using and caring for an insulin pump seems too complicated for me.
More important
Equally important
More important
I want a more flexible lifestyle than my current insulin shot schedule allows.
My schedule is the same every day, so it's not hard to schedule my shots.
More important
Equally important
More important
My other important reasons:
My other important reasons:
More important
Equally important
More important
Where are you leaning now?
Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now.
Getting an insulin pump
NOT getting an insulin pump
Leaning toward
Undecided
Leaning toward
What else do you need to make your decision?
1.
How can an insulin pump help me manage diabetes?
2.
How hard will it be to learn to use an insulin pump?
3.
How will a pump affect keeping track of my blood sugar?
4.
How will a pump affect counting carbohydrate grams?
1.
How sure do you feel right now about your decision?
Not sure at all
Somewhat sure
Very sure
2.
Check what you need to do before you make this decision.
3.
Use the following space to list questions, concerns, and next steps.
Your Summary
Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision.
Key concepts that you understood
Key concepts that may need review
Credits
| Credits |
Healthwise Staff |
| Primary Medical Reviewer |
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer |
Jennifer Hone, MD - Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism |
You may want to have a say in this decision, or you may simply want to follow your doctor's recommendation. Either way, this information will help you understand what your choices are so that you can talk to your doctor about them.
Diabetes: Should I Get an Insulin Pump?
Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision.
- Get the facts
- Compare your options
- What matters most to you?
- Where are you leaning now?
- What else do you need to make your decision?
1. Get the facts
Your options
- Get an insulin pump.
- Keep doing
insulin injections.
Key points to remember
- An
insulin pump can free you from a strict regimen of
meals, sleep, and exercise, because you can program it to match your changing
schedule.
- After you learn how to work with a pump, it
can make living with diabetes easier. But it takes some time and effort to
learn how to use the pump to keep it working properly and to control your
diabetes.
- Using a pump includes checking your blood sugar 3 or
more times a day and carefully counting the grams of
carbohydrate that you eat.
- Using an insulin pump can keep your blood
sugar at a more constant level so that you don't have as many big swings in
your levels. People who use pumps have fewer problems with very low blood
sugar.
- Many insurance companies
cover the cost of insulin pumps, but they have strict guidelines that you will
have to follow before they will pay.
FAQs
What is an insulin pump?
An insulin pump constantly
gives you a small amount of insulin, called a "basal rate," throughout the day
and night to help control your blood sugar. When you need extra insulin to
cover a meal or to correct high blood sugar, you tell the pump to give you a
small dose of rapid-acting insulin.
A traditional insulin pump , which is about the size of a deck of cards, can be clipped to a belt or
somewhere in your clothing. Plastic tubing connects the pump to a catheter just
under your skin. The catheter is a tiny plastic tube that you insert into your
skin using a special needle. You have to change the catheter every 2 or 3
days. You can disconnect the pump from the catheter site for brief
periods when you want to go swimming or take a shower.
Some pumps attach directly to the body and do not need tubing. A remote device controls the pump.
Some pumps also work as a blood sugar meter or will communicate with your meter. Some pumps can suggest how much insulin you need based on the blood sugar reading.
What are the benefits of using an insulin pump?
- With a pump, you can plan your insulin
around your life instead of planning your life around your insulin shots. Your
basal rate is set and runs automatically. If you decide to stay out late, skip
a meal, or work at a job with changing shifts, you can adjust your insulin at
the push of a button.
- A pump can deliver an exact amount of insulin and in very small amounts.
- Instead of giving yourself shots several
times a day, you only need to insert a catheter needle once every 2 or 3
days.
- With a pump, you don't have to stop what you're doing and
pull out a syringe or an
insulin pen to give yourself insulin. You just push a
button to give yourself the right dose.
- A pump may help you keep
your blood sugar in your target range. People who use a pump have fewer big swings
in their blood sugar levels.
- Pumps work well for people who can't find an insulin dose that
keeps blood sugar under control without also causing low blood sugar.
What are the drawbacks of using an insulin pump?
- You may have to stay in the hospital, or
spend a whole day at a clinic, while you learn how to use your
pump.
- Setting your basal rates for the first time may take a few
days. You may have to skip a few meals and check your sugar levels extra often
while you get used to the pump.
- People who keep their sugar levels
in a tight range may be less able to sense when their blood sugar is low. So
you will need to check your blood sugar often, at least 3 times a day, when you
use an insulin pump.
- If you are not good at counting your
carbohydrate grams, an insulin pump may not help you control your
diabetes.
- Infection at the area where the catheter goes into the
skin is a common problem with insulin pumps. It is one of the most
common reasons why people stop using pumps. So it's
important to take good care of the site and change the catheter on
schedule.
- The pump could stop working without your noticing. A pump has
an alarm system to tell you when something is wrong with insulin delivery or if
the pump's battery is getting low. But the alarm system will not tell you if the catheter is bent or has pulled out, so
it's important to check the site often.
- Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a life-threatening condition, may happen more often and more
quickly with an insulin pump than with injections.
Your blood sugar could get too high if something goes wrong with the catheter
or pump without your noticing. Most studies show that this is usually not a
problem with training and practice.
- Many
insurance companies will pay for insulin pumps, but they have strict guidelines
that you will have to follow before they will pay.
Why might your doctor recommend an insulin pump?
Your doctor might encourage you to get an insulin pump if:
- You have big swings in your blood sugar
levels.
- You cannot find an insulin dose that keeps your blood sugar
under control without also causing low blood sugar.
- Your lifestyle makes it hard to stop and give yourself insulin injections.
- Your eating and activity schedule changes often, so you need a more flexible insulin schedule.
- You need to inject yourself with insulin often.
2. Compare your options
| |
Using an insulin pump
|
Not using an insulin
pump |
| What is usually involved? |
- Instead of giving yourself
insulin shots every day, you insert a catheter every few days.
- You test your blood sugar often, and you carefully count carbs so
that you can program the pump.
- Infusion sites can get infected, so
it's important to know how to place the catheter correctly and to keep the area
clean.
|
- You keep giving
yourself daily insulin shots to control your blood sugar.
|
| What are the benefits? |
- People who use pumps have
fewer big swings in their blood sugar levels.
- People who use pumps
have fewer problems with very low blood sugar.
- For some people,
pumps improve hemoglobin A1c levels.
|
- For some people,
daily shots work well to control blood sugar.
|
| What are the risks and side effects? |
- Using a pump
may not improve blood sugar control in people who are already giving themselves
insulin shots 3 or more times a day.
- People who keep their sugar
levels in a tight range—which a pump helps you to do—may be less able to sense
when their blood sugar is low.
- The pump could stop working without your noticing.
|
- Daily
shots may not control your blood sugar as well as a pump
would.
- People who use daily shots have more problems with very low
blood sugar.
|
Personal stories
Are you interested in what others decided to do? Many people have faced this decision. These
personal stories
may help you decide.
Personal stories about insulin pumps
These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.
"I got my insulin pump 3 years ago. I was pretty nervous about how well I'd be able to program my pump and take care of it. There was so much to learn! But I had a great team of people helping me, including my doctor, my dietitian, and even the manufacturer of my pump. Still, I almost gave up after 3 months. It was always there to remind me that I had diabetes, you know? But my doctor talked me into sticking with it a little longer. Now I would not want to go back. Before the pump, diabetes controlled my life. With the pump, I feel like I am now in control of my diabetes—and my life."
"I was on an insulin pump for more than 2 years, and then I quit. For me, the hassle of constantly taking my blood sugar and figuring out how to program my doses wasn't worth it. Plus, I got a lot of infections at the catheter site. I went back to injections and feel happier with my life now."
"I got my pump as a teenager, and I love it. I'm a police officer now, and having a pump makes it much easier to do my job."
"I have several reasons for not wanting an insulin pump. I'm a pretty private person and I wouldn't want people to notice that I'm wearing a pump. Also, I play football and basketball almost year-round, and it's a big part of my life. I know you can safely disconnect the pump for an hour or so, but my games last longer than that. I just don't like the idea of a pump."
3. What matters most to you?
Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.
Reasons to get an insulin pump
Reasons not to get an insulin pump
I wish I didn't have to give myself insulin shots every day.
I am comfortable giving myself injections.
More important
Equally important
More important
I feel ready to take on the responsibilities involved in using an insulin pump.
Using and caring for an insulin pump seems too complicated for me.
More important
Equally important
More important
I want a more flexible lifestyle than my current insulin shot schedule allows.
My schedule is the same every day, so it's not hard to schedule my shots.
More important
Equally important
More important
My other important reasons:
My other important reasons:
More important
Equally important
More important
4. Where are you leaning now?
Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now.
Getting an insulin pump
NOT getting an insulin pump
Leaning toward
Undecided
Leaning toward
5. What else do you need to make your decision?
Check the facts
1.
How can an insulin pump help me manage diabetes?
You're right. The most important part of managing diabetes is keeping your blood sugar in your target range. A pump may help you do that.
2.
How hard will it be to learn to use an insulin pump?
Correct! Learning how to use and program your insulin pump takes time and effort, but most people find that it's worth it.
3.
How will a pump affect keeping track of my blood sugar?
That's right. People who keep their sugar levels in a tight range may be less able to sense when their blood sugar is low. You will need to check your blood sugar often, at least 3 times a day, when you use an insulin pump.
4.
How will a pump affect counting carbohydrate grams?
Yes, it's true. You'll need to count your carbs every time you eat so you can tell the pump what to do at every meal and sometimes in between.
Decide what's next
1.
Do you understand the options available to you?
2.
Are you clear about which benefits and side effects matter most to you?
3.
Do you have enough support and advice from others to make a choice?
Certainty
1.
How sure do you feel right now about your decision?
Not sure at all
Somewhat sure
Very sure
2.
Check what you need to do before you make this decision.
3.
Use the following space to list questions, concerns, and next steps.
Credits
| By |
Healthwise Staff |
| Primary Medical Reviewer |
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer |
Jennifer Hone, MD - Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism |
Note: The "printer friendly" document will not contain all the information available in the online document some Information (e.g. cross-references to other topics, definitions or medical illustrations) is only available in the online version.
Last Revised:
September 20, 2012
