Pump Therapy Basics
The rewards of pump therapy
You may be amazed at the increase in energy and decrease in mood swings you
experience with insulin pump therapy.
Because your body receives frequent, precise doses of insulin, even at night, you can greatly reduce the danger of overnight hypoglycemia—a common problem with conventional injection therapy. And you can prevent exercise-related hypoglycemia by programming the pump to temporarily decrease insulin delivery during physical activity. With a pump, you can sleep late if you feel like it or go out to dinner with friends on the spur of the moment. A pump puts you in control. You’ll add more choices to your life when you add an insulin pump.
Make your treatment as unique as your life
Get attached to your pump. Some worry about the inconvenience of wearing a pump, but the truth is, you’ll soon forget you’re wearing it. The pump weighs just a few ounces and is small enough to easily slip into a pocket or clip to a bra. At night you can clip it to your pj’s or place it under your pillow. You can simply lay it on the bed during sexual interludes, or even temporarily disconnect it. It doesn’t need to interfere with your lifestyle in any way. In fact, it should enhance your lifestyle by making it easier and safer for you to be active and flexible.
On a typical morning, you will check your blood glucose and give yourself a bolus that coincides with breakfast, or choose not to give yourself a bolus if you skip the meal. You will probably check your blood glucose at least four more times over the course of the day, depending on how many times you eat and if you exercise or engage in many different activities. The pump enables you to adjust your insulin doses as needed, no matter what you do. You can greatly reduce the need to eat just to regain equilibrium. Instead, you can adjust your insulin doses so you can eat as you wish.