If you’re among the millions of people living with diabetes, you’re likely considering using an insulin pump. After all, this device offers several benefits over traditional injectable insulin. But unlike most medical devices, there are a few dos and don’ts associated with pumps that you’ll want to keep in mind before choosing one for yourself.
Table of Contents
Insulin Pumps:
Automatic insulin pumps are small devices that deliver insulin through a tube inserted into the skin. They are used by people with type 1 diabetes and can be used with or without insulin injections. People use an insulin pump to give themselves multiple doses of rapid-acting insulin throughout the day instead of taking a steady amount of long-acting insulin once or twice daily. This helps them better match the amount of sugar in their bloodstream with how much food they eat during meals.
Dos Of Using Insulin Pumps:
- Keep the pump and insulin cool. High temperatures can damage the insulin in your pump, so try to keep it in a cool place as often as possible. If you’re going to be outside for long or in warm weather, take preventive measures like keeping them in an insulated pocket or bag.
- Charge your pump regularly. Always remember to charge your pump before heading out on a trip! If it dies while you’re driving around with nowhere to plug it in, this could cause problems with therapy management and blood sugar control and even lead to hypoglycemia. This is especially important if you’re planning on camping or hiking since there are fewer places where you can’t find a power source outdoors.
- Change reservoir, although changing it isn’t quite as frequent as charging the device itself. But they do need attention, too; otherwise, old insulin may remain active for longer than intended, which could lead over time to underdosing yourself unnecessarily due simply because the reservoir hasn’t been switched out yet from last week’s dose.
Don’ts Of Using Insulin Pumps:
- Don’t use an insulin pump if you are pregnant. The hormones in the pump can cause pregnancy complications. You have a chronic illness like heart disease or high blood pressure. It is unknown whether pumps are safe for people with these conditions.
- Don’t use an insulin pump if you are under 18 years old, especially if puberty has not started yet. It is not known whether pumps are safe for children and teenagers who have not reached puberty yet, because this information has not been collected from anyone using them at these ages so far – there may be risks that we don’t know about yet.
- Don’t let your doctor adjust your insulin pump.
- Don’t use the pump if you have any problems with your heart or circulatory system. If you are pregnant, think about switching to another type of insulin delivery device instead. For example, if you have high blood pressure or a chronic illness like heart disease, talk to your doctor before using an insulin pump.
“Importantly, the system cannot adjust your insulin dosing if the pump is not receiving CGM readings. Because there are situations and emergencies that the system may not be capable of identifying or addressing, always pay attention to your symptoms and treat according to your healthcare provider’s recommendations,” says Tandem Diabetes experts.
Conclusion:
Insulin pumps are an excellent tool for managing diabetes. They can be used by children and adults with type 1 diabetes and offer many benefits over other insulin delivery methods.
Visit for More Best Articles