Insulin pumps
An insulin pump is a small electronic device that gives your body the regular insulin it needs throughout the day and night. DOT Tayside can help you decide if a pump is right for you, and if so, which kind of pump will be most useful.
Insulin pumps work well when they are used well. A pump will not manage diabetes for you. Using a pump can help to improve overall diabetes management and lower HbA1c. A pump may also reduce the risk of hypoglycaemia and make everyday life easier to manage.
There are two types of insulin pump:
You need to change your cannula every two or three days and make sure you move to a different place every time you change it. This is really important because you can develop lipohypertrophy, which is where your body forms hard lumps that stop insulin working properly. You should also change sites to stop itching and rashes that form if you stick with the same site for too long.
There are two types of insulin pump:
- a tethered pump
- a patch pump
You need to change your cannula every two or three days and make sure you move to a different place every time you change it. This is really important because you can develop lipohypertrophy, which is where your body forms hard lumps that stop insulin working properly. You should also change sites to stop itching and rashes that form if you stick with the same site for too long.
Tethered pumps
A tethered pump is attached to your body by another small tube that connects to your cannula. The pump itself usually has all the controls on it and can be carried on your belt, in a pocket, or in a body band. You can wear it under your clothes if you don’t want it to be on show. Tethered pumps can be different in things like colour, screen size and ability to communicate with a continuous glucose monitor. The tethered pumps that we currently offer are made by Medtronic, Tandem and Ypsomed.
A tethered insulin pump. The insulin reservoir is located in the pump, which is connected to the cannula site by a short plastic tube.
Patch pumps
Patch pumps attach directly on to your body where you’ve chosen to place your cannula. People tend put them on their legs, arms or abdomen. Patch pumps have no extra tubing, which means the pump sits directly on your skin and it works by using a remote. Unlike a tethered pump, patch pumps are disposable. You’ll need to change the whole device when the pump alerts you, not just the infusion set and location. We currently offer one patch pump, which is made by Omnipod.
A patch pump. The insulin reservoir is in the "patch" that is applied directly to the skin.
Deciding to use a pump
Why do you want a pump?
It is important to think about your reasons for choosing to use insulin pump therapy. A pump on its own does not always make diabetes management easier. You will need to check glucose levels at least 6 times a day, carbohydrate count everything you eat or drink, and give an insulin bolus before all meals and snacks and whenever blood glucose levels are above target.
Insulin pumps have recently been developed to provide hybrid closed loop technology. These pumps are linked to a continuous glucose monitor to automatically adjust insulin delivery. It is still early days, but the research would suggest that hybrid closed loop systems improve glucose control as well as quality of life in the user.
Insulin pump therapy means wearing the pump all the time. Depending on the pump type you may be able to disconnect for up to an hour once a day.
Insulin pump therapy means that monitoring for high blood glucose levels and acting quickly is very important to prevent DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis). Insulin pump therapy uses fast acting insulin only so there is no ‘safety net’ of long acting insulin in your body.
Which pump are you interested in?
Information about the different pumps used will be discussed in clinic.
Your pump choice is a choice for the next 4 years. Take time to think about the pros and cons of the different pumps in relation to your lifestyle and individual needs.
What do you need to be doing before starting on a pump?
You will need to be checking your glucose levels between 5 and 7 times a day or using a continuous glucose monitor.
You should be managing high and low glucose levels correctly.
You need to be carbohydrate counting all the food and drink you have and giving your insulin before eating/drinking.
You need to be looking at blood glucose information and adjusting insulin doses or contacting the team for advice about dose changes. This includes adjusting background insulin, carbohydrate ratios and insulin sensitivity factors.
You should be in regular contact with the diabetes team, this means coming to clinic appointments and contacting the team at least once between clinics.
Insulin Pump Pathway
If you have decided that you would definitely want a pump, then register your interest with the DOT Team who will provide you with further information on the process to get started. The link below is aimed at those who have a date for DOT.pump school, but feel free to have a look if you are interested.
It is important to think about your reasons for choosing to use insulin pump therapy. A pump on its own does not always make diabetes management easier. You will need to check glucose levels at least 6 times a day, carbohydrate count everything you eat or drink, and give an insulin bolus before all meals and snacks and whenever blood glucose levels are above target.
Insulin pumps have recently been developed to provide hybrid closed loop technology. These pumps are linked to a continuous glucose monitor to automatically adjust insulin delivery. It is still early days, but the research would suggest that hybrid closed loop systems improve glucose control as well as quality of life in the user.
Insulin pump therapy means wearing the pump all the time. Depending on the pump type you may be able to disconnect for up to an hour once a day.
Insulin pump therapy means that monitoring for high blood glucose levels and acting quickly is very important to prevent DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis). Insulin pump therapy uses fast acting insulin only so there is no ‘safety net’ of long acting insulin in your body.
Which pump are you interested in?
Information about the different pumps used will be discussed in clinic.
Your pump choice is a choice for the next 4 years. Take time to think about the pros and cons of the different pumps in relation to your lifestyle and individual needs.
What do you need to be doing before starting on a pump?
You will need to be checking your glucose levels between 5 and 7 times a day or using a continuous glucose monitor.
You should be managing high and low glucose levels correctly.
You need to be carbohydrate counting all the food and drink you have and giving your insulin before eating/drinking.
You need to be looking at blood glucose information and adjusting insulin doses or contacting the team for advice about dose changes. This includes adjusting background insulin, carbohydrate ratios and insulin sensitivity factors.
You should be in regular contact with the diabetes team, this means coming to clinic appointments and contacting the team at least once between clinics.
Insulin Pump Pathway
If you have decided that you would definitely want a pump, then register your interest with the DOT Team who will provide you with further information on the process to get started. The link below is aimed at those who have a date for DOT.pump school, but feel free to have a look if you are interested.
