I'm a diabetes educator and your "bad experiences" are good to know for training my pump patients. I'm sorry your support was not different. I believe your comments will enable the diabetes educators out here to do a better job at anticipating how to get someone on a pump in a less overwhelming way. I'm not diabetic but profess that if I was I would absolutely go on a pump, but one that comes with that great support every pump patient needs.Thank you for your candid video. Denise M
Hi! I am type 1, diagnosed about 7 years ago just before I turned 19, Im currently on lantus and novorapid multiple daily injections. I get very very changeable blood sugars so I've never really felt in control and definitely am considering a switch to the pump, but it's never been suggested by my team, and I feel very scared to bring it up, but I get sooo much anxiety and burnout currently. I also don't know a single other person with type one so finding your channel and instagram has made me feel less isolated (and a bit emotional because actually having some of my struggles recognised by someone else makes me feel less of a failure for having them!) I guess I just wanna say thanks so much for making this happen! You're so brave for doing this and you've really helped me feel less alone :)
Joanna, oh my goodness, thank you so much for firstly, your honesty about your struggles and also for your incredibly kind words!! YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!! I PROMISE! But oh I completely understand that feeling! This disease can be SO isolating! I think that's why the online community is so important for all of us! :) Regarding your thinking of switching to a pump, I would encourage you to bring it up with your doc, if just as a conversation. There's no pressure to switch or do anything you don't want to do! Ultimately, for me, the pump has afforded me so much more flexibility, and therefore I love it, but of course, as you can see from the video there are so many sides to consider. I think if it's something you want to investigate - go for it! You can also decide that it isn't for you! Sending you so much love and strength! You are strong and you can do this and we are all in it together sweet girl!! XOXO
I was diagnosed around age 20. Fought with needles for about 8 years and finally overcame the fears and anxiety of having a "thing" tethered to me and having to change all the habits I had built to (barely) keep myself alive. It turns out the pump is a tool to handle the stress for you. To do the math yourself once every few months instead of every meal and more and the pump does it for you. Like she did in the video, it's a robot assistant. Just like an alarm clock helps wake you up or a phone app keeps track of appointments. Your insulin pump does so much for you and frees up your mind to live a bigger chunk of your life. Go out to dinner with friends? A bolus "shot" with a pump is just as simple as a finger prick. The convenience of ditching a kit of needles is a 1 to 1 trade off (to me) for having it attached. What you get from it that needles just can't do is kick ass A1C numbers and years of healthy active life. As for show vs hide. I'm a proud ally of the disabled community both visible and not. I'm happy to have gone from an almost completely invisible condition to now wearing my diabetes proudly on my hip. That's the position I choose to take on it. I am also totally sympathetic to feelings of shame and isolation. When people ask me about "that thing on your belt" the thing that gives me the courage to chat openly and frankly about it is all the people that feel alone. If I can share and help make it normal for everyone around us then all those subtle cues and misconceptions that add up and reinforce the shame and isolation of others might be lessened. Please do talk to your endocrinologist. You and them are a team. Your job together is your health and we'll being. Every team member has strengths and weaknesses and blindspots. Don't just assume that because they went to medical school that they know 100% everything there is to know in the whole universe and they for sure don't know your personal individual life experience. Ask questions. Doctors love to solve puzzles so if you ask a question they dont know the answer to right off, they'll probably want to find out the answer as much as you do.
Any update, Joanna? Admit I was a little shocked that a twenty something year old woman with variable blood sugars DIDN'T get the Pump Talk from their doctor in 2019... Whether you decide to pump or not, there is SO MUCH info and support available, at least please reach out online or at some expo or local group that can at least put yourself into contacts with other diabetics with tips and tricks and support. Good luck!
Same thing happened to me and I ripped into my Endo about not even mentioning it to me..ill never be MDI but if you are worried about being tethered then get Omnipod.. Ive been on several pump but this one is my favorite because it a pod and no tube..I will however move to Tandem pump because of their great Close Loop system..im lucky that my ins covers all my diabetic needs
The video is at least four years old now, so I can't really say "Welcome to the Club" anymore... oh, what the heck... Welcome to the Club! I got my first pump around 2007 and upgraded to my second pump in, if I recall correctly, 2015. I'm about due for another, which I'll likely do in the next year, or so. Prior to that, I was on multiple daily injections for many years, but at the beginning, I was on a single daily injection. The dosage was around 12 units of Toronto and 60-70 units of NPH. I'm not even sure if they make those flavours anymore! But, that's the way it was when I was diagnosed 50 years ago. Pumps are great, relatively easy to use, and do a fantastic job in making me feel more... "normal". They're not perfect, but nothing really is. Keep on keepin' on!
i always felt like the "how many highs/lows a month did you have?" question is just an exquisite torture to make you feel like the worst diabetic in the world :D
@@elenaaverkiou7579No, the only irresponsible ones are the ones with hyperglycemia 90 percent of the time. Speaking only for myself, I don’t track my sugars like I should. I act like my body will take care of itself when it won’t because I have type 1 lol 😂
I switched to a pump 6 months ago and WTF didn't i get this sooner?! For me, the MDIs were the "reminding me i'm diabetic" artifacts and sticking to the regimen after 3 decades was just plain tough, emotionally. Although I was nervous and excited, the flexibility of the pump is amazing and without some significant change or discovery, i'll never go back. The pump and the CGM give me so much more control over my life, they've given me a feeling of efficacy i don't ever remember having over my BG (diagnosed 1988). It's embarrassing to admit that i also ran to youtube with medical device questions, but we're fortunate there are many folks like you (and Danica who also taught me how to use an infusion set i was unfamiliar with) making these videos, so _thank you_ for reminding me i wasn't the only one who felt unsure about how to use this potentially dangerous thing i'm leashed to.
Ah! I'm so happy for you!! I totally get that whoel "Hey! Wait a minute!? Why didn't I get this sooner??" feeling!! The quality of life is just so vastly improved by these pieces of awesome technology. I'm so happy you're so happy and that it all works so well for you! And HORRAY for RUclips and Diabetic Danica for giving us a lifeline when we need it most!!
Thank you so much for being so candid about the challenges you faced and continue to face as a type 1 diabetic! Nearly five decades of living with this at times heartlessly demanding disease makes it very easy for me to relate to the fears, frustrations, and feelings of other diabetics. Your story concerning the lack of training and assistance you received when switching to pump therapy both made me angry and sad. I was an out of work photojournalist living in California when I was first diagnosed and although that was nearly 50 years ago I can well remember how I felt when the ER doctor said, "You have a blood sugar of nearly 800 and if you don't get on insulin soon you will die." At the time I had no job, almost no money, no health insurance and was in the process of getting evicted from my apartment. Minutes after being told I was a diabetic I walked out of the emergency room with a bottle of NPH insulin, a box of insulin syringes, and the admonition to eat a healthy diet. Back then there was no internet and no RUclips to turn to which makes me all the more appreciative of what you and other kind and caring diabetics are doing to help those suffering from this difficult disease to get on with their lives by learning the skills necessary for managing their diabetes. God bless you and the others like you who are filling the terrible void created by a medical system virtually hamstrung by financial constraints and a profit over all else motivation.
I am newly diagnosed as Type 1 diabetic (last 2 weeks) and it has been a roller coaster of being overwhelmed. I appreciate your video and your honesty not only about the pump but everything you were going through. It is very encouraging to me that I'm not the only one going through this. Thank you for taking the time to make this video...🙂
Oh my heart as a diabetes nurse educator I feel for you on the lack of support you received from your team😢 every country ( I’m Canadian( every DEC is different but our team does pre- pump training then a saline start and then then go on the pump.( 3 appointments) We follow up daily then weekly. You are a rock star figuring that out on your own!! I love your elegance, wisdom & how you articulate your diabetes! I love watching these videos to make me a better educator!!!
My beautiful 9-year-old boy was diagnosed as Type 1 just one week ago after an emergency rush to hospital in Cairo where we live. He was suffering DKA. His vitals are stabilised now, but my own emotions aren't. I would do anything to take it from his body and put it in mine. As I scramble for information, and process the shock, this video really helped me. The content, yes. But more to see someone with the same diagnosis so articulate, so collected and so buoyant. You give me strong hope when I need it.
Ian, I am so so sorry to hear of your son's diagnosis. Although I'm sure no words can help the pain you must be feeling right now, please know that this will get better. You and your son and your whole family will find a new normal, and maybe even some positives can come out of this. Sometimes I think the very fact that I am T1D has shaped me into a more special, resilient person, truly. I have another video on my channel interviewing my parents, talking all about what it's like to parent a Type 1 Diabetic child (they had two, my brother and I) and this might be helpful for you to watch. In the meantime, just please keep taking everything one day at a time. There is a ton of support out there on RUclips, instagram, and various other social media platforms. Reach out and don't suffer in silence. Your mental health is hugely important too! You are strong and will get through this! Sending love, Andrea
Thank you so much Hayley! What an AMAZING friend you are to be curious enough to research and learn about her T1D! You're AWESOME!! And thank you for your kind words!
You are such a wonderful friend in world and I appreciate you for this I'm a diabetic patient too and my friend anvi also ask me question so she can learn what I can eat and that I cannot cheat on my own sugars 🤣🤣🤣🤣 yeah she does care she knows I cannot eat sweets I wish everybody haves a friend like you
Insulin pumps have been a godsend to me. I started on insulin pump therapy back in 2008 and will be on my fifth pump starting next week - a Medtronic 780G. The freedom to go wherever you want, whenever you want, and not have to carry syringes and pens around, nor worry about the terrible results I always had with long acting insulin has been enormously liberating. I can't even begin to tell you or anyone else who might care to listen what a beneficial effect insulin pumps have had on my life.
Thank you so so much for sharing this and I just can’t tell you how much I’m smiling as I read this. Genuinely my heart is so happy for you!!! This is what it’s all about - finding the solutions that work for you and give you that freedom. It truly makes a life 1000000x more full of LIFE! Thank you so much for sharing this, oh and also…I couldn’t agree more!!!
First of all you're lucky to have $5500 for a pump then 5 pumps!! I'm resisting the pump, I'm not having a problems with injections....what's hard about them?? Much less complicated than the pump!! Good luck.
@@lisamcallister6534 I have no problems with injections. It's the fact that you have to take them wherever you go. And, therapeutically speaking, I have never had good luck with long acting insulin and my morning sugar levels were always much higher before I had my pump. And I have to say....your anger at me is ridiculous and misplaced. You act like the only way anyone should take insulin is the way YOU take insulin. That's ridiculous. You do you. Fine. I do me. Also fine. Go bother someone else.
From the bottom of my heart thank you so much for this video. Less than 2 years ago I became an instant diabetic when my pancreas was surgically removed because of renal cancer. I tell people it’s definitely a lot harder to be a diabetic than a cancer patient. Multiple injections and the constant fear of lows much like you were experiencing are exhausting. I am almost 72 and have just received the shipments of my Dexcom G6 and T slim. That’s a lot of scary technology for an oldster! I’ve been watching tons of stuff today waiting to hear back about an appointment with my “educator”. Your authentic expression of your experience gave me such hope. I am also receiving immunotherapy which comes with nausea and decreased appetite. Like you expressed I focus on eating more carbs and my glucose supplements. You gave me hope that emotionally I can get somewhat back to normal after an expected learning curve. I am learning so much from you. I am very grateful!
Oh I am so so so sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis and the struggles you've been facing. My goodness - an instant diabetic diagnosis in and amongst all of that is quite the shock! I honestly cannot even imagine. I can tell you this though - I have the Tslim & Dexcom G6 combo and I think it's by far the most wonderful possible combination out there! So you've got a really winning combination on your hands with that! I hope this brings you some joy and assurance! Of course we're all different - but I really thing this combination is universally excellent and I'm very excited for you to start on it all! And don't you worry - I have faith you're going to get to grips with the tech a ok!! I believe in you and am so grateful to you for your kind words. You are not alone my friend! I'm wishing you all the very very very best and am sending you so much healing and positivity!!!! 🙏🏻💙
At age 64, I was diagnosed with Type 1. I wound up in the ICU with blood sugar at 500! My A1C had always been 6.5. WHAT, HOW COULD THIS BE? I'm in the process of switching over to a pump. Just waiting for insurance to approve. I'm so grateful I found you. Yes, my anxiety is high!
Hi I'm an old dude almost 76 years old male and to me nothing is more important than feeling good. Although you didn't really directly answer the question since you said you would never give it up in 1 million years I'm assuming that it did make you feel better. The one thing that I have learned over the past decades is that many of the doctors are happier with having your blood sugar a little high than ever letting it go low. For me I want to keep it is perfect as I possibly can and your video was very helpful regarding that. Thanks a lot keep up your good work.
Thank You, I'll be starting with a pump shortly, I've using injections for the past 48 years. I have many of the concerns you've discussed in the video. Hearing someone voice them out loud means so much.
As a man more or less born with diabetes, I deeply appreciate this video. I'm 34 now. I will get this pump next week and wanted to know more about it, and your video really gave a good perspective Very detailed. Thank you so much. And good luck with your diabetes! ❤️🙏🏼
I've been a T1 diabetic for a little over 10 years. Just like you, I was battling frequent low blood sugars with daily injections. For whatever reason lantus wasn't absorbing properly for me at the beginning of this year even though I had been using it ever since my diagnosis. Spoke with my Endo and was able to get on an insulin pump with the insurance provided from my work. For the last 3 months that I've been on the pump, my A1C was 5.5 with VERY minimal lows. Happy to see others are having similar successful results with insulin pumps and hoping for the continuous advancements in diabetes technology and maybe one day a cure😊✌️
Oh I’m so happy to hear that it’s been helpful for you too Jon! And I completely agree - I hope (and believe) that the medical technology will continue to advance to make Diabetes management more and more, well- manageable! :-)
@@jaylarutherford2486 What are your numbers before bed time? Do you eat dinner really close to bedtime? Long acting insulin doesn't do a good job of handling dawn phenomenon. Part of your circadian rythm where your liver dumps sugar into your blood to get you ready to wake up and start the day. Trouble is our liver doesn't know our pancreas doesn't work :/
Thank you so much for this video! I'm a 38yo T1D diagnosed at 7 and on MDI. I've been considering a pump and watching a lot of youtube videos but the majority are focused on the physical aspects of wearing a pump. It was so nice to hear your take on the affects on your mental state. Thanks for your honesty. It's given me a lot to think about :)
Oh Mark, thank you so much for your kind words! I know it's a LOT to consider, and I really appreciate your wanting to know about the mental aspects as well! You have to do what's right for you, and no one else. To update you, I'm still on the pump and I love it more than ever. Truly don't know what I would do without it in some ways and it's given me more freedom to actually live my life, so though the tubing and connection to something scared me because I thought I would feel tied down it's actually done the opposite for me in my mind. That's just me though - we're all different! I just wanted to share that with you! Good luck in your search my friend - you will make the right decision for you!
Your take on the emotional part of it all was something that I needed to hear and I totally wasn't expecting to, Thank you. I was looking for views on insulin pumps and I got much more than that by watching your video." Every minute of every hour of every day " put tear's in my eyes, it's real. I'm also type 1. Good luck to you.
Oh thank you so much J. Diabetes can be so overwhelming and exhausting, but it's a fight worth fighting, for sure. Good luck to you too and good luck with all the insulin pump research. I hope you're able to find the insulin delivery device that's right for you!
In all honesty I was exactly how you felt on getting an Insulin Pump, I said no way. I was at a store and saw this little old lady had one and I asked her about it and was sold,lol. I hate needles, so I gave it a chance. Very Happy I Did!!!! 2006 was the year I started and never regretted it !!
So glad to hear you made the switch and never looked back!!! I love my pump and cannot now imagine life without it!! YAY FOR PUMPS - but also just YAY for solutions that make life better :) !!!
I've just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (two days ago) I loved how you talked about how personal it is. Since I was a kid I saw my grandmother battle with her type 1 diabetes, and always been afraid of it. Today I have it. I have to deal with it... I know everything is going to be allrigth, but I am still in shock if I am honest. Nevertheless, I am here looking to learn to live my new life with optimism. Thank you for your videos! :)
Hi!!! Oh thank you so so much for reaching out. I am so sorry to hear of your very recent diagnosis. Wow - how overwhelming this must be at the moment for you. Your shock is completely and utterly understandable. Please do not beat yourself up or judge yourself on this. You are allowed to be overwhelmed, angry, frustrated, sad, anxious, all of it! Please know that you are not alone and there is a huge online community (both here and instagram too) of hugely supportive and like minded T1D's just trying to live their best life and support one another along the way. I totally encourage you to make use of this incredible community. You are not alone - I cannot stress this enough. And you are strong (much stronger than you think) and will get through this, I promise you! Sending you so much love, strength, and positivity! Your Diabuddy, Andrea!
Please don't worry! You will make it alright . It requires a great deal of discipline and patience. I have had it for 35 years now and switching now to the pump. You will be alright.❤
I've been on mdi since i was diagnosed and felt exactly the same way about pumps (being physically attached to something was my biggest reason to reject the idea of a pump) but i'm seriously considering it now and really hope to get the same positive results as you did. Thank you very much for sharing your experience so honestly 🙏🏻
You're so welcome! I'm excited for you to switch!! Well done to you for making that decision and I really hope (I think it will) work out very well for you!! :)
I am 61 and new Type 1, after never having any chronic illnesses. I have not been hospitalized since 1979! All of the sudden I am in full blown DKA with pneumonia and in ICU! That was 6/10/2020. Now it is 7/6/2020. I am waiting to get my pump and get started. I am so thankful to hear your story.
Oh my gosh Toni, I'm so sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis. Wow, that must be so overwhelming!! I'm excited for you to get your pump - I think you'll find it a very positive step in your new journey with T1D. Sending you strength as you get to grips with this new chapter - you've got support right here!!
Hi Andrea, thanks sooooo much for your video - I live in Scotland, and am about to go on a pump for the first time. I've been diabetic for 41 years, all of which time using manual insulin injections. it's quite scary to think of depending on a machine for something so critical, and not all RUclips videos are as comfortingly realistic and reassuring as yours - thank you! I feel way much better now to see it IS possible, and a really positive change to help you feel so much better physically and mentally.
Hi Susan! Thank you so much for watching and for your kind kind words. What you've written truly means a lot to me. It was very important to me that I highlight all aspects of switching: The good, the bad and the ugly! When I first switched to the pump it was difficult to find content covering the not so lovely aspects of being on a pump and how to combat those, so thus my motivation for making the video. Anyway, what I mean to say is that your words mean a great deal to me - so thank you! I hope your experience with the pump has been positive and encouraging and that you're able to enjoy the upsides of it as well as making it through some of the inevitable growing pains of a new piece of kit!
Thanks Andrea. I've been on the pump for 3 months now and what a change. I'm able to control my blood sugars beautifully overnight - something which was impossible on the previous manual regime. There are still a few times I get it completely wrong - mainly when estimating carbs when I'm out (cakes being particularly difficult!!) however the overall impact has been just great. I no longer feel exhausted each morning. Really pleased I decided to be brave and try it - nothing ventured, nothing gained! and your post encouraged me on this trip, so once again many thanks and I hope you continue to get the benefits from the pump too - I'd recommend it now to everyone, with a careful caveat that you only get what you put in - it needs careful management but is well worth the small amount of effort now required.
Literally going thru this TODAY and feeling overwhelmed. I can't figure out just how to move around with this thing and even just remembering it's there. Grateful I found your video
I HEAR YOU!!! I PROMISE it gets better - and just remember, you can go back if you don't like it - you are in charge! But I told myself I'd give myself 3 months to decide, and since then, I've never looked back. But we're all individual. I'm sending you all the very best and hope you're managing okay - please just know what you're feeling is exactly what I was feeling - so at least in my mind it's totally normal!!
I have recently been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. It has caused me lots of stress and I've been sobbing after each "bad" sugar level (for me usually the first measurement in the morning is the worst, rest of the day I can manage ok)... It's so difficult to go to the doctor and feel judged, although I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. You T1D guys are such warriors, I admire you so much. I feel ridiculous being overwhelmed just with constant blood measurements and carb counting. Your youtube channel has opened my eyes to see how people can handle such more than this!
I can relate to your story so much! I was diagnosed with T1D in May of 1995. It was a month after I turned 6, I am now 29. I was on multiple daily injections for years and when I was 14 I went on my first insulin pump and I was on it for 4 years. Pretty much my entire time in high school. I loved it, I loved the freedom I had and not having to wake up early on weekends to do my shot. It was awesome. Unfortunately after 4 years my body started rejecting the infusion set, so I was having to change it pretty much every day. So I decided to go back on multiple daily injections. I did that from age 18-26 and at 26 I started having a lot of issues with my blood sugars being extremely low all the time and I was unable to feel my blood sugars going low like I had been able to do in the past. I would feel perfectly fine and check my blood sugar and it would be 46. It was awful, I was passing out multiple times a day. I was going low in the middle of the night while I was sleeping and thank god for my boyfriend or most likely I would have died. I had lost my endocrinologist because I wasn’t able to be on my moms insurance anymore and I made to much to qualify for Medicaid. So I was dropped as a patient. It was awful, I finished school and started to try getting a job as a teacher, which I was lucky enough to find a teaching job and with that got amazing health insurance again. My primary care doctor then started to try and get me a new endocrinologist. Because I was in a crisis with my blood sugars. Like I said they were constantly low all the time. And one day I was at work and luckily I was in the teachers break room and one of my co workers who is also a T1D was in there with me and my sugar dropped and I blacked out and I got rushed to the ER by ambulance. I had an amazing ER doctor who immediately referred me to a new endocrinologist in my area. I met with him and he immediately ordered me a pump. I went on it and my blood sugars were amazing. They were in the range where he wanted me and I was no longer having severe lows. I was on this pump for almost 3 years and I teach students with autism and the pump I was on was a tubes pump and I had didn’t really care for the tubes. When I was dealing with a student in a behavior they would grab my tubing and I just realized that a tubed pump wasn’t for me. I then found out about a tubeless pump. I had an appointment with my endocrinologist and went back on shots until I go through my training for the omnipod, which is next Thursday. I have been doing shots for almost 2 weeks now and I’m in the same boat my blood sugars are once again low all the time. I can’t wait until next Thursday when I get on the omnipod. I know insulin pumps aren’t for everyone but for me they are amazing and have helped me tremendously. I relate to your story so much because like you my blood sugars are constantly low when I’m on multiple daily injections and as I’m sure you know when you sugar is low you have no energy, you get moody, and it sucks. I’m so glad that the pump worked out for you and I can’t wait to get back on one!
Hi Zachary! Thank you so so much for watching and for sharing your story. I am so sorry you had to go through all of that. Fighting constant low blood sugar is just so so so exhausting! I'm THRILLED to hear that the pump has been so effective for you in combating this though - and I'm excited for you to get your omnipod!!! I actually know of another person who went on the omnipod because she works as a therapist for adults with learning disabilities, autism, etc, and the omnipod has allowed her to be on a pump without it being ripped out. Her name is @cyborg.queen (she's fabulous and so lovely) on insta and you should go follow her I think - since you two sound like you have very similar lines of work and she is on the omnipod too for very similar reasons it sounds like! I really am excited for you to start the omni, and until then wish you success in controlling your sugars via the pens!!
How is the Omnipod working for you? this pump is working well for myself BUT I may have to look into a tubeless pump as well in my field of work I work in an Emergency Room attached to a Behavioral Health facility so at times I'm nervous about walking near the patients that maybe just courageous of what I have hanging onto me it maybe my mind playing tricks on me ☺ so 1st off I've been T1D since 1984 and I've come along way with the low ISSUES thank God I've always been brought back to work in an Emergency Room ALWAYS was helpful so I've only been on the Pump now for 3weeks but it's really good to know the real deal from somebody of real knowledge of how it's working for them. God Be With US 24/7. ☝👍💕💃
I am 26 years old, and I have my pump training tomorrow. It is almost 1am and I am here in bed, freaking out watching RUclips videos, and then came this one! I truly thank you from the bottom of my heart, cause even though this was recorded who-knows when, it feels so relatable and it managed to soothe my anxiety!! I send you all the love a stranger could possibly send a stranger
Oh my goodness - you have no idea how much this comment means to me. Truly I have chills reading it. You words are just such a gift to me. I hope your pump training went well and that you're doing well within your first few days - I know for me that whole time was quite overwhelming so please don't worry if it is for you too - you are not alone!!! Thank you so so much and sending YOU all the love a stranger could possible send a stranger!!!! XOXO
Thank you Andrea, I have been insulin dependent and diagnosed at the age of 32 and I am 69 yrs young now. I have moved to a rural area and the team up here is not trained so my diabetic team is 3 hrs away in the city: It was nice to hear your honesty about switching and also hear about the frustration of trying to maintain a blood sugar level with multiple shots within the pen daily. As you were talking I checked and was going down so again stuffed carbs in my mouth. I am tired of the lows at night and waking up to the screeching beeps on my cell phone. I am also tired of so many injections every day. However my anxiety in changing over is huge and it seems so complex I don’t know if I have it in me to learn all about basal and Bolus. I feel confused. So thank you for voicing my thoughts and feelings and also helping with me getting closer to being able to pump it up !
Thank you so much. You've say the correct words. I'm 40 and I am diabetic tipe 1 since 10. I switch for the pump since 2 month now. It's been hard ! I cried because it's like seen my diabetes all day. But my blood sugars are soooo good that is worth it! I'm not waking up at night feeling like dying with low sugars. Excuse my English I'm from Puerto Rico. Again, I'm grateful to have find this video.
Thank you so much for your kind words Denisse! I'm so glad to hear you're having such success with the pump - but I totally understand that feeling on having your diabetes be constantly 'seen'! Thank you for watching and for sharing your experience with the community here!
This is the 2nd video I've watched by you and I must say, you do a wonderful job of making a viewable video. The transitions are both technically and compositionally smooth and your information is well organized. I am a retired School Library/Media Specialist so I have taught a lot of video production and I would have to say you're a natural. As a diabetic, however, I would have to say, you probably should be rewarded for the quality of your information. After 30+ years as a diabetic, you hit on all the topics in both videos that I wanted/needed explained. Thank you very much for your labor. I do understand it is a lot of work to post a presentable video. Your information was insightful and the information on the CGM device helped me a lot. I think I could now learn how to use an insulin pump, I don't think my doctor has the courage to learn how to support me in that process. He also thinks that all CGM devices are inaccurate to the Nth degree. It's hard for doctors, they are often too overwhelmed to learn. I wish you the best and I did subscribe.
Hi Tom! Oh my goodness thank you so so much for your kind and generous words - and for subscribing! Really your kind words mean a lot to me. As for the pump - you could TOTALLY learn to use it! If your doctor is questioning this, or doesn't seem to have the time or confidence himself to learn the system I would really encourage you to perhaps look for another doctor as this is pretty unacceptable! This is just my opinion though, and I know things are exactly straightforward in terms of switching doctors, etc. As for the CGM, I understand the questioning of accuracy, however, the Dexcom G6 system actually has such accuracy qualifications that it is considered more accurate than a finger prick! So I can tell you that at least that system is absolutely accurate and not to be dismissed! Anyway, I hope this little bit of information encourages you and helps in a small way! Thank you again for watching and wishing you a wonderful day!!
I've been a diabetic for 8 years now.. I keep getting lows too. My physician recommended a pump multiple times but the idea of something being attached to me is REALLY pushing me off. I'm tired of the frequent lows so currently considering a pump. Thank you for your video, it was informative ❤
I can totally and COMPLETELY relate to you on this - I was in a very similar boat. Honestly - you need to do what works best for you - in your own time! Don't let anyone rush you or force you into a decision - your body, your choice! 💙💙💙
Oh my goodness - I’m so glad you feel this way!! Please know you are not alone!!! It may be overwhelming, but I promise you’ve got this!!! Right there with you and thinking about you my sweet friend!!!!! ♥️
Hi you've taken the words right out of my mouth! I'm T1 since I was 14 I'm 38 now and it has been a rough road but I'm still alive not very healthy because of being a women with 3 children and hormones play a big role with a diabetic woman. I'm now ready for the pump! My endos have offered over the years but I turned it down because of the look of it on my teenage body was a No and now that I'm older I'm ok with it. Wish me luck and I will let you know how it goes! The future has arrived for so many things for diabetes!! Blessings to ya!
Many Thanks!!! I have been debating going on the pump for a few years. My recent A1C of 8.3 scared me and made me realize I need help. It is incredibly challenging to get through to doctors today. They are more busy than ever and our healthcare system is so inefficient. Thank you for adding to the community of people managing Type 1 Diabetes- We all need this support more than ever:>)
OH wow - thank you so so so much for your kind words. I agree with every single thing you’ve said about the healthcare system and finding it hard to get through to doctors…couldn’t have said it better myself. Mine is only one opinion of course, but I think we all can use all the support we can get and it’s the people that live with the condition that can in some ways give that support the most fully, since we live with it 24/7/365 🥹
Diabetic Danica saved me too when I was first connected! 😂 id only been diagnosed for about 3 months when I got my first pump. It was rushed as I’m allergic to long acting insulin so we were running out of options. I’ve now switched to the tslim but I love pumping so much. I’m binge watching your videos xxoo
Ah! Thank you so much for being here and binging the videos!!! LOVE IT! I’m so glad you love your pump so much too and that it works so well for you - that is FABULOUS!! And YAY for Diabetic Danica saving us!!! ☺️💖xoxo
As a total novice, I bow to you for the information that you pass on. Because I am still navigating the diabetes 1 side of the land. Even though medically I am not at the stage for needing a pump or anything at this stage, I am really grateful for your advice. I am only taking 'Januvia' at the moment and pricking my finger at this stage, so thankfully, "knock on wood" (knocks on own head and bedside table and draws). I was told by the 'endo', I would eventually need insulin, but he wasn't specific. Actually, when he told me my diagnosis, he was very vague. He said, "You have a very gentle type 1" but it's categorised as a 'Type 1', I was thinking, "WHAT?! That doesn't say anything." But I soon found out, that I have LADA, I have an appointment at a community hospital with the diabetes team in September, but my other hospital appointment was cancelled and so...I have to wait for another appointment because there are doctors' strikes going on in the UK at the moment...so.....fun...I ramble, I will update, when I can and the videos are really helpful, as a newbie diabetic type 1...they really help so much. Thank you, :)
Oh my gosh - I'm so sorry to hear this! You've certainly been through a lot already! I know those diagnoses with LADA involved can be very very hard to navigate and with a doctor's strike on top of all of that...my goodness gracious...! I'm wishing you all the best as you navigate each step and if I can help at all through these videos - if just to remind you that you are not alone in your frustration or anything - it's my pleasure!!
@@ShesDiabetic Thank you, when I said what my GP said to me at the time, which was again, two years ago. I have something called ‘Cowden’s syndrome’ which is a human genetic disorder. The endo who I saw at my appointment, I told him how the GP said that it could b a little related to that. Yeah, to be honest, your videos have helped me to navigate the diabetes world. In order to explain to my mum who is of a certain age. Unfortunately apart from another family member who had T2, i am navigating and understanding this very lone ranger style. But, because of another family member having that T2 diagnosis, my dad also had problems with one of his kidneys and I am hopefully trying to get that investigated, as my mum and I think it might have had a form of diabetes, but not known about it. We shall see, once again, Thank you. 😊
I’m currently on multiple injections and I can totally relate to when you said training was only two hours and it was so fast. That’s what I’m having difficulty with at the moment. Currently, I am on my own, reading the manual it came with, and although I was taught by a home nurse on how to start up the pump, I was left alone on bolusing and checking my blood sugar constantly. I am afraid of messing up my blood sugar, of going too high or too low, and of relying on something that i don’t know how to use. This pump comes with a continuous glucose monitor, and I have not been trained on how to use that yet, until one more week. I personally feel that I was good with my previous CGM, the freestyle libre, because it alerted me when I was starting to go low and when I was starting to go high, so I had that help and I’d know when to fix my sugar before it happened. But then they took me off that CGM in favor of the pump and the CGM that goes with it. It’s a different brand and while I’m still learning about the pump, I have to wait on the CGM now. My blood sugars are back on highs and lows again. On top of trying to learn the pump. I am scared and anxious all the time.
I feel you - and truly I hear every single word you're saying. Give it time, truly, and have patience (I know - so so so much easier said than done!!) I just found that everything got turned upside down when I started on the pump but then things settled down and really became very well controlled after a while. The transition is hard. Please don't get discouraged - I'm right there with you and you are not alone!!! 🙏🏻
I've been using a insulin pump for the last 6 years and I'm so glad I do because I had very high doses of insulin and had insulin lumps on my legs and arms. Setting new pumps up is very confusing and takes time to get used to.
You are SO right - it is a LOT to cope with! That's why I wanted to make the video! Because it's a lot initially but I think ultimately it's so worth it! I'm so glad to hear you're still loving yours!!
Thank you so much for making this video. I've had T1 Diabetes for 19 and a half years and have just started the process of getting an insulin pump. I'm just waiting for all the paperwork to go through and the training day before getting it. I have always been against the pump as well as I've never liked the idea of being attached to something. I am feeling really anxious about it all because all I've ever known is my injections, but I've decided that it's more important to have stability with my levels than to feel ashamed or embarrassed of having to wear a device that reminds me of my diabetes. This video has really helped me feel more relaxed, seeing both your positive and negative experiences. Thank you! 😊
Wow - thank you so much for your kind, amazing words, I really appreciate them and hold them dear to my heart! This was the entire point of this video and your words truly mean so much to me, I'm so happy this helped you and am so grateful to you for expressing this to me!
I have been a type 1 diabetic since 1965. I received my first pump in 1982. It was a time when home blood glucose testing was relatively new. The pump was about three or four times the size of current pumps. I couldn't button my suit coats when I had it on my belt. I've lived through straight needle infusion sets (very painful), bent needle infusion sets (slightly less painful) and sofsets (not at all painful). The main reason I began pump therapy 37 years ago is that the pump could be programmed to give me a bolus in the middle of the night. That eliminated my high blood sugars on waking in the morning. I worked in TV news, and over the years my pumps have been to earthquakes, forest fires, floods, and war zones. They've traveled with me to -- among other places -- Bosnia, Cuba, Uganda, and Chile. I became legally blind about the time I received my first pump. I've had three mild heart attacks. But I am still around and still active. And I believe the primary reason is the way the pump helped me get control of my blood glucose nearly four decades ago.
Hi Craig!! Thank you so SO much for sharing your fascinating story and experience of being on the pump. Wow - those straight needle infusion sets must have been painful indeed, I can only imagine! I’m so glad to hear that your pump has given you such a quality of life and added years to your life and life to your years it sounds like. How amazing that your pump has travelled with you to so many destinations and been subject to such wild weather experiences! Incredible! It sounds like you’ve lived and continue to live a fascinating life - all whilst living with T1D too. This is inspiring to read. Thank you for sharing! I wish you a wonderful, happy, healthy, day and continued quality of life with the pump and in general!!! 🙌🏻☺️
Was just looking for videos about an insulin pump, to do research, before finally deciding to get a pump after 23 years of MDI. Came across this video, saying pretty much exactly what is on my mind. I have been so resistant to the idea of a pump because of the thought of having something tethered to me all the time. But lately I have gotten to the point of being in a fight with my BG levels after exercise, and random highs and lows, (and a usless endo whose response is "well, I dont know how to help you if you arent on a pump"), and avoiding eating as much as possible because of the rolling of dice not knowing if I am going to go high, or go low, or have one of those miracle days where it actually stays in range. So thank you for this video.
You are so so welcome, thank you for taking the time to tell me how helpful it was, and what you're going through at the moment. Those days/weeks/months, even years of chaotic blood sugars are so so exhausting, and I'm sorry you're dealing with that. I can't only speak for myself, personally, but I can really relate to what you've written, and a pump has greatly helped me to gain better control. No matter what you do, I'm sending you strength to get through these days and to make the right decision for you! 💙
This is incredible how I felt so many of the same things. I am still feeling overwhelmed with it and balancing my life, but this is comforting to hear that someone went through the same. I think we often forget that we are not alone in this crazy world. At least, that's where my journey is right now.
Thank you sooooo much for sharing your story. I, too, struggled with the switch to an insulin pump almost a year ago. I didn’t really see anyone talking about the difficult areas of switching over, only the exciting parts. I also hate having something attached to me constantly (I struggle almost daily of where to put it), but still I wouldn’t give it up for everything. My A1C has dropped so much, and I just feel so much better on the pump! Also, I felt like the training before I went to the hospital to put the pump on for the first time was verging on excessive (literally took a week) - so interesting to hear the differences between our countries.
Hi! Oh my goodness - reading your comment has totally made me feel like I'm not alone!! I completely know what you mean in terms of just a lot of 'exciting' content over people switching to the pump, but not really much negative or 'challenges of' type content. And oh - I struggle on a daily basis as well - of where to put it and how to style it into my look so I feel confident with it! But yep - like you I just love it, and at this point I wouldn't trade it for the world, but I would trade it for a smaller, slimmer system - that's for sure! Hopefully tech will continue to evolve and we'll have something smaller that can deliver the insulin and results we need and love without the bulk or even tubing perhaps. I'm so glad to hear you've had such fantastic results and I hope this has continued and continues! Wishing you all the best and thank you thank you thank you for making ME feel less alone with your story! :-)
Just watched this video. Andrea, thank you for your honesty and insight. This was a big help as I’m getting trained next week for my insulin pump after living for 20 years with diabetes and mdi’s. I know there’s a steep learning curve ahead of me, but like you, there’s hope that it will all be worth it.
I've been on a pump for a couple of years before 2011 when war started in Syria. I was paying for my pump because we don't have insurances. After war started everything became 10x priced, then even the accessories weren't be able to get into Syria. So from 2011 till now I have my little 712 Medtronic pump in it's box stored in my closet. Everytime I see the box I miss it so badly and miss myself wearing it. The period that I was on the pump was truly the heaven, now I feel myself stuck in the hell of multiple daily injections and highs and lows. All I wanted from all of you is to feel the grace of having a pump and insurance. God bless.
Hi Abdurrahman, thank you so much for watching and for sharing your story. I’m so sorry you’re having to go without your pump, this well and truly sucks and I’m just so sorry you’re having to go through that. I am reminded by your story to be so so grateful for what I have. Also, I hope you will be able to make use of your pump in the future, very very soon in the future. Wishing you all the best, and God Bless you ❣️
@@ShesDiabetic thank you so much for your wishes. I reread my comment and felt sorry for myself lol. It's really hard to get used to something then to loose it. But, I don't want anybody to feel bad while reading my comment, make sure that I'm fine and now I'm on Dr. Bernstein's low carb diet and it's working very well, thanks God. Till the future come, I'll stick to it and keep fighting ☺️
I'm considering switching to pump, my sugars are unstable most of the times and that 24/7 overthinking, whether I'm going to go low or high, if my sugar won't spike after that meal,sometimes I starve so much just to get my sugars down, the consequences I will have to face if I won't keep my sugars in range, the mental health..I cannot manage my diabetes as well as I would love to, even though I'm trying my best.. the only problem with switching to pump for me is, as you mentioned, having something attached on me 24/7. I've been using insulin pens for 6y, haven't had sensor so far, it's all so unknown to me, so thank you so much for posting this video!
I'm so sorry to hear that you've been battling these ups and downs Petra - this is completely exhausting and I can imagine how fed up and frustrated you are. I can only say that I was in a very very similar boat before switching to the pump, and of course I still have ups and downs, but these have levelled out significantly. Going on the pump is the best decision I've ever made, and even though I dislike having something attached to me, this annoyance pales in comparison to the benefits I've seen (both physical and mental) from using the pump. Just my opinion though - you have to find what works best for you. I'm sending you strength and patience with your blood sugars and with your consideration of this decision. Sending love diabuddy XOXO
A terrific piece about your TD1. I guess all of us have our stories and they’re all very personal but similar. I was diagnosed when I was 40 yrs. old, 40 yrs. ago-TD1. I did multiple shots for 11:20 several years, then got my first pump. Now, I just received my new system from the pump company I’ve been dealing with forever. A new sensor system coordinates with my pump and working marvously to keep my bg reading around 90-130….all the time!! It’s almost unbelievable! The company gave me a class, in person, to learn about the new things that my pump would do, and how to use the pump and sensor effectively. They updated the software in my pump perfectly. So far, I am absolutely delighted with the new system! I will be 80 yrs. old soon but I love my pump and sensor!! I have a few “highs” but no “lows” since they warn me of coming lows and/or highs and give me a corrective bolus or stop my basal for a while. It’s amazing! I’m glad you got used to “pumping” , good luck with your TD1 life!
I just found you and I am feeling everything you mentioned. I am in the process of "switching to a pump" but I am still trying to decide "which pump" is for me. I want to thank you for being honest in your journey. It's hard and scary and overwhelming. Will keep watching and maybe there's more to help me make the decision easier. thanks again Ali
My wife is looking to have an insulin pump after 35 years of daily injections. Your video has reassured her that she is not the only one to feel that anxiety about what is a massive change in lifestyle, going from having total ans sole control yourself to a state whereby you are trusting a great deal of that control a machine would be daunting to anybody. Really helpful.
I hear you! I really drug my feet about it and actually I wish I had done it sooner. But hindsight is 20/20 so I suppose you just have to look at the road ahead of you! But I hear you completely and thank you so so much for your kind words! 💙🥰
Thank you so much! Firstly, well done for being a T1D Warrior for 46 years!!! That’s AMAZING!!! Ok...so my Dad went on the pump at age 60 after approximately the same amount of time of being T1D...!!! I know it’s no fun but it can be done! And the fun part for me has been...WAY less lows!! I hope you find what works best for you and I wish you all the best in your quest to figure all this out! :)
My daughter is on the list for a pump. We're in Scotland so it's the NHS. We have a choice of 3 different pumps. (We will have the pump prescribed for a 4 year period). We are torn between the tslim & the omnipod. The reason for the wait is limited places on the training programme. The diabetes team usually support a few families with their kids in the same group. COVID is slowing everything down. Training is the full day on a Thursday & Friday. We will get to try the pump at the weekend & have a follow up session on the Monday. Having done a bit of research & watched your videos I'm so glad we will be to attend the group training. I think meeting the other parents & kids will be helpful too. It feels like such a big step! Trusting my child's health to technology......... however I'm hoping it will give her better control & freedom. Thanks yet again for sharing such an honest video
Oh wow! How exciting!! I think this all sounds so positive and wonderful - not only to get a training, but to also meet other parents, I think this is invaluable! How fantastic! I'm right there with you on the split between the Omnipod and Tslim, I ultimately went for the tslim becuase the algorithm of Basal iQ when used with the Dexcom G6 is second to non (in my opinion). But we're all individual and everyone's needs are different so I just wish you and your daughter all the very best luck in finding the best system for you!! This is the absolute most important thing. Thank you for sharing this with us all here and I'm so glad to hear you're going to have proper training - this is just so wonderful to hear!!! 💙
Wow! I really appreciate your totally awesome honest video. I have been a diabetic for 48 years and I'm finally making a big step getting a tandem t-slim pump that ties in with my dexcom G6 and hopefully all goes well, I can really relate to all that you mentioned about worrying, I am going through training this morning so the past few days my mind has been scrambling about the pros and cons of this machine. I have been doing this the old fashioned way for 48 years and now to make a change in my life is very worrisome but wish me luck and again thank you for your honest video. You take care of yourself.
I totally understand your concerns Glenn - this is certainly a big change for you, I am sure! I can only imagine really! I just hope the switch has gone/is going/will go well for you!! Honestly, I say it all in the video - overall, my switch to a pump has changed my life and it’s easily the best decision I’ve ever made for my Type 1 Diabetic health, and health in general. Wishing you joy!!!
Hi Andrea,I’m a diabetic 32 years now and 2 weeks ago I was put on the insulin pump I’m finding it great I definitely will not be returning to multiple insulin shots ,I get calls every couple of days from the hospital to find out how I’m getting on which is great also next Tuesday I’m going back up to the hospital for an appointment I definitely think that this was my best decision ,please keep up the good work Your channel is great👍👍👍
Oh congratulations on switching to the pump Keith!!! Not an easy switch, but definitely an easy decision to stick to once you see the magic of the pump (in my opinion!). I'm so happy you're finding it working so well for you and that your hospital is conscientious about checking up on your progress - this is wonderful!! Enjoy it!! And may you move from strength to strength!! :-)
I've been a T1 diabetic for about 55 years and on MDI since diagnosis and I recently considered switching to an insulin pump for the multiple basil settings and extended bolus that most pumps offer. But, after thinking about all the complexities associated with a pump I think I will likely pass on it. I really don't want to deal with all the extra supplies and the likely possibility that the pump or related items will fail on me at the worst time is a major turnoff. So for now I'm going to keep it simple and stick with MDI in spite of the drawbacks. Just dealing with the Dexcom G6 is enough for me to deal with right now. Good luck with the pump and thanks for the video. I will look forward to the follow up video where you relate what you did when the pump fails and you don't have a spare pump and you end up DKA.
I’m considering this. I’m type 2 and have a horrible time managing despite being diabetic for 15 years. I found your video very interesting and informative.
I took a whole YEAR break from my pump, just to start recovering from Diabulimia. I just got back on my pump last week and boy oh boy, I forgot how awesome it is (except as night when it gets tangled all up) Thanks for the video, its nice to see other peoples perspectives on stuff!
Well done to you for battling the long road to recovery from Diabulimia. That is so seriously inspiring. Not easy. Clearly you are a STRONG woman!! BRAVO! 👏🏻 And wowza - a year break! Interesting! I totally know what you mean about the feeling when you’ve been reunited (oh, and the tangled up tubing...😒)...this technology is so darn amazing - sometimes I forget too! But also - a break can be awesome too! I’m glad you found what works for you, that is top notch!! ♥️
Hi. I’m type 2 diabetic. I’m trying to get my Endo to sign off on a glucose pump for me, because my sugars be up/down. I’m tired of doing the insulin injections. I’ve been a diabetic for 8 years or more. I enjoy your videos. They help me. Please don’t stop making them😊❤.
I was diagnosed Type 1 roughly 23 years ago, I am 54 now. Started off taking 5 needles a day, then the insulin pen, then the pump. I will be soon going on my 4th pump and for those who have never been on a pump I say, if it is affordable for those of you in the USA or elsewhere, or you have insurance then just do it. It will extend your life, have way less ups and downs and only insert a needle in every 3 days instead of the 15 needles I used to have to take every 3 days. You have to do a little carb counting, but hey you would have done that on needles, right? For my new pump I chose the Tandem X2 slim and the Dexcom G5 sensor (G6 available in the USA) an unbeatable pair.
Hi Randy! Thank you so so much for commenting and for sharing your story! It really makes me so enthused and happy to read of the excellent results you're achieving on the pump. I do think it can indeed extend your life - absolutely and utterly. My Dad is now on the Tandem X2 slim and Dexcom G5 and I think it's a match made in heaven! I'm a huge lover of the Dexcom G6 (which I use with my Medtronic 640g) and truly I can't tell you what a difference both have made to my life. Thank you once again for sharing!!! Wishing you a wonderful, happy and healthy day! :-)
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and initial feelings about using the insulin pump. When I was first diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic (blood sugar was 898). My Dr. gave me a choice of vials or pens, i chose the pens. Had a few minutes of training with the pen. Went to the pharmacy to pick up the prescription and they gave me the wrong tips and I couldn't get them to fit. So I got very emotional (hysterical), and started sobbing I'm going to die because they gave me the wrong things. Then I got a hold of myself and called the pharmacy and they told me to come back in and they would correct the issue. Now I'm being told I will probably need to switch to an insulin pump, so I'm kind of back in the same place you are talking about. Thank you again for sharing your feelings.
Hi Sewcute! Thank you so much for watching and for what you've written. I completely understand where you're coming from in terms of the overwhelm of emotion! To be given the wrong needles - gosh I can't even imagine! I am a huge believer that this is completely normal and OK! This is our lives we're talking about here! In no other condition (can I think of) do you make several life or death decisions daily. I'm so sorry you're struggling with your levels, but I can assure you switching to an insulin pump is a) not a one way street, and b) has the potential to have a huge positive impact on your BG levels. I wish you strength in making this decision! You can do this!!! And thank YOU for being so open and sharing your feelings as well. :)
Just got my first insulin pump after having diabetes for 25 years. After looking over books on it, I am overwhelmed! Thank God for You Tube and the videos! Still scared but ready to try.
Oh I'm so excited for you - but I also understand the fear! Hopefully by now you've been able to get to grips with it and are loving life with your new pump!!
@@ShesDiabetic Yes! I have adapted very quickly! Saves me so many needle sticks a day. It has become very natural and easy to operate. Thank you for your nice comment.
You are so well spoken! Thank you for this honest review. I’m considering an insulin pump as well and the topics you address are my worries and fears, so thank you for sharing your journey!
You are so so welcome - it truly is my absolute pleasure! Thank you for your kind words and good luck on your journey to discovering more about the pump! 💙
I started the Medtronic pump two weeks ago and went back to multiple injections. After 1 week It was dejavu of my last experience with a pump. Immediate high blood sugars, and feeling less in control. 2 hours of training and off to work. I felt very alone and very anxious about what to do if this or that happens and the what ifs… I hated the thing hanging on me. Sleeping, dressing, going to the bathroom, working as an electrician, etc! I realized later that the Omni pod may be a better fit since the way it is put on your body without a line to the cannula. I’m hopeful to maybe get a chance with that type of pump soon. I hope you are well since this video was 5 years ago! Subscribed! Thanks 🙏🏻
I can so relate to so much of what you've written here! I actually just started the Omnipod 5 and am on a new journey with that pump now. All these systems have their ups and downs to be honest, but I must say I am enjoying the tubeless aspect for sure. Thank you so much for subscribing and welcome to the family!!!
@@ShesDiabetic Thank you so much for your videos, I listen to them on my way home from work now everyday! It makes feel good to hear from someone else like me. I’ve went most of my life with very little support from friends an relatives since none of them really understand some of the things we deal with. She’s diabetic, and now my friend! 👍
I am making this change in two days. More than just a little anxious. Your words in this vid offer guidance on what to expect to have to deal with. That helps tremendously, thank you.
I'm thinking about you and wishing you all the very very best. I'm so glad you found the video helpful too - this brings me joy. I wish you a smooth transition and wonderful start on your pump journey - I'm excited for you my friend!
Lucy, this couldn't mean more to me. I know I'm not a doctor, and I never ever want to tell anyone what to think or do or how to treat their diabetes, I just always want to be as honest and open as possible and help people know that they are not alone. You have no idea what your comment means to me, and also, how this lifts me emotionally, so please know you give me as much as you say that I give you! You are wonderfully generous to share these kind words with me...from the bottom of my heart...THANK YOU 💙
You are so very welcome! I wish you all the very best and good luck in doing your research and looking at making the switch! It’s such a personal decision- but for me, it’s the best decision I’ve ever made for my diabetes health (and thus my health in general) 💙
Success! I started my pump a week ago and I LOVE IT. I did not expect the ease and the control it brings to management. Cannot wait to see an improved a1c in August. No more pens!!
My 11 year was recently diagnosed with Type 1, she is not ready to entertain a pump, we plan on getting her to take a sensor first. This and being Celiac has been very overwhelming. When she is ready to think about a pump I will show her this video. Thanks
Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry to hear of your daughter’s recent diagnosis. I can only imagine what a stressful time this must be for her and all of you. I would say just take it one step at a time, if she’s ready to do a sensor first, go for that, and take it from there. You could always send her my channel and let her watch it in her own time. Sometimes we just gotta take these things at our own pace. I’m sending you and your daughter so much strength and joy moving forward. ♥️💓♥️
Goodness, Andrea. Low BG is ruining my life and I am also on Lantus/ NovoRapid. Following in your footsteps. In my country, only two provinces will even cover CGMs through insurance. The part of our T1D community that publishes resources to help the rest of us along is so woefully small. This is a huge service you are doing for us.
I’ve been struggling with my BS since I had my daughter 5 years ago. Never wanted a pump, don’t want wires hanging out. But I’m getting so fed up with feeling so Ill and down about it that I’m now going through pump therapy. It’s been delayed because of the pandemic but I actually can’t wait now. I’m hoping it will give me my life back. Give me energy both mentally and physically. I don’t want to feel sad anymore. This video came across as honest and that’s what I wanted to hear. Fingers crossed the pump will work for me. I’m so fed up with my entire brain being focused on my BS. I want to forget about it and take my daughter to the park and play.
Oh Ellanor, I'm so sorry to read of these frustrations - and boy DO I GET IT!! I'm not a Mom myself, but to hear that it's robbing you of time with your beautiful little girl is absolutely maddening and I'm so sorry for this. I'm also sorry to hear that the start to your pump is being delayed due to covid. Very annoying and frustrating indeed - especially when you've delayed making that jump and when you've made it I'm sure you just want to get started. I pray the pump will give you your life back, or at least give you the brain space to think about something other than your t1d. I have hopes that it will, given my own experience. Thinking about you my fellow diabuddy and sending you strength and luck in your journey....good days await you 😘💙🙏🏻
I cried watching this....It has been very emotional for me too exactly as she described. Ive just switched from multiple injections a day to an insulin pump about 8 days ago. And ive been diabetic for 15 years you can imagine. Today was my third try at the infusion set and reservoir thing and Ive to admit my bent cannula today was met with gushing tear... its almost like being diagnosed all over again even thou im already loving my pump and how i dont have to remember my morning and night levemeir shots its doing d background work for me....Also im also using a lot less insulin going on it with fewer lows too...so thats a big plus.
Oh wow, thank you so much for your kind words! 💙 I'm so glad you found this video in your time of adjusting to your new pump. It is so so overwhelming to deal with all of it - please know you are not alone! And the bent cannula - I can totally relate to your saying it was like being diagnosed all over again. My heart is thinking of you and I'm so glad you're already seeing the benefits! This is wonderful to hear!! Thank you for sharing and thank you for watching!! You got this!! 💙
Your feelings and thoughts before getting a pump are pretty much the same as I experience. But since a few months I‘m thinking about getting a dexcom (a pump still isn’t really a thing for me) but I’m afraid to see my levels changing all the time and I think it’s somehow about getting help to deal with diabetes. I‘m a person that finds it hard dealing with changes so I think I would get a major throwback to when I was diagnosed
I hear you on not liking change - totally and utterly hear you! I think we a diabetics have to deal with so much change and adjustment day to day that throwing anything else on top of that can just take it way over the top! :( I do have to say though, both the pump and the dexcom have been extremely helpful to me, to give me more of a sense of freedom and flexibility. So that way I'm changing my routine to make it fit me, rather than the other way around. But I hear you - everyone has to do things in their own time and when it's right for them - so you do you and do what makes the most sense! :) I hope regardless you have a most wonderful day and find what works best for you! XOX
I love your honesty. My doctors feel that a pump may help me. As I watch these video I find a problem that makes my decision harder. I have a control problem. I don't like to be told what to do. I don't want someone else running my life.
I totally understand you George, totally. To be honest with you, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I have significantly more personal control with my pump, though at the time of making this video I was still growing into that realisation. The best choice is the one that YOU feel is right and you're most comfortable with. Diabetes is a personal disease and you should do whatever you personally want to do in order to best manage it - that's my feeling! Thank you for being so honest in sharing, I (and I'm sure so many others can certainly relate!!)
Very good presentation. I am type 1 30 years. Always avoided the pump, This girl has a future in the media....good looking ,articulate and intelligent. It would have been good to see how the pump works and also get a comparison of the A1c numbers before the pump and after the pump.
Thanks for sharing your migration story with us. I too moved from a multi shot per day regimen to an insulin pump. I resisted my endocrinologist for a bunch of years and reasons. The biggest obstacle for me was fear of the unknown. Even though existing on a 5 shot per day routine was h-e- double tooth picks, I knew what to expect and feared the unknown more than the roller coaster rides of multi insulin peaks. Thank God my doctor and wife made me move to the pump. Pretty sure I would not be alive today had I stayed on shots. I go out of my way to tell diabetics on the shot regimen that the pump is better but I have cooled my passion down a bit. I'm retired now but a few years back, a diabetic at work filed a grievance against me because I was too strong with helping her to accept pump therapy. Be careful how you approach people because as "She's Diabetic" has declared, diabetes management is a very personal thing. Keep up the good work! You are so inspirational that I like to view your site when I need sound encouragement.
Thank you so much for sharing your kind words and experience with me here Tony! You’re so right diabetes is so so personal and I’m sorry to hear of your experience with the grievance taken out against when it sounds like you were just trying to help. That must have been quite difficult to manage especially considering that it was just coming from a genuine, caring place. I thank you so much for sharing your passion for the pump here and you certainly have a supporter and sharer in that passion from me! I’m so glad it works so well for you!! Wishing you all the very best and am so pleased you enjoy the content - that is so wonderful to hear! :)
Thank you so much for sharing your kind words and experience with me here Tony! You’re so right diabetes is so so personal and I’m sorry to hear of your experience with the grievance taken out against when it sounds like you were just trying to help. That must have been quite difficult to manage especially considering that it was just coming from a genuine, caring place. I thank you so much for sharing your passion for the pump here and you certainly have a supporter and sharer in that passion from me! I’m so glad it works so well for you!! Wishing you all the very best and am so pleased you enjoy the content - that is so wonderful to hear! :)
I switched about 10 yrs ago, after 20 yrs on R/NPH (yeah, dx'd in 1983) and 10 yrs on Lantus/Novolog. And I totally agree about "it felt like getting dx'd all over again." I made the transition through Joslin's program, which was a LOT more gradual and informative than what you describe--two hours' training is nothing like enough for this! Even so, it took months before I was back to the level of control I had had on MDIs. So yeah, not like just flipping a switch. But it is a lot better. Most critical thing vs MDI is you can STOP the pump if you need to.
Very realistic! Been a diabetic since 1996 and have had success and complications on and off the pump. I am currently using the 670G insulin pump which I started about a week ago... I have been paranoid about having lows as well since I started using the new system so your experiences are very relatable! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Anthony, thank you so much for watching and your commenting such kind words! I totally hear you on the low anxiety. There’s no worse feeling! UGH! I really hope the 670g is working well for you and allowing for your mind to get a little relaxation from the stress of lows! Thank YOU for sharing!
I've had type 1 diabetes since 1988 and just got my insulin pump this past month. Actually, today is the one week mark of when I started wearing it. (I had to go through a dosing transition time because my endo and diabetes educator and I were trying to figure out what I should use as my basal and bolus rates once I started.) Side note, I also had an issue with the infusion set my diabetes nurse helped me put in. Less than 36 hours after putting it on, the set got ripped out. So, lesson learned for me: disconnect the pump when kickboxing.....
Hi!! Welcome to the world of pumping!! I can't believe you had your set ripped out - but then again, kickboxing...I bet if anything will do it - that's pretty darn likely to! Ha! All a lesson learned, nevertheless it was possibly overwhelming for you? I felt so overwhelmed in the beginning with all the infusion set fiascos...hope things are settling down now, and you're getting everything dialled in! :)
Thank you so much for being so genuinely honest about how important this choice is. Diabetes literally can affect every minute and everything in our lives. Thank you for explaining that (and more) in such a clear, considerate way. You are amazing!!!! ----- just finished the video and wanted to add that you pointed out everything that I have been worried about with making this decision. I am currently taking Novolin insulin 2-3 times a day, but have frequent highs and lows (for me that can be 40's - up to 400+). I have not made the switch yet, but I found your video when researching the pros and cons of going from insulin injections to a pump. I have been telling my doctors "thanks but no thanks". I think I'm now ready to make the switch. Do you feel that learning about the correct bolus amount for each meal was difficult? What other injection areas can you wear the Omnipod?
Thank you so much for sharing your experience Cameron, I can completely and utterly relate. Especially the "Thanks but no thanks" part ;) I didn't find it difficult to learn about the correct bolus amounts, really. It was a bit of trial and error at times (as is every day with diabetes I find lol), but really once I figured it out it's become pretty darn easy. Plus, you can always bolus an amount or via the carb count of the meal, so it's very flexible and easy (I find!). I put my pump site on my thighs, lower back/upper butt, and sometimes arms (I rotate all around those areas). I hope this finds you well and I wish you all the best in your making this decision. :)
I've been a type one diabetic since 1985 I am 72 years old. I have been on the pump for decades and I'm now being introduced to continuous glucose monitoring connected to a new pump. I am very fortunate that BC is now covering the cost of pumps and pump supplies. However, it is 100 years since the discovery of insulin and we are still trying to have lives while taking insulin. There is no cure. It is just too profitable to "control" for there to be a cure. The most expensive mobile phone is a fraction of the cost of a pump. Why is this? The research is mostly publicly funded, but not with the priority of other medical challenges. Do HIV and Covid come to mind?
I hear you. This is a frustration that tumbles around in the back of my mind too. I've personally found I just have to live my best life possible and try not to constantly get angry about the probability that someone is profiting from my disease. Although...so much easier said than done. I totally hear you.
Your experience sounds like mine. I’ve been a type one diabetic for 25 years since I was 11. And my doctor never told me that I wouldn’t be taking my night time insulin anymore whhhaaatttt 😭 I deal with sooooooo many lows 24/7 and it scares me just to go to sleep. And only have to use novolog... That’s crazy! I’m so scared to go on my t slim x2. And I haven’t had any training on how to use it or put it on. I’m relying on RUclips videos to teach me. My pump is sitting in a drawer next to my bed. I’m just too scared to try it and have some machine do my job. I don’t like the fact that you have to put in exactly what time you eat every day. But I eat at different times of the day every day! And there’s no pre-bolus :( idk but thanks for encouraging me to get started on my insulin pump 🙂
Hello lovely Katherine! Oh my gosh I'm so sorry you've gone through/are going through all of that. It's so tough when you're depending on doctors and they don't deliver or help you in the way you need to be helped. Truly I get it. ❤️ It's funny I'm reading your message now because I just started on the T Slim x2 and it has made A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE to my lows due to the fact that I use it with the Dexcom G6 and it will automatically adjust basal rates, to avoid lows or highs, but I'm especially enjoying less lows on it. Truly, if you can, I would tell you to go for it if at all possible. I know it's a lot to get your head around - and I hope you can get the support you need from your doctor. Thinking about you and sending you loads of love and strength. Please remember you're a warrior and you've got this!!!
Thanks for your insights on the detail the pump provides. I was diagnosed two years ago and I’m considering a pump over multiple injections a day. To understand that it paints with a brush makes me feel more enthusiastic about getting on the pump. I’m comfortable with my multiple injections now and can certainly relate to the apprehensions of changing how our disease. Good luck with your diabetes, thanks for the video.
I was on the pump for 10 years before going back to the pen. I don’t see myself ever going back to a pump. I hated being tethered to a cord. I also felt self conscious about having this thing stuck onto me. I now fell a sense of freedom. My A1C is as good now as when I was on the pump. I do wear a Libre sensor to make it easier to check my blood sugar levels. I’m looking forward to advancements in technology. In my opinion, you don’t need a pump if you are conscientious about checking your blood sugar level.
Hi I just started on the Medtronic 640G 3 days ago. I’m feeling quite overwhelmed at present with all the numbers ISF carb ratios etc etc and getting used to the actual device itself. After looking at your video I am inspired to do by best to make the most of this opportunity. Like you I was hypoing so much and treating it with sugar snacks to compensate and constantly spiking and dropping due to insulin over usage :( Hoping when I get my rates right it will make my life so much easier. Anyway rambling here but would just like to say fabulous video and very inspirational. Thank you so much.
Oh thank you so much for your kind words, Tony! I really appreciate your watching and commenting like this! Well done to you for getting onto the pump! It's not an easy decision nor is it a smooth ride (like some would have you believe!). All I can say is 1) it DOES get easier! and 2) I'm sure you can do it! I pretty much cover all of this in the video, but just so you know, it's all true and I am STILL on my pump after all this time and all these struggles, so I promise you, it is absolutely worth the struggle! I hope this helps and hope that you've already seen improvements and changes since writing this comment. Sending you strength and positivity and some much needed pump-patience! You can do it!!
Your videos give me confidence that I can do this! I've been type 2 for the past 30 years, diagnosed as LADA (1.5?) in October 2019.. Currently doing Tresiba and Humalog daily injections.... My pump was delivered several weeks ago, just as the quarantine began... It's still sitting in a box beside my front door... Hoping to be able to get in for some 1 on 1 training later this summer.. I was offered a virtual training session, but this thing is so foreign to me, that I initially declined the virtual training session.. I don't learn well by watching... Perhaps I'm just making excuses.. Managing as a type 1 is still so foreign to me... Thank you for your informative videos!
Good for your Joyceanne!! I'm so happy this video helped you to make the leap!! And it's a ok if you don't want to start it via a virtual session!! I think that's totally normal and honestly I'd probably do the very same! Please take good care of yourself and be kind to yourself - just the act of getting the pump and making the decision to go for it is a huge one! One step at a time - you are amazing and you've got this!!!!!! And you're so so welcome - making these videos is my pleasure! :)
I really want to say thank you for making this video I my self am looking at getting a T:Slim x2 insulin pump and you have really helped ease my fears. I love your channel, I'm a type 1 diabetic and have been for 10 years.
What an awesome, honest take!
EpicUniverse thank you! :-)
It takes time , I had one for 20 years its a wonderful thing
I'm a diabetes educator and your "bad experiences" are good to know for training my pump patients. I'm sorry your support was not different. I believe your comments will enable the diabetes educators out here to do a better job at anticipating how to get someone on a pump in a less overwhelming way. I'm not diabetic but profess that if I was I would absolutely go on a pump, but one that comes with that great support every pump patient needs.Thank you for your candid video. Denise M
Hi! I am type 1, diagnosed about 7 years ago just before I turned 19, Im currently on lantus and novorapid multiple daily injections. I get very very changeable blood sugars so I've never really felt in control and definitely am considering a switch to the pump, but it's never been suggested by my team, and I feel very scared to bring it up, but I get sooo much anxiety and burnout currently. I also don't know a single other person with type one so finding your channel and instagram has made me feel less isolated (and a bit emotional because actually having some of my struggles recognised by someone else makes me feel less of a failure for having them!) I guess I just wanna say thanks so much for making this happen! You're so brave for doing this and you've really helped me feel less alone :)
Joanna, oh my goodness, thank you so much for firstly, your honesty about your struggles and also for your incredibly kind words!! YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!! I PROMISE! But oh I completely understand that feeling! This disease can be SO isolating! I think that's why the online community is so important for all of us! :) Regarding your thinking of switching to a pump, I would encourage you to bring it up with your doc, if just as a conversation. There's no pressure to switch or do anything you don't want to do! Ultimately, for me, the pump has afforded me so much more flexibility, and therefore I love it, but of course, as you can see from the video there are so many sides to consider. I think if it's something you want to investigate - go for it! You can also decide that it isn't for you! Sending you so much love and strength! You are strong and you can do this and we are all in it together sweet girl!! XOXO
I was diagnosed around age 20. Fought with needles for about 8 years and finally overcame the fears and anxiety of having a "thing" tethered to me and having to change all the habits I had built to (barely) keep myself alive. It turns out the pump is a tool to handle the stress for you. To do the math yourself once every few months instead of every meal and more and the pump does it for you. Like she did in the video, it's a robot assistant. Just like an alarm clock helps wake you up or a phone app keeps track of appointments. Your insulin pump does so much for you and frees up your mind to live a bigger chunk of your life. Go out to dinner with friends? A bolus "shot" with a pump is just as simple as a finger prick. The convenience of ditching a kit of needles is a 1 to 1 trade off (to me) for having it attached. What you get from it that needles just can't do is kick ass A1C numbers and years of healthy active life.
As for show vs hide. I'm a proud ally of the disabled community both visible and not. I'm happy to have gone from an almost completely invisible condition to now wearing my diabetes proudly on my hip. That's the position I choose to take on it. I am also totally sympathetic to feelings of shame and isolation. When people ask me about "that thing on your belt" the thing that gives me the courage to chat openly and frankly about it is all the people that feel alone. If I can share and help make it normal for everyone around us then all those subtle cues and misconceptions that add up and reinforce the shame and isolation of others might be lessened.
Please do talk to your endocrinologist. You and them are a team. Your job together is your health and we'll being. Every team member has strengths and weaknesses and blindspots. Don't just assume that because they went to medical school that they know 100% everything there is to know in the whole universe and they for sure don't know your personal individual life experience. Ask questions. Doctors love to solve puzzles so if you ask a question they dont know the answer to right off, they'll probably want to find out the answer as much as you do.
Any update, Joanna? Admit I was a little shocked that a twenty something year old woman with variable blood sugars DIDN'T get the Pump Talk from their doctor in 2019...
Whether you decide to pump or not, there is SO MUCH info and support available, at least please reach out online or at some expo or local group that can at least put yourself into contacts with other diabetics with tips and tricks and support.
Good luck!
💯
Same thing happened to me and I ripped into my Endo about not even mentioning it to me..ill never be MDI but if you are worried about being tethered then get Omnipod.. Ive been on several pump but this one is my favorite because it a pod and no tube..I will however move to Tandem pump because of their great Close Loop system..im lucky that my ins covers all my diabetic needs
The video is at least four years old now, so I can't really say "Welcome to the Club" anymore... oh, what the heck... Welcome to the Club!
I got my first pump around 2007 and upgraded to my second pump in, if I recall correctly, 2015. I'm about due for another, which I'll likely do in the next year, or so.
Prior to that, I was on multiple daily injections for many years, but at the beginning, I was on a single daily injection. The dosage was around 12 units of Toronto and 60-70 units of NPH. I'm not even sure if they make those flavours anymore! But, that's the way it was when I was diagnosed 50 years ago.
Pumps are great, relatively easy to use, and do a fantastic job in making me feel more... "normal". They're not perfect, but nothing really is.
Keep on keepin' on!
i always felt like the "how many highs/lows a month did you have?" question is just an exquisite torture to make you feel like the worst diabetic in the world :D
I thought I was the most irresponsible diabetic with my hypoglycemia. It's kind of a relief knowing that is not only me!
I couldn’t meet eyes, I was sorta dying in my seat.
@@elenaaverkiou7579No, the only irresponsible ones are the ones with hyperglycemia 90 percent of the time. Speaking only for myself, I don’t track my sugars like I should. I act like my body will take care of itself when it won’t because I have type 1 lol 😂
I switched to a pump 6 months ago and WTF didn't i get this sooner?!
For me, the MDIs were the "reminding me i'm diabetic" artifacts and sticking to the regimen after 3 decades was just plain tough, emotionally.
Although I was nervous and excited, the flexibility of the pump is amazing and without some significant change or discovery, i'll never go back. The pump and the CGM give me so much more control over my life, they've given me a feeling of efficacy i don't ever remember having over my BG (diagnosed 1988).
It's embarrassing to admit that i also ran to youtube with medical device questions, but we're fortunate there are many folks like you (and Danica who also taught me how to use an infusion set i was unfamiliar with) making these videos, so _thank you_ for reminding me i wasn't the only one who felt unsure about how to use this potentially dangerous thing i'm leashed to.
Ah! I'm so happy for you!! I totally get that whoel "Hey! Wait a minute!? Why didn't I get this sooner??" feeling!! The quality of life is just so vastly improved by these pieces of awesome technology. I'm so happy you're so happy and that it all works so well for you! And HORRAY for RUclips and Diabetic Danica for giving us a lifeline when we need it most!!
Thank you so much for being so candid about the challenges you faced and continue to face as a type 1 diabetic! Nearly five decades of living with this at times heartlessly demanding disease makes it very easy for me to relate to the fears, frustrations, and feelings of other diabetics. Your story concerning the lack of training and assistance you received when switching to pump therapy both made me angry and sad. I was an out of work photojournalist living in California when I was first diagnosed and although that was nearly 50 years ago I can well remember how I felt when the ER doctor said, "You have a blood sugar of nearly 800 and if you don't get on insulin soon you will die." At the time I had no job, almost no money, no health insurance and was in the process of getting evicted from my apartment. Minutes after being told I was a diabetic I walked out of the emergency room with a bottle of NPH insulin, a box of insulin syringes, and the admonition to eat a healthy diet. Back then there was no internet and no RUclips to turn to which makes me all the more appreciative of what you and other kind and caring diabetics are doing to help those suffering from this difficult disease to get on with their lives by learning the skills necessary for managing their diabetes. God bless you and the others like you who are filling the terrible void created by a medical system virtually hamstrung by financial constraints and a profit over all else motivation.
I am newly diagnosed as Type 1 diabetic (last 2 weeks) and it has been a roller coaster of being overwhelmed. I appreciate your video and your honesty not only about the pump but everything you were going through. It is very encouraging to me that I'm not the only one going through this. Thank you for taking the time to make this video...🙂
Oh my heart as a diabetes nurse educator I feel for you on the lack of support you received from your team😢 every country ( I’m Canadian( every DEC is different but our team does pre- pump training then a saline start and then then go on the pump.( 3 appointments) We follow up daily then weekly. You are a rock star figuring that out on your own!! I love your elegance, wisdom & how you articulate your diabetes! I love watching these videos to make me a better educator!!!
My beautiful 9-year-old boy was diagnosed as Type 1 just one week ago after an emergency rush to hospital in Cairo where we live. He was suffering DKA. His vitals are stabilised now, but my own emotions aren't. I would do anything to take it from his body and put it in mine. As I scramble for information, and process the shock, this video really helped me. The content, yes. But more to see someone with the same diagnosis so articulate, so collected and so buoyant. You give me strong hope when I need it.
Ian, I am so so sorry to hear of your son's diagnosis. Although I'm sure no words can help the pain you must be feeling right now, please know that this will get better. You and your son and your whole family will find a new normal, and maybe even some positives can come out of this. Sometimes I think the very fact that I am T1D has shaped me into a more special, resilient person, truly. I have another video on my channel interviewing my parents, talking all about what it's like to parent a Type 1 Diabetic child (they had two, my brother and I) and this might be helpful for you to watch. In the meantime, just please keep taking everything one day at a time. There is a ton of support out there on RUclips, instagram, and various other social media platforms. Reach out and don't suffer in silence. Your mental health is hugely important too! You are strong and will get through this! Sending love, Andrea
A friend of mine is type 1 and I love videos like this and learning what her “normal” must be
Thank you so much Hayley! What an AMAZING friend you are to be curious enough to research and learn about her T1D! You're AWESOME!! And thank you for your kind words!
You are such a wonderful friend in world and I appreciate you for this I'm a diabetic patient too and my friend anvi also ask me question so she can learn what I can eat and that I cannot cheat on my own sugars 🤣🤣🤣🤣 yeah she does care she knows I cannot eat sweets
I wish everybody haves a friend like you
Insulin pumps have been a godsend to me. I started on insulin pump therapy back in 2008 and will be on my fifth pump starting next week - a Medtronic 780G. The freedom to go wherever you want, whenever you want, and not have to carry syringes and pens around, nor worry about the terrible results I always had with long acting insulin has been enormously liberating. I can't even begin to tell you or anyone else who might care to listen what a beneficial effect insulin pumps have had on my life.
Thank you so so much for sharing this and I just can’t tell you how much I’m smiling as I read this. Genuinely my heart is so happy for you!!! This is what it’s all about - finding the solutions that work for you and give you that freedom. It truly makes a life 1000000x more full of LIFE! Thank you so much for sharing this, oh and also…I couldn’t agree more!!!
@@ShesDiabetic You're welcome, and thank you for the kind thoughts!
First of all you're lucky to have $5500 for a pump then 5 pumps!! I'm resisting the pump, I'm not having a problems with injections....what's hard about them?? Much less complicated than the pump!! Good luck.
@@lisamcallister6534 I have no problems with injections. It's the fact that you have to take them wherever you go. And, therapeutically speaking, I have never had good luck with long acting insulin and my morning sugar levels were always much higher before I had my pump.
And I have to say....your anger at me is ridiculous and misplaced. You act like the only way anyone should take insulin is the way YOU take insulin. That's ridiculous. You do you. Fine. I do me. Also fine. Go bother someone else.
From the bottom of my heart thank you so much for this video. Less than 2 years ago I became an instant diabetic when my pancreas was surgically removed because of renal cancer. I tell people it’s definitely a lot harder to be a diabetic than a cancer patient. Multiple injections and the constant fear of lows much like you were experiencing are exhausting. I am almost 72 and have just received the shipments of my Dexcom G6 and T slim. That’s a lot of scary technology for an oldster! I’ve been watching tons of stuff today waiting to hear back about an appointment with my “educator”. Your authentic expression of your experience gave me such hope. I am also receiving immunotherapy which comes with nausea and decreased appetite. Like you expressed I focus on eating more carbs and my glucose supplements. You gave me hope that emotionally I can get somewhat back to normal after an expected learning curve. I am learning so much from you. I am very grateful!
Oh I am so so so sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis and the struggles you've been facing. My goodness - an instant diabetic diagnosis in and amongst all of that is quite the shock! I honestly cannot even imagine. I can tell you this though - I have the Tslim & Dexcom G6 combo and I think it's by far the most wonderful possible combination out there! So you've got a really winning combination on your hands with that! I hope this brings you some joy and assurance! Of course we're all different - but I really thing this combination is universally excellent and I'm very excited for you to start on it all! And don't you worry - I have faith you're going to get to grips with the tech a ok!! I believe in you and am so grateful to you for your kind words. You are not alone my friend! I'm wishing you all the very very very best and am sending you so much healing and positivity!!!! 🙏🏻💙
At age 64, I was diagnosed with Type 1. I wound up in the ICU with blood sugar at 500! My A1C had always been 6.5. WHAT, HOW COULD THIS BE? I'm in the process of switching over to a pump. Just waiting for insurance to approve. I'm so grateful I found you. Yes, my anxiety is high!
Hi I'm an old dude almost 76 years old male and to me nothing is more important than feeling good. Although you didn't really directly answer the question since you said you would never give it up in 1 million years I'm assuming that it did make you feel better. The one thing that I have learned over the past decades is that many of the doctors are happier with having your blood sugar a little high than ever letting it go low. For me I want to keep it is perfect as I possibly can and your video was very helpful regarding that. Thanks a lot keep up your good work.
Thank You, I'll be starting with a pump shortly, I've using injections for the past 48 years. I have many of the concerns you've discussed in the video. Hearing someone voice them out loud means so much.
As a man more or less born with diabetes, I deeply appreciate this video. I'm 34 now. I will get this pump next week and wanted to know more about it, and your video really gave a good perspective
Very detailed. Thank you so much. And good luck with your diabetes! ❤️🙏🏼
I've been a T1 diabetic for a little over 10 years. Just like you, I was battling frequent low blood sugars with daily injections. For whatever reason lantus wasn't absorbing properly for me at the beginning of this year even though I had been using it ever since my diagnosis. Spoke with my Endo and was able to get on an insulin pump with the insurance provided from my work. For the last 3 months that I've been on the pump, my A1C was 5.5 with VERY minimal lows. Happy to see others are having similar successful results with insulin pumps and hoping for the continuous advancements in diabetes technology and maybe one day a cure😊✌️
Oh I’m so happy to hear that it’s been helpful for you too Jon! And I completely agree - I hope (and believe) that the medical technology will continue to advance to make Diabetes management more and more, well- manageable! :-)
Jon Kihm same but mine is always in the 200s-400s I was diagnosed abt 6 months ago! I take lantus at night and I always wake up with the same numbers
@@jaylarutherford2486
What are your numbers before bed time? Do you eat dinner really close to bedtime?
Long acting insulin doesn't do a good job of handling dawn phenomenon. Part of your circadian rythm where your liver dumps sugar into your blood to get you ready to wake up and start the day. Trouble is our liver doesn't know our pancreas doesn't work :/
Liver: 😃🤩💙
Pancreas: ☠️
Thank you so much for this video! I'm a 38yo T1D diagnosed at 7 and on MDI. I've been considering a pump and watching a lot of youtube videos but the majority are focused on the physical aspects of wearing a pump. It was so nice to hear your take on the affects on your mental state. Thanks for your honesty. It's given me a lot to think about :)
Oh Mark, thank you so much for your kind words! I know it's a LOT to consider, and I really appreciate your wanting to know about the mental aspects as well! You have to do what's right for you, and no one else. To update you, I'm still on the pump and I love it more than ever. Truly don't know what I would do without it in some ways and it's given me more freedom to actually live my life, so though the tubing and connection to something scared me because I thought I would feel tied down it's actually done the opposite for me in my mind. That's just me though - we're all different! I just wanted to share that with you! Good luck in your search my friend - you will make the right decision for you!
Your take on the emotional part of it all was something that I needed to hear and I totally wasn't expecting to, Thank you. I was looking for views on insulin pumps and I got much more than that by watching your video." Every minute of every hour of every day " put tear's in my eyes, it's real. I'm also type 1. Good luck to you.
Oh thank you so much J. Diabetes can be so overwhelming and exhausting, but it's a fight worth fighting, for sure. Good luck to you too and good luck with all the insulin pump research. I hope you're able to find the insulin delivery device that's right for you!
In all honesty I was exactly how you felt on getting an Insulin Pump, I said no way. I was at a store and saw this little old lady had one and I asked her about it and was sold,lol. I hate needles, so I gave it a chance. Very Happy I Did!!!! 2006 was the year I started and never regretted it !!
So glad to hear you made the switch and never looked back!!! I love my pump and cannot now imagine life without it!! YAY FOR PUMPS - but also just YAY for solutions that make life better :) !!!
I've just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (two days ago) I loved how you talked about how personal it is. Since I was a kid I saw my grandmother battle with her type 1 diabetes, and always been afraid of it. Today I have it. I have to deal with it... I know everything is going to be allrigth, but I am still in shock if I am honest. Nevertheless, I am here looking to learn to live my new life with optimism. Thank you for your videos! :)
Hi!!! Oh thank you so so much for reaching out. I am so sorry to hear of your very recent diagnosis. Wow - how overwhelming this must be at the moment for you. Your shock is completely and utterly understandable. Please do not beat yourself up or judge yourself on this. You are allowed to be overwhelmed, angry, frustrated, sad, anxious, all of it! Please know that you are not alone and there is a huge online community (both here and instagram too) of hugely supportive and like minded T1D's just trying to live their best life and support one another along the way. I totally encourage you to make use of this incredible community. You are not alone - I cannot stress this enough. And you are strong (much stronger than you think) and will get through this, I promise you! Sending you so much love, strength, and positivity! Your Diabuddy, Andrea!
Only 4 days wow Good for you i have had it for 2 years and tmr i am getting a pump. I hope you do well.
Please don't worry! You will make it alright
. It requires a great deal of discipline and patience. I have had it for 35 years now and switching now to the pump. You will be alright.❤
I've been on mdi since i was diagnosed and felt exactly the same way about pumps (being physically attached to something was my biggest reason to reject the idea of a pump) but i'm seriously considering it now and really hope to get the same positive results as you did. Thank you very much for sharing your experience so honestly 🙏🏻
I've finally decided to switch to an insulin pump after 18 years of having type 1 diabetes. Thanks so much for this video! :)
You're so welcome! I'm excited for you to switch!! Well done to you for making that decision and I really hope (I think it will) work out very well for you!! :)
She's Diabetic Thank you! My pump training day is Thursday morning. I hope it goes ok!!!
I am 61 and new Type 1, after never having any chronic illnesses. I have not been hospitalized since 1979! All of the sudden I am in full blown DKA with pneumonia and in ICU! That was 6/10/2020.
Now it is 7/6/2020. I am waiting to get my pump and get started. I am so thankful to hear your story.
Oh my gosh Toni, I'm so sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis. Wow, that must be so overwhelming!! I'm excited for you to get your pump - I think you'll find it a very positive step in your new journey with T1D. Sending you strength as you get to grips with this new chapter - you've got support right here!!
Hi Andrea, thanks sooooo much for your video - I live in Scotland, and am about to go on a pump for the first time. I've been diabetic for 41 years, all of which time using manual insulin injections. it's quite scary to think of depending on a machine for something so critical, and not all RUclips videos are as comfortingly realistic and reassuring as yours - thank you! I feel way much better now to see it IS possible, and a really positive change to help you feel so much better physically and mentally.
Hi Susan! Thank you so much for watching and for your kind kind words. What you've written truly means a lot to me. It was very important to me that I highlight all aspects of switching: The good, the bad and the ugly! When I first switched to the pump it was difficult to find content covering the not so lovely aspects of being on a pump and how to combat those, so thus my motivation for making the video. Anyway, what I mean to say is that your words mean a great deal to me - so thank you! I hope your experience with the pump has been positive and encouraging and that you're able to enjoy the upsides of it as well as making it through some of the inevitable growing pains of a new piece of kit!
Thanks Andrea. I've been on the pump for 3 months now and what a change. I'm able to control my blood sugars beautifully overnight - something which was impossible on the previous manual regime. There are still a few times I get it completely wrong - mainly when estimating carbs when I'm out (cakes being particularly difficult!!) however the overall impact has been just great. I no longer feel exhausted each morning. Really pleased I decided to be brave and try it - nothing ventured, nothing gained! and your post encouraged me on this trip, so once again many thanks and I hope you continue to get the benefits from the pump too - I'd recommend it now to everyone, with a careful caveat that you only get what you put in - it needs careful management but is well worth the small amount of effort now required.
Literally going thru this TODAY and feeling overwhelmed. I can't figure out just how to move around with this thing and even just remembering it's there.
Grateful I found your video
I HEAR YOU!!! I PROMISE it gets better - and just remember, you can go back if you don't like it - you are in charge! But I told myself I'd give myself 3 months to decide, and since then, I've never looked back. But we're all individual. I'm sending you all the very best and hope you're managing okay - please just know what you're feeling is exactly what I was feeling - so at least in my mind it's totally normal!!
I have recently been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. It has caused me lots of stress and I've been sobbing after each "bad" sugar level (for me usually the first measurement in the morning is the worst, rest of the day I can manage ok)... It's so difficult to go to the doctor and feel judged, although I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. You T1D guys are such warriors, I admire you so much. I feel ridiculous being overwhelmed just with constant blood measurements and carb counting. Your youtube channel has opened my eyes to see how people can handle such more than this!
I can relate to your story so much! I was diagnosed with T1D in May of 1995. It was a month after I turned 6, I am now 29. I was on multiple daily injections for years and when I was 14 I went on my first insulin pump and I was on it for 4 years. Pretty much my entire time in high school. I loved it, I loved the freedom I had and not having to wake up early on weekends to do my shot. It was awesome. Unfortunately after 4 years my body started rejecting the infusion set, so I was having to change it pretty much every day. So I decided to go back on multiple daily injections. I did that from age 18-26 and at 26 I started having a lot of issues with my blood sugars being extremely low all the time and I was unable to feel my blood sugars going low like I had been able to do in the past. I would feel perfectly fine and check my blood sugar and it would be 46. It was awful, I was passing out multiple times a day. I was going low in the middle of the night while I was sleeping and thank god for my boyfriend or most likely I would have died. I had lost my endocrinologist because I wasn’t able to be on my moms insurance anymore and I made to much to qualify for Medicaid. So I was dropped as a patient. It was awful, I finished school and started to try getting a job as a teacher, which I was lucky enough to find a teaching job and with that got amazing health insurance again. My primary care doctor then started to try and get me a new endocrinologist. Because I was in a crisis with my blood sugars. Like I said they were constantly low all the time. And one day I was at work and luckily I was in the teachers break room and one of my co workers who is also a T1D was in there with me and my sugar dropped and I blacked out and I got rushed to the ER by ambulance. I had an amazing ER doctor who immediately referred me to a new endocrinologist in my area. I met with him and he immediately ordered me a pump. I went on it and my blood sugars were amazing. They were in the range where he wanted me and I was no longer having severe lows. I was on this pump for almost 3 years and I teach students with autism and the pump I was on was a tubes pump and I had didn’t really care for the tubes. When I was dealing with a student in a behavior they would grab my tubing and I just realized that a tubed pump wasn’t for me. I then found out about a tubeless pump. I had an appointment with my endocrinologist and went back on shots until I go through my training for the omnipod, which is next Thursday. I have been doing shots for almost 2 weeks now and I’m in the same boat my blood sugars are once again low all the time. I can’t wait until next Thursday when I get on the omnipod. I know insulin pumps aren’t for everyone but for me they are amazing and have helped me tremendously. I relate to your story so much because like you my blood sugars are constantly low when I’m on multiple daily injections and as I’m sure you know when you sugar is low you have no energy, you get moody, and it sucks. I’m so glad that the pump worked out for you and I can’t wait to get back on one!
Hi Zachary! Thank you so so much for watching and for sharing your story. I am so sorry you had to go through all of that. Fighting constant low blood sugar is just so so so exhausting! I'm THRILLED to hear that the pump has been so effective for you in combating this though - and I'm excited for you to get your omnipod!!! I actually know of another person who went on the omnipod because she works as a therapist for adults with learning disabilities, autism, etc, and the omnipod has allowed her to be on a pump without it being ripped out. Her name is @cyborg.queen (she's fabulous and so lovely) on insta and you should go follow her I think - since you two sound like you have very similar lines of work and she is on the omnipod too for very similar reasons it sounds like! I really am excited for you to start the omni, and until then wish you success in controlling your sugars via the pens!!
How is the Omnipod working for you? this pump is working well for myself BUT I may have to look into a tubeless pump as well in my field of work I work in an Emergency Room attached to a Behavioral Health facility so at times I'm nervous about walking near the patients that maybe just courageous of what I have hanging onto me it maybe my mind playing tricks on me ☺ so 1st off I've been T1D since 1984 and I've come along way with the low ISSUES thank God I've always been brought back to work in an Emergency Room ALWAYS was helpful so I've only been on the Pump now for 3weeks but it's really good to know the real deal from somebody of real knowledge of how it's working for them. God Be With US 24/7. ☝👍💕💃
Belinda Navarro I love it! It works awesome, I’ve never had any issues with it at all.
I am 26 years old, and I have my pump training tomorrow. It is almost 1am and I am here in bed, freaking out watching RUclips videos, and then came this one! I truly thank you from the bottom of my heart, cause even though this was recorded who-knows when, it feels so relatable and it managed to soothe my anxiety!! I send you all the love a stranger could possibly send a stranger
Oh my goodness - you have no idea how much this comment means to me. Truly I have chills reading it. You words are just such a gift to me. I hope your pump training went well and that you're doing well within your first few days - I know for me that whole time was quite overwhelming so please don't worry if it is for you too - you are not alone!!! Thank you so so much and sending YOU all the love a stranger could possible send a stranger!!!! XOXO
Thank you Andrea, I have been insulin dependent and diagnosed at the age of 32 and I am 69 yrs young now. I have moved to a rural area and the team up here is not trained so my diabetic team is 3 hrs away in the city: It was nice to hear your honesty about switching and also hear about the frustration of trying to maintain a blood sugar level with multiple shots within the pen daily. As you were talking I checked and was going down so again stuffed carbs in my mouth. I am tired of the lows at night and waking up to the screeching beeps on my cell phone. I am also tired of so many injections every day. However my anxiety in changing over is huge and it seems so complex I don’t know if I have it in me to learn all about basal and Bolus. I feel confused. So thank you for voicing my thoughts and feelings and also helping with me getting closer to being able to pump it up !
Thank you so much. You've say the correct words. I'm 40 and I am diabetic tipe 1 since 10. I switch for the pump since 2 month now. It's been hard ! I cried because it's like seen my diabetes all day. But my blood sugars are soooo good that is worth it! I'm not waking up at night feeling like dying with low sugars. Excuse my English I'm from Puerto Rico. Again, I'm grateful to have find this video.
Thank you so much for your kind words Denisse! I'm so glad to hear you're having such success with the pump - but I totally understand that feeling on having your diabetes be constantly 'seen'! Thank you for watching and for sharing your experience with the community here!
I remember watching this video freshly diagnosed. Now, six years later, I understand everything you’re saying.
Oh wow - you’ve been here that long 🥹 Thank you so so so much for sharing this with me, this means the world honestly 💙❤️💙
This is the 2nd video I've watched by you and I must say, you do a wonderful job of making a viewable video. The transitions are both technically and compositionally smooth and your information is well organized. I am a retired School Library/Media Specialist so I have taught a lot of video production and I would have to say you're a natural. As a diabetic, however, I would have to say, you probably should be rewarded for the quality of your information. After 30+ years as a diabetic, you hit on all the topics in both videos that I wanted/needed explained. Thank you very much for your labor. I do understand it is a lot of work to post a presentable video. Your information was insightful and the information on the CGM device helped me a lot. I think I could now learn how to use an insulin pump, I don't think my doctor has the courage to learn how to support me in that process. He also thinks that all CGM devices are inaccurate to the Nth degree. It's hard for doctors, they are often too overwhelmed to learn. I wish you the best and I did subscribe.
Hi Tom! Oh my goodness thank you so so much for your kind and generous words - and for subscribing! Really your kind words mean a lot to me. As for the pump - you could TOTALLY learn to use it! If your doctor is questioning this, or doesn't seem to have the time or confidence himself to learn the system I would really encourage you to perhaps look for another doctor as this is pretty unacceptable! This is just my opinion though, and I know things are exactly straightforward in terms of switching doctors, etc. As for the CGM, I understand the questioning of accuracy, however, the Dexcom G6 system actually has such accuracy qualifications that it is considered more accurate than a finger prick! So I can tell you that at least that system is absolutely accurate and not to be dismissed! Anyway, I hope this little bit of information encourages you and helps in a small way! Thank you again for watching and wishing you a wonderful day!!
I've been a diabetic for 8 years now.. I keep getting lows too. My physician recommended a pump multiple times but the idea of something being attached to me is REALLY pushing me off. I'm tired of the frequent lows so currently considering a pump.
Thank you for your video, it was informative ❤
I can totally and COMPLETELY relate to you on this - I was in a very similar boat. Honestly - you need to do what works best for you - in your own time! Don't let anyone rush you or force you into a decision - your body, your choice! 💙💙💙
@@ShesDiabetic reading this on international women's day is really something 🥺❤
I’m 37 and starting pump therapy tomorrow after years of injections and I feel like you read my mind in the beginning of this video. 💕💕💕
Oh my goodness - I’m so glad you feel this way!! Please know you are not alone!!! It may be overwhelming, but I promise you’ve got this!!! Right there with you and thinking about you my sweet friend!!!!! ♥️
Hi you've taken the words right out of my mouth! I'm T1 since I was 14 I'm 38 now and it has been a rough road but I'm still alive not very healthy because of being a women with 3 children and hormones play a big role with a diabetic woman. I'm now ready for the pump! My endos have offered over the years but I turned it down because of the look of it on my teenage body was a No and now that I'm older I'm ok with it. Wish me luck and I will let you know how it goes! The future has arrived for so many things for diabetes!! Blessings to ya!
Wishing you so much luck Katarina! I’m excited for you to get on the pump!!! I really believe you’re going to love it Mama!!! 🌷🌟❣️
Many Thanks!!! I have been debating going on the pump for a few years. My recent A1C of 8.3 scared me and made me realize I need help. It is incredibly challenging to get through to doctors today. They are more busy than ever and our healthcare system is so inefficient. Thank you for adding to the community of people managing Type 1 Diabetes- We all need this support more than ever:>)
OH wow - thank you so so so much for your kind words. I agree with every single thing you’ve said about the healthcare system and finding it hard to get through to doctors…couldn’t have said it better myself. Mine is only one opinion of course, but I think we all can use all the support we can get and it’s the people that live with the condition that can in some ways give that support the most fully, since we live with it 24/7/365 🥹
Diabetic Danica saved me too when I was first connected! 😂 id only been diagnosed for about 3 months when I got my first pump. It was rushed as I’m allergic to long acting insulin so we were running out of options. I’ve now switched to the tslim but I love pumping so much. I’m binge watching your videos xxoo
Ah! Thank you so much for being here and binging the videos!!! LOVE IT! I’m so glad you love your pump so much too and that it works so well for you - that is FABULOUS!! And YAY for Diabetic Danica saving us!!! ☺️💖xoxo
"A Spoonful of Sugar" poster is not lost on me!
YAY!! Thank you!! 🥰
As a total novice, I bow to you for the information that you pass on. Because I am still navigating the diabetes 1 side of the land. Even though medically I am not at the stage for needing a pump or anything at this stage, I am really grateful for your advice. I am only taking 'Januvia' at the moment and pricking my finger at this stage, so thankfully, "knock on wood" (knocks on own head and bedside table and draws). I was told by the 'endo', I would eventually need insulin, but he wasn't specific. Actually, when he told me my diagnosis, he was very vague. He said, "You have a very gentle type 1" but it's categorised as a 'Type 1', I was thinking, "WHAT?! That doesn't say anything." But I soon found out, that I have LADA, I have an appointment at a community hospital with the diabetes team in September, but my other hospital appointment was cancelled and so...I have to wait for another appointment because there are doctors' strikes going on in the UK at the moment...so.....fun...I ramble, I will update, when I can and the videos are really helpful, as a newbie diabetic type 1...they really help so much. Thank you, :)
Oh my gosh - I'm so sorry to hear this! You've certainly been through a lot already! I know those diagnoses with LADA involved can be very very hard to navigate and with a doctor's strike on top of all of that...my goodness gracious...! I'm wishing you all the best as you navigate each step and if I can help at all through these videos - if just to remind you that you are not alone in your frustration or anything - it's my pleasure!!
@@ShesDiabetic Thank you, when I said what my GP said to me at the time, which was again, two years ago. I have something called ‘Cowden’s syndrome’ which is a human genetic disorder. The endo who I saw at my appointment, I told him how the GP said that it could b a little related to that. Yeah, to be honest, your videos have helped me to navigate the diabetes world. In order to explain to my mum who is of a certain age. Unfortunately apart from another family member who had T2, i am navigating and understanding this very lone ranger style. But, because of another family member having that T2 diagnosis, my dad also had problems with one of his kidneys and I am hopefully trying to get that investigated, as my mum and I think it might have had a form of diabetes, but not known about it. We shall see, once again, Thank you. 😊
I’m currently on multiple injections and I can totally relate to when you said training was only two hours and it was so fast. That’s what I’m having difficulty with at the moment. Currently, I am on my own, reading the manual it came with, and although I was taught by a home nurse on how to start up the pump, I was left alone on bolusing and checking my blood sugar constantly. I am afraid of messing up my blood sugar, of going too high or too low, and of relying on something that i don’t know how to use. This pump comes with a continuous glucose monitor, and I have not been trained on how to use that yet, until one more week. I personally feel that I was good with my previous CGM, the freestyle libre, because it alerted me when I was starting to go low and when I was starting to go high, so I had that help and I’d know when to fix my sugar before it happened. But then they took me off that CGM in favor of the pump and the CGM that goes with it. It’s a different brand and while I’m still learning about the pump, I have to wait on the CGM now. My blood sugars are back on highs and lows again. On top of trying to learn the pump. I am scared and anxious all the time.
I feel you - and truly I hear every single word you're saying. Give it time, truly, and have patience (I know - so so so much easier said than done!!) I just found that everything got turned upside down when I started on the pump but then things settled down and really became very well controlled after a while. The transition is hard. Please don't get discouraged - I'm right there with you and you are not alone!!! 🙏🏻
Thanks for posting, having someone else express their feelings about Diabetes is really comforting! :)
You are so welcome and it is so my pleasure! Thank you for watching! :-)
i just want to share, please do search for Dr. Jason Fung about his belief about diabetes
you might find it helpful
I've been using a insulin pump for the last 6 years and I'm so glad I do because I had very high doses of insulin and had insulin lumps on my legs and arms. Setting new pumps up is very confusing and takes time to get used to.
You are SO right - it is a LOT to cope with! That's why I wanted to make the video! Because it's a lot initially but I think ultimately it's so worth it! I'm so glad to hear you're still loving yours!!
Thank you so much for making this video. I've had T1 Diabetes for 19 and a half years and have just started the process of getting an insulin pump. I'm just waiting for all the paperwork to go through and the training day before getting it. I have always been against the pump as well as I've never liked the idea of being attached to something. I am feeling really anxious about it all because all I've ever known is my injections, but I've decided that it's more important to have stability with my levels than to feel ashamed or embarrassed of having to wear a device that reminds me of my diabetes. This video has really helped me feel more relaxed, seeing both your positive and negative experiences. Thank you! 😊
Thank you so much. You have truly changed my mind set. I have so much anxiety switching. But telling it like it is, is something I needed to hear.
Wow - thank you so much for your kind, amazing words, I really appreciate them and hold them dear to my heart! This was the entire point of this video and your words truly mean so much to me, I'm so happy this helped you and am so grateful to you for expressing this to me!
I have been a type 1 diabetic since 1965. I received my first pump in 1982. It was a time when home blood glucose testing was relatively new. The pump was about three or four times the size of current pumps. I couldn't button my suit coats when I had it on my belt. I've lived through straight needle infusion sets (very painful), bent needle infusion sets (slightly less painful) and sofsets (not at all painful). The main reason I began pump therapy 37 years ago is that the pump could be programmed to give me a bolus in the middle of the night. That eliminated my high blood sugars on waking in the morning. I worked in TV news, and over the years my pumps have been to earthquakes, forest fires, floods, and war zones. They've traveled with me to -- among other places -- Bosnia, Cuba, Uganda, and Chile. I became legally blind about the time I received my first pump. I've had three mild heart attacks. But I am still around and still active. And I believe the primary reason is the way the pump helped me get control of my blood glucose nearly four decades ago.
Hi Craig!! Thank you so SO much for sharing your fascinating story and experience of being on the pump. Wow - those straight needle infusion sets must have been painful indeed, I can only imagine! I’m so glad to hear that your pump has given you such a quality of life and added years to your life and life to your years it sounds like. How amazing that your pump has travelled with you to so many destinations and been subject to such wild weather experiences! Incredible! It sounds like you’ve lived and continue to live a fascinating life - all whilst living with T1D too. This is inspiring to read. Thank you for sharing! I wish you a wonderful, happy, healthy, day and continued quality of life with the pump and in general!!! 🙌🏻☺️
Was just looking for videos about an insulin pump, to do research, before finally deciding to get a pump after 23 years of MDI. Came across this video, saying pretty much exactly what is on my mind. I have been so resistant to the idea of a pump because of the thought of having something tethered to me all the time. But lately I have gotten to the point of being in a fight with my BG levels after exercise, and random highs and lows, (and a usless endo whose response is "well, I dont know how to help you if you arent on a pump"), and avoiding eating as much as possible because of the rolling of dice not knowing if I am going to go high, or go low, or have one of those miracle days where it actually stays in range. So thank you for this video.
You are so so welcome, thank you for taking the time to tell me how helpful it was, and what you're going through at the moment. Those days/weeks/months, even years of chaotic blood sugars are so so exhausting, and I'm sorry you're dealing with that. I can't only speak for myself, personally, but I can really relate to what you've written, and a pump has greatly helped me to gain better control. No matter what you do, I'm sending you strength to get through these days and to make the right decision for you! 💙
This is incredible how I felt so many of the same things. I am still feeling overwhelmed with it and balancing my life, but this is comforting to hear that someone went through the same. I think we often forget that we are not alone in this crazy world. At least, that's where my journey is right now.
Thank you sooooo much for sharing your story. I, too, struggled with the switch to an insulin pump almost a year ago. I didn’t really see anyone talking about the difficult areas of switching over, only the exciting parts. I also hate having something attached to me constantly (I struggle almost daily of where to put it), but still I wouldn’t give it up for everything. My A1C has dropped so much, and I just feel so much better on the pump! Also, I felt like the training before I went to the hospital to put the pump on for the first time was verging on excessive (literally took a week) - so interesting to hear the differences between our countries.
Hi! Oh my goodness - reading your comment has totally made me feel like I'm not alone!! I completely know what you mean in terms of just a lot of 'exciting' content over people switching to the pump, but not really much negative or 'challenges of' type content. And oh - I struggle on a daily basis as well - of where to put it and how to style it into my look so I feel confident with it! But yep - like you I just love it, and at this point I wouldn't trade it for the world, but I would trade it for a smaller, slimmer system - that's for sure! Hopefully tech will continue to evolve and we'll have something smaller that can deliver the insulin and results we need and love without the bulk or even tubing perhaps. I'm so glad to hear you've had such fantastic results and I hope this has continued and continues! Wishing you all the best and thank you thank you thank you for making ME feel less alone with your story! :-)
Just watched this video. Andrea, thank you for your honesty and insight. This was a big help as I’m getting trained next week for my insulin pump after living for 20 years with diabetes and mdi’s. I know there’s a steep learning curve ahead of me, but like you, there’s hope that it will all be worth it.
You are so welcome, David! I wish you very very very very very excellent luck, patience and joy as you’re making your switch! You’ve got this!! 💙
I've been on a pump for a couple of years before 2011 when war started in Syria. I was paying for my pump because we don't have insurances. After war started everything became 10x priced, then even the accessories weren't be able to get into Syria. So from 2011 till now I have my little 712 Medtronic pump in it's box stored in my closet. Everytime I see the box I miss it so badly and miss myself wearing it. The period that I was on the pump was truly the heaven, now I feel myself stuck in the hell of multiple daily injections and highs and lows. All I wanted from all of you is to feel the grace of having a pump and insurance. God bless.
Hi Abdurrahman, thank you so much for watching and for sharing your story. I’m so sorry you’re having to go without your pump, this well and truly sucks and I’m just so sorry you’re having to go through that. I am reminded by your story to be so so grateful for what I have. Also, I hope you will be able to make use of your pump in the future, very very soon in the future. Wishing you all the best, and God Bless you ❣️
@@ShesDiabetic thank you so much for your wishes. I reread my comment and felt sorry for myself lol. It's really hard to get used to something then to loose it. But, I don't want anybody to feel bad while reading my comment, make sure that I'm fine and now I'm on Dr. Bernstein's low carb diet and it's working very well, thanks God. Till the future come, I'll stick to it and keep fighting ☺️
Abdurrahman Haidary love your attitude! Keep fighting and I hope the future rewards you!!! You’re inspiring!!! Thank you so much for sharing :-)
I'm considering switching to pump, my sugars are unstable most of the times and that 24/7 overthinking, whether I'm going to go low or high, if my sugar won't spike after that meal,sometimes I starve so much just to get my sugars down, the consequences I will have to face if I won't keep my sugars in range, the mental health..I cannot manage my diabetes as well as I would love to, even though I'm trying my best.. the only problem with switching to pump for me is, as you mentioned, having something attached on me 24/7. I've been using insulin pens for 6y, haven't had sensor so far, it's all so unknown to me, so thank you so much for posting this video!
I'm so sorry to hear that you've been battling these ups and downs Petra - this is completely exhausting and I can imagine how fed up and frustrated you are. I can only say that I was in a very very similar boat before switching to the pump, and of course I still have ups and downs, but these have levelled out significantly. Going on the pump is the best decision I've ever made, and even though I dislike having something attached to me, this annoyance pales in comparison to the benefits I've seen (both physical and mental) from using the pump. Just my opinion though - you have to find what works best for you. I'm sending you strength and patience with your blood sugars and with your consideration of this decision. Sending love diabuddy XOXO
Your not taking enough insulin then
A terrific piece about your TD1. I guess all of us have our stories and they’re all very personal but similar. I was diagnosed when I was 40 yrs. old, 40 yrs. ago-TD1. I did multiple shots for 11:20 several years, then got my first pump. Now, I just received my new system from the pump company I’ve been dealing with forever. A new sensor system coordinates with my pump and working marvously to keep my bg reading around 90-130….all the time!! It’s almost unbelievable! The company gave me a class, in person, to learn about the new things that my pump would do, and how to use the pump and sensor effectively. They updated the software in my pump perfectly. So far, I am absolutely delighted with the new system! I will be 80 yrs. old soon but I love my pump and sensor!! I have a few “highs” but no “lows” since they warn me of coming lows and/or highs and give me a corrective bolus or stop my basal for a while. It’s amazing! I’m glad you got used to “pumping” , good luck with your TD1 life!
I just found you and I am feeling everything you mentioned. I am in the process of "switching to a pump" but I am still trying to decide "which pump" is for me. I want to thank you for being honest in your journey. It's hard and scary and overwhelming. Will keep watching and maybe there's more to help me make the decision easier. thanks again Ali
My wife is looking to have an insulin pump after 35 years of daily injections. Your video has reassured her that she is not the only one to feel that anxiety about what is a massive change in lifestyle, going from having total ans sole control yourself to a state whereby you are trusting a great deal of that control a machine would be daunting to anybody. Really helpful.
Keep doing this to help young people decide. I opted not to go with the pump when I was your age. But, I wish I had back in the day.
I hear you! I really drug my feet about it and actually I wish I had done it sooner. But hindsight is 20/20 so I suppose you just have to look at the road ahead of you! But I hear you completely and thank you so so much for your kind words! 💙🥰
After 46 years as type 1 :::: I am thinking on the pump but it is not fun. I do great with shots but the lows are problem too.
Loved you honesty...
Thank you so much! Firstly, well done for being a T1D Warrior for 46 years!!! That’s AMAZING!!! Ok...so my Dad went on the pump at age 60 after approximately the same amount of time of being T1D...!!! I know it’s no fun but it can be done! And the fun part for me has been...WAY less lows!! I hope you find what works best for you and I wish you all the best in your quest to figure all this out! :)
There is so much health in you! Thank you for giving it to others!
Oh thank you! That means a huge amount to me!!
My daughter is on the list for a pump. We're in Scotland so it's the NHS. We have a choice of 3 different pumps. (We will have the pump prescribed for a 4 year period). We are torn between the tslim & the omnipod. The reason for the wait is limited places on the training programme. The diabetes team usually support a few families with their kids in the same group. COVID is slowing everything down. Training is the full day on a Thursday & Friday. We will get to try the pump at the weekend & have a follow up session on the Monday. Having done a bit of research & watched your videos I'm so glad we will be to attend the group training. I think meeting the other parents & kids will be helpful too. It feels like such a big step! Trusting my child's health to technology......... however I'm hoping it will give her better control & freedom. Thanks yet again for sharing such an honest video
Oh wow! How exciting!! I think this all sounds so positive and wonderful - not only to get a training, but to also meet other parents, I think this is invaluable! How fantastic! I'm right there with you on the split between the Omnipod and Tslim, I ultimately went for the tslim becuase the algorithm of Basal iQ when used with the Dexcom G6 is second to non (in my opinion). But we're all individual and everyone's needs are different so I just wish you and your daughter all the very best luck in finding the best system for you!! This is the absolute most important thing. Thank you for sharing this with us all here and I'm so glad to hear you're going to have proper training - this is just so wonderful to hear!!! 💙
Wow! I really appreciate your totally awesome honest video. I have been a diabetic for 48 years and I'm finally making a big step getting a tandem t-slim pump that ties in with my dexcom G6 and hopefully all goes well, I can really relate to all that you mentioned about worrying, I am going through training this morning so the past few days my mind has been scrambling about the pros and cons of this machine. I have been doing this the old fashioned way for 48 years and now to make a change in my life is very worrisome but wish me luck and again thank you for your honest video. You take care of yourself.
I totally understand your concerns Glenn - this is certainly a big change for you, I am sure! I can only imagine really! I just hope the switch has gone/is going/will go well for you!! Honestly, I say it all in the video - overall, my switch to a pump has changed my life and it’s easily the best decision I’ve ever made for my Type 1 Diabetic health, and health in general. Wishing you joy!!!
Hi Andrea,I’m a diabetic 32 years now and 2 weeks ago I was put on the insulin pump I’m finding it great I definitely will not be returning to multiple insulin shots ,I get calls every couple of days from the hospital to find out how I’m getting on which is great also next Tuesday I’m going back up to the hospital for an appointment
I definitely think that this was my best decision ,please keep up the good work
Your channel is great👍👍👍
Oh congratulations on switching to the pump Keith!!! Not an easy switch, but definitely an easy decision to stick to once you see the magic of the pump (in my opinion!). I'm so happy you're finding it working so well for you and that your hospital is conscientious about checking up on your progress - this is wonderful!! Enjoy it!! And may you move from strength to strength!! :-)
I've been a T1 diabetic for about 55 years and on MDI since diagnosis and I recently considered switching
to an insulin pump for the multiple basil settings and extended bolus that most pumps offer. But, after
thinking about all the complexities associated with a pump I think I will likely pass on it.
I really don't want to deal with all the extra supplies and the likely possibility that the pump or related
items will fail on me at the worst time is a major turnoff. So for now I'm going to keep it simple and
stick with MDI in spite of the drawbacks. Just dealing with the Dexcom G6 is enough for me to deal
with right now.
Good luck with the pump and thanks for the video. I will look forward to the follow up video where
you relate what you did when the pump fails and you don't have a spare pump and you end up DKA.
I’m considering this. I’m type 2 and have a horrible time managing despite being diabetic for 15 years. I found your video very interesting and informative.
I'm so sorry to hear you're having such a tough time...that straight up sucks. I wish you good luck with your research and an easier time ahead!!
I took a whole YEAR break from my pump, just to start recovering from Diabulimia. I just got back on my pump last week and boy oh boy, I forgot how awesome it is (except as night when it gets tangled all up) Thanks for the video, its nice to see other peoples perspectives on stuff!
Well done to you for battling the long road to recovery from Diabulimia. That is so seriously inspiring. Not easy. Clearly you are a STRONG woman!! BRAVO! 👏🏻 And wowza - a year break! Interesting! I totally know what you mean about the feeling when you’ve been reunited (oh, and the tangled up tubing...😒)...this technology is so darn amazing - sometimes I forget too! But also - a break can be awesome too! I’m glad you found what works for you, that is top notch!! ♥️
Hi. I’m type 2 diabetic. I’m trying to get my Endo to sign off on a glucose pump for me, because my sugars be up/down. I’m tired of doing the insulin injections. I’ve been a diabetic for 8 years or more. I enjoy your videos. They help me. Please don’t stop making them😊❤.
I was diagnosed Type 1 roughly 23 years ago, I am 54 now. Started off taking 5 needles a day, then the insulin pen, then the pump. I will be soon going on my 4th pump and for those who have never been on a pump I say, if it is affordable for those of you in the USA or elsewhere, or you have insurance then just do it. It will extend your life, have way less ups and downs and only insert a needle in every 3 days instead of the 15 needles I used to have to take every 3 days. You have to do a little carb counting, but hey you would have done that on needles, right? For my new pump I chose the Tandem X2 slim and the Dexcom G5 sensor (G6 available in the USA) an unbeatable pair.
Hi Randy! Thank you so so much for commenting and for sharing your story! It really makes me so enthused and happy to read of the excellent results you're achieving on the pump. I do think it can indeed extend your life - absolutely and utterly. My Dad is now on the Tandem X2 slim and Dexcom G5 and I think it's a match made in heaven! I'm a huge lover of the Dexcom G6 (which I use with my Medtronic 640g) and truly I can't tell you what a difference both have made to my life. Thank you once again for sharing!!! Wishing you a wonderful, happy and healthy day! :-)
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and initial feelings about using the insulin pump. When I was first diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic (blood sugar was 898). My Dr. gave me a choice of vials or pens, i chose the pens. Had a few minutes of training with the pen. Went to the pharmacy to pick up the prescription and they gave me the wrong tips and I couldn't get them to fit. So I got very emotional (hysterical), and started sobbing I'm going to die because they gave me the wrong things. Then I got a hold of myself and called the pharmacy and they told me to come back in and they would correct the issue. Now I'm being told I will probably need to switch to an insulin pump, so I'm kind of back in the same place you are talking about.
Thank you again for sharing your feelings.
Hi Sewcute! Thank you so much for watching and for what you've written. I completely understand where you're coming from in terms of the overwhelm of emotion! To be given the wrong needles - gosh I can't even imagine! I am a huge believer that this is completely normal and OK! This is our lives we're talking about here! In no other condition (can I think of) do you make several life or death decisions daily. I'm so sorry you're struggling with your levels, but I can assure you switching to an insulin pump is a) not a one way street, and b) has the potential to have a huge positive impact on your BG levels. I wish you strength in making this decision! You can do this!!! And thank YOU for being so open and sharing your feelings as well. :)
Just got my first insulin pump after having diabetes for 25 years. After looking over books on it, I am overwhelmed! Thank God for You Tube and the videos! Still scared but ready to try.
Oh I'm so excited for you - but I also understand the fear! Hopefully by now you've been able to get to grips with it and are loving life with your new pump!!
@@ShesDiabetic Yes! I have adapted very quickly! Saves me so many needle sticks a day. It has become very natural and easy to operate. Thank you for your nice comment.
You are so well spoken! Thank you for this honest review. I’m considering an insulin pump as well and the topics you address are my worries and fears, so thank you for sharing your journey!
You are so so welcome - it truly is my absolute pleasure! Thank you for your kind words and good luck on your journey to discovering more about the pump! 💙
I started the Medtronic pump two weeks ago and went back to multiple injections. After 1 week It was dejavu of my last experience with a pump. Immediate high blood sugars, and feeling less in control. 2 hours of training and off to work. I felt very alone and very anxious about what to do if this or that happens and the what ifs… I hated the thing hanging on me. Sleeping, dressing, going to the bathroom, working as an electrician, etc! I realized later that the Omni pod may be a better fit since the way it is put on your body without a line to the cannula. I’m hopeful to maybe get a chance with that type of pump soon.
I hope you are well since this video was 5 years ago! Subscribed! Thanks 🙏🏻
I can so relate to so much of what you've written here! I actually just started the Omnipod 5 and am on a new journey with that pump now. All these systems have their ups and downs to be honest, but I must say I am enjoying the tubeless aspect for sure. Thank you so much for subscribing and welcome to the family!!!
@@ShesDiabetic Thank you so much for your videos, I listen to them on my way home from work now everyday! It makes feel good to hear from someone else like me. I’ve went most of my life with very little support from friends an relatives since none of them really understand some of the things we deal with.
She’s diabetic, and now my friend! 👍
I am making this change in two days. More than just a little anxious. Your words in this vid offer guidance on what to expect to have to deal with. That helps tremendously, thank you.
I'm thinking about you and wishing you all the very very best. I'm so glad you found the video helpful too - this brings me joy. I wish you a smooth transition and wonderful start on your pump journey - I'm excited for you my friend!
@@ShesDiabetic
You are above and beyond, thank you.
Thank you so much! I could write a whole page about how relatable you are and valuable your video was to me, especially on an emotional level..
Lucy, this couldn't mean more to me. I know I'm not a doctor, and I never ever want to tell anyone what to think or do or how to treat their diabetes, I just always want to be as honest and open as possible and help people know that they are not alone. You have no idea what your comment means to me, and also, how this lifts me emotionally, so please know you give me as much as you say that I give you! You are wonderfully generous to share these kind words with me...from the bottom of my heart...THANK YOU 💙
❤️❤️❤️
3 years later and here i am, using Novorapid and Lantus, with many low blood sugar levels, going to make the switch... thank you for this video!
You are so very welcome! I wish you all the very best and good luck in doing your research and looking at making the switch! It’s such a personal decision- but for me, it’s the best decision I’ve ever made for my diabetes health (and thus my health in general) 💙
Phew. I now will be so much less anxious when I get started. Thank you so much.
You’re so welcome! Good luck with it all - you’ll do GREAT!!
Success! I started my pump a week ago and I LOVE IT. I did not expect the ease and the control it brings to management. Cannot wait to see an improved a1c in August. No more pens!!
My 11 year was recently diagnosed with Type 1, she is not ready to entertain a pump, we plan on getting her to take a sensor first. This and being Celiac has been very overwhelming. When she is ready to think about a pump I will show her this video. Thanks
Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry to hear of your daughter’s recent diagnosis. I can only imagine what a stressful time this must be for her and all of you. I would say just take it one step at a time, if she’s ready to do a sensor first, go for that, and take it from there. You could always send her my channel and let her watch it in her own time. Sometimes we just gotta take these things at our own pace. I’m sending you and your daughter so much strength and joy moving forward. ♥️💓♥️
Goodness, Andrea. Low BG is ruining my life and I am also on Lantus/ NovoRapid. Following in your footsteps. In my country, only two provinces will even cover CGMs through insurance. The part of our T1D community that publishes resources to help the rest of us along is so woefully small. This is a huge service you are doing for us.
I’ve been struggling with my BS since I had my daughter 5 years ago. Never wanted a pump, don’t want wires hanging out. But I’m getting so fed up with feeling so Ill and down about it that I’m now going through pump therapy. It’s been delayed because of the pandemic but I actually can’t wait now. I’m hoping it will give me my life back. Give me energy both mentally and physically. I don’t want to feel sad anymore. This video came across as honest and that’s what I wanted to hear. Fingers crossed the pump will work for me. I’m so fed up with my entire brain being focused on my BS. I want to forget about it and take my daughter to the park and play.
Oh Ellanor, I'm so sorry to read of these frustrations - and boy DO I GET IT!! I'm not a Mom myself, but to hear that it's robbing you of time with your beautiful little girl is absolutely maddening and I'm so sorry for this. I'm also sorry to hear that the start to your pump is being delayed due to covid. Very annoying and frustrating indeed - especially when you've delayed making that jump and when you've made it I'm sure you just want to get started. I pray the pump will give you your life back, or at least give you the brain space to think about something other than your t1d. I have hopes that it will, given my own experience. Thinking about you my fellow diabuddy and sending you strength and luck in your journey....good days await you 😘💙🙏🏻
@@ShesDiabetic thank you so much. Means a lot x
I cried watching this....It has been very emotional for me too exactly as she described. Ive just switched from multiple injections a day to an insulin pump about 8 days ago. And ive been diabetic for 15 years you can imagine. Today was my third try at the infusion set and reservoir thing and Ive to admit my bent cannula today was met with gushing tear... its almost like being diagnosed all over again even thou im already loving my pump and how i dont have to remember my morning and night levemeir shots its doing d background work for me....Also im also using a lot less insulin going on it with fewer lows too...so thats a big plus.
Oh wow, thank you so much for your kind words! 💙 I'm so glad you found this video in your time of adjusting to your new pump. It is so so overwhelming to deal with all of it - please know you are not alone! And the bent cannula - I can totally relate to your saying it was like being diagnosed all over again. My heart is thinking of you and I'm so glad you're already seeing the benefits! This is wonderful to hear!! Thank you for sharing and thank you for watching!! You got this!! 💙
Your feelings and thoughts before getting a pump are pretty much the same as I experience. But since a few months I‘m thinking about getting a dexcom (a pump still isn’t really a thing for me) but I’m afraid to see my levels changing all the time and I think it’s somehow about getting help to deal with diabetes.
I‘m a person that finds it hard dealing with changes so I think I would get a major throwback to when I was diagnosed
I hear you on not liking change - totally and utterly hear you! I think we a diabetics have to deal with so much change and adjustment day to day that throwing anything else on top of that can just take it way over the top! :( I do have to say though, both the pump and the dexcom have been extremely helpful to me, to give me more of a sense of freedom and flexibility. So that way I'm changing my routine to make it fit me, rather than the other way around. But I hear you - everyone has to do things in their own time and when it's right for them - so you do you and do what makes the most sense! :) I hope regardless you have a most wonderful day and find what works best for you! XOX
She's Diabetic Thank you for your words☺️
I‘m wishing you a great week
I love your honesty. My doctors feel that a pump may help me. As I watch these video I find a problem that makes my decision harder. I have a control problem. I don't like to be told what to do. I don't want someone else running my life.
I totally understand you George, totally. To be honest with you, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I have significantly more personal control with my pump, though at the time of making this video I was still growing into that realisation. The best choice is the one that YOU feel is right and you're most comfortable with. Diabetes is a personal disease and you should do whatever you personally want to do in order to best manage it - that's my feeling! Thank you for being so honest in sharing, I (and I'm sure so many others can certainly relate!!)
Great video. After 15 years on multiple injections, I’m now thinking of switching to pump therapy. Thank you so much for your good advice.
You are so well-spoken, thoughtful, and open about your experience. Thank you!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate your kind words!
I’ve been diabetic since I was 13 going on eight years and yet still terrified of going on a pump but I think I’m going to try it!🥰
Very good presentation.
I am type 1 30 years.
Always avoided the pump,
This girl has a future in the media....good looking ,articulate and intelligent.
It would have been good to see how the pump works and also get a comparison of the A1c numbers before the pump and after the pump.
Thanks for sharing your migration story with us. I too moved from a multi shot per day regimen to an insulin pump. I resisted my endocrinologist for a bunch of years and reasons. The biggest obstacle for me was fear of the unknown. Even though existing on a 5 shot per day routine was h-e- double tooth picks, I knew what to expect and feared the unknown more than the roller coaster rides of multi insulin peaks. Thank God my doctor and wife made me move to the pump. Pretty sure I would not be alive today had I stayed on shots. I go out of my way to tell diabetics on the shot regimen that the pump is better but I have cooled my passion down a bit. I'm retired now but a few years back, a diabetic at work filed a grievance against me because I was too strong with helping her to accept pump therapy. Be careful how you approach people because as "She's Diabetic" has declared, diabetes management is a very personal thing. Keep up the good work! You are so inspirational that I like to view your site when I need sound encouragement.
Thank you so much for sharing your kind words and experience with me here Tony! You’re so right diabetes is so so personal and I’m sorry to hear of your experience with the grievance taken out against when it sounds like you were just trying to help. That must have been quite difficult to manage especially considering that it was just coming from a genuine, caring place. I thank you so much for sharing your passion for the pump here and you certainly have a supporter and sharer in that passion from me! I’m so glad it works so well for you!! Wishing you all the very best and am so pleased you enjoy the content - that is so wonderful to hear! :)
Thank you so much for sharing your kind words and experience with me here Tony! You’re so right diabetes is so so personal and I’m sorry to hear of your experience with the grievance taken out against when it sounds like you were just trying to help. That must have been quite difficult to manage especially considering that it was just coming from a genuine, caring place. I thank you so much for sharing your passion for the pump here and you certainly have a supporter and sharer in that passion from me! I’m so glad it works so well for you!! Wishing you all the very best and am so pleased you enjoy the content - that is so wonderful to hear! :)
Just started my pump yesterday...nervous,your video really helped me ....thank you
Oh being nervous is totally understandable!!! Please be patient with yourself and take it one step at a time- you’ve got this!!! 💙❣️💙
Thank you for your video, just got a pump and was overwhelmed and crying but about 3 weeks in and starting to love it. I'm on a,Medtronic pump.
I switched about 10 yrs ago, after 20 yrs on R/NPH (yeah, dx'd in 1983) and 10 yrs on Lantus/Novolog. And I totally agree about "it felt like getting dx'd all over again." I made the transition through Joslin's program, which was a LOT more gradual and informative than what you describe--two hours' training is nothing like enough for this! Even so, it took months before I was back to the level of control I had had on MDIs. So yeah, not like just flipping a switch. But it is a lot better. Most critical thing vs MDI is you can STOP the pump if you need to.
AMEN! You can stop if you need to - that is the most critical thing indeed. All of what you've said is very well said! Thank you for sharing!!
Very realistic! Been a diabetic since 1996 and have had success and complications on and off the pump. I am currently using the 670G insulin pump which I started about a week ago... I have been paranoid about having lows as well since I started using the new system so your experiences are very relatable! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Anthony, thank you so much for watching and your commenting such kind words! I totally hear you on the low anxiety. There’s no worse feeling! UGH! I really hope the 670g is working well for you and allowing for your mind to get a little relaxation from the stress of lows! Thank YOU for sharing!
I just started on the Ilet on Monday and I love it! Went from MDI to that and so thankful to be on it now
I've had type 1 diabetes since 1988 and just got my insulin pump this past month. Actually, today is the one week mark of when I started wearing it. (I had to go through a dosing transition time because my endo and diabetes educator and I were trying to figure out what I should use as my basal and bolus rates once I started.) Side note, I also had an issue with the infusion set my diabetes nurse helped me put in. Less than 36 hours after putting it on, the set got ripped out. So, lesson learned for me: disconnect the pump when kickboxing.....
Hi!! Welcome to the world of pumping!! I can't believe you had your set ripped out - but then again, kickboxing...I bet if anything will do it - that's pretty darn likely to! Ha! All a lesson learned, nevertheless it was possibly overwhelming for you? I felt so overwhelmed in the beginning with all the infusion set fiascos...hope things are settling down now, and you're getting everything dialled in! :)
Thank you so much for being so genuinely honest about how important this choice is. Diabetes literally can affect every minute and everything in our lives. Thank you for explaining that (and more) in such a clear, considerate way. You are amazing!!!! ----- just finished the video and wanted to add that you pointed out everything that I have been worried about with making this decision. I am currently taking Novolin insulin 2-3 times a day, but have frequent highs and lows (for me that can be 40's - up to 400+). I have not made the switch yet, but I found your video when researching the pros and cons of going from insulin injections to a pump. I have been telling my doctors "thanks but no thanks". I think I'm now ready to make the switch. Do you feel that learning about the correct bolus amount for each meal was difficult? What other injection areas can you wear the Omnipod?
Thank you so much for sharing your experience Cameron, I can completely and utterly relate. Especially the "Thanks but no thanks" part ;) I didn't find it difficult to learn about the correct bolus amounts, really. It was a bit of trial and error at times (as is every day with diabetes I find lol), but really once I figured it out it's become pretty darn easy. Plus, you can always bolus an amount or via the carb count of the meal, so it's very flexible and easy (I find!). I put my pump site on my thighs, lower back/upper butt, and sometimes arms (I rotate all around those areas). I hope this finds you well and I wish you all the best in your making this decision. :)
I've been a type one diabetic since 1985 I am 72 years old. I have been on the pump for decades and I'm now being introduced to continuous glucose monitoring connected to a new pump. I am very fortunate that BC is now covering the cost of pumps and pump supplies. However, it is 100 years since the discovery of insulin and we are still trying to have lives while taking insulin. There is no cure. It is just too profitable to "control" for there to be a cure. The most expensive mobile phone is a fraction of the cost of a pump. Why is this? The research is mostly publicly funded, but not with the priority of other medical challenges. Do HIV and Covid come to mind?
I hear you. This is a frustration that tumbles around in the back of my mind too. I've personally found I just have to live my best life possible and try not to constantly get angry about the probability that someone is profiting from my disease. Although...so much easier said than done. I totally hear you.
Your experience sounds like mine. I’ve been a type one diabetic for 25 years since I was 11. And my doctor never told me that I wouldn’t be taking my night time insulin anymore whhhaaatttt 😭 I deal with sooooooo many lows 24/7 and it scares me just to go to sleep. And only have to use novolog... That’s crazy! I’m so scared to go on my t slim x2. And I haven’t had any training on how to use it or put it on. I’m relying on RUclips videos to teach me. My pump is sitting in a drawer next to my bed. I’m just too scared to try it and have some machine do my job. I don’t like the fact that you have to put in exactly what time you eat every day. But I eat at different times of the day every day! And there’s no pre-bolus :( idk but thanks for encouraging me to get started on my insulin pump 🙂
Hello lovely Katherine! Oh my gosh I'm so sorry you've gone through/are going through all of that. It's so tough when you're depending on doctors and they don't deliver or help you in the way you need to be helped. Truly I get it. ❤️ It's funny I'm reading your message now because I just started on the T Slim x2 and it has made A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE to my lows due to the fact that I use it with the Dexcom G6 and it will automatically adjust basal rates, to avoid lows or highs, but I'm especially enjoying less lows on it. Truly, if you can, I would tell you to go for it if at all possible. I know it's a lot to get your head around - and I hope you can get the support you need from your doctor. Thinking about you and sending you loads of love and strength. Please remember you're a warrior and you've got this!!!
Thanks for your insights on the detail the pump provides. I was diagnosed two years ago and I’m considering a pump over multiple injections a day. To understand that it paints with a brush makes me feel more enthusiastic about getting on the pump. I’m comfortable with my multiple injections now and can certainly relate to the apprehensions of changing how our disease. Good luck with your diabetes, thanks for the video.
I was on the pump for 10 years before going back to the pen. I don’t see myself ever going back to a pump. I hated being tethered to a cord. I also felt self conscious about having this thing stuck onto me. I now fell a sense of freedom. My A1C is as good now as when I was on the pump. I do wear a Libre sensor to make it easier to check my blood sugar levels. I’m looking forward to advancements in technology. In my opinion, you don’t need a pump if you are conscientious about checking your blood sugar level.
Hi I just started on the Medtronic 640G 3 days ago. I’m feeling quite overwhelmed at present with all the numbers ISF carb ratios etc etc and getting used to the actual device itself. After looking at your video I am inspired to do by best to make the most of this opportunity. Like you I was hypoing so much and treating it with sugar snacks to compensate and constantly spiking and dropping due to insulin over usage :( Hoping when I get my rates right it will make my life so much easier. Anyway rambling here but would just like to say fabulous video and very inspirational. Thank you so much.
Oh thank you so much for your kind words, Tony! I really appreciate your watching and commenting like this! Well done to you for getting onto the pump! It's not an easy decision nor is it a smooth ride (like some would have you believe!). All I can say is 1) it DOES get easier! and 2) I'm sure you can do it! I pretty much cover all of this in the video, but just so you know, it's all true and I am STILL on my pump after all this time and all these struggles, so I promise you, it is absolutely worth the struggle! I hope this helps and hope that you've already seen improvements and changes since writing this comment. Sending you strength and positivity and some much needed pump-patience! You can do it!!
Needed to see this today. Type 1 diabetic have a lot of problems with ketones. The pump is my only next option. Been crying since I got the news
Your videos give me confidence that I can do this! I've been type 2 for the past 30 years, diagnosed as LADA (1.5?) in October 2019.. Currently doing Tresiba and Humalog daily injections.... My pump was delivered several weeks ago, just as the quarantine began... It's still sitting in a box beside my front door...
Hoping to be able to get in for some 1 on 1 training later this summer.. I was offered a virtual training session, but this thing is so foreign to me, that I initially declined the virtual training session.. I don't learn well by watching... Perhaps I'm just making excuses.. Managing as a type 1 is still so foreign to me...
Thank you for your informative videos!
Good for your Joyceanne!! I'm so happy this video helped you to make the leap!! And it's a ok if you don't want to start it via a virtual session!! I think that's totally normal and honestly I'd probably do the very same! Please take good care of yourself and be kind to yourself - just the act of getting the pump and making the decision to go for it is a huge one! One step at a time - you are amazing and you've got this!!!!!! And you're so so welcome - making these videos is my pleasure! :)
I really want to say thank you for making this video I my self am looking at getting a T:Slim x2 insulin pump and you have really helped ease my fears. I love your channel, I'm a type 1 diabetic and have been for 10 years.