Posted by Velinda on June 25, 2003 at 12:15:57:
In Reply to: Re: Larry King -Credit Where Credit is Due posted by Ellen on June 24, 2003 at 17:42:11:
You're right, Ellen. The pump has made a real difference in the quality of my life. Of course it is not a cure, no where near it, but the advantages of NOT having to deal with long-acting insulin in my bod are multi-fold.
A degree of spontaneity, which I had to sacrifice due to ultra lente/nph/whatever, has been returned to me. I had forgotten entirely, after 20 years of shots, what it was like to sleep in, to skip lunch if I wasn't hungry, to exercise when I felt like it, to belly up to the all-you-can-eat curry bar (massive carbs!) and go back for seconds!
Most profoundly, I no longer have to "feed" my long-acting insulin. No scheduled snacks...no set meal times. Finally, the pump has a memory -- sometimes I honestly couldn't remember if I'd taken my Humulog for that snack/meal/unexpected high bg. (I was up to 5 or 7 a day).
The pump has drawbacks as well -- it's no panacea -- and it is certainly not a cure. Using a pump also means one must be more aware and responsible -- it is certainly more work than shots. But for me, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. Although I take the occasional "pump vacation" (for a week at a time, once or twice a year) I would not willingly go back to a lifetime of multiple injections...