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TwitThisInsulin Pumps
Needles are the tried-and-true way to deliver insulin. They're reliable, consistent, and relatively easy to use. Still, if you're looking for options, you'll find plenty of them in a range of newer devices. Are these gadgets right for you? The only way to know is to find out more. First, think about what you believe are the main drawbacks of needle-and-syringe delivery. Do you hate needles? Do you feel it's inconvenient to stop what you're doing to give yourself a shot? Do you feel there's just too much paraphernalia to drag around with you? You'll find alternative delivery systems to address all of these issues.
What if there was a way to deliver insulin in a slow and steady trickle all day like a real pancreas does? That's the idea behind electronic insulin pumps. These wearable devices hold a one- or two-day supply of short-acting insulin that's dispensed continuously for basal coverage while providing a preprogrammed spurt of insulin at the touch of a button before meals. Pumps allow close control of blood sugar without the need for a lot of injections. Every two or three days, you need to change the site of the catheter that connects the pump to your body, which involves inserting a small needle just under the skin.Automatic insulin pumps would seem ideal for children, but doctors tend to worry that kids aren't responsible enough to do extra blood testing and carefully program their doses to match their meals. Yet a 2002 study at Strong Children's Hospital, in Rochester, New York, found that, with only a couple of exceptions, 53 children under age 13 were safely able to achieve better glucose control with less hypoglycemia using pumps than they did with injections.
Insulin pumps are becoming more and more popular among people with type 1 diabetes (for whom they're mainly intended) because the instant adjustments allow a great deal of flexibility, they provide excellent glucose control, and their precise delivery often lets you use less insulin than with injections. What's more, new water-resistant pumps can be worn almost anytime, anywhere -- even when swimming. Pumps can also be quickly disconnected for, say, sexual activity. Fail-safe controls keep the unit from giving you an insulin overdose, beep if flow shuts down due to a clog, and signal when the batteries are running low.
For all their advantages, though, pumps aren't perfect. For one thing, they're pricey, costing between $4,000 and $6,000, and insurance doesn't always pick up the full tab. Some doctors are finding that the long-acting insulins glargine and detemir, with their rapid onset and steady action, can control basal glucose almost as well as a pump, at less cost. Problems like clogs and infections at the injection site can sometimes interfere with your insulin delivery, although patient education and practice can minimize these problems -- as can more frequent self-monitoring with blood tests, which you'll find are still necessary. Talk to your doctor to determine whether or not an insulin pump is a good idea for you.
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