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Vos dons permettent à Diabetendurance de continuer à exister ! Merci de votre soutien.
Insuline pumps, an advantage or inconvenience?
A diabetic's curiosity ? I arranged an appointment with a consultant from DINO HEALTH, a supplier of insulin pumps, to get some information for you. This meeting was very profitable.
Here is my report which I hope will be enlightening.
For the last 30 years, diabetic patients have had the opportunity to use insulin pumps.
This equipment which is trustworthy and functional improves the daily routine of diabetics considerably. In spite of this fact, the system is rarely used in France.
Whereas 25 % of American diabetics use a treatment with an insulin pump, this is only the case for 5 % of the French diabetic population. There are 150 000 type I diabetics in France of which only 15 000 use a pump.
Discover the advantages of this treatment which is like no other.
First point, an insulin pump, is in no case an artificial pancreas.
You remain the actor and decider. It is another method, some find it more flexible, to treat diabetes.
It is principally used by Type 1 diabetics, gestational ones, and some type 2s
Insufficient information about this alternative ? ? Fear of malfunctioning ?
Let's have a look at the numerous ideas.
How does it operate ?
It is important to keep in mind that diabetes is caused by the deficient functioning of the pancreas, incapable of producing the required quantity of insulin.
To control their sugar level (glycaemia) in their blood, diabetics are required to inject insulin at regular intervals and keep a close watch on variations.
Contrary to injections, the insulin pump allows small quantities of insulin (Lantus) to be injected constantly for about 3 days, closely imitating the activity of a non-diabetic. Before each meal the subject injects rapid acting insulin (bolus). Of course the pattern is first of all set up with your doctor.
There are several advantages to the pump :
The diabetic experiences an improvement from a therapeutic
point
of view as well as in his quality of life
An improved glycaemia control
To determine if a diabetic is well balanced, we refer to the "HbA1c" indicator. These few letters indicate the level of hemoglobin glycosylate which allows an evaluation of the sugar level during 3 months.
A non-diabetic subject has a rate under 6 whereas the diabetic subject should reach a rate under 7% in order to reduce the risk of complications.
Various study results found on the net indicate that a reduction of 1 point in the Hemoglobin A1c index reduces by 45% the risk of retinopathy or 25% of kidney infection.
Apparently, according to the latest studies, treatment using a pump reduces the risks of cardiovascular accidents by 42% as well as the risk of heart attacks by 57 % when compared to a traditional treatment with insulin.
But a careful watch must be kept so that rates do not show serious variations. And here once again we can measure the value of a pump with his injections of regular doses.
However it is necessary to continue glycaemia controls 6 times a day using the band system.
This is because as of today the system remains the most reliable and allows the diabetic to use the pump at its best.
In the near future some pumps will be equipped to calculate blood sugar levels but there will still be the need for 2 blood controls each day.
Another therapeutic advantage to keep in mind is that the pump helps to limit the number of sever or moderate hypoglycemia, especially those at night which is a worry for parents who have young diabetics as well as for the diabetic patient himself
The same can be said for the hyperglycemias which 90% of diabetic patients suffer in the early hours of the day .
If the fear of suffering a hypoglycemia is always on a diabetic's mind, a hyperglycemia is even more insidious and could carry with it long term problems which are even more dramatic.
In addition a tracing and follow up are possible thanks to the safeguards incorporated in the pump.
Pumps allow to program insulin dosing, something which is not possible with injections.
The pump is simply a game boy which destroys glycaemia exceeding 2 g..
This model helps avoid glycaemia yoyos, the permanent variations in sugar level which are the main reasons for complications due to diabetes.
And finally the pump distributes precise and regular insulin doses and in smaller doses..
daily life with a pump
-"with a pump, it is no longer you who adapts to your diabetes it's our diabetes which adapts to your rhythm of life.
a short phrase with a lot of meaning
The necessity to schedule meals at set times: programing basic debits allows more freedom between meals. It is possible to plan insulin doses in advance, depending upon the subjects activity during the week or week end. sleep ins and late evening meals are now possible.. as well as delays between each etc.
The time is over when you need to carry along material when you go out : it's a real bother to always carry along, pens, needles etc. The pump offers a discrete option (the days are over when you need to hide out in the restrooms and your friends show a look of sympathy with a dish of "crème brulée" in front of them) .
With the help of several accessories, it is possible to position the pump in a spot best adapted to you : in your pocket, hooked on to a belt, on your bra, on the back, thigh.. there are also harnesses for the very young.
More flexibility and liberty in your life: In the case of a physical activity, it is possible to disconnect the pump, for around 2 hours during the day for water related sports (pool, kayak, rowing, diving), but for other sports as well, if of course your doctor or specialist agree.
Disconnecting seems almost essential as well as more practical for intimate moments.
Just the idea of being in a position to stop or not the insulin debit in view of your activity is not possible with injections.
Such a privilege, in my opinion, is in itself extraordinary.
However there are some constraints : even though the pump is very small, it must be connected permanently. It is more visible in the summer and in certain circumstances, it could be the cause of a passing inconvenience either family related, professionally or socially.
If it can be forgotten during the day, it could be the cause of a problem at night, as it is for many diabetics. Remaining hooked up while sleeping could be a difficult pitfall to overcome..
No doubt about it, there are many advantages with this system. The advantages are certainly considerable whereas the distress is psychological.
The positioning of a pump is always accompanied by a preparation and assistance from the supplier.
I hope this information has been helpful.
For more precise information on this topic
See you soon on the roads
Rémi
