Pros and Cons of Using Insulin Pump - Diabetics Must Know Before Using It

Most people who have type 1 diabetes prefer using a pump over other methods of delivering insulin. A lot of diabetic experts suffering from diabetes prefer pumps over needles.

Here are five additional reasons that people who like the pump cite for using one:

* The pump delivers insulin to the body much like the pancreas does.
* One can adjust the amount of insulin by fractions of a unit and have many different amounts at different times of day. The insulin pump easily adapts to a patient's lifestyle.
* Taking a larger dose before meals is as easy as pushing a button on the pump.
* One can be more flexible with meals because he's constantly getting a small dose of insulin.
* That's great news for today's active youngsters. There's less risk of hypoglycemia because you are getting small amounts of insulin at a time

On the other hand, here are five equally significant reasons that people don't like to use an insulin pump:

* It's much more expensive than conventional syringes and needles.
* The pump is visible, especially when one wears less clothing on hot days. Also, if there's a blockage, an alarm goes off. Essentially, it makes diabetes more obvious to others.
* If the pump fails for any reason that doesn't set off an alarm, such as a leak, one has so little insulin in his body that he may rapidly go into KETOACIDOSIS.
* You need to monitor his blood glucose more frequently, sometimes more than four times daily, to properly use the pump. And right now, monitoring still means finger sticks.
* The pump is attached to the body 24 hours a day, making sleeping and physical activities like sports less convenient.
* Pump wearers who engage in sex may find the pump inconvenient because it's attached to the body.

Kids of all ages can use the insulin pump. Parents usually manage the pump until they feel the child can do it.

Insulin pump is best suited for those diabetic have the following characteristics:

* They're highly motivated.
* They're willing to stick themselves multiple times a day to check their blood glucose.
* They can afford the costs involved because many insurances pay only a part of the pump expenses.
* They understand how the pre-meal glucose and the carbohydrates about to be consumed are used to determine the insulin dose.
* They have a good understanding of the complications of diabetes, especially signs of ketoacidosis.

By keeping the above mentioned pros and cons, it will help the diabetics to to make a better descion.