 If you have diabetes, you know that life revolves around when you take your next dose of insulin. Will you be stuck in a traffic jam, in line at the grocery store, or someplace inconvenient where you can’t check your blood glucose level when the time comes? If you are taking frequent insulin injections and looking for a way to treat diabetes that doesn’t interfere with your daily activities, an insulin pump might be right for you.
An insulin pump is a small electronic device that can be worn in your pocket or on a belt, much like a cell phone. The insulin pump is programmed by a professional to deliver small amounts of insulin at a continuous rate. This is called a basal dose. A bolus of insulin can also be delivered at any given time determined by the patient to meet their current blood glucose needs. The pump delivers the insulin through small tubing directly under the skin. This tubing is changed every two to three days.
When wearing an insulin pump, your treatment of diabetes is matched to your lifestyle. Insulin pumps may be beneficial for patients who receive multiple insulin injections each day. Studies show that by using a pump, insulin is delivered consistently, the amount of swings in blood glucose levels stabilize, and patients achieve flexibility on when they can eat.
If you are thinking about an insulin pump, it’s important to keep in mind that blood glucose monitoring and carbohydrate counting will continue to be an integral part of managing your diabetes. Insulin pumps typically cost more than traditional methods of diabetes treatment, but are often covered by insurance. Complications can occur from use of insulin pumps, such as receiving too much or too little insulin, infection at the site of insertion, pump malfunction, and blockages in the pump.
At Robinwood Endocrinology, care for diabetes patients is a team approach. The staff offers expert medical care while providing services patients may need to live a fulfilling life with diabetes, including insulin pump therapy, one-on-one or group educational sessions on nutritional therapy, diabetes self management education, glucose monitoring instruction, and insulin injection training.
For More Information
If you are interested in learning more about insulin pump therapy or to see if you are a good candidate, contact Robinwood Endocrinology. You can make an appointment to talk with a clinician or sign up to attend an insulin pump information seminar. This seminar is a great way to gain a basic understanding of pump therapy, and it covers general information about pumps, what to expect from pump therapy, and next steps for the initiation of pump therapy. At the completion of the seminar attendees will have an opportunity to physically handle the current pumps on the market.
The seminar is offered from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm on the second Thursday of January, March, May, July, September, and November. More advanced courses are also offered. Registration is $25. Please call 301-714-4041 for more information or to sign up to attend the insulin pump information seminar.
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