You've Come a Long Way, Baby

Our Experience with the Insulin Pump

At 10 years old, our son got his first insulin pump. This was a huge benefit in helping to regulate and control his blood sugars. Although the learning curve was great in the beginning, having the pump, has been such a blessing in so many ways.

Insulin pumps replace the need for periodic injections by delivering rapid-acting insulin continuously throughout the day using a catheter. Insulin is stored in a small plastic reservoir (about 200 units) which is enough for 2 to 3 days worth of use. The user must change the infusion site every 2 to 3 days to prevent blockage and high blood sugars. The body begins to attack that little cannula after a few days just like it does a splinter or any other foreign object.

The usage of an insulin pump has several “advantages.” The first advantage of pump use was tighter blood glucose control, one of the most important reasons. Another advantage of pump use was being able to sleep in the morning and not having to follow such a rigid schedule based upon the peaks of insulin taken with daily injections. A third popular reason for using a pump was the ability to not be caught without your insulin and the ability to vary the insulin dose based upon activity, meals and other factors.

I have posted a picture of the first insulin pump. It was approximately the size of a small microwave. All I can say is that I sure am glad they continued to perfect this technology.

Modern pumps use a special small syringe, which resides in the pump and is connected to the wearer via a small cannula (like an IV needle/catheter). The cannula sits up under the skin in the fatty tissue layer and deposits the insulin in bolus and basal intervals. Basal insulin is the continuous insulin that the pump gives in small increments all day and night long to keep blood sugars stable. Finding this right amount is tricky, especially going through puberty, as these demands are constantly in a state of flux. As our son matures, his insulin needs will become more stable. Bolus amounts are delivered after eating meals and are determined by the number of carbohydrates consumed. The pump configures the amount to deliver based on what the user enters.

There are no restrictions on the activities of pump users today. Watertight cases are available to allow for swimming. People on pumps have done everything from running or biking across America to hiking up Mt. McKinley. In addition, many professionals, such as 1999’s Miss America, use pumps without anyone ever knowing. People using a pump today perform all types of jobs and participate in any activity they desire--the pump never holds the user back!

In the works right now is a closed-loop system pump, which would act like an external pancreas. It would monitor the blood sugars without the person having to do finger-pricks, continually inputting this information into the system and knowing exactly how much insulin to deliver.

None of these advances in technology are perfect; far from it, but they sure do make diabetes much easier for the patient and caregivers. Nothing can replace a cure but we are so thankful for this technology.