Alexandra - Marina Del Rey, CA
The following story tells the individual experience of someone using insulin pump therapy and frequent blood sugar monitoring to manage his/her diabetes. As you read, please remember that the experience is specific to the individual. While clinical studies support pump therapy and frequent testing as effective tools for controlling blood sugars, results may vary, and not every response will be the same.
I was six years old when I was first diagnosed with diabetes. In some ways, I think I’m fortunate to have been diagnosed at that age. That’s because I don’t really remember what life was like before diabetes. Once diagnosed, I began treating my diabetes with insulin shots, which, in the beginning, didn’t bother me – it was the fingerstick testing that I didn’t like.
I had always maintained good control of my blood sugar levels and I felt pretty healthy. So it wasn’t until high school that I first started to consider insulin pump therapy. Knowing that I wanted to go away for college, I needed tighter control over my highs and lows, and wanted the flexibility that an insulin pump would afford my ever-changing college schedule. I wanted to start my new pump before college so I would feel confident using it on my own, but I still had reservations. Specifically, I was uncomfortable with the idea of having something tethered to my body.
My concerns, however, were put to rest when I traveled to Washington D.C. to campaign for additional research money for diabetes. I met two major celebrities with diabetes who wore insulin pumps. They explained the benefits of using the pump in their active lifestyles and showed me the different places you could “hide” the pump. When I returned home, a Medtronic representative came to my house and gave me a three-day trial run with saline solution. I realized that having a pump attached to me wasn’t a problem and that the pros far outweighed the cons. Soon afterward, I started on the Medtronic MiniMed Model 507C insulin pump and I’ve never looked back.
There are so many reasons why I can’t imagine life without the pump. In college, every day was different and the pump gave me the flexibility that shots would not. I was able to sleep in, stay up late and enjoy the spontaneity of college life. I could even eat when I wanted and not be forced to eat when I wasn’t hungry, something that happens with shots. I had tighter control of my A1Cs, dropping from the 8 percent range to somewhere in the 6 percent range. That’s pretty incredible!
I am currently on the Medtronic MiniMed Paradigm 512 insulin pump, and am getting ready to do my first triathlon, something I would have never considered without the pump. After the swim, I’ll be able to reattach the pump, give myself a small dose of insulin instead of one big shot, and complete the race. I’m confident that I’ll finish as strong as anyone else.
I now work for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation counseling families with children who were recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I share stories about my own struggles with diabetes and how I can’t imagine life without the pump, especially in college, and encourage them to consider it in the long-term for their child. When I hear that other patients may be concerned about pump therapy, I encourage them to visit Medtronic MiniMed’s Web site at www.minimed.com to look at the clinical and personal information from other pump users. Pump therapy has truly changed my life and I would recommend it to anyone who is trying to improve their blood sugar control, particularly those who experience hypoglycemia throughout the day and overnight.
Alexandra
To find out if intensive diabetes management using insulin pump therapy and frequent blood sugar monitoring is right for you, call 1-866-948-6633 (toll-free) for a referral to a diabetes specialist.
