My insulin pump break: Back to MDI after 13 years

Published: September 29, 2026  Read time: 4 minutes

The choice I never thought I’d make

Hi, I’m Carol, a T1D who has worn an insulin pump for the last 13 years. Thirteen years is a long time to be attached to something. Over more than a decade, I cycled through several insulin pump systems — Omnipod, the Tandem t:slim X2, and most recently the Tandem Mobi with Control-IQ. Each one had its appeal. For a long time, I was content.

Until I wasn’t.

When the algorithm stops working with you

I'd grown increasingly frustrated with my pump's algorithm. Instead of trusting it, I found myself second-guessing it — overriding suggestions, making more and more of the decisions myself. Eventually, I was running my pump in manual mode almost full-time.

That's when the question surfaced: If I'm already doing all the work, why do I have a device attached to me 24/7?

It was a strange thing to ask after 13 years. But once I asked it, I couldn't stop thinking about it.

So I decided to take a pump break.

Finding the right MDI system

Going back to multiple daily injections (MDI) didn't mean going back to the dark ages. I wanted to find a solution that kept the parts of pump life I valued most — the dosing support, the reminders, the data — while giving me back my body autonomy.

After doing some research, I came across the MiniMed Go^TM system with the Instinct sensor, made by Abbott.

"It feels like the next best thing to a pump — and right now, maybe even better."

Carol, MiniMed Go system user
 

The timing of my transition was, admittedly, not ideal. I got everything up and running just three or four days before an overseas trip. I half-expected chaos. What I got instead was one of the smoothest transitions I've experienced in 13 years of diabetes management.

What surprised me most

1. The transition was easier than I expected. Even with an international trip looming, getting started with MiniMed Go was surprisingly straightforward. The bolus calculator and reminders meant I still had the structure and decision support I relied on with a pump — just without the hardware tethered to my body.
2. My Time in Range actually improved. After the first couple of days, something I didn't expect happened: my numbers got better.^†
3. The Instinct sensor outperformed my previous sensor. The Instinct sensor has been more accurate for me – and that has been pleasantly surprising.
4. Direct control felt empowering, not overwhelming. One of my fears about going back to MDI was losing the "safety net" of automation. Instead, having more direct involvement in my insulin decisions has felt like empowerment, not burden.

What started as temporary might not be

What began as a temporary "pump break" is starting to look like something more lasting.

I wake up every morning without anything attached to me. I move through my day with full freedom of movement. And I still have the technology — sensor accuracy, smart dosing support, real-time data — to manage my diabetes thoughtfully.

After 13 years of pumping, I genuinely didn't expect returning to injections to feel like gaining something. But that's exactly what it feels like.

Freedom.

† Individual results may vary.