Why It Works Better
Pump therapy is simple. It's based on what your body does naturally - deliver small amounts of insulin all the time - and then when you eat, you deliver a little extra to cover that food (whether a single cookie or Thanksgiving Dinner!)
Here's why pumps are better than injections
No. 1: The Pump Uses Fast-Acting Insulin
If you're on injections, long-acting insulin is usually what you'll give yourself first thing in the morning. Absorption of injected long-acting insulin is extremely unpredictable. In fact, it has a variability of up to 52%.1 This is a key reason your blood sugar can vary so much from one day to the next. That single factor probably accounts for why most people on injections can't control their blood sugars well.
Pumps use fast-acting insulin which is much more predictable than long-acting insulin. It's variability is less than 3%.1 Quite a difference. And it works. That's why a pancreas only puts out fast-acting insulin. That's why pumps use fast-acting insulin.
No. 2: The Pump Delivers Insulin in micro-drops, that are continuous and accurate.
With injections, the insulin just sits there... in a little pool. Your level of activity directly affects when that insulin goes into your bloodstream. If you're just sitting at a desk, it will go into your system more slowly. But if you go for a walk or a run, it will go into your system much more quickly. This makes blood sugars even harder to control with injections!
Pumps continuously send a little bit of insulin every few minutes (like a pancreas) so you don't have this inconsistency problem. And it's a different insulin - fast-acting, predictable insulin!
No. 3: You can eat when you want.
Because you can control your insulin on a pump, YOU (not your injections) get to decide when you want to eat. You can eat when you are hungry - or not - delay or skip a meal. Have that extra piece of pie if you like - on a pump you can handle it - no problem.
No. 4: Live a more normal life
No more injections, no rigid meal scheduling, no more unpredictable insulin... this all adds up to is a more normal life.
