Pump Complacency.

What I have neglected to mention here is that, until arriving in Sydney, I had been disconnected from my insulin pump for almost four weeks.

You know what? It had been working pretty damn well. To the point where I was really starting to re-evaluate things. I was actually packing for Multiple Daily Injections, and had no intention of bringing any pump supplies along for my week in Sydney.

On the day prior to my departure, I began to think about how I may regret not having the convenience of a pump while trekking around Sydney. So, in my usual last minute indecisive fashion, I attached a new infusion site to my stomach prior to my birthday dinner on Tuesday night. I shoved a few spare infusion sites and insulin cartridges into my carry bag. I returned all of my pump junk back into my travel case.

But I still wasn’t sure.

I stuck with Lantus for the first day of my trip, and decided that I’d just use the pump for boluses. That was, until the moment I heard that I would be given my own loaner Ypsopump to take home and roadtest on Wednesday night. I have not given another shot of Lantus since.

I’ve drafted a few versions of this post, plagued with thoughts of sounding too wishy washy or having said it all before. I’ve had a few interesting reactions around why I would do such a thing as take off my insulin pump.

I felt as though I had been consistently correcting high blood sugars with little effect throughout much of April. Rapid acting basal insulin was beginning to feel very inconsistent, and mealtime insulin wasn’t doing its job properly as a result.

In hindsight, I do feel that my pump was also making me complacent. I tend to take it for granted after a while, not doing the things that I should be. Like pre bolussing for meals, waiting for my blood sugar levels to fall back into range prior to eating and avoiding insulin stacking.

What I do know is that my blood sugars were amazing throughout much of that four week vacation. Insulin was working far better with Lantus as my basal, rather than rapid acting. Of course, it’s worth noting that insulin sensitivity is far better when I spend more of my day in range.

I’ve expressed time and time again just how monotonous it is to do the same thing day in, and day out when managing my diabetes. That’s why new accessories, tools, devices and even a shake up to insulin therapy helps to keep me feeling fresh and energised in the daily grind of diabetes management.

I don’t believe that one is better than the other when it comes to pens versus pumps. Nor do I believe that one form of insulin therapy will necessarily be the right thing for me, forever. Each has their positives and negatives, and the ‘right’ insulin therapy is the one whose flaws bother me the least.

This week, I have been ‘non compliant.’ My levels have looked pretty much like the typical holiday blood sugars you’d expect from eating more carbs than normal and being out of routine.

I am roadtesting the Ypsopump as we speak, but I’m not ruling out other options once I’m settled back into my usual routine.