Almost a year after being diagnosed at age 7, my doctors felt I was ready for the responsibility of an insulin pump. Diabetes technology had come so far over the years and was helping diabetics all over the world, so why not let this 7-year-old striving to live a normal 7-year-old life try it out? My first pump was a Medtronic Minimed in 2002 and from then until 2019, I rarely went more than 3 days without the pump quite literally by my side.
So in 2019, I decided to switch things up and go on Multiple Daily Injections (MDI). You can read about why I was going on a 'Pumpcation' here. But basically, I wanted to have more control over the insulin going into my body and take a break from site changes every 3 days while depending on technology to keep me alive. I already wore a Dexcom, which felt kind of like a safety net incase things went wonky on MDI. I knew my Dexcom would alert me if my things got too high or too low and would allow me to see any patterns as I was learning to navigate the injection world.
This Pumpcation was only supposed to be 30 days and honestly, I wasn’t even sure I’d make it that long initially. It’s been nearly 10 months now of injections multiple times a day and though I don’t have any plans of plugging back into the pump anytime soon, I’ve recognized the pros and cons of both options. The decision between insulin pump and MDI truly comes down to lifestyle and which option will accommodate each diabetic’s unique lifestyle in the best way possible. The main goal is to find a way that allows them to live a balanced life with Type 1 Diabetes.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. Please consult your doctor before deciding to switch between the two options, as they can better guide you based off your diabetes management.