The pump releases a set amount of insulin, the basal dose, throughout the day and night. The user tells the pump to release a surge of insulin, a bolus, just before each meal to balance the effect of the food.
Users can change the amount of insulin based on their needs. For example, more insulin is needed during illness, and less is needed during periods of intense activity.
Perfect control of diabetes is not a requirement for using the pump. Many children improve significantly their blood sugar control once they are using an insulin pump. Good candidates for the insulin pump also:. If you think that you and your child can learn to use the pump successfully, speak to your diabetes team. Children and teens have started using insulin pumps for type 1 diabetes because of their many advantages.
Because the pump delivers only rapid-acting insulin, there are no long-acting insulin reserves to fall back on if there is a problem. This means that blood sugar and ketone levels can rise very quickly if something goes wrong with the pump or the insertion site. Blood sugar levels must be monitored more often. Having support to help a child re-insert a pump site or trouble-shooting a pump malfunction in a very small amount of time at school can be a challenge for many families.
Insulin pumps are expensive. Not all private health insurance plans will pay for pumps, and government subsidies for insulin pumps vary from province to province and patient to patient. It has the ability to predictively alert users to impending low blood sugars, and can adjust insulin accordingly or shut off background insulin if the user reaches a low threshold.
In , Medtronic launched the G. With the same form factor as the G, this newer model adds Bluetooth connectivity so that it can work with smartphone apps. Importantly, this system is FDA approved for adults and kids as young as 2 years old right from the start — instead of starting with adults and doing pediatric studies later, which is traditionally the case.
The only full-featured tubeless insulin pump on the market is made by the Boston-area company Insulet Corp.
First launched in , this system has gone through a few iterations before the Omnipod DASH system was released in The newest Omnipod also no longer houses a built-in fingerstick glucose meter as earlier models did. That is expected in late or early While insulin pumps have largely been aimed at the T1D population of people on intensive insulin therapy, data shows these devices can have a huge benefit for those living with type 2 diabetes T2D who use insulin as well.
Beyond the above-mentioned pumps, there are two other pump devices aimed specifically at the type 2 population:. Despite the large user base, the manufacturer Valeritas filed for bankruptcy in and sold the V-Go to Denmark-based biotech firm Zealand Pharma, which also has a rescue glucagon pen now available in the United States. Through the V-Go product page, you can find more information about this device and how to begin the process to buy one.
Omnipod-maker Insulet has been talking about its interest in offering a higher-concentrated insulin delivery device aimed at the T2D population for a number of years now. This remains in development as of and there is no official timeline on when this might become available.
Medtronic is enthusiastic about customers being able to easily upgrade to G and newer features remotely, rather than requiring a new hardware purchase. FDA approval is expected in the second half of , with a launch following that. It will be a hybrid of sorts, roughly half the size of the existing t:slim X2 pump and without any display screen at all. Notably, this will be a patch pump with no tubing, that includes a side-button to administer a quick insulin dose directly from the device itself.
The t:sport will stick to the skin with an adhesive, but unlike the Omnipod, would be detachable for short periods of time. The hope is to give customers a choice of how they want to use it: either via smartphone app, or a separate receiver device. Tandem had originally planned to submit this to FDA for consideration by mid, but delays due to the COVID crisis have pushed that timeline back.
Many people still get these insulin pumps to use, despite not being able to buy them directly from manufacturers or most third-party suppliers. But remember to speak to your healthcare team too. You'll need to have your pump attached to you all the time. Only take it off for small breaks, like when you're swimming or showering. When we talk about treating diabetes, we talk about two different types of insulin doses, which are basal and bolus. Bolus insulin is a rapid-acting insulin.
You take a bolus dose when you eat or if you need to give yourself a correction dose if your levels go high. Basal insulin, also known as background insulin , is the insulin that your pump gives you continuously throughout the day and night. Your healthcare team will help you set your basal rates based on your individual needs.
We have loads more information about diabetes technology in our Tech Hub, and you can join the conversation about insulin pumps on our forum. A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales with no.
Your pancreas releases insulin in response to changes in your blood sugar level. As a result, you have to find another way to get the insulin you need. Insulin pumps work by delivering a basal, or set, rate of insulin through a tube called a cannula. The cannula is inserted just under the top layer of your skin. Your doctor will work with you to determine the amount of insulin you need each day.
Insulin pumps can also deliver an insulin bolus. This is an extra dose of insulin besides your basal rate. You need to tell the pump to administer the bolus dose. Some insulin pumps will also monitor your blood sugar level. The pump will tell you in real time what your blood sugar is, so you can give yourself insulin.
Insulin pumps give you insulin according to how you program them. An insulin pump is usually about the size of a deck of cards, although the size can vary depending on the model. You wear the pump outside your body. You can insert the cannula in a variety of places on your body. Some of the most common places include your stomach, thigh, or buttocks. The cannula acts as the go-between from the pump to your skin.
You place the little end of the cannula in the subcutaneous tissue below your skin. Besides the more traditional pumps, insulin patch pumps are also available. These are small pumps that adhere directly to your skin. Instead of being attached to a pump, these patches have a wireless mechanism. The mechanism sends signals for the patch to release insulin directly into your body.
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