S.F.
My husband and both children all have Type 1 Diabetes, and all use insulin pumps. My husband has used pump therapy for 15+ years and my kids have been using pump therapy for more than 5 years.
AZneomom gave you such great info that I hardly know what to add!
First off, insulin pumps do not react, whether over or under, to blood sugar readings. My family uses blood glucose meters that send the BG reading to the pump, but the pump user controls the amount of insulin being delivered. The pump is far more accurate in insulin delivery than injections. The pump can deliver as little as .0425 units of insulin, it's that precise!
Pros:
Precise insulin delivery resulting in better control over blood glucose.
Lower A1c
Less extreme lows and highs- very helpful for nighttime!
Instead of multiple injections each day, an injection every 3 days to insert a new site.
Can temporarily adjust insulin dose for days that you are more or less active than usual.
Not having to carry syringes and insulin wherever you go, or having to excuse yourself to give an injection before meals.
Much, much more! The pump has changed our lives for the better!!!
Cons:
Expense (still worth it to us!)
Kinks in the line or cannula (still worth it!)
What does your doctor recommend? You can't get a pump, or supplies, without a prescription. If you have a pump, it should be used consistently and changed every 3 days. Sites should be properly rotated to avoid buildup of scar tissue. Insulin pumps are a wonderful thing for people dealing with T1D, but they are a discipline. If you are not doing very well with checking your sugars and taking insulin, a pump won't fix that. I'm not trying to be hard on you at all! I'm so glad you are doing better at managing your condition. You are WORTH taking good care of your health! :)
Talk to your endocrinologist and set up a meeting with a Diabetes Nurse Educator. They can walk you through it all, train you in using a pump and even let you try an infusion set. Be warned......they can hurt! My littlest was 3 when she got her pump and I really worried about it hurting too much, but she was more than willing to endure an insertion every 3 days instead of multiple injections each day.
Best of luck to you! :)