Is the Insulin Pump Right for You?
Before you go to a pump clinic (which your physician will recommend), you should already have
these self-management skills:
• Be on a basal-bolus insulin regimen
• Counting carbohydrates
• Know how to adjust food and insulin for
exercise
• Monitoring blood glucose levels frequently
• Keeping written records
The staff at the pump clinic will first explain what the pump can and cannot do. They will show
you a pump, the tubing, and an insulin infusion cannula and explain how it is kept in place. They will answer
questions about how a pump will impact your daily activities, such as sleeping, exercising, showering, and
having sex. They will give you brochures about the pumps available from different manufacturers, explain the
costs associated with pump therapy, and help fill out the paperwork for getting your insurance to pay for a pump.
The pump team will also assess your self-management skills and make sure that they are
optimal.
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