Throughout my life I have always been told “There is no such thing as a stupid question”.
Whilst the question itself might not be silly, you might feel like a bit of a plonker saying it. Chances are though; you’re probably just saying out loud what everyone else is thinking. So here are a few questions that I have asked for you. Thank me later.
Q. Will I gain weight on the pump?
A. Maybe. Eating and carb-counting is so much easier with the pump and you might be tempted to gorge on things you wouldn’t have before. But, you are in control of your own body, so if you decide to eat a lot of high-fat food – it’s your own doing.
Q. What happens if I lose the pump?
A. Losing the pump is a bit more serious than losing your keys. Firstly, if it came off and disconnected you’d probably hear it fall on the floor. It may be small, but it isn’t exactly light. If you took it off, say to go swimming and left it behind, you would have to claim it back on your house insurance. The hospital recommended insuring mine for £3,000. The same applies if the pump was stolen. You would have to resort back to your insulin pens until your pump company provided you with a new one. If your pump broke however, it is the pump company’s responsibility to replace it.
Q. What happens when I go through airport security and set all the alarms off?
A. When you’re going through airport security, or any security for that matter, you should always be prepared to show officials a letter from your Dr, explaining what the pump is and why you have it. I’m going away at the end of the month, and worried that I will get frisked at the airport. The animas trainers assured me that the pump shouldn’t set any bleepers off, but warned that I can’t be X-Rayed as it will interfere with the pump technology. So it is important to take a valid letter with you.
Q. Can I keep my pump on during a roller-coaster ride?
A. No! The magnetic forces in rollercoaster’s will damage the pump. So leave it with your scaredy-cat friend or relative and reconnect afterwards.
Q. Can I swim with the pump?
A. Depends if your pump is waterproof. Mine is, and when I asked my diabetic nurse about holidaying etc. she said to swim for an hour, reconnect for an hour, disconnect and swim for another hour and so on. Your blood sugars won’t be perfect that day, but you can still enjoy the pool.
Q. What happens if the pump breaks on holiday?
A. With Animas, you can take a spare! If you tell the company when you are going away they can supply you with a spare free of charge, should anything go wrong. I imagine this would be particularly useful and reassuring to parents of diabetic children.
And the final question is probably the most awkward...Mum, Dad, it’s time to look away now.
Q. Can I still have sex when I’m on the pump?
A. Um, yes. You can still ‘get intimate’ (my instruction guides' words not mine) whilst on the insulin pump. As I’ve said before, you can disconnect it for one hour. It might not exactly be romantic, but it is still possible. And if you’re lucky enough to go more than an hour, stop. You are making the rest of us jealous.
These are just a handful of typical FAQ’s concerning the insulin pump, but if you have any others that haven’t been mentioned, ask your diabetic specialist. You might think it is a ‘stupid question’, but I bet they have heard it before. If not, check out this YouTube link below for some answers. Warning: He is a very happy American, and makes me look like a miserable teenager in my clip, but he does offer some very helpful and informative advice.
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