Controlling Blood Glucose Diabetes With An External Insulin Pump

Did you know that diabetics now have access to technology which allows insulin to be automatically injected into the body to control blood glucose levels without the use of syringes and needles?

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It is an extremely convenient way to maintain your insulin treatments while enjoying more stress-free time and without the worry of injecting yourself before every meal throughout the day.

External insulin pumps can be programmed to deliver small units of insulin on a constant basis by a measure of time. And with the manual option of injecting extra insulin with a button (bolus of insulin), it makes the ideal tool for a diabetic to handle their disease and insulin control with ease.

What are the advantages of using an external insulin pump to control blood glucose diabetes?

1. Many diabetics have glucose levels that swing up and down like a roller coaster throughout the day. This condition will no longer be a problem due to the fact that the external insulin pump administers insulin very slowly and in very tiny doses.

2. Because of the manual button which allows you to inject extra insulin before each meal, external insulin pumps are very flexible and gives you total control of your treatment.

3. You will never have to worry about overdosing on insulin because every external insulin pump has a built-in protective measure that will prevents this from happening.

4. The pump can be easily disconnected any time you want to take a dip in the pool or each time you shower or bathe. Reconnecting the unit is just as fast and simple.

Disadvantages of the external insulin pump

1. The first disadvantage which prevents many diabetics from utilizing this wonderful technology is the price. Currently the costs range from $4000 on up to as high as $6000 or more. And not every insurance company offers medical plans that include the cost for this machine.

2. Because of the fact that the infusion set is left in place for a few days, you may experience infections of the skin in that area. However, these infections are generally minor with little worry of getting worse and will go away after a few days.

3. In order to maintain optimal control of the external insulin pump, blood glucose levels must be measured quite often. These measures of glucose or what is responsible for adjusting the pump properly.

4. Because the insulin which is used for external pumps is short acting, if you run out then you may experience ketoacidosis, which can start up rapidly after the insulin has stopped being pumped.