Although insulin pump is very convenient to use, take note that it falls under the short-acting insulin category. Therefore, it can be a bit dangerous if it is accidentally disconnected or you forgot to reconnect it after temporarily disconnecting it. Some daily activities like bathing, swimming, intimacy, sports, etc, may require you to unhook your insulin pumps. You may also need to disconnect your pump when undergoing medical examinations including but not limited to x-ray, CT scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Take note to always check your blood sugar level every time before disconnecting your insulin pump. Once you’re disconnected, monitor your blood sugar many times within the period without your pump. This helps to ensure that you blood sugar is on guard so as to prevent diabetes ketoacidosis (DKA). This is a serious condition that is caused by a high level of acid in the blood. It happens when there is a prolonged insulin interruption.
Your diabetic care team will give you detailed instructions on attaching and unhooking your insulin pump. It is also highly recommended that one or two of your family members know how to do the process in case of an emergency.
