When you use an insulin pump, a small device that delivers insulin continuously throughout the day and night. It’s not just about pressing a button—it’s about fine-tuning the numbers that keep your blood sugar stable. Also known as an insulin infusion device, it replaces multiple daily injections and gives you more control, but only if the settings match your body’s needs.
Getting your basal rate, the low, steady flow of insulin your body needs between meals and while sleeping right is the foundation. Too high, and you risk low blood sugar overnight. Too low, and your numbers creep up by morning. Most people need different basal rates at night versus daytime—some even change it hourly. Then there’s the carb ratio, how much insulin you need to cover each gram of carbohydrate. If you eat 50g of pasta and your ratio is 1:10, you’d take 5 units. But if you’re more sensitive after a workout or less sensitive when sick, that number needs to shift. Your insulin sensitivity factor, how much one unit of insulin lowers your blood sugar matters too. If your sugar is 200 and your factor is 50, one unit drops it by 50 points. Mess up this number, and you’ll overcorrect or undercorrect—fast.
These settings don’t stay the same forever. Kids grow, adults gain or lose weight, stress changes your hormones, and even your sleep schedule can throw things off. That’s why people who use pumps well track their blood sugar patterns, meals, activity, and illness—and adjust based on real data, not guesswork. You don’t need to be a scientist, but you do need to pay attention. Many users find that checking their pump’s trend graphs for a week helps spot patterns: highs after lunch? Maybe your carb ratio is off. Dawn phenomenon? Your nighttime basal might need a bump. Some even use apps or logbooks to spot trends before their doctor does.
What you’ll find in the posts below isn’t theory—it’s what people actually do. From adjusting settings during travel to handling sick days without crashing, from pairing pump settings with GLP-1s to understanding why generic insulin doesn’t change your pump math, these real-world guides show you how to make your pump work for you—not the other way around. No fluff. No jargon. Just clear, practical steps to take control of your numbers.
Learn how to set up and safely use an insulin pump for type 1 or unstable type 2 diabetes. Cover basal rates, bolus settings, site care, emergencies, and real user experiences.
View more