Israt’s confidence and vigor restored with insulin pump

It came as a shock for the playful 15-year-old Israt when she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. With no previous family history of diabetes, no one in Israt’s family had enough knowledge about the causes of the condition and how to live with it.

By early 2012, Israt had started depending on insulins since her blood sugar, as well as Triglyceride and cholesterol levels, were above recommended scales. However, she still had a consistent rate of HbA1c above or around 11.0, indicating little improvement in her diabetic condition. In the two years that followed, several doctors recommended Israt a range of medications, but her condition did not improve. It can easily be perceived how much mental trauma Israt had to go through, having been under pressure to accept a lifelong companionship with injections and blood test strips even before reaching her twenties. But then flickered a ray of hope, when Israt came to know about insulin pumps – a game-changing medical kit that gave her hope of reliving her life the way she used to.

When she started using insulin pumps, she felt  a sense of reassurance. After a trial of 1.5 months, Israt had enough confidence in the technology.  Her daily insulin requirements decreased from 750 – 850 units to 400 – 500 units within a short time. To her surprise, Israt’s insulin pump had managed to control the HbA1c level to even the point of 6.6 within the next two years. It was the lowest HbA1c level she had recorded in her eight years journey with diabetes.

“I think confidence is one of the key factors for every diabetic patient to live a normal life. Ever since I started using  insulin pump, I have regained that confidence in myself. It gives me a better vigor with a stronger perspective towards my life and career ahead. I have even gained 6-kilo weight, which seemed next to impossible at one point in my past. I would recommend every patient with type 1 diabetes to try the insulin pump once. It might feel uncomfortable at first, but that is nothing compared to how wonderfully it can change their lives,” said Israt, now a happy and healthy 23-year-old student.

Disclaimer: This is a public awareness initiative by Medtronic. The patient story published is for educational and informational purposes only and is an experience specific to a particular patient. Responses to a treatment may vary from patient to patient. Always talk with your healthcare professional about diagnosis and treatment information and ensure that you understand and carefully follow that information.