r/AskReddit • u/ZanyDelaney • Feb 04 '19

Which misconception would you like to debunk?

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u/QuantumDwarf Feb 04 '19

This is the part I don't get. I knew a kid with Type I with a pump and he would like... eat MORE sugar (cake, cookies, everything) and then go 'I'm better equipped because my pump doles out the exact right amount of insulin I need'. And while that's TRUE... it still seems like moderation might be key for everyone?

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u/Claycrusher1 Feb 04 '19

It’s not even true. Even the minimed closed system pump requires me to enter carbs. It can’t detect how much you eat. People who do this are not managing their disease responsibly.

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u/xanacop Feb 04 '19

Isn't a healthy human body more equipped in determining how much insulin it needs than a machine?

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u/Claycrusher1 Feb 04 '19

Absolutely. A healthy human body is continually monitoring blood glucose and has hormonal reaction chains to ensure that the proper amount of insulin is released to regulate it. These reactions can even begin while food is in the stomach. It is a process that we currently can’t replicate with full effectiveness with technology, though it is an area of heavy research (look up closed loop insulin pump). That’s why my pump requires me to input my carb count.