Injections. Or pump?

[Dan6]

At the London meetup there are at least 7 of us on the pump so lots of experience to draw on

Sounds good il bring lots of questions

 

[-beckyb93-]

Go for it, @-beckyb93- ! Do report back about how you get on on Tuesday!

Hey

I'm going in the pump after Christmas. January-February time. Hopefully January

I've got to test my blood sugars at 00.00 04.00 and 08.00 the days I am not in placement.

And I've got to go back on the 21st November...really excited about ten pump tbh x

 

[JimC]

I've been on a pump for about 4 weeks now, apart from a few teething problems everything has settled and I'm loving it! I wish I had gone into a pump sooner.
You have to be quite on top of your carb counting which can be a ball ache at times but apart from that all seems good!

I do wish that the pump I have has bigger cartridges of insulin as my gp is a bit of a pain in the bum when ordering the insulin!

I'm still getting used to things like changing my basal when ill, doing exercise or gardening so I don't go low but it all comes with practice! I have to say this site has been great for me with advice as I feel I have bugged them with many questions but then we are all in the same boat and sharing hints tips advice..... I've gone off topic, sorry!

Summing up! Go for the pump and just see how it goes, if you can't get on with it or have problems your diabetic team can help or just go back to injections bit as I said for me it's great!

 

[tim2000s]

At the London meetup there are at least 7 of us on the pump so lots of experience to draw on

Plus one on a Hybrid closed loop

 

[Spicey245]

Hey

I'm going in the pump after Christmas. January-February time. Hopefully January

I've got to test my blood sugars at 00.00 04.00 and 08.00 the days I am not in placement.

And I've got to go back on the 21st November...really excited about ten pump tbh x

Yay!!! So pleased to hear this, do you know which pump you'll be going on? I am on Medtronic 640G and I absolutely love it.

Obviously with any electronic device it can fail (this is my second pump due to the old one becoming cracked and then me having a bath with it attached, not realising it had a crack in it - it's supposed to be waterproof!) but I have to say I am SO pleased I went on the pump. After 27 years of injections this is the best decision I ever made. It does take a lot of work with having to prick your finger more often during the initial set up (takes about 6 months) but once you are a pro you will never look back! ;-) Get the books Pumping Insulin by John Walsh and Think Like a Pancreas.

My blood sugars have been a LOT better controlled since I've been on my pump. I also use a Freestyle Libre from time to time (wish I could afford to use it all the time but it's £100 per month). That gives my fingers a bit of a break from finger pricks which is great!

 

[-beckyb93-]

Hello
Thank you for your message.
I have no idea which pump I'll be going on x

How long have u been on the pump?

I have an appointment on the 21st November and another one on the 7th December.
The one of the 21st is with the diabetes nurse. The one on the 7th is with the consultant. So hoping for more info then xx

 

[-beckyb93-]

Hello
Thank you for your message.
I have no idea which pump I'll be going on x

How long have u been on the pump?

I have an appointment on the 21st November and another one on the 7th December.
The one of the 21st is with the diabetes nurse. The one on the 7th is with the consultant. So hoping for more info then xx

I've tried to pm you but it won't let me send anything... x

 

[-beckyb93-]

Yay!!! So pleased to hear this, do you know which pump you'll be going on? I am on Medtronic 640G and I absolutely love it.

Obviously with any electronic device it can fail (this is my second pump due to the old one becoming cracked and then me having a bath with it attached, not realising it had a crack in it - it's supposed to be waterproof!) but I have to say I am SO pleased I went on the pump. After 27 years of injections this is the best decision I ever made. It does take a lot of work with having to prick your finger more often during the initial set up (takes about 6 months) but once you are a pro you will never look back! ;-) Get the books Pumping Insulin by John Walsh and Think Like a Pancreas.

My blood sugars have been a LOT better controlled since I've been on my pump. I also use a Freestyle Libre from time to time (wish I could afford to use it all the time but it's £100 per month). That gives my fingers a bit of a break from finger pricks which is great!

Sorry I've tried to pm you but it won't let me send anything x

 

[Brihaze]

Hi everyone.
My names Becky.

I have been type 1 diabetes since December 2000.
I've recently moved from North West to WestMidlands. I was admitted due to eratic bms due to viral infection. Whilst admitted I had 2 diabetes consultants come see me and tell me I should be on the pump and nt injections..

What are people opinions. I personally don't know anyone on the pump only injection...

Any advice...? Xx

Pumping can be expensive to maintain and when bgs go out of control there is more things to eliminate to find the problem if you can control well on injections then stay with them I was on pumps for 18 years but are now on injections due to cannula rejection, tried all different types and depths but would only last about 24hrs, injections via pen are much less invasive and much cheaper to buy, pumps in Australia cost around $10,000 cannulas are around $28 each and need to be changed about every 3 days, life expectancy of a pump is around 4 years, if you are holidaying overseas you need to carry a spare

 

[azure]

@Brihaze Pumps and all the sets are free in the UK so there is no expense (imsulin pens are free too, as are all prescription items).

Your experience of cannula rejection sounds very frustrating. I sympathise. It's bad enough having thr occasional dodgy site without having your whole body be unsuitable. I'm glad things are working for you on injections

 

[Spicey245]

Hello
Thank you for your message.
I have no idea which pump I'll be going on x

How long have u been on the pump?

I have an appointment on the 21st November and another one on the 7th December.
The one of the 21st is with the diabetes nurse. The one on the 7th is with the consultant. So hoping for more info then xx

Hi @Beckyb93, not sure why it won't let you PM me?! I've been on my pump since September 2015, takes about 6 months to get your basal levels right (and a LOT of finger prick testing) but once you are sorted and get the hang of it it is fantastic! I'm still getting used to certain things now (over a year later) but my HbA1C has come right down to 6.5 from over 7 last year!

 

[-beckyb93-]

Pumping can be expensive to maintain and when bgs go out of control there is more things to eliminate to find the problem if you can control well on injections then stay with them I was on pumps for 18 years but are now on injections due to cannula rejection, tried all different types and depths but would only last about 24hrs, injections via pen are much less invasive and much cheaper to buy, pumps in Australia cost around $10,000 cannulas are around $28 each and need to be changed about every 3 days, life expectancy of a pump is around 4 years, if you are holidaying overseas you need to carry a spare

Hello

I am based in the UK. So the pump and everything is being covered on the NHS for me.

It is extremely expensive in Australia and in America as Healthcare is private along with medications Nd prescriptionS x

 

[-beckyb93-]

Hi @Beckyb93, not sure why it won't let you PM me?! I've been on my pump since September 2015, takes about 6 months to get your basal levels right (and a LOT of finger prick testing) but once you are sorted and get the hang of it it is fantastic! I'm still getting used to certain things now (over a year later) but my HbA1C has come right down to 6.5 from over 7 last year!

Hi Spicey245

Yeah I understand. But it seems worthwhile in the end. My last Hba1c was 8.4 but the new nurse I'm with was quite pissy with me about it.

The consultant and DSN at the hospital were not overly pleased at 8.4 but as it's my lowest reading they are incredibly happy it's gone down and want to help me.to get it lower

The last few years it's gone down from 11.4 when I was under a hospital in Lancashire. Since then n only using gp in Lancashire it's gone to 8.4 which they are incredibly glad about. But obvs we all want it lower.

I sometimes feel defeated but then I know alot of us do. Hopefully the pump will help x

It's hard for me too because some days I am on placement workong 12.5 hr days other days I am.in uni sitting in lectures. And other days I am chilling and catching up on sleep... xx

 

[donnellysdogs]

Pumping can be expensive to maintain and when bgs go out of control there is more things to eliminate to find the problem if you can control well on injections then stay with them I was on pumps for 18 years but are now on injections due to cannula rejection, tried all different types and depths but would only last about 24hrs, injections via pen are much less invasive and much cheaper to buy, pumps in Australia cost around $10,000 cannulas are around $28 each and need to be changed about every 3 days, life expectancy of a pump is around 4 years, if you are holidaying overseas you need to carry a spare

Know how you feel ref cannula rejection...I'm on round 3 of trying pump again. Had problems start after 5 years.

Not worried about costs specifically as I'm in the UK. The hell with blood levels is not a joke.

Having to go through hell to eliminate everything and to find whats best is far worse for me than ny initial diagnosis 30+ years ago.

I hope nobody else ever go through this.

 

[Brihaze]

Know how you feel ref cannula rejection...I'm on round 3 of trying pump again. Had problems start after 5 years.

Not worried about costs specifically as I'm in the UK. The hell with blood levels is not a joke.

Having to go through hell to eliminate everything and to find whats best is far worse for me than ny initial diagnosis 30+ years ago.

I hope nobody else ever go through this.

also with closed loop technology there is greater chances of site failures then one needs to change both as it can't be determined which or both sites have failed I have been waiting 40 years for something better than insulin pumps with all these so called cures I have read about nothing has come from them so far

 

[tim2000s]

also with closed loop technology there is greater chances of site failures then one needs to change both as it can't be determined which or both sites have failed

I assume by this you mean "Dual Hormone closed loop" rather than "hybrid closed loop"?

 

[-beckyb93-]

Soooo guys! Time for an update!

DSN not agrees my long lasting insulin is the correct dose!
Something I already knew!
Need to up my lunch and teatime fast acting as it isn't enough. Which I told him. Already increasing it by 2 units. Will increase again in 5 days time if still.not enough.
Which he then told me I should do...

Also I'm definitely on the waiting list.for the pump.

So long as the funding board agree that I'm a good and suitable candidate for the pump they'll provide the funding for the pump.

And I'll start on the MEDTRONIC pump in January xx

Hope you all guys are well xx