When is right to get a pump?

[JeromeFel47]

Hi all,

I am on novo rapid and Lantus, altogether 4-6 injections a day (4 + 2 correction doses if I ever need)

I was diagnosed in May 2020 and at first everything was pretty relaxed I adapted pretty fast to the injecting and everything, I got a CGM (self funded) because I needed to understand better what was happening with my body and how different foods, exercise etc affected my glucose.
More recently I’ve started having issues:

1. Injecting has become excruciatingly painful in the abdomen for some totally unknown reason, however I think part of it is because I had an operation on the right side of the abdomen a few years ago and the skin feels thicker and weirder.

2. On top of point number one, I have a fair amount of protein and of course protein has an effect on blood glucose around 4-5 hours later. That means that either I have to end up reinjecting a correction dose or I wake up on high numbers which worries me because of long term effects of highs.

3. Since I am very active, I have found it so difficult to continue high performing exercise for even an hour, without downing an apple juice or 2 because of how frequently I go hypo.

4. I’ve been trying to be strict with the sort of numbers and spikes I get, like I would go on a walk after every meal to avoid going above 10 etc... but now it has become extremely tiring and as I am about to start university in October I know that this is not likely to be as sustainable.

Because of Covid I’ve STILL not managed to get an appointment or any consultation of any sorts in any hospital or GP clinic (purely online I’ve learnt things and this forum as well, thank you btw for the time)

Anyways, I’m finding it really difficult and exhausting this whole regulating business and it’s having discomforting impacts like I always need to get up and go inject or whatever whether I’m out for dinner or at peoples houses or my own etc.
With all the reasons above I have a friend that mentioned that he had a pump, and although it’s become really intriguing, I fear that I’ve not had diabetes long enough and that my reasons aren’t necessarily fitting with the criteria to get a pump on the nhs
Am I eligible to ask for one when (and if) I ever get an appointment with a consultant? And am I reasons valid?

Thank you

 

[ert]

Welcome. You certainly appear to have hit the ground running in terms of your MDI insulin regime. I've been on insulin for a year feel like I've certainly have walked in your shoes. I never took to injecting into my abdomen, due to it always being painful, so moved onto different sites early on. I'm currently injecting into the back of my calves. MDI does tend to involve taking multiple injections a day, but now I don't seem to notice it, where it the beginning each one was larger than life. I certainly felt diabetes-burnout in the first six months. Now, with MM alarms on my Libre, and my range is low 3.9 to high 6.8, so I can ignore my blood sugars until an alarm sounds. Sometimes, more recently I forget I'm diabetic at all. I do most of my training in the morning on long-acting (so no sugar required) and for the shorter evening training, time my meals so I've injected short-acting at least 2 hours before starting, and sometimes reducing the CHO ratio, so I don't need sugar then either.
You need to persevere with an appointment. I had one by video link a week ago. He specialised in Sport and type 1 so it was really helpful. Usually, it's compulsory to attend a DAFNE course, before being prescribed a pump, so sign up for one. They cover pumps and applications for a pump in the course.

 

[Rokaab]

Another big question is if in the UK, whether your consultant thinks you need one and be willing to ask for funding for you - I know I had a complete fight getting my consultant to agree to ask for funding for me (I didn't get one until that consultant retired and I therefore got new consultant).
Some consultants/CCGs may have differing thoughts on who should be funded for them, so some places it may be much easier than others.

 

[Fazzy]

I moved onto an Omnipod in June for a number of reasons. I had lost so much in the run up to my diagnosis that I had very low body fat and the injections were incredibly painful. I use to skip meals and injecting during the day was tricky due to my work schedule. The pump has a made a huge difference to my life, I gained some much needed weight, I can suspend the basal when I am exercising, give myself smaller correction doses as needed and it has generally made it far easier to manage type diabetes for me.

Good luck finding the best option that works for you

 

[richyb]

Welcome. You certainly appear to have hit the ground running in terms of your MDI insulin regime. I've been on insulin for a year feel like I've certainly have walked in your shoes. I never took to injecting into my abdomen, due to it always being painful, so moved onto different sites early on. I'm currently injecting into the back of my calves. MDI does tend to involve taking multiple injections a day, but now I don't seem to notice it, where it the beginning each one was larger than life. I certainly felt diabetes-burnout in the first six months. Now, with MM alarms on my Libre, and my range is low 3.9 to high 6.8, so I can ignore my blood sugars until an alarm sounds. Sometimes, more recently I forget I'm diabetic at all. I do most of my training in the morning on long-acting (so no sugar required) and for the shorter evening training, time my meals so I've injected short-acting at least 2 hours before starting, and sometimes reducing the CHO ratio, so I don't need sugar then either.
You need to persevere with an appointment. I had one by video link a week ago. He specialised in Sport and type 1 so it was really helpful. Usually, it's compulsory to attend a DAFNE course, before being prescribed a pump, so sign up for one. They cover pumps and applications for a pump in the course.

I do not have an alarm on my libre. I have to scan to see results

 

[ert]

I do not have an alarm on my libre. I have to scan to see results

Please on this forum use Bubble or the MM to turn their Libre into a CGM. I think I will try the Bubble when my MM needs replacing.
https://bubbleshop.eu/product/bubble-freestyle-libre-glucose-monitor/

 

[HomerSimpson]

I moved onto an Omnipod in June for a number of reasons. I had lost so much in the run up to my diagnosis that I had very low body fat and the injections were incredibly painful. I use to skip meals and injecting during the day was tricky due to my work schedule. The pump has a made a huge difference to my life, I gained some much needed weight, I can suspend the basal when I am exercising, give myself smaller correction doses as needed and it has generally made it far easier to manage type diabetes for me.

Good luck finding the best option that works for you

How long had you been diagnosed before you got your omnipod? I’ve only been diagnosed for five months, and I’m still on MDI.

 

[Rokaab]

How long had you been diagnosed before you got your omnipod? I’ve only been diagnosed for five months, and I’m still on MDI.

Do remember that you have to meet various criteria to get one, including not being in your honeymoon anymore, completing a DAFNE (or local variant) course and having a very good reason why it cant be dealt with using MDI.
I got my first pump 43 years after diagnosis (earlier this year in fact)