Finally getting a pump

[JannyC]

Hiya, I have finally been approved for the pump and was given two options, Medtronic Veo or Accu-check insight. I have decided on the insight as I really like the idea of controlling it from the handset and not have to get the pump out of my bra .

I'm just waiting on my start date now. I really hope I've made the right decision but suppose will never know as don't have anything to compare to.

Any advice anyone can give me for starting out would be greatly appreciated. I'm really excited about the change but apprehensive about what to expect.

Thank Janny

 

[donnellysdogs]

Hiya, I have finally been approved for the pump and was given two options, Medtronic Veo or Accu-check insight. I have decided on the insight as I really like the idea of controlling it from the handset and not have to get the pump out of my bra .

I'm just waiting on my start date now. I really hope I've made the right decision but suppose will never know as don't have anything to compare to.

Any advice anyone can give me for starting out would be greatly appreciated. I'm really excited about the change but apprehensive about what to expect.

Thank Janny

Excellent choice of pump. Its brilliant.

One piece of advice-

If you are slim then get the rapid d 6mm sets.

I'm slim and only found out today that flexible plastic sets aren't recommended for skim persons as they can kink and block in lean persons.

You will probably be given the plastic ones initially as Accuchek have only just got the steel ones into the UK.

This probably won't mean anything to you at the moment but the length of the needle (cannula) that goes in you is important and so I found out today after 41/2 years of pumping.. So is the type plastic or steel with slim people who have no fat.

 

[JannyC]

Thanks @donnellysdogs

The DSN did mention it would be plastic and not steel. I didn't realise there would be different sizes, suppose it's same as different size needles for MDI.

From looks of things I'm going to be learning for a long time about pumping.

J

 

[Chaznay]

Hiya, I have finally been approved for the pump and was given two options, Medtronic Veo or Accu-check insight. I have decided on the insight as I really like the idea of controlling it from the handset and not have to get the pump out of my bra .

I'm just waiting on my start date now. I really hope I've made the right decision but suppose will never know as don't have anything to compare to.

Any advice anyone can give me for starting out would be greatly appreciated. I'm really excited about the change but apprehensive about what to expect.

Thank Janny

Congrats x

 

[donnellysdogs]

Thanks @donnellysdogs

The DSN did mention it would be plastic and not steel. I didn't realise there would be different sizes, suppose it's same as different size needles for MDI.

From looks of things I'm going to be learning for a long time about pumping.

J

They had probs getting the metal rapid d ones into the UK for some reason but they became available in last few days so if DSN only offers plastic ones then tell her that you know the metal rapid d ones are available.

Mind you, I don't know what size you are or how much fat you have, so the plastic ones may be fine for you.

Accuchek are fantastic with 24hr customer service and advice so when you start off they are a good source of help when nurse is on her days off. You will get huge help here to if you need it. Theres a few of us that gave had the pump for a few months on a pre public launch basis and have given Accuchek feedback on it before it's full launch programme.

You'll be fine. Do make sure that for a good couple of weeks before you get it to do a few night tests about 3am and full testing during the day. Write down everything from food to corrections.. Every single thing and add up and write down each day for two weeks how much basal and how mych bolus you have. This is important as it helps them to work out your initial set up of basal rates.

Ask for prefilled cartridges. You can get ones that you fill up yourself but these new prefilled ones are fantastic. I would assume you would get these anyway to be honest.

You will need to get accuchek aviva test strips.. But your nurse will write this all down for you to give to your gp. You will need a minimum initially of 200-300 a month. I have 300.

Your nurse at hospital will go through all of this stuff with you..

You'll be fine...

 

[JannyC]

I'm pretty good with testing anyway and keeping a record so this will stand me in good stead. My problem is night time hypos, for me not to have them I'm high during the day which I hate. This is one of the main reasons they have agreed for me to get a pump so fingers crossed this should stop them. I'm hoping anyway.

They told me the first week on going live they insist you take time of work, do u think this is necessary. I'm not a big girl but not skinny either, I've attached a pic.

J

 

[masonbason63]

They had probs getting the metal rapid d ones into the UK for some reason but they became available in last few days so if DSN only offers plastic ones then tell her that you know the metal rapid d ones are available.

Mind you, I don't know what size you are or how much fat you have, so the plastic ones may be fine for you.

Accuchek are fantastic with 24hr customer service and advice so when you start off they are a good source of help when nurse is on her days off. You will get huge help here to if you need it. Theres a few of us that gave had the pump for a few months on a pre public launch basis and have given Accuchek feedback on it before it's full launch programme.

You'll be fine. Do make sure that for a good couple of weeks before you get it to do a few night tests about 3am and full testing during the day. Write down everything from food to corrections.. Every single thing and add up and write down each day for two weeks how much basal and how mych bolus you have. This is important as it helps them to work out your initial set up of basal rates.

Ask for prefilled cartridges. You can get ones that you fill up yourself but these new prefilled ones are fantastic. I would assume you would get these anyway to be honest.

You will need to get accuchek aviva test strips.. But your nurse will write this all down for you to give to your gp. You will need a minimum initially of 200-300 a month. I have 300.

Your nurse at hospital will go through all of this stuff with you..

You'll be fine...

This info is so helpful I'm going onto the insight mid June once my pump reaches its expiry time out, I did put a post on Ask A Question but alas no one loves me enough to answer so if I could ask you some as well,

I also am getting prefilled which I've always had for the last 15 yrs of pumping so that's great except there only 1.6ml instead of 3ml how do you find this?

Is it sight impaired friendly ? ( even if your sight is ok) what do you think? I used the Combo for six months and got in a right pickle loading the syringe cartridge and seeing all the digits on pump and remote but now since then have been given my super specs which help slightly ?

I read about the steel/Teflon cannula I've always used the 17/117 Tenderlink on my pumps it looks on the insight totally different where the adapter fits to the pump or is this just a different adapter and I can still use the TENDERLINK. Well I'm not a slim person well I'm stocky but my stomach is just you know! the pregnant look :-( . So I do have a bit to pinch which is helpful for all the wrong reasons.

Compared to the combo which I know you were on is the Insight much of an improvement ?

Lastly 200/300 AVIVA STICKS roughly how long do these last? And why the AVIVA is this linked to the pump? I use 150 sticks a month

I'm using a CareSens voice as its large numbers and talks to me again for the visually impaired

 

[noblehead]

That is great news JannyC

A book that I found extremely helpful prior to switching to a pump (and still referring to it now) is a book called Pumping Insulin by John Walsh & Ruth Roberts, it was the pump users on this forum that recommended it and it is a great read and very informative.

 

[Riri]

Excellent news. Do you have any specific questions or worries? More than happy to offer advice and/or tips. Best of luck you'll love it and should help with those night time hypos once you've sorted out the correct levels of basal.

 

[ChrisMaleType1]

Excellent choice of pump. Its brilliant.

One piece of advice-

If you are slim then get the rapid d 6mm sets.

I'm slim and only found out today that flexible plastic sets aren't recommended for skim persons as they can kink and block in lean persons.

You will probably be given the plastic ones initially as Accuchek have only just got the steel ones into the UK.

This probably won't mean anything to you at the moment but the length of the needle (cannula) that goes in you is important and so I found out today after 41/2 years of pumping.. So is the type plastic or steel with slim people who have no fat.

Can I ask @donellysdogs, as a slim person do you have any worries that the metal cannula might pierce an important organ or something.

I'm pretty good with testing anyway and keeping a record so this will stand me in good stead. My problem is night time hypos, for me not to have them I'm high during the day which I hate. This is one of the main reasons they have agreed for me to get a pump so fingers crossed this should stop them. I'm hoping anyway.

They told me the first week on going live they insist you take time of work, do u think this is necessary. I'm not a big girl but not skinny either, I've attached a pic.

J



View attachment 11757

I'm also fearful of the metal cannulas piercing an organ 'or something'. My guess is that organs don't 'burst' though normally. They also usually have to be changed every 2 days as opposed to 3 which for me adds a little uncertainty. Whatever works best though.
From my experience, a pump really does lessen the severity of hypos. Had ambulances called out more than 4 times the year prior to getting a pump then none since. All my hypos were in the very early morning. Of course, this relies on you having different basal rates during the day/night and also to some extent a little hypo awareness. Well done!

 

[iHs]

Hi

lots if type 1 diabetics have hypos in their sleep and dont wake up and so need help from third party to be ok. By having a pump and changing the basal flow of insulin at certain hours of the night, hypos then start to dwindle. It takes time with lots of bg testing and adjusting the settings on the pump correctly before peace and harmony.

Looking at yr photo (luv yr doggies), I think you will be ok using the Flexlink set. Its easy to put in using the insertion device and is no more painful than inserting a 8mm pen needle. A few secs of mild discomfortant and its in. Accu chek pumps are good and come with instruction manuals for idiots with step by step picture tips so you cant go wrong.
Take yr time learning the ropes and walk before you run.
As DD has said, start counting the carb and learn about ratios if you dont know already. Get some cheap weighing scales and calculate carb that way instead of guesswork.

 

[donnellysdogs]

This info is so helpful I'm going onto the insight mid June once my pump reaches its expiry time out, I did put a post on Ask A Question but alas no one loves me enough to answer so if I could ask you some as well,

I also am getting prefilled which I've always had for the last 15 yrs of pumping so that's great except there only 1.6ml instead of 3ml how do you find this?

Is it sight impaired friendly ? ( even if your sight is ok) what do you think? I used the Combo for six months and got in a right pickle loading the syringe cartridge and seeing all the digits on pump and remote but now since then have been given my super specs which help slightly ?

I read about the steel/Teflon cannula I've always used the 17/117 Tenderlink on my pumps it looks on the insight totally different where the adapter fits to the pump or is this just a different adapter and I can still use the TENDERLINK. Well I'm not a slim person well I'm stocky but my stomach is just you know! the pregnant look :-( . So I do have a bit to pinch which is helpful for all the wrong reasons.

Compared to the combo which I know you were on is the Insight much of an improvement ?

Lastly 200/300 AVIVA STICKS roughly how long do these last? And why the AVIVA is this linked to the pump? I use 150 sticks a month

I'm using a CareSens voice as its large numbers and talks to me again for the visually impaired

Sorry I must have missed your posting.

The insight has brilliant coloured screens which can be adjusted for brighness and also the font size can be adjusted so that it is large. So visually impaired should find it usable.

300 strips is an average of 10 a day so last me about a month.
The insight has its own tester onthe remote control. You must use this as it does not allow you to manually enter readings from another tester.

The insight has totally different tubing that attaches to the pump and the sets are totally different too. The tubing is a complete end fixing to the pump.. Its not just a tube.the cartridge easily fits on it- no screwing of any connector and it cannot work its way loose which mine sometimes did on the combo pump.

Nothing from the old combo fits the new insight.

The pump itself only has a AAA battery in it now so doesn't last quite so long as a AA. Still lasts about 3 weeks. However with a new user adjusting things more then battery life will be less. The battery cover may be a little difficult for visually impaired to release as this is my only difficulty with the pump and my eyes are perfect. The catch on my pump is a little of a pain in bum to slide back and my fingers are quite large and the catch is quite small.

The handset is rechargeable like a mobile but charging times will be linked to how often initially you are having to change things.

You cannot charge And test at the same time, you have to unplug it from the charger.

They are doing the equivalent of tenderlinks. Now called insight tenders. The only ones will be up to a 100cm tube so yours would be 17/100. They also do up to a 13/100.
I cannot use these so haven't enquired about their availability.

To others.... The 6mm sets do not hit organs. The only thing I find is that I have to be careful how far round my bum To my outer hip bone I place them. Yes, if I put too close to my outer hip bone I can feel discomfort and the sets don't work properly.
There is no fear of hitting organs at being a size 8. Ican't speak for others that may be leaner than that though. As I put them in my bum thenthere are no chances of hitting anything.
For me being so lean and muscly my stomach is a big no, no for all sets... The failure rate in my stomach is probably as much as 9 out of 10 sets failing. I would say that 90% of injections were in my bum for 28 years with the other 10% in my legs. With cannulas I guess it would work out now that less than 0.1% have been in my stomach and those in the majority failed. The insight links even in my bum have still been erratic as although it is more flesh I know when I get the d's I can guarantee perfection. Even last week on changing a tube and disconnecting.. Somehow this happened.. The cannula actually came out and that was only from simply disconnecting. You can see that the glue was still firmly stuck. I've never had anything like this with rapid d's. I did send details to roche as they shouldbe made aware when things like this happen. Especially in 4.5 years and it never happened before...

 

[donnellysdogs]

The best thing for me on combo is the prefilled cartridges make swap over so easy.

And especially being able to type in names for basal profiles so I know which is which instantly. This is brilliant for me for AM shifts, PM shifts and weekends of lie ins. I used to forget which was profile 1,2 or 3.

It is fantastic and I looked at all pumps in detail before deciding to wait for the Insight as my combo pump was over the 4 year...

The settings on profiles being able to be so minuty changed far exceeded any other pump.

The handest though is not like a touch screen on a phone. It needs firm finger touches or using the little stylus that comes with it. Its more like using a garmin than a mobile. Very, very good though.

 

[masonbason63]

Sorry I must have missed your posting.

The insight has brilliant coloured screens which can be adjusted for brighness and also the font size can be adjusted so that it is large. So visually impaired should find it usable.

300 strips is an average of 10 a day so last me about a month.
The insight has its own tester onthe remote control. You must use this as it does not allow you to manually enter readings from another tester.

The insight has totally different tubing that attaches to the pump and the sets are totally different too. The tubing is a complete end fixing to the pump.. Its not just a tube.the cartridge easily fits on it- no screwing of any connector and it cannot work its way loose which mine sometimes did on the combo pump.

Nothing from the old combo fits the new insight.

The pump itself only has a AAA battery in it now so doesn't last quite so long as a AA. Still lasts about 3 weeks. However with a new user adjusting things more then battery life will be less. The battery cover may be a little difficult for visually impaired to release as this is my only difficulty with the pump and my eyes are perfect. The catch on my pump is a little of a pain in bum to slide back and my fingers are quite large and the catch is quite small.

The handset is rechargeable like a mobile but charging times will be linked to how often initially you are having to change things.

You cannot charge And test at the same time, you have to unplug it from the charger.

They are doing the equivalent of tenderlinks. Now called insight tenders. The only ones will be up to a 100cm tube so yours would be 17/100. They also do up to a 13/100.
I cannot use these so haven't enquired about their availability.

To others.... The 6mm sets do not hit organs. The only thing I find is that I have to be careful how far round my bum To my outer hip bone I place them. Yes, if I put too close to my outer hip bone I can feel discomfort and the sets don't work properly.
There is no fear of hitting organs at being a size 8. Ican't speak for others that may be leaner than that though. As I put them in my bum thenthere are no chances of hitting anything.
For me being so lean and muscly my stomach is a big no, no for all sets... The failure rate in my stomach is probably as much as 9 out of 10 sets failing. I would say that 90% of injections were in my bum for 28 years with the other 10% in my legs. With cannulas I guess it would work out now that less than 0.1% have been in my stomach and those in the majority failed. The insight links even in my bum have still been erratic as although it is more flesh I know when I get the d's I can guarantee perfection. Even last week on changing a tube and disconnecting.. Somehow this happened.. The cannula actually came out and that was only from simply disconnecting. You can see that the glue was still firmly stuck. I've never had anything like this with rapid d's. I did send details to roche as they shouldbe made aware when things like this happen. Especially in 4.5 years and it never happened before...View attachment 11760

The insight sounds so promising I'm not to worried about changing the battery so much as there's always an extra pair of hands about normally, the built in tester on the remote might be a slight issue not for obtaining strips but if I can personally read the results but as you say if you can adjust the font size this should be ok.

The insight tenders sound fine for me. I just can't get use to a short needle don't know why I suppose I've always had larger needles for everything. And I have a not so muscly lean tummy so I'm fine using that area.

Thanks ever so much

 

[donnellysdogs]

The readings are large when displayed even without increasing the font size.

Also on the front home screen your last reading is always displayed and battery life for both pump and handset.

The strips... GP's cannot refuse to prescribe the certain ones needed because they tried with me.... Explaining that the pump is useless without these strips is the guarantee that you will get them.

My hospital could only tell GP anadvisory amount of cartridges to supply and told me I would have to 'negotiate' with the GP to get more. The DSN at GP said I could obviously have what I needed to keep me well.

The only thing with the tenders is that it looks like the tubing length has dropped from the maximum of 117cms to 100cm's....

Got to say though that this is a fantastic pump.

Pump users be aware thiugh that if you live in NI or Nene CCG area then an automatic upgrade at 4 years is no longer the case. These places are now letting pumps die with a fault before upgrading them.

I also get horrible bleeds and marks from the plastic sets that I never got from rapid d's....

 

[donnellysdogs]

Picture below is 2 days after a set change with the the current flex sets... Will be so glad when the d's arrive today or Monday.

 

[masonbason63]

Oohhh painful, you say NI etc your pump life is until a fault or end of life, I live in Essex and when we talked about another pump they said this time I get a two week trial with their dummy pump but if then I decide on the Insight you've got it for good, no going back and life expectancy is apx 6 years surely people like myself a, " Gadgety person" like a change like a Mobile. My pumps have always been timed out after 2 years and they start to look shabby by then. So is apx 6 correct? How boring zzzzz

 

[donnellysdogs]

Oohhh painful, you say NI etc your pump life is until a fault or end of life, I live in Essex and when we talked about another pump they said this time I get a two week trial with their dummy pump but if then I decide on the Insight you've got it for good, no going back and life expectancy is apx 6 years surely people like myself a, " Gadgety person" like a change like a Mobile. My pumps have always been timed out after 2 years and they start to look shabby by then. So is apx 6 correct? How boring zzzzz

Accuchek guarantee for 4 years so most CCG's will swop at 4 years.

One good thing is that accuchek have actually put a dropping dead time on the pumps, so it should warn of time till the pumps are due to die.....(4 years).

They should to me be changed... They are never serviced like a car... They work 24/7/365 so after 4 years like this CCG's like Northen Ireland and Nene are actually just setting up a patient for inconvenience and frustration which is totally unecessary.

Yes a pump can go on and on, but honestly.. Compare to a car that the majority rely on day to day. If they were used 24/7/365 they would not survive 4 years without something going wrong or needing a service.

Very rare for any electrical household gadget to have more than a 2 year warranty...

 

[masonbason63]

Sorry I must have missed your posting.

The insight has brilliant coloured screens which can be adjusted for brighness and also the font size can be adjusted so that it is large. So visually impaired should find it usable.

300 strips is an average of 10 a day so last me about a month.
The insight has its own tester onthe remote control. You must use this as it does not allow you to manually enter readings from another tester.

The insight has totally different tubing that attaches to the pump and the sets are totally different too. The tubing is a complete end fixing to the pump.. Its not just a tube.the cartridge easily fits on it- no screwing of any connector and it cannot work its way loose which mine sometimes did on the combo pump.

Nothing from the old combo fits the new insight.

The pump itself only has a AAA battery in it now so doesn't last quite so long as a AA. Still lasts about 3 weeks. However with a new user adjusting things more then battery life will be less. The battery cover may be a little difficult for visually impaired to release as this is my only difficulty with the pump and my eyes are perfect. The catch on my pump is a little of a pain in bum to slide back and my fingers are quite large and the catch is quite small.

The handset is rechargeable like a mobile but charging times will be linked to how often initially you are having to change things.

You cannot charge And test at the same time, you have to unplug it from the charger.

They are doing the equivalent of tenderlinks. Now called insight tenders. The only ones will be up to a 100cm tube so yours would be 17/100. They also do up to a 13/100.
I cannot use these so haven't enquired about their availability.

To others.... The 6mm sets do not hit organs. The only thing I find is that I have to be careful how far round my bum To my outer hip bone I place them. Yes, if I put too close to my outer hip bone I can feel discomfort and the sets don't work properly.
There is no fear of hitting organs at being a size 8. Ican't speak for others that may be leaner than that though. As I put them in my bum thenthere are no chances of hitting anything.
For me being so lean and muscly my stomach is a big no, no for all sets... The failure rate in my stomach is probably as much as 9 out of 10 sets failing. I would say that 90% of injections were in my bum for 28 years with the other 10% in my legs. With cannulas I guess it would work out now that less than 0.1% have been in my stomach and those in the majority failed. The insight links even in my bum have still been erratic as although it is more flesh I know when I get the d's I can guarantee perfection. Even last week on changing a tube and disconnecting.. Somehow this happened.. The cannula actually came out and that was only from simply disconnecting. You can see that the glue was still firmly stuck. I've never had anything like this with rapid d's. I did send details to roche as they shouldbe made aware when things like this happen. Especially in 4.5 years and it never happened before...View attachment 11760

Hi Donnellydogs yet another question, you say the tester is on the remote which my thoughts are you'd have this in some sought of protective case to stop any dirt getting in to the strip entry hole am I correct as I've not seen one ?

 

[donnellysdogs]

The handset which you test and can change majority of stuff on does come with a case.

However, the case is not perfect and Accuchek know this. The place given in the case to hold the testing strips bangs against the on/off button on the pump so I have used an old SD codefree case for mine which is a lot better.