Trying to get a pump

[baby_angel]

After years of thinking it over I've decided that i want to try an insulin pump. for every month i have control on MDI there's another one where my control is literally all over the shop. Does anybody who has gone through the process of trying to get a pump have any advice? I've called my DSN here at university to get the ball rolling but I'm not sure what to expect.

Thanks in advance,

baby_angel

 

[ams162]

hiya

for us it was a long process of asking and proving we could carb count and show we would work hard to make the pump work for us, it was not easy to get one however it has all been worth it with dylan loving the pump and being more stable than he has been in years. my advice go for it and dont take no for an answer u might have to be patient thats all
good luck

anna marie

 

[baby_angel]

Oh I'm not giving up without a fight how do you prove you can carb count? :S that's just something i do now without thinking.

 

[ams162]

we were doing it too but we had to go on a carb counting course to prove we could if u have already done one then ur a step ahead, altho all areas are different so urs may not insist on it

anna marie

 

[baby_angel]

ah i see. i haven't done a course but i have been at it for nearly 5 years. I was taught to carb count from day one really. Thanks for the heads up on the possibility

 

[ams162]

thats ok our pct insisted we have done the course to qualify for funding so just did it to get a step closer good luck and let us know how u get on

anna marie

 

[baby_angel]

Thank you so much I'll let you know but i think its going to be awhile as my DSN hasn't called me back yet and this is day 2 of waiting. the NHS :roll:

 

[ams162]

think there are a few lucky people who have got a pump easily without waiting but most have a long drawn out process we waited a year but it was def worth the wait

anna marie

 

[baby_angel]

Wow a whole year. I'll wait for how ever long it takes, i've heard really good things about those who have gone to a pump from MDI and their quality of life just goes up. Im keeping a food/insulin/blood sugar diary from now on to see if i can spot patterns. It might help when i switch to a pump or just to get better control at the moment.

 

[ams162]

yep a whole year from first asking i know others have waited a year too tho so werent on our own.

its def better for dylan we have had one a month and altho we are not perfect he is def more stable on a pump, for example we would always have to make sure he was over 10 before going to bed to make it through the night and some nights he would be in the 20s and would still be low by the next morn it didnt matter what we did either we would alter things and be worse so the pump was our only option really.

i know our hospital had someone return a pump because they didnt get on with it but think that is rare everyone i have spoke to loves their pump and wouldnt give it up.

anna marie

 

[Hazza]

We have a pump for our daughter and she was diagnosed in June last year so we didn't wait long.
I think that a lot depends on your area and how they view the benefits against the cost. We are very lucky to be in an area that is very pro pumps and would like to get everyone on a pump if the funding was there.
Good luck with it and keep at them untill they give you one, you will never look back once you get all the settings right.

Harry

 

[baby_angel]

Thanks for the reply i'm living in Lancashire at the moment more specifically Preston. Anybody out there have an experience of trying to get a pump in Preston? :lol: