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Asking to be considered for a pump/ dvla suspend licence due to hypos

H

Hirstygirl

Well-Known Member
Messages
110
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hiya, I'm looking for advice, and or experience in how to ask for pump therapy.

I have little hypo awareness, have had 2 episodes of disabling hypoglycaemia in the last 12 months, dvla are aware and have suspended my licence for 12 months. Well I had wanted to discuss pumps at my appointment on Thursday, but spoke to the DSN after receiving the dvla letter and have been told I need to ask consultant about the appeals process when in clinic. I'm worried that there won't be enough time to talk about both issues properly, in my opinion both matters of of equal importance and may indeed be linked, so how do I go about this conversation?

Any advice great fully received

Many thanks
 
You should have ample time to discuss both, try and chase up the appointment if you don't here anything in the next couple of weeks, if you want some more information on pumps and the process involved in getting one then have a look at the following:

http://www.inputdiabetes.org.uk/
 
I wouldnt personally be considering appealing if you have little hypo awareness as you have said yourself. I would be much more interested in a pump and getting your levels up so you can get the awareness back first. Also consider if you can afford a CGM to help with those levels and hypo unawareness
 
@Engineer88 that is what I'm wondering to be honest, the pump is undoubtedly going to help stability. Since having the two episodes I have attended a dafne (well my hospital call it gertie but content is the same) am carb counting, have changed fast acting to novorapid, stopped driving immediately and have been testing at least 4 times each day. I have three months of bs readings that show no disabling hypos, so wonder if it could be sorted quicker than a year?
I'm just trying to way up my options
 
Hirstygirl said:
I have little hypo awareness, have had 2 episodes of disabling hypoglycaemia in the last 12 months
Click to expand...
The priority is to get a pump, with little awareness there is no appeal for a licence renewal. So you need to improve awareness before you consider going down that route.
You also need to be testing a lot more than 4 times a day to get any control what so ever.
 
@CarbsRok how many times a day should I test then? My diabetes team like a fasting, pre lunch, pre dinner and before bed (4 a day) more if any hypos then during hypo and ten mins later to see if bs are rising post treatment. Am interested in your advice
Thankyou for the reply
 
Typically, when you are trying to understand how your glucose moves around, you would do pre-meals and then a second test two hours after meals.

The NICE guidelines are:

5 to 7 mmol/L on waking, 4 to 7 mmol/L before meals and 5 to 9 mmol/L 90-120 mins post eating.

If you are higher post eating, your bolus is too small and lower than where you were before eating (assuming no adjustment for being high before eating) then your bolus was too large.

If you don't test at that time point you have no reference on whether your bolus ratios are correct.
 
Hirstygirl said:
@CarbsRok how many times a day should I test then? My diabetes team like a fasting, pre lunch, pre dinner and before bed (4 a day) more if any hypos then during hypo and ten mins later to see if bs are rising post treatment. Am interested in your advice
Thankyou for the reply
Click to expand...

Is it no wonder that just bg testing 4 times per day, you have had the bad hypos and didnt see them coming until you got really bad and needed help.
I would throw this at your diabetes team because if you had tested mid morning and mid afternoon, you would have been able to see what your bg levels were and could have eaten some food to prevent the hypo. Wellll.....this really makes my blood boil.

Im really sorry that yr licence has been revoked for 12 months but you need to have harsh words with your diabetes team about their bg testing advice.
 
@tim2000s yes I see how that makes sense, not sure really why I haven't been told to try testing post meal as I've just completed dafne? Strange one ...
 
@iHs that is just what I was thinking, so does everyone test before then after meals all the time or just for a set period? (Sorry if that is a silly question)
 
And I agree with @iHs, your diabetes team has severely let you down. You should be on the line to the patient complaints team as what they have told you is dereliction of duty in my book. You might want to ask them whether they have been trying to save money by risking your life.

Which hospital are you at @Hirstygirl
 
@tim2000s I am not blameless in my situation, I'd been struggling with diabetes burnout and depression following the sudden death of my mother, and hadn't been attending hospital appointments for months, only visiting my gp for diabetes advice, when I had the bad hypos it was a real wake up call for me, thankfully, since this I have been referred back to the hospital in the last three months and am trying to turn myself around. I will get there I'm determined
 
@Hirstygirl are you on antidepressants? These can cause hypos and insulin may need to be adjusted accordingly.

Have you considered Abbott Freestyle Libre to help identify patterns etc?
 
Just a quick update today I have seen the diabetes consultant, he has referred me to the pump team says I should have no problem gaining funding cos of hypo unawareness. In the meantime I have to do some glucose testing overnight, then start taking long acting at breakfast and bedtime.
As for driving I have to wait until the 12 months are up so good and not so good news
 
Hirstygirl said:
Just a quick update today I have seen the diabetes consultant, he has referred me to the pump team says I should have no problem gaining funding cos of hypo unawareness. In the meantime I have to do some glucose testing overnight, then start taking long acting at breakfast and bedtime.
As for driving I have to wait until the 12 months are up so good and not so good news
Click to expand...

Really pleased for you @Hirstygirl, hope you don't wait too long for the changeover :)
 
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