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Been refered for a insulin pump

T

Tracey167

Well-Known Member
Messages
309
Location
Essex
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi all

I went to my first visit to see the Diabetic Consultant on Friday and he went through my blood glucose readings and the amount of Hypos I am having and without me mentioning at all he suggested that a insulin pump would benefit me. He said I should hopefully have the pump by August, obviously I will have to do all the training first.

Can anyone who is currently on a pump tell me what training I have to have and how long the courses last, I read that they put you on saline first to get you used to it.

Any advice will be appreiciated

Thanks

Tracey167
 
Hi Tracey

First of all congrates, and August wii be here before you know it..

Training does very from clinic clinic,

But they will go through carb counting, using your pump, setting up programs, changing your canular etc...

Again whether you will use saline before using insulin in the pump also veries with each clinic, so do and some don't...

Mine training at my clinic, was over 3 days, 1st day a month before getting the pump, running through carb counting, I had already done DAFNE so really didn't need this bit

2nd&3rd days, where both together (I didn't get a choice of pumps it was Spirit take it or leave it ) started with sorting out which canular size and type, what tube lengths to go for, briefing on set changes, cartridge filling and basic program setting, by 11.30am I had the pump attached using insulin... Then the rest of the training period sorting, briefing (dinner provided both days) when faffing with the pump setting etc, we did detach the pumps :lol:

Then off we went into the sunset, with phone numbers and an appointment for a week and a month later...

But I would ask when they call you in to show you what pumps are available to choose from
 
Hi Tracey,

I had to do a carb counting course before they would let me have a pump but once I had done that and was approved, I got the pump pretty cuickly! I had a choice between the Accu Chek Combo (which I went for) or the Paradigm pump and I didn't have the saline or anything, just went for my appt at 9am and by 10.30am I was connected and had my basal rate set! I had a full run through before I connected and I had taken my OH with me so he could 'take notes' :wink: that was pretty much it, it happened very quickly really! I've learned loads in the few months I've had it and am still learning now. Don't think they will expect you to fully get to grips with it for a while, so as long as you have the careline number on speed dial, you should be fine

Good luck!!
 
Hi thank you for your replys, its sounds that the training is quiet straight forward. I am doing carb counting at the moment my diabetic nurse put me onto it over a month ago, brought myself a collins gem book of carb counting which has been a great help, I am getting used to it now getting to know how many carbs are in what I am eating and to be honest my insulin intake has dropped quiet abit since doing it. My consultant told me to drop my levemir 2 units in the morning and evening to try bring my awareness back which I am doing but I don't like running high sugar levels it makes me feel awlful but he said to do it for a month so I got to stick with it.

I had a hypo yesterday evening but in myself i felt fine (normal) but when my husband made me do my blood reading it was 1.8 the strange thing is when I done a reading at teatime it was 16 very high for me and I only gave myself enough insulin to cover the sandwich and crisps that I had for tea.

I am hoping they give me a pump that has a alarm that sounds when your sugars reach a certain level, I read that the Accu-Chek combo has this and this was the the one my diabetic nurse showed me when I went to see her. Anyway I will just have to wait and see.

Thanks

tracey167
 
Hi, the accu chek pump doesn't have an alarm as such? although you can set it to ring an alarm when you test your BG and it's low but why would you need it to if you are testing?! You can get a CGM to link up with a pump and they 'talk' to each other and alarm but it's not the Accu Chek, otherwise I'd have one, ha ha! Unless it's a new thing?? hmmm, I will get googling, lol! From what I've read on this forum, CGM's are difficult to get funding for but some people fund them themselves and obviously they have their benefits.
 
Hello Tracey

I think the insulin pump that your dsn spoke of is the Medtronic Paridigm 522 or 722. These will both speak to a cgm. The Medtronic Veo though will also suspend insulin if a low bg is detected by the cgm. Some PCTs wll fund the sensors for the cgm if hypo awareness is gone completely but for those who just want the cgm for peace of mind, they have to buy them themselves.
 
I am in a similar position, I went to see my consultant about getting a pump, I am a type 1 diabetic, I've been told I could be a good candidate for one, but first I need to go on a carbohydrate counting course. Would be interested to know more about these courses, apparently its one day a week for a month. They are going to send me further details. I would like to know what to expect, and how easy it is to learn, I am not very good at maths, and a bit worried how easy it is to pick up?

Thanks for reading.
 
dead easy! just get a calculator and you'll be fine the course I did, Insight, was 1 day a week for 4 weeks with follow up 1 hour sessions every 3 months or so following that. it's invaluable advice for any diabetic but definitely needed if you want a pump, don't stress about the maths, I am rubbish at maths and I manage just fine :lol:
 
Thanks for the reply, that's good to know, I really hope I can get a pump, so this course is important. I will buy a calculator, and hopefully I will pick it up in no time?
 
diabeticmum said:
Thanks for the reply, that's good to know, I really hope I can get a pump, so this course is important. I will buy a calculator, and hopefully I will pick it up in no time?
Click to expand...

the pump is only as good as it's user, you will need to tell it how many carbs you are having so it can work out how much insulin to deliver (you will have programmed your ratio's in before hand). The course I did changed my life, I learned not only how to work out accurately how much insulin to use, I learned how to use correction doses affectively and also, a lot more about food! It's actually very enlightening to learn it all, the maths is important but it's the same calculation every time so you will pick it up quickly I am sure
 
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