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Being referred for a pump

J

John506

Well-Known Member
Messages
52
Went to see the specialist regarding night time hypos, last one I trashed the house threatening to kill my other half and my two young children.

She told me to ask my nurse at my own doctors to refer me for a pump which she has done and I am awaiting my referral letter.

Does this mean I will get a pump or will they assess me further?

I either go low at night or lately I have been waking up between 12-20mmol (feeling like a bag of ****), as I have been eating before bed for fearing a hypo as I become really aggressive.

Daytime I am well controlled, few hypos but I feel them coming in the day which is ok for me.

Last hba1c was 45, diabetic for 7 years.

Thanks.
 
really difficult to say 100%
from your description i would lean towards assessment regards obtaining a pump.

i would suggest you get in touch with the lovely people at INPUT

link here. http://www.inputdiabetes.org.uk/

do keep updating how you progress !!

all the best !!
 
Hey thanks, just had a look on their website.

I would say I do fall within the NICE criteria (I'm bound to say that) as family life really isn't the same anymore, nearly split up a few times, kids scared of being alone with me etc.

If I was knocked back for the NHS funding, is there any way to get the meter for nothing and just pay the monthly consumables? That would be possible for me, it's just that initial £3k I couldn't do. Would pump companies do such thing knowing they were gaining a customer to buy the consumables?

Will definitaly keep an update on here.

Cheers.
 
Hi

I have a feeling that before a request to a ccg to fund a pump can be done, there will be a few hurdles you might need to jump first. I would imagine that your hba1c will need to change and be a bit higher as that will help to lessen the severity of disabling hypos and bg testing every 2.5hrs to get the insulin doses adjusted a bit better. Once everything has been tried with little improvement, then a consultant can use that to make a good case to request the funding.
A pump in itself won't stop hypos directly but will lessen them indirectly by bg testing and adjusting the settings not only during the day but also during the night too.

Unfortunately, part funding for a pump isn't possible for the time being.......it has to be all or nothing.

Have you thought about getting cgm as that doesn't need ccg funding and can be purchased online? There are also hypo awareness courses going on at different hospitals......have a look at DUK website for taking part in research with the use of cgm.
 
I think you stand a good chance it's not all about bad control and a1c levels. Mine stay between 6.8 and 7.2 but I'm a single parent of a young child and have bad hypo anxiety, especially over night, and I've been accepted and get my pump in 2 weeks.
 
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