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Can I Get A Pump?

J

JackD

Newbie
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1
Hey Guys, Im new to the community so please take it easy.

Ok, So im 14, been Type 1 Diabetic for 2 years now and im on Carb Couting injecting Novorapid around 4 times a day and Glargine twice.
I would love to have the chance to move onto a Pump, but i dont know if i would be allowed. My blood readings are fairly varying, between 8 and 20. I know this might look like a shock, but thats normal for me. I very rarly have Hypo's anymore but this is because i am always running high. Is there any way i would be able to get myself put on a pump by the NHS?

Thanks,

Jack 8)
 
Hi Jack and welcome

What have your HbA1c tests been like? According to the NICE guidelines, this will be the determining factor for you. You either have to experience disabling hypos trying to get a figure below 8.5% (old scale) or are unable to get a figure below this level. Having said that, the support of your diabetic consultant is also important, so discuss the option with him/her. I was diagnosed at 14, and a pump might have been the one thing that kept me on the straight and narrow, which is so important.

Good luck! :wink:
 
Work on your care team
Hana
 

I've always found this intriguing. Why would disable hypos be necessary to justify what is potentially a more effective control system? Am I missing something?
 
lionrampant said:
I've always found this intriguing. Why would disable hypos be necessary to justify what is potentially a more effective control system? Am I missing something?
Click to expand...
I think it's about finding a reason to justify spending £3000 on a pump, plus the ongoing requirement for consumables (infusion sets etc). If cost were not the issue then a pump for every T1 would be a no-brainer in my book, the potential for much tighter control is huge.
 
I was diagnosed at 14 years old as well. I went through many years of multiple injections every day. I got an insulin pump about 10 years ago and it was the best decision ever. Any doctor will tell you that it is especially difficult to control sugars during adolescence. To me it makes more sense to be on the pump during this time. I know it sure would have changed things for me and the difficulties I had to endure. If it was in my power, every type1 diabetic would use an insulin pump...it just makes so much sense to me. I know what a drag it can be growing up in your teens with diabetes. It may sound crazy, but in a way I am thankful for my diabetes. It forced me to become independent and healthy. I am convinced that I am in better shape now than I would have been without. Look after yourself. Nobody else can. Best wishes.
 
When a hot chick suggests something, you now it's got to be good.

That small moment of sexism aside (don't hurt me), I wonder if we could ever start a campaign to have pumps used as the default treatment? :idea: Of course it'd be interesting to hear from those who've tried it and went back to injections.
 
I have been on a pump for 3 years. For me it works well, but I do not believe that it is a solution for everyone.

To use the pump properly, you have to be dedicated to it, you cannot just plug it in and forget about it. Often when you start pump therapy, you have a "pump buddy", i.e. somebody to share your experiences with. My pump buddy, was trying to use the pump to "cure their diabetes" - their words. They hoped that by using the pump they could forget their diabetes. They quickly realised this was not the case.

To use the pump properly you have to be analytical:

constantly carb counting
calculating carb/insulin ratio
thinking about GI to adjust bolus rate
thinking about exerise to adjust basal rate
fine tuning basal rate as this will change over time
adjusting basal/bolus when sick
..... and many more

Don't get me wrong, I am all for it, but I do not believe it is a solution for everyone.
 


So basically doing everything you have to do anyway on basal-bolus?
 
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