Considering the PUMP! Scared! Help/advise appreciated

Maidz said:

Hi everyone

Over the last few months I've been thinkin about speaking to my nurse about the pump. But after 17 years of injections this would be a massive deal to me and I feel nervous even thinking about it. I have a few basic questions that I hope someone can answer.
Can I sleep on it? I'm a fidgety sleeper and would be concerned about crushing it or it coming off.
Can I get it wet?
If I go on holiday and don't want it on show, can I revert back to injections for a week?
If I sweat, will the pump lose stick and fall off?
How often do I need to move it?
How do I know when it's run out of insulin?
Is it ok in hot temperatures? Would my body heat not effect it?


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I changed to one recently and love it!

Yes, you can sleep on it, I've been pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to sleep with pump attached.
The Animas Vibe is waterproof, others you can get a waterproof bag to put them in. Most people detach from the pump for showers/baths/swimming.
You can take a break from the pump for holidays etc, but (at the moment) I can't see why anyone would want to. The convenience and control I get far out weighs any downside.
I haven't had a problem with my Inset II coming off when I sweat, I have heard others mention this though. You can get sticky spray or stick on extra tape if this is a problem.
I was advised to change sites every three days.
Normally you will have insulin left still in it when you change every three days; if you do start running low on insulin an alarm sounds to warn you well in advance of running out.
Body temp is fine for the insulin. I keep my pump and tubes covered so sunlight doesn't affect them and haven't had any problems in the recent heat here in the UK. You can buy a Frio pump wallet if heat is an issue.

Is a pump something that you need to request? Are there conditions on having one?
My doctor has never even mentioned any alternative means of insulin delivery over injections

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the pump is superior, but most patients will need to meet the criteria, some more strictly than others.......

differs in Scotland where I am, than in England I think, maybe not much............the organisation NICE set out the criteria.......

you need to have an HbA1c above a certain level, could be 8% but maybe 8.5%, despite using MDI and making significant efforts to get BG down

persistent hypos that are affecting your day to day life

dawn phenomenon

I have heard of people getting a pump without any previous MDI training or experience , which is likely due to lots of hypos due to insulin sensitivity....

everyone has a different story, and anyone is in for a chance of getting one in my opinion, which is good......

novorapidboi26 said:

differs in Scotland where I am, than in England I think, maybe not much............the organisation NICE set out the criteria.......

you need to have an HbA1c above a certain level, could be 8% but maybe 8.5%, despite using MDI and making significant efforts to get BG down

persistent hypos that are affecting your day to day life

dawn phenomenon

I have heard of people getting a pump without any previous MDI training or experience , which is likely due to lots of hypos due to insulin sensitivity....

everyone has a different story, and anyone is in for a chance of getting one in my opinion, which is good......

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Only NICE criteria I met were for moderate hypoglycemia (I have full hypo awareness though) and considering pregnancy in the future. Hba1c is well below the 8% stated. Sometimes it's just the luck of the draw!


Blogging at drivendiabetic.wordpress.com

pregnancy would have been the deciding factor there.........

I only got my pump through separate government funding, all the pumps purchased in that scheme may have all been issued out now and so applicants might need to go back to the old ways, which for Scotland, was a simple NO...........

novorapidboi26 said:

pregnancy would have been the deciding factor there.........

I only got my pump through separate government funding, all the pumps purchased in that scheme may have all been issued out now and so applicants might need to go back to the old ways, which for Scotland, was a simple NO...........

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I'm in Scotland too. They've dished out a load of funding at the moment in my area so I jumped on that!


Blogging at drivendiabetic.wordpress.com

hale710 said:

I'm in Scotland too. They've dished out a load of funding at the moment in my area so I jumped on that!


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Quite right, it was last year I got mine.......I suppose the independence result may have an effect on pump funding........it was Nicola Sturgeon who pushed it forward before she become number 2...

hale710 said:

Only NICE criteria I met were for moderate hypoglycemia (I have full hypo awareness though) and considering pregnancy in the future. Hba1c is well below the 8% stated. Sometimes it's just the luck of the draw!


Blogging at drivendiabetic.wordpress.com

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If you have a decent consultant they'll make sure you fit the rules.

All I had to do was show mine the number of mid-exercise hypos I have with symptoms being masked.

@Maidz

1. You wouldn't crush it! you can sleep on it, nothing will happen to it.
2.There are specific insulin pumps that can get wet, you would have to check that out, mine is from Medtronic and mine can not get wet, so when i go in a pool or go to the beach or shower i take off the pump, but my plastic shot stays in, unless im at a beach or pool, then it will come off and i'll use the pen.
3.Well that you would have to discuss with your endocrinologist, to see what they would say, if youre under control and your a1c is below 6.5, i don't see why not.
4. Not really. it could happen, but then again it could not happen.
5. every 3-4 days, or whenever you dont have enough insulin
6. Your pump will automatically tell you when you have little or no insulin left
7.our body heat won't affect it. it is ok for the pump to be out on a hot sunny day but as long as its not too hot.

I've had the pump since i was 6 years old, i got diagnosed when i was 5. Honestly having the pump is easier, i dont always need to be pinching myself with the pen, i dont have to worry about lows or highs in the morning/ when i go to sleep. Its made my life easier. i am now currently 17.