Convenience vs comfort?

[albannach2]

Hi, I've Type 1 Diabetes for 30 years or so and recently have been having loads of v low hypos, around the 1.8 mark. So I've been wearing a continuous blood glucose monitoring machine this week for the docs to identify any trends. Must say I've found it to be a real pain as you can't take it off at all, so no baths or swimming, gutted am I Ive been thinking about getting a pump but if its anything like the CGMS kit I am not keen. Can anyone give me info on how the two compare, is a pump more comfortable than the CGMS plus is it easier to sleep with I find I turn over with this and nearly strangulate myself! Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks

 

[Nemo]

The pump is different. Once on, you don't really notice it and you can obviously detatch it, leaving just the cannula in to go swimming and have a bath and stuff. The onl time I found it a pain in the **** was a beach hoilday (albeit just the IOW), it was quite hot and I just wanted to be in and out the sea with my kids, plus was worried about everything getting to hot, but we managed in the end.

As for night time, itis odd at first, but I rarely notice it at night at all.

 

[albannach2]

Hi Nemo, thanks for the details. Well thats good to know, its kind of hard to imagine what it'd be like to have a pump attached, mind you the info on this forum has really encouraged me to give it a go, glad you say its easier than the CGMS. I can't go on as I have and have every hope it'll get rid of the hypos with no warnings. Off to the hospital today to see if I can start the ball rolling ..

 

[albannach2]

Hi Sarah Q
Phew, so good to hear positives about pumping, Im very tempted, off for my appt now, lets hope they're as positive Thanks again

 

[Stuboy]

good luck!

I have an appt on Monday and im gonna ask about pumping then too. im just getting no consistancy at all with MDI and also having lots of lows...

 

[albannach2]

Hi Stuboy, sounds like you've been having a similar nightmare to myself on MDI, just to be able to sleep throughout the whole night without feeling awful would be a first How have you found the process so far in trying to get a pump? Keen to know as I suspect it may be a battle next week when I go back to talk to them again. Would be keen to hear your views? Thanks

 

[bonerp]

You will need to be able to prove that you've been carb counting and showing lots of evidence concerning blood tests etc before they will consider you for a pump.

You cant just go from poor MDI management to poor pump management. They need to make sure you understand how to manage your diabetes before they give you an expensive pump so be prepared.

 

[albannach2]

Hi
Hey I have been doing carb counting ever since I can remember, but did DAFNE 3 years ago and despite it initially working, Im now having major hypo problems, without any warning and gettting levels of 1.5, not good.

Its not that I've got poor MDI management, my HBA1Cs have come down but despite massively dropping my insulin and testing 6 to 8 times a day, something aint working.

So I agree its not just about saying you've got poor control and assuming you'll get a pump. Im not in that situation, I just need some way of not having the disabling hypos, after 31 years with no complications, I need some help.

 

[Stuboy]

well my first appt 3 weeks ago went very well... the dr (at the diabetes clinic, not a GP) didn't seem hesitant AT ALL to refer me for a pump. all he asked was that i first try a different injection site as the absorbtion seems poor. If that didn't make any difference then to email him and he'd refer me to the pump service. It didn't make a difference. I have another appt Tomorrow to see the lead pump nurse.
So i now wonder if it's plain sailing from here or if this is where the battle begins...

I have to do a DAFNE (JIGSAW in Portsmouth) course beore i can go on a pump anyway so that will need to be sorted for me if i do end up going on a pump (i hope so!)

Have you spoken to your careteam about a pump yet?

 

[sofaraway]

interesting to read this topic. i am going to have the CGMS for 3 days within the next month to see whats going on with my levels particularly overnight. will be interesting to see how I find being connected.

 

[sugarless sue]

Found this link on d-life don't know if it will be helpful but have a look.

http://www.dlife.com/generation_d/2008/ ... mping.html

 

[sugarless sue]

Another link found.

http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/pre ... e-0904.ppt

 

[helenc]

Hi
I have read the posts above with interest. I have been Type 1 since 2000 and last HbA1c was 9.2. I am on Lantus twice daily and Novorapid in accordance with the DAFNE principals and am still struggling to lower my HbA1c to an acceptable level. Following my last hospital appt I had a long discussion with my diabetes nurse about the possibility of The Pump. I'm 25, very slim female with an active and unpredictable job/lifestyle. I believe that once the pump ratios are sorted out this can be a very good way to manage your diabetes, however, I do worry about the effect that it has on one's lifestyle from the aspect of having to wear it continuously and the inflexiblity of only being able to take it off for an hour at a time. How have other people partners reacted to the pump? What do other people do with it when they want to wear something revealing or a little racy or in the bedroom?! I'm struggling to comprehend how this can have a postivie impact on one's health and lifestyle when it seems quite restrictive. Can anyone help me?!
Thanks

 

[bonerp]

as a geezer I don't tend to wear anything too racey - except on Friday nights lol

but in mu boudour i just take it off and drop it on the floor. You are ok for an hour or so but too be honest the exercise tends to keep the BGs down anyway!

If you want it off for example during a day cos you are on the beach etc, I just go back to injections then carry on in the evenings.

I go to the gym etc too and it doesnt get in the way.

Sometimes its a pain in the backside you wont have amazing control all the time because things change and so will you basal rates, but I think on the whole its better than MDI for me.

 

[jopar]

As benerp has already said, that if you can take off if you want, I was adviced if I took my pump off for a longer period than 2 hours, if it was just a extended period of hours that I wasn't wearing, then to inject what 2 hours worth of basal rate, check BG and repeat this at 2 hourly interviews... If how ever I was taking pump break, then to start of with the later, but in the evening to use a long acting insulin to return to normal injections ( you keep some long acting insulin + pens or syrings just in case of emergencies)

As to living with it and being female, I haven't found this to be a problems... There's generally somewhere to stick you pump, and you do find different things and ways to use easy available items for pumps, mobile phone cases I've found very good to hold my pump, and distract the eye from it, baby soaks sewn or pin inside cloths etc

As too how the partner reacts, once the pumps presence has been forgotten about (which doesn't take long) everything remains as it did before, as it only takes a moment to unclip and push to one side if you want/need to (no planing involved)...

 

[albannach2]

Hi HelenC
I know what you mean about "where to put it" or even "what do with it". From personal experience, I find it does just "get in the way", whether I like it or not which is why a bit of pre-planning is always a good idea. Certainly not as easy as mdi on that front, but then I always hypo-od quite seriously so at least thats something I dont have to deal with now. I think probably its just a question of getting used to it and being aware of where it is and where you can put it, think you'd be pretty safe for 1-2 hours but you may need to do a temp basal to get you back to where you should be, but hey, life is for living ?!