Did you get to choose your own insulin pump?

lisamariebrankin said:

i think i have completely underestimated how much there is to learn

Same as before Ava was diagnosed, the lack of knowledge about diabetes in general.

thanks x

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Best thing I think is to go 'paddling with the pump in shallow water' when you first start using it and just keep to using the standard bolus for most meals and just get a feel of how the insulin in the pump affects bg levels after food is eaten. Try not to jump from eating std carb that is digested within 2hrs to carb that is digested more slowly until you are confident in making changes to the settings you want,

A definate must have regardless of what pump you get is blood glucose testing so lots of tests unfortunately need to be done to make sure that the settings on the pump are giving the control that you want............

The Accu chek Combo pump is a good pump to have because of the bluetooth bg meter but unfortunately the Aviva test strips for the meter are not cheap and they do demand a decent drop of blood so that is my gripe with the pump as sore fingertips happen over time. The Medtronic Veo (not sure about Animas) will allow people to use whatever bg meter they like and just manually enter the bg reading into the bolus wizard. With so many GPs trying their hardest to restrict the amount of bg teststrips they prescribe because of cost it makes sense to way up the pros and cons of using different pumps so that bg teststrips wont be restricted...

iHs said:

unfortunately the Aviva test strips for the meter do demand a decent drop of blood so that is my gripe with the pump as sore fingertips happen over time. With so many GPs trying their hardest to restrict the amount of bg teststrips they prescribe because of cost it makes sense to way up the pros and cons of using different pumps so that bg teststrips wont be restricted...

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We are starting to find this now!! I really miss her Mobile tester, especially in the middle of the night having to faff around with test strips and getting extra blood out!
My GP tried to only give her 150 strips a month, the DSN from the hospital rang them and hey presto we now get 350 strips a month, they would only give us 3 vials of insulin though so next is try and get them to up that to 5 so we have spares.

I have changed ratios today after a weekend of hypos, i think a week back at school has made her more insulin sensitive and changing the ratios will have the most obvious effect so gone for them 1st!

One good thing about the Accu chek Combo/Expert meter is that the screen lights up when it is switched on. I often do a quick bg test in the middle of the night when on the loo and have bought a cheapo led 99p tent torch to hang over the end of my radiator next to the loo and this stops me from having to switch on the bathroom light and waking my partner up.

As yet my GP hasn't attempted to restrict me on teststrips as she doesn't know too much about pumps (thank goodness) so just leaves me to do my thing and that suits me. In time... I will look into getting a cgm and have my eye on C8 Medisensors and then will be able to use it as I wish..........

Luckily (or not!) she shares a bedroom with her younger sister who is scared of the dark and has to have a nightlight on all night so i can see fine, when i can keep my eyes open long enough!!

I hadn't heard of C8 Medisensors but will be keeping an eye out now, have been thinking of getting a Dexcom 7 though.

I think my ratio changes have worked as she's stayed 7.3 to 8.0 all day so far

C8 Medisensors have now received CE approval so will be able to sell the cgm in the UK. Keep looking at their website to see who will be appointed to sell it and start doing your sums to work out what will be affordable over the long term...

Hi seems like you've already got lots of replys, but I'll throw in my 2 cents. when I first got my pump I didn't get a choice as technically I didn't qualify for one my consultant got a buy 6 get one free deal to see how I went. After 2 years on a d-tron(loved it but it was like a brick) I put my case forward for my annimas. You are supposed to be able to pick what pump you want from the chosen ones but this rarely happens and most people don't know about free choice. The main reason you have free choice is to get a pump that best fits your lifestyle, in your case I would definitely put forward why this pump more than any others best fits your lifestyle and day to day life. In my case the annimas was the only one at the time that was waterproof I'm a marine biologist being waterproof lets me do my job in the north sea, at the time I got my pump 4 years ago it was more expensive for the pump and sets than the medtronic alternative that everyone else got, but they couldn't really argue with the fact i needed I waterproof pump. I would foucus on why the pump you want would be better for you and your quality of life than comparing pct funding as in my experience that just annoys the people that decide if you get a pump rather than help you get the one you want.

Essential reading for any pumpers : Pumping Insulin by John Walsh and Ruth Roberts http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Pumping-Insulin-John-Walsh/9781884804120, and Think Like a Pancreas by Gary Scheiner http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Think-Like-Pancreas-Gary-Scheiner/9780738215143 (please support independent booksellers, not amazon!!!! who get away with NOT PAYING ANY UK TAX and pay minimum wages and put independent businesses out of business...) - these 2 books will answer all your questions about pumping including checking basals, ratios etc.

Also, if anyone has any trouble with acquiring a particular pump from their pct, contact Input http://www.input.me.uk/ - it's what they're there for - us )

Sorry, couldn't help the anti-amazon bit, I hate 'em!

Hey there!
Just to say the Fourth and Fifth Editions of Pumping Insulin (the edition with UK BG mmols in) was proving hard / expensive to come by last week, however it is available as an ebook:

http://www.diabetesnet.com/content/pump ... able-ebook

(With you on the amazon thing too, Ingrid! :thumbup: )

NOOOOOOOOOO ARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH just heard today that The Book Depository and abebooks.co.uk are now owned by amazon!!!!!! Oh well. Sorry - nothing to do with diabetes and pumping, but after my anti-amazon mini-rant above, and recommendation of The Book Depository for the 2 pumping/diabetes books, I feel very annoyed. Very.