HBA1C criteria

Hey @Peppergirl Actually if your HbA1c is within range you stand a very good chance, they can see you work hard at managing so you are more likely to make a success of managing a pump, the last thing they want to do is give it to someone who is half hearted about their management who will waste the opportunity. They are prepared to help those who help themselves, so keeping within range is a really good thing, on the flipside they also take notice of those who do try very hard but fall short of achieving a good HbA1c as again they can see they will also make the effort required to make this a success and know that the pump would ultimately give them better control, so don't take it as a given that you are judged on your HbA1c result alone, lots of other factors are taken into consideration

Its not so much about the HbA1c but rather the effort currently being put in and the presence of issue that a pump would help with like insulin sensitivity, dawn phenomenon etc....

so as long as you pro active in your approach, so adjusting your own doses, counting carbs, eating moderate carb amounts, your half way there....

Hi @Peppergirl - I agree with what others have posted. My HBA1C wasn't too bad & I got a pump last April. My HBA1C is now lower & I have far fewer hypos. Good luck.

I accidentally got my A1c within range whilst in the process of requesting a pump, but was able to justify I had only managed this by sugar surfing. The number of injections I was taking (between 8 and 10 injections per day) meant it was impacting my life, and would not have been manageable long term. If you read the NICE guidelines there are numerous justifications available.

Have a look at http://www.inputdiabetes.org.uk/alt-insulin-pumps/is-it-provided-by-the-nhs/ It's not just HbA1c that's important - you can push the quality of life angle, and do - and make your argument fit more than one criterion.

Talking numbers - 45 mmol/mol pre-pump, I self funded one for a while and pushed it down to 36 mmol/mol. The NHS generally doesn't approve of my approach, but a decent HbA1c doesn't exclude you.

Hi @Peppergirl ,

Mine was 42 when I approached my clinic about the pump. I was only achieving that HbA1c by treating my diabetes management as a full-time job, at the expense of a normal life. That was a good reason for them to offer me a pump.

My last HBA1C was 38 and the consultant began discussing the pump, I didn't even bring it up. However I had been talking about my lifestyle - 40 hour job (pretty standard actually I guess), plus playing football 2-3 times a week, and having some hypos shortly after exercise. I think I will need to discuss this angle, how active I am etc. when I have my meeting with the nurse.

Shift work is one of the criteria I'm just starting on a pump and the 3 of us on the course are all shift workers (in the NHS ironically).