Im struggling with my insulin pump, can you help me ?

If your HBa1c is high I think it's really unlikely they will take your pump away. Tell them the new stuff you have been trying. As long as they know you are trying, they should let you keep the pump. It's if you give up that they might take it away.

Hi Reece, you sound so much like I used to be when I got to an age of managing my diabetes myself and changing to the clear insulins from the old fashioned cloudy ones.
I've skimmed through some of your replies and it sounds like you are managing to make improvements which I hope is just going to keep getting better and better for you.
In my teenage years I injected if I fancied it and hba1cs were always very high and the biggest motivator for me to start looking after myself was finding out I had retinopathy in my eyes due to poor control. The thought of losing my eyesight and also an admission into high dependency due to Dka and being told if I'd have been hours later I would be dead was enough to make me realise if I don't start looking after myself I was going to be dead or blind.. At 18 19 20 who really wants that?!
I'm on a pump now and I feel like I've been given a new lease of life, feel much happier, less restricted in what I can do or eat and don't have to worry about doing my background injections just literally out my carbs in when I eat and I absolutely love it. Had hba1cs as high as 13% and now down to 6.3%
If you are truly wanting to do it and your heart is in it, you can, and you will feel the biggest sense of achievement and pride when you get it under control.

I know it's hard work and such a chore but the gift of your life/eyesight/health is so much better fir you than not being bothered about your diabetes. I often think how lucky I am to have a condition that is controllable and try and focus on that to keep me going. I hope you can find the motivation to make the changes to your life you need to, it will be worth it in the long run I promise!!

You need to find the motivation to get some control with your pump so they don't take it off you, ask for done extra support from your hospital explain that on your own your finding it hard?

Reece,
Please do not be defeated. Go into your apt, and ask for help. Write down everything that is bothering you and what you are struggling with and ask for help.
If they can't or wont help you then ask for a transfer to a more suitable clinic that can meet your needs.
Good luck.

Reece88 said:

im almost 18 years old and i have been diabetic for nearly 14 years, up to the age of 14 i was on pens but then managed to get an insulin pump, although i though it would be so much easier on the pump as i hate needles, but i have been struggling for the last 4 years and my doctors and parents don't seem to understand me or get how im feeling. they just make it out to be that im really lazy and don't care but i do care so much but i just cant to it, i have pretty much given up now. no one know how much im struggling.
You need to insist that you have an apt with a counsellor so that you can put everything into prospective. This is your right to be seen and there's nothing wrong in seeing one either thought I would pop that in as teenagers often think other wise.
i struggle with doing my blood glucose "sugar level" which i know is bad as with the pump that's what it relies on to make it all correct, but no matter what i do to try and help me do it / remember it i just cant. i have tried alarms, friends, phone calls, posters, notes but none seem to work......
Simple solution is think food think bolus, I bet you don't forget to eat Can you not set the pump to alarm at certain times of the day ie., meal times.
also i always forget to bolus when i eat food, but it is the same as the blood glucose i really struggle to do it but i don't know why. i have tried so much but it never works. i try something new but then with in a week im back to stage one again- not doing it or forgetting it. it getting to the point now where i just cant be bother to even try as i know it will end up one way....
With blood testing ,is this because it hurts? or have just blocked testing out so that in your own mind you feel the same as everyone else? If they hurt either try a different setting on your poker or just don't use the poker.
with the pump you have to change it every three days which i always forget to do which does not help me, how can try and remember as alarms, friends, phone calls, posters, notes don't work with me.
I use the sticky note on my computer and write the change day on there, Also have been known to use a pen and write he day on the sticky tape holding the cannula down.
even why i try so hard and do it all how i am so-post to it makes me feel rubbish in my self, it makes me feel ill. and even when i do it all right my sugar levels never seem to go with in 4-6 they are rather very high, high or low.
This sounds as if some basic basal testing needs to be done.
Rather than set an impossible goal for the time being and instead set a goal of between 6 and 10
im scared that the doctors will take the pump away from me which is not good as i hate needles, but no matter what i try it never works, i need help, tips and tricks and your person experience to help me other wise i don't know what i will do.

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Have you tried using the numbing cream so that will take away the fear of any potential pain and thus make the fear less for you?
You really do need to insist though that your fears are addressed by your clinic and if no help than as I have already said complain and also go and see your GP explain to him what you have told us. In fact print the pages off and the replies and ask if you can be transferred to another clinic which can and will help you.
Please expand the copied post as have replied in that as well for you

I know my clinic said they have threatened to take pumps off people but if people prove that they are willing to put the effort into making it work that they won't take it away. You need to be completely honest with them and if you really don't want to give it up then plead your case

Please try to be positive, I don't think they will take your pump away without giving you a final warning. But also, if go in with a positive attitude: I have joined a diabetic forum, I have asked them for support as I don't feel I'm getting what I need here, I have improved the number of times I check my BG everyday, I understand that I have not been good at controlling it in the past but I am making a positive effort. This will help them to be able to see the change in your attitude and I think this will go a long way . . . Please let me know how you get on, when it's all over


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Reece88 said:

i will try that but the last time i did they said that it was all down to me being to lazy and that i didnt care about it all

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Hi Reece,
It's late in the day, but I hope you see my post:

1. YOU ARE NOT LAZY, YOU HAVE TYPE 1 DIABETES AND HAVE HAD IT FOR FOURTEEN YEARS!!!
2. YOU ARE, THEREFORE, A VULNERABLE, YOUNG ADULT NEEDING SUPPORT WITH A COMPLEX DISABILITY!
3. The feelings you describe sound like you may be suffering from Diabetes Burnout: http://www.diabetes.co.uk/emotions/diabetes-burnout.html
4. Your consultant sees you what, once/twice a year for 30-60 minutes a time? He/she has absolutely no understanding of what it is to be diabetic unless they also have diabetes!
5. Go to your appointment, tell them how you've been struggling and ask them for help - they have a clinical duty to support you!
6. Do tell us how things went - if it doesn't go well, I'll be able to point you in the direction of people who can assist you with keeping your pump and/or getting support.

Good luck with tomorrow - and with managing your diabetes (it took me 36 years to finally accept and realise what that meant), and do keep posting!

With very best wishes,
Conrad

I agree with all the above postings. Hopefully they will not take the pump off you. Go in with a positive attitude. If they say they want the pump, ask them to please give you 1 more chance and that if your HBA1c has not dropped by your next appointment, that you will hand it back.
Do make sure you go in with some notes or a diary so they can see you are trying.

Fingers crossed for you today. Please let us know how the appointment goes.

goodluck

Glad you have got the opportunity to keep the pump I was wondering how you'd got on, it can only get better now if you put the work in you can definitely get that hba1c down. If I can do it so can you!!

Hi Reece, very pleased to hear you can keep your pump.
A cgm will be a great help in helping you to sort your basal, unfortunately you have to do some testing as well though as it's not 100% accurate
Just remember Rome wasn't built in a day so take one step at a time and I'm sure you can do it.

Brilliant news.

There are alot of experienced pump and cgm users on here that will be able to help and support you

Congratulations! So glad to hear it went ok, I have been worried about you today.


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