Insulin pump questions

Hi

I have been using a pump since last June. What would you like to know?

PS You probably might do better posting a thread in the Pumpers section of the forum. There are quite a few diabetics who use pumps now.

LauraNoraLoo said:

Im new to this so just figuring it all out! Ill have a look at that now but ill fire some questions away at you if you dont mind

1 - does it get in the way? i.e. being at work with it or playing with little kids (i work in a school and look after my little cousin alot).

No - it doesn't get in the way at all :lol: I use a pump called the Roche Accu chek Spirit Combo which is a pump with a bluetooth handset that delivers insulin without you touching the controls on the pump. It's also a bg meter too. The pump usually resides in my bra cup so is completely hidden most of the time. The infusion set is on my tummy or on the love handle area of my back and the tubing is hidden under my clothes so no one even knows that I have a pump unless I tell them.

2 - has it given you better overall control or not? like reduced you HBA1C over the time that you have had it?

Yes pumps do give you better control but you do have to be willing to test yr bg levels a lot more and make alterations to the settings on the pump so that it delivers the correct bolus insulin to carbohydrate ratio at different times of the day and also you have to make changes to the amount of insulin delivered as the basal rate hour by hour. Once you've got the settings ok, then the pump works fairly well. Hypos still occur now and again but they are much easier to deal with than on MDI. Most people find that they need a lot less insulin than they did and they also find that they have more energy and also lose weight because of using less insulin.

3 - showering/baths? there must be something special you have too do to avoid getting it wet?

When having a bath or shower you just unclip the tube from the infusion set (takes 2secs). You just put the pump with the tube attached to it in yr bedroom or leave it in the bathroom. You leave the infusion set in yr tummy and just jump in the bath. When you've had yr bath etc you can then re attach the tube with the pump and carry on as normal. Its' really no problem at all.

4 - holidays? sitting around in your swin suit, do you have to wear it then or can you have a period of going back to taking injections?

I haven't been on holiday yet to a sandy beach etc but some people take their pumps with them and some just leave the pump at home and use MDI for a while. It's entirely up to you what you do and what you feel comfortable with.



There just a few i can think of so far, hope im not probing too much!!

Thanks, Laura

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There's loads of questions to answer Laura so don't worry just leave a msg and someone will pick up on it. We have a few peeps on the forum who use the Combo, the Medtronic Veo and the Animas so just fire away.

Hi

I live in West London but the Spirit Combo pump is about in most areas of the UK

Hi,

Sorry to just bump into this thread, but I have been really wanting to get a pump for a little while now. How did you get it? The nurses at my hospital don't seem to be too keen on it at the moment. My glucose levels are all over the place and I just can't seem to get them under control (haven't really been able to for the 8 years I've had it now) so I am really keen on getting a pump.

I test 7-10 times a day at the moment so testing shouldn't be a problem. How could I convince my nurses to let me try a pump?

Levy

A pump is not a magic device that will fix all your diabetic problems, that being said to be in with a chance for a pump you need to show you are doing everything you can to help your diabetes

Carb counting this is key
Blood Sugar testing and lots of it
Reading as much info as your brain will hold

These are three things you should being doing already to even get your foot in the door to be considered for a pump. Consultants don’t just hand pumps out, this is because of the huge cost for having a pump plus the cost of the up keep of the pump. If you really want to get a pump let your team know your feelings. If your team tell you a pump won’t help you get them to explain why it won’t help. You need to put across why you think a pump will help and believe me you will have to fight for it but if you really want one you will fight.

Hi Megaman,

I know a pump won't magically fix my blood glucose levels. I've been reading up a lot on it and I'm speaking to a friend who has one too and I know it's a lot of work but in the end I feel that it might be the solution for me because a pump makes it a lot easier to manipulate your insulin than injections ever could.

I've been struggling for 8 years now and I believe a pump might be the answer for me. I already count carbs and I've started to test my sugar levels at least 7 to 10 times a day now, not only in preparation for a pump but also to try and get the best control over my levels with injections as I can.

I'm also wanting to get a pump because I want to prepare myself for getting pregnant which is out of the question with the way my levels are going up and down now. They need to be as stable as possible which I cannot achieve with my injections. I realise that they won't just dish out pumps if it's not really needed but I guess I need to make them see that in my case it is.

Thanks for all your advice

Hi Levy,

Found this article about the pros and cons of pumping.

Bear in mind that it is an American/Canadian site so cost will not come in it for you if the powers that be decide you need one,

http://www.diabetes-insulin-pump-therap ... -pump.html

It might strengthen your argument for getting one.

Hi Catherine thanks very much for that link that will definitely help! That's really useful

Just a quick update. I've spoken to my diabetes nurse again tomorrow and this time she was a lot more keen on the idea! She showed me the sort of pump they use there (Medtronic) and how it works. She explained to me that the biggest factor for getting a pump was motivation, obviously because they are so expensive, they won't give you one if they think you won't use it correctly and it won't give you any benefit. She said if I really want one she would look into it with me on Thursday, when I'm going back to talk through the results of the continuous glucose meter I'm wearing at the moment.

Thanks again for all your advice, and I never thought I'd be this excited about the prospect of getting a pump

Good luck Levy hope it goes well