Insulin pump wannabe!

neryscm said:

Hello,
Until Saturday I had no interest in insulin pumps...I was actually so ignorant and oblivious that I thought you had to have an operation to insert the needle into your abdomen and it stayed there forever! However, having spent hours on Saturday talking to a lady with one, who actually took it apart and showed me how simple it was to change the needles etc (and the positive impact it's had on her life) I've been looking into it more and more and am 100% positive I want one.
My hba1c has been above target for longer than I can remember and I really struggle to keep my BMs in control despite carb counting since doing the DAFNE course, logging my readings and correcting.
So basically what I'm asking is how do I go about getting a pump? I had a letter on Friday saying my appointment with my consultant has been changed from 21st April to 27th October and I obviously don't want to wait that long to talk to someone about it. If it helps, I've been diagnosed for 19 years and live in South Wales.
Thank you in advance

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Here you go http://www.inputdiabetes.org.uk/ happy reading Ring your hospital apts and say you need a sooner apt as are having problems and the new date given is not acceptable as to long to wait.

Hey, I did as @CarbsRok says above and when I saw my DSN I just asked about it, I was offered to trial the one from the clinic for 2 weeks to see what I thought before I made a definite decision... And I've never looked back Good Luck x

Firstly, I've recently started pumping and it is super awesome Secondly - I read up all the NICE guidelines and went in to see my consultant last time I saw her ready to justify myself and how I fit the criteria - ready for a fight really, and, in fact, when I said I fancied a go at pumping, she just said yes - no questions asked. So definitely worth a go

neryscm said:

Hello,
Until Saturday I had no interest in insulin pumps...I was actually so ignorant and oblivious that I thought you had to have an operation to insert the needle into your abdomen and it stayed there forever! However, having spent hours on Saturday talking to a lady with one, who actually took it apart and showed me how simple it was to change the needles etc (and the positive impact it's had on her life) I've been looking into it more and more and am 100% positive I want one.
My hba1c has been above target for longer than I can remember and I really struggle to keep my BMs in control despite carb counting since doing the DAFNE course, logging my readings and correcting.
So basically what I'm asking is how do I go about getting a pump? I had a letter on Friday saying my appointment with my consultant has been changed from 21st April to 27th October and I obviously don't want to wait that long to talk to someone about it. If it helps, I've been diagnosed for 19 years and live in South Wales.
Thank you in advance

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Do you go to Llanelli Prince Phillip hospital or a different one?

neryscm said:

That's good to hear @misswhiplash as I'm also expecting a battle too, so I'll read up on the guidelines before I go. I go to Royal Glamorgan hospital in Llantrisant @donnellysdogs .

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I got my original pump after a driving incident and the Prince Phillip DSN was absolutely superd with me and got one immediately. The head honcho consultant wanted to really **** me to hell!! Sometimes the DSN's are absolutely superb as they look into detail more.

I so hope that you get the superb help as I did from my DSN there. I'm lucky enough to still have fantastic care but my current hospitalback in England also has a superb pump consultant.

Good luck....

I did the same, just asked my DSN and they were more than happy to book me in for an appointment to trial a couple. I have tried the Animas Vibe pump which was good but it doesn't have a separate wireless handset and I found it a bit bulky to wear under my clothing. I'd have to go digging under my clothing to retrieve it to press a button to give myself insulin which put me off. I also tried the OmniPod which has a separate handset (excellent!) but the site of the cannula bled quite badly and REALLY hurt when I took it out. The pod only lasted two days (supposed to last for three) and it started alarming at silly o'clock in the morning (very loudly) and woke myself and my husband up, other than that it was good. The cannula and the alarming aspect put me off having one though. I am waiting to try the new Accu-Chek Insight pump as it has a separate handset which I can keep in my bag (perfect for me!) but I have to wait until June to try it out. Plus it has insulin cartridges instead of filling a needle with insulin and having to fill the pump yourself which is another big plus for me (I know, I'm lazy!! ).

The Animas would be perfect for me if it was just a bit smaller and had a separate handset. Plus the Vibe works with the Dexcom CGM if you are considering a CGM?

"smiling pathetically" sorry but could some one explain the abbreviations you are using to me please, e.g. DSN, CGM, thank you.

neryscm said:

DSN = Diabetes Specialist Service.
CGM = Continuous Glucose Monitoring. I suppose it's a similar machine to the pump that monitors your glucose levels regularly, but doesn't replace the need for the finger-pricking

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Thankyou

SuzanJ said:

"smiling pathetically" sorry but could some one explain the abbreviations you are using to me please, e.g. DSN, CGM, thank you.

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There's a long list of abbreviations that some members put together many years ago, it's not a comprehensive list but its still a good one just the same, to save you searching for it I'll post it below:

• Amylin (Islet Amyloid Polypeptide) - Slows the rate at which digested carbohydrate appears as glucose in the blood and thus reduces total insulin demand
• Basal - referred to as the slow acting insulin used to cover your bodies own glucose stores
• Beta cells - Pancreatic cells responsible for the production of insulin, amylin and C-peptide
• BG - blood glucose (this is the measurement of glucose circulating in the blood)
• Biphasic insulin - An insulin mixture containing both fast acting and slow acting insulin, usually injected twice daily
• Bolus - referred to as the fast acting insulin used to cover food, typically carbohydrates, some cover for protein as well.
• BP - Blood Pressure
• Brittle diabetes (labile diabetes) - Most often seen in type 1
  
• BS - blood sugar (as above)
• CHO - Carbohydrate (Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen)
• C-peptide - A by-product of normal insulin production
• CTS - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• CVD - Cardiovascular Disease
• Double diabetes - Comprises symptoms of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes
• DSN - Diabetic Specialist Nurse
• ED- Erectile Disorder
• FS - Frozen Shoulder
• Fulminant type 1 - An idiopathic subtype which has a very rapid onset and no honeymoon period
• G.I - Glycemic index. A G.I value tells you how rapidly a particular carbohydrate is turned
• G.L - Glycemic load. A G.L value takes into account not only G.I, but also the total quantity
• GAD (Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase) - Antibodies test
• GDM - Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
• Glucagon - A hormone produced in the alpha cells of the pancreas
• Glycogen - The storage form of glucose in animals and humans
• Glycogenesis - Glucose storage, mainly in the liver and muscles
• Glycogenolysis - The breaking down of glycogen stores in liver and muscle tissue
• GNG (Gluconeogenesis) - The generation of glucose from non-carbohydrate carbon substrates
• HBA1C - HbA1c is the scientific shorthand for Glycosylated Haemoglobin
• HCP/HP - Health care professional
• HDL - High Density Lipoprotein (the "good" cholesterol)
• Honeymoon period - The period of time after a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes when there is better than expected blood glucose control
• Hypo - hypoglycaemia (this means blood sugar level is too low)
• Insulin - A hormone which causes most of the body's cells to take up glucose from the blood
• Insulin analogues - Genetically altered versions of insulin
• Insulin antibodies - An immune response to exogenous(injected) insulin
• Insulin resistance - Normal amounts of insulin are inadequate to produce a normal insulin level.
• Ketoacidosis - A severe accumulation of keto acids in the blood, resulting in acidosis
• Ketones - Ketone bodies are acids left over as a byproduct of ketosis
• Ketosis - A process in which your body converts fats into energy
• Lantus - Long-acting insulin analogue used as a basal(background) insulin. Normally injected
• LDL - Low Density Lipoprotein (the "bad" cholesterol)
  
• Levemir - Long-acting insulin analogue used as a basal(background) insulin.
• LHB (Local Health Board) Welsh equivalent of a PCT (Primary Care Trust)
• Liver dump - The common term given to glucose production from the liver
• Low-carb diet - A proportional reduction of dietary carbohydrate
• MDI - Multiple Daily Injections - an insulin regimen adopted by the majority of type 1 diabetics
• MODY - Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young refers to a number of dominantly inherited, monogenic defects of insulin secretion. There are currently eight different varieties of MODY
• Nephropathy - Damage to or disease of the kidneys
• NICE - National Institute for Clinical Health and Excellence
• NSF - National Strategic Framework
• PCT - Primary Care Trust
• Peripheral neuropathy - Damage to the nerves of the peripheral nervous system
• PP - post prandial (this means a period of time after eating, usually recorded as 2 hours but often 1)
• Pump - Insulin Pump, used as an alternative insulin delivery method to MDI. The pump is connected to you 24/7 and pumps tiny doses of insulin thorought the day, with the ability to give extra doses at meals times and with snacks.
• Retinopathy - Non-inflammatory damage to the retina of the eye
• SHA - Strategic Health Authority
• Somogyi effect (rebound hyperglycemia) - A high blood sugar (hyperglycemia)
• TG or Trigs Triglycerides - the main component part of VLDL and a significant cause of strokes and heart attacks
• Type 1 (autoimmune) - The most common form of type 1 diabetes
• Type 1 (idiopathic) - All forms of type 1 which occur without a known cause
• Type 1 (surgical) - Diabetes caused by partial or complete removal of the pancreas
• Type 1.5 - Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA), also known as slow onset type 1
• Type 2 - Diabetes mellitus type 2 is most often attributed to insulin resistance and relative
• VLDL - Very Low Density Lipoprotein (the "very bad" cholesterol)
• Young-onset type 2 - Anyone diagnosed with type 2 under the age of 45 is considered young.

basal - either slow acting insuin when on MDI, or a slow continuous drip feed of quick acting insulin from a pump, to try and mimic the normal pancreatic function.