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interested in starting on a pump

R

RJS91

Member
Messages
9
Location
Plymouth
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I am looking into a pump myself. What sort of costs are there involved with using pumps? Also, with regards to preparing the area of application is there anything to keep an eye out for when reconnecting the pump? I've been on pens for basal bolus for the past 15 years, and the balancing act of controlling blood sugars has come to a head recently, especially as constant blood testing has become psychologically draining.
 
hi there @RJS91
welcome to the forum
thank you for allowing me to move your post to it's own thread.

Can I first ask are you in the UK ??

here in the UK there are no costs involved if you are approved for a pump -- it is a matter of getting approval from your endocrinologist .

outside the UK costs will vary.
 
I am based in the UK, yes. However, my GP is my only health professional. As such I don't have a specified endocrinologist.
 
I see you are based in the uk. I believe pumps in the uk are only available through the nhs which funds everything.
http://www.inputdiabetes.org.uk/ Provides lots of information about the process for qualifying for pumps and options available.
 
thanks for the reply-- you should get an appointment with your GP and ask to be referred to your local hospital as a type 1
no matter how good your GP is , he / she is not a specialist in treating Diabetes .
I definitely agree with contacting INPUT too -- a very helpful organisation !!
 
Hi @RJS91 moving to a pump will not reduce your need to do blood tests, if anything it will increase the need (at least in the first 3 months or so).

If your having issues with the numerous BG tests then you might need to consider a BG monitor like Dexcom or Libre. The advice given above is sound, you need more than your GP helping to manage your diabetes.
 
Thank you for the recommendations. However, I don't believe I can get the sensors on prescriptions. The NHS has narrowed down the machines for which you can get prescribed necessities, down to two machines, both pricking machines. Also the cost of the sensors on the Libre is £58 a pop, and they only last two weeks each. I don't earn enough to cover that.
 
Please please get yourself referred, you will then have access to a dedicated team of professionals who can help you to help yourself manage your diabetes. You mention your finding blood testing draining, this team can assess you and get you help with these aspects. They will also put you on a food management course, these come under many names, my local one is Bertie, think in Plymouth its called Pastie, this will help you manage your food against your bolus and basal insulin doses. Lastly only this team can obtain you a pump.

Best wishes and hope your in a better place soon.

You have taken the first step by asking on this forum
 
there are a number of pharmacies that have banded together and are offering the libre sensors at cost price £35 each-- you would need to ring round your local pharmacies to see who might be taking part -- still expensive but £70 a month is a bit cheaper.
hope this helps
 
I will have a ring around Plymouth. Hopefully it is a large enough problem that the reduction is considered. Thanks.
 

My sensors last over a month so the cost works out at about £50 each, but you do need to factor in the transmitters, a G4 lasts about a year whilst a G5 lasts 3 months, these do add to the cost. Think G4 transmitter is £260 and G5 £200 (x4), for a year. So for a G4 for me its about £71 a month, for a G5 its £116 a month.

But not all get 4+ weeks from a sensor, still its another option to consider.
 
Which cgm are you using? I'm lucky that I can afford to self fund, but unlucky that libre no longer gets me accurate results (results are so inaccurate that I've resumed blood tests at 7 per day).
 
EllieM said:
Which cgm are you using? I'm lucky that I can afford to self fund, but unlucky that libre no longer gets me accurate results (results are so inaccurate that I've resumed blood tests at 7 per day).
Click to expand...

Hi @EllieM I'm using the Dexcom G5.

Started with a G4 in Oct 2012 and moved to a G5 about 4 months ago. I find the G5 more practical as I have it linked to my phone (so do not need to carry a receiver) and share it over internet with my wife. Although G5 is expensive and I'm only a few years from retirement, likely that the cost will be too high once I reach this point - so maybe I'll be able to afford to move over to the Libre.

I had heard others complain that the Libre is not accurate enough, but that said even with the Dexcom I finger test at least 3/4 times a day or more if I'm driving.
 

Thanks, that's really helpful. Does it do instant tests overnight? (That was when I found the libre most useful, but it now reads a fairly continuous LO when my bs is under 5-6 so is completely useless.)
 
@EllieM Dexcom reads every 5 mins, the Libre you have to scan or buy the clip on cover that allows it to read without scanning.

Dexcom alarms for low and high as well as rise rates too - you can set these to your preference. But by default if your below 3.2 (I think) it always warns you and you cannot turn this off.
 
are there any particular ones you have heard of that do this?
 
 
SalRead1 said:
My specialist won’t recommend me for a pump because he says my HBA1C results are not bad enough for a pump to be of any benefit
Click to expand...
You should know to resolve that. All I have to do is walk PAST (not into) a cake shop and that pushes my blood sugar up (well not really but it feels like it)
I was told I'm not allowed to use Libre with a pump and I have been advised to use the Medtronic's CGM, you still need min 3 blood tests a day. I have been told for the first week at least on the pump and CGM 6am, 11:30am, 3pm, 6pm, 11pm and 3am blood test and calibration of the CGM.
 
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