Light at the end of the tunnel

SewK8

Well-Known Member
Messages
115
Hello
I have been type 1 for 28 yrs and always struggled. Yesterday I went to a new clinic and have been referred for a pump. I have to top up my DAFNE and have CGM before but I was wondering if anyone knew what the time scales are once the referral has been sent off to actually starting the training and getting on the pump? My consultant couldn't give me a time frame.
Also I have a big worry about becoming disconnected from the pump at night, how easy is it to sleep with?

Thank you for helping
Kat


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Sid Bonkers

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,976
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Customer helplines that use recorded menus that promise to put me through to the right person but never do - and being ill. Oh, and did I mention customer helplines :)
Hi SewK8 and welcome to the forum. I'm T2 so no use in answering your question but there are quite a few very pumpers on the forum so I'm sure one or more will give their views on this for you.
 

Riri

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,174
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
The conservative party, people who are cruel to animals and aggressive people
Hia Kat. In terms of the length if time it seems its a bit of 'how long is a piece of string'. I think it depends on the funding available and the appetite your team have to get patients on to pumps. For me, I live in mid Wales, and it took about 6 months in total from start to finish (no Dafne courses here). I think you will find that others have had to wait coniserably longer but at least you've been referred so the intention is there.
I find sleeping with mine easy now. It's in it's little leather case and just clipped to my pj bottoms. At first I was a bit afraid of lying on it/getting disconnected, tangling etc, but nothing has happened yet and I've now had my pump 17 months so all good. I think you'll find you do get used to it and don't think about it too much. I don't think I toss and turn much but I have heard others do and there's no problem. All the best :thumbup:
 

Stefano

Well-Known Member
Messages
123
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi, I'm using a pump since October 2012. From the moment I discussed with the hospital I wanted to try a pump to the moment I actually got a pump, it passed no more than a month. I was very surprised as the hospital told me there was a usual waiting of 3 month!
Night is absolutely not a problem for me with the pump...


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Lucypieee

Well-Known Member
Messages
227
Dislikes
Diabetes
I've been referred for a pump. I've done DAFNE etc. so I don't need to wait to do that, I was told by INPUT that if the clinic told me it would take more than 2 months to ask to be referred to another clinic.
My clinic have told me to call them if I don't hear from them within 6 weeks.


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donnellysdogs

Master
Messages
13,233
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
People that can't listen to other people's opinions.
People that can't say sorry.
Never had dafne, or any delay in my welsh hospital providing my pump. I was the delay, making up my mind! I could have had it within 2 weeks, but took 4.
 

SewK8

Well-Known Member
Messages
115
Hello

Thank you all for the replies. Hopefully I may hear something soon!
One more question; do you have a choice of pump or have to accept what they give you? I have been doing some research and would like to choose one.

Kay



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ivinghoe

Well-Known Member
Messages
89
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
professional football
I was approved and put on the waiting list at the end of february. I was told by my DSN I would almost certainly begin training etc within 3 months. She also set up an appointment to see her again if after the 3 months I hadnt heard anything. I contacted her last week and was told I was on the list but they only put 1 person.... per month onto a pump so its very much in the lap of the gods for me.
I expect I will get a pump sometime in the next ten years if I`m lucky as I live in the NW of London. :oops:
I have no choice of pump it will be the medtronic veo when finally sorted.
So I would suggest you keep contacting the clinic to make sure you know where you stand.
If you can and havent done so yet have a read of the Pumping Insulin book as it will give you lots of info about pumping and will help with the training.
After reading you post Lucypieee I think I will contact input and see if theres anything I can do.
 

Riri

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,174
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
The conservative party, people who are cruel to animals and aggressive people
Again as I understand it it all depends on your LHB. In mine there is no choice - Medtronic paradigm Minimed or nothing. On saying that, it's a great pump IMHO and suits me just fine. (I do like the sound of the new smaller Omnipod though with no tubing hanging around).
 

JaneC

Well-Known Member
Messages
201
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I'm an Omnipod user and fan, no wires, small in fact tiny and easy to sleep with. Some places won't fund it, I was one of the first at my clinic 15 months ago and now it's one of the most popular there. It's not all plain sailing, it needs dedication and if something mechanical can fail, it will from time to time.


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Stefano

Well-Known Member
Messages
123
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi I had to choose between paradigm veo and anima one touch ping.
I asked for the T:slim but they never heard of it and actually I don't know if in Europe is approved.
Another guy started with the pump the same day I did. So we were 2 new pumpers.
My hospital is Imperial College- Charing Cross, west London


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iHs

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,595
Stefano said:
Hi I had to choose between paradigm veo and anima one touch ping.
I asked for the T:slim but they never heard of it and actually I don't know if in Europe is approved.
Another guy started with the pump the same day I did. So we were 2 new pumpers.
My hospital is Imperial College- Charing Cross, west London


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Hi

Just seen your msg..... is the Animas One Touch Ping now available in the UK? Has it got the remote?
 

Stefano

Well-Known Member
Messages
123
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi I guess it is as it was proposed to me last October 2012 but I immediately asked for the paradigm veo, as I was interested in the CGM functionality .


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LaughingHyena

Well-Known Member
Messages
233
From what I've been reading it seems to vary quite a bit as to how long it takes to get a pump. It seems my hospital prefer to run the pump training for a group of people so I guess some people will have to wait a while till the next course. I had an appointment in March when the consultant recomended a pump and the next course is looking like it will be the end of May so hopefully not too long for me.

Choice wise I;ve been given the name of the two pumps which the hospital use most, the accu check combo and the animas vibe. I was told that I could look at others but their only experiences with others are if people move into the area already using them. Both the preffered options look good though so I'd prefer to go with one the team are familiar with.

Several people I have spoken to have found that thier hospital has a bulk buy arrangement with one pump supplier so they can get the pumps at a discount, in that case getting a different pump can be difficult. I have read of some people who have chosen to move their care to a different hospital to get the pump they wanted.