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pump/ dafne course

shelbyyyy

Active Member
Messages
30
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi everyone I'm fingers crossed getting the pump soon after I've done the DAFNE course but all of a sudden I feel really nervous I've been waiting to do the course since December and I have had so many let downs leading up to now I have been reading so many bad things about the pump I just wanted to see if anyone had any advice on going to the DAFNE course and if you wanted to tell me how the pump helped you so I can get a better idea
 
Just enjoy the course, its great as you get to meet other people who have type 1 and by the end of the week your sure to make some friends or feel much better that your not the only one who has to deal with the issues that diabetes can present, you may/may not learn something new but it is in most cases it is a prerequisite for going on a pump.

Not sure about which stories you have been reading about pumps being bad, if you read through the Pump Section of the forum you'll find that there are many on the forum who use a pump and have found it has benefited their life immensely, I've been using one for 5 months now and have to say it was one of the best decisions I've made, it gives you greater flexibility and control around things like meals, exercise, illness and having the ability to deliver a basal insulin that matches your hourly needs (to name a few).

If you've not read the book Pumping Insulin by John Walsh & Ruth Roberts then I highly recommend you do, it has a wealth of information on getting the best from an insulin pump.

Good luck and hope all goes well.
 
Hello shelbyyyy!
I know how you feel. I had been diagnosed for 45 years before getting a pump 6 years ago, and can honestly tell you that it was the best thing that I ever did. I was concerned that I had not only to get used to the pump, but that I had to change from pork and beef insulin to human insulin, as I had not had any success with this previously. You will be monitored whilst on the pump and there will be adjustments for a while, but once you are confident with it you will be fine. My friends all said how well I looked once on the pump! I must have looked bad before!! The DAFNE course was very good and you will easily understand it. Ask as many questions as you need to, that is what the team want you to do. You will only be asking the questions that everyone else wants the answers to. The medics have the answers to anything you ask. I am a teacher and I was apprehensive about going on the course too, but it was fine. ENJOY!
 
I've had diabetes for forty-eight years and I loooooooooove my pump! I have had it for about eight months and it has made life so much better. I have ten times more energy, my skin is great, I look so healthy, my moods are better, my concentration is better. But you have to really work on it. I was told that up 70% of people give it up in the first year. But that's because they don't get to grips with all the different features. So I bought three books:Think Like a Pancreas, Pumping Insulin and Diabetic Athletes Handbook, and have been working my way through them, and learning how to use it properly and fully. I reckon by the end of the year I'll be expert enough.

Once you get it you can get advice here anyway.
 
It's wonderful to have the pump. I wish more people would be as encouraging to others new to it or encouraging to those considering it. Like you I feel so much better!
 
Which book do you think is best? I haven't read any!
 
@nurseryboss, for someone like yourself who is a pump user the book Pumping Insulin is the best book around for getting the most out of a pump, for type 1 in general I think the book Think Like a Pancreas ticks all the boxes.
 
Yes, noblehead's right. If you only buy one, buy Pumping Insulin. It is chock-a-block with information, though, so it takes a while to work all the recommendations into your schedule. I think like other people who switched to the pump, I wanted to make everything perfect in the first couple of weeks, so I was inclined to make too many changes on the same day. That made it difficult to ascertain which change was causing which result. So, even once you get your hands on the book, remember to pace your adjustments in basal, bolus, ratios, factors, etc. Not more than one change every three or four days. The flexibility of a pump is its major attraction but you have to beware giving it so many commands that you find yourself in County Chaos.
 
How do you go on a dafne course? I've only been diagnosed a year and by the sounds of it I should definitely do it!
 

Can I ask how you found the switch from porcine to the newer insulins...? I'm about to start pumping (I have my pump and it's running saline -- will start with insulin tues) and this is the only thing I'm nervous about... I didn't get on with the new insulins at all and currently use porcine, but so as not to complicate my pump application I agreed to use novo from tues... Previously the new insulins gave me little hypo awareness, as well as gain lots of weight and generally feel awful... So I'm a bit worried about that happening again... Which insulin do you now use in your pump and do you feel it suits you ok?

To the OP -- I can't fully answer your question cos I'm only running saline -- but I love the potential of the pump and can't wait to get started!
 
Hey guys I have had two different pumps and been on pumps a total of 6 years. I have been on a tube and wireless one. I never went on Daf as the first pump i went on Daf didn't exist then but the course did did cover carb counting and it truly changed my life. My hb reading wAs 12 before the pump and then within about a month of pump and course it was 7.9. I use carbs and cals app as I find it so useful. One warning though do t become solo relying on it. I have found keep up with knowing your pens amount you would need if it broke. For example it's just technology and skin can reject sites. I carry my pens still with me just invade my reading stay high so I can inject and figure out if it's me or the pump pushing the reading up before changing site plus having as I call it a pump holiday is quite nice sometimes. I have regular 4 week holidays a year just to give my body variety but I must say t the end of the period I look forward to getting the pump back
 
I've never tryed a pump. And I don't even want to
 

I love my pump! Love love love it!! Best thing I've ever done, I got one quite quickly at my hospital, sadly didn't get to do a DAFNE course I think they sound extremely helpful though and as Noble said you will make some type 1 friends and all be in the same boat! Good luck with it
 
The Dafne course is extremely helpful. I've had diabetes for 17 years and I went on it in April and I defiantly learnt a range of different things that I had never really though about before. It was nice to be in a room full of people who like you have diabetes and you can ask them for advice on different things which is really helpful. I'm so glad I went on it and even though I was nervous beforehand I enjoyed every minute of it once I was settled. I haven't got the pump but I am about to get it, I am getting it to help with my dawn phenomenon as injections just aren't sorting that for me.
 

Hi, I use Humalog insulin in a Medtronic Paradigm pump. It takes a while to adjust to the daily levels of insulin required (basal and blouse), but I had no problems with the change of insulin. I did have a lot of hypos at first but had regular appointmens, as I'm sure you will and the pump nurse was always at the end of the phone. It was well worth the time and effort. I don't have "holidays" from the pump. It must mean having a lot of injections per day unless you still have a prescription for long and short acting insulin. Not sure what the advantage would be! Good Luck with it and I wish you every success in your "new life"! Please feel free to ask more questions if I can help.
 

Thank you! Glad to hear that apart from adjusting doses you've not experienced side effects from the insulin change over...
 
I thought I would just explain my holiday bit. For me I have pens prescribed incase the pump breaks down. About 6 years ago and I say this not to scare anyone just to inform, my i became ill and it was found that there was a fault in the pump however it did not tell me so it almost caused me to have kidney failure. From that point I mix up between pump and pens to ensure safety. This is just my experience and it's very rare but I am very on the caution of making sure I have a back up, not rely on it and to ensure I have breaks from it to ensure everything is ok. Sorry I didn't explain before I just don't want to scare anyone
 

No problem! I also carry syringes and insulin with me if out for more than a few hours (as advised by pump nurse when starting pump). Always a good idea to have a back-up plan! Sorry to hear that you had serious problems in the past.
 
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