Pump looks promising!

[Stuboy]

Well i had my appt today at the diabetes clinic to talk about pumping...

I was quite nervous before going in, but the Dr started straight to the point and said, lets talk about the referal letter... your GP has written to say you may be better of with pump therapy...

Then we talked about my hypo's, how random they are, and about why this could be happening. Mainly around absorbtion at different sites.

He said he's happy to refer me for a pump!!!! But first lol he wants me to try a new injection site for a week, to make sure that it's not the site that's causing problems... i dont think it is. So im hopeful that i will be able to get a pump. He said to email him next week with how the new site gets on and if i can, to attach a results graph. If the new site doesn't make a difference, he'll refer me to the pump specialist without delay!

Im very happy at the moment!! lol Very suprised at how much i didn't have to *convince* them, i really thought i would need to. But I guess because i'm having so many hypo's (at least 1 or 2 a day) that's enough for him to refer me.

Im not 100% sure what his authority is on the decision, he did say that the all consultants make the decisions individually then refer patients to the specialst who decides who will do the fitment etc.

I have to do the JIGSAW course (Portsmouths DAFNE course) first, which is fine.

So i guess i've got some researching to do! Animas or Cozmo!? Those are my short listed pumps... mainly for the bolus calculators and the carb/food database functions.

 

[Stuboy]

i've changed my mind!!

Animas or Minimed paradigm 522.

I didn't realise that the minimed had a bolus calculator and and IOB function on it, and it comes in black (what ever pump i choose i want it in black!!)... in fact the minimed actually looks like a really nice bit of kit... I just wonder if the continuous monitoring part of it is available in the UK?

I still really like the Animas 2020 with it's colour screen though...

but which is better?

 

[Stuboy]

lol that is by far the only reason for selecting it as an option, that's just an added bonus.

The minimed looked apealing for it's carb calculator and IOB function, just like the Animas.

As you've said, one of the things that puts me off is that it doesn't appear to be marketed as a robust, waterproof pump... whereas the Animas is... If i fall over while im ice skating i'd rather be confident that my pump is safe and not smashed to pieces. I had no idea the minimed customer service is that bad... i konw that the Animas CS is supposed to be really good...

everytime i find another pump that i would possibly consider... i end up thinking... it's just not as good as the Animas!

I think it's gonna be the Animas you know... so i just now need to hope for the best and get the pump aproval secured and aim to fight for the Animas i guess! Esp. with a future potential upgrade to the ping! What an awesome piece of kit that is!

 

[Nemo]

I have the minimed 712 and find it so easy to use, and I have to say, the service i have recieved from them thus far has been brilliant. Ordering consumables has always been easy peasy, when I have had problems with set up they have been really helpful and when it conked they were ultra efficient with a replacement. The only problem was that when they replaced it, they sent me the 722 by mistake which has the integral CGM, which they only realised when I called to request a user guide, I then had to send it back and got another new 712 instead. Bummer.

I have a purple one!

 

[iHs]

Hi Stu

If you choose a Medtronic pump you will be stuck with having to use their own brand infusion sets and many ppl have had problems with using a Quickset which goes in with a wanger type device. I was given some to try but could not get on with them as they didnt go in with enough force so the cannula ended up being slightly bent and the insulin doesnt get delivered very well. Also the adhesive patch is largish and some ppl develop an allergic rash.

If you get an Animas or Cosmo pump they have a luer connection on them which means you can pick whatever infusion set you like (as long as it has got luer too).

I love the Animas Inset II . They are very reliable and have a built in spring device. They are a complete doddle to put in - anyone could do it . http://www.infusion-set.com/index.asp?pageid=H2300 If you follow the online guide step by step you will see.

 

[Stuboy]

ooohhhh lol

I think im just gonna wait untill im shown the options... and i can ask them their professional opinion too..

The cozmo and animas sound like the best options for me... i just can't make up my mind, im very indecisive! i can't spell either lol

 

[Stuboy]

Well i emailed the Dr this morning with my results... 12 hypo's in 7 days...

He got back to me within half an hour!!
He's sorting me out with the JIGSAW programme (portsmouths DAFNE course) and making me an appointment with the lead nurse for pumps, which im wondering if i'll have to convince her that i need a pump or if it'll be plain sailing from here... i guess we'll soon find out!

 

[jopar]

When you go and see the pump nurse take as much deatailed monitoring as you can, include BG's, carbs for each meal + insulin dose taken etc... By doing this you are showing that yes you already CArb counting so have a fair understanding of the concept behind the insulin pump...

If they let you start with out the course, don't dismiss it as there is a lot of information that included in these course that either you've haven't ben told about or you've forgotten that you've been told it over the years...

 

[Stuboy]

Got my second appt through yesterday for the 21st October! A week Tuesday! This one's to see the Lead Pump Specialist Nurse... things are moving along...

 

[Stuboy]

Well i have an appt this morning in 30 minutes(!) with the lead pump nurse at the diabetes clinic.

I guess today i'll find out what my real chances are of getting a pump.
I'm going in armed with logs from my ultrasmart mater which include carbs, insulin and obviously glucose reasons, and the all important 22 hypo's in the last 14 days!

Fingers crossed!! I will report back soon! :shock:

 

[Stuboy]

Cool!

I spoke to the lead pump nurse today about going on a pump. She spoke to me about my expectations of the pump and what it is i want it to acheive.

She said she doesn't see any problems with going to a pump!

She explained the process and that i do have to do the JIGSAW course first because it's part of their assessment for the funding and the stuff i'll learn on the course will also help when programming and using the pump. Unfortunatly the course started TODAY so it would have been too short notice for work and she wasn't sure if the course was full or not. So i'll be on the next course which starts early next year, they have a meeting later to discuss the next start date and she even said she'll take into consideration how keen i am to get started.

I asked how soon it would be after doing the course and she said they would normally do the fitting in groups but if there aren't many people then we'd do it 1:1 and they'd be looking to start as soon as possible to get rid of my hypo's. She said "put it this way, this time next year i'd expect you to be fully integrated with a pump"

WOO!

I also spoke to her about the choices, that i'd narrowed it down to the cozmo and the animas, and told her that the only thing that's putting me off the cozmo was the look of it. She said most people choose the animas over the cozmo because of that reason! I was quite suprised. But the Animas i think is my favoured choice now anyway and she said the animas wont be a problem and it's a good choice.

again, WOO! lol

 

[Stuboy]

Yey! Got a phone call from the consultants secretary today about the JIGSAW course... starts next tuesday!! Then every tuesday after that till the 17th of Feb...

I wonder... by the end of march i could be pumping!? Seeing as the Nurse i saw before said they'd be aiming to get me pumping as soon as possible afte completing the course if we still thought pumping was still the right choice... i think so!