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Hi all,
I've done a quick search, but still have a few questions about pump (specifically the Omnipod).
Background: I generally have good control, last hba1c was 7%, probably have 1 hypo a week which I recognise and deal with appropriately.
The problem is I suffer from the dawn effect and always have high BG in the morning. I moved from Lantus, to two daily doses of Insultard (15 @ 9pm, 7 @ 9am).
I can't increase my evening dose anymore, as I will have a night time hypo. I have done DAFNE and am quite good at carb counting & corrections etc.
I'm currently doing CGMS, wearing a small unit which should shed some light on what's happening over night. The consultant said if we can't fix my morning highs, I might have to move on to a pump. I don't mind wearing this small unit for a week, to help diagnose the problem, but im not sure I want to have a machine attached to me 24/7 for the rest of my life... I inject 5+ times a day, but for some reason this still seems more attractive to me than having a pump.
But I'm just doing a bit of research so I can have an informed discussion with my consultant when the time comes...
1. Do you still need to test your blood with a finger pricker, or does the pump do that as well?
2. Can you remove it for 5 mins a day to have a shower?
3. Can you remove it for 1 hr a day to go swimming?
4. Do you feel self conscious if on the beach with no shirt on? (Seems like a strange question, but I'm avoiding going to my local health club sauna whilst on this CGMS!)
5. Is it covered ont he NHS (I live in Greenwich, treated in Lewisham hospital)
6. Is it covered by private medical insurance (I have insurance through work)
7. Does the canula insertion hurt?
8. Can you control it with an iphone app rather than the machine they supply?
Also, if anyone else has been in a similar situation, I would appreciate their thoughts.
Cheers,
James
I've done a quick search, but still have a few questions about pump (specifically the Omnipod).
Background: I generally have good control, last hba1c was 7%, probably have 1 hypo a week which I recognise and deal with appropriately.
The problem is I suffer from the dawn effect and always have high BG in the morning. I moved from Lantus, to two daily doses of Insultard (15 @ 9pm, 7 @ 9am).
I can't increase my evening dose anymore, as I will have a night time hypo. I have done DAFNE and am quite good at carb counting & corrections etc.
I'm currently doing CGMS, wearing a small unit which should shed some light on what's happening over night. The consultant said if we can't fix my morning highs, I might have to move on to a pump. I don't mind wearing this small unit for a week, to help diagnose the problem, but im not sure I want to have a machine attached to me 24/7 for the rest of my life... I inject 5+ times a day, but for some reason this still seems more attractive to me than having a pump.
But I'm just doing a bit of research so I can have an informed discussion with my consultant when the time comes...
1. Do you still need to test your blood with a finger pricker, or does the pump do that as well?
2. Can you remove it for 5 mins a day to have a shower?
3. Can you remove it for 1 hr a day to go swimming?
4. Do you feel self conscious if on the beach with no shirt on? (Seems like a strange question, but I'm avoiding going to my local health club sauna whilst on this CGMS!)
5. Is it covered ont he NHS (I live in Greenwich, treated in Lewisham hospital)
6. Is it covered by private medical insurance (I have insurance through work)
7. Does the canula insertion hurt?
8. Can you control it with an iphone app rather than the machine they supply?
Also, if anyone else has been in a similar situation, I would appreciate their thoughts.
Cheers,
James