pump

we asked our DSN if we could be considered for an insulin pump and a year later we got one its not an easy process to get one being as they cost so much u have to get approved by the PCT in your area. but it def is worth the wait and the fight ask if u can be considered and go from there

good luck

anna marie

Hi Dave,

Given your circumstances, I would be very surprised if you were turned down by your PCT. There may be a waiting list and several hoops that you have to jump through first but I don't see why you shoul have to pay £2,000 for something that seems pretty essential to your health and well-being.

I was offered the pump about a year ago but turned it down because I felt that injections were the best option for me. I was offered that without any of the issues that you seem to be having. I would suggest talking you your doctor or specialist nurse and seeing what they say. If they can't help ask them to refer you to somebody who can.

I hope have some luck with all of this. Sounds like the pump is defi Italy the best option for you.

Take care
E

Ah, I really feel for you. That's awful and so frustrating especially as you say that you gain control when in hospital on the pump. It's around £2,000 PLUS monthly payments for strips/infusion sets/batteries etc, so yes it is expensive and wasn't something we could afford for our young daughter. My advice is 'he who shouts loudest....' We made up our minds that the pump was something that our daughter needed. We didn't have quite the same issues as you - instead we would have good control for a period of time and then lose control for a period of time. It was very upsetting. It's a postcode lottery. We were told our waiting list was 7 years+. So we 'went into battle' ! From Feb til June last year we fought and fought. We wrote letters/emailed everyone (MP's, director of the hospital, PCT, charities etc etc). We then phoned everyone. Got a few people on side who then added to the calls & correspondence on our behalf. We pestered and pestered and then managed to get a fantastic piece in the newspaper. We had as a back up plan to be referred to a different hospital if all this failed by a very supportive GP. But this wasn't necessary as in June we got a 'yes' and our daughter got her pump in August. It wasn't easy. I gave up work to enter this battle. And the result....? It's been worth every single ounce of stress. She now has an Hba1c of 6.4 !! The pump itself is still hardwork to get right and I'm not saying it's perfect all the time but with dedication to getting it right and working on it it's just great! We could never have got this kind of control through injections. It's also given the whole family a sense of normality and given us our flexibility back
Is there anyone who can help you through this? I found it extremely stressful and tiring and I can't imagine what it would like to have diabetes and put yourself under this strain if this is what you choose to do.
I wish you every success.
We are now about to start a new battle for a CGM !
X

Well done Vikki, I think all kids should have the pump and dave I think you need one.
Me myself im not interested in one as there seem to be more waiting for pumps than there should be.

I watched a you tube video of a t1 using a pump (American) and he explained that most type 1s in the west use a pump where third world countries use the pen.

Now either Britain is a third world country or we diabetics are not taken seriously, when I became a type 1 I was told the diabetis was awash with cash there is that much cash for finding new treatments its unbelievable (this was from a diabetic nurse manager) so why is some of this cash not spent on pumps and test strips for type 2s.
Whats the point of new treatments if you can get existing ones.

When I go for my review and they say you must follow this advice as we only want the best for you, Im going to tell them thats cr*p because if you really wanted the best for diabetics you would have us on pumps.

So it appears they want to offer top notch advice but second rate treatment, that what it looks like to me and I bet if a NICE board member spouse or child had type 1 they would get a pump.

I going to try and find out more about this pump, what bothers me is that I was told I was getting the rolls royce of insulin treatment (doctors words) using the pen, not once has a pump ever been mentioned and I only found out about a pump on here