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There IS an alternative to needles and pumps!

R

Robyn1973f

Member
Messages
11
I have just read the following pages:
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/insulin/mdi-vs-insulin-pumps.html
and
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/insulin/needle-free-injecting.html
and am hugely annoyed that they both suggest the only options are needle injections or pumps! This is so NOT TRUE!!!

I have serious needle phobia and find all needles (yes, even the tiny baby ones) agonising due to other conditions I have so when I went onto insulin a couple of years ago I had to rely on my partner to inject me every evening. This was horrid for him as he knew how painful and traumatic it was for me but he had to do it anyway. Then there would be nights he was out so I had to go to my sisters in the evening to have her do the injection. Then there were nights when I wanted to go out or needed to travel for work so I had to ask friends to do it for me. You can imagine how hard that was!

Then they started talking about 2 doses each day - which was impossible as my partner goes to work in the early hours and I am not always able to go out early enough to get the second one done. So I did my own research and found the Insujet and whilst it is certainly not perfect I have found it literally a life saver! It's not totally painless as the makers would try and have you believe - but the pain is very short lived lasting a couple of seconds and nowhere near as bad as the long time the needle remains in the skin while insulin is delivered and then counting to 10 after! The unit is slightly bulky and the case it came with is horrid and not really ideal so I bought a pencil case to keep it in.

I have also recently discovered a new device called Injex (http://www.injex.com/technologie) which is apparently available on NHS (http://cks.nice.org.uk/insulin-therapy-in-type-2-diabetes#!prescribinginfosub:16) and seems to be much smaller and lighter than my Insujet. I am going to discuss the new device with the diabetic specialists in a couple of weeks...

Now there is a lot of talk on the forums and from the specialists about pump therapy but I have a serious issue with this. My needle phobia is part of a bigger phobia (as I suspect is the same for many others) and I can't cope with the idea of ANYTHING piercing the skin and (correct me if I'm wrong) but the pump is inserted through the skin via a canula and stays there! It's still a needle going through my skin and it's there all the time! What's worse is that it needs changing regularly!

My main point is this: If you have true needle phobia and you need insulin you may feel like you live in a horror story and have no idea how to get out. You may be considering having pump therapy and if that works for you then fine but, as I said above, I couldn't handle that either. I cannot be the only person who feels this way and I do not understand why nobody is telling people that options like Insujet and Injex exist!

So please, next time someone says they are truly needle phobic or find the injections too painful to cope with, tell them there are other options and push for better treatment!
 
Erm,
Call me a simple engineer, but the problem here ISN'T the needles, it's the fear of using them? There are several quiet, simple, calm & sure ways of dealing with phobias that you can do yourself.
(I used to have a "thing" about losing my mask when diving, admittedly it wasn't a terribly 'curtailing' fear, but it was a bit of an issue when teaching scuba - these mind-techniques really do do what they say on the tin. They work. No need to pay for it either. I'd be pleased to tell you more, if you're interested.)
 
Erm forgive me Simon but I don't think those phobias are the same!!

U might or might not have lost ur mask, u were worried about something that might not even have happened! Same with heights etc... worried about something that might be nothing, just a 'what if'.

Not the same when ur terrified of something that u have to do every single day numerous times that will be painful and uncomfortable for the rest of ur life! It's like someone scared of heights being forced to bungee jump every single day!

Would you get used to it so it didn't bother you anymore? Maybe, but by the time I need to administer insulin I hope there is an alternative to injections because I struggle just testing my blood!


Diagnosed with GD in 2010, Completely disappeared postpartum. Re-diagnosed December 2012 with type 1.5 diabetes, age 26, BMI 23 currently controlled by only Metformin, 500mg twice a day.
 
A phobia is a very true and serious problem I hope someone can take time to listen to your needs and assist you in a way which you can cope with.....best wishes k
 
I realise you have a phobia and the needle free device works for you, but the majority of people don't. All the type 1 kids have x amount if injections a day, or change their cannula every few days. Typical cannula's used are hairline & soft - not needles, the needle is removed straight after insertion. Anyhow, of course to a newly diagnosed diabetic, I'm talking Type 1 here, an injection is a scary thing. But give it a while and it's fine to the majority which is why the device isn't commonly suggested by the NHS. We took 1 hr to give an injection to my 6yo on diagnosis, now it's seconds and she asks to have one if she wants some snack to eat. Yes, I believe this device should be available on NHS to those with serious phobias like yourself.


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I realise you have a phobia and the needle free device works for you, but the majority of people don't. All the type 1 kids have x amount if injections a day, or change their cannula every few days. Typical cannula's used are hairline & soft - not needles, the needle is removed straight after insertion. Anyhow, of course to a newly diagnosed diabetic, I'm talking Type 1 here, an injection is a scary thing. But give it a while and it's fine to the majority which is why the device isn't commonly suggested by the NHS. We took 1 hr to give an injection to my 6yo on diagnosis, now it's seconds and she asks to have one if she wants some snack to eat. Yes, I believe this device should be available on NHS to those with serious phobias like yourself.


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