At last! DSN called re: new pump!

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trophywench said:
I have to have pockets! With dresses, this involves opening the inner seam of the pocket(s) leaving a gap wide enough to get the business end of the tubing through, to attach to the cannula.
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Sounds like a palaver, but I spose you get used to it! 😳 :DI’m veering towards the Omnipod as my first pump to avoid tubing / clothing issues LOL.
 
trophywench said:
I have to have pockets! With dresses, this involves opening the inner seam of the pocket(s) leaving a gap wide enough to get the business end of the tubing through, to attach to the cannula.
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When I had a tubey pump, I did not alter my dresses. I used a pump belt. Either around my waist or twice around my thigh.
I found the HidIn belts suited me best.
 
@Bloden I use a Hid-in belt too. I often wear dresses. I also use a Tubigrip on my thigh to hold my pump. That’s really convenient too. For me, tubed pumps are much better clothes-wise because you can move them about according to what you’re wearing whereas a patch pump is stuck there and personally I feel that would be a pain and I’d feel it was dictating my clothing a bit.

Now, I choose what to wear first, then can put my pump wherever fits. I wear the Hid-in most, but also use the Tubigrip and a bra bag which clips to the side of my bra and let’s the pump sit comfortably and invisibly on my side. My pump is controlled by my phone so I don’t need to take it out now, but prior to this pump, I used the same holding methods and had no issues whipping it out to bolus.

@Pattidevans When I’m having a beach day, I sometimes just use a basal insulin via pen that morning plus a pen to bolus, or, I can just push away with the bolus insulin via pen if I’m only there a few hours. I used to remove my pump when at the beach but found I didn’t really need it, so now remove at home and take my pen(s).
 
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helli said:
When I had a tubey pump, I did not alter my dresses. I used a pump belt. Either around my waist or twice around my thigh.
I found the HidIn belts suited me best.
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I think it depends on your figure as to whether you can comfortably secrete the pump in a belt under clothing. I don’t have much of a waist, on the other hand I have small hips and bum and a bit top heavy. I find it difficult to get dresses to fit anyway, let alone having more bulk around the waist. Not all solutions fit all problems. I must say I haven’t tried it round my thigh. I’ve made little pockets I pin inside dresses that hang about 6” below my waist towards the side so the pump hangs where it would sit in trouser pockets. But for me the most important thing about a pump wherever you secrete it, is not having to get it out of your clothing in public to bolus. So a PDM is important. Of the pumps on offer to me one doesn’t have a pdm the other does.
 
Inka said:
@Bloden I use a Hid-in belt too. I often wear dresses. I also use a Tubigrip on my thigh to hold my pump. That’s really convenient too. For me, tubed pumps are much better clothes-wise because you can move them about according to what you’re wearing whereas a patch pump is stuck there and personally I feel that would be a pain and I’d feel it was dictating my clothing a bit.

Now, I choose what to wear first, then can put my pump wherever fits. I wear the Hid-in most, but also use the Tubigrip and a bra bag which clips to the side of my bra and let’s the pump sit comfortably and invisibly on my side. My pump is controlled by my phone so I don’t need to take it out now, but prior to this pump, I used the same holding methods and had no issues whipping it out to bolus.

@Pattidevans When I’m having a beach day, I sometimes just use a basal insulin via pen that morning plus a pen to bolus, or, I can just push away with the bolus insulin via pen if I’m only there a few hours. I used to remove my pump when at the beach but found I didn’t really need it, so now remove at home and take my pen(s).
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It’s not the odd day though @Inka. We were in Greece for 5 weeks earlier this year, (followed by another holiday later in the year), so I would have had to revert to pens for the full 5 weeks as I was on the beach nearly every day. I don’t want to do that. As we always say, everyone is different and so I am leaning towards the pump with the pdm (the other on offer doesn’t have one) and there are places I can put it under clothing that will suit my body shape better than either a belt or trying to hang it from my bra. I somehow can’t imagine that being comfy for me, though I do know it suits many women.
 
I have more than one bra hanger and can use that OK IF the top garment is loose enough to accommodate the bulk and does not have a fitted waist and I'm not going to sit in any easy chairs as being so very short waisted the bottom of the pump digs in me uncomfortably. Also tricky getting it placed exactly right so the bit where the top of the pump where the tubing sticks out, doesn't dig me in the armpit - the luer lock fitting on that end of all Roche pump tubing is ruddy hard! No way Pedro could I use a Spibelt, the bottom of my ribcage is far too close to my waist for comfort.
 
Pattidevans said:
It’s not the odd day though @Inka. We were in Greece for 5 weeks earlier this year, (followed by another holiday later in the year), so I would have had to revert to pens for the full 5 weeks as I was on the beach nearly every day. I don’t want to do that. As we always say, everyone is different and so I am leaning towards the pump with the pdm (the other on offer doesn’t have one) and there are places I can put it under clothing that will suit my body shape better than either a belt or trying to hang it from my bra. I somehow can’t imagine that being comfy for me, though I do know it suits many women.
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Ah, lucky you! :D I’ve never been in that situation and usually go to U.K. beaches so 5 weeks of sun is rarely a thing. Also, I can leave my pump safe at home in the cool.

Yes, we all have different body shapes and that affects things.
 
Well, see, once you're retired and have previously made excellent financial provision for yer old age whilst you were working, you can be on holiday 365 days of the year if you wish! We normally have liked to go to more northern Europe for a few months a couple of times a year but have been restricted in that in recent years due to either our own health probs, the pandemic or 'government actions'. No way now could my OH travel that far for that long wearing a face mask
 
I hope my retirement is as nice! I need a ‘fingers crossed’ emoticon here! I find it hard to envisage that with the current financial situation : /

Perhaps I’ll flog my pump to fund a holiday :D (yes, yes - I’m joking, NHS!)
 
I worked for 51 years with only a 3 week break in employment. I was exceedingly fortunate that for much of that time (except when self employed) I worked for companies that offered company pensions, as did my husband. Regrettably we never had children. So yes, we can now have a comfortable life, not extravagant, but pleasant. Of course things may change with the current financial climate and costs rising alarmingly. :( Meantime we mean to take advantage of every opportunity we have to go on holiday. So, it is rather a consideration for me when choosing a pump. I have previously kept my pump in a pump frio whilst sunbathing.... I think there will be ways around keeping a pod cool.

@trophywench would Pete have to wear a mask whilst driving?
 
trophywench said:
Well, no - so depending on what transpires over the next few months, both with ourselves and the entente cordiale, it should be a possibility in 2022.
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That’s something to look forward to Jen. J has been saying he misses driving holidays in France and he’s plotting something for next September.
 
Exciting times for you @Pattidevans

I will watch your pod journey with interest. Be interesting to see how it works out for you. I’m another for whom a pod has never really appealed, so tricky to comment really.

Shame there are so few options with remotes / handsets really. Roll on the launch of a few more phone apps that can control pumps like the one Tandem have been promising.

Hope it all works out well, and goes ahead with no hitches or kerfuffle 🙂
 
Had my appointment yesterday. I was offered the Medtronic 640G (no mention of the 780). To be honest it felt like half a brick in comparison to my Combo, both larger and heavier, or alternatively I could have the Omnipod Dash. The DSN talked through the pros and cons of each pump and answered my questions. Julian had come with me so I asked if he could come into the appointment and I was glad this was allowed as he brought up a couple of queries that I wouldn't have thought of e.g. regarding the insurance of whichever pump for which I would be responsible. Plus at the mention of holidays the DSN told me that Omnipod would lend me a handset to take with me, which was an advantage as far as I was concerned as my Combo handset had malfunctioned on a holiday earlier this year. Though I did have the handset from my old pump with me - along with the old pump. I was able to pair the old handset with the current pump. However, I'd not have that back-up next year.

I thought the set up and application of the cannulas on the Medtronic somewhat clunky and unecessarily complicated plus an awful lot of plastic waste was generated. Whereas Omnipod have a system where you send used pods back for recycling (part of which process fuels their manufacturing needs for electricity).

I'd noted from another thread on this forum that it was possible to change your mind within the first 90 days if you didn't like the Omnipod. However, the DSN cautioned that it was necessary to read the small print on this matter as in fact it isn't really possible to "back out" unless you return all the gubbins within 30 days and she explained that in reality I would have just 5 days to make that decision, given the processes the hospital would have to go through to return things within the 30 days.

So, to cut a long story short I decided on the Omnipod - to be truthful I was already leaning in that direction even before the appointment and I didn't hear anything during the appointment that put me off, whereas I could see disadvantages to taking the older Medtronic model.

I should get the new pump early on after Xmas and then I will have a long video conference with the DSN plus a rep from the manufacturers in order to set the pump up and get me running with it.

@trophywench something she told me was that I should have been changing my Combo pump every 3 days, rather than what I swear I was told 8 years ago, that was to change the cannula every 3 days and the pump every 6. Anyhoo been doing it that way for 8 years and for the remaining time I shall continue. Thought! If that is the case then why supply cannulas without tubing?
 
Pattidevans said:
I'd noted from another thread on this forum that it was possible to change your mind within the first 90 days if you didn't like the Omnipod. However, the DSN cautioned that it was necessary to read the small print on this matter as in fact it isn't really possible to "back out" unless you return all the gubbins within 30 days and she explained that in reality I would have just 5 days to make that decision, given the processes the hospital would have to go through to return things within the 30 days.
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As someone pointed out to me elsewhere, my DSN has misunderstood the process. You have 30 days after the 90 day period to return the item.
 
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