Closed loop funding

[Lucyr]

When I first asked about pumps, they did say that the Omnipod and the other patch were cheaper for funding and easier to access

Well that’s interesting as at mine they said the Omnipod is more expensive and they don’t fund it unless specific reasons not to have a tubed pump eg on young children

 

[Inka]

Well that’s interesting as at mine they said the Omnipod is more expensive and they don’t fund it unless specific reasons not to have a tubed pump eg on young children

And doubly interested because my local clinic won’t fund the Omnipod for children or any patch pump.

 

[Tdm]

Perhaps onmipod is cheaper in that you can try it out without commitment, as opposed the others were you are tied in 4 years or so.
Question- if you got a tubed pump brand x and didn't like it and wanted to try tubed pump brand y, do you have to wait til the 4 years or whatever is up before you can try brand y?

 

[Lily123]

Perhaps onmipod is cheaper in that you can try it out without commitment, as opposed the others were you are tied in 4 years or so.
Question- if you got a tubed pump brand x and didn't like it and wanted to try tubed pump brand y, do you have to wait til the 4 years or whatever is up before you can try brand y?

From my understanding, you do have to wait until the 4 years have gone. Tubed pumps have a 4 year contract, tubeless pumps don’t.

 

[Tdm]

From my understanding, you do have to wait until the 4 years have gone. Tubed pumps have a 4 year contract, tubeless pumps don’t.

Which makes sense, i mean, otherwise you could wrack up the costs like crazy. Still, bit of a sellling point for onmipod.

 

[Inka]

I was able to give back a tubed pump @Tdm because it was awful. However, normally you wouldn’t, but that’s not an issue because usually you choose what suits you. The pump I gave back was one I was persuaded to have. It was new and apparently oh-so-great. Except it wasn’t. Always choose what suits you.

 

[mashedupmatt]

Waiting for my next HbA1c test to see if there's a faint glimmer of hope that I might be offered one (I don't trust the guesstimate on the Libre)

 

[Lucyr]

Perhaps onmipod is cheaper in that you can try it out without commitment, as opposed the others were you are tied in 4 years or so.
Question- if you got a tubed pump brand x and didn't like it and wanted to try tubed pump brand y, do you have to wait til the 4 years or whatever is up before you can try brand y?

Yes at mine, but they said everyone likes their pump enough that they’d rather stick with it than the alternative of changing back to pens

 

[Lucyr]

Waiting for my next HbA1c test to see if there's a faint glimmer of hope that I might be offered one (I don't trust the guesstimate on the Libre)

It’s such a weird feeling to have to want your hba1c to be high enough!

 

[PhoebeC]

I actually think it’s dangerous as some people who are close to this level might be tempted to just let control go and a bit and fall into the required amount.
My team seem to be more open to other factors, including the mental load and overnight hypos.

 

[helli]

Before I started pumping, I wasn't sure if it would be for me so didn't want to commit to 4 years. Omnipod was out of the question at my clinic because it is too expensive (the logic that it is cheaper if you have it for less than 4 years is irrelevant if they are hoping you keep it for longer). However, my clinic convinced me to try pumping because I could give it back if it didn't suit me. They said very few people do.
At the time, there was only one option at my clinic so it wasn't possible to try another pump if the first wasn't suitable.
I do not know what it is like now.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Fingers crossed to get the go-ahead @Lily123

Part of me wonders if there is some targets/numbers pragmatism going on. Moving over the ‘easy switches’ because it involves much less in the way of training and support?

Hopefully you will fit into that category!

It always used to be that getting a pump was far easier than getting Dexcom or similar, so I hope you get the nod.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Moving over the ‘easy switches’ because it involves much less in the way of training and support?

That was my interpretation yes. Combined with a sense that that's what was intended with the earlier CGM rollout: the intent was that people ought to be able to choose a CGM which worked with their pump (if that made sense), but that seems not to have happened as intended.

 

[JJay]

I actually think it’s dangerous as some people who are close to this level might be tempted to just let control go and a bit and fall into the required amount.
My team seem to be more open to other factors, including the mental load and overnight hypos.

I’m rather hoping that will be the case for me. My last HbA1c at 59 came like a bolt from the blue, the predictions from Libre and MySugr both having been 49. I’d actually joked to the practice nurse about “does that mean I can have a pump now?!” but she referred me and I have an appointment at the end of January.

But do I carry on doing whatever it was that got me to 59? I’ve no real idea what it was as before my numbers have always been somewhere between 50 and 55. Except that half the 3 month period comprised a spell in hospital with a broken hip, very regular meals, very little sleep, not a lot of exercise but quite a lot of stress.

And now? Recovering, mobility improving, but pain from an arthritic knee not helping. Back in AF after a 4 year remission but GP wasn’t inclined to do anything about it as he was satisfied with the BP produced by the meds and it was “something I had to live with” (Different when AF first diagnosed - referred fairly quickly for a cardioversion which was an immediate success and I was fine until the fall. But then my age began with a 6….)

So I’m coping (just) with balancing three medical conditions along with domestic chores, family issues, a husband with mild cognitive impairment which I think is worsening, wondering if we should move home nearer to family and bloomin’ Christmas.

And Libre still predicts HbA1c as 49. Time in range for last 90 days 82%. So on the diabetes front I’m judged to be doing fine, but my graphs look like the Alps and it’s all such hard b*****y work.

Am I going to be laughed out of the clinic?

Apologies for the long rant and to @Lily123 for hijacking your thread.

 

[Lily123]

Fingers crossed to get the go-ahead @Lily123

Part of me wonders if there is some targets/numbers pragmatism going on. Moving over the ‘easy switches’ because it involves much less in the way of training and support?

Hopefully you will fit into that category!

It always used to be that getting a pump was far easier than getting Dexcom or similar, so I hope you get the nod.

Thanks, as I’m on Dexcom I don’t know if I’d be considered an “easy switch” but then again, my clinic offers the tslim (or did when I went to the pump info day nearly 3 years ago!!)

 

[Lily123]

I’m rather hoping that will be the case for me. My last HbA1c at 59 came like a bolt from the blue, the predictions from Libre and MySugr both having been 49. I’d actually joked to the practice nurse about “does that mean I can have a pump now?!” but she referred me and I have an appointment at the end of January.

But do I carry on doing whatever it was that got me to 59? I’ve no real idea what it was as before my numbers have always been somewhere between 50 and 55. Except that half the 3 month period comprised a spell in hospital with a broken hip, very regular meals, very little sleep, not a lot of exercise but quite a lot of stress.

And now? Recovering, mobility improving, but pain from an arthritic knee not helping. Back in AF after a 4 year remission but GP wasn’t inclined to do anything about it as he was satisfied with the BP produced by the meds and it was “something I had to live with” (Different when AF first diagnosed - referred fairly quickly for a cardioversion which was an immediate success and I was fine until the fall. But then my age began with a 6….)

So I’m coping (just) with balancing three medical conditions along with domestic chores, family issues, a husband with mild cognitive impairment which I think is worsening, wondering if we should move home nearer to family and bloomin’ Christmas.

And Libre still predicts HbA1c as 49. Time in range for last 90 days 82%. So on the diabetes front I’m judged to be doing fine, but my graphs look like the Alps and it’s all such hard b*****y work.

Am I going to be laughed out of the clinic?

Apologies for the long rant and to @Lily123 for hijacking your thread.

Good luck for January!!

They won’t laugh you out the clinic, if you’ve been referred then your DSN can see that a pump would help so they won’t (or shouldn’t) give you a hard no.

 

[Lily123]

I’ve just had a letter from the hospital and my appointment has been moved from 2nd January to the 30th January. And that’s after moving it from 5th December.

I get the services are really overwhelmed but it makes it 8 months since I’ve had an appointment.

 

[rebrascora]

Most of us adults are lucky if we get yearly appointments and the situation is only getting worse. My next appointment which is on the 24th December has been rescheduled 5 times by the hospital and many other members have experienced similar postponements.
I wonder if perhaps because pediatric care is so good, when you move into adult care it is easy to have an unrealistic expectation.

 

[Lily123]

Most of us adults are lucky if we get yearly appointments and the situation is only getting worse. My next appointment which is on the 24th December has been rescheduled 5 times by the hospital and many other members have experienced similar postponements.
I wonder if perhaps because pediatric care is so good, when you move into adult care it is easy to have an unrealistic expectation.

Yes, that’s true. I’m not actually in adult care, they run a transition clinic up to adults for sixth-form aged patients. They also said appointments would be every 3 months for the first year.

You’re definitely right about unrealistic expectations though.

 

[Ivostas66]

I've not seen my consultant for almost 2 years. Every few months I receive notification that my appt has been postponed. Currently it's set for April, but holding out much hope!

There are people in far worse situations/ circumstances than I am. I'm also aware that my diabetes clinic are really struggling to meet targets in terms of moving people onto pumps and closed loop.