Excitement turned to worry

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Rainbow

Rainbow

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
It's just over a week now until I begin pumping. All my excitement has suddenly turned to fear. I've been trying to take it all in by Reading the pump manual but I'm frightened I won't be able to take it all in in time. Do I need to know it all before I start? Do you have to carry the manual around with you at the beginning?!! Did you take a day or two off work? Testing blood, changing pen needles and injecting takes nano seconds what if I get an error message in the middle of teaching, it will take me an age to sort it out I'm sure. I'm no techno phobic by any means but the whole fear of the unknown is starting to get to me. I've put my pump back in her box and put her under a chair so I can try and calm down. To top it all for the last fortnight my control has been text book perfect on MDI, I guess after 42 years of injecting it's going to be like going back to day one and that does unerve me. I feel like I'm losing control and for a control freak like me ( where my diabetes is concerned ) it's not a nice feeling at the mo.
 
pumpers mum

🙂Hi, just to let you know that we are out there and i,m sure in a short while somone will be on line to give you there help. I,m the mum of a pumper , so i,m not sure i,m the best person to advise you. But my daughter started her pump in febuary(after 23 years of injecting/8 with real problems) and now its second nature and realy working well for her. So please don,t be scarred, lots of peaple on here will give you sapport.
 
Hi Rainbow,

For me the first week was nigh on perfect. That's how long it took to wash all traces of Levemir our of my body. Things went a little down hill from there but we're in the process of sorting them out. It'll take a while to get things in order as it's a completely new regime. I'm still having teething problems three weeks in. That said, I suppose the case of the lurgie that I've had since coming back to uni hasn't helped things.

As for it feeling strange not injecting, well, I've only had the D for fourteen years but it did feel rather strange for the first two days. For me it all felt pretty natural, even the being wired to a machine part.

Hope all goes well,

Tom
 
Rainbow- sorry to hear you feel like this :(

What sort of pump will you be starting on?

I havent had diabetes anywhere near as long as you, but Im sure its natural to feel anxious like that after MDI for all this time. Remember, the pump is meant to make things easier and it soon will once mastered. I think you need to organise some time off though, it is alot to think about. My DSN said I should take a week off and I was glad I did. There were a lot of 2 hour tests involved and throughout the night.

I had a few days of having it connected with just saline in and continuing with injections. to get used to the pump, are you doing the same? This really took the work element of it to light. I remember being in charge if a really big event and thinking- 'thank god this only has water in, I coudnt possibly deal with this now' and now I know pumpping well I just cant even fathom how I thought that! Its a big deal at first, but soon it will slot into your life. Dont worry about error messages when you are teaching. 99.9% of the time the pump just lets you get on with it. When it needs attension, it can be done discreetly and I promise you only takes moments. There is certainly a settling in period and a while before you are comfortable with it all. When it all comes together though the hard work is worth it I promise you.

We are always about to support you. There are so many pumpers and parent pumpers on here now its fantastic! Just let us know when you need an understanding ear.

Chin up- its so worth being excited about, I am even feeling excited for you! And dont panic, you dont need the manual all the time or to even know it. I carried it in my handbag for about 2 days. Im not even sure where it is now....😉

Take care. BTW I log in every day and please feel free to PM me if there is anything I can help with.

Louisa x
 
Thank you so much for your support. It feels great to know there's people who understand and will be with me every step of the way. I will be using the Veo and starting straight on insulin. Some of my apprehension stems from my DSN being new to me and new to pumping. My previous DSN left just before I got pump approval and what she didn't know about pumping you could write on a postage stamp! All these new experiences at once are daunting. I was diagnoses with neuropathy in my right foot out of the blue last week so I guess the diabetic dark cloud is sitting heavy above me at present. Don't get me wrong I know how lucky I am to have a pump and I will make it work for me suppose it will take a while to treat this old dog new tricks!
 
Dont be silly! And dont be hard on yourself- starting a pump can be like being diagnosed all over again- its a shock to the system, so it is nothing to take lightly!

Great news you have the Veo, a great pump and well used amongst the community here- me, Tom, Bev's son, Patricias son, Adriennes daughter is on the medtronic pardidgm I think, Redpumper, Purpleshadz are also on them as well I am pretty sure and lots more (what the pumping mums dont know about pumping isnt worth knowing!). Also frequent posters like Shelley B, Tracey W, Randomange, Viki and more are experienced pumpers with different models but essentially its all the same just a few different terms and buttons thrown into the mix! The support I got off the pumpers thread here I started was immense- it was such a comfort to know it wasnt all on my own. I hope you feel you can lean on us for an ear whenever you may need it.

Can I recommend a book? Available on amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Insulin-Pum...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272805813&sr=8-1

Its American (but when you get past the 'americanisms' it is brilliant!). Its an easy read, written from a female pumper perspective, about 1.5 cm thick so can be brushed off reasonably quickly. Brings a lot of things into context.

If you are feeeling hardcore, this one is currently collecting a lot of dust on my bookshelf, but gets a visit once in a while....this is like a PHD of pumping and this man is the unashammed geek of pumping: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pumping-Ins...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272806070&sr=1-1

(also dont forget with Amazon that if you go over a ?15 spend you can have the free delivery option so worth considering the investment now).

I am sure that you know of the Input website already, but through this site you can subscribe to a pumping email support forum : http://www.insulin-pumpers.org.uk/ a UK run email support group. Lots of emails will fly in every day, lots of queries, new people and experienced pumpers overcoming lots of problems and keeps you in the loop of all that seems to be going on in the pumping world. Worth a subscribe (its free) just to get a feel of things.

Its a shame about your DSN, I would feel the same. I hope they can still provide you with a good level of support. Remember you can also use the Medtronic number to ask questions, put it in your mobile just incase! Should you get caught short without the manual on the out and about! At first you will find you travel about with everythign ready for the worst case scenario, but it is like the early days of MDI! You soon cut down to the bare minimum. I carry less stuff then I ever did when on injections.

Good luck Rainbow, the Veo is an excellent insulin pump so have confidence in it 🙂 It is nothing that you cannot master and ask, ask, ask, rant, rant, rant- we are here! 🙂

Louisa x
 
Sugarbum said:
Good luck Rainbow, the Veo is an excellent insulin pump so have confidence in it 🙂 It is nothing that you cannot master and ask, ask, ask, rant, rant, rant- we are here! 🙂

Louisa x
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I tell you theres is nothing that you can't pick up relatively easily on the Veo. I've been able to get the hang of it rather easily. That's in part due to the wonderfully well thought through design which makes it rather easy to use; it could also be attributed to the fact that I'm vaguely technologically minded or I've got the right mindset for this. You'll do well on one, even I've managed to with all that's been thrown at me thus far, even the case of the lurgie.

Tom
 
Hi Rainbow,

I'm sure you'll have no problems at all.

If the user manual for your pump is anything like the one that I have for mine, then I'm sure it appears a little daunting. Don't worry, when your DSN has gone through it with you, it will all become clear.

Pumping is a lot less hassle than injecting once it's all set up.

I took three days off work when I moved onto my pump. I did this for a couple of reasons. Firstly, so that I would have uninterrupted time to get used to it and secondly, so that I knew I would get to have three days of the same routine while I checked the initial BGs.

Good luck with it and just shout if you have any questions.
 
Hi Rainbow...I've been pumping for 5 months now, and it is a big change and the 'fear' is normal... I was the same

Sure you will take to it like a duck to water tho and we are all here if you need any advice etc...

I love my pump...and sure you will too...hugs xxx
 
Hi Rainbow

I have just joined the forum today and I just wanted to say that having recently started on a pump it can feel very scary and its a weird feeling to go from injecting 5-6 times a day to inserting a cannula every 2-3 days. One thing I am learning is that it is hard work and just like injections there are good an dbad days but for me its been the best thing I could have done. I am getting a lot less hypos and things feel a lot more stable.
It is nice to hear so much support from other on the site and I look forward to sharing my experiences with you all.
 
johnellis said:
Hi Rainbow

I have just joined the forum today and I just wanted to say that having recently started on a pump it can feel very scary and its a weird feeling to go from injecting 5-6 times a day to inserting a cannula every 2-3 days. One thing I am learning is that it is hard work and just like injections there are good an dbad days but for me its been the best thing I could have done. I am getting a lot less hypos and things feel a lot more stable.
It is nice to hear so much support from other on the site and I look forward to sharing my experiences with you all.
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Thank you, I start this Tuesday so not long now!
 
good luck pumping rainbow and remember those other pumpers on here as i know they have been a great support to Tom with his start
 
I will indeed, I think I'll be here every 5 mins! Tomorrow is going to be strange, my last full day of injecting. I've packed my bag full of canulas and stuff ready for training and I'm ready to roll!!
 
Rainbow said:
I will indeed, I think I'll be here every 5 mins! Tomorrow is going to be strange, my last full day of injecting. I've packed my bag full of canulas and stuff ready for training and I'm ready to roll!!
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Good work Rainbow, trust me it'll make a difference. I hope it goes aswell for you as it did for me!
 
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