GP Negative Pump Advice

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mcleo_d

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Type 1
Hi - This morning I had a conversation with my GP about going on a pump. What I thought would be a positive conversation actually turned out to be quite negative.

This is what I was told...
  • Pumps go wrong and you need to replace the cartridges.
  • The needles are often a problem.
  • You have to wear them.
  • They replace the Lantus long acting injection only.
  • You still need to take short term insulin shots.
  • There's no advantage over regular long and short acting insulin treatments.
Is this advice correct, as it contradicts all the great stories I've heard about pump control?

Thank you.
 
Your GP clearly knows less than nothing about pumps, is what I would say! Wrong on practically every point. Yes, they can go wrong, but then so can pens, but they are pretty reliable or no-one could use them. Yes, you have to wear them, but from what I have heard from pumpers, you hardly notice them after the first few days. They replace ALL the insulin, since they work using a fast-acting insulin only - this is delivered in tiny amounts constantly to cover your long-term needs, and you press a button or two to give you the extra you need when you eat or need to give a correction. They are MUCH more flexible than injections! You don't need to take insulin injections - you use the pump! I wonder where he got his information from, a 1950s Ladybird book for 5 year-olds, perhaps?

I would recommend looking at the INPUT site for the real, up to date information about pumps!

inputdiabetes.org.uk
 
mcleo_d said:
  • Pumps go wrong and you need to replace the cartridges.
  • The needles are often a problem.
  • You have to wear them.
  • They replace the Lantus long acting injection only.
  • You still need to take short term insulin shots.
  • There's no advantage over regular long and short acting insulin
Click to expand...
You have to replace cartridges in pens.
The needles are less often a problem than with pens (and are not needles anyway, theyre cannulas).
You have to carry pens.
They replace all insulins.
You dont need to take shots.
There are major advantages over regular long/short acting systems.

I'm sorry, your doctor is talking out of his nether regions...and would suggest you maybe look at changing doctors...
 
Hi mcleo_d

I've used a pump for 16 years and had 2 pump failures in that time. They are exceedingly safe to use- as they must be- with a myriad of inbuilt alarms and checks to ensure safety. All the pump companies have great helplines and methods to replace a pump quickly should something go wrong. If there is a mechanical problem then the pump shuts off insulin delivery.
I replace the reservoir of insulin in my Medtronic every 3 days, other makes of pump can use cartridges and at the same time I replace the infusion set which includes the cannula which is a thin teflon tube the insulin goes in through.
Removing long acting insulin from my life made my control infinitely safer and using the flexibility of a pump has improved my control so much.
I clip my pump to my waistband or put it in a pocket and often have to check where it actually is, you adapt very quickly, I don't feel like I'm carrying something around or am attached to anything.

I would ask for a referral to a hospital diabetes clinic if you aren't seen at one and discuss the option of using a pump with someone who deals with them.
 
OMG your doctor is an idiot. Sorry!!
Well at least he knows nothing about pumps and clearly doesn't want to either! Pumps are brilliant!

Pumps very rarely go wrong and when they do are replaced within a day or two, they are usually sent out by courier so you don't have to be without one for very long. And yes of course you have to replace the cartridges, how else do you get the insulin in?! But they last 3-6 days and once you've done it a few times it's easy peasy, no big deal at all.

The cannulas also are not usually a problem, but if you do get a dodgy one you just take it out and put another one in, it takes all of about 30 seconds to do that.

Yes you do have to wear the pump all the time, but it's only about as big as a pager an most people don't notice it after a while.

It does not just replace your long-acting insulin, it replaces it all, when you eat you just push a few buttons to tell the pump how much carb you are eating and it will work out and deliver the exact dose. So you don't have to do short acting shots at all (only in an emergency if you have a pump or cannula problem, which is not very often!)

Your doctor thinks the pump has no advantage over pens?? Oh, don't get me started...
More flexibility to eat what you want when you want, as you are only pushing buttons instead of sticking needles in each time you can easily have 20 snacks a day if you so wish.
Also your basal can be varied by the hour so you get more when you need it and less when you don't, as opposed to Lantus which you inject once a day and it works when it wants to work, which might not exactly match your body's requirements.
You have the option to spread doses out over time to deal with foods which are slow to digest, and you can increase or decrease your basal by a % temporarily which makes things like illness and exercise much easier to cope with.
Etc etc - your doctor needs to speak to some people who have actually used pumps!
 
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mcleo_d said:
Hi - This morning I had a conversation with my GP about going on a pump. What I thought would be a positive conversation actually turned out to be quite negative.

This is what I was told...
  • Pumps go wrong and you need to replace the cartridges.
  • The needles are often a problem.
  • You have to wear them.
  • They replace the Lantus long acting injection only.
  • You still need to take short term insulin shots.
  • There's no advantage over regular long and short acting insulin treatments.
Is this advice correct, as it contradicts all the great stories I've heard about pump control?

Thank you.
Click to expand...
Did your find your GP @Stonehenge?
Yep a pump can go wrong but it's under warranty, so what's the problem?
So no difference between pumps and pens as pens go wrong.

Needles I assume he means cannulas! Only a couple in 8 years or so of pumping.
Pump sits on your belt or in a pocket.
Err no you do not need to take short acting insulin shots,

Where did your GP find the information regarding no difference between MDI and Pumping?

If I were you I would ask for a transfer of your diabetes care to a hospital based team.
 
HE should be sent back to school ! & am not kidding. Watch him for further info. :(
 
Firstly I agree with the comments above about the many positive benefits of using a pump over multiple Daily Injections. It is brilliant for:

Matching the background insulin to what you need.
You gradually adjust the constant delivery of your insulin to suit what you need.

Flexibility
You no longer need to know what you are doing for the day before doing the background insulin. With a pump you can turn this up or turn it down to match what you are doing

Changing the delivery of bolus insulin
The access to different ways of delivering your meal blouses ensures much better post meal control and takes account of the awkward foods such as pizza and curry. I used to try to split injections on MDI but then forget to do the second half.

I could go on. I would never want to go back to MDI.

It is concerning that in your GP practice there is so little knowledge available about Type 1, but they see so few of us. You need to find support in secondary care from a specialist pump team. Certainly worth asking for this.
If no joy from your GP try contacting your CCG.

I hope you are able to get your pump.
 
Not many people understand me but I really really enjoy missing my lunch 😱. Being T1 since the age of 3 I used to be on fixed insulin till I was in my teens. That used to be 50grms of carb 3 times a day & my poor mother could not get me to eat. I used to drink up to 6pts of milk in a day. A pump you can miss meals ,put Temp Basals on & please yourself more 😎
 
Hi all - Thanks for the information an insight.

There was a certain point during the consultation when the GP knew he was pulling the wool over my eyes. He could tell that my experience of the condition could see through the information he was feeding me.

The issue I have now is getting access to the right people. Unfortunately this surgery is my entrance into the system. I can try and swap surgeries but the next place could be just as sketchy.

I'll fight for change and will keep you posted.
 
Is there a DN you see at the surgery?

I haven't been to a hospital clinic for about 17 years and since then have always been seen at the surgery. I've found the DN's at the surgery to be far more willing to help with things than the GP's. I asked about pumps at my review with the DN just before Christmas. She said no problem she would write to the hospital to get an appointment - no fuss or bother. The letter arrived last week for me to see the consultant at the hospital in a couple of weeks.

Good luck.
 
If no joy mcleo_d - do contact INPUT. They exist to support people in your position, an advocacy service! Seriously - and they know all the right people to talk to, or if they don't, because they have access to the right people elsewhere, they can easily get introductions to the right people in areas they don't already know well.

Don't 'leave it at that' - get moving! - God - and the NHS - help those who help themselves, I think you'll find !
 
mcleo_d said:
Hi all - Thanks for the information an insight.

There was a certain point during the consultation when the GP knew he was pulling the wool over my eyes. He could tell that my experience of the condition could see through the information he was feeding me.

The issue I have now is getting access to the right people. Unfortunately this surgery is my entrance into the system. I can try and swap surgeries but the next place could be just as sketchy.

I'll fight for change and will keep you posted.
Click to expand...
Pls let us know how you are getting on, & good luck
 
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