Help me.... Pump has been approved

To pump or not to pump?

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Anna WP

Anna WP

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hello,

I’m a newbie to this forum stuff and have been a type 1 diabetic for 30 years this year and looking to some advice.

I have been approved to have a ‘pump’ on the NHS and my first ‘pump’ appointment is 24/4. (‘Pump’ still makes me laugh!)

What do I need to expect?
What to prepare for?
Most importantly how is everyone who has one finding it?

I’m looking at the Accu-Chek Combo/Insight.

Any advice, support, comments welcome
 
Beat me - I was well over 30 years past diagnosis and I my late 50s when I got mine!

It's a tad alien to begin with - loved it for the first few weeks but by the end of month one I hated the stupid thing but another fortnight and I knew it was my mate after all! It's a weird feeling because you just don't realise how intuitive and 'automatic' your actions on MDI had become over the years. Now you suddenly have to think about things in a way you haven't needed to since just after first diagnosis - and I dunno about you, but I didn't enjoy feeling like that again and didn't expect to feel like it again.

It becomes instinctive and intuitive and automatic again - a darn sight quicker than it did the first time - and we all get there !
 
Anna WP said:
Hello,

I’m a newbie to this forum stuff and have been a type 1 diabetic for 30 years this year and looking to some advice.

I have been approved to have a ‘pump’ on the NHS and my first ‘pump’ appointment is 24/4. (‘Pump’ still makes me laugh!)

What do I need to expect?
What to prepare for?
Most importantly how is everyone who has one finding it?

I’m looking at the Accu-Chek Combo/Insight.

Any advice, support, comments welcome
Click to expand...
Hi Anna WP, welcome to the forum 🙂 I don't pump, but I would suggest browsing the INPUT website for lots of information about pumps Also highly recommended by many of our members is Pumping Insulin: Everything You Need for Success on a Smart Insulin Pump by John Walsh 🙂

Good luck, let us know how you get on! 🙂
 
Hi Anna
I use an accuchek Combo. It is the only pump I have used so cannot comment on the others but love it.

As others have said it takes a bit of work to get it sorted to match your own insulin needs, but it is well worth it, and I definitely would not want to swap back to MDI. The book that Northerner recommended is good, and will make more sense once you are using your pump and will serve as a good reference.

At some pump start clinicsthey start you on saline, we started straight onto insulin with loads of support. Either way when you go over to insulin they will explain how you do the switch and what to do with you background insulin on that day. For both insulins they will help you to work out a starting dose from your current doses and then you will gradually change these to match what you need.

There are plenty of people on here with pumps, so a lot of experience available to you in here. just ask.
 
We were only on injections for about a week so can't really compare, but we love pumping! If you're worried about having something permanently attached to you, I think it only takes a few days before you barely notice that it's there. In fact my daughter doesn't like being apart from hers at all now, even for just a few minutes e.g. when we are changing the cartridge or battery. It does take a little while to get used to, but once you do get the hang of it it's not hard! I like it because you can adjust your basal rate by the hour, so if for example you always go high or low at the same time of day, you can adjust your background dose for that time only and leave the rest of the day alone. It's also very easy to deal with things like exercise and illness. The Accu Chek pumps have full remote control so you can do your blood test, enter your carbs and then tell it to do the bolus all with the handset and without needing to touch the pump itself at all, so you don't have to rummage around under your clothes to get it out!

We're on our second Combo and I'd highly recommend it, not so sure about the insight, I've heard of quite a few people having problems with that one (although I can't speak from personal experience on it). The insight does have the advantage of using pre-filled cartridges, all the others you have to fill yourself from vials and it can be a bit of a faff getting bubbles out sometimes (although I'm getting better at not getting them in there now, it's only taken 6 years! :D). Whichever one you get you will love it, because it will be your first and you don't have anything to compare it with. They are pretty clever little gadgets! Good luck 🙂
 
I have had my pump for around 8 months and have not looked back. My DSN says that she can count on the fingers of one hand people who have not gone on with pumping. I have a patch pump, but all pumps do the same thing really.
 
Have a look on "Love my Pump" on this site. I am now on my 3rd Medtronic pump after being "D" since 1966. No one could pinch it off me. Good luck Anna. 😎
 
One thing I love about pumps is being out for a meal & then you don't like what you are eating or got. If you programed your pump to do a split dose its not a problem. Not like the insulin pen you had 15 mins before 🙂
 
Hello, good news! I got mine around the same time as Matt, it's been great. One thing that caught me out when I got approved was they expected me to know which pump I wanted! So have a browse of the input website, read up on pros and cons and search on here and people's blogs etc. Hopefully your clinic will have some for you to look at and compare size etc but I did find out more online than from the DSN - I guess real users know more of the ins and outs of a specific pump. Definitely if offered a pump go for it, I kept telling myself the worse that could happen would be I didn't like it and could give it back - no shame in that but I think not many people do. However, not many get the opportunity, so grasp it now you have it!
 
That’s great advice and yes I’m trying to find out what I can before I go for my appointment
 
HOBIE said:
One thing I love about pumps is being out for a meal & then you don't like what you are eating or got. If you programed your pump to do a split dose its not a problem. Not like the insulin pen you had 15 mins before 🙂
Click to expand...
Thank you! I’m sure it will be a good learning for me but really appreciate the input
 
HOBIE said:
One thing I love about pumps is being out for a meal & then you don't like what you are eating or got. If you programed your pump to do a split dose its not a problem. Not like the insulin pen you had 15 mins before 🙂
Click to expand...
Awesome can’t wait to try my new gadget out!!
 
Good luck with your transition to pump therapy @Anna WP

Just be patient, methodical, trust your instincts, and give it a little time. Not everyone ‘clicks’ with it right away (though you might!) but most people really do find they are more flexible and give them better results with less effort and more flexibility. It’s good to remember that on the early days where you want to lob it out of a window 😛
 
Thanks and yes I’m sure it will take some time and patients! Keep your fingers crossed for me
 
stephknits said:
I have had my pump for around 8 months and have not looked back. My DSN says that she can count on the fingers of one hand people who have not gone on with pumping. I have a patch pump, but all pumps do the same thing really.
Click to expand...
Sally71 said:
We were only on injections for about a week so can't really compare, but we love pumping! If you're worried about having something permanently attached to you, I think it only takes a few days before you barely notice that it's there. In fact my daughter doesn't like being apart from hers at all now, even for just a few minutes e.g. when we are changing the cartridge or battery. It does take a little while to get used to, but once you do get the hang of it it's not hard! I like it because you can adjust your basal rate by the hour, so if for example you always go high or low at the same time of day, you can adjust your background dose for that time only and leave the rest of the day alone. It's also very easy to deal with things like exercise and illness. The Accu Chek pumps have full remote control so you can do your blood test, enter your carbs and then tell it to do the bolus all with the handset and without needing to touch the pump itself at all, so you don't have to rummage around under your clothes to get it out!

We're on our second Combo and I'd highly recommend it, not so sure about the insight, I've heard of quite a few people having problems with that one (although I can't speak from personal experience on it). The insight does have the advantage of using pre-filled cartridges, all the others you have to fill yourself from vials and it can be a bit of a faff getting bubbles out sometimes (although I'm getting better at not getting them in there now, it's only taken 6 years! :D). Whichever one you get you will love it, because it will be your first and you don't have anything to compare it with. They are pretty clever little gadgets! Good luck 🙂
Click to expand...

I’ve just started running too, so hoping it will help with my unexpected lows.... thanks for your post and help
 
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