How have pumps changed peoples lives?

[Jojo26]

I am soon to be referred for a pump and really hoping i can get one as i have heard it has changed so many peoples lives. I was wondering how good they really are as i am struggling so much with my blood sugars mainly get highs but if im at work they run low in the evenings as iv been rushing around all day iv been type 1 for 25 years on injections and work at a hospital now doing shift work which i think messes it up a bit and iv changed my insulin levels and types so many times and nothings working getting relli stressed about it and hoping the pump will stabalise them better!

 

[Northerner]

Hi Jojo, welcome to the forum 🙂 I don't have a pump myself, but from reading the many stories from people here I think you will find it a transformation and something you will never want to give back! I'm sure some bonafide pumpers will be along to confirm this!

 

[Jennywren]

Hi i started pumping in september 2010 , and havent looked back .my Hba1cs have improved greatly after having 29 years of brittle diabetes and having very poor control . No more INJECTIONS 🙂 its pretty odd to begin with as youre so used to injecting .I have found the freedom great i can go into a cafe , and press my pump to deliver and nobody knows what im doing , no gauping like they used to when they see you with a syringe ! Jojo it is a lot of hard work to begin with but you certainly benefit when everything is sorted 🙂 And Alans right nobody will be able to get my back off me , well certainly not without a fight .

 

[Ellie Jones]

JoJo

In short my pump not only gave me my life back but also my future!

Before the pump every day was like an very exhuasting roller coaster ride of highs and hypo's, so exhuasting that work became a struggle and a social life impossible too exhuasted after work to even to housework let alone socialise! I had no percieved future...

3 years on the pump, I changed jobs not long after starting on my pump, to a much more phsyical job working with dogs, Socialising I can do what I want when I want even if I've been to work or not and I have a future to aim for working out what I want to do with it and when..

Pumps aren't a magic wands they are only ever as good as the user..

There is a lot of work and learning into fine tuning it to your needs and working out how to use it to your best advantage.. For the first 3 to 6 months it can be very hard going, but then it sorts of clicks and life becomes a lot easier...

In your case doing shift work a pump would become a valuable asset, as you can set up 2,3 or even 4 different basal profiles to suit your shift pattern, I have 3 set on mine, day off, and 2 different ones for work (sadly at the moment my work has dried up for now due to the recession)

 

[Jojo26]

Thanks guys thats been a great help, i think it will help me with my shifts i know its gonna be a long process after being referred but its a step in the right direction and im defiantley willing to work for it! If it can improve my blood sugars so i can eventually try for a baby that would be great as i have no hope at the mo :-(

 

[Ellie Jones]

For more information about insulin pumps, nice guidelines etc check out www.input.me.uk very usefull more so if you feel that you may get a problem with getting a pump as they will help you if needs be..

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Hi JoJo,
Pumps are life changing for the better 🙂
But it does mean alot of work on the users part. IE, lots of testing and missed sleep untill things are sorted and stable.
You have to remember though a pump is only as good as the user and it is not plug and play.
Buy yourself the book pumping insulin By John Walsh (amazon) this is known as the pumpers Bible and worth it's weight in gold.
Just explain to your team why you want a pump and what you want and expect to achieve. Also keep a diary of what you do to sort out your problems on MDI and why they haven't worked. You need to show you have a good understanding of what you are doing. The same with food show you know your carb ratio's, corrections etc.

Good luck with your pump quest.

 

[shiv]

Hey,

Pumping has allowed me to feel like I'm in control of my diabetes. I no longer hypo every morning, or experience the effects of dawn phenomenon.

I found pumping really useful for shift work - I set up different basal profiles (for me it was day off, early shift, late shift) for my different shifts 🙂

Do you know which pump you will have?

 

[Jojo26]

I'm hoping to try for the meditronic paradigm veo it looks relli good and has the cgm with it which I think will relli help me with the fear or the severe hypos at night that's why I kep my sugars higher before bed as I worry about the severe hypos I might have iv always had them from a young age and don't get symptoms at night.

 

[Ergates]

I've been on a pump for a month and a half now, and I'm loving it. I feel like a million bucks by comparison with MDI, and my control was instantly improved. I've still got a lot of work to do to get it right, but it's coming!!

 

[shiv]

I'm hoping to try for the meditronic paradigm veo it looks relli good and has the cgm with it which I think will relli help me with the fear or the severe hypos at night that's why I kep my sugars higher before bed as I worry about the severe hypos I might have iv always had them from a young age and don't get symptoms at night.

Have you got funding for CGMs or will you self fund? It has the CGM receiver in it (CGMs come in 3 parts: sensor, transmitter, receiver) so can hook up to a CGM. But the PCT would have to agree to fund the transmitter and the sensors - sounds like you have a good case to argue, but perhaps just having the pump and the ability to turn down your basal to stop the hypos will help 🙂