Insulin pump

[Han.15]

Hi, recently I’ve been putting lots of work into reducing my Hb1Ac over the last couple of years, carb counting seeing the dietician and nurses etc. I’m also hoping to start a family next year so i and desperately trying to gain control on my diabetes. I was told by my consultant that I won’t get my bloods down enough on injections alone and I need a pump and I am eligible for one now… but the wait list is 2 years! There are pumps sitting there at clinic but no staff to deliver the trajjjng in how to use them out. Which is ridiculous. I was also told that when you’re starting a family you are automatically put on a pump. Anyone else having this issue? I feel like I have been told there is something that could help me massively control my diabetes that I should be able to have now.. but I can’t! It’s so frustrating.Anyone else been in a similar situation? Has anyone gone private for a pump?

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome.

Well done on getting more to grips with your diabetes management recently.

Unfortunately it is a bit more involved with pumps than nurses just "handing them out". They have to apply for funding for you to get one which it sounds like the consultant is prepared to do and expects to be successful. There is a lot of training involved as they are not "plug and play" and actually need more input from the patient in the early days/months in order to make them effective than perhaps MDI does.
I think there is currently a push to train more DSNs in pump therapy to support the increase in patients going on to them and particularly with the new closed loop systems, so all that extra training is unfortunately causing a delay in the system now for people wanting to start a pump. That said, if you were to become pregnant, you would be fast tracked onto a pump as has been mentioned and some of those nursing resources are of course used in supporting those who are pregnant. Unfortunately there are not an unlimited supply of qualified nurses to support people on pumps, so yes there is a delay.

There has in fact been a delay between getting approved for a pump and actually getting one of about a year I believe for some time, so you do have to be patient because there are other people like pregnant women and very young children/babies who understandably take precedence.

Have you explained to your consultant that you are hoping to start a family soon as that might help your case.

 

[Han.15]

thanks for be reply. I have had numerous conversations this year with nurses and consultant about trying for a family next year and I am fully aware that not everyone meets criteria for a pump. But I actually do meet the criteria. I’ve been advised that going forward a pump maybe the best option for me but can’t get one- I’ve been told the wait is 2 years even for pregnancy. I’m not prepared to wait 2 years before starting a family but have been advised that now would not be a good time to start as my blood sugars aren’t controlled enough which I completely understand. I just need help between now and then to get them sorted. I’ve had diabetes for 15 years now and I feel that we should have more control over how we manage our condition

 

[rebrascora]

Have you said, "I want a pump, so please put me on the list now!" The list will always be there so the sooner you are on it, the more likely you are to get one. It sounds like they are trying to discourage you, but be firm that you want to go on the list now. If you get pregnant in the mean time then I am pretty sure you will get a pump to see you through the pregnancy and I very much doubt they would take it off you afterwards, but it makes no sense at all for then to wait 2 years after someone is pregnant to give them a pump. It would be pointless.

I would start doing some background research on pumps to show your consultant that you are prepared to do your homework. As I said, pumps are not "plug and play" and you need to understand how they work. You will still certainly ned to carb count and in some respects your carb counting needs to be more accurate. Often they like you to have had a DAFNE or equivalent intensive education program. Have you done that or ever been offered it? It is a 4-5 day course which is sometimes a full week or one day a week for several weeks.

Do you have an idea of which pump you would like? Do you know anything about the different types of pumps? If you read some of the posts in this section of the forum, you will start to have a better idea of what is available and how they work and how you can adjust them and the things that can go wrong with them and how to deal with that. It really is not simple and straight forward, so you do need to be prepared for all that.

There is no reason why you should let the length of a waiting list dictate to you when to start a family and I am pretty sure that once pregnant you will get a pump as a priority for the duration of your pregnancy and beyond, but if you start doing your homework on pumps now, the you will be much better placed to cope with that when it happens and very best wishes to you for that proposed life journey.

 

[Inka]

thanks for be reply. I have had numerous conversations this year with nurses and consultant about trying for a family next year and I am fully aware that not everyone meets criteria for a pump. But I actually do meet the criteria. I’ve been advised that going forward a pump maybe the best option for me but can’t get one- I’ve been told the wait is 2 years even for pregnancy. I’m not prepared to wait 2 years before starting a family but have been advised that now would not be a good time to start as my blood sugars aren’t controlled enough which I completely understand. I just need help between now and then to get them sorted. I’ve had diabetes for 15 years now and I feel that we should have more control over how we manage our condition

@Han.15 It’s not necessarily true that people need a pump to get good control. It’s possible to get good control on MDI and have a healthy pregnancy too.

Re the long wait. Have you asked neighbouring health authorities to see if they have a shorter wait? Also, is the two years you’re quoting for just a pump or for a pump plus a hybrid closed loop system?

 

[Proud to be erratic]

@Han.15, whatever else emerges out of all this, do at least get yourself on a list now. Each bit of the admin trail won't even start a clock counting until your name is there. Good luck.