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Insulin Pump??

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cht123

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi, I was just wondering if anyone has an insluin pump & what they thought of it. I am 29, have had diabetes for 21 years and am now struggling with my control which has previously always been very good. My consultant is now pushing me towards having a pump fitted as she thinks we have exhusted all other options however I am not keen and rather worried.

I would be grateful to hear of any experiences, good or bad.

Thanks
 
Hi, and welcome to the forum! I'm not on a pump, but several of our members are and several more are in the process of applying or actually getting one, so hopefully they will give you some advice. It's worth doing a serch of the forum, as there are many threads concerning pumps - pros, cons etc. Click on 'Search' in the thick pink line at the top of the page and type in pumps. Here's an example:

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=1410&highlight=pumps

Cheers!🙂
 
Northerner said:
Hi, and welcome to the forum! I'm not on a pump, but several of our members are and several more are in the process of applying or actually getting one, so hopefully they will give you some advice. It's worth doing a serch of the forum, as there are many threads concerning pumps - pros, cons etc. Click on 'Search' in the thick pink line at the top of the page and type in pumps. Here's an example:

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=1410&highlight=pumps

Cheers!🙂
Click to expand...


Thank you, I will have a look.

I have just had a CGMS and was hoping to find out if a pump is anything like this as I hated the 3 days I was attached to it :(
 
I've heard it said that the CGMS is far more uncomfortable than the pump - most pump users say that they forget they are there very quickly - I think it may be to do with the fact that they serve different functions and are therefore attached differently.
 
cht123 said:
Thank you, I will have a look.

I have just had a CGMS and was hoping to find out if a pump is anything like this as I hated the 3 days I was attached to it :(
Click to expand...

Hi there!
Absolutely not! CGMS is nothing like the pump sets etc - these often do put people off until that actually try a pump set and realise they are like chalk and cheese! Try asking your DSN if you can have a trial with the pump using saline - i am sure this would put your mind at rest.🙂 Bev
 
Hi and welcome to the forum.

I have yet to have the "pleasure" of trying a CGMS, but have been on a pump for the last 18 months.

Like you I was very wary of going on to it. I was worried of how I would sleep with it, what my kids would be like with it due to the tubing and also how people would react to seeing the canula.

However, all of these worries were unfounded. Within 48 hours of wearing it I pretty much forgot I had it on. I have twice now nearly got in the shower in the morning and forgotten to take it off. Part of this is due to having bought a pump belt rather then using the clip case that it came with.

My children never got themselves tangled up in the tubing and now they just use it as a step when climbing up me. I am just grateful that it is a fairly robust unit lol.

Finally, other then the odd look by small children no one seems interested in the canula when I have no top on. The only comments made are normally by my students when it bleeps to remind me to do a blood test. Every time a new group find out I am diabetic and on a pump I have to explain all about it and we have some really good discussions on diabetes and what it means.

I must admit that having been on 5 - 7 injections a day and never really having good control I really love the pump and the fact that it is only 1 needle every other day. My control is now much better although I now need to find something that can stop me getting lazy in between hospital appointments lol.

Hope this helps and all the best with getting your diabetes under control. If I can be of any help, feel free to message me.

Andy
 
Hiya

I am starting on the medtronic Veo very soon. The technology is sooo advanced it may win you over. I would definately recommend having a serious root through their website. The new VEO pump was only just launched 5 days ago and is said (if used with the CGM) to be the closest thing to mimicking the artifical pancreas to date. Medtronics website has just been updated to show the pump off, have a look http://www.medtronic-diabetes.co.uk/ Im not saying that this is the pump you have to (or should!) get, just have a look and see the website- it shows you really what a pump is capable of, if it suits you.

All the best, and I agree with northerner, if you search the forum there are many pump related threads that may be useful to you. Good luck x
 
Hi Andy

My 12 year old son is due to start on a pump 7th July and i found your post really reassuring and positive. Thank you! 🙂
 
Hi Sugarbum

Is the VEO more advanced than the paradigm772 that my son is going to be getting? If so, can you tell me the differences please? 🙂
 
Mand said:
Hi Sugarbum

Is the VEO more advanced than the paradigm772 that my son is going to be getting? If so, can you tell me the differences please? 🙂
Click to expand...

Apparently so, Mand. But I was told that once I have the pump I am getting it replaced every 3 years and upgraded each time so I am always having the latest model so I wonder why this has not been made available to you?

The Veo has a closed loop system and is the first pump to automatically suspend its insulin supply when the CGM transmits a low blood sugar reading. I would imagine (as I understand you are a mum of a younger one with diabetes) it would be very attractive as it would help to avoid night time hypos.

Medtronic have revamped their website for the Veo, there is also a childrens brochure that you can download and Im sure it tells you all!

If you are interested, it certainly may be worth challenging your healthcare provider, it was offered to me, not requested!

Good luck x
 
Hi Sugarbum,

Very interesting about the pump stopping insulin if your going low - but i was under the impression that there is a 20 minute delay between the cgms and the 'real time' reading?Is there a time limit on the time its delayed for? I only ask as i am wondering about the risk of dka if insulin is witheld for a period of time. I know your not supposed to take the pump off for more than an hour are you? Sorry for all the questions - but i do like the sound of this particular pump - just have a few reservations. Thanks.🙂 Bev
 
Thanks Sugarbum. His pump has already been ordered now so we will be having the 772 but, as you say, they need replacing every three years, so i will make sure i do all i can next time to get him the very lastest.
Once he starts on pump (July 7th) i will see how things go and if there are any problems perhaps i could ask you how you cope and see if your pump would be better. Hope that makes sense!
I am so eager to get him started and really looking forward to seeing him more relaxed (he now very unhappy about injecting several times a day) and hoping for better control as not been doing so well lately.
I wish you the best of luck for starting on the pump and hope it is a success for you, my son and anyone else on one or about to go on one. 🙂🙂

Bev, I will keep the site posted as to how my son is getting on then maybe it will help you if you are considering one. 🙂🙂
 
HI Mand, thanks and good luck - i will be very interested to read what happens! Read my thread 'interesting' - if you have any doubts about getting a pump!🙂 Bev
 
Hi all

From what I understand *this morning* from our appointment, the new Medtronic mainly has many more prompts and alarms, and a couple of more awkward things moving through menus etc have been made smoother. The team at ours have all tried it, and found it very good but not an enormously huge step. Their main thing was prompts -- they thought that for some people this would be useful. There are a *heck* of a lot of small steps to remember when setting the pump up, etc...but actually, two sets in and we're fine already...

YES TODAY WAS THE DAY! We've started with insulin. So far so good except that lunch brought on a mild hypo. Oops. Will ring through and see if already the ratios are a bit skewed. But the ease is INCREDIBLE. Very exciting. Have bolused for ONE BISCUIT at 11.30, then a panini at 12pm. Oh, and I forgot -- a rather large correction at 10.15 because of being off Levermir since last night...All of this insulin going in and somehow it's regulating. The 3.8 hypo was a direct result of the lunch bolus, happening two hours later almost exactly...we'll fix that!

I should really start a thread for this, shouldn't I? Anyway, thing is... a saline trial is very very informative about the mechanics of it, and gives a good feeling for how it is to live with it, so maybe try that first whoever hasn't (like Mand and her son -- I'm sure saline is a great way to decide...)...
 
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Hi Patricia
So pleased all going well so far for you and your son. You are right, a saline trial is a good practice.
Please do consider starting a thread on your experience. I would so much appreciate it and fully support it. 🙂🙂

Bev, thanks. will take a look at your thread. 🙂🙂
 
Patricia,YES start a thread - i want to read everything about it! Also i will keep the thread as hope it wont be long before i can use it when Alex goes on a pump!🙂 Bev
 
bev said:
Hi Sugarbum,

Very interesting about the pump stopping insulin if your going low - but i was under the impression that there is a 20 minute delay between the cgms and the 'real time' reading?Is there a time limit on the time its delayed for? I only ask as i am wondering about the risk of dka if insulin is witheld for a period of time. I know your not supposed to take the pump off for more than an hour are you? Sorry for all the questions - but i do like the sound of this particular pump - just have a few reservations. Thanks.🙂 Bev
Click to expand...

Hiya Bev,

Yes ths crossed my mind too but there is a feature that restarts insulin 2 hours after the suspend mechanism, it certainly would seem they have thought of it all. I can understand any reservations you may have, I really would go to the website and download the childrens brochure- its all very clever and worth a look! and may just put to rest some of your queries. I dont usually fall for something hook, line and sinker and it could be said Im abit of a sceptic, but really it does seem they have thought of everything here.

Patricia- all sounds good and very exciting! Keep posting, Im enjoying hearing the latest.

Love to all, lou x
 
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