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Insulin pumps
- Thread starter Lily123
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SB2015
Well-Known Member
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- Type 1
Hi @Lily123 it would be worth you contacting your team.
If you are still in Paeds you might have more chance of accessing a pump, if now in adult care just gather data linked to the NICE guidelines and present it to your team. In general they are keen to help us to manage our condition in the most appropriate way, with some financial limitations Imposed by the local CCG.
Each area has contracts with particular pump manufacturers who then train their staff, and provide continued support , as well as funding the consumables.
Let us know how you get on.
If you are still in Paeds you might have more chance of accessing a pump, if now in adult care just gather data linked to the NICE guidelines and present it to your team. In general they are keen to help us to manage our condition in the most appropriate way, with some financial limitations Imposed by the local CCG.
Each area has contracts with particular pump manufacturers who then train their staff, and provide continued support , as well as funding the consumables.
Let us know how you get on.
Sorry, I do not know the pumps in Bucks.
But wanted to add a note of encouragement. When I got a pump, my hba1c was around 50 but I was struggling with exercise - my levels would plummet in the gym and soar on the climbing wall.
I have been pumping for 6 years and have a love hate relationship with it. I love the control and the ability to dose small amounts and the ability to adjust basal for exercise. But it still requires more thought than injecting when I could round up to 10g carbs and basal stayed the same. Pumping also feels like my diabetes is more on display. My latest tubeless pump has helped but, being slim, there is still a bump that I try to hide when I wear leggings.
Overall, pumping is much better and I encourage you to push for one. I am an example where the classic interpretation of the NICe guidelines were adjusted to get one.
But wanted to add a note of encouragement. When I got a pump, my hba1c was around 50 but I was struggling with exercise - my levels would plummet in the gym and soar on the climbing wall.
I have been pumping for 6 years and have a love hate relationship with it. I love the control and the ability to dose small amounts and the ability to adjust basal for exercise. But it still requires more thought than injecting when I could round up to 10g carbs and basal stayed the same. Pumping also feels like my diabetes is more on display. My latest tubeless pump has helped but, being slim, there is still a bump that I try to hide when I wear leggings.
Overall, pumping is much better and I encourage you to push for one. I am an example where the classic interpretation of the NICe guidelines were adjusted to get one.
Lily123
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- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
@SB2015 I am still under the childrens outpatients as I am 14. Thanks for the encouragement @helli ! My next appointment is sometime in February so I will ask then.I don’t mind if people see the pump (if I get one) or judge me for it. If anyone asks me about the Libre then I’m more than happy to explain it to them. ( I have a feeling I should care what my classmates think of me)
SB2015
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Pumping made my life so much more flexible.
I had had overnight hypos which the pump virtually eliminated because I was able to adjust the basal rate down at the time when I was usually having hypos, since my needs were not the same throughout the night.
As @helli mentioned exercise is a lot easier. On MDI I needed to know what I was going to do at the start of the day and life for me is just not like that. With the pump it is possible to turn the basal insulin (a continuous dribble of quick acting through the day) down before during and/or after exercise. You gradually find what works for you.
The other bit I make good use of is the different ways of delivering a bolus to match the food I am eating. Those fatty meals like Pizza or curry were a pain on MDI, and I used to try splitting the injection, but then all too often forgot to do the second half. On a pump you can ask it to deliver your Bolus over a period of time for those fatty meals. You can also mix it and have some bolus up front for the quick acting carbs along with an extended bolus for the other bits.
Topping up a bolus if the pudding is just too tempting is also easy. Just tell your pump, deliver the xtra and enjoy.
Let us know how you get on.
I had had overnight hypos which the pump virtually eliminated because I was able to adjust the basal rate down at the time when I was usually having hypos, since my needs were not the same throughout the night.
As @helli mentioned exercise is a lot easier. On MDI I needed to know what I was going to do at the start of the day and life for me is just not like that. With the pump it is possible to turn the basal insulin (a continuous dribble of quick acting through the day) down before during and/or after exercise. You gradually find what works for you.
The other bit I make good use of is the different ways of delivering a bolus to match the food I am eating. Those fatty meals like Pizza or curry were a pain on MDI, and I used to try splitting the injection, but then all too often forgot to do the second half. On a pump you can ask it to deliver your Bolus over a period of time for those fatty meals. You can also mix it and have some bolus up front for the quick acting carbs along with an extended bolus for the other bits.
Topping up a bolus if the pudding is just too tempting is also easy. Just tell your pump, deliver the xtra and enjoy.
Let us know how you get on.
Lily123
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- She/Her
I struggled with hypos at lunch time and adjusted my breakfast ratio by 1 and that makes my numbers decide to go high. I find that a pump would be helpful for me because in the evening my numbers start rising and adjusting the dinner ratio makes me go hypo. Plus I haven’t attempted spilt doses because I know I would forget
SB2015
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
That sounds like a perfect recipe for a pump.
Are you using half unit pens? When on MDI that really helped me. At the time they were only available in children‘s pens so I had nice coloured ones as well as stickers to go with them!! The colours helps in my not muddling up Novorapid and Levemir (except when I put the wrong cartridge in the wrong pen!!).
Lily123
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Yeah I’m using half unit pens. I used to have different colour pens for the NovoRapid and Tresiba but on the old pen I used for Tresiba the end was that stiff I couldn’t do my own injection. So there both dark blue only a few times have I nearly done 23.5 units of NovoRapid instead of Tresiba!
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Robin
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I ended up with two dark blue pens at one point, so I stuck a label on the basal pen and wrapped it with sellotape, and I got to know instinctively that the Levemir pen had a rough bit on it, and the novorapid was smooth. Now I’ve got a red one for bolus, but the label is still on the blue one, which helps first thing in the morning if it’s a bit dark!
Lily123
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That’s a good idea
Pumper_Sue
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Hi @Lily123 just a suggestion for you, have you looked on your hospitals website to see what pumps are offered? I know some hospitals do say on there what is available.
Lily123
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I have tried the NHS website but can’t find the website for my hospital
Pumper_Sue
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Have you tried putting your hospital into your search engine?
Lily123
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I’ve done that just now and found the website for the three hospitals for the county my hospital is in (the hospital is in a different county to me) If I put diabetes into the search on the website it only mentions about you get an insulin pump if you meet the NICE guidance and not what pumps my hospital actually offers
Inka
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
That’s not uncommon @Lily123 My hospital updates its pump list frequently so it could be out of date if it was online. Ask your DSN and while you’re waiting for info, just do some general research about pumps - really broad research, so you know as much as you can.
Lily123
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Good idea - I will go and research
Leadinglights
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- Type 2
Good on you, you seem a very switched on and knowledgeable and clearly have become your own expert. Very impressive for someone so young.
Lily123
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Yes but then theres the fear of researching then being told no by the clinic so researching continues. Thanks @Leadinglights for the encouragement
Thebearcametoo
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- Relationship to Diabetes
- Parent
You can get a new pen prescribed. It’s a safety issue to have them different colours. It may take a conversation with the pharmacy to get the colour you want as they don’t always get a say in which come in their orders.
Regarding the pump. Talk to your team. Here (Oxfordshire) funding for over 12s isn’t guaranteed but the team will work out how to give the best argument for funding and get them for all their teens. The process here is that they have info days 3-4 times a year and you go on that first to see what options there are and which you’re interested in and then at your next clinic say you want it and they put the funding bid in. Don’t wait until your February clinic drop them an email this week and start the process to see if you’re suitable for one and if they can get one funded for you. There are lots of benefits to having a pump but they’re not completely stress free. My kid is on another break and back on injections at the moment as he was fed up of it.
Which pump you choose may depend on if you want to self fund for a dexcom or other CGM to link it to the pump otherwise they all have some pros and cons. Here they’re not offering omnipod to new patients but otherwise have a good variety of options.
Lily123
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I wouldn’t want a patch pump like Omnipod or accu chek solo (honestly I have no idea why) I also need to get a new pen because of the safety issue you said and although it works the end the pen where you dial up the amount of insulin pops out at random times and when the end it pressed in it makes a splintering sound although it works (both pens are Novopen Echo. They are in different colour cases but I still manage to get confused
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