Pump info

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Catareta

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1.5 LADA
Hi there

After some careful thought after the past few months I have decided to ask for a trial of a pump to see if it suits me. ..

Have any of you had experience in Cambridge Hospital and the pumps?
And can someone advise me of the products available and NICE guidelines etc?? as think may have a fight on my hand....

Many thanks

Jo
 
Hi Jo,

As I write, there are currently 4 pumps available in the UK: Animas 2020, Medtronic Veo, Roche Combo and the Omnipod. There are other pump models around, but these are obviously older models that people, and this year there are new models coming out (but it's all a bit hush hush). A quick google will tell you plenty about them all. Key differences are:

Animas 2020 - waterproof, comes in 5 colours, colour screen
Medtronic Veo - has CGM built in (but obv only any good if you are funded for CGM or can self fund)
Roche - uses a handset so you can bolus remotely
Omnipod - wire/tubeless!


NICE guidelines are here:

http://guidance.nice.org.uk/TA151/Guidance/pdf/English

Basically, the two criteria are: hba1c of 8.5% or more, despite best efforts; and disabling hypos.

Ultimately it comes down to your consultant. If he/she agrees to apply for funding, the PCT cannot, by law, refuse it.

Any particular reason you want to pump?
 
Thanks Shiv -

Will have look at the NICE guidelines.. need all the background info to go the clinic with..

I have a history of depression, and obsessive behaviour leading to diabulimia however much recovered... but been on DAFNE; and still struggling despite changes to ratios and basal...

Need bit more of a life; don't mind MDI but am on so high doses I need a really low carb diet to lose weight.. recent HBA1c was 10.9 despite DAFNE
Post DAFNE was 8.9 (but was down to having to stay in hotel whilst doing DAFNE and other issues)

Really feel that I would love to give it a go.. want to feel better ; always tired and get so frustrated with it all
 
Also check out INPUT here www.input.me.uk They have all the information surrounding pumps, and if you have any problems with clinic or finding a pump friendly clinic they will give you advise and support...

You don't havet to fit all the criteria of NICE and your consultant or PCT can not pick or choose what criteria suits them... The normal one is that your HbA1c's doesn't fit...

A bit of advise if you'll asking about trialing a pump, research how the therapy works, so you can see where it might come in useful with your control..

Ensure you have good BG data, and perhaps work out where you had problems with control and the pump would have been helpful i.e I had this hypo because I injected for my meal but I then found out my plans/work load changed estremely but if I had the pump I could have used the TBR to lower my insulin and could have avoided the hypo, if not the impact would have been a lot less...

If asked about 3rd party help with an hypo in my books that could be somebody opening your Jelly Baby pack, just say don't expand on details🙄

If they try the HbA1c excuse, if you've got your data and you suffer from quite large swings or lots of mild hypo's, do remind them that hypo's mask the highs, which makes the HbA1c not quite a true reflection of your daily control..
 
You have left the DanaR off the list Shiv 🙂
That is one of the more up to date pumps. Nice pump 🙂
 
I got my pump through Cambridge (I presume you mean Addenbrooke's?). In my experience, they are quite pump friendly, and if they feel you would benefit from a pump, they will do your fighting for you! I think there can be a bit of a wait to get on one (my wait was six months after finishing DAFNE), but once you have convinced the consultant it should be a case of being assigned a start date and training group.

I was asked to provide a written case for why I wanted a pump, where I explained the problems I had been having, the things I had tried to resolve the issues, and why I thought a pump might help. The consultant will want to make sure you are aware of the pros and cons of a pump, and also how much work it will be and that it's not just a 'magic wand'. If he/she believes that you are a good candidate, they will make it happen.

In my opinion, you have nothing to lose by asking! :D
 
My clinic isn't aren't very keen at all about pumps...

Hence I spent 3 years asking for one, and going into clinic every 3 months, data in hand, BG all printed out out, so that I could point to a BG, and say what had happened and how if I had the pump I could have done this or that and avoided the hypo or excessive high etc....

Not sure whether I actually won the battle, or it got cheaper to actually cave in give me a pump rather than the cost of paying for new flooring in the consultanting room after I dug my heels in🙂

But if you feel that a pump is going to be helpful go for it, never know unless you ask for one..
 
I am waiting to get a pump start date. The secretary said probably November as the list is so long. I am going to try and chase up next week to see if it could be any sooner, maybe if someone drops off the list.
So get in there as soon as possible so things can get moving if the consultant agrees.

It's worth knowing what you want from the pump and be able to explain how a pump would improve things.
 
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