Pump on the horizon

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Fudgie

Fudgie

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
hi, my consultant has just recommended a pump. He warned me that it is not a fix all solution. Any ideas on how I should prepare....article, books, pumps.....
Looking at the threads here I think overall people are more positive than negative? Is that a reasonable assumption? Any thoughts welcome.
 
Generally speaking I think the consensus is that (as with most things!) you get out of it what you put in. It might be a good idea to find out which pumps are available in your area (consultant/DSNs should be able to tell you this) so that you can do your own research and put forward a preference.
I've also just been put on the waiting list for a pump and I've got my eye firmly on an Omnipod 🙂
 
Sprogladite said:
Generally speaking I think the consensus is that (as with most things!) you get out of it what you put in. It might be a good idea to find out which pumps are available in your area (consultant/DSNs should be able to tell you this) so that you can do your own research and put forward a preference.
I've also just been put on the waiting list for a pump and I've got my eye firmly on an Omnipod 🙂[/QUOT
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Sorry! I'm struggling with how the posting works here!
Thanks for your advice. I'll call DN tomorrow and find out.
 
It would not be putting it too strongly to say that having a pump changed my life. Yes you do have to do quite a bit of monitoring to get it set up right and to keep it there when things change, but the flexibility it gives more than makes up for this, and if you're serious about good management of diabetes, Mdi is not exactly a walk in the park either.
Are you having a particular problem that the consultant thinks a pump will solve?
 
Hi Fudgie it shows you are T2. Normally you are lucky to get a pump if you are T1. Good luck 🙂
 
Sprogladite said:
Generally speaking I think the consensus is that (as with most things!) you get out of it what you put in. It might be a good idea to find out which pumps are available in your area (consultant/DSNs should be able to tell you this) so that you can do your own research and put forward a preference.
I've also just been put on the waiting list for a pump and I've got my eye firmly on an Omnipod 🙂
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I love my Omnipod 🙂
 
HOBIE said:
Hi Fudgie it shows you are T2. Normally you are lucky to get a pump if you are T1. Good luck 🙂
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I hadn't noticed the T2. Had joined the forum 10years ago when I was initially diagnosed as type 2 but hadn't been active. Just rejoined and didn't check my profile. Will alter now.

Five years later I had to start on insulin. A new consultant said he didn't think I had type 2, did an antibodies test and confirmed type 1 late onset, slow developing. Hence the five years without insulin. My hbac1 is 57 but the variations in BG are enormous. All very unpredictable. Lots of hypos. Hence thought to try pump.
 
Fudgie said:
hi, my consultant has just recommended a pump. He warned me that it is not a fix all solution. Any ideas on how I should prepare....article, books, pumps.....
Looking at the threads here I think overall people are more positive than negative? Is that a reasonable assumption? Any thoughts welcome.
Click to expand...
All positive as long as you put the work in and it's a lot of work to start with.
Buy the book pumping insulin by John Walsh (Amazon) it's the pumpers bible.
 
Radders said:
It would not be putting it too strongly to say that having a pump changed my life. Yes you do have to do quite a bit of monitoring to get it set up right and to keep it there when things change, but the flexibility it gives more than makes up for this, and if you're serious about good management of diabetes, Mdi is not exactly a walk in the park either.
Are you having a particular problem that the consultant thinks a pump will solve?
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Thanks....very encouraging. My hbac1 is 57 but BG swings wildly. Lot of hypos. Dr thinks things might become more predictable and I'm willing to try. Just hope I've got the brain capacity for it!
 
Using a pump was a life saver for me. Long acting insulin caused me serious night time hypos and waving good bye to Lantus was such a relief. It does take a lot of testing and tweaking to get the right basal levels but the work you put in does pay off . The amount of flexibility available with tiny insulin increments is great. The John Walsh book is invaluable.

I hope all goes well on your pump journey. 🙂
 
Pumper_Sue said:
All positive as long as you put the work in and it's a lot of work to start with.
Buy the book pumping insulin by John Walsh (Amazon) it's the pumpers bible.
Click to expand...

Just what I was going to recommend Sue! Not a light read, but great preparation, and very very useful in the first years and for an occasional refresher.

Don’t worry if it takes you a while to make progress with it either - some people find their feet in a few weeks, for others (including me) it takes a year to build up experience with all the options and feel like you are getting sorted
 
Like others I would not want to be without a pump now.
It has given me back flexibility, but there is some wrk involved in getting it matched to your needs. But then that is the joy of the pump, you can do that, rather than expecting a two background injections a day to do the work.

Absolutely any questions you have, just ask.
 
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