pumps

[kitemaster]

Hi Viki

I cant say if its uncomfortable to wear in a bra lol, (im a bloke).

But one thing i can say is i use the minmed paradigm 722 and that came with a remote so if you want to hide the pump you can and just use the remote which can hang on your keys. I sometimes put mine in a inside trouser pocket and that can be a pain fishing round in your trousers but with the remote everything is sorted....

 

[Viki]

ah that sounds good - didnt think it would be overly subtle fishing around in underwear when siting round the table for lunch!!

did you get much choice/advice on what pump you got? ive been looking at the animas but i didnt even know about remotes so now im thinking im not as informed as i thought i was! 🙂

 

[karen1975]

Hi Everyone

My name is Karen and I have been on a pump for two years, I would agree with everything everyone else says about it. They are fantastic. I would only point out one fact I have a Medtronic Paradigm, now the pump is good the only problem is once the rep has supplied you with the pump they are not interested in you after that, so if you need any help its a no go.

I have spoken to my diabetes team and they have found the same problem. They have now switched suppliers to Animas by Johnson adn Johnson and they say these people are great and offer loads of support and guidance. My diabetes team are trying to get me an Aminas pump as there is only me and another person on the Paradigm.

Apparently the Aminas reps are always on site at the COCH (Countess of Chester Hospital) and they do loads of training days.

I hope you get your funding because these little machines are life changing.

 

[diagonall]

I have a cozmo and can honestly say the back up from Advanced Therapeutics (UK) Limited who distribute the Cozmo has been second to none.
The only fault I have found with it is that it doesn't make coffee 1st thing in the morning
I have also been told the back up from animas is very good too.
I know some ladies use a purse on a string to house their pumps whilst dressed up for a party, and no one is any the wiser. So worth a look at some fashion accesories. The purse/pump is then just hung around their necks.

 

[kitemaster]

A good site http://www.insulin-pumpers.org.uk

The site above is very helpful with many pump issues.
They also have quite a few examples of wear you can hide a pump.

There is one woman who recently got married and found she couldnt hide it in her cleavage as the dress was low cut.

Between her hair dresser and some help with some decent makeup the pump was hidden in her hair with the line running down the nape of her neck.

Of course how did she use it is the next question? she had her wireless remote hidden in her bouquet enabling her to give herself a bolus when needed and stop the pump when required.

 

[MaryPlain]

I first heard about pumps about three years ago when I was going through a particularly bad time with hypos - that was before I changed over to Lantus and Humalog and things settled down a lot after that.

More recently though I made a major effort to lose weight, take up exercise and get better control, and the frequency (but not, thankfully, the severity) of hypos increased again.

I joined a couple of message boards where there were lots of pumpers, and this made me want to give it a try. My diabetes team were very supportive, they put me through DAFNE, encouraged me to try every available combination of analogue insulins (Levermir, Humalog, Novorapid, Apidra) and finally I got my pump in August this year.

I LOVE the fact that I can take precisely the dose of insulin I need for the food I want to eat, I don't have to round up or round down or eat extra.

I love the fact that I don't have to do anything except test when I get up in the morning and go to bed at night.

I love the fact that I don't have hypos every day any more: or even every week!

I love the fact that I don't have to do injections every time I eat, which even though I used to do through clothes, still led to the occasional embarrassing blood spot and therefore was not feasible when wearing light colours.

About the only things I don't like about it are the fact that changing the infusion site and insulin cartridge is such a polaver and has to be done at a certain time of day (so that I can test and make sure that the new site is effective) - typically for me that's tea time - the fact that changing clothes is a juggling act - the fact that Apidra in a pump, on me, lasts only 3 days before it loses its potency, so I have to change the cartridge every time I change the infusion site - but all of these are really minor compared with the above!

I don't wear mine in my bra. I tried it, and it really doesn't work for me (size 38A might have something to do with it!). I did once wear it in a pouch round my neck in order to wear a dress, but found it too heavy to be comfortable and very noticeable. I wear mine in my pocket, or if I don't have pockets, on my waistband. This means that I can't wear dresses - but this isn't something I do much anyway.

 

[sofaraway]

This means that I can't wear dresses - but this isn't something I do much anyway.

I've heard of some people wearing a garter type thing on their thigh so they can wear dresses without the pump showing

 

[milesy]

Has anyone funded their own pump?

Hi Peeps,
First post - just wondering if anyone has asked if they could purchase their own pump and the reaction they got from the health care professionals.

I'm getting into carb counting and adjusting doses and would thought this would be easier than the multiple jabs I'm taking at the moment.

 

[diagonall]

Hi Peeps,
First post - just wondering if anyone has asked if they could purchase their own pump and the reaction they got from the health care professionals.

I'm getting into carb counting and adjusting doses and would thought this would be easier than the multiple jabs I'm taking at the moment.

I fund my own pump. I have the full suport of my gp and the medical practice.

 

[rubymurry]

Hi there,
The basal rates on a pump are kept in check with the same insulin that you give yourself for your meal time bolus. The insulin that I use in my pump is Novo Rapid. The reason that it is possible to use the same insulin, is because throughout the day your pump gives out small shots of the , in my case, Novo Rapid insulin. I used to be pre pump on Humalog(quick acting) and Lantus Glargine for my long acting insulin. Before I understood how the pump worked, I must admit, I was very surprised to note that I was only going to have one type of insulin, namel NovoRapid. So I know where you are coming from with your question re basal insulin.