Starting the pump

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lizabetic

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Type 1.5 LADA
Hey all, me again!

So I am now due to start the pump on the 9th September. Before I do I would appreciate some advice on what to tell my employers kind of thing.

As my job I work in a small team 2x a week and I would be happy to sit them down, explain everything to them what to do if. Something I should have done before really however i've known them an awfully long time before and after dx I guess it got forgotten. I do also have a brief account of medication etc which is kept in emergency procedures folder, I have seen a friends copy and will copy those guidelines. All not a problem!

My other part time job I travel all around the county. Of course when it comes to my supplies I can keep these in my car and ensure I carry spare insulin pens (already been requested from DSN) on me. But what do I do about telling people? There are not set people I regularly work with which complicates things. I suppose I should have a document in each emergency procedures folder at sites. What can I do to make sure if anything was to happen I am safe? I also would be concerned that if something should happen to my pump and i'm an hour away from home then what do I do? In my eyes its a medical emergency so I should up and leave but obviously my job comes with responsibilities (the child type!) and I need to ensure some sort of agreement is in place.

In all just looking for advice. I appreciate your help 🙂 - Liz
 
If something should happen to your pump and you're an hour/a day away from home -DONT PANIC!
You can easily last a few hours without a pump if you have pens with you (or a syringe and the ability to get insulin out of the cartridge, which is what I do).
Remember, all the pump is doing is giving you a minute amount if fast acting insulin every 3 minutes or so. If it stops being able to do that, you need to take over and give yourself the insulin every so often - you'll probably find every hour or so would do fine, a small top up, coupled with many blood tests, and you'll be fine for the day. No emergency. Of course, you also need to ring your pump manufacturer, who should be able to talk you through checking it is a problem, and will arrsnge for a replacement to be shipped if needed, and your DSN who'll be able to advise about going back to long acting injectiobs short term, but you dont need to just drop everything. Children included. Finish the shift with more bg tests than usual and a few more jabs thsn usual and it'll be fine.
(A member who is no longer particularly active on here but who I am in contact with on FB once had to go from up north to London with work for the day. She ripped out her cannula on the train on the way down and didnt have a spare. She lasted the entire day,posh meetings and all, doing what I described above, and replaced her cannula on arrival back home that night with no dire consequences. It can be done!🙂)
 
Oh, and with regards to telling people, in the pump or not, its quite straightforward. 'I'm diabetic. If I am unconscious, call the paramedixs and tell them I'm diabetic. If I'm acting strangely, give me lucozade/glucose/treatment of choice which can be found here. If I dont respond or refuse, call the paramedics.' People dont need to know the details, in fact in an emergency, the fewer details the better. If you want to go on and explain details in a seperate conversation, or if they are interested, do so, but I think its important to seperate the 'emergency' talk and the 'day to day life' talk so as not to confuse people.
 
I agree with all that's been said above. I don't know whether this applies to you but at one time I went through a phase of severe night time hypos. My other half insisted that if I was away overnight I texted him each morning. When I was with colleagues away on audit I used to make sure I was always down for breakfast and my team leader knew that if I wasn't there and didn't respond to texts she had my permission to get the hotel to open my door!
Hopefully it's not an issue for you as I have not had the problem since having the pump!
 
Hi Liz. When you get the first couple of weeks done you will be amazed & wonder why you had not done sooner. I also travel around with work & miss meal times etc. With a pump its so much easier when its tuned to you. Last year I was doing rewires in Leeds. Drove down & arrived before 9 full day & was getting back after 11pm & 2hr drive both ways. Only for a week at a time but 3 houses 😱. Pls keep us informed & ask if you need too. 😎
 
Annette said:
If something should happen to your pump and you're an hour/a day away from home -DONT PANIC!
You can easily last a few hours without a pump if you have pens with you (or a syringe and the ability to get insulin out of the cartridge, which is what I do).
Remember, all the pump is doing is giving you a minute amount if fast acting insulin every 3 minutes or so. If it stops being able to do that, you need to take over and give yourself the insulin every so often - you'll probably find every hour or so would do fine, a small top up, coupled with many blood tests, and you'll be fine for the day. No emergency. Of course, you also need to ring your pump manufacturer, who should be able to talk you through checking it is a problem, and will arrsnge for a replacement to be shipped if needed, and your DSN who'll be able to advise about going back to long acting injectiobs short term, but you dont need to just drop everything. Children included. Finish the shift with more bg tests than usual and a few more jabs thsn usual and it'll be fine.
(A member who is no longer particularly active on here but who I am in contact with on FB once had to go from up north to London with work for the day. She ripped out her cannula on the train on the way down and didnt have a spare. She lasted the entire day,posh meetings and all, doing what I described above, and replaced her cannula on arrival back home that night with no dire consequences. It can be done!🙂)
Click to expand...

Annette, thank you for your reply 🙂 I guess my concern would be that if I am busy and rushing around pump would be hard to mimic via injections. I often don't have 5 minutes to sit and treat a low let alone correct a high. All on the go. Hoping my DSN will be able to advice more. Regarding the cannula that is definitely something I will carry around spares of :'D
Thanks on the advice too, I think I will sit and have an emergency talk with my peers then a daily life as I imagine they will be curious and want to understand it 🙂


Radders said:
I agree with all that's been said above. I don't know whether this applies to you but at one time I went through a phase of severe night time hypos. My other half insisted that if I was away overnight I texted him each morning. When I was with colleagues away on audit I used to make sure I was always down for breakfast and my team leader knew that if I wasn't there and didn't respond to texts she had my permission to get the hotel to open my door!
Hopefully it's not an issue for you as I have not had the problem since having the pump!
Click to expand...
Thank you Radders, I suppose my take-away from this is that if I am not back by X time to wherever I am going then site staff ought to contact me. Fortunately I live with my parents and am not one for severe lows, I have slept through lows in the 3s mind. Although you just don't know how you might react with a pump I guess? Will the hopeful tighter control consequently equal more lows? Hmm.

HOBIE said:
Hi Liz. When you get the first couple of weeks done you will be amazed & wonder why you had not done sooner. I also travel around with work & miss meal times etc. With a pump its so much easier when its tuned to you. Last year I was doing rewires in Leeds. Drove down & arrived before 9 full day & was getting back after 11pm & 2hr drive both ways. Only for a week at a time but 3 houses 😱. Pls keep us informed & ask if you need too. 😎
Click to expand...

Hobie, 100% agree. I actually had to change my hospital in order to get anywhere near a pump! Although, having said that what it taught me is that despite my best efforts in the run up of trying to control my BS, particularly around exercise/activity and hormones, I couldn't do it on MDI. So on one hand why didn't I do it sooner? On the other, I'm glad I proved myself 🙂

It all seems sort of unreal at the moment. Like it shouldn't be a big deal, and those without diabetes won't understand why it is at all, but is so is a huge deal 🙂 I just need to get my head round it all and how I approach the subject with people. The first weekend I wear it will be a big weekend in my yearly calendar is actually an annual show! Fortunately i'll be on saline but it will be cool to have it on me and really put its wear to the test with long hours and all 🙂
 
I suspect you will be amazed at how much more flexible life will become with the pump. It was the ability to adjust the basal rate hour by hour that improved my overall levels. This takes some time to sort out so be patient with yourself and set aside time to get the fasting tests done. I was given time off work to get these sorted as it was so important to get done early on. I was fortunate to have very good managers.

In four years I have only had a cannula fall out twice, and on one occasion I had no spare with me. Ironically it was on route to an event for DUK. I used regular tests and top ups from my pen. (At the event someone did a talk and mentioned he was using the same pump. He also used the same cannulas so I was able to get back on my pump for the journey home). I now take a spare cannula and infusion set whenever I am more than an hour from home, as well as the pens.

I hope that you find it very effective.
 
SB2015 said:
I suspect you will be amazed at how much more flexible life will become with the pump. It was the ability to adjust the basal rate hour by hour that improved my overall levels. This takes some time to sort out so be patient with yourself and set aside time to get the fasting tests done. I was given time off work to get these sorted as it was so important to get done early on. I was fortunate to have very good managers.

In four years I have only had a cannula fall out twice, and on one occasion I had no spare with me. Ironically it was on route to an event for DUK. I used regular tests and top ups from my pen. (At the event someone did a talk and mentioned he was using the same pump. He also used the same cannulas so I was able to get back on my pump for the journey home). I now take a spare cannula and infusion set whenever I am more than an hour from home, as well as the pens.

I hope that you find it very effective.
Click to expand...
They are so much more adaptable-pumps that is 🙂
 
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