The Pumpers Thread!

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shiv said:
pumpers - i have a really stupid question for you. i thought i knew the answer, but i've just read something that bev said that really confused me!!

so you have your pump and your CGM (i know not everyone has a CGM, but work with me). it was my understanding that they did not 'talk' to each other - that the CGM transmitted the results to something else. i thought that if they spoke to each other per se, then that is a closed loop/artificial pancreas thing?? but bev said that their pump suspended when it detected a reading of 2.9. so now i'm confused?? do they talk to each other? do you have to set it to suspend at a certain level?

argh my brain hurts!
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Hi Shiv,
The cgm we have only works with our pump - medtronic - it is the only pump on the market that has its own cgm. I set up the pump to alert for either high or low levels. So if he goes under 4 (we set this level and can alter it at any time) the cgm tells the pump (10 minute delay) and the pump will automatically suspend insulin for 2 hours. You can override this facility - mostly we do as we treat hypo and back to normal range.

You can get cgms that just show you the levels - but they dont 'speak' to the pump - they just alert you that your low or high and its up to the user to decide on hypo treatment or insulin. Hope that helps.:DBev
 
hey, great to see people posting on here again! :D

I am really trying to lower my hba1c this time. Although my clinic appointment was good and my results were fine, the nurse i saw wasnt that nice to me.

Basically she told me that pumps get taken off people if their figures arnt good even though mine were fine 😡 as they have to justify you being on them, she also couldnt understand why i had a pump as i had ONLY been diabetic for 2 years. (good job it wasnt her decision hey).

She asked me what my basal was and got annoyed when i told her i couldnt tell her exactly as i had three different rates and can easily swap between all three in one day. So i said approximately between 9 and 13, She then asked what my ratios were and i said well they were different depending on time of day and also if i were working or not, she didnt seem happy with that answer either :confused:

I should have come out of the appointment feeling good but i didnt, i felt really down.
 
tracey w said:
hey, great to see people posting on here again!

I am really trying to lower my hba1c this time. Although my clinic appointment was good and my results were fine, the nurse i saw wasnt that nice to me.

Basically she told me that pumps get taken off people if their figures arnt good even though mine were fine 😡 as they have to justify you being on them, she also couldnt understand why i had a pump as i had ONLY been diabetic for 2 years. (good job it wasnt her decision hey).

She asked me what my basal was and got annoyed when i told her i couldnt tell her exactly as i had three different rates and can easily swap between all three in one day. So i said approximately between 9 and 13, She then asked what my ratios were and i said well they were different depending on time of day and also if i were working or not, she didnt seem happy with that answer either :confused:

I should have come out of the appointment feeling good but i didnt, i felt really down.

Having a pump is mostly about quality of life and that can be argued by a good consultant - your DSN is talking rubbish.
There is no 'time' limit on when you should start on a pump - people in America start on day 1!😱
If she didnt know you have different ratios and different basals - run as fast as you can away from there!😱Bev
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bev said:
Having a pump is mostly about quality of life and that can be argued by a good consultant - your DSN is talking rubbish.
There is no 'time' limit on when you should start on a pump - people in America start on day 1!😱
If she didnt know you have different ratios and different basals - run as fast as you can away from there!😱Bev
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Yep I agree with Bev. Take no notice. She obviously isn't pump trained or even know enough about them to comment. Is she a normal DSN at your hospital. I would send a polite note saying could you see the DSN who is pump trained next time or the consultant. You should have had a good positive experience. As Bev says, run !
 
Wow really, fantastic.

When do you go live ? (on insulin). Do you want my mobile incase you need quick help ! I won't be at the computer much over the weekend. Up to you.
🙂
 
Adrienne said:
Wow really, fantastic.

When do you go live ? (on insulin). Do you want my mobile incase you need quick help ! I won't be at the computer much over the weekend. Up to you.
🙂
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I go live on the twelth of next month. Thanks for the offer. It's a good thing I work in the same hospital that I'm treated at so I can quite literally walk out of my lovely pathology lab to ask my nurse a question as I did this morning!
 
Congrats Tom, you will love pumping!

Bev, Adrienne, thank you for your comments I couldnt agree more.

My pump nurse told me initially they do not expect huge changes in hba1c, its quality of life they are hoping to improve, and mine has improved tremendously.

Unfortunately she is the senior diabetic nurse. I have now asked to be transferred to the pump clinic ( i wasnt going to that as i really liked the consultant i was under, but havent seen him the last two visits so no point staying with him). My pump clinic is in 4 months so hoping that will be more positive.
 
bev said:
Hi Shiv,
The cgm we have only works with our pump - medtronic - it is the only pump on the market that has its own cgm. I set up the pump to alert for either high or low levels. So if he goes under 4 (we set this level and can alter it at any time) the cgm tells the pump (10 minute delay) and the pump will automatically suspend insulin for 2 hours. You can override this facility - mostly we do as we treat hypo and back to normal range.

You can get cgms that just show you the levels - but they dont 'speak' to the pump - they just alert you that your low or high and its up to the user to decide on hypo treatment or insulin. Hope that helps.:DBev
Click to expand...

ah thanks! thought there was something i was missing 😉
 
Looks like it'll be trial by committee tomorrow. I reckon there will be my nurse, the rep from Medtronic, my consultant, perhaps a dietician and maybe another older nurse of mine... Who knows...
 
Good luck Tom, will be thinking of you.

After the first week you may want to through the pump out of the window. Please don't. Please persevere. I hope you are one of the lucky ones and it all clicks into place quickly with the right basals etc.

Take care.

🙂
 
waiting with baited breath for my appointment at b'mouth to come through. As I have proven many times before, MDI's and archaeology just don't work...
 
Tom Hreben said:
Looks like it'll be trial by committee tomorrow. I reckon there will be my nurse, the rep from Medtronic, my consultant, perhaps a dietician and maybe another older nurse of mine... Who knows...
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Good luck Tom - let us know how it goes!:DBev x
 
Achtung!

I have my pump! Photos will follow on Facebook and here later on today. My lunch break isn't the best time to hunt down a camera! It's the blue Veo and it is so much smaller than I thought it would be. It was trial by committee this morning with my excellent nurse who also pumps, another DSN and a dietician. I've got most of the stuff in my locker at work to fiddle with and show off. I've got to get on the phone to my GP about things that'll need to change but that's for this evening or my day off tomorrow. This is all getting rather exciting now!

Tom
 
Tom Hreben said:
Achtung!

I have my pump! Photos will follow on Facebook and here later on today. My lunch break isn't the best time to hunt down a camera! It's the blue Veo and it is so much smaller than I thought it would be. It was trial by committee this morning with my excellent nurse who also pumps, another DSN and a dietician. I've got most of the stuff in my locker at work to fiddle with and show off. I've got to get on the phone to my GP about things that'll need to change but that's for this evening or my day off tomorrow. This is all getting rather exciting now!

Tom
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I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited with this news! Welcome welcome welcome to the change! 🙂 I cant tell you how happy I am, enjoy it Tom. Day 1 is such an achievement- it is a long and fraught process getting a pump, I know.

About to log into FB. Look forward to the updates and pictures!!

Lou x
 
Tom Hreben said:
Achtung!

I have my pump! Photos will follow on Facebook and here later on today. My lunch break isn't the best time to hunt down a camera! It's the blue Veo and it is so much smaller than I thought it would be. It was trial by committee this morning with my excellent nurse who also pumps, another DSN and a dietician. I've got most of the stuff in my locker at work to fiddle with and show off. I've got to get on the phone to my GP about things that'll need to change but that's for this evening or my day off tomorrow. This is all getting rather exciting now!

Tom
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So pleased your day has finally arrived. I'm excited for you! Please keep us posted as I'll be keen to pick up any tips as you start your journey. Well done 🙂
 
Wowee fabulous fantastic. Are you live then? What was quick. Your team sound great. Can't wait to see photos. xx
 
WOOOOOOOOOPEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

Really excited for you - are you live?🙂Bev
 
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