Thinking about Pump

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WolfBrotherb

WolfBrotherb

Active Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi all

I am thinking about getting a pump and am on the list for a pump 'demo'!:D

Just wondering if anyone could say if they find it practical or any other thoughts they have on it!

The main reason that I am thinking about a pump is really school injections (Taking to long!) and Lantus stinging.

Many thanks

Dan
 
WolfBrotherb said:
Hi all

I am thinking about getting a pump and am on the list for a pump 'demo'!:D

Just wondering if anyone could say if they find it practical or any other thoughts they have on it!

The main reason that I am thinking about a pump is really school injections (Taking to long!) and Lantus stinging.

Many thanks

Dan
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Hi Dan,
as long as you use the pump correctly then it's a fantastic tool to have. In fact for many it's life changing. The quality of life compared to injections goes into the wow factor.
Having a pump is a lot of hard work though as long as you realise that.
You will have to test your blood sugars quite a lot and do basal testing. This means missing meals and testing every hour just to make sure your basal is correct.
There's a lot of that in the 1st 6 weeks until things are more sorted/stable.
Personally I haven't found a down side to the pump yet and I've had one for 5 years now 🙂

Do you know what pump you will be having?
 
Yes I have been told that for a while it will be hard work and that is why, if I am going to have one, they want to do the process in the summer holidays and before I do GCSE's.

I think that if I do go ahead then I would be getting the Accu-chek combo pump.
 
WolfBrotherb said:
Yes I have been told that for a while it will be hard work and that is why, if I am going to have one, they want to do the process in the summer holidays and before I do GCSE's.

I think that if I do go ahead then I would be getting the Accu-chek combo pump.
Click to expand...

The combo is a lovely pump from what I can gather. There are loads of pumpers using it on this forum.
I saw you already have the meter which is the same as the hand set so you already have a head start 🙂 Very few go back to injections once they have tried a pump. All your uncertency about the pump is known as the fear of the unknown. We all went through it before pumping began 🙂 It's normal.
From reading your posts, I personally think you will like the pump and use it properly so hope you do give it a trial 🙂
 
Hiya Dan
Insulin pumps are fantastic, eventually. It can feel a bit like being newly diagnosed at first as you work out a new set of rules to keep you safe. This can be quite unsettling but once you work out your basal rates for each hour of the day, new insulin to carb ratios and new correction rates it all becomes a lot easier.
You will need to miss some meals and wake up in the night to test to work all this out.
I hope it works out for you.
 
I started with the Spirit pump the predecessors'to the Combo, then Swapped to the Combo 2 years ago, lovely pump and the remote is so handy...

Personally I've never found pumping to be hard work not even the setting up stage of it.

But saying that I had researched insulin pump therapy for well over 3 years, and learning where my problems in injections lay... As I had to build my case for funding, This meant that every clinic visit, not only did I have to explain why injecting wasn't working, then back this up with I could have done this or that with an pump to avoid or reduce impact here, there etc..

So when I started I knew where my control problems lay, what I needed my pump to do, and how to do it... So I was up and running in no-time and the work load was for me, a lot less intensive and less time consuming than my management input on MDI...
 
Yee Hah ! Dan.

That's what I think about your piece of news.

I have the Combo and I love it !

I think you'll get to grips with it a lot quicker than someone as pre-historic as me, and it didn't take me that long anyway. It's different alright, but I like the fact with the combined meter/remote that I don't have to work the insulin out, then remember what it said and deliver it, instead of eating my dinner right now this minute. You can do everything together in less time with that gadget.

On the Combo meter, which is virtually the same as your meter but with added Bluetooth - it's just another two presses of the right hand button under the screen. On the calculation screen it says 'Confirm?' and you can either press the button to agree, or manually alter the amount it said (eg if you forgot to press the 'Exercise' or 'Health' button or something before it did the calculation) then press the 'Confirm'. Then you immediately get another screen come up showing the dose again and the question 'Deliver?' - press the RH button again and you feel the pump vibrate and it does actually sort-of 'tick' very quietly as it pumps the insulin through.

Nowhere near loud enough for anyone to mistakenly think you have a time bomb or have turned radio-active, 😱 my husband swears it doesn't even make a noise, but if he holds the pump in between his hands, you can actually feel it doing it! And of course, press one button on the front of it twice and it tells you what it did.

My friend is a science teacher in a senior school and her model of pump doesn't have a 'remote'. Being a lady, she actually wears her pump in her bra! her class have had to get used to her occasionally diving into her underwear (she turns away and tries not to show anything she shouldn't) to press buttons on it!! I keep teasing her my female Physics teacher was small, fat and frumpy (she isn't any of those things herself ) but it wouldn't have been a pretty sight anyway !!! I think the word might be 'Gross' LOL

I wear mine hooked onto my waistband or in my pocket as I usually wear trousers. Or a skirt. So it's easy.
 
Thanks guys what you have all put is really usefull and no doubt will help me when I come to make my decision!🙂

Many Thanks

Dan
 
WolfBrotherb said:
Thanks guys what you have all put is really usefull and no doubt will help me when I come to make my decision!🙂

Many Thanks

Dan
Click to expand...

Hi Dan,
can you tell us what worries or concerns you have about having a pump?
Then we can perhaps help you in that particular dept 🙂
 
Well I suppose that it is really the idea of sleeping with it on and playing sport.
 
WolfBrotherb said:
Well I suppose that it is really the idea of sleeping with it on and playing sport.
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Sleeping with it is no problem at all. If you where jim jams then just clip it to the front of them. other people just let the pump roam free in the bed with them. It's always a good idea to use a bit of tape (Mefix) and pop that across the tubing nr the cannula, this way it doesn't get pulled out.

Playing sport, is simple all you do is disconnect the pump for up to an hour at a time. Does depend on the sport though as it can be left on for a lot of them.

Shower just disconnect whilst you shower and pop it back on again after you have finished.
Bath time depends on how long you spend in the bath some disconnect and then bolus after and others just leave the pump on balanced on the side of the bath.
 
Hi Dan,

My son is 14 and has used a pump and sensors for over three years now. He was diagnosed 4 years ago. he said he would NEVER want to go back to injections as it gives him much more freedom and people dont notice he is doing anything with his pump as it looks like an ipod or similar. He didnt like injecting when out at Restaurants so this is ideal. He does sport and the only time he takes it off is for rugby or the trampolene - most times he keeps it on and is able to lower his insulin for the duration of the sport to try to avoid hypo's. I think you will like the pump eventually but they do take some getting used to.🙂Bev
 
Hi

Thanks Bev it is nice for me to know about someone that is a similar age to me and rugby is also a sport I like to play!:D

Cheers

Dan
 
Yup, if you're anything like our son-in-law and grandson on the rugger pitch, you wouldn't want to be wearing a pump. Never get the mud off forstarters, if it survived the battering LOL

My pump roams free in bed, it never falls out of bed and when I turn over it seems to come with me, no idea how. Or it stays where I put it and I must have turned back again at some point. Dunno. Only prob I have is sometimes I have to get up during the night for the loo and I only know my husband is lying on it when I find I can't get out of bed! but somehow don't think you'll have that particular problem for quite a while yet!

By the way, you should get at least one 'skin' for your pump, either from your nurse or free from Roche once you are on their computer. I highly recommend on of these, the clips you hang it on your waistband etc with are flatter anyway than the solid plastic one they do, plus it makes them softer and warmer to the touch anyway - which is just what you need in bed. Without the skin, they are a bit hard if you lie on em.

And - the software's great, shows everything you ever did with your meter and pump, lots of graphs and things. But you have to request the software after you get the pump, although you may have some of it now with the Expert, not sure.
 
Thanks for that, from what I have read from these comments it sounds as though this pump is very good!

I suppose the only other thing would be that during school PE lessons would I have to take it off?

Cheers
Dan
 
WolfBrotherb said:
Thanks for that, from what I have read from these comments it sounds as though this pump is very good!

I suppose the only other thing would be that during school PE lessons would I have to take it off?

Cheers
Dan
Click to expand...

Hi Dan,
I would think it would depend on what lesson involved. If it were a contact sport then probably a safer option.
All you do is bolus before you disconnect or after you reconnect depending on your blood sugars before PE.

Changing subject.... did you enjoy your fish and chips? 🙂
 
Yes they were delicious thanks! Some of the nicest I've ever had let alone gluten-free ones!:D
 
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