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Thinking of getting an insulin pump
- Thread starter Angel11
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rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
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- She/Her
Hi
What have you tried to reduce your levels?
Have you done a basal test and when was the last time you adjusted your basal insulin doses?
How high is high and have you spoken to your DSN about the problems you are experiencing if you are not confident to adjust your basal insulin yourself?
Unfortunately pumps are very expensive and are not available to everyone and there are certain criteria you need to meet to be considered for funding, so it is not a simple question of getting a pump. They also take a lot of work to set them up to your body's individual needs and regular adjustment as your body's needs change, just like Multiple Daily Injections (MDI) but at a much finer level of adjustment. To use a pump I think you probably need to be quite adept at basal insulin adjustment.
I am not sure that high BG levels in themselves would meet the criteria for consideration of a pump.
Have you done a DAFNE course or whatever your local equivalent is? That is an intensive education course on insulin usage and can help you to understand when your insulin needs change and how to manage that.
Some of us experienced an increase in basal needs following the Covid vaccine although some experienced a decrease. I wonder if that may be the cause of your increased levels if you have received the vaccine recently and perhaps a simple tweak of your basal insulin would fix it. Which basal insulin do you use?
What have you tried to reduce your levels?
Have you done a basal test and when was the last time you adjusted your basal insulin doses?
How high is high and have you spoken to your DSN about the problems you are experiencing if you are not confident to adjust your basal insulin yourself?
Unfortunately pumps are very expensive and are not available to everyone and there are certain criteria you need to meet to be considered for funding, so it is not a simple question of getting a pump. They also take a lot of work to set them up to your body's individual needs and regular adjustment as your body's needs change, just like Multiple Daily Injections (MDI) but at a much finer level of adjustment. To use a pump I think you probably need to be quite adept at basal insulin adjustment.
I am not sure that high BG levels in themselves would meet the criteria for consideration of a pump.
Have you done a DAFNE course or whatever your local equivalent is? That is an intensive education course on insulin usage and can help you to understand when your insulin needs change and how to manage that.
Some of us experienced an increase in basal needs following the Covid vaccine although some experienced a decrease. I wonder if that may be the cause of your increased levels if you have received the vaccine recently and perhaps a simple tweak of your basal insulin would fix it. Which basal insulin do you use?
Bruce Stephens
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
The NICE CSII guidance requires that you really try MDI, but if you get HbA1c over 69 mmol/mol despite that then it should be offered.
Inka
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
An insulin pump is just another insulin delivery system. It has its pros and cons like everything. I know plenty of people on a pump who have not very good control. A pump requires a high level of input from the user. It’s not a magic solution and it needs a lot of work.
Why are you high? Answering that question will help you work out if it’s worth investigating a pump. I would think you’d have to have a good go at getting better control with MDI first.
I see from your earlier posts that your diabetes has been getting you down. How are things now? I hope you’re doing ok.
SB2015
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
A pump can be very useful in some circumstances, but it does require a lot of input from the user. It is wort( discussing with your DSN the strategies that you have already used to bring your levels down, and whether there are adjustments you could make to improve things.
If you are considering a pump you will need to meet the NICE guidelines and then choose from the options available in your area, as each CCG chooses a limited number of pumps for which the HCPs are able to offer training.
I was refused a pump the first time I asked, but I think that that was a good thing as it made me really consider carefully what I expected to achieve by using one.
Let us know how you get on.
If you are considering a pump you will need to meet the NICE guidelines and then choose from the options available in your area, as each CCG chooses a limited number of pumps for which the HCPs are able to offer training.
I was refused a pump the first time I asked, but I think that that was a good thing as it made me really consider carefully what I expected to achieve by using one.
Let us know how you get on.
trophywench
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
As @Angel11 is only 16, she will still be firmly within her local paediatric Diabetes Clinic's care so what may be recommended within adult clinics won't necessarily be the same.
Is your clinic offering you a pump, or what? They don't make things any less complicated to begin with but they can help keeping BG much more finely tuned - which is always helpful for a longer life. But, what things are you hoping a pump would help you with?
Is your clinic offering you a pump, or what? They don't make things any less complicated to begin with but they can help keeping BG much more finely tuned - which is always helpful for a longer life. But, what things are you hoping a pump would help you with?
Bruce Stephens
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Guidance can also vary from place to place. The NICE guideline I linked to says it applies to adults and children over 12, so it may well be the one used.
Sally71
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Parent
It also depends whether your hospital team has enough knowledge of pumps to be able to support you. We are lucky, ours are very pro pump and would have everyone on pumps and sensors if there was enough money. Other people are not so lucky.
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