Insulin Pump :)

hi there people

just a quick note to ask if anyone else on this forum! uses a pump?? just wandering as i have had my pump for 2 weeks now (cool). any hints? tips? would be appreciated, ( like which is the best place for the insertion and also how do u others wear your pump ( belt, waist band ) ??
i look forward to hearinf from other pump users
Steve H

Hey Steve

How you getting on with your pump? Hope you're managing okay, interested to know how it feels etc.

Sam x

hi sam
i have been having issues witht he pump for example where to wear it and the tube too, i have been wearing it on my belt but keep banging it then the pump falls also when im working i have it in my pocket and that too is a pain as my fags and mobile all dont go in but im working on it i have used an elasticated belt ( like the ones in the 80's like a money belt with 4 silver buckle things that you push though then they lock) dont lol at me, im trying my thigh since yesterday and having the tube going up through my boxers (oops) but that seems to be ok but overall i am NOT missing the stinging each time i injected "ouch" i have to be patient and keep going with it as in the long run i can see it working well whew no more jabs,
Steve H

p.s. hope your doing ok in whatever your diabetes is going and hope you never ate loads like me over xmas and new year (ooooops agan )
happy new year to you and yours, speak soon take care .

Hi Steve

Ive been on the pump for a couple of months now and cant beleave how much it has improved my level of care.

I wear the pump around my neck when at work but when at the gym I wear the elastic belt supplied.

Barry

hi Barry
just wandering which pump you have and how have you gotit tied around your neck??? was wandering where is the best place you find for the insersion??? i had mine on the inside of my thigh but legs too hairy as i found out, it kept coming off whilest i was working, i never felt it though until i had all my lunch then done my bolus of 12u of fat acting then oops i felt it dripping down my thigh and thought oops i checked it out then i noticed it wasnt even attached grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr so therefore i think im gonna keep an insulin pen with me at work just in case this happens again but i know theres loads of benefits from the pump....but im percerferrering ( spelt wrongly) please let me know what pump and how you wear it around your neck
thank you in advance
Steve H

I have been on pump since the start of December and it is excellent (Animas 2010), wear it on belt during day and in elastic bandage around thigh at night.

Control much better, easy to adjust high BG without extra injection. I am using Inset II giving sets on abdomen.

Happy to discuss if anyone interested.

Hi Steve & Barry

How easy was it to be put on a pump? I asked my Diabetic HCPs and they said I couldn't have one because my HBA1c is not terrible and its usually only for people who've had problems controlling their BGs over a long period of time.

However, I've had T1D for 27yrs now and even though my HBA1c is fine I still find my BGs fluctuating daily out of target too often for my liking. I also have snacks and am getting sick of injecting more than 5 times per day, I think I'm having insulin absorption problems if I do my injection anywhere other than my stomach, and hence I am gradually developing lypodystrophy and fat build up round my stomach!

How can I convince them to even consider me for it?? It wouldnt be a PCT budget thing would it?

Thanks

Going on to it required a four session training course which was well done, we had the involvement of the Animas rep (Paul) who was useful. The pump is quite complicated i.e. it does a great deal and takes the haphazard guesswork out of calculating how quickly the isulin is used up, how much you have left, what time of the day it is and many other things. It also makes it very easy to correct blood glucose levels that are out of target.

The prime points that PCT's need is either high HbA1c levels (11+) or a history of hypos which cause worry in either their frequency or their timinhg or their unpredictability.

I started on insulin in 1962 at King's College and have lead a very active life, the pump will allow me to continue that - it is waterproof so I can even swim in it if I wish, After approx 54,000 injections since 1962 it has made life VERY much more pleasant and means I can boost quickly and easily if we decide to stop for a snack irrespective of what it is provided I can work out the CHO level (DAPHNE works very well for that!).

My clinic says that currently they have 20% of their patients on pumps and that figure is increasing as courses are run several times a year for small groups.

It is comfortable to wear - like having a pager with me 24/7 and the kids in my school believe it is a pager! It has alarms for anything which you need to be aware of (low level of insulin remaining,blood glucose too high or too low, reminder to test for ketones, reminder about low glucose levels, blockage, too much delivered, low battery etc) and does instant adjustments for sick days with a % adjustment that you decide for as long as you decide.

A great piece of kit and I wish I had sought it a long while ago......... I was reluctant to consider it and am really glad that I did. I would not go back and do feel very supported by the professionals and the company with a 24h helpline if needed. They have also lent me a spare pump "just in case" for holidays but of course I still need to monitor glucose levels and carry both short and long acting insulin pens in case I have to take it off for any reason lenger than 1 hour.

hi EeeBee
well i was having really bad absorbtion with insulin not matter where i injected it , so therefore i woundnt work with hardly any meals so i had another jab to compensate for the one that didnt absorb and with me doing this the one that didnt absorb i thiink it kicked in later on and was havibng hypos regulary, so instead of 4 injections daily i was having about 7-8 daily and my a1c was always high too, i went on a "DAFNE" course and with me having type1 for 14 yrs i was overwhelmed by what i found out and still am to this day (excellent course) would say tha to loads of other type 1's (have you been on this course?) i know that you have to fit a certain criteria though, i was missing food and going hungry alot to avoid the injections, but im still getting used to the pump ( medtronic ) but wow the changing of the pump every 3 -4 days what a relief, see your diabetes nurse if you havent been on a DAFNE course,

Hi Barry
just thinking to myself about you wearing your pump on leg at night i always use the clip of the night and hook it over my boxers at the front, like the way th echildren think your wearing a pager, of the day at work i thread the tube under my belt then keep it in my buttoned pocket at the front but hey all of us are different one way or the other lol, likewise to having 25000 - 30000 injections wow we like pin cushions but the pump i mlove and will never ever go back to injections hope your keeping good control and are well
take care
speak soon
Steve H :0