Insulin Pumps

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NilesCrane DAFNE Graduate
County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
5 posts

Vickyp said:
I love the omnipod...waterproof, tubeless, can be placed in lots of different areas. Cons: if don't use the minimum insulin required in the 3 days then it is wasted, PDM is difficult to read in bright sunlight.


Thanks Vicky. have you had any problem going thru security at the airport?

Vickyp DAFNE Graduate
County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
137 posts

I haven't gone through security. But as far as aware no issues with it, it's safe to go through the walk-through scanners but you can say you have an insulin pump and don't want to go through that and they will manually scan you

NilesCrane DAFNE Graduate
County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
5 posts

I like the idea of the patch pumps and the Omnipod seems popular I was wondering if anyone has the Cellnovo pump and if so how does it rate?

Moray Nairn DAFNE Graduate
NHS Lothian
3 posts

As far as I know, the Cellnovo pump is only available as part of clinical trials. The company has had "issues" in getting the NHS to approve it due to the increased cost. I'd choose it in a flash if it was available

NilesCrane DAFNE Graduate
County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
5 posts

Cheers. I saw a video on Youtube - John from Swansea but don't know if he got his on the NHS.

This is the link :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO3_tIkrLww&edit=vd

NilesCrane DAFNE Graduate
County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
5 posts

Have been informed on diabetessupport message board that the cellnovo pump is available on NHS so I'm still not sure. I'll ask my diabetic nurse when I see her later this month. I keep you informed.

HelenP DAFNE Graduate
Queensland Diabetes Centre, Brisbane, QLD
218 posts

Hi,

Has anyone in Australia ventured to CGMs?

What is the total cost?
What is the learning curve...and who teaches you?
What is the upside? Downsides?

My pump runs out of guarantee in a few months and am thinking of going with a CGM (also thinking of changing manufacturers!).Have not had a happy experience with the two diabetic educators I have tried and am cautious of this next step. Both CDEs were more interested in building up a client base that they saw every month rather than "educating" you about your pump and how to work with it. AAARRRRGGGHHHHHHHHH!

Helen

novorapidboi26 DAFNE Graduate
NHS Lanarkshire
1,819 posts

how old is your pump Helen?

If I remember correctly you had to buy your own pump?

Does that mean you will be getting a new one soon?

It sounds as though your thinking of replacing the pump with a CGM, but obviously that isn't how it works........Smile

HelenP DAFNE Graduate
Queensland Diabetes Centre, Brisbane, QLD
218 posts

Hi Novorapidboi!

The pump is technically 4 years old although about two years ago I was given an updated version. My private health fund "believes" I still have the original. Here in Australia if you have private health insurance often your health fund will pay for the pump thinking it will cost them less in the long run. So the fund paid the $AUD7000
and if I can persuade them to replace it I will get a new one when mine is 5 years old and technically out of warranty. The pump I have has the CGM function so what I have to buy is the receiver ($AUD810), the transmitter ($AUD580) and a pack of 5 sensors ($AUD410). I am told by the company that the sensors last 7 days but trawling the net tells me that by fiddling with the pump you can persuade it to restart on the existing sensor as if it is new and get another 7 days. People have recorded that they have had them last for as long as 30 days but a significant number report a life of between 20-25 days. Therefore price is expected to be between $12 and $4 a day just for the sensors. Problems with keeping it in place seems to be another issue... The tape gunk etc will add to the cost. So $AUD1000 to start and them the daily cost of the sensors!

Another issue I have is that the companies seem to lose interest in you once they have their money so when I am due for a new one I was thinking of changing to a Medtronic (we seem to have only two types available here).

The health fund will not come to the party with the CGM but I am having increasing difficulty keeping the BGs "flat" and my HbA1c is slowly rising. so I thought I would look at the CGM. Something to do with age/insulin sensitivity? Feeling very frustrated.

Helen

novorapidboi26 DAFNE Graduate
NHS Lanarkshire
1,819 posts

What was your last HbA1c?

It seems like a lot of money to me............

I still cant get on board with having a CGM full time unless you need it to identify hypos if your unaware of them.........

The readings you get aren't in real time and you need to calibrate the CGM regularly with blood glucose results.........

They would be good for overnight testing as well especially if your on a pump as you can program your basal every half hour........

so good in the short term yeah..........

but for constant use, I don't see why........... Smile