What insulin pump??

After 15 years of injecting I'm now considering getting an insulin pump. My control has always been poor and I'm beginning to get complications with the diabetes particularly with my eyes. As it is I've only sight in my right eye.

I live in Ireland and if I go with the health board my choices of meters are limited and there is a waiting list. I don't mind the wait but I really don't want to be limited to what meter I have to get. I believe our health board are strict enough because of all te cutbacks, which in fairness I accept.

Leaving aside the cost what in your opinions are the better pumps out there? how much do they cost to buy and how much to run?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Ray.

No direct experience but I believe they cost about 3-4 grand and running may be a few grand for every 6 months, the running costs could be bollocks though.....

What's the deal where you are, you don't have to fund it yourself do you?

The HSE were kind enough to supply me with a Medtronic VEO minimed there before Christmas and funding to get most of the consumables. I was lucky though cause I got in just before the pump tender was finalised and now Medtronic are supplying an older version of the pump and it's that or nothing here really as far as I know, but i don't know what one's on offer to ye in Dublin. As to the price of it I think that depends on who's trying to buy it. Cost the hospital in and around the 2-3 grand but the letter i got for the insurance is nearer the 5 and a half plus vat and carriage.....!

Some of the consumables are available on list f but the rest are def not but i don't know how much they cost. I do seem to go through an inordinate number of the things though. Some of the smaller things aren't covered on either as well as spares for stuff like set inserters and they are pricey enough - in and around 90€ a pop.

I don't see why you shouldn't get a choice of meter though. I'm currently working off two - one that blue tooths to the meter (bayer contour link) and one that's a BG and ketone combo (Optium Xceed). Am pretty fond of both of them. The contour link is new enough but holding up well and the optium seems to be pretty indistructable. The hospital always seems to have a selection of the things...and bayer were kind enough to send me a free spare in the post when i rang them.

Ask your chemist too, things like meters might be covered under list f but i couldn't tell you for certain, they have removed stuff off it of late with the cutbacks. You could chance your arm and ring the diff companies. They might send you one for nothing. You'll be sticking your finger enough that you'd be worth a fortune to them in test strips.

The pump def has the potential to be the business so would recommend you go for it if you can. That said, Medtronic wouldn't be my fav company to deal with (and in 25years they're the only one's have ever felt the need to say that about).

All the best with it,
Jenny

Quite like the look of this company. Animas

http://www.animascorp.co.uk/our-insulin-pumps

I have an Animas pump (2020) and the company has been great. I had a very bad experience with the initial Diabetes Educator and without the Animas team I would have thrown it in, Went to hospital because I was getting alarming BGs (over 20) and the pump was telling me to check infusion sites etc so i was changing sets etc a couple of times a day! and the readings were horrific (and I felt very unwell) and using a pen to crank them down!. Hospital advice was to take off the pump. The Diabetes Educator did not respond to my emails or phone calls. I had been put on an hopelessly low basal rate! The pump had also not been "enabled" when I was in hospital for the initial connecting to the pump experience which meant I was unable to do anything other than manually use the "normal" function. This was corrected before I left the hospital. The Animas team are unable to give medical advice but they can explain how the functions work and even came out to show me how the infusion sets ought to be used and watched me practise. There was nothing wrong with my technique! They have been great. Even lend me a spare pump whenever I go overseas. I am happy with my pump (even wear it in the water (aerobics!) but I love the Animas support team.

I initially went with Animas because i went to an information day at the hospital and lined up to talk to the Medtronic sales people but they were all BUSY with a diabetes educator who monopolised their time, Eventually they came down the line and took our contact details and said they would get in touch. They never did. I thought if this is the service you get when they are trying to sell you a pump then what service would you get when you had actually purchased the pump. The second call was to the Animas stand. They talked to me gave me a pack, took my details and rang about a week later asking if I had read the info and if I had any questions etc. I bought an Animas pump (well my Health Fund did!). Helen