I want an insulin pump

Hi , i have had diabetes for 30 years , i too suffer with hypo unawareness and have done for quiite a few years . My diabetes has often been discribed as brittle diabetes because i could inject the same , eat the same and exercise the same over a matter of time and it will never give the same blood results !!! Years ago i was offered a pump and choose not to have one as i felt being a diabetic was enough without carrying something about me telling everyone i was diabetic !!! ( pumps are now half the size they were originally ) Since doing DAFNE my views have changed .......... I have accepted that i have never had perfect control of my diabetes , i have diabetic related complications , i have had diabetes 30 years , i suffer with hypo unawareness and DP and i now feel Something needs to be done , so when i go for my DAFNE follow up appointment tomorrow i will be signing papers for a pump . I do work and have spoke to my employer who says she will support me with hospital appointments for getting sorted with the pump too .

jennypenny,
please keep in touch and let us know how you get on.
and the best of luck

Jennypenny
I too was always told that I had brittle diabetes but now they don't seem to use that term anymore. I have been diabetic for nearly 20 years now and am the same as you eat, inject, exercise identical days and with totally different BGs. I too am hoping to go down the pump route (and as you say they are half the size and hopefully less noisy than the original ones). Keep us posted!

I have to say to me the costs are of little concern, the NHS funds plenty of people who have complications through their own fault...smokers, heavy drinkers, drug addicts etc but no one is discussing the cost implications of treating these people so why are people beating themselves over the costs of a relatively cheap insulin pump.

However I have no desire to use a pump and be attached 24/7 to a device that constantly reminds me that I am diabetic...when you roll over in your sleep there it is...when you want to have sex you have to take it off (how romantic)....every time you want to get changed there it is jutting out reminding you.

With injections its over in seconds and you are free to carry on like every other human being out there.

Just my thoughts I think to a certain extent the manufactures / drug companies love expensive complicated systems as it ties in users and they have a customer for life.

I feel the same in some ways about pumps......

But after speaking to users who use them on the diabetes UK forum my opinion has been alterered.......

Som people do need them for there graduall release of insulin as well as the very small doses it can deliver to the over sensitive individuals........

If you have one just for the convenience of not injecting........I disagree......

I have now been granted access to a 6 month pump/sensor trial due to my lack of hypo warnings. I was unsure at first but due to the small amounts that I eat and insulin consumption of QA usually between 8 units a day I found it hard to give myself the right amounts. I will see at the end of the trial whether it is worth continuing but anything will help to get rid of my 3/4/5 hypos a day!

Good Luck Nat , when i went to my follow up on tuesday , it was agreed that i could give the pump a go ,now they have to ask for funding and fingers crosses i might be able to get one at the end of september .Let us know how you get on Nat as mine is also to treat hypos and DP

Good luck with the pump...........from stories I have heard once basal doses are sorted it starts to have positive effects.........keep us posted.....

All my fingers are crossed. I have a 20 page document to read before I sign my life away and they said I will have one to one care and more whilst on the trial so hopefully it will go quite smoothly. After 19 years of being on a strict regime and limited food I am looking forward to being a bit normal. I will certainly keep you all posted once I get started which I believe will be in September after my holiday and my terrible trio are back at school and I have time to sit and read and learn!

I now know that i have funding for my pump , i go and get it on the 28th of september , a little bit anxious now its getting nearer but hopefully i will see big changes . Fingers crossed .....