[DIABETES] insulin pumping

decdoc

Hi all, I though I'd say hello, I was just wondering if there are any pump users on the boards. I've been a diabetic for 5 years now (I'm now 24) and pumping for 4 years. I'm current using an accu-check spirit pump which I got recently and I was wondering if there are many pump users about and what your experiences are which them

mike65

No I use olde worlde injection pens but I'm interested to know how the pump works out for you! Seems from reading US sites that its expensive or are you on the "green book" which is brown these days?.

Mike.

decdoc

mike65 wrote:

No I use olde worlde injection pens but I'm interested to know how the pump works out for you! Seems from reading US sites that its expensive or are you on the "green book" which is brown these days?.

Mike.

I find it good, it can be annoying sometimes having the thing attached to yourself the whole time. It didn't really improve by sugar levels, but they where very good on injections anyways, but the major thing for me is fatigue. When I was on injections I was always tired, this has improved a lot with the pump.

Cost wise I have the green book, so it free, but you do have to get the purchase of the pump through your local health board. I had no problem at all getting mine, but I have heard that it can be a problem in some parts of the country

BC

I've been thinking about this but i'm not sure if its worthwhile. My sugars are good enough at the moment and i'm not sure i want to wear a reminder all day long. Is it chunky enough to show under clothes?

I assume you need to take it off if you shower/swim?

decdoc

BC wrote:

Is it chunky enough to show under clothes?

well I usually have it clipped onto my belt, but it's about the size of the smaller flip-lid mobile phones available at the moment.

BC wrote:

I assume you need to take it off if you shower/swim?

There is a quick release at the point where you connect it into yourself, but my pump is water-proof to 10 meters and I've worn it surfing under a wet suit, and it says it can be worn swimming, although I usually take it off.

tbh

interesting stuff, Dec, I always thought that the pump would be more hassle than it's worth, but it seems like I need to update my views! Did it take you long to get used to it? Whats the "connection point" on your skin like - do you have to change it often?

oh and welcome, btw!

decdoc

tbh wrote:

interesting stuff, Dec, I always thought that the pump would be more hassle than it's worth, but it seems like I need to update my views! Did it take you long to get used to it? Whats the "connection point" on your skin like - do you have to change it often?

oh and welcome, btw!

I have to say the hassle with carrying around needles, and insulin etc was one of the main reasons I wanted the pump. I use a soft insert, its a small 9mm long tube, about 1mm in diameter which sits at an angle into my stomach, and which once in place, is barely noticeable. I have to change the site ever two days, and the pump itself is refilled every 4 days.

One of my favorite things about the pump, even though my doctor probably wouldn't be happy with me saying it, is that i find it great for being lazy I don't have to worry about getting up on a saturday morning at 8 o clock to take my insulin and the like, and the only thing i need with me is my sugar tester, which i prefer.

and thanks for the welcome

CathyMoran

I went as far as wearing a blood sugar monitor for a few days in gietting assessed for it but while it was not uncomfortable I just did not like being tied to a machine. I have good control with Lantus and Novorapid so am happy with my current set up. I do have a friend who has a pump but she seems to be obsessed by it and her diabetes and I like to forget about it, I look after myself automatically as I have had it for so long that it really is no big deal but she was diagnosed a lot older than me.

robinph

It was suggested to me several years ago to go onto the pump by the doc but he didn't really tell me a whole lot, just told me to get back to him. I then got give a bunch of information given to me from the local pharmacist, who sometimes gets a bit chatty with me and the topic of a pump happened to come up, he was probably on the same mailing that the doc had just received though promoting pumps from the manufacturer.

I had a read through various things, I think I was even given a video from the pharmacist about it, and read a bunch of stuff up online. On the next trip to the doc though he asked me if I was interested in it and I replied that I wasn't sure about having the tube attached all the time and that it would take a bit of getting used to but I might still be up for it. I was then expecting him to tell me it was all great really and that I should give it a go but he then just gave up on the idea of selling the idea to me. I guess he wasn't getting offered a good enough golfing holiday from the sales reps for putting X number of people onto the pumps so just gave up bothering with it after all.

decdoc

I went as far as wearing a blood sugar monitor for a few days in gietting assessed for it but while it was not uncomfortable I just did not like being tied to a machine. I have good control with Lantus and Novorapid so am happy with my current set up. I do have a friend who has a pump but she seems to be obsessed by it and her diabetes and I like to forget about it, I look after myself automatically as I have had it for so long that it really is no big deal but she was diagnosed a lot older than me.


I've actually never worn the blood sugar monitor, did you get any useful information from wearing it? I have to say I'd be the opposite of your friend, having the pump saves me having to be so regimented with my diet and my insulin administration, I take a bolus (dependent on the carb content of the food) whenever I feel like eating, and I have a background basal rate of insulin, which supplies the rest of my insulin. This rate is adjustable, so it helps with things like insulin resistance in the morning.

I suppose the one thing about the pump, is the initial work getting it setup, but once your up and running it's fairly simple and allows for a lot of versatility in what you do. I always felt when I was on injections, that my life was restricted a bit, because I was always aware when I'd have to eat and take my insulin.

robinph I'm not sure about the doctor thing, in my experience the nurses and doctors in your clinic have to be specially trained in insulin pumping before anyone in there clinic can be put on the pump. I'm in the clinic in tallaght hospital, but my sister has a friend who is a diabetic in Donegal and she wasn't able to get it as there wasn't anyone trained up in the area