Diabetic Pump

Sandillica

Does anyone know if there are certain criteria you have to meet before you get a diabetic pump?
I'm insulin dependent, diagnosed 3 years ago and am in my early 20s. My control wouldnt be the greatest but i'm planning on going travelling for a year this november and from all the research i have done it seems like it would be the best thing for me.
Anyone got any advice on the pump? Havent heard anything bad about it

Alanstrainor

You say your control isn't the greatest, can i ask what your last hab1c was? Would you say you're lack of control (i dont mean to say you're out of control i just couldn't think of another way of saying it!) is due to inexperience or is it more of a case of you haven't the time/energy to get on top of things? The reason i ask is that going on a pump takes a lot of work, both before actually going on it and then for the months following. I can certainly see the benefits of it while travelling but there's also disadvantages in that, you'll really have to keep on top of your basal (background) insulin intake and being able to carb count to judge your meal boluses.
As for "criteria", i think at the moment you have to get a referral from your diabetic doctor and he/she should be able to sort it out if they think it's the right move.
I've been a pumper for 2 years now and i would never go back to my old routine of 3/4 shots a day. But i have heard of numerous people who hated it, they couldn't hack the carb counting and the fact that they were constantly wearing something.

Sandillica

To clarify - wouldn't be the greatest as in - was really great and has slipped a bit over the last while due to lack of energy and pressures of final year of college, hopefully i'll be back on track soon. I'll probably just make an appointment with my doctors to try and get myself back on the straight and narrow.
Thanks for the help

tbh

have you missed an appointment with your specialist? I did - I didn't go for about three years because I always thought he'd be annoyed with me, but eventually I went back, and the relief was fantastic

Sandillica

Yeah I haven't been since last year, I keep putting it off I really don't have the time, I know it's a lame excuse and your health shoud be your number one priority - but it seems like there are so many other things i should be doing!
Only a few weeks left to go and college is forever finished with i will be back on track then

kowloon

Is there a restriction on pumps based on your hba1c?

angeldelight

I don't have diabetes but we did have a patient contact session with someone using an insulin pump and from what he said, it was only recommended for people who have good control and a history of good control as you need an understanding of your own blood levels and what affects them and to what extent. Also from what I remember he said they were more likely to be offered to younger patients as they are more likely to get to grips with it - don't have any lins or anything sorry was just a talk he gave