Insulin Pumps and how do you get one?

eilo1

are they still not answering?? thats crazy maybe you could call the main reception and be transfered or something.
The diabetes department in Loughlinstown are answering the phone (well actually you leave a message and they call you back) but they are calling back.

douglashyde

eilo1 wrote: »

are they still not answering?? thats crazy maybe you could call the main reception and be transfered or something.
The diabetes department in Loughlinstown are answering the phone (well actually you leave a message and they call you back) but they are calling back.

I left a message a few days ago and then again today.

This is getting ridiculous.

It's gotten to a stage about not being mad about the pump to being mad about not answering the phone.

Maybe I should move to your clinic Eilo.

cynder

I just started going to crumlin hosptal with my 10 year old, she is being assessed to see if she can be put on a waiting list for a insulin pump.

What pumps our out there? they tell me there are water proof ones, just wondering which ones are the best. Its gonna be at least 6 months before she is put on a waiting list as they want to make sure the pump would suit her and that we can carb count.

If anyone is using the pump, how do you find it? pro's n' con's.

sorry if i went off topic a bit.

summerfresh

hey guys and gals.im on my insulin pump since after christmas and so far so good the flexibility is great and i would recommend it to all. i am however looking to get energiser aaa industrial batteries for my medtronic pump and have no idea where to find them. the diabetes clinic told me most places should have them but all the chemists im going to havn't got a clue and are trying to sell me the original alkaline batteries. has anyone else had trouble with this ?. hope someone can help..thanks

robinph

Is it lithium that your after?

There is a difference between the way that alkaline/ lithium/ nimh etc batteries discharge and at what rate. Is it something to do with that which your trying to solve?

philten

summerfresh wrote: »

hey guys and gals.im on my insulin pump since after christmas and so far so good the flexibility is great and i would recommend it to all. i am however looking to get energiser aaa industrial batteries for my medtronic pump and have no idea where to find them. the diabetes clinic told me most places should have them but all the chemists im going to havn't got a clue and are trying to sell me the original alkaline batteries. has anyone else had trouble with this ?. hope someone can help..thanks

I use a medtronic paradigm pump that takes AAA batteries - these are reqular AAA batteries that you can find in any supermarket/shop. I have used Energizer Alkaline batteries, There are Lithium batteries, think the lithium ones are newer technology and last longer.

With the regular Alkaline ones I have gotten a good few weeks out of them.

Phil

graflynn

I'm getting closer to my pump.

I have my date for the "saline" start, which means the Animas person will come to my house and go over all the mechanics of the pump and it will have saline solution running through it for a couple of weeks so I can get used to using it. This happens on May 13th (fingers crossed).

Then I go "live" on the Insulin start on the 2nd June. :eek: at the same time.

tullie

grindelwald wrote: »

I just started going to crumlin hosptal with my 10 year old, she is being assessed to see if she can be put on a waiting list for a insulin pump.

What pumps our out there? they tell me there are water proof ones, just wondering which ones are the best. Its gonna be at least 6 months before she is put on a waiting list as they want to make sure the pump would suit her and that we can carb count.

If anyone is using the pump, how do you find it? pro's n' con's.

sorry if i went off topic a bit.

First off, I really hope you and your daughter are coping well. I was a patient at crumlin for over 14 years and have to say I cannot rate them highly enough, and I've never met anyone with a bad word to say about the team there, they are one in a million.

On the pump, there are several different types, but the one that seems to be most commonly used is the minimed pump. I got my pump Feb of 09, and although I can't say I have the full hang of it yet I can definitely see the benefit of it. When I was in crumlin they had a great deal of pamphlets and videos they could show us to familiarise us with the different pumps. So perhaps give them a call I'd say they still have that info.

On the con side having to wearing it can be a little annoying, and I am self conscious about it, and sometimes it can be sore, but its all personal preference, and remember if it doesn't work out your daughter can always say no its not for me.

I know when I was in crumlin and they suggested me getting the pump I thought they'd lost their minds, but now as an adult I wouldn't go back to injections. If your daughter wants to give it a shot and crumlin say yes well then best of luck. It's alot of work and 13 months in its still alot of work so be prepared for that. But you couldn't be in a better place.

graflynn

The day has finally arrived

The Animas person arrived at my door this morning and I'm attached. I have to say I'm a little afraid to "play around" with it but I shouldn't be. Right now it's only filled with saline solution so I can't do any damage.

These next 2 weeks are about getting to know the gadget in preparation for the insulin start. The site itself where the cannula is inserted is a little itchy but I suppose I'll get used to have it.

So here it goes

robinph

That is actually good to know that they just pump you with water to start with as I'd also be worried about what might happen with the messing around with various buttons and playing when it was still new. Think it's will now be a much longer way off before I'd have any chance of getting one again now due to changing where I'm working etc and will soon have to start getting to know a new hospital system.

But keep us all updated on how it goes for you as a n00b to the whole pumping system as you go along.

graflynn

So I've had 48 hours wearing my new gadget. And so far, it's just a bit weird, the tubing is the really long one so I get a bit tangled up. Nothing that I won't get used to or find better ways to deal with.

It's great having the saline because I can show people how easy it's going to be give the bolus doses.

I am looking forward to June 2nd and being fully launched. I'm also looking forward to doing the hoovering and not having to stop and fed a hypo everytime.

I will keep you posted on the progress.

graflynn

As of 11:45am this morning, I'm an official pumper. The next few days will be tough because I still have last nights Long acting in my system and that will take about 3 days to trickle out completely.

It's a learning curve and I'll post more about it in a couple of days. I know there's a bit of interest in this and I won't leave you in the lurch.

douglashyde

My H1ac is down to 7.6 - and I have a pump waiting for me, I dont know what to do.

The pump they sent in as mentioned in my previous posts in actualy the wrong pump that my doctor requested

Carsinian Thau

douglashyde wrote: »

My H1ac is down to 7.6 - and I have a pump waiting for me, I dont know what to do.

The pump they sent in as mentioned in my previous posts in actualy the wrong pump that my doctor requested

Maybe talk it over with your doctor?

The big questions to ask yourself are: do you want a pump and can you get good control without one.

eilo1

I still cant believe they gave you a different pump, the cheek of the HSE!!!! its infuriating!! Your HSE has probably agreed to only give out the brand you got, its upsetting and unfair to think somebody in an office can override the prescription your Dr has given you!!

Iv had my pump up and going for about a month now and I really really like it, its much much less hassle then injecting. Although after 14 years of injecting I really wasnt aware of how much of a burden it is until I had the opportunity to use the pump.
I can imagine not using the pump now, I would say give the pump a go you can always go back to injections.

robinph

Was just in speaking with the new hospital again today, the dietitian actually, and they are actually sounding quite positive about being able to put us on the pump. They want more numbers from me first though and then I've to see them again in a couple of months with potentially then getting put on a pump course in the new year.

She mentioned a few different models that they might supply. Animas, Minimed or Accuckeck.

They don't like Minimed though as they apparently tend to deliver the wrong models to the wrong address and then charge twice for doing nothing.

The AccuCheck one looked interesting though, appealing to my inner geek with it talking to the tester via Bluetooth and she also said it was a bit more robust than the Animas one.

Now just have to behave myself, test lots and see what happens after my next trip.

robinph

I just got a letter through which is a copy of ones going between the Prof at the hospital and the GP just to let me know what they are saying to each other about me.

In it the Prof says to the GP that I am being referred to get a pump.

Just the line about a "formal assessment" in the pump clinic looks like some kind of scary test you have to try and pass. :pac:

tbh

robinph wrote: »

I just got a letter through which is a copy of ones going between the Prof at the hospital and the GP just to let me know what they are saying to each other about me.

In it the Prof says to the GP that I am being referred to get a pump.

Just the line about a "formal assessment" in the pump clinic looks like some kind of scary test you have to try and pass. :pac:

why so - what profile are you in to be a good candidate, do you know?
I think our diabetic profile is similar in a lot of ways, except for you're much fitter than me, so it'd be interesting to see if it's cause you have similar HB1acs to me or cause you don't test often or what

edit: I don't mean that to sound so "why the hell do you deserve one??!" It's just it's never been discussed with me, and I'm wondering if I have the traits that make it suitable for you, given we're similar in a lot of ways.

robinph

Well the Irish system had briefly mentioned pumps on several occasions, but never really followed through or seemed like they actually wanted to set me up with one. I think they were starting to sound a bit more like they were going to proceed with the idea, but then I left.

I decided to mention pumps in the first meetings with new NHS GP's though that they had been brought up as a possibility by the Irish consultants before. The HbA1c they took was one of my worst in a while up at 9.3 and that was then possibly enough to get me bumped to the Prof at the hospital rather than just seeing their practice diabetes nurse. The GP clearly mentioned pumps though in that referral.

I'm not sure if there is actually anything different, other than I may have got lucky with which post code I happen to have landed in over here and they may currently be in a good mood as far as putting people on pumps goes, if I actually do get that far through the process.

My numbers are a bit all over the place and I've actually had worse HbA1c's when testing more often previously, despite those number taken with the testing not being obviously as out of range as the HbA1c's would suggest. The dodgy control is mentioned in the letter as well, as is the marathon training and being generally active. It's possible that having rubbish numbers despite being active is something that counts as far as the potential pumpers list is concerned.

They do say that I need to sort out my carb counting though, and to be doing more tests before being considered. I think the dietitian was saying that unless you make a commitment to do a minimum of 4 a day, every day, for ever you don't get a pump. That is something they know I am a bit flakey at doing at present, but I think I'd have less of an issue with it if it then became just doing a test, and press a button on the remote for the pump instead of test and inject everytime.

tbh

that's interesting, thanks for the info. I got accepted on a DAFNE course for 22nd of November, so they might say something after that, once the carb counting has been drilled into me.

robinph

Think that them knowing you have the concept of carb counting down would be high on their list as well as the being reliable at doing testing, that is where I've still got a way to go to convince them. The carb counting is something I've always known, but never really applied. It's possibly worth just throwing the word pump into a conversation at some point and see how they respond, I'm pretty sure it was them that first brought it up with me though, but then they never followed up after I maybe looked a bit to scared of the idea.

I still am scared of the idea, but have also been reading up in various places and people that are on them seem to rave about them. So want to see if they are that good and can make my life better in my case.

LegacyUser

I thought the pumps were free? Obviously not after reading few comments...Thinking about getting one but if there costing up ta €6000 dont think i can afford it

graflynn

Crazy_Mel wrote: »

I thought the pumps were free? Obviously not after reading few comments...Thinking about getting one but if there costing up ta €6000 dont think i can afford it

They are free for the patient but the HSE pays for it. And as the HSE have no idea how to spend money they often get into financial difficulty and say "no" to pump requests.

robinph

Just saw the dietician again today and am now booked in for a pump assessment clinic on Wednesday this week. I think this is like a sitting before the parole board to decide if you are worthy or not, so the dietician the consultants and probably a bean counter who actually writes out the cheque actually make the final decision.

Once that is done though I'l apparently be able to get started at the first opportunity in the new year once I get back from skiing.

:eek: and

robinph

Are any of the people currently on pumps here on either the Lifescan Animas pump or the Accu-Check Combo (unlikely as it only came out this year I think)?

I've done a bit of reading up on them but if they happen to ask me which one I want on this Wednesday I don't want to be feeling I pick the wrong one, although I'm sure it doesn't make a whole lot of difference.

The only significant difference I can really make out is that the Lifescan Animas is rated a slightly higher waterproofness, so I would then not have as much of an exuse for not doing triathlons, and the Accu-Check one has the remote/ tester combined so that you don't need to worry about where about your person you stash the pump as you control it with the remote.

What questions do you wish you asked before hand when initially getting a pump?

Alanstrainor

I don't think i'm sold on the idea of the Accu-Check Combo being honest. I'm a pumper, and have been for a few years, but the idea of having 2 devices on your person seems a bit stupid to me tbh. I mean, my pump lives in my pocket...and if i were to have the combo blood tester/control unit, it would live there too, so what's the point? It just seems like a complete gimmick to me. I know you can control the pump on it's own, but that's true for all pumps.

If that was on the only selling point of the above, tbh, i wouldn't be pushed by it at all.

tbh

The device is in your pocket? tbh, whenever I've thought of it, I always think of how careful I'd have to be, walking around with a needle in me, in case I knocked it out or it jabbed me or the pipe(?) got knocked loose. Do you mind me asking Al, is it fairly intrusive like that?

Also, am I mistaken in thinking you still have to take your Lantus?

robinph

You wouldn't be taking the Lantus anymore, with the pump your on fast acting only. Just the pump delivers a trickle constantly just like a working pancreas would, the pumps also give you the ability to change that background level more precisly than could ever be done with a Lantus type basal insulin. Different pumps give you more settings available to change like by the hour, and then the amount of insulin per hour measured in 0.1 increments if need be. I think the pumps I will potentially have the choice of are pretty much the same in that respect.

I guess it's true about the Accu-Check Combo not really reducing the number of things you have to carry about, although if your carrying a meter as well anyway then why not one that talks to the pump. I do like the idea of the blood test meter then figuring out an appropriate suggestion of what bolus is needed based on the current bg reading and what your about to eat. Do you enter BG readings into other pumps anyway though and they do the same type of calculations?

The not needing to access the Accu-Check combo pump isn't really an issue for me day to day actually, although I do think I would get in a tangle with having the pump in a pocket and getting tubing caught. I would need some pretty secure way of fixing any pump to myself though for whilst running so that it doesn't fly about and annoy me, so apart for the initial curisosity and fiddling with it I think I'd be wanting it hidden after that so keep me from fiddling with it.

robinph

Well I've been approved for a pump now.

Will be in to have a play with a couple of different pumps the first week of January and pick which one I want. Then I go skiing for a week and once I get back get plugged in and learn how to live with this diabetes thing all over again.

Alanstrainor

tbh wrote: »

The device is in your pocket? tbh, whenever I've thought of it, I always think of how careful I'd have to be, walking around with a needle in me, in case I knocked it out or it jabbed me or the pipe(?) got knocked loose. Do you mind me asking Al, is it fairly intrusive like that?

Also, am I mistaken in thinking you still have to take your Lantus?

There actually isn't a needle in you 24/7, the needle is only used to insert the "infusion Set" and then the needle is removed, leaving behind a tiny plastic/rubber flexible tube under the skin, so it's free to move around to some extent. So there's never any worry of being jabbed.

I don't find my pump intrusive at all, right now, i have my pump, wallet and keys all in the same pocket, without any bother. Maybe for the first month or so i was very concious of it being there, and i was almost protective over it, but now it's just like any other gadget/device i keep on me.
Another thing i was apprehensive about when getting my pump, was getting the tubing caught in something and having it ripped out! But tbh, that has only happened once in over 2 years. And it was out of sheer stupidity on my part.
When i first got the pump I bought plenty of pouches, bags, holders and all sorts to store my pump and at the end of the day they just get annoying, lost, or were just completely impractical.



My pump actually does do all those calculations, and it's a few years old (Although devices like pumps move at a much slower rate compared to phones and the likes.) But i don't actually use it, actually, i had completely forgotten it could do it!

My pump has a belt clip on it that i would use to secure it if i was going for a run and it works fine. I don't have any issue with it.