Insulin Pumps and how do you get one?

Alanstrainor

robinph wrote: »

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.

Somehow completely missed this post. Congrats man!

robinph

Thanks.

It was strangely a bit nerve racking yesterday at that clinic. A combination of them deciding if your worthy for the pump, and also you getting to make a decision about actually wanting to have a pump connected to you all the time and how weird you feel about that concept.

But most people would think it weird that we inject ourselves multiple times a day anyway, except I never got to make a choice about that as it just had to be done.

Alanstrainor

robinph wrote: »

also you getting to make a decision about actually wanting to have a pump connected to you all the time and how weird you feel about that concept.

Actually, this was something that freaked me out when I was getting my pump, the idea of having something attached to me 24/7.

Being honest, I was more freaked thinking about it in the weeks leading up to getting my pump than I was actually wearing the thing. It took me a couple of weeks to get used to wearing it in bed, and figuring out how to wear it. But after those initial few weeks, you just get so used to wearing it that you forget it's there.

When I told people I was wearing a pump, and I wore it 24/7, they were pretty shocked too really. The only thing I could compare it to was having an mp3 player with a headphone cable coming out of your pocket. I found people related to that pretty easily actually.

So in short, I was more freaked out about thinking about it, than I was actually wearing the yoke!

robinph

I heard that one of the parents neighbours kids was on a pump, so went around to say hello and have a chat with him this afternoon. Probably didn't tell me anything I didn't really already know, but the actually sitting down and seeing a real person with the pump attached and their impressions of it was very useful and has made me feel a lot less apprehensive about the idea of the pump. His parents actually said more, but they all seemed very happy with the pump.

robinph

Just got back from having a better look at the pumps on offer and to pick which one I want.

I thought I was going to go for the AccuCheck Combo one, mostly because of the geek in me liking the extra gadgetryness of it. The layout of the menus on it seemed pretty rubbish though I think, even on the meter part of it where they could have done it so much better. There should be a vacancy for UI developer at AccuCheck.

Picked the Animas one in the end. Little bit heavier I think, although that could have been due to the clip on the back. Does claim better waterproof'ness, so no excuse for not doing triathlons now. Has smaller increments available in how much it can give, not that I'll be needing that. It comes in a range of colours, including pink. Definitely seemed better/ simpler/ less stupid for the configuration of basal settings. They give you a spare pump if your going on holiday which no other company does apparently.

Get approved for a pump.
Pick a pump model.
robinph goes skiing next week.
The hospital has another 6'ish people lined up for pumps over the next week.
They arrange the training day for several of us at the same time within the next month.
Stick us all on saline.
Week later switch to insulin.

I didn't pick the pink one.

CathyMoran

robinph wrote: »

Just got back from having a better look at the pumps on offer and to pick which one I want.

I thought I was going to go for the AccuCheck Combo one, mostly because of the geek in me liking the extra gadgetryness of it. The layout of the menus on it seemed pretty rubbish though I think, even on the meter part of it where they could have done it so much better. There should be a vacancy for UI developer at AccuCheck.

Picked the Animas one in the end. Little bit heavier I think, although that could have been due to the clip on the back. Does claim better waterproof'ness, so no excuse for not doing triathlons now. Has smaller increments available in how much it can give, not that I'll be needing that. It comes in a range of colours, including pink. Definitely seemed better/ simpler/ less stupid for the configuration of basal settings. They give you a spare pump if your going on holiday which no other company does apparently.

Get approved for a pump.
Pick a pump model.
robinph goes skiing next week.
The hospital has another 6'ish people lined up for pumps over the next week.
They arrange the training day for several of us at the same time within the next month.
Stick us all on saline.
Week later switch to insulin.

I didn't pick the pink one.

Does it come in purple? Am thinking of seeing if I can get on the list for one when I have this baby. I never thought that I would want one but I just want a bit more freedom now.

tbh

Yeah me too! I'll just wait and make sure rob goes ok, nice to have a guinea pig!

CathyMoran

tbh wrote: »

Yeah me too! I'll just wait and make sure rob goes ok, nice to have a guinea pig!

In the interim I have a nice small bag (I have it in pink but it comes in black) that I can wear around my neck that takes a blood testing kit, insulin, sweets, my keys and some cash. Am I the only one who carries the kitchen sink when I am out? That pump looks great though and I like the small doses as I tend to be on very low doses of insulin.

robinph

CathyMoran wrote: »

Does it come in purple? Am thinking of seeing if I can get on the list for one when I have this baby. I never thought that I would want one but I just want a bit more freedom now.

Blue, silver, black and pink for the Animas one.

She didn't actually have the pink one in the collection of demo units so I don't know how bright a shade it is.

CathyMoran

robinph wrote: »

Blue, silver, black and pink for the Animals one.

She didn't actually have the pink one in the collection of demo units so I don't know how bright a shade it is.

Hmm, I like your pump, on medical grounds it would be a lot safer for me (I have lots of hypo's) and they have been on at me to get one but this is the first one I have ever liked.

robinph

The spi belt that I had ordered arrived today. Will go for a run with that and stuff an old phone in it to see how secure it is tomorrow.

LegacyUser

I am new to this site so please bear with me. I am 40, and insulin dependant diabetic since 1986. I am very interested in insulin pump therapy and especially the Medtronic pump. The concern I have is that I live in Galway and pump therapy is a very underground practice here. You ask questions and people especially medics stare at you, as if they haven't a clue what your talking about. It is now 2011 and some medics don't even know what pump therapy is?? Yes, believe me this is for real. I see some of the earlier posts on this thread from Cork & Dublin and it is clearly evident that insulin pump therapy has been around for quite a while now!! The level of care and pump education is much better in the East and South of the country! Equality in health care, how are you??? I was told by one doctor to go to the U.k, get an address and register for a doctor and I will get the pump! It is surely becoming the land of unequals and what a nice place we will all be living in a few years time when the divide between the rich and poor gets worse!
The health ministers relatives live down the road from me Ahascragh/Caltra but she doesn't give two ****s about peoples health.. She is a waster and should be excommunicated asap
Roll on the Election.

eilo1

Sorry to hear your troubles muckross. I know it is unfair that some people can get the pump and some cant. Maybe you could change to a different clinic that would give it to you?

graflynn

Muckross1 wrote: »

I am new to this site so please bear with me. I am 40, and insulin dependant diabetic since 1986. I am very interested in insulin pump therapy and especially the Medtronic pump. The concern I have is that I live in Galway and pump therapy is a very underground practice here. You ask questions and people especially medics stare at you, as if they haven't a clue what your talking about. It is now 2011 and some medics don't even know what pump therapy is?? Yes, believe me this is for real. I see some of the earlier posts on this thread from Cork & Dublin and it is clearly evident that insulin pump therapy has been around for quite a while now!! The level of care and pump education is much better in the East and South of the country! Equality in health care, how are you??? I was told by one doctor to go to the U.k, get an address and register for a doctor and I will get the pump! It is surely becoming the land of unequals and what a nice place we will all be living in a few years time when the divide between the rich and poor gets worse!
The health ministers relatives live down the road from me Ahascragh/Caltra but she doesn't give two ****s about peoples health.. She is a waster and should be excommunicated asap
Roll on the Election.

The Diabetes Clinic in the University Hosp Galway do insulin pump therapy - they do have waiting lists though. Keep posting here and I'm sure other sourses will appear. I live in Clare and was very persistant about getting a pump. Eventually got it privately in Limerick.

eilo1

graflynn wrote: »

The Diabetes Clinic in the University Hosp Galway do insulin pump therapy - they do have waiting lists though. Keep posting here and I'm sure other sourses will appear. I live in Clare and was very persistant about getting a pump. Eventually got it privately in Limerick.

Wow I didnt realise you got yours privately Graflynn! was it expensive or did the HSE still pay for it??

LegacyUser

Thanks for replies. The very problem is the waiting lists, this is the crux of the issue! No-one seems to know where one is on the list and they won't even give a possible date!
The pump is free apart from the batteries. The issue in Galway is one of resourses, i.e the nurses are playing wild cat with government and use patients as the pawn broker! The unions won't budge either because of Harney's embargo. The situation is dire, just because a few cronnies want more money and time off.. The patient comes second.
My consultant at Galway University Hospital said he didn't have the resources. What aload of bull ****e. The course can be done on-line and with tele-conferencing this can be done alot quicker and cheaper. I am hoping to contact Mary Harney's office to suggest people doing this on-line and bye pass the medics in the Hospital. It would be alot cheaper!!

robinph

I got a copy of another letter between the hospital and the gp yesterday. Reminded me of a few things I never realised I'd told them about, but also that they expect me to be knocking the hba1c down by 1% for me to keep the pump.

graflynn

eilo1 wrote: »

Wow I didnt realise you got yours privately Graflynn! was it expensive or did the HSE still pay for it??

Yes the HSE still cover it. I see my consultant privately and she organised the supply of the pump but it still requires the same documentation as if you were a public patient. I have a long term illness book and both the pump & supplies are on it.

robinph

So is that out of a different budget that the private consultant gets you the pump? Or does it just take a private consultant for them to be bothered enough to go through the application and regular ones just hope that no one asks. It was almost that impression that I got from them, they would mention pumps but as soon as I sounded interested they changed the subject.

That is probably just me reading too much into things though.

graflynn

robinph wrote: »

So is that out of a different budget that the private consultant gets you the pump? Or does it just take a private consultant for them to be bothered enough to go through the application and regular ones just hope that no one asks. It was almost that impression that I got from them, they would mention pumps but as soon as I sounded interested they changed the subject.

That is probably just me reading too much into things though.

It's all outta the same pocket but that pocket lives in the HSE region that you live. I think that the first obstacle to getting a pump is getting past the "screening" folks (i.e. the Diabetes Nurses). You need to be able to convince them that you would do well on a pump and then you need to convince your consultant (who also needs to be in favour of pump therapy and not against it as some old school boy & girl doc.s are).

Getting a pump is the same easy/difficulty whether you are a public or private patient. (I know that's terrrible grammar:o)

CJLX

Hi there,

Sorry if this has been answered before, I'm interested in getting an insulin pump and need to know how I apply to join the program.

I live in county mayo and I've heard there is a program in Galway. I've checked a few threads and the advice seems to be different each time. Some say you start with your GP, others say your consultant. Can anyone clarify this?

Also, if anyone has been through the program in Galway could you give me info on how you applied and how long you had to wait etc.

Thanks in advance.

CJLX

.....

tbh

threads merged.

scarymoon1

so i went to the mater yesterday about my pump and it will be another 18 months - bloody hell! Im on another waiting list for a dafne course too. But anyway - they think im having too many hypos and that im taking too many corrections so they have told me to only take 3 meals a day - no snacks - and if i go high im not to correct it. Dietician also told me to have bread at breakfast - so this morning i did and now my blood is 13 - but I cant correct it. I alwats uded to have a small breakfast and then have toast at 11 but now im not allowed to do that - I have to have it all at breakfast. This is bad - my blood is high and i cant correct it. Consultant also said she is would be happy with any sugars under 10. Im kinda horrified about that. My consultant in waterford would not be happy with that at all but now im after moving to the mater! Anyone any experiences with the mater?

tbh

I would imagine that your consultant is happy for your bloods to go a little high because you are having so many hypos - it's probably to help you regain hypo awareness.

Also, when they told you not to correct I would imagine that it's because you're taking corrections when you already have insulin on board - therefore you're correcting without taking the insulin you've already taken into consideration - and then the two lots of insulin combine to drive you down. It would seem to me that they are telling you not to snack and to only take the insulin to cover your carbs so they can figure out how sensitive to insulin you are - you probably shouldn't be taking any insulin in the four hours since your last jab. You'll learn all this on your DAFNE course.

Finally, you know you never correct a high that follows a hypo, right? Your liver releases glucagon to raise your blood sugar when you're having a hypo, but it will absorb it again when your blood sugar rises -- you don't need insulin for that to happen. So, if you correct a high that follows a hypo, you'll go hypo again.


with regards to the mater, I intially attended there and didn't like it - personality clash with the [internationally respected in fairness] consultant, but the advice i got in Vincents was the same - under 10 is good, and I respect the arse outta those guys. Your targets will drop once you do DAFNE.

scarymoon1

thanks for your reply tbh - what you said is exactly what the consultants told me yesterday. I just don't like seeing highs! I have to go back in a month to the diabetes day centre and they will see how I got on for the last month. Then to the consultant in another 6 months again. Its just hard knowing my blood is 13 and I cant do anything about it hopefully it will have gone down by 1 o clock and I can enjoy my lunch.

tbh

scarymoon1 wrote: »

thanks for your reply tbh - what you said is exactly what the consultants told me yesterday. I just don't like seeing highs! I have to go back in a month to the diabetes day centre and they will see how I got on for the last month. Then to the consultant in another 6 months again. Its just hard knowing my blood is 13 and I cant do anything about it hopefully it will have gone down by 1 o clock and I can enjoy my lunch.

no problemo tell me, how do you figure out how much insulin to take at meals?

scarymoon1

i guess - I know I should do carb counting and I did that a small bit. But usually id take 6 units of insulin with a meal - if smaller then take less etc. I know carb counting is the way to go though. Initially when diagnosed I was told to take 6 units with a meal and that works pretty well - more or less.

xxshebeexx

I'm just after reading the whole thread, out of curiosity, and I'm really surprised at how difficult people seem to be finding even being approved for a pump. My endo, in Blanchardstown, practically pushes a pump on me every time I see him. For the past two years, my hba1c hasn't been below 12 and I rarely tested and often forgot or didn't want to inject (I'm 22, diabetic 3 years this March and not happy about it). Carb counting never even vaguely interested me, despite my dietician's best efforts. He, the endo, was always adamant that a pump would magically cure my bad control. I kept refusing, because I don't understand how a pump can work with me - a constant reminder, fashion-wise, in bed, etc.

I've improved my control hugely, my hba1c is down to 9 and I'm much more positive in the past four months though, so hoping to keep on track without a dreaded pump!

robinph

xxshebeexx wrote: »

...in Blanchardstown, practically pushes a pump on me every time I see him...

I was probably seeing the same guy for a while and he did mention pumps a few times to me, but I got the impression they didn't actually want to proceed with it. I was most likely just answering the wrong questions wrong or some such though.