Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Buckley83 on November 28, 2011 at 1:32am

Ha one more thing...

I carry more stuff with me now that I am on a pump. I always have a spare novorapid and lantus pen, along with a ketone meter, blood meter, spare infusion set, cannula etc etc, glucotabs, the kitchen sink.. But then I have a rucksack/manbag with me always so it is not a problem.

You will never get away from having to carry stuff around with type 1 diabetes, my advice on that (should you want it ha) is learn to accept it. I have never had a problem with injecting in public, carry syringes into a night club etc, diabetes is one of the more common diseases, if a doorman asks what is this, I simply reply "I am a diabetic, here is my ID" and it is a non issue.

I think this is just an anxiety thing, people probably have less of an issue with it than you think and if they do have issue with it.. screw them ha!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by acidrock23 on November 28, 2011 at 4:23am

Wow, the NHS process sounds intriguing, signing agreements to improve your A1C could also be sort of insidious?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Buckley83 on November 28, 2011 at 5:30am

Hey acidrock, hope you are well..

Well I think the rationale behind the thinking in the NHS is sound, as we know pumping is expensive and is a continued ongoing expense that has to carried by the primary care trust and tax payer ultimately, there is already a huge strain on the NHS from a financial perspective, all of this money comes from a pot, and if the pumper is not achieving their objectives why continue to fund it when that money could be used somewhere else with better results..

I think they are willing to fund for pumps, if it actually improves your control or the management of your condition. HbA1c is a good yardstick for this, but as you say it is abit insidious and these things vary, I spoke to a consultant about this and they said as long as it was improving your condition (which I guess is completely subjective) does that mean less hypos? Better quality of life etc, who knows? ;) As with anything like this there is always the ability to use discretion and interpretation on the part of the endo/care team. I know that signing the agreement made me very focused on achieving good control, as I love my pump and I want to keep it ha :)

I think that as long as you are commited, are able to benefit from pump therapy and are playing the game, the NHS will continue to pay for a keep you to pump, old, young, employed, unemployed, rich, poor which I think is fantastic thing. The NHS is one of the only things that makes me proud to be British :)

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by MyBustedPancreas on November 28, 2011 at 9:32am

I have to admit that when I first read this was like, "Ugh!! I would hate to have to go through all of that." But then I thought about my current situation. Yes, I am able to get a pump quite easily (I have good insurance and they covered it, no questions asked). BUT, I had to pay $1,000 for the pump itself and then I pay a couple of hundred each month for insulin and pump supplies. Then there's the other $260 every 2-3 months that I pay for test strips. And don't get me started how when I was in college I ran up credit cards and tapped into every free program I could find to get my supplies when I lacked insurance.

Soooo, while the NHS requirements seem a bit tight at first glance, I have to admit that I'm envious. At least you never have to worry about being unable to afford basic insulin!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Buckley83 on November 28, 2011 at 10:31am

Yep,

Like I say I pay for absolutely nothing and I never have, I test 12 times a day, I change infusion sets every 48 hours. I get everything for free down to the iv prep wipes and the micropore tape. I earn a good salary as a as a IT consultant, but I would still struggle to pay for pumping with my salary.

So yes I feel very, very lucky and I would jump through multiple hoops to continue with this in reality, my current care plan would cost me thousands a year on the private market.

I don't believe it will last, we have a conservative government here in the UK and we are only ever 10-15 years behind the USA in terms of policy, there are big health reforms going on at the moment, test strips are being restricted for type 2s and I believe that with time we will be like you guys state side.

I think your care system, medicare, insurance is revolting and should be held up as an example of all that is wrong with capitalism and developed economies. You are one of the wealthiest and developed countries in the world (excuse china's reserves!!) but you have people who cannot afford or don't have insulin to treat serious life threatening conditions. I would take to the streets and riot if it happened in the UK. It doesn't have to be like that, yet it is due to greed, mismanagement and blind policies.

Of course I pay 40% of my income to tax and national insurance, but I would pay 50% if it meant equality. I think the Swedish model should be adopted for the benefit of all.

So I am making hay whilst the sunshines as it were!

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page