Why wont they start me on a pump?!?
Hey there,
My name is Dino and im 20 years old living in North Carolina attending East Carolina University. I was recently diagnosed with T1D in early october of 2011 and have been trying to get a grip on this disease ever since. I've been interested in starting insulin pump therapy ever since I was diagnosed because I feel that using the pump would fit my lifestyle. I have been talking to the PA at my endo's office(because that is who I usually see on my visits due to my endo being so busy) about starting on a pump and I told him that I want to start ASAP. I went to a meeting where I met all the reps for the different pump companies and got do to some hands on activities to see how each pump worked. After attending that and doing much research on the pumps, I decided to go with the Medtronic MiniMed Paradigm Revel and my insurance covered it 100%!!! I received the pump in the mail a few days ago along with 3 months worth of supplies. Since then I emailed the PA I have been talking to about going on the pump about what the next steps were to get me pumping because I am very eager to start with it. He replied with that he thought it was weird I received the pump already because they only submitted a request for "preauthorization investigation." He told me I was rushing into things and that I need to establish a good pattern of reliable diabetes management first and introduce the pump into that setting. He told me to do a few other things also and that we would discuss POSSIBLY doing something with saline fluid and maybe starting some training at my next visit which is THREE MONTHS FROM NOW!!! Why are they making me wait so long to get pumping?? My control of my blood sugars is not too great at the moment and my most recent A1c is 7.4 which was a few days ago. Though my diabetes is not under the best control I feel like I am doing a pretty darn good job of managing it for just starting out. I was so bummed when he informed me of not being able to start pumping for AT THE LEAST three more months, especially because I have already received my pump and everything in the mail! I would just like some insight on my situation from some others, and feel free to ask any questions I'd be more than happy to answer because I just want to know what's going on! Thanks much!
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Dino Fiore on -
Thanks everyone for your input. It all really helps. I'm not going to rush into pumping, as I am a new to diabetes in the first place. Getting good control of my diabetes is first on my list right now and im going to focus on that. But just wondering, I think that it would be much easier to manage diabetes with a pump compared to MDI's as long as you're not misusing the pump correct?
-
Permalink Reply by Lloyd on -
A pump poses some additional ways for things to go wrong, that MDI does not have. When you insert an infusion set, a teflon canula can kink, for instance. Many of the settings on a pump have to be set via trial and error, over a period of weeks.
A pump is a very powerful tool, it can do just about anything you can think for it to do, as far as insulin delivery. A pump has a built in clock, a built in calculator, and a really great memory.
It is also dumb as a brick. You have to provide the smarts!
It does exactly what you tell it to, as far as insulin delivery. You need to be good at carb counting, and you need to have a really good idea of how much basal you need and when, and how exercise and temperature affect your body.
When you understand what is in "Pumping Insulin" and "Think like a Pancreas", and are good at carb counting, you will be ready. You don't have to memorize everything, those two books make great reference books! If they talk about something and you just don't get it, ask questions until you do get it!
Best wishes and happy pumping in the near future.
-Lloyd
-
Permalink Reply by Scott Wilkins on -
Dino,
I'm moving off 40 years of MDI onto a PUMP. Been pumping now for about 1+ month. Yes, you can get much much better control with a pump. And, in many ways it does make things easier. But overall, it is more work. At least for now it is. I'm looking into Constant BG Meters now to help with the pump control. My pump doesn't have them yet, but they are expected to have them in a year or so.
From some of your statements on the original post, I too would consider another Endo. If your's is too busy, well then you are too needy to get that lack of treatment IMHO. Mine is good, but also can be a bit too busy at times. It's frustrating to say the least. But, mine's got a great staff that helps when I need it. And they were very close to my pump starting, calling almost every day checking on me. With my years as a Type 1, I handled it well but could easily see someone who's not as used to Type 1 having issues. The pump is as important and eating and sleeping, if not more so.
Good luck on your pumping adventures!
-
Permalink Reply by Dino Fiore on
-
I really appreciate everyones comments. Thanks again!
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- Next ›
Advertisement
REsources
Groups
From the Diabetes Hands Foundation blog...
Congratulations Diabetes Advocates Scholarship Recipients!
The Diabetes Hands Foundation and Diabetes Advocates Program is proud to announce and congratulate the members of DA who were granted scholarships to attend diabetes conferences in 2013! Thanks to a generous grant from Novo Nordisk, in 2013 we were …Continue Reading
La Familia de EsTuDiabetes Sigue Creciendo
El Centro Nacional de Prevención de Enfermedades Crónicas y Promoción de la Salud en el Estados Unidos encontró que a partir de 2002-2009, el 11,8% de los hispanos mayores de 20 años, que viven en los EU, viven con diabetes …Continue Reading
TuDiabetes Team
DHF STAFF
 Manny Hernandez(Co-Founder, Editor, has LADA)
|
DHF VOLUNTEERS
Lead Administrator
 Bradford (has type 1) |
Administrators
 Lorraine (mother of type 1) |
 Marie B (has type 1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIKE us on Facebook
Spread the word
This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
© 2013 A community of people touched by diabetes, run by the Diabetes Hands Foundation.
