An Accu-chek Combo insulin pump and meter – the first one we sawOn the 15th March 2013 Amy made the decision that she wanted to try an insulin pump. She was diagnosed in December 2010 and has been injecting insulin in a regime named MDI (multiple daily injections).
This series of articles is about our journey on the road to joining the other insulin pumpers out there.
An Animas Vibe insulin pump, the one we chose1. Educating Amy
2. Amy’s epiphany
3. Requesting a pump
4. Inspiration from Paul Weller
5. Climbing each rung and setting up pump demos
6. Carbohydrate counting training refresher
7. Pump demo – Roche Accu-chek Combo
8. Unofficial Pump demo – Animas Vibe
9. Official pump demo – Animas Vibe
10. A date with a pump
11. The wait is over…almost
12. the day has dawned
13. Through the first night
14. A superb 24 hours
15. Setting up, log books & BG monitoring
16. First few days’ blood glucose readings
17. First HbA1c since pump…anxiously waiting
18. First HbA1c since pump…the result
Hi I am trying to find out the criteria for my son who is 8 to go on a pump he was diagnosed at 22 months and has been on MDI fever since, for the last 3 years I have been asking for a pump, but the consultant now says he meets the criteria but he will now have to meet the criteria of over 12, there reasoning is because the life of a pump is 4 years so he will have to come off it to train to inject himself. as I don’t really what this is can someone please help. He won’t inject himself as he fears the needles and yesterday refused to eat breakfast so that he would have one less injection. I have been carb counting for over 6 months.
Hi, the first thing I’d urge you to do is to contact INPUT Diabetes (http://www.inputdiabetes.org.uk/ or https://www.facebook.com/INPUTdiabetes) and talk with them, they’ll be the best people to advise.
On the face of it I would say that you are being advised incorrectly and that it is your son’s age now that matters, not when he finishes the 4 years with a pump.
From our experience Amy – who’s 12 – did not get a pump because of her hbA1c results which have never been above 8.3%, but because of the quality of life factor. She hates (hated!) injections and the it took her ages to do them, making sure all doors were closed, no pets around, no-one moving nearby. Combine this with school medical rooms and not particularly wanting to inject in public and you can easily see what quality of life a pump gives her.
I have been told that our hospital is one of the better ones for giving out pumps to kids, so maybe yours isn’t. In which case, if you don’t get anywhere soon, I’d move clinics.
Kev.