# yay! first insulin pump appointment



## Lauras87 (Feb 8, 2013)

i've got my appointment for insulin pump therapy clinic on 10 april.

i only need to take my blood sugar diary & 4 day food diary.

can anyone tell me what to expect?


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## novorapidboi26 (Feb 8, 2013)

My first pump clinic appointment was with the nurses there.......there job was to talk to me about the pump, what it could do and whether I would be prepared to connect myself to something full time.....

Obviously I was already educated and ready to go, but it a process I had to go through, after that was the consultant appointment, who didn't say anything much to be honest.....

I was given a date for my saline trial, and my official start date......which was on Monday 21st January, I attended the clinic Monday to Thursday from about 9:30am to 13:30pm for training, which was really helpful...

Don't know if training such as this is provided everywhere but I hope you get it.......


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## Lauras87 (Feb 8, 2013)

novorapidboi26 said:


> My first pump clinic appointment was with the nurses there.......there job was to talk to me about the pump, what it could do and whether I would be prepared to connect myself to something full time.....
> 
> Obviously I was already educated and ready to go, but it a process I had to go through, after that was the consultant appointment, who didn't say anything much to be honest.....
> 
> ...



i've read all the info, i have a couple of questions which may sounds daft about living with a pump


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## trophywench (Feb 8, 2013)

No it isn't NRB, I'd had the chat with DSN, we saw the consultant together, he said yes, date set for saline pumping.  Got the saline trial done, funding application done, then got a start date.

4 of us got our pumps together.

Morning going through all the bells and whistles then she calculated everyone's basals.  WE programmed our pumps to do that.  Then we all filled a reservoir, put our fist cannulas in, primed and off we went.  

Then we got our lunches out, tested and worked out our correction and bolus and off we went.

Lunch and then we all ordered our first lot of supplies (just had a couple of cannulas, a couple of spare reservoirs etc from clinic) some more chat for I dunno, an hour and a half, two hours in total - retested to see if it was working! and we were safe to drive and off we went armed with DSNs mobile phone number, with appts to actually come back to clinic next week for first downloads, basal testing results and discussions.

We could then make ad hoc appts or ring DSN any time we wanted to.  Still can ......


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## Deeko (Feb 8, 2013)

novorapidboi26 said:


> My first pump clinic appointment was with the nurses there.......there job was to talk to me about the pump, what it could do and whether I would be prepared to connect myself to something full time.....
> 
> Obviously I was already educated and ready to go, but it a process I had to go through, after that was the consultant appointment, who didn't say anything much to be honest.....
> 
> ...



Interesting routine you got Novorapidboi26. 

My first step with Monklands was the consultant first, just this week on Tuesday. I was quizzed on a few scenarios, probably to test how I would change things in my routine depending how it was being effected. He seemed confident enough I was capable of using the pump and had a smile when I came across a bit too enthusiastic  

There was no nurse appointment prior to that though, but I do call frequently and share my DAFNE diary online with the DSN's there so they know me very well. 

The next step is for my case to be clased as priority or routine, more likely the latter becasue it's mainly DP and continualy high Hba1c. That will be done at the next monthly team meeting. In the meantime I have to see the pump DSN on 20th March for Saline start.

I thought this was great because you got a 'going live' date close to when you did your Saline, but the consultant said if I was routine then they couldnt know if I'd get a live start in the next 3 months or not.

By coincidence Monday this week was my 30th Dia-versary of being diagnosed so it was nice to mark it by being confirmed I'll be in line for IPT at last. (I'm thinking about marking it with a topic about how long people have been T1 and the things that have changed for them in diabetes in that time)


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## HOBIE (Feb 9, 2013)

It depends on your team in leeds. In south tyneside you get a blood test a couple of weeks before, an hour or so trianning, saline for as long as it suits everyone & then job done.     Best thing to happen !


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## Phil65 (Feb 9, 2013)

I was given my pump, shown how to fill cartridges and insert cannulas,set changes etc.....that was it.....away you go. Not a problem and if i did have a question it was a phone call away. No saline .....and didn't need it.


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## trophywench (Feb 9, 2013)

I think the saline is just to get you used to having it on you, but with the comfort of not killing yourself if you forget to do summat - what do I do with this tubing in bed etc etc and to get used to the buttons - I know ours has the remote but they wanted us to learn the pump first which is no bad thing.  As long as you have a spare ordinary meter with you, if the remote goes t*ts up when you hit the tarmac in Palma, it's no big deal, is it?  A Nano takes very little extra room up in anyone's hand luggage.


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## Lauras87 (Feb 9, 2013)

trophywench said:


> what do I do with this tubing in bed.



That's one question I'm trying to figure out as well as a few others like what happens if you are disconnected for longer than an hour.

Ill have a list as long as my arm by 10 April!


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## trophywench (Feb 9, 2013)

Well in theory you might run a tad high after that.  OTOH of course if you have been 'taking exercise' they probably cancel each other out.  

Whole thing depends on how athletic you are in bed, doesn't it?  I don't unattach.  If you are ancient like what we are - whilst not completely eschewing something a bit different - in practice there tend to be certain ways of doing certain things which we know don't result in Pete's knee hurting or my shoulder or my hip hurting.  There's nothing quite like one of you being on the brink and the other suddenly screaming in agony and stopping just at the crucial point.  We have worked out just where to put Holly for the best in each case and if Pete does accidentally happen to get the tubing wrapped round some part of his anatomy - he knows by now it's verboten to err, jerk.  ROFL


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## Lauras87 (Feb 9, 2013)

trophywench said:


> Whole thing depends on how athletic you are in bed, doesn't it?  I don't unattach.  If you are ancient like what we are - whilst not completely eschewing something a bit different - in practice there tend to be certain ways of doing certain things which we know don't result in Pete's knee hurting or my shoulder or my hip hurting.  There's nothing quite like one of you being on the brink and the other suddenly screaming in agony and stopping just at the crucial point.  We have worked out just where to put Holly for the best in each case and if Pete does accidentally happen to get the tubing wrapped round some part of his anatomy - he knows by now it's verboten to err, jerk.  ROFL



Thank you for that.
I'm currently single as no blokes seem to want to know once they know I'm type one but wondered if you had to do certain things due to the tubes & pump being attached


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## trophywench (Feb 9, 2013)

Well just use common sense - if your partner is on your right, move pump to your left LOL

If you unattach and could be arsed to test as you reconnect (and take care, you often get air in the end of the tubing that connects after leaving it dangling for a bit so you'd have to prime that out before reconnecting) and were a bit high you could always give yourslef the insulin you've missed or stick on a temp basal for an hour or two, but with a TBR on, the flipping things beep at you every hour.  None of this is gonna kill you in the foreseeable future really.

Where the hell do you find such useless specimens of the male species?  Think you need to widen your net to include ones with a brain.


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## Lauras87 (Feb 9, 2013)

trophywench said:


> Where the hell do you find such useless specimens of the male species?  Think you need to widen your net to include ones with a brain.



Thank you for the info about reconnecting etc

The finding of men comes from dating sites or through work. I had prayed that a solicitor & a policeman would of had a brain but it turns out they don't. The policeman thought I was drunk one date (I was hypo) & got a lecture.

I'm sticking to famous men in films, it's less hassle


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## trophywench (Feb 10, 2013)

Well I've nabbed 2.  (LOL - I'm a serial monogamist.)  Both were met via friends.

First one had no choice, we were already wed when I got it.  So we were both in the same boat; both stuck with it and had to adjust.

Second one never batted an eyelid.  Been married before like me; his younger daughter's best mate since they were 3 was T1.  He knew exactly what to do with a syringe and how to flick bubbles out (useful now I'm pumping) but hadn't used a pen before!  

And he worked in a factory - still does.  Both of them.  And both have good  brains but just not all that much formal education, or certificates to prove they are intelligent, is all.

How about  ? rugger club. ? cricket club.  Sporting types, hopefully with intelligence .... more beer but generally less loutish behaviour.  I've observed anyway......


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## trophywench (Feb 10, 2013)

PS  When you stop looking, that's probably the time Mr Right will turn up.


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## Lauras87 (Feb 10, 2013)

trophywench said:


> PS  When you stop looking, that's probably the time Mr Right will turn up.



Very true!


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