# Wish me luck...



## Twitchy (Aug 30, 2010)

I start on the pump tomorrow!!! 

After all the fuss I made I'd better like the darn thing!


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## Steff (Aug 30, 2010)

Twitchy all the best with it, you know you.ve got all the pumpers in here for support x


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## lucy123 (Aug 30, 2010)

Hi Twitchy,

I know nothing about pumping but pleased you have what you wanted. Hope all goes well for you.


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## Sugarbum (Aug 30, 2010)

Hiya,

Properly exciting my dear! I have completely forgotten after our last chat what model you were going for- the accucheck combo? Great stuff.

Really hope everything goes ok for you, I remember I was a sickening combination of excitement v nerves! Try and relax and enjoy it, this is the start of a new journey 

All the very best, and you know where we are all should you need us! 

Lots of love

Lou x


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## Rainbow (Aug 30, 2010)

All the best for tomorrow, take one step at a time. Sue x


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## sofaraway (Aug 30, 2010)

Good Luck Twitchy, I hope it goes well, are you straight to insulin or pumping saline first?


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## Adrienne (Aug 30, 2010)

Twitchy said:


> I start on the pump tomorrow!!!
> 
> After all the fuss I made I'd better like the darn thing!



Whoopee dooooo.   Good luck, you will be fine, we are here to help and be a listening ear if you need to off load at all.


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## cazscot (Aug 30, 2010)

Good luck  xxx


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## rossoneri (Aug 31, 2010)

I am a bit late but I am sure you will make a great success of your switch to the pump regime.  It is initially a steep learning curve and a definite challenge but I am sure you are up to it.  You already have one massive advantage over me before I began the switch in that you have already discovered this forum and become an established correspondent on it before embarking on this adventure!


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## Twitchy (Aug 31, 2010)

*Yiiippppeeeeeeeee!!!!!*

WOW WOW WOW!!!!! 

Oh my goodness me, I am soooooo ridiculously pleased & excited with this thing!!!!  Yay!!!!

(Sorry, had to vent that - poor hubby probably sick of "wow- this is SO exciting!!" all day!! BIG Grin!!!)

Well, so far, so good (dangerous thing to say, I'm asking for it aren't I!)... despite the insertion gadet looking scarily industrial (my goodness, that needle looked big!) it was absolutely fine!  (What a big whuss I am!)... and oh the complete & utter delight of being able to carb count & bolus ACCURATELY!!!  Wow!!!! (Sorry, really need to get out more!!!).... actually looking forward to my first hypo so I don't have to scoff long acting carbs lol!!  Loads still to take in, but so far, so good!... (no doubt all will go pear shaped over night lol, but I've had really good results all day which is blooming great!)

Right, off to try & calm down now!!  He he!!


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## tracey w (Sep 1, 2010)

Fantastic!!  Which pump are you on, sorry if you have already said?


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## novorapidboi26 (Sep 1, 2010)

sofaraway said:


> Good Luck Twitchy, I hope it goes well, are you straight to insulin or pumping saline first?



Sorry for interupting, pumping saline? explain!


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## rossoneri (Sep 1, 2010)

novorapidboi26 said:


> Sorry for interupting, pumping saline? explain!



Some diabetes hospital teams have their new pumpers first perform a trial run at using their new by  initially having a "saline feed" instead of an insulin feed running through it.  

The saline liquid (I think distilled water with about one per cent salt) has a similar salt level to the blood in the body so pumping it at a trickle feed into the body at one of the background dose rates of an insulin pump has no impact on the content of the body.  You are in effect injecting a placebo.  You can therefore have a few days of pumping saline into your belly whilst continuing with the MDI treatment.  The aim is to get the pump user accustomed to having the pump attached and operating whilst not relying on the pump delivering insulin so that if the new user makes what might be described as a beginner's mistake there should be no harm done because the user will not lose any of the insulin as that is still coming through their MDI.  

The saline liquid should not do any damage to the pump because all the items it contacts are disposable and replaced at least every time a new insulin reservoir is required.

Any good diabetic consultant or nurse without diabetes but who is advising diabetics on using insulin pumps will probably have had a go at trying a pump out for themselves using a saline feed.  Trying what you can for yourself is often the best way to learn how to advise others.

Like I said though not all hospital health teams go through this exercise with their new pumpers.  Mine did not and I started straight on pumping for real with insulin.  For me this was fine too, it makes the switch quicker and gives you immediate focus on trying to get it correct.  Maybe if I had expressed more doubts about being able to use the pump properly or more concerns about having it attached then they would have offered me this option beforehand.

Away from this use with insulin pumps I believe that saline feeds are the basic means of safely and quickly restoring liquid to a dehydrated body.


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## Twitchy (Sep 1, 2010)

Hiya...

It's an Accu-Chek Combo... straight onto insulin was a bit scary, but mainly because I'm an engineer so don't trust machines!   So far, so good though... one stonking great air bubble in the reservoir today, seem to have got it out ok though as sugar levels not bad... can't wait til they (or let me!) tweak my basal rate, as I have DP & it just cocks up the whole day... but I'm being firmly told to just leave the basal flat & stick to a 1u:10g ratio for all snacks & meals til a few days go by & a pattern emerges.  I can give a correction bolus if required though (phew!!).

So far, still loving it... won't get my gucci handset for a few weeks though, due to DSN availability & hubby availability (can't go on my own with baby in case she distracts me & we haven't another option I'm happy with at the mo!).  Never mind...

So so far, so good!... Now I just need to figure out how to wear this thing!


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## bigpurpleduck (Sep 2, 2010)

I normally wear jeans or trousers & have it in my pocket or on my belt during the day. At night I wear a non-wired bra and hook the pump, in its case, on the inside underneath my arm. I'm an active sleeper, & the pump has never left position yet. Do remember to lock the keypad though!


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