# new potential pumper with questions



## LaughingHyena (Apr 8, 2013)

Hi, new to this board and I've been reading around as it looks like I may well start pumping later this year. My consultant recommended it at my last hospital visit so hopefully that's one step out of the way. I'm going back to meet with the dietician at the end of the month to play with the available pumps and ask questions.

Firstly are there any questions you wish you had asked before starting on the pump? I'm really not sure where to start, there seems a lot to think about.

From reading it seems there is a lot of work and overnight testing involved in setting it all up. How long do most people find this time lasts, days? Weeks? months?

One thing I'm worried about is how easy it is for the canula to get pulled out? I frequnetly end up carrying a tantruming child out of harms way so just telling him to be aware of it isn't likely to do much good. Are there places you can put it other than on your tummy where it's less likely to get pulled on?


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## novorapidboi26 (Apr 8, 2013)

I got mine in the end of January and I am still fine tuning things, so I suppose it can potentially be a while but not always....

For me the best benefit so far has been the effortless weight loss....

I am on the Medtronic Paradigm 754 and the cannula is stuck down with an Elastoplast material. My pump has accidentally been swinging from this connection and there were no problems, it takes a lot to come off. If it is hidden under your clothes, which it will be, all should be well....


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## Pumper_Sue (Apr 8, 2013)

LaughingHyena said:


> Hi, new to this board and I've been reading around as it looks like I may well start pumping later this year. My consultant recommended it at my last hospital visit so hopefully that's one step out of the way. I'm going back to meet with the dietician at the end of the month to play with the available pumps and ask questions.
> 
> Firstly are there any questions you wish you had asked before starting on the pump? I'm really not sure where to start, there seems a lot to think about.
> 
> ...



Hiya and welcome to the forum 
      Simple solution to stop a cannula being pulled out is to use some Mefix tape an inch from the cannula so an tug puts the strain on the tape and not your cannula.

It can take up to six month for some people to sort out their basal pattern. (Rome wasn't built in a day)  It's not just overnight basal testing it's during the day as well. Pumping is a lot of hard work esp to start with and many a person has been tempted to through the pump and give up.
Bottom line is you only get out what you put in.

Do buy yourself the book pumping insulin by John Walsh. (Amazon.) It's worth it's weight in gold.

Ask any questions you want, someone is bound to have an answer for you, no matter how random the question


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## Annette (Apr 8, 2013)

LaughingHyena said:


> One thing I'm worried about is how easy it is for the canula to get pulled out? I frequnetly end up carrying a tantruming child out of harms way so just telling him to be aware of it isn't likely to do much good. Are there places you can put it other than on your tummy where it's less likely to get pulled on?



You can put the cannula in any number of places other than your tummy - lower back (at the top of your bum, basically) is favoured by alot of people, or on your thighs - at the sides, or on the backs of your arms - anywhere you can inject, you can attach a cannula.
In 3 years of pumping, I've only 3 times pulled out a cannula - always keep your tubing tucked away under clothing (harder in summer when wearing less clothes, but the way this year's going, no problems there!) and even if you do tug on it the sticky on the cannula is amazingly strong so it would take quite a lot to pull it out.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Apr 8, 2013)

LaughingHyena said:


> Hi, new to this board and I've been reading around as it looks like I may well start pumping later this year. My consultant recommended it at my last hospital visit so hopefully that's one step out of the way. I'm going back to meet with the dietician at the end of the month to play with the available pumps and ask questions.
> 
> Firstly are there any questions you wish you had asked before starting on the pump? I'm really not sure where to start, there seems a lot to think about.
> 
> ...



Hi Laughing Hyena

Welcome to the forum!

I started pumping a couple of years ago, and yes it is worth putting it a bit of effort to begin with.

I had a basic pattern sketched in in the first couple of weeks, then spent a few months experimenting with various 'life' things that needed attention (differences at weekends... drinking... celebration meals... blah blah blah). 

After about 3 months it was rolling along OK. The next 3 months saw gradual tweaks and further improvements. I then realised I was having a bit of a reliability issue with the sets I was using, changed to another type and that's really when the benefits clicked in properly. 

So for me roughly 9 months-1 year to realise the full potential, but much of the benefit/setup was in place within a few weeks.

As to pulling a set out... I've yet to go that myself even though I've caught tubing on door handles the tubing has stopped me in my tracks with set still attached! I don't know *what* they make that sticky out of but it is ferociously strong stuff. If you are concerned you can always try putting sets in your back / top of bum / thighs and keeping the tubing tucked out of the way

Good luck and let us know when your pump-start date comes through


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## LaughingHyena (Apr 8, 2013)

Thanks for the quick response. I;m sure I;ll be back with more questions as things progress.

Good to know the sets are not likely to pull out. Getting caught on doors though sounds like a good reminder to keep all tubing tucked away. 

Mind you I'm not sure I like to sounds of the super sticky stuff, after all you do have to take it off at some point. I'm a wimp when it comes to taking plasters off.  That siad I guess if you'd asked me before diagnosis if I could inject myself I would probably have said no, things change!

Pump wise I was told to look at the accu check combo and annimas vibe as they are the ones they use most often. They are OK with looking at others but unless there is a good reason not to I'd rather go with the ones the support team are familiar with.

So far I'm leaning towards the vibe, I prefer the idea of having all the features on the pump rather than using a remote.

Another question, how do you go about storing all your information? Does the pump connect to your computer to download it?


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## novorapidboi26 (Apr 8, 2013)

LaughingHyena said:


> Another question, how do you go about storing all your information? Does the pump connect to your computer to download it?



My pump can communicate wirelessly with the accompanying blood glucose monitor and so it can also communicate with a PC. The results are uploaded on to a website though as opposed to the hard drive. There you can view all sorts of information.

Most pumps should have a similar service.....


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## chandler (Apr 10, 2013)

LaughingHyena said:


> Hi, new to this board and I've been reading around as it looks like I may well start pumping later this year. My consultant recommended it at my last hospital visit so hopefully that's one step out of the way. I'm going back to meet with the dietician at the end of the month to play with the available pumps and ask questions.
> 
> Firstly are there any questions you wish you had asked before starting on the pump? I'm really not sure where to start, there seems a lot to think about.
> 
> ...



Hi, I'm new here too and hoping to get started on a pump later this year as well.  Crazy spreadsheet time just now trying to nail the Levemir dose


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## HOBIE (Apr 10, 2013)

Good luck & get one asap L H. It does take a bit sorting but everyones diffrent. You wont know till you have tried


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## everydayupsanddowns (Apr 10, 2013)

chandler said:


> Hi, I'm new here too and hoping to get started on a pump later this year as well.  Crazy spreadsheet time just now trying to nail the Levemir dose



Welcome to the forum Chandler!

Are you running fasting basal tests to check your Levemir?


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## Lauras87 (Apr 10, 2013)

I get my pump in September but I asked when I went about how well the cannula stays in as I'm a very active mover when sleeping.

I got told that its hard to pull it out due to the tape that sticks to your skin.

I still have questions I want to ask pumpers but a lot of it, I'm reading in a book called pumping insulin version 5. It's a good read (I doubt it will beat 50 shades sales) but still it's got info that helps with various things.


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## sacol4940 (Apr 11, 2013)

I struggle to pull the cannula off sometimes - the sticky stuff is very sticky!!


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## chandler (Apr 14, 2013)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Welcome to the forum Chandler!
> 
> Are you running fasting basal tests to check your Levemir?



No, not yet.  Splitting Levemir different ways, checking through the night, changing correction doses, changing novorapid ratios. A lot happening at once! 

Not complaining yet cos it has taken 5 years to get appointments with the pump clinic. Doing everything they ask, don't want to jeopardize my shot at a pump.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Apr 14, 2013)

chandler said:


> No, not yet.  Splitting Levemir different ways, checking through the night, changing correction doses, changing novorapid ratios. A lot happening at once!
> 
> Not complaining yet cos it has taken 5 years to get appointments with the pump clinic. Doing everything they ask, don't want to jeopardize my shot at a pump.



My experience is that unless you get your basal set as well as you can first you will be chasing your tail on everything else. 

No idea why testing basal splits/doses with fasting is not taught as standard in every T1 clinic in the country, but this write-up helped me enormously when I found it a few years back: http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/info/?page_id=120

Plus of course the same techniques will be required when you start on a pump!


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## chandler (Apr 14, 2013)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> My experience is that unless you get your basal set as well as you can first you will be chasing your tail on everything else.
> 
> No idea why testing basal splits/doses with fasting is not taught as standard in every T1 clinic in the country, but this write-up helped me enormously when I found it a few years back: http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/info/?page_id=120
> 
> Plus of course the same techniques will be required when you start on a pump!



OMG that link is talking about everything that's been giving me hassle. Thank you!

The pump DSN is working with me on basals just now. We've found that I need 25% more in the evening and a "top-up" at breakfast.  We've not done anything about missing a meal to get a daytime Levemir requirement though.   I'm due to phone the hospital later this week, so will see what they say about trying this.

I've lived in three different areas since being diagnosed 16 years ago and this type of testing has never been discussed at any of the clinics.  I wonder why?


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## Pattidevans (Apr 17, 2013)

novorapidboi26 said:


> I got mine in the end of January and I am still fine tuning things, so I suppose it can potentially be a while but not always....
> 
> For me the best benefit so far has been the effortless weight loss....
> 
> I am on the Medtronic Paradigm 754 and the cannula is stuck down with an Elastoplast material. My pump has accidentally been swinging from this connection and there were no problems, it takes a lot to come off. If it is hidden under your clothes, which it will be, all should be well....


Please can I ask how you effortlessly lost weight?  Did you have a problem with constant hypos that needed feeding?  I'm currently in that situation and have just got approval for a pump because of the hypos.


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## Pattidevans (Apr 17, 2013)

chandler said:


> OMG that link is talking about everything that's been giving me hassle. Thank you!
> 
> The pump DSN is working with me on basals just now. We've found that I need 25% more in the evening and a "top-up" at breakfast.  We've not done anything about missing a meal to get a daytime Levemir requirement though.   I'm due to phone the hospital later this week, so will see what they say about trying this.
> 
> I've lived in three different areas since being diagnosed 16 years ago and this type of testing has never been discussed at any of the clinics.  I wonder why?


Madness isn't it?  Without knowing what your basal is doing how can you know whether it's basal or bolus at fault when BGs fail to behave?  A lot more areas need to think outside the box and actually _inform_ people how things work instead of wagging their fingers and saying "Not doing well enough, try harder!"


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## Pumper_Sue (Apr 17, 2013)

Pattidevans said:


> Please can I ask how you effortlessly lost weight?  Did you have a problem with constant hypos that needed feeding?  I'm currently in that situation and have just got approval for a pump because of the hypos.



Hi Patti,
           most people who pump have quite a reduction in insulin neeeds,  you also feel better in yourself and imho more active without realizing it, which all helps plus the bonus of a lot less hypos and not needing so many carbs to correct the hypo.


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## Pattidevans (Apr 24, 2013)

Yes, I shall be very grateful to stop feeding myself carbs I don't want Sue!


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