insulin pumps

[aviv]

hi everyone!

i wonder if anyone here uses insulin pumps and can give some insider-insights as to what he finds as a good pump.
these things cost a lot, and the insurance in most cases cover only the basic pump from most manufacturers (minimed/medtronics, animas, etc).
any feedback would be great!

[Anita]

mmm...
There is a tradeoff between cost and comfort, so in fact it depends on your budget. In my opinion a good gain for the buck is the MiniMed 508 Pump.

[Gemstone]

No pump for me, I need insulin only once a day yet so I use a pen.

Gemstone

[juliedevos]

Hi Aivi,
Sorry for the REALLY late reply. I have been on a pump for 5 years now. I am on minimed 511. I went with minimed because they were the company that called me back the fastest. All the pumps are good. Some have diferent features. I suggest you call the pump companies and ask to see a pump rep. they will bring the pumps to your house and show you all about them. ITs really helpful in figuring out which one will best suit you. And dont worry they dont puch the pump on you or anything...its very informative.

The cost ranges from 5000-7500 US dollars and many private insurance companies cover the cost however all public ones dont. The supplies cost you $300 US a month. SO its a lot of money but I would not go back to needles.

There are pros and cons of any type of delivery system so you have to decide if its a good match to your lifestyle. I find it easier to exercise now than I did when I was on a long acting insulin. You also can eat WHEN ever you want. No need to watch the clock.

Anyways if you want more info. send me a personal message and I can answer more of your questions. I so know a lot of people on pumps and have attended sessions with pump trainers from all of the major companies.
Happy pumping1
Julie

[karen1976]

Hi Julie,

Just read your post, it's good to hear you like the pump -- wow, is it expensive! My insurance only covers some of it, which leaves me to wonder if they will cover the monthly supplies or not... still looking into it (from Canada,here).

Anyway, I was wondering... does it notify you of highs/lows? Or did you have to buy a separate glucose monitoring system? Is it painful to insert/do you feel it when you are out and about?

Thanks in advance,

Karen

[Blair]

juliedevos, thank you for your reaction. Same time I wonder about the question asked by Karen1976 if it is painful to insert...
Would appreciate it very much if you could respond to that.

[Shaff]

Hi everyone, Just started on a pump (minimed 722 ) a week ago and love it. There is no pain to insert it and after that you really don't feel it at all. Still doing adjustments to my settings but my BS are getting better all the time. Good Luck to anyone who goes this way to take their insulin. I would never go back to 6 shots a day now. Shaff

[Blair]

Shaff, I am so happy you received the pump. It is the answer to all (I mean most) diabetes and I hope soon it will become an automatic item for everyone using them

[sairekha]

Hey guys! Thanks for all the great info on pumps. Have been too chicken to try the pumps out of sheer ignorance. (thought they're painful!) But now I'm seriously contemplating it .. I have 3 questions looming large in my head now -

1. Are there any temperature limitations and storage instructions when you're on the pump? I know we have those for our injection vials?

2. Can you travel outdoors, like on treks etc with a pump?:blush:

3. How does the pump really monitor your BS? Do you get to know through the pump when your BS dips?

Would be grateful if you guys help me out with these..

[karen1976]

Hi Sairekha,

I'm actually saving to get a pump (it's not yet covered here though I've heard rumblings that it will be for Type 1 Diabetics soon!) and have been doing a little research. While I can't answer all your questions I can say this: You can most certainly travel outdoors (hiking etc) with a pump -- I'm pretty active and this is a huge part of the appeal for me! A friend of mine has a child who's diabetic and she wears it to play all sorts of sports and stuff, and absolutely loves it!

Also, I had asked my Dr. about the pump monitoring your blood sugar levels and found out that to do that, you need to purchase a separate device which you put on and will notify you if you go too high or too low. (I wish they would put it all in one thing!) My doctor also told me to still carry my glucometer to double-check the accuracy of these readings, though... I guess sometimes there can be difficulties with the insertion leading to less than accurate readings. Anyhow, here's a link to one company, if you'd like to check out what I mean: http://www.pumptherapy.ca/Main/StaticPage.aspx?id=43

All that being said, I know that there are a few here on the forum who already are on the pump... they'll be able to give you more in-depth advice. Good luck!