Newbie

[Geoo]

Hello, my name is Jim and I am 38. I have been a diabetic for 24 years. Until now I was using insulin and syringes but yesterday I was contacted by a company that is getting me set up on a pump, via my doctor. I am really excited about that. Its one of the Paradigm Real Time ones. I was searching for information and that is how I came across this site.

Thanks
Jim

[karen1976]

Hi Jim, Welcome! I have to say I am jealous that you will be getting a pump! Congrats! Keep us posted on how everything goes with it as far as monitoring and your blood sugar levels -- especially if you notice a significant improvement!... Thanks!
Karen

[Blair]

Jim welcome to the forum

I second Karen, please keep us posted.

[Vytautas]

Hi there and gratz.

I was trying to set up with one of those Dana pumps but didn't wok out... Now i'll try the Accu-Chec Spirit pump maybe it'll work better since the Dana pump is less relyable then the accu check one. All in all they're all the same.

This summer we've had a rather detailed instruction on the Paradigm 722 (the real time pump). For egzample the second infusion (the one that checks the blood level) has to be at least 8cm away from the first (or was it 15). The pump can show you if your sugar levels are going up or down and so on (2 arrows up means a fast increase, 1 means an increase and vice versa for decreace).

Good luck with the pump, hope it works for you

[Blair]

Vytautas, good luck with the Accu-Chec Spirit pump I hope it works out for you.
Would that mean that you'll be changing pumps again after the Paradigm 722 instructions later on?

[Vytautas]

Oh no... The paradigm 722 is far too expensive for me, though i think i could operate it anyway.

[Geoo]

Vytautas wrote:

Good luck with the pump, hope it works for you

Hum, that could be taken two ways. Either you really hope the system works out for the best for me.. or the 722s have problems and you hope the pump will work period. LOL

It came in today. Now I just have to wait on the trainer to set up an appointment with me. I ended up with alot of goodies. I think that the device tells the pump your BG trends was back ordered. I dont see that part but I got a new meter with the pump (called a Paradigm Link) and lots of other stuff that I dont know how to operate.

To be honest I am a bit intimidated about the part that sticks the catheder or whatever its called into you. I have been doing syringes for so long. I have kind of a unique way of using syringes though. I place the needle on my skin and lightly bounce it until it goes all the way in, rather slowly. Its the only way I have ever been able to do it.

Thanks for the encouraging words.

Jim

[Blair]

Vytautas wrote:

Oh no... The paradigm 722 is far too expensive for me, though i think i could operate it anyway.

That's a bloody pity, Vytautas. It's also something that keeps baffling me: how medicines and/or attributes can be priced that way that people needing it can't afford it, since health is the foremost most singular basic cause to be kept in place and NOT a commercial luxury. Those things can really make me very angry.

[Blair]

Jim, good luck with your pump I think everything looks complicated until explained how it works. I'm sure it'll work out just fine for you.

[Vytautas]

I don't think it's that complicated... Using a pump requires just a bit of knowing your way arround technology. When i first got the Dana IIs pump i learnt all of it's controls in about 5 minutes and i learnt all the secret menus a bit later (my doctors or providers didn't hide the doctors menu from me either since they thought i would be smart enough not to go messing arround too much)

Sadly the pump didn't work out (technical issues i think) and had ketoacidoses of ++ and had to lay in bed with intravenal (or however it's called in english+ insulin pumping... Now i'm going to try the Accu-Check Spirit pump wich i'm getting today. Hope this one works though i'm not too bad with pens either...

And about the pricing: maybe in due time the pumps will be compensated, but as for now our LDA (Lithuanian diabetes association) leaders are trying to get the parts compenstated for the learning people (those that go to school or university)