|
Here we will list stories of personal experiences from people all over Scotland about trying to get a pump. Some have succeeded and unforunately some not. If you have a story we can publish
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
with us, it can be anonymous if you prefer.
Diabetes UK Scotland have recently produced a booklet Pumps - A New Lease for Life. This is a booklet of narratives sent in to Diabetes UK Scotland and iPAG about stories trying to get a pump in Scotland. The online version is available here
Hard copies are available from Diabetes UK Scotland
 |
Diabetes UK Scotland
The Venlaw
349 Bath Street
Glasgow
G2 4AA
Telephone 0141 245 6380
Careline Scotland 0845 120 2960
Fax 0141 248 2107
Email
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
|
|
Eventually in 2008 in Greater Glasgow and Clyde |
 |
 |
 |
|
2006 and 52 years of diabetes, HbA1C the 8s and 9s, night-time hypos every night, feeling tired, fed up and ill. Frequent liaison with my DSN and consultant did not do much. One day my DSN suggested an insulin pump. I had been offered a pump in the 1970s, but as a 20 something did not feel inclined to walk about with a big blue brick tied round my waist, so declined – probably just as well because they didn’t work that well then.
Before Pump
|
With Pump
|
- Night-time hypo every night for as long as I can remember
- Waking up not knowing who I was, where I was or when it was
- Hospital admissions
- Lots of hypos during the day as well
- Feeling like I had a permanent hangover – felt ill all the time
- Tired – no energy
- Fuzzy brain
- 4-6 injections a day – injection sites in very poor condition (70,000 injections over a life-time of diabetes)
- Drank at least one six-pack of Lucozade every week sometimes more
- Overweight
- At least monthly visits to my GP
- Clinic visits every 2-3 months
- Regular phone calls to Diabetes Specialist Nurse
- Depression
- Regular psychiatrist appointments
- Fortnightly psychologist appointments
- Appointments with GP practice CPN
- Anti-depressants
- Quality of life – total rubbish
|
- Not one night-time hypo since I started on the pump
- About two GP visits in two years
- Clinic visits will now be six monthly
- Limited input from Diabetes nurses
- Insulin dose has reduced to about 50% of previous dose
- Feel clear headed and ready for anything
- Feel good – lots of energy
- Lost weight – about 7 Kg (ov er a stone)
- Depression gone
- Discharged from psychiatrist, psychologist
- No more antidepressants
- Hardly need to take Lucozade at all
- Never late for work because of hypos
- HbA1C – 6.7 – Yes!
- Quality of life – great!
|
The journey to an insulin pump was very arduous, particularly the pre-pump “clinical assessment” where the pump team tried to prove that I didn’t need a pump – making me very much more ill. I was told I was unsuitable for a pump because I have an irregular lifestyle, exercise at the gym, have a stressful life and was on a relatively low dose of insulin – these tend to be factors that suggest that an insulin pump would help diabetes control. Pump consultant said “I don’t know why you want one of these – I wouldn’t have one in a million years”. I hope I have proved the pump team wrong – but still live in fear of them taking the pump back. I think the NHS has well and truly got its money back …
| |
|
|
|
|
Personal experiences
