I have tried several times to meet with the diabetes clinic in my area to try to get the pump training and get setup on the pump yet everytime I go in they just keep wanting things from me rather then give me information. I have probably tried 3 times over the last 3 years and have been told "I would be high risk for the pump" by a nurse who hadn't seen hide no hair from me in 4 years.

I'm getting really frustrated cause I have never been good at writing things down and yet I have managed to keep pretty good control of my sugars according to my printouts from my meter.

But in order to hook me up on the pump they want 1. 2 weeks worth of bloodsugar reading, 2. 2 weeks worth of my card intake, and 3. 2 weeks of any exercise I may do during that period.

Honestly to me this seems like a lot. I understand how the pump works and how to control my sugars - I even have a ratio worked out for a correction bolus and a card ratio - so why is it that they need all this information before I can be officially put on the pump?

My Endo will not write the prescriptions for me till he gets a letter from the clinic and my family doc will not write prescriptions for me till she gets a letter from my endo.

So I am stuck with having to try to write down absolutely everything I do for 2 weeks!

Maybe I just seem like I am whining but for me that is a difficult thing to try to do......

 

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Editors Note
This person's story is in regards to the USA. In Australia, pumps can be fully covered by private hospital cover but you need to confirm that with your insurance company first. Ongoing costs are through the NDSS. Diabetes Educator's and Doctor's will need a run down of your levels and insulin needs so that you can work out together what rates to start on the pump. There is usually a reduction in overall basal insulin and a ratio for carbohydrate to units of insulin for boluses.