In 8 days, I will become a pumper. I am sooo excited. Not only do I love gadgets but this gadget should help me to improve my A1C and live healthier.

My insurance doesn't cover the pump ($5000), infusion set ($2800/yr), etc. They only cover insulin, pens, needles, lance device, and lancets. When deciding whether to pay for the pump expenses myself, I was not sure the cost would be worth it.  How do you put a value on improving A1C levels anyway. Would mine improve? Oh, there were many more questions that I really could not answer. I stopped worrying and went for it.

I am still curious though. How much did your A1C improve after switching to the pump? Did you gain weight? Did anyone go back to using needles after switching to the pump? If yes, then why.

Another thing... In Germany, either you spend several days in the hospital learning how to manage diabetes using a pump or you take a classes (7 days, 3.5 hours each, $500) with a specialist who works in the endo's office. Is it similar in the US? (It should be really interesting learning how to use a pump in with instructions in German)

Thanks in advance for sharing.

Dene

In the US different people start up different ways.  I went to my CDE's offfice and using values I had recorded from MDI we programmed the pump. I inserted my forst catheter and off I was to "play" with it.  I was given some basic guidelines for changing basals but that's all there was.  To telll you the truth it is hard to believe that you can use all that time getting started on a pump unless it covers many other things like carb counting, setting basal rates and testing them, learning how to use every feature of the pump to its fullest.  When I changed from a traditional pump to the OmniPod I just transferred my setings and away I went.  20 minutes with my CDE.  The one thing that has always seemed like a total waste of time to me is pumping with saline solution.   I don't see anything useful gained from that. Might as well hold the pump in your hand and stick the catherters in an orange.  :-)   Good luck with your pump.  You'll love it.  Andy

Thanks for the info, Andy. Not sure I understand about the saline solution but I guess I will learn about it soon. Are the costs similar in the US? 7 more days to go!

Andy at 09:05AM on Aug 28, 2009

Some Doctors and CDE's think that it makes sense for you to start with a pump using a water and salt solution rather than insulin. They feel it gives you a chance to get used to wearing it and playing with the buttons. I feel it is a total waste of time. As far as cost goes, A typical pump other than the OmniPod goes for about $6000 in the US. Catheters are about $13 each and you need about 125 year or $1625 worth.So you pump seems in line and supplies seem high. Which pump are you going on? Andy

Hi Andy,

I just received my pump yesterday, Accu-Chek Combo mfg by Roche, and will start the  pump training on Wednesday. The Accu-Chek Combo is not available in the US yet. It combines the remote control with the blood meter and communicates with the pump and computer software via bluetooth. Thanks for the information you provided. I will see an endo in the US when I return in January. I am excited and curious to know the differences between US and Germany. I hope (crossing fingers) that the therapy (and costs) here is as good as the therapy I would receive in the US. Thanks again for the info. Dene