Seeking insulin pump to possibly alleviate chronic nerve pain and/or advice

I've had diabetes since I was ten years old. Now I'm thirty and until the age of 29 I had not had any problems. Then, in December I started to get nerve pains in my legs. The neuropathy is so severe that I've had to quit my job and I've basically fallen into a depression as my social life has been replaced with taking large doses of pain medication and being bed ridden for most evenings as the pain increases throughout the day.

I live in Vancouver. My
Endocrinologist has recently diagnosed me as being overly sensitive to insulin, where one unit of Lantis can result in a jump of + or -7 mmol and cause me to have low blood sugars. Because of this I have to keep my blood sugar at a level of about 10 or 11 in order to avoid ongoing low blood sugars throughout the day. This prevents me from having low blood sugars too often but it also raises my HA1C levels where they are clearly effecting my health. My doctor tells me that the neuropathy would be greatly helped if I only had an insulin pump to keep more precise sugar levels. The problem is that I no longer have a job, I have no money to my name and the policy in British Columbia is to only give insulin pumps to people who are aged 18 and under.

I'm wondering if there is any kind of support and compassion association for people in my situation to provide insulin pumps that anyone might know about. I haven't found any and I am quite disappointed in British Columbia's stance of only allowing those under 18 while not having a stipulation for say a 19 year old with chronic health problems.


I guess I'm at the point where I"m wondering if someone 18 years or younger would be willing to "lose" their insulin pump. By losing I mean mailing it to me after you've received a replacement from your doctor. If you are please message me, it would mean a great deal to me and my ailing body.

Sorry to here about what you are going through.  I too live in BC and think it is ABSOLUTELY ridiculous that those of us who have lived with this disease but are now older than that magical number of 18 (I guess everyone gets cured from Type 1 diabetes at that age) are given the same medical privleges as others.  Sadly I have also looked for some way of getting an insulin pump but have found nothing that doesn't involve forkiing out the 7000 dollars, which really, lets be honest, is not feasable.  I was lucky enough to meet with a doctor who works at Women's hospital in which there is a program to give women who are thinking of or trying to get pregnant loaner pumps.  Sadly you are not a woman so I don't think this will be of help to you.  I consider myself very lucky.  

I have recently found a facebook group which is working to obtain insulin pumps for all people with type 1 diabetes.  Not sure if it is going anywhere but here is the link anyways

www.facebook.com

If that doesn't work then search Pharmacare for Insulin Pumps for Adults in BC.

Hope life starts turning around for you soon.

Your fellow west coast canadian.

gosh darnit ... clearly the link did not work.  lol.

Thank you very much for your reply and your helpful information, Candice. Does Pharmacare cover the cost of the supplies associated with the pump? I've started to go on a letter writing spree, I will spread any positive information that comes along for others in similar situations.

I am from Alberta, I do have private insurance that covered the cost of my Animas One-Touch Ping, however I believe the pump companies offer some kind of payment plan if you do not have insurance or all the $$$ up front - might be worth calling to see.

westcoastgreg -- Pharmacare does cover the pump supplies but only after you have reached a certain deductable, I think its 1500 so it still is costly.

Rachelle-- Some insurance companies do cover the cost of the pump-- some of them you have to fight with and some just won't give in (like mine).  Also pump companies do have a payment plan with not interest.  So that is great but when I last checked they still want a deposit (understandable) and I think you can only get payment plans for 2 years.  My memory is a little foggy though so im not sure.

I really do find it ridiculous though that the government will not help us out with pump treatment.  Since I have started using an insulin pump my health has been sooo much better.  I have more energy, Im not always correcting lows (I used to have a lot) and over all Im able to do so many more things that I struggled to do before.