The past and the present
Since being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of four in 1969, I’ve managed my diabetes with a variety of treatments – all of which have changed considerably over the years.
One of my earliest memories was of my mum boiling glass syringes and my dad sharpening steel needles with a stone! I was injecting insulin derived from pigs once a day and put on a very regimented diet, with regular blood sugar tests and unpleasant hospital check-ups.
During my childhood, my parents and doctors struggled to keep up with my diabetes and I was very non-compliant. My control was so poor at one point that I was transferred to Sydney for specialist treatment. Here, my parents were informed that they would lose me at a very young age, unless we tried something ‘drastic’. At the time, I was very lucky to have an innovative doctor, who enrolled me in a global trial that was investigating the use of insulin pumps as a management technique for diabetes.
And so, I became the first person in Australia to be treated with an insulin pump.
My first insulin pump saved my life. After not growing for three years (I was tiny!), I started to regain my health and live a life more similar to my peers. Growing up with Type 1 diabetes most certainly involved lots of challenges that many girls of my age never encountered, but the insulin pump gave me my life back. It gave me the freedom and flexibility that I had always hoped for.
That being said, my first pump was huge and definitely a bit of an encumbrance. It weighed over a pound and would even set off the airport metal detectors every time I flew to Sydney for treatment! Back then, I would never have dreamed of the kinds of pumps that exist today, thanks to advances in modern technology.
Then and now – amazing advances in treatment options for diabetes. My first pump wasn’t quite as big as the one pictured here, but you can imagine!
Things have come a long way: the mylife YpsoPump
Looking back, it really does seem like I have tried and tested nearly every pump that has been on offer. Since my diagnosis in 1969, there has been a tremendous amount of life-changing developments in treatment options for Type 1 diabetes. Amazing advances in medical device technology mean that I now own an insulin pump – the mylife YpsoPump – that is one-eighth the size of my first pump!
The YpsoPump is fantastic and has me covered in more ways than one:
- Small and discreet.
I love how tiny the YpsoPump is – it's minute! You can hide it almost anywhere, which is wonderful and such a contrast to the bulky pumps I used when I was younger. - Easy to use.
The 360-degree orbit infusion system is great because it means I can easily reach my delivery site with minimal hassle. I also find the continual insulin delivery system brilliant, because I'm very insulin-sensitive and it means that I now have total peace of mind that I'm doing my very best to manage my diabetes. - Less stressful.
These days, I don’t have to worry about managing my levels or knowing if I’m on target because the YpsoPump clicks, literally – it makes a clicking sound when you attach the tubing, which I find really reassuring. The Unio Neva system also has the added benefit of giving an immediate feedback sound if it’s not in place, which I think is just marvellous. - Flexible.
The YpsoPump is well suited to my somewhat unstructured lifestyle. On some days, I’ll have a big lunch and dinner, and on other days I’ll be so busy that I’ll only have one meal, so I never know day-to-day what’s going to happen. The YpsoPump allows for flexibility and makes this possible, freeing me from the ‘shackles’ of having to predict my meals a day ahead. - Ypsomed support.
The support and guidance I received from Ypsomed during my recent transition to the YpsoPump was nothing other than exceptional. The Ypsomed representative who demonstrated how to use the pump was wonderful and spent several hours with me. Each time she told me what to do, I’d already done it because the YpsoPump was so intuitive! The service I’ve received since starting on the pump has also been exemplary, and the Ypsomed customer support team couldn’t have been more helpful.
Please note: This patient testimonial relates to an account of an individual’s response to treatment. The account is genuine, typical and documented. The views and opinions expressed are those of the patient and not representative of Ypsomed or of any third parties referenced. The response other persons have to treatment could be different. Please consult with your healthcare professional as to whether this treatment is suitable for you.
