Montreal Insulin Pump Support Group

Attendance: 25

People arrived around 5:30 pm for the meeting. Much exchange took place before and after
between people. An excellent climate was created immediately.

A questionnaire, in order to plan the future meetings, was given to each participant when
they arrived.

Bianka opened the meeting followed of Diane Therrien. Bianka presented Dr. Yale. English
speaking people were invited to follow Diane for the discussion during the French
presentation of Dr. Yale. Dr. Yale thereafter joined the English speaking people for his
presentation in English.

Dr. Yale carried out an excellent revision of the pumps until now and the evolution of
these medical apparatuses. What is possible now but what stops them from entering the
market now. He also discussed the future of pumps. He also spoke about the
transplantation of the Langerhans Islets and of the project directed by Dr. Rosenberg at
the Montreal General Hospital. His presentation provoked many questions. One of the
participant having undergone a transplantation of the pancreas which was unsuccessful and
shared her experience with us.

The group discussion was rather hectic with 10 participants and only one moderator. We
spoke of insurance, glycemic index, infusion sites, why we are on the pump, our
successes, our failures, hypoglycaemia, lower-stabilisation or rise of the A1C, Web sites
and our discomforts.

There were 2 discussion groups in French. One of the moderators gave me a list of the
topics they discussed (our life in general, pump versus training received, wallet
memorandum in the event of loss of consciousness (what to do), general practitioner
versus type 1, quality of life, decreased hypos, loss of memory, shared tricks).

Here is the compilation of the surveys:

Question 1 addressed the frequency of the meetings:

1 monthly , 2 every 2 months, 7 every 3 months, 2 every 6 months

Question 2 addressed starting time of the meetings: 1 prefer 18h, 6 prefer 18h30, 3
prefer 19 h, 1 indicate 6pm, 7pm. is fine and 1 indicate 19h30 (no specific pref.).

Question 3 addressed the ending time of the meeting : 5 want that the meetings to finish
at 21 h, 7 want 21h30.

Question 4 addressed the idea of an hour conference followed by discussion group for an
hour: all liked the idea. No other suggestion for the moment.

Question 5 addressed the priorities for the future conferences:

Physical exercise: No 1 for 2 people, No 2 for 3 people, No 3 for 1 person, No 4 for 1
person, No 6 for 1 person, No 7 for 1 person, No 14 for 1 person Nutrition : No 1 for 1
person, No 2 for 2 people, No 5 for 1 person, No 6 for 2 people, No 7 for 2 people, No 8
for 1 person, No 10 for 1 person Food Choices: No 2 for 1 person, No 4 for 2 people, No 5
for 1 person, No 7 for 2 people, No 8 for 1 person, No 10 for 1 person, No 14 for 1 person
Carbohydrates calculation: No 3 for 2 people, No 4 for 1 person, No 7 for 1 person, No 8
for 1 person, No 9 for 4 people Where t wear the pump: No 1 for 1 person, No 2 for 1
person, No 3 for 1 person, No 6 for 1 person, No 8 for 1 person, No 9 for 1 person, No 10
for 1 person, No 11 for 1 person Infusion sites and problems: No 1 for 1 person, No 2
for 1 person, No 3 for 2 people, No 4 for 1 person, No 5 for 1 person, No 8 for 1 person,
No 9 for 1 person, No 10 for 2 people Travelling with a pump: No 2 for 1 person, No 3 for
2 people, No 5 for 2 people, No 8 for 2 people, No 9 for 1 person, No 13 for 1 person
Family Planning: No 1 for 3 people, No 4 for 1 person, No 11 for 1 person, No 12 for 1
person, No 13 for 1 person, No 14 for 1 person Physical and hormonal changes: no 1 for 1
person, No 3 for 3 people, No 4 for 2 people, No 5 for 1 person, No 7 for 1 person, No 10
for 1 person Missing resources for type 1-all is for type 2: No 1 for 3 people, No 2 for 3
people, No 5 for 1 person, No 6 for 1 person, No 8 for 1 person, No 9 for 1 person, No 13
for 1 person To have a pump, after when the problems arrive what to do: No 3 for 1 person,
No 4 for 1 person, No 5 for 2 people, No 6 for 2 people, No 11 for 1 person, No 14 for 1
person Living with a pump 24h/24: No 5 for 1 person, No 6 for 2 people, No 11 for 2
people, No 12 for 3 people, No 13 for 1 person Insurance issues: No 1 for 2 people, No 4
for 1 person, No 10 for 1 person, No 11 for 2 people, No 12 for 1 person, No 13 for 2
people, The bolus options: No 1 for 1 person, No 2 for 1 person, No 4 for 3 people, No 5
for 1 person, No 6 for 1 person, No 7 for 1 person, No 12 for 1 person, No 14 for 1 person

Conclusions: lack of resources for type 1 generate much frustrations as well as the
problems which arrive after the acquisition of the pump. People want to speak about all
the subjects.

Other subjects suggested: weight control and skin care .

Suggestions: invite an insurance agent.

Comments: thank you. This was my first true experiment as a diabetic. Keep us uptodate
with research being done on type 1 diabetes.