A diabetes patient receiving treatment at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital (RBH) has become one of the first in Europe to use a new state-of-the-art insulin pump system.
Steve Ingham, 74, said his life has “completely changed” thanks to the Medtronic 640G insulin pump, which uses sensors to warn him of impending low blood sugar levels and can make the decision to switch off his insulin supply when it detects his blood sugar level is falling too fast, which could save his life.
The revolutionary new device features innovative technology to mimic the way a healthy pancreas delivers insulin to the body enabling the individual to achieve better control of their condition.
It not only has the power to calculate insulin doses accurately, but can be programmed to issue audio alerts and reminders to work around a person’s lifestyle.
Steve, who lives in Winchester but chooses to travel to RBH for his treatment, has lived with diabetes since 1965 and began using a basic sensor in 2008 after he gradually lost the ability to recognise the signs of a hypoglycaemic episode, where the glucose in the blood drops to dangerous levels.
He said: “Before I began using the new device, my wife and I were sometime asked to leave restaurants because people mistook my hypo symptoms for drunkenness.
“My life has completely changed thanks to the device. Its warning signals have prevented me having to be rushed into hospital, I can drive a car, take regular exercise, and most importantly lead a normal life knowing I have control over my condition.”
Emma Jenkins, Diabetes Specialist Dietician and insulin pump trainer at RBH, said: “It is great that we can offer patients this technology, which not only reduces their risk of ill health but the burden and fear of their condition.
“Our team has been nationally recognised for the development and innovation of insulin pump therapy for more than 15 years. We aspire to continue to develop our services and work to a high quality standard.”
