A Norfolk nurse has been sharing her experiences of living with diabetes at a national conference.
Nina Willer (above), a specialist diabetes midwife at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, is part of a clinical trial called AiDAPT for those with type 1 of the condition.
She has been using Hybrid Closed Loop which takes information from a glucose sensor, processes it based on the individual patient, and then an insulin pump gives a certain amount to keep the person’s blood glucose levels stable.
Nina, who became pregnant during the trial, said: “We found the HCL improves a woman’s blood sugars, giving them an improved time in range, which results in better outcomes for mum and baby. They also really help to improve the diabetes burden of the user, because there is much less work involved. It gives them a much better quality of life.”
Since the trial, all pregnant women with type 1 diabetes are now offered this at the Norfolk and Norwich, and it has been highlighted at a number of events including a Diabetes In Pregnancy conference organised by Diabetes UK.
Nina said: “Because I was involved in supporting patients on the trial, I could see early on the positive benefits of using the system. I was planning on using it as soon as it was publicly available anyway. When I became pregnant and had the opportunity to take part in the trial, I jumped at the chance, and I’ve not looked back. It’s been completely life changing. I hope more Trusts will adopt the use of the system. It’s transformative for people with diabetes.”
