[Diabetes-talk] Have you gone thru this?

Thu Jul 21 08:01:04 UTC 2016

Hi, all,

Some totally blind diabetics I've met through another forum  are using
"The Pod," a wireless insulin pump which auto checks your blood sugar
every 15 minutes and delivers as needed. The app is apparently
accessible, and the device itself has a simple pattern to be able to
control it through the inaccessible on-board settings.

I could ask them for more information, if you're interested. Their
insurances are covering it with no problem.

J

On 7/21/16, Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter via Diabetes-Talk
<diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> I now use the Animas Ping, but I worked with a Medtronic pump too. As a
> blind person, there's not a whole lot more you can do with a pump
> independently beyond changing batteries, cartridges and tubing, bolus, some
> bolus wizards can work without sight, setting temporary basal patterns and
> switching between basal patterns, but changing basal rates is usually a bit
> more complicated to do nonvisually. Outside this, there's not much more
> blind users use on pumps. It also depends on how comfortable you become
> with
> the pump. The CGM part of the Medtronic is not accessible at all. I'm not
> sure about the app. My understanding was that the Dexcum CGM app was the
> only accessible app, but I thought someone on the list said that with the
> Medtronic CGM app you can at least have it read out numbers, though you
> can't change or set anything.
>
> Do you have symptoms of being low? Dizziness, cold sweats, hunger,
> light-headed, etc.? Not all diabetics feel symptoms, I understand this. I
> feel symptoms well before I reach the point of passing out. I have frequent
> lows, but I rarely don't get to the point where I run out of time to treat.
> But I can also be 40 or lower and completely lucid and capable of treating.
> But when, if you do, feel symptoms, do you treat immediately? Do you keep
> juice and candy or food nearby at all times including at night? When I
> leave
> the house, I always have juice and a snack of some kind with me. And I keep
> juice in my nightstand.
>
> Good luck.
>
> Bridgit
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> blindhands--- via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2016 10:33 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: blindhands at aol.com
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Have you gone thru this?
>
> It will shut off up to 2 hours or from what I have been told if your blood
> sugar reaches a certain level it will start delivering insulin once again.
>
> I have had this in my hands and the rep basically showed me how to put the
> insulin in and bleed the tubing to get the air out.  Showed me how to bolis
> a amount of insulin.  I will need to learn a lot more, but I don't know if
> I
> want the pump until I get the CGM  unit as I feel that they are giving me
> the car without the brakes and there is no brakes for it.
>
> Joyce
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2016 11:27 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter <bkpollpeter at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Have you gone thru this?
>
> When the Medtronic turns off when low, is it somehow accessible to turn
> back
> on when you need?
>
> Bridgit
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> blindhands--- via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2016 10:06 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: blindhands at aol.com
> Subject: [Diabetes-talk] Have you gone thru this?
>
> Well first the good news:
>
> My United Health Care has approved getting me the Medtronic 530 B insulin
> pump!  This is the new one that will turn off when your blood sugar goes to
> low.  I don't know what other bells and whistles it has.  Someone mentioned
> here that this is the only pump that can do this?
>
> This is what I really need as I have had a lot of low blood sugars and have
> been found on the floor by my son being unconscious for 3 to 4 hours.
>
> Now the horrible and are they crazy?
> They denied the CGM to this machine.  So much for it turning off when my
> blood sugar goes too low.  But, I was advised by the American Diabetes
> Association to contact my state advocacy  department which I had done and
> was assigned a person that will handle the denial.  I got the form in like
> Johnny on the Spot.  When she called me I told her I did not get a denial
> letter as MedTronics was dragging their feet on it.  They wanted me to put
> in for the older machine as the United Health Care would approve that
> machine.
>
> So I will be starting the battle to see if they change their minds and go
> for the thing that I really need and the endocrinologist is recommending.
>
> Has any one tried fighting a denial?
>
> If you call up Medtronics and get put on hold they have an advertisement
> going that states United Health Care supportsMedtronics 530 G insulin pump.
> When I asked the insurance person she did not even know that was on their
> phone line.
>
> I did ask her, if the apt works with voiceover and she told me she did not
> know and would ask around.  I did not get that answer from her either.
>
> Advise, Advise Advise, please let me know your experience with a denial.
> Supposely United Health Care goes by Medicare rules.  So that is why the
> first denial.
>
> Joyce
>
>
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-- 
J Steele-Louchart

I Will Find A Way or I Will Make One