[Diabetes-talk] Have you gone thru this?

Fri Jul 22 01:42:48 UTC 2016

Yes, for sure. That's scary, and you should have access to the necessary
equipment that will help you best manage your diabetes.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
blindhands--- via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2016 3:08 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?

I have been a diabetic for 57 years insulin dependent.  I have no syptoms
and haven't for a long time.  I had 2 heart attacks and never felt a thing.
So the need of a machine like this is important especially since my husband
died 2 years ago and I live by myself.

Joyce

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2016 12:02 AM
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?

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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