[Diabetes-talk] Medtronic app for pump and CGM

Fri Jul 22 13:21:39 UTC 2016

I know it is costly, but if you really need a CGM as much as you do, and you really do, can you consider paying out of pocket? I believe the Dexcum CGM is around $1500, but you can contact the necessary parties to find out accurate info.

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 10:38 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: blindhands at aol.com
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Medtronic app for pump and CGM

Unfortunately, you are correct, but when you hit medicare insurances go by medicare rules and they will not pay for the CGM.  That is how I started this message out.  I have gotten a denial for the CGM, but they approved the 530 G Medtronic pump.  So the pump alone will not even work with out Medtronics CGM.  So the pump the way they are approving it will not help me out at all by turning it off if I get too low.

How did you folks get the Dextrum CGM?

Don't get old as medicare and the insurance companies that work with the medicare plans go by medicare rules.

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 10:02 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter <bkpollpeter at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Medtronic app for pump and CGM

I think you would need to find out specific information about any trial before making decisions. Is there currently a trial you qualify for? What is involved for participating? What are the long-term benefits of such a trial compared to using a device like a pump? At this point, artificial pancrease trials are just that- trials. They are still researching and testing, so even if you participate in a trial, how long would you be able to use the pancreas before having to switch back to a standard treatment?

And perhaps the pump is not the way to go. Maybe just the CGM is what you need. It sounds like the biggest problem is frequent lows that you do not detect. So a pump, even if it turns off during a low, isn't necessarily going to make a huge difference. The CGM may tell the pump to turn off if you start dropping, but you still likely need to treat, and know you need to treat. You could continue your current insulin protocol and just use a CGM, that can alarm when you reach a certain number and can therefore treat in time. Say when you drop below 90 or 80, the CGM can alarm, notifying you that you are dropping.

And the Dexcum CGM is much more accessible than the Medtronic CGM/pump, at least the Dexcum app is. It seems you need the CGM way more than you need the pump.

Just a thought.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of gary melconian via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2016 6:50 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: gary melconian <gmelconian619 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Medtronic app for pump and CGM

Will this work for type 2 diabets as well. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of blindhands--- via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2016 3:22 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: blindhands at aol.com
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Medtronic app for pump and CGM

Yes, I know I could have lots of lows, but I didn't think about the fact about possibliy recalibrating the machine.  I did know that would take a sighted person to help.  Is it certain times of the day that it needs to be calibrated or under circumstances?

Maybe I should sit tight and wait until they come out with the artificial pancreas.  They have done a study with the artificial pancreas with kids at Yale in the Spring [a few months back] and from what I heard the kids involved did not have to return the pumps for 2 years.  FDA approved them keeping them for 2 years.  The study was done for a 2 or 3 month period.

This is the Medtronic artificial pancreas and due to hit the market in 2017.

Thank you everyone for the sharing of information as I really don't know what will work best.  I just can't keep passing out for several hours at a time and keep having my son find me on the floor unconscious.

Joyce 

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Eileen Scrivani via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2016 5:21 PM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Eileen Scrivani <etscrivani at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Medtronic app for pump and CGM

Joyce, 

If you have the phone number of the rep you met with when showed the pump, I strongly suggest that you call that person or the CDE you’re working with and find out the answer to the question of if you have to do something to turn insulin delivery back on or if the pump will trigger insulin delivery itself when it shuts off due to a low.  If this is also a contingency for your getting the pump then they should be able to answer the question over the phone.  Also ask if you need to re-start the delivery, then as a blind person, can you learn to do it or does it require sighted assistance?  If you’ll need sighted help, you’ll need to have a line-up of people that can help you with it.  The Medtronics rep or your CDE should also be able to answer this question for you. Having it turned back on can be as important as having it shut itself down.  The Medtronics rep should not have a problem answering your questions to help you make an important decision.  

Are you aware that when first starting to use a pump you may have some number of lows because of the basil rate not quite being figured out yet?  

Eileen

From: blindhands--- via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2016 4:27 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' 
Cc: blindhands at aol.com
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Medtronic app for pump and CGM

Tom,

I only know what I have been told so far.  What type of insulin pump are you using?

I don't know what other pumps are out there asor names of other pumps, but the Dexcom CGM from the excom app doesn't work with the Medtronic pump.  The important feature in this pump is the fact it can turn off when I get too low..  I do not know if it goes back on or if you have to do something to it to get it up and going again.  I sat with the rep for 2 hours and we talked about it and he showed me how to work some things.

As far as the app reading the blood sugar levels that is what I need.  I live now with knowing the numbers counting carbs and calculating my dosages.

That is why I rejoined this list to hear from pump users.

More then 30 years ago before I went blind I did a study thru Yale and I was on a pump for several months.  Pumps back then were large and did not have anything like they have today.  My husband made me return it after a few months as I was having a lot of low blood sugars and passing out and I had 3 children at home the youngest a toddler.

Joyce

,

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tom Ley via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2016 7:33 AM
To: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
Cc: TALey at ups.com
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Medtronic app for pump and CGM

When I last spoke with a blind user of the Medtronic app for their pump, Voiceover read the current blood sugar reading, but it did not indicate with voiceover the trend of your blood sugar, such as steady or rising slowly, etc. The Dexcom G5 gives you both the current number and your current trend.

And, as Bridget said, the Medtronic app only lets you read information, it does not let you interact with the CGM to start or stop it, calibrate it, etc. This will require sighted assistance twice a day, to calibrate it. 
I can independently calibrate my Dexcom CGM from the Dexcom app, and all the other functions such as start it, stop it, etc. 

Tom

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