[Diabetes-Talk] insulin pumps and CGM

Fri Mar 29 22:10:10 UTC 2019

Hi Alyssa. 
I am totally blind and am currently using the Omnipod insulin pump along
with the Dexcom CGM. If I were in your shoes, I'd look at the Omnipod and
the Tandem T-slim. The Tandem does have good contrast. It also does have the
best sounds as feedback, assuming you can touch the right spot on the screen
to do something. If you can work the Tandem, you can have the Dexcom built
into it so you'd be reading everything off of one device, be able to have BG
readings entered automatically and such.
The Omnipod uses pods, which are larger than the small cannulas that would
go with the Tandem, but there's no tubing. I just switched last May when the
Animas disappeared. I suspect you'd have a tough time magnifying the
Medtronic and when I tried them last year, my Seeing AI app couldn't read
them.
Also, I can do many more things with the Omnipod than with the Medtronic. If
all I can do with a pump is give a bolus, why bother! I like taking
advantage of the other things a pump can offer. But we are very limited at
the moment. 
As for the CGM, I do like my Dexcom G6 and find it very easy to use. I admit
that sometimes I do hit that tech overload place, tired of constantly
keeping track of when this device expires or this one times out or this or
that, bla bla bla
bla.
Sometimes knowing and always being able to check my number is great and
really helpful and sometimes, it does wear me out a bit, if you know what I
mean. I do have days when I just want to rip everything off and run free. I
know plenty of people who occasionally take a break from one or the other.
When push comes to shove, I haven't done that. I'm one of those people who
had trouble getting enough blood for finger sticks so I do really appreciate
not having to do that now that I have the Dexcom. 
But for any pump, my suggestion would be for you to get your hands on all of
them and play. You can call any company and have them send a trainer out to
show you the pump in person. So if your educators only know one, don't short
change yourself. I did that when my trusty Cozmo finally died. I wore an
Omnipod for 3 days. I met with the Animas rep and played with it. I spent
two hours with the Medtronic rep. Even the Tandem people let me take a pump
home to see if there was any way of designing a template that would allow me
to use it. Unfortunately, there wasn't because each screen was so different.
The Tandem does have kind of a weird way of filling its cartridge and it
needs to be charged through USB every day. I have no regrets for my choice
of the Omnipod for now though. 
Hope this helps and if you'd like to have a further phone chat, I'd be more
than happy to do that as well. It's not an easy road we travel these days,
that's for sure. Please keep us posted and let us know if we can help at
all.
Veronica

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Phone: 831-429-6407

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Friday, March 29, 2019 1:55 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
Cc: Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] insulin pumps and CGM

Alyssa,

First, the only pump totally blind diabetics can now use work-arounds for is
the Medtronic 530G, which is no longer being offered unless you absolutely
need it, and even then, you might not be able to get one. Some of us were
able to switch to the 530 G back in October and be under a 4 year warranty,
but my understanding is that Medtronic will no longer supply that warranty
to people who request the 530G, because it doesn't plan to manufactor it in
the future. I used a Cosmo for years, then switched to Animas when Cosmo was
discontinued. I'm totally blind, and have a lot of success with Cosmo and
Animas. When Animas decided to stop all pumps, and there were none on the
market that can work for totally blind people, I wasn't sure what to do. I
think Medtronic allowed us to switch to the 530 G for this very reason, but,
as I said, it doesn't plan to use it anymore. But for at least 4 years, I
have the 530G, and it's working as well as the Cosmo and Animas, although,
Cosmo was my favorite and most accessible pump.

However, if you can use magnification with a pump, you might have more
selection. Your best bet is to get your hands on a T Slim or the Medtronic
630G or 730G and see how they work with magnification.

I use Dexcom and love it. I was also concerned with having a CGM sensor and
my pump, but it's not that big of a deal.

So, with Dexcom, what you wear on your body is a sensor, that is the
thickness of a sticker, like an infusion set. The transmitter snaps onto the
sensor, and it's about the width and thickness of a smallish flash drive.
There are no wires or tubes; it all connects with blue tooth. The system
comes with a receiver, which looks like a mobile phone, but it's totally
inaccessible, although, it might work with magnification. The iPhone app is
fully accessible however, and most of us exclusively use the app.

I love knowing what my sugars are at any given time of day, and I don't have
to poke my finger to do it. As a busy mom, it's super convenient. And I
frequently experience overnight lows, and Dexcom alarms at me when I drop
below 70, and if I go below 55, it alarms with an urgent low glucose alarm.
You can set a specific number for when you want to be alerted about highs
and lows. I have mine set for 70 for lows, which is the default, and 200 for
highs, the default is 250. It also lets me know if my sugars are constant or
rising or lowing, and at what rate they are rising/lowering. I really like
knowing if I'm rapidly dropping or raising, or conversely, slowly
dropping/raising, because it helps me better treat either scenario.

Dexcom has the G5 and G6. Depending on your insurance, it will depend on if
you qualify for the newer G6 version. Hope this all makes sense and is
helpful.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Alyssa
Frierson via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Friday, March 29, 2019 2:15 PM
To: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Alyssa Frierson <alyssafrierson at gmail.com>
Subject: [Diabetes-Talk] insulin pumps and CGM

Hi all,
I was on the list a while ago, took a break, and now I'm back with a
question. For those of you on insulin pumps, what insulin pump do you use? I
have Type 1 and have used an Animas pump for the entire thirteen years I've
been on a pump. My warranty expires at the end of April, so I have to sadly
switch. I meet with my Diabetes educator on Tuesday to discuss options, but
thought I'd ask here as well. I have some residual vision and have been able
to use my Animas Ping independently with some magnification. I know there's
not a totally accessible pump, but was wondering if you've found some more
easy to use than others? My doctor suggested at one point the Tandem T-Slim
might work because of the contrast on the screen?

Also, for those of you who have a CGM, which do you have? I know Dexcom has
an iPhone app; is it accessible? I'm really on the fence about a CGM. I'm
not sure I like the idea of being attached to something else all the time
(having a pump and CGM stuck to my body all the time), and am not sure how I
feel about always being able to look at my blood sugars. My last A1C was
6.9, so I feel like my control is generally pretty good. But lately I'm
finding I have growing anxiety about my overnight blood sugars and have
trouble not over-correcting for lows, so I can see some advantage to trying
a CGM.
Both of these feel like big changes since I've only ever used my Animas pump
(or shots) and my glucose meter for so long, so I think I'm struggling a bit
with wrapping my head around it, if that makes sense or if anyone can
relate.

I'd appreciate any input anyone has to offer. Thank you!

Alyssa

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