The new UltraLink for the MM Paradigm

Keezheekoni · #1 (**permalink**) 04-20-2008, 12:21 AM

I went to the Seattle Diabetes Expo today and talked at length with the Lifescan rep. He said that if he was a betting man, he'd bet $1000 that the UltraLink *will* get FDA approval by this Friday.

He said that anyone who is a Paradigm user, with their pump *in* warranty, will get the meter drop shipped within two weeks of the approval.

Yippee!

jeggeman31 · #2 (**permalink**) 04-20-2008, 09:04 AM

That is great news, I hope he is correct.

notme · #3 (**permalink**) 04-20-2008, 09:46 AM

That would be great! Thanks for the update Rikki.... How was the Expo otherwise?

Funnygrl · #4 (**permalink**) 04-20-2008, 09:50 AM

Will there be colors to match the pump, and have they fixed they issue of it updating the CGMS everytime you test (meaning CGMS users can't use the meter)?

Keezheekoni · #5 (**permalink**) 04-20-2008, 10:08 AM

The Expo was great, Nancy. I'm going to write something up about it a little later today.

Christine, I talked with the Medtronic people and the meter/CGMS problem is a pump problem not a meter problem. Sometime in November they're supposed to have an upgraded Paradigm available that does fix that problem. Of course, there will be an upgrade fee...pbbbt to that. I just turned off the meter link in my pump and manually input the bgs. Yeah, it's a pain and doesn't work right but oh well for now.

By the way, the November-ish upgrade will be the last pump of that series. They are then moving on to a tubeless pump, like the Omnipod but supposedly smaller. Though I was surprised at how small the Omni actually is. I don't like the design of the PDA though... They couldn't say much about it since they don't know when it's projected to come out.

As for colors, to be honest I forgot to ask about that. I do have the reps card, so I can email him later to find out.

DarthDiabetes · #6 (**permalink**) 04-20-2008, 10:44 AM

What is the ultralink?

RobiJo · #7 (**permalink**) 04-20-2008, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funnygrl

Will there be colors to match the pump, and have they fixed they issue of it updating the CGMS everytime you test (meaning CGMS users can't use the meter)?

I don't use the Paradigm Link... doesn't it give you the option to update sensor? Every bg I put in, it asks to update sensor. It's just like another step in the bolus wizard.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keezheekoni

I just turned off the meter link in my pump and manually input the bgs.
By the way, the November-ish upgrade will be the last pump of that series. They are then moving on to a tubeless pump, like the Omnipod but supposedly smaller. Though I was surprised at how small the Omni actually is. I don't like the design of the PDA though... They couldn't say much about it since they don't know when it's projected to come out.

I upgraded my 715 to the 722 and paid the $ so I could use the sensor. Unless there's something else significant, I won't be upgrading to the next one.

Tubeless huh. Interesting. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I like being attached. As often as I drop and/or lose my cell phone, I'm not sure I could manage a detached pump controller.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarthDiabetes

What is the ultralink?

The new meter MM is coming out with to replace the BD series Paradigm Link. BD is no longer in the meter business.

RobiJo · #8 (**permalink**) 04-20-2008, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keezheekoni

I went to the Seattle Diabetes Expo today and talked at length with the Lifescan rep. He said that if he was a betting man, he'd bet $1000 that the UltraLink *will* get FDA approval by this Friday.

He said that anyone who is a Paradigm user, with their pump *in* warranty, will get the meter drop shipped within two weeks of the approval.

Yippee!

Did you ask if the meter will upload through the CareLink USB or through a Ultra data port?

Keezheekoni · #9 (**permalink**) 04-20-2008, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobiJo

Did you ask if the meter will upload through the CareLink USB or through a Ultra data port?

It's *supposed* to do both, but to be honest the guy from Lifescan didn't know for sure. The MiniMed reps were under the impression that it does both.

Funnygrl · #10 (**permalink**) 04-20-2008, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobiJo

I don't use the Paradigm Link... doesn't it give you the option to update sensor? Every bg I put in, it asks to update sensor. It's just like another step in the bolus wizard.

Nope- it updates it every darnded time.

If the next upgrade puts IOB on the status screen and fixes the meter issue, I'm so on it.

Keezheekoni · #11 (**permalink**) 04-20-2008, 07:25 PM

Christine, you have to shut off the option on your pump...otherwise, yes it will use every bg as a calibration bg.

Go to:

Utilities --> Meter Options --> Off and hit ACT. It will now not get the bg directly from the meter and you will have to manually enter the bg when you calibrate or bolus.

Funnygrl · #12 (**permalink**) 04-20-2008, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keezheekoni

Christine, you have to shut off the option on your pump...otherwise, yes it will use every bg as a calibration bg.

Go to:

Utilities --> Meter Options --> Off and hit ACT. It will now not get the bg directly from the meter and you will have to manually enter the bg when you calibrate or bolus.

Yeah, I've done that. Actually, I don't even use that meter, it's inaccurate. But *why* should my pump be disabled because I chose to add CGMS? Why should I not be able to use one feature because I paid extra to add another feature?

It's poor design. The 522 has been out 2 years now and it hasn't been addressed yet.

Not having IOB on the status screen is also poor design imho, and that has been around since the 512. They had the 515 and 522 models to update that in.

Keezheekoni · #13 (**permalink**) 04-20-2008, 07:40 PM

When I manually enter my bg, it asks me the same thing as RobiJo though...I have to tell it NO and then it doesn't calibrate at that point.

I've only had it for two days... overnight last night was bad since I had it alarming me for being in the 70s when I knew I was in the 130s.

I calibrated four times this morning, at 15 minute intervals, while being flat at 90 for an entire 3 hours. It's been on the mark all day. I learned to do that from an email I got from my trainer (who I met with yesterday at the Expo)... here's what the email says:

"The number that is appearing on your screen is a weighted average of the last 4 calibration BG’s you have entered. So, if a BG was entered and it was a rising or falling BG that shifted the sensor data, it will take another 4 calibrations to get rid of the BG skewing the data. One trick that may help is to enter 4 calibrations each 15 minutes apart to wipe clean the inaccurate BG. Make sure your BG’s are perfectly stable and you have no arrows (this should be approximately 3 hours after eating or exercising). You then should have much more accuracy between your finger poke BG and your sensor BG."

Maybe you could try that? My CGMS has been within 15 mg/dL of my fingersticks all day today.