Insulin pump with active bg meter

Royce · #1 (**permalink**) 12-29-2006, 07:47 PM

Not long ago I went on the paradigm pump with continuous bg monitoring system. I have to admit that its not all what its cracked up to be. For one, the sensor does not start up right away. You have to wait 2 hours for it to calibrate before you get active results. During that time you have to make sure your bg is stabilized. After the 2 hours, you have test yourself and tell the pump what your at. The sensor on your body lasts 3 days, and and the pump needs to be calibrated every 8 hours (without waiting 2 hours wich you need to do every first calibration.) So, If you calibrate it at lets say, 6.00pm, you will be getting up at 2.00 with a anoying beep and vibration. Try and avoid that hehe. I notice that I test my self and go through test strips more often then I did before I went on this pump. The sensor is also quite large in my opinion. When I take of my shirt I look like a robot

all these tubes and wires attached to me. There are positive sides too! of course! If you go on a long trip, hyke, or gym workout, you can get an Idea of what your at! Although you must make sure your not going to be out for over 8 hours without your tester. Though the calibration is not allways correct. Its just a rough idea of what your bg is at. It might say I'm 4.0 when Im really 3.1. So I thought I'd give someone an Idea of what its like before they went on it. It's a great system but nothing close to care free.

notme · #2 (**permalink**) 12-29-2006, 08:52 PM

Thanks for the update Royce.

I think I will wait until the system is a bit more tried and true. I appreciate the info.

xMenace · #3 (**permalink**) 12-29-2006, 09:27 PM

TYVM for the input. I am waiting for my insurance to decide to cover it before I spring for one.

Cyborg · #4 (**permalink**) 12-30-2006, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royce

Although you must make sure your not going to be out for over 8 hours without your tester.

IMO, a type 1 diabetic should never go anywhere without their test kit or glucose. I certainly would not rely on CGMS readings to dose insulin.

JediSkipdogg · #5 (**permalink**) 12-30-2006, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyborg

IMO, a type 1 diabetic should never go anywhere without their test kit or glucose. I certainly would not rely on CGMS readings to dose insulin.

Sadly on another forum I belong to (95% are aged 16-25) there are quite a few that do that and ONLY do the fingersticks to calibrate. I gave up explaining the dangers of that. Personally, just another reason I want to buy a helicopter instead of driving, lol. Or maybe an armored bank truck.

Tony · #6 (**permalink**) 12-30-2006, 08:07 AM

After reading your post and another post I read yesterday. I have come to realize this could be a good thing. The cgms's forces you to test more Which shouldn't be a problem, because it keeps us from slacking off. To sum up what Jedi said, alot of have the wrong idea of the cgms. The cgms's are not meant for replacement of finger stick at this time.

rudi · #7 (**permalink**) 12-31-2006, 10:43 AM

I just started on a Paradigm pump two months ago and love it. I don't have a sensor yet and am a little hesitant about the "robot" look. I might wait awhile to see if they figure it out better.

rebeccaspacex · #8 (**permalink**) 12-31-2006, 11:13 PM

Hi all! I just joined the forum. I'm thinking of trading my pump in for the continuous monitoring system. Does anyone know if you can take off the continuous part if you want to so it works like your regular pump? I thought it might be nice to have the continuous monitoring option but not be tied to it. I test 10-15 times a day as it is just because I've been so irregular since my diagnosis 3 years ago. I have a really bad ketone problem, also.

xMenace · #9 (**permalink**) 01-01-2007, 03:21 AM

Welcome Rebecca,

Most definately. I have a MM 722 but no CGMS.

May I ask what you think your problem with BG control is? The fact that anyone shows ketones at all indicates something very wrong with their approach. There's lots of ideas around here that can help you.

Cyborg · #10 (**permalink**) 01-01-2007, 08:41 AM

Ketones alone are not something to be alarmed about. They can be produced from eating very low carb diets or by inducing weight loss. Ketones and high bg (lack of insulin) results in DKA, which can be deadly.

duck · #11 (**permalink**) 01-01-2007, 09:04 AM

I look forward to CGMS even if I have to test as much as I do now...Being able to see "trends" in my blood sugar performance would be quite a boon for me.

Nada · #12 (**permalink**) 01-01-2007, 09:54 AM

I've been using a 3-day sensor about once a month. When I was struggling with the DP, it was extremely helpful in determining whether I was going low before rising. It turns out I wasn't. I was dipping down to aprox. 4.8 and then my BG started to rise around 4am. That was another thing... I could determine what time to start increasing my basal rate after seeing that trend occur 3 days in a row. I tested as I did before (before and after each meal, fasting and before bed). The more I tested, the more accurate the readings on the CGM were.

I HIGHLY recommend using a 3-day sensor if you're wondering what's going on in any particular circumstance (for example, your BG seems to be rising altogether or you're fighting the DP like I was). But I don't recommend it to determine actual BG values. It's NOT accurate enough for that at this point. You could do some serious damage if the CGM says 11 and you're really running normal at 6 (this is not an exaggeration, it actually happened).

rebeccaspacex · #13 (**permalink**) 01-02-2007, 01:36 AM

I don't know why I show ketones so much. They get to unacceptable levels for reasons I'm in the process of figuring out. I have endometirosis also and suffer from volatile hormonal changes. Anyway, I'm working on it.

I have Celiac disease, also. It went undiagnosed for 33 years and I was always sickly and underweight. Every time I get this ketone thing I loose 3-5 pounds. It's pretty scary.

I just started seeing a Chinese herbologist who has actually helped stabilize my blood sugars more than they have ever been before. I'm an odd duck and alternative aids seem to help me.

Steve Zamcheck · #14 (**permalink**) 01-02-2007, 07:08 AM

Thanks for the update on this issue. The next step will be a self contained MM w/a CBGM. That's what my rep. says.
Test, test, test!!
Stay well........Happy New Year!

Steve

JediSkipdogg · #15 (**permalink**) 01-02-2007, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Zamcheck

Thanks for the update on this issue. The next step will be a self contained MM w/a CBGM. That's what my rep. says.
Test, test, test!!
Stay well........Happy New Year!

Steve

Isn't that what the MM 522/722 is? How more "self contained" can it get?