Thanks Rick
Jim
I tried the CGMS last year - and didn’t find it worked the greatest for me. Lots of errors, etc. - and results weren’t the same as what my BG meter was giving (CGMS is 20 minutes behind what a vampire prick test on your finger gives you). After 3 months - I gave up (got fed up with lack of sleep due to alarms of being low - when I wasn’t). Luckily I didn’t have to fork out any $$$‘s for it as MM had given me a loaner pump, etc. But still at $50CDN a sensor - if changing every 3 days - it can add up - depending on your insurance coverage (mine would have been 80%). If I really want to get a overall view of my BG’s over 24 hours - I guess I could test every hour manually - but for now - I seem to be doing alright. NB: I’m going to be part of an interview on Diabetes1 next month about using a CGMS - pros/cons - so it should be interesting as the person who I’ll be talking to is pretty dead set against CGMS / insulin pumps (she’s not keen on things sticking in her permanently - I used to say that about pump infusion sets - but have I ever changed my opinion on that ). I still feel tho’ if CGMS works for you - great stuff - if it doesn’t - so be it. It’s still new technology so hopefully it will improve!
Thanks Anna, good info. here.
I feel bewildered at this point. I have, however received a fax for my doctor to fill out in attempting to get insurance approval. Mind you, I,m not at all sure I want a CGM.
I do experience to many hypo. events while I’m sleeping, regardless of my bedtime glucose results. If it wasn’t for my great wife, and her complete knowledge of how to treat me, it would be disasterous. I would have a desperate situation if anything happened to her.
Type 1 for 56 years and these night time lows are fairly recent. I would not want the damn thing waking uis up all nighr long. Can’t you set the CGM not to alarm until it gets down to 52?
First time I have heard the sensors are fifty bucks apiece. You bet that will add up.
What is Diabetes 1? Sounds like somethind I would be interested in checking out. I do get a diabetes news letter but it is mainly addressing Type2 along with receipes, and such.
Do you have a suggestion for a better newsletter?
Regards,
Jim
Hi, just received phone call from the company ABBOTT submits all the forms for this company to get approval on the CGM. The parrotted the phrase," my insurance doesn’t approve", was all she said, over and over.
I have Medicre Plus Blue.
After considerable paperwork, conference calls with my doc., faxing back and forth, and now, after 5 weeks,
I get this answer which is the same statement I gave Abbott when I first talked with them.
I need this product tremendously and am frustrated and depressed.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Jim
Jim, Keep fighting the insurance co. with the appeals. I went through all 3 appeals (each I was denied) and lastly I filed a Breech of Contract lawsuit. I was able to win…opps not allowed to say that 
A settlement was reached and they approved coverage. My insurance was BCBS. The insurance company is counting on you to get tired of the process, but don’t. It would help if you could find someone with the same insurance who was approved. A good place to start would be your Pump Rep. and also ask your Dr. if any current patients got approval and ask your Dr. to ask them if they would contact you. My last appeal before the Breech of Contract had over 800 pages of paperwork.
Thanks Amy, I don’t use a pump as I’m on two diffedrent insulins. Doesn’t sound like a necessity anyways as it does not prevent hypos.
The CGM is a necessity, for me. Frequent hypo. events have put me on disability. Much trouble feeling them coming on after 56 yrs. with Type 1.
Sure can’t understand why Medicare would pay for pump, but not CGM.
Appeals begin Mon. morn.
Jim
CGM is not a replacement for blood sugar testing (as others have said), but has for me been an invaluable tool for monitoring trends and catching lows before dropping too low, especially while sleeping. Just don’t expect to get the same level of accuracy as blood sugar testing.
Hi Jim - Diabetes1.org is a website that I post blog at (when I can be witty that is) - and also has forum section. It’s been abit slow lately - since between another lady and myself - we seem to be the only ones posting . It does have some interesting info tho’ - for all types of diabetic aspects - not just Type 2. Check it out when you have time - and say hi !
BTW, the interview I was to do with the other poster at Diabetes1.org hasn’t occurred yet. It keeps on getting cancelled - and here I am all set to talk about it - it’s pros/cons . I tried to get some info on the Dex 7 - since that seems to be one that many folks are talking about lately - but unfortunately when I contacted the manufacturer - since I live in Canada - they can’t really help out too much. It’s not been allowed into Canada yet - and I think overseas as well - but I maybe wrong there.
Finally heard back from the Ins. arm of Abbott Labs. and they turned me down with a childish voice parrotting the words,“I’m sorry, but your ins. just doesn’t pay for the CGM.” She didn’t know what Ins. I have.
I already knew they didn’t pay and this is why I called them in the first place after reading all their possible promises.
Now I appeal and will not give up!
Pumps have a fraction of the life saving abilities as does a CGM, but only for pumps will they pay.
Medicare Plus Blue, another government botch. It will never end.
Best regards FCA,
Jim
So far, I’ve noticed that most people who have a CGMS are people who have a hard time knowing when they’re going low. Or they’re just people who’s BG levels fluctuate a lot. Mine don’t… but I’d still love a CGM. Would you suggest it to someone who has tight control?
Hi Jim, My name is also Jim Devlin, my family and I live in Southern California. My 5 year old daughter was diagnosed with Type I in July of 2007, her name is Clara. We already have a million stories, I can only imagine all of yours. I just joined this site because I wanted to say Hi to you. My e-mail address is devlinpartyof3@roadrunner.com, I don’t know how often I’ll be on this site but it looks like a good resource.
I hope to talk to you soon,
Jim
Hi Jim Devlin, ha, does that sound strange.
I just finished writing Clara a note. I have five very bright young grand children who email me frequently and have been doing so for years. I know how to talk to kids with all this experience and I enjoy it.
Nobody else in my family is known to have been a diabetic. Lucky me.
My last A1h was 5.9, which is not bad for a guy fighting this thing for 56 years. Clara’s sounds a bit high.
Is she having a hard time accepting her condition? I sure did.
Back when I was dianosed, my parents generation easily remembered folks usually dying from diabetes at a young age. The sympathy and sorrow the relatives expressed can be detected by a nine year old kid very easily as I had three brothers and a sister who, of coarse, didn’t get the sorrow act. This was a bad experience for me. Lucky for me, my older brother wouldn’t have anything to do with this attitude and yanked me out of it.
My email is: jmd44@att.net My wife of 42 yrs. and I live north of Detroit in a city called Novi. Thanks for your note. Lets continue. Say hi to Clara for me.
Regards,
Jim Devlin
If anything I am testing more with my CGM, because it reminds me to do more testing. I love my CGM ut it iwll nto take away finger sticks.
Rick Phillips