Im on a MM 722 pump, had the MM CGMS for a year and just odered a dexcom to try that instead. I dont really care for the MM CGMS sets. Its not so much that they were painful, but rahter that they would leave good sized red spots and take days to heal after just 3 days of use. I thought that kind of lame duck of the device. There are a few smaller things that bug as well for me i.e., if you test and your meter is linked with the pump, the CGMS will always try to calibrate from that test.
Im not looking forward to the huge Dex device though. Well have to see how it fits on my belt next to the MM pump. I do like the fact that the dex has a large screen and an Iphone app (if verizon ever gets Iphones - jan, 2011?). The sensor is about the same for both companies athough differently shaped. I guess the Dex is more accurate from what Ive heard & read. It seemed like I was always hit or miss with the MM.
I insert the sensor and then connect the transmitter overnight, and just press start in the AM. If I wait to hook up the transmitter, it takes 2 hours or so to ask for a reading, whereas if I do it the night before it asks within 1-10 minutes of pressing start.
I always have the best of luck. LOL I am sure ther was a problem with the phone system, but it happened over a period of about 2 weeks. I originally called Animas to speak with a rep to ask a few questions and get an info packet, but i couldn’t get through at all that day. So, I had contacted both OmniPod and Animas online for more info to be sent. I received the OmniPod packet within a few days. Waited almost two weeks for Animas. So I called again and couldn’t get through. I tried a couple more days later and finally got through. My questions were answered, with some snark about MInimed and then they sent a packet. Meanwhile I had been contacted many times over by OmniPod before I even got hi,d of anyone or anything from Animas.
I am sure others have had a lot better success with Animas…obviously they have a lot of customers. But for me, it concerned me that if I couldn’t reach someone for info, what if I was a customer with issues with my pump.
I just started on MM and CGM and have found it very useful. Good for trending information, and if you set the alerts a little higher than an hypo you can get fair warning before going low. The best thing I’ve found so far is that experimenting with square and dual wave bolus has allowed me to work out when it works well for me. For example … in the morning I go with a normal bolus with a higher basal but for lunch and dinner I’ll go with a dual wave, some times a dual wave actually allows me to eat and see almost no change in my BG as long as I don’t overdo the carbs. I’d recommend that everyone experiments with that if you’re looking for a milder reaction to your dose but try it with CGM of some kind if you can. Overall … I think it’s great to have in the one unit and a real advantage when looking for slight improvements. Cheers.
I used MM’s CGM for about 6 months with no-so-great results. Numerous false alarms, calibration errors and BG readings that were just WAY off. It wasn’t worth it to me. If MM comes up with a better system, I’ll gladly try it again. In the meantime, I’ll just keep pricking my fingers.
I switch over to the Dexcom for this reason. Its working well so far. The MM rep I spoke to last week said they had “new things in store” in about 6 months. So keep your ear to the ground.
I agree Hope. The MM cgms is worth the effort most of the time. I do not use it ALL the time, just when I need to see the trends or duing unusual stituations., right now i will be taking corticosteroids for spinal stenoisis once every other week. So I will be wearing it daily for the next 6 weeks of the treatment. I am to expect higher Blood glucose, and the Cgms has helped me to determine how my insulin needs have increased ( currently taking twice the amount of basal and bolus to stay under 200). but it has kept me away form the . 300 range, and I spill no ketones. Probably will take a min-break when treatment is done and my blood sugars have stabilized to former levels…then I will probably let it go for a while…
I always let the sensors "soak "over night before I start them… I also agree that sensor variablity is an issue as well, some are perfectly on point for the life of the sensor( which for me is about 7-8 days…; some I can never calibrate to be on target, so I end up tossing it after a 2-3 days…I am looking forward to the MM update of the sensor and the javelin-like inserter., said to come in 2011 or 2012.
They have, it is the 7/523 Revel pump. The Pump and the new algorithm are completely different the the X22 pump. With the same sensor and transmitter it is a whole different product, easier to calibrate, trends are more accurate, BGs are more accurate, corrections for being out of calibration are possible and the confidence in the CGM is greater by a long shot.
The upgrade to the new pump and software are worth every penny.
MM is also about to release some new sensors. Not sure of the date, but they are only a few months away getting the clearance by the FDA.
