Hi all,
I am looking for any & all recommendations for products that are currently available for monitoring (and alerting) you of hypoglycemia during the night. PLEASE NOTE I use a Medtronic pump and have tried their CGMS twice in the past 10 years and it simply does not work for me. I am too thin and the sensor never calibrates because of bleeding and it is too expensive, painful and produces no usable results. SO I AM LOOKING FOR ANYTHING ELSE!!!
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Roger
I had serious problems with Medtronic sensors. Dexcom's is WAY better, although it is still very expensive, sound like it might be valuable for you. Technology has gotten better, almost no one advocates using Medtronic sensors anymore. They were brutal. I used mine once, successfully, in five years. All other attempts failed.
If you having immediate problems from which you might benefit from trying out a Dexcom sensor, before you commit to buying one, that might be possible. My docs office has a spare Dexcom that they lend out to people to try. They use the Dex for that because its easy to sterilize. Call Dex and see if they have someone in your area with a similar program. They shouldn't ask you for that much money, without letting you try out the product.
Dexcom is definitely the way to go. Since getting it almost 5 years ago, the alerts have kept me from passing out from low blood sugar. Before that I would go into a coma during sleep a couple of times a month.
I assume I would have to switch to a Dexcom pump to use the sensor? I think my insurance only covers an upgrade every so many years and I just upgraded to the newest Medtronic pump within the last year. If I can just use the Dexcom sensor that would be great. Still I will look into it. Thanks!
I live alone so that is not an option, but many times I am awake 1/2 the night fighting a low after awakening when it's to low and so hard to recover so I don't get any sleep. So I will look in to the Dexcom. Thanks.
There is no Dexcom pump. But, the sensor is really the valuable part of the equation. Maybe cut basal tonight?
Use the words 'medical necessity' when inquiring with your Doc. It was worth every penny, for me. I think it would help a lot.
I find the Dexcom to be amazingly accurate and reliable (within +10% of a fingerstick 95% of the time). ALWAYS wakes me up at night if my BG drops. The alarm threshold is customizable. Because CGM measures glucose in interstitial fluid the readings can lag BG by up to 15 mins if levels are dropping fast. I have set my alarm threshold at 4.4 (80) which ensures it alarms before I am actually hypo.
You can use the Dexcom with its own separate receiver or you can use an Animas Vibe pump as the receiver. Both work well, although if you are self-funding you would have to factor in the additonal cost of the receiver if you stick with the Medtronic pump. Sensors are certified for 7 days use but you can leave them inserted and re-start them when they expire - I average around 18 days out of mine.
Hi Roger, I would try the dexcom g4, it's not perfectly accurate for me and it doesn't always wake me right away- I'm very hard to wake, but it does eventually usually if I don't wake up myself with a low. You can put it in a glass to make it louder. The new sensor is thinner and I haven't had any irritation, itching, pain or swelling like I had with the older ones.
The dexcom is a stand alone cgm but I think they will be pairing with tandem maybe.. I'm not sure. But it can be used alone.