Anyone using a glucose sensor?

tullie

Currently using the Medtronic Minimed Paradigm 522 and really feel I could benefit from the glucose sensor, however having difficulty even having the medical team discuss it.

Anyone here use it?

freeworld777

is the 522 a pump? My gf's t1 and has really bad hypos all the time so I'm trying to convince her to get a pump. Could you write a little about your experience with it? Please include if you're male or female... her biggest reservation about getting one is that people will be able to see it under her clothes... thanks

eilo1

hi Freeworld,
Sorry to hear about your girlfriends trouble, I just got my pump after about 2 years of discussion and 6 months on a waiting list.
Im a girl mid twenties and how the pump would look was my biggest concern but i am so happy with how little it affects me and how little it can be noticed.
To be fair though I only got it a few weeks ago so im not exactly well experienced with it.

graflynn

tullie wrote: »

Currently using the Medtronic Minimed Paradigm 522 and really feel I could benefit from the glucose sensor, however having difficulty even having the medical team discuss it.

Anyone here use it?

Hi,
In my opinion the best place to start finding out more about glucose sensors is to google it then contact all the companies who sell it for leaflets.

Your diabetes team probably doesn't have the time to find out more info for you for something that's out of the ordinary. I thought the Medtronic pump came with a sensor called Realtime Gaurdian though??? Have you contacted your Medtronic rep?

tullie

graflynn wrote: »

Hi,
In my opinion the best place to start finding out more about glucose sensors is to google it then contact all the companies who sell it for leaflets.

Your diabetes team probably doesn't have the time to find out more info for you for something that's out of the ordinary. I thought the Medtronic pump came with a sensor called Realtime Gaurdian though??? Have you contacted your Medtronic rep?

Thing is I know the sensor I want, spoken to medtronic several times, their support staff are wonderful. But the hospital won't even fill the form out as they say the HSE won't fund it.

The pump and sensor are two different things that work together and getting one doesn't mean you'll get the other, tbh it seems pointless not having considering my current difficulties. I hear the sensor is great but having no joy with the nurses even broaching it with the consultant.

tullie

freeworld777 wrote: »

is the 522 a pump? My gf's t1 and has really bad hypos all the time so I'm trying to convince her to get a pump. Could you write a little about your experience with it? Please include if you're male or female... her biggest reservation about getting one is that people will be able to see it under her clothes... thanks

Hi I know exactly where you're girlfriend is coming from and well yes it noticeable there's no getting away from it, it can be hidden in the bra but depending on the fabric it can be visible. But I think I notice it more and my family know its there although they say they forget its there alot of the time. But people I work with didn't notice it until I pointed it out and at that a few people said it looked like some kind of MP3 so didn't think much of it.

Yes the pump I use is the medtronic minimed 522.

Originally my team suggested I got the pump as a teenager and tbh I said maybe for guys but girls no way. I was so wrong. I've had it for a year now and it has improved my control, like I said in my previous post I really feel I personally would benefit from the sensor. But I can see a vast difference in my control

What you have to remember is getting the pump takes months of work its not a cure and will not prevent hypos, it probaly will help a great deal, but don't expect a miracle because unfortunately we're not there yet.

I'm no medical expert, I've had Diabetes for over 21 years now since I was a child and all I can say the fight to get the pump has helped but a year on I'm not there yet. If your girlfriend decides to get the pump it won't happen over night depending on the part of the country she's in and the backlog it could take months possibly more than a year to be approved, at least that's what my medical team told me. I was lucky though my HSE office approved it in a matter of days.

My bf was in the same position as yourself and couldn't understand why I wouldn't try for it. But your gf has to decide for herself. This thing will be attached 24/7 and its a big deal, and means big changes for her.

I really hope this helps, apologies if its rambling.

graflynn

tullie wrote: »

Thing is I know the sensor I want, spoken to medtronic several times, their support staff are wonderful. But the hospital won't even fill the form out as they say the HSE won't fund it.

The pump and sensor are two different things that work together and getting one doesn't mean you'll get the other, tbh it seems pointless not having considering my current difficulties. I hear the sensor is great but having no joy with the nurses even broaching it with the consultant.

I'm just wondering how if you could purchase it and then claim a refund through a Med1 form? I don't even know who you would ask about that as an option!

There has to be a way to get this stuff without battling the Clinic & the HSE. I mean, when the next big technolical advance in diabetes treatment comes, will we, in Ireland, get left behind because of the HSE?

tullie

graflynn wrote: »

I'm just wondering how if you could purchase it and then claim a refund through a Med1 form? I don't even know who you would ask about that as an option!

There has to be a way to get this stuff without battling the Clinic & the HSE. I mean, when the next big technolical advance in diabetes treatment comes, will we, in Ireland, get left behind because of the HSE?

See the thing is its not one thing its another little thing that you attach to your self. According to my hospital it lasts for 6 days although according to medtronic's website it needs to be changed every 72 hours. Either way according to one nurse at the hospital it costs 50 euro a pop. So I don't think I could afford a box of them each month unfortunately.

And yes I totally agree, but in this case its not the HSE it's the hospital staff, basically because I haven't gone into a coma they don't see the need. Which is ludicrous in my opinion I thought the idea was to try and prevent these problems! I really hope we don't get left behind but tbh I think we already have been.