Here is my new insulin pump PDM, and CGM (continuous glucose monitor). The PDM, on the left, has a built in Freestyle glucose meter that I check my blood sugar with. The CGM is on the left and shows current blood sugar, trend arrows, and a 1-24 hour graph tracking my blood sugar. I only need to carry the PDM when I am going to bolus insulin. Bolus insulin is insulin given to correct a high blood sugar or to cover crabs eaten. The PDM sends the basal programs to the pod, and the pod will remember it on its own. Basal insulin is the small about per hour of insulin that is needed to keep blood sugar in check 24 hours a day. My basal rate changes anywhere from .75 to 1.05 units per hour.
The only downside I have noticed is that since I don't need to carry the PDM at all times, I sometimes don't have it on me when I want to eat. So far the worst that has happened is I had to walk back to my office and grab it. Sometime during a game at the Garden I may be up on level 9 wanting to eat and have to go to level 2 to my desk, and withh all the people can take 20 minutes to 1/2 hour. It is a little bit of a pain to carry both devices, test strips, lancing device (finger pricker), as well as my Leatherman and flashlight while at work. Well worth it though, and as soon as the 2 companies merge I will be able to see the data from the CGM on the PDM and will only need to carry that..... and all my dorky IT tools!
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As someone that (once) used both of those devices in conjunction, I can attest to the effectiveness of that combination. And as someone that had them taken away due to a health insurance change - I can *really* attest to the effectiveness of that combination.
ReplyDeleteFor what it is worth, I actually switched insurance again after a very short time simply to get myself to a policy that would support the OmniPod and Dexcom.