Minimed 530G Artificial Pancreas. It's All I'm Thinking About.

It really is all I can think about. I called my doctor yesterday afternoon to get the upgrade to the Medtronic Minimed 530G with Enlite Sensor started and they jumped right on it.

The other night I had an occlusion, so I changed my set and bloused for the high even though I had insulin on board. It was clearly not working. But, apparently some of it was. I was asleep and at 1:00 a.m. bolted upright disoriented.

My Dexcom G7 sensor had ended and I didn't want to start a new one while sky high and then falling with a new set. I took my blood glucose and I was 40. I drank a juice. I was still 40. I drank another juice. Still low, so I drank milk and got some toast with peanut butter. I hit 65. Ten minutes later I was 55. I drank more milk and ate cheese. Finally, I began climbing. About 5:00 a.m. I bolused for a 200, which considering how much I ate, was pretty reasonable.

If I had the Minimed 530G (and my sensor was active), none of this would have happened. I actually had any Glucagon laying next to me in bed, just in case all that food wasn't enough and my husband found me unconscious.

So, for those of you that follow me, you know I did the trial for the Enlite Sensor that comes with this shiny new pump. I have lots of posts about the Enlite Continuous Glucose Monitor sensors and the things I LOVE, including this post, so check them out. I was so disappointed not to get the Low Suspend pump, but one a couple people in Austin got it for trail.

One thing I think is weird, and I'd love to hear the engineers talk about their reasoning on this, but why did they change "Low Suspend" on the Veo in available in Europe to "Thresh Suspend?"

"Thresh," is more understandable? Thresh. Ugh. Maybe that was an FDA thing, because it is that stupid. One of my biggest issues with Minimed is their lack of concern regarding user interface. It is at the bottom of their priority list. However, they are kicking out technology that works well and is reliable and on the cutting edge, which means I buy it. I love shiny, but if it isn't the best medical technology my insurance company can buy, I don't want it.

So, I am working on ordering for both my daughter and I before our insurance changes from 90/10 to 80/20. Are you interested in buying this for you or your child?

Medtronic Minimed 530G Low Glucose Suspend and Enlite FDA APPROVED!

Just announced!  

Medtronic Gains Approval of First Artificial Pancreas Device System with Threshold Suspend Automation

Read more here!

This is what we have been waiting for! Read about what I experienced in my trial of the Enlite CGM Sensors that come with the pump. It is SO much better than the sensors offered now. I did not have the low glucose suspend pump, but I can't wait to have that for my daughter and I!

More later!

Medtronic Survey of New Pump Style Options

So, I got an email from Medtronic Minimed yesterday to take a survey. It was supposed to take 25 minutes, so I as hesitant, but decided to go ahead and do it on my smart phone. I couldn't believe my eyes and I am SO mad I didn't take the survey on my desktop so I could capture some screen shots, a task I have yet to figure out or need on my phone. Anyway, the survey was comparing four different styles/functions of pump/Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM).

There were technically two styles, but one offered artificial-like pancreas functions and one was just a pump with no CGM options, which just seemed weird. They both offered color screens on a remote control to manage pump/CGM functions. One was a rectangle about 1 1/2" x 2 1/2". It sat on a baseplate infusion set and had a "pump" with 200u of insulin inside. This affixed to your skin directly via the base plate infusion set. You had options to bolus from the pump directly, but there as no screen, so probably just an audible system. This would come in handy if you left the remote at home and were out.

The second style was a 2" round disc. It also had an infusion set that went with it and looked like the ones now, but the disc was a pump that held 300u of insulin. The pump could also be affixed directly to your skin or you could clip it to your belt, put it in your pocket and maybe your bra. It had no function for bolusing on the pump, but shared the remote shown with the other one.

The biggie deal here was when selecting which ones you liked best, it was clear they were trying to see if you were really interested in a CGM based artificial pancreas, because the questions said the pump would cease insulin delivery if blood sugar dropped below determined levels, or would correct for high blood sugars if it went above certain levels. The options given were one step beyond the Minimed 530G, the American version of the Veo.

So, while anxious to just get the 530G and the Enlite Sensors, this is exciting stuff. I was really confused why they would ask if I preferred a pump with a CGM that could shut off or auto bolus vs. a pump with nothing but a remote. Dude. That is so Omnipod!