continuous glucose monitors

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Steve

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Type 1
Does any one know if continuous glucose monitors are avilable in the uk. I have seen a lot of information but it is all from the U.S.A. They seem a really good idea and is what i am looking for.
 
http://www.londonmedical.co.uk/site...ntinuous Glucose Monitor Comparisons 2009.pdf


Your diabetes team normally have access to one - but if not, have a look at the Navigator. I know a few children on the other forum who have used these and apparently they are great - very accurate.

I am not sure if you can buy direct - if not - try ringing the London Medical, they are wonderful there and will help you no end.🙂

Are you on a pump or MDI?🙂Bev
 
Hello,

I know our clinic has one you can borrow for up to a week I think.

There is one guy at our clinic who bought his own! Think the unit cost him around ?3000 (yes three thousand pounds) and he also has to buy his own sensors which cost ?30 each and only last a maximum of 3 days.

Wish I had his bank balance is all I can say because.

NiVZ
 
Hiya,

I was put on a continuous blood glucose monitor by my hospital last year to confirm whether I had dawn phenomenon or not. I was hoping it would be really useful, but the model the hospital uses was a bit disappointing...for a start, you have to "calibrate it" by testing at least 6 times a day using the normal finger prick method & inputing the result into the monitor...you can't see the current BG reading on the monitor, you just get a plot of three days worth of data afterwards, which is used to spot trends rather than absolutes due to the calibration issue...and from what I could see you couldn't even set this one up to alarm if low/high, and it meant three days being extremely careful when showering with plastic bags! 😉 I'm sure there are better ones out there, this was just my experience. I also found the cannula quite uncomfortable, it felt quite "pinched" & I was very aware of it - but maybe if it was personal kit you could resite it better & / or get used to the feeling over time?! (It wasn't too bad - put it this way, I'd still LOVE to try an insulin pump!!!)

Not sure if that helps, that's just my personal experience - so I'd say do loads of research into the features of the model you're interested in & see if you can try one via your care team first - it's a lot of money if you don't feel it's up to scratch!

All the best,

Twitchy x
 
Sounds like I'm attatched to the same one as Twitchy used at the mo. Its the Medtronic System Gold CGM. I hand it back tomorrow and can't wait! Its very bulky and I've had lots of calibration problems in the short time I've been wearing it. I'm not sure if this model is for professional monitoring only as you can't see the readings until they're downloaded. I think I've spoken to the guy at Medtronic more than I have my husband in the last two days!
The shower bags are good for a giggle but thats about all!

I'm on the road to pumping and the useful thing about this is its given me an idea of how it feels to be attached. Hope the data helps me understand whats happening at certain times of the day too. I've had soo many probs with it I'll be amazed if I've managed to record anything! Time will tell........

I don't think this is the piece of kit you're looking for to meet your needs.
 
Hello,

Can't remember exactly which one the guy I saw had. Think it was a Medtronic one but it was Real-time, and plotted his blood sugars on a graph on the display every minute (or few minutes).

NiVZ
 
NiVZ said:
Hello,

Can't remember exactly which one the guy I saw had. Think it was a Medtronic one but it was Real-time, and plotted his blood sugars on a graph on the display every minute (or few minutes).

NiVZ
Click to expand...

I think the Dexcom does that, from looking at a picture of it.

220-plus.jpg
 
If you have a medtronic pump then you may be able to get the CGMS part but very few people get funding for this at the moment. And from what I've seen it's mostly children.

Most clinics are able to loan one for around 3 days for you to use to gather information. i used the same onw as twitchy and rainbow, and found it fairly useful. The newer one you can see your readings but this older one you can't/ The DSN explained to me that it was more helpful because you don't keep changing things because you can see what is happening. you make decisons you wouldn't normally, and that's not the purpose of it.
 
Hello I am seriously considering buying myself a CGMS at the moment. Althougth the amount I am testing I think it would probably save the NHS money if I had one. Does anyone on here have one of the dexcom monitors?

I wonder if there is anyway of buying the monitor myself and having the NHS fund the sensors. I guess it is probably up to the individual PCT which would mean a definite no in my case.
 
Northerner said:
I love the marketing aspect of that photo - a really nice graph, just like meters that always show 5.6 or 5.8 on them🙂
Click to expand...

haha, i know right? Then you get them home and 99 times out of 100, you end up bitterly dissapointed because your number's aren't 5.6/8 :(

I know i was the first time i got a new meter :(:D
 
salmonpuff said:
haha, i know right? Then you get them home and 99 times out of 100, you end up bitterly dissapointed because your number's aren't 5.6/8 :(

I know i was the first time i got a new meter :(:D
Click to expand...

What a magical number is five point six!
What a heartwarming figure to see!
But elusive and mythical, impossible to fix,
A number you are unlikely to see?

For the meter will show just too high or too low,
Or may even show an extreme,
But to see five point six on my little box of tricks ?
I?d be like the cat with the cream!

It?s a subliminal ruse that the companies use
To persuade us their meter?s ideal,
And help us to choose, and believe we can?t lose ?
Just imagine how much better we?d feel!

But I won?t give up hope, and I think I can cope
If the figure I see?s five point seven?
For it?s just within scope of that slippery slope
To a number that?s blood glucose heaven!

:D
 
Northerner said:
What a magical number is five point six!
What a heartwarming figure to see!
But elusive and mythical, impossible to fix,
A number you are unlikely to see?

For the meter will show just too high or too low,
Or may even show an extreme,
But to see five point six on my little box of tricks ?
I?d be like the cat with the cream!

It?s a subliminal ruse that the companies use
To persuade us their meter?s ideal,
And help us to choose, and believe we can?t lose ?
Just imagine how much better we?d feel!

But I won?t give up hope, and I think I can cope
If the figure I see?s five point seven?
For it?s just within scope of that slippery slope
To a number that?s blood glucose heaven!

:D
Click to expand...

Love it!!!!
 
Northerner said:
What a magical number is five point six!
What a heartwarming figure to see!
But elusive and mythical, impossible to fix,
A number you are unlikely to see?

For the meter will show just too high or too low,
Or may even show an extreme,
But to see five point six on my little box of tricks ?
I?d be like the cat with the cream!

It?s a subliminal ruse that the companies use
To persuade us their meter?s ideal,
And help us to choose, and believe we can?t lose ?
Just imagine how much better we?d feel!

But I won?t give up hope, and I think I can cope
If the figure I see?s five point seven?
For it?s just within scope of that slippery slope
To a number that?s blood glucose heaven!

:D
Click to expand...

Brilliant :D
 
Here is the response I just had from advancedtheraputics about the monitor's costs.

Many thanks for your e-mail re the above
Unfortunately you?re right CGMS isn?t funded by the NHS yet.
The prices for the DexCom seven plus are as follows

Receiver & Transmitter Kit ?975.00
Pack of 4 7 day sensors ?240.00
You are exempt from VAT

Most people are using the sensors well beyond the 7 day licensed usage time so this cuts costs considerably (10-14 days is achievable without any problems. Also as you can calibrate even when BGs are changing rapidly you don?t get the wastage of sensors common with other systems.

Although the system is very easy to use we would prefer to run through he first sensor insertion as there are some technique related hints and tips we can go through with you to help prevent wasting sensors. We also provide full 24 hour telephone back up support for any ongoing technical/training issues


Ooch - that is more than we could afford for 9 months. I wonder if it is worth seeing if the GP would cover the sensor if we bought the monitor. The amount of test strips I am getting through at the moment it might not be that much more expensive!
 
rachelha said:
Here is the response I just had from advancedtheraputics about the monitor's costs.

Many thanks for your e-mail re the above
Unfortunately you?re right CGMS isn?t funded by the NHS yet.
The prices for the DexCom seven plus are as follows

Receiver & Transmitter Kit ?975.00
Pack of 4 7 day sensors ?240.00
You are exempt from VAT

Most people are using the sensors well beyond the 7 day licensed usage time so this cuts costs considerably (10-14 days is achievable without any problems. Also as you can calibrate even when BGs are changing rapidly you don?t get the wastage of sensors common with other systems.

Although the system is very easy to use we would prefer to run through he first sensor insertion as there are some technique related hints and tips we can go through with you to help prevent wasting sensors. We also provide full 24 hour telephone back up support for any ongoing technical/training issues


Ooch - that is more than we could afford for 9 months. I wonder if it is worth seeing if the GP would cover the sensor if we bought the monitor. The amount of test strips I am getting through at the moment it might not be that much more expensive!
Click to expand...


You can hire a cgm from here:

http://www.londonmedical.co.uk/page1/46/153/

We went here for free training of the medtronic pump - they are all brilliant people and will help you with anything.🙂Bev
 
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