Good morning
@Mafue123 , from another 780G user who is also self-funding and looping.
Like many that switch from MDI to pumping it can increase the flexibility, as you match your basal insulin (which is just a dribble of quick acting insulin throughout the 24 hours) to what you need hour by hour. The other facilities to turn down you basal insulin helps with exercise, and the varied ways of delivering bolus insulin helps us to deal with some more awkward meals such as pizza and curry.
Whichever pump you use the facilities are much the same, and it just takes a bit of time to get used to, and discovering how to get the best of it for you. I have been amazed at the Guardian 4 sensor. Just one calibration needed for the week, and I now happily use it for bolus calculations so just one BG in a week, unless I have a hypo.
I self funded the Libre before those became available on NHS, and had no idea just how quickly that would happen. Prof Partha Kar is a great advocate for us , and was the driving force in getting such a wide availability of the Libre sensors, for both T1 and some T2s. I feel that we are in a similar position now with the CGMs for looping. There are already some who have funding and there will be another announcement on this on 10 Jan, when NICE will make their next decision. There is a limit to the availability and each area need to decide how to allocate these.
With regard to the effectiveness of looping I would not want to go back. I find that I think a lot less about my diabetes. I also sleep through the night without needing to check levels, and frequently wake very close to my target level. If I have got things a bit wrong the night before the graph shows that the pump sorts this out and settle things down to a nice line by the morning. I still need a ‘conversation’ when I eat, and tell it what carbs I am eating. In between those times, the pump and sensor check in every 5 min and adjust my basal rate accordingly. This has led to a TIR usually in 90s, with a lot less effort on my part. I have had times when I have had to go back to manual and it reminds me of just how much the looping usually does for me. I found the Libre a game changer and looping has had an even bigger impact for me. I am glad that I have chosen to self fund my sensors.
Enjoy your pump and give yourself time to get to know all that it can do.
Come back with any questions that arise.
