Pros and cons of looping? Your experience's please.

uselesspancreas

uselesspancreas

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
As title says I'd love to hear your experiences with looping good or bad.
I may have this as an option soon
But I'm a little nervous about the leap.
Personally I'm worried if the sensor fails or gives readings that are way out how would that affect the insulin calculated by the pump?
 
Hello @uselesspancreas, if you get offered a pump I'd jump at it.

I use a Dexcom G6 sensor/Transmitter that talks to an Omnipod 5 pump.
If any part of the system fails it alarms and I just replace the failed part with a new working one and return the broken item for a replacement.
It's as failsafe as they can make it.
Out of interest what have you been offered.

Best
 
It’s the same issue now if your CGM is wrong and you treat based on the error. It’s not a perfect system nothing is but I will be jumping if I am ever offfered.
 
Same as @mark king in using dexcom g6 with omnipod 5.

Have no bad things to say about system only good, time in range has improved as has standard deviation, it takes away just a few more everyday strains of living with condition.

If sensors fails replace it as Dexcom is good at doing this promptly, when in doubt about a reading from a sensor double check with a bg test then calibrate device, I use Dexcom phone app so calibration is straight forward & easy to do.

Any more questions fire away.
 
mark king said:
Hello @uselesspancreas, if you get offered a pump I'd jump at it.

I use a Dexcom G6 sensor/Transmitter that talks to an Omnipod 5 pump.
If any part of the system fails it alarms and I just replace the failed part with a new working one and return the broken item for a replacement.
It's as failsafe as they can make it.
Out of interest what have you been offered.

Best
Click to expand...
I'm on the Omnipod dash and have been for 4/5 years and I think it's great.
I use the libre2 which I also think is good although I've had a few failures and readings that are completely wrong.
Dexcom I'm told takes longer to 'warm up' what do you do in that time?

Obviously with all tech they'll be issues.

I'm waiting for my local health authority to ok the funding to upgrade.

So not sure what I'll be offered but hoping it's Omnipod and dexcom as the libre is working with the pump yet so I'm told.


Thank you for your help.
 
I have been pumping for 8 years and look forward to HCL soon.
My experience with CGMs (I have tried a few) is that they are "right" (or "right enough") most of the time, especially if you calibrate them daily (for me this calibration also gives me the confidence I need).
I currently think of myself as "open loop". I work at a desk with my phone next to me so often tweak my basal or give myself an extra bolus when my BG is not as I would like.
My expectations of HCL is that it is not hands off but will take away some of the brain energy I spend on my diabetes every day with my "tweaking".
 
Hiya

I've been on a pump 11 years, the first 8 with a Roche Combo (+ latterly Libre 2) that I loved as the pump would deliver 0.01u at a time. The last few I've been on Omnipod Dash with Libre 2. The Libre has always been very accurate for me and doesn't fall off like it does for some. I've just been offered Omnipod 5 and Libre2+ looping. I grabbed the offer with both hands! I'm now just waiting for the equipment to arrive and for the training which will be done in a group of 10 on video conferencing. I'd be very interested to hear from anyone looping with this combination.
 
PattiEvans said:
Hiya

I've been on a pump 11 years, the first 8 with a Roche Combo (+ latterly Libre 2) that I loved as the pump would deliver 0.01u at a time. The last few I've been on Omnipod Dash with Libre 2. The Libre has always been very accurate for me and doesn't fall off like it does for some. I've just been offered Omnipod 5 and Libre2+ looping. I grabbed the offer with both hands! I'm now just waiting for the equipment to arrive and for the training which will be done in a group of 10 on video conferencing. I'd be very interested to hear from anyone looping with this combination.
Click to expand...
Very excited to hear this @PattiEvans, I hope training and set up go smoothly.

My DSN has noted I am interested in HCL with the Omnipod 5, so now we just wait. The team seem to be very good at rolling out the new tech, and are active with the care provided. But I am still in love with the change from MDI to pump so I don't mind waiting.
 
Like @Saoirse i would not want to be without my HCL now.

I use the Medtronic system with the 780 pump and G4 sensors. It takes out so much of the day to day thinking that I was doing in the background. It deals brilliantly with the normal things but asks me to get involved when I am doing things out of the ordinary. When she alarms, whilst it can be inconvenient and annoying, I know that it is because she is keeping me safe, and will ask for some input from me or a check. (The one that is particularly irritating is I was woken in the night and asked to do a BG because ….. my levels had not changed at all (and were right on target) for over four hours!!!! ‘Leave me alone and just carry on doing your job’)

Any system involves some work, but this is a lot less than I was doing before. I can just forget about it between meals a lot of the time. I would not want to be without HCL. It has transformed my life.
 
PattiEvans said:
Hiya

I've been on a pump 11 years, the first 8 with a Roche Combo (+ latterly Libre 2) that I loved as the pump would deliver 0.01u at a time. The last few I've been on Omnipod Dash with Libre 2. The Libre has always been very accurate for me and doesn't fall off like it does for some. I've just been offered Omnipod 5 and Libre2+ looping. I grabbed the offer with both hands! I'm now just waiting for the equipment to arrive and for the training which will be done in a group of 10 on video conferencing. I'd be very interested to hear from anyone looping with this combination.
Click to expand...
Excellent news @PattiEvans .
 
helli said:
I currently think of myself as "open loop". I work at a desk with my phone next to me so often tweak my basal or give myself an extra bolus when my BG is not as I would like
Click to expand...
Exactly what the HCL will do for you. I hope that you are able to get this soon.
 
uselesspancreas said:
Personally I'm worried if the sensor fails or gives readings that are way out how would that affect the insulin calculated by the pump
Click to expand...
If there are any wobbles or sensor readings seem weird the pumps alarm and asks you to check. Lots of fail safe systems included for good reason. I am now happy to calibrate once a week when I put the new sensor in, and apart from hypos I rarely need to do others during the week. My cassettes for tests keep going out of date.
 
Years ago I wouldn't have said yes to a pump. I had visions of them needing needles to be inserted into me and I was worried it would hurt too much or get torn out if someone walked into me. Now I've been on the Freestyle 2 for a few years I can see how it helps me understand and see my blood sugar levels more consistently than when I just had the finger pricker test. If pumps work in a similar way, i.e. you apply them and they stick to you and its a short needle then, if offered, I would definitely give it a go.

The Omnipod lasts for 3 days - does the whole package have to be removed and changed or do you insert a new insulin cartridge every 3 days but the actual package lasts longer?
 
Most people on pumps use plastic cannulas @MarcLister My pump has a wide choice of cannulas. A couple are steel but most are plastic. The plastic ones have an introducer needle.
 
The whole Pod needs changing @MarcLister. You can’t take the insulin cartridge out of the Pod, it’s sealed inside. The cannula is plastic. Once it’s been inserted, I hardly notice it at all.
 
Bloden said:
The whole Pod needs changing @MarcLister. You can’t take the insulin cartridge out of the Pod, it’s sealed inside. The cannula is plastic. Once it’s been inserted, I hardly notice it at all.
Click to expand...
@MarcLister you fill the pod with insulin before you put it on. From a vile of insulin.
It’s a new pod every time
 
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