Privately funding Dexcom

[Emck]

Hi all,

I have just been approved for a pump and have asked to go with the Tandem tslim x2 as I have heard great things about it when used with Dexcom sensors.

I would love to be able to start looping and don’t have the confidence to “hack” my libre to make it work as a CGM.

I asked about getting funded for a Dexcom on the NHS and was told it’s not available in my health trust (I am based in NI). So, I would need to pay for it myself.

For those that have privately funded Dexcom - how do you find it? Is it worth the extra cost each month?
Was it easy to set up without training from a rep/nurse?

 

[ert]

I self-fund the Dexcom. It's £160 a month if you apply for VAT exemption due to being (type 1) diabetic. It's easy to apply and use and has great support.

 

[EllieM]

For those that have privately funded Dexcom - how do you find it? Is it worth the extra cost each month?
Was it easy to set up without training from a rep/nurse?

I'm in New Zealand which doesn't fund sensors but had no issues getting a dexcom to work for me. My rep would have given me a face to face lesson had I needed it but it was pretty obvious how it worked. (Note I'm on MDI).

I generally find both my rep (for email/phone queries) and the 24/7 decom help line very helpful. Yes, if your sensor goes wrong at 3am they have someone on a phone line to help. I used a libre before and can say that dexcom customer service is better.

It's definitely worth it for me, because I lose hypo awareness if I have too many hypos and the dexcom both gives me confidence and maintains my hypo awareness (Yes, I still get them, but not dangerously many) and it's saved me from a couple that could have been nasty without the dexcom.

I assume that if they have 24/7 service in NZ then they do elsewhere. I believe they have some sort of trial available at a reduced price before you commit to it long term?

 

[Emck]

I self-fund the Dexcom. It's £160 a month if you apply for VAT exemption due to being (type 1) diabetic. It's easy to apply and use and has great support.

Thanks @ert - with the Libre the support is great e.g. if a sensor fails or the adhesive comes unstuck early then Abbot provide a replacement. Do Dexcom do anything similar?

 

[EllieM]

Do Dexcom do anything similar?

Very much so, even if it's your own fault. I once forgot to take the cover off the adhesive before inserting a sensor so the sensor was wasted....

 

[ert]

Thanks @ert - with the Libre the support is great e.g. if a sensor fails or the adhesive comes unstuck early then Abbot provide a replacement. Do Dexcom do anything similar?

Yes, their support is brilliant and they always replace problematic sensors (the few I have had.)

 

[DunePlodder]

Very much so, even if it's your own fault. I once forgot to take the cover off the adhesive before inserting a sensor so the sensor was wasted....

That made me smile. Glad I'm not the only one to do that! In my case though, because I always use Skintac, it stayed on for the full 10 days. (Plus a bit of extra tape) Not recommended though!

 

[\Daf/]

Hi all,

I have just been approved for a pump and have asked to go with the Tandem tslim x2 as I have heard great things about it when used with Dexcom sensors.

I would love to be able to start looping and don’t have the confidence to “hack” my libre to make it work as a CGM.

I asked about getting funded for a Dexcom on the NHS and was told it’s not available in my health trust (I am based in NI). So, I would need to pay for it myself.

For those that have privately funded Dexcom - how do you find it? Is it worth the extra cost each month?
Was it easy to set up without training from a rep/nurse?

I’ve just moved over to the TSlim and self finding the Dexcom, I don’t see why I have to, very unfair indeed, illleave that there.

The TSlim is a absolute monster at keeping bloods tight,the Dexcom and TSlim go so well together, I used to be all over the place, high ( 31 and then drop to 2) really got me down, but now, 2 days ago I was a whopping 76% in range!!

Unbelievable pump and CGM,I changed from Novo Rapid, as I had a problems with the company, wrote to them, but never got a reply, so I asked my healthcare provider to put me in Humalog, which I find so much better and a lot quicker too

Good luck with your pump, you will see the difference more or less immediately

Daf

 

[DunePlodder]

I’ve just moved over to the TSlim and self finding the Dexcom, I don’t see why I have to, very unfair indeed, illleave that there.

The TSlim is a absolute monster at keeping bloods tight,the Dexcom and TSlim go so well together, I used to be all over the place, high ( 31 and then drop to 2) really got me down, but now, 2 days ago I was a whopping 76% in range!!

Unbelievable pump and CGM,I changed from Novo Rapid, as I had a problems with the company, wrote to them, but never got a reply, so I asked my healthcare provider to put me in Humalog, which I find so much better and a lot quicker too

Good luck with your pump, you will see the difference more or less immediately

Daf

I love my T:Slim too!
Not sure where you are, but if you are under the NHS you shouldn't have to fund your Dexcom:

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/202...chnology-for-people-with-type-1-diabetes.html

 

[EllieM]

You are all making me reconsider my anti-pump stance, as tslim and dexcom are available in NZ.... Goodbye dawn phenomena and lantus .... hmm...

Still have a shortage of suitable sites and don't like the idea of canula etc though.... Maybe I'll have a chat next time I see my diabetic clinic. (It's been nearly two years do hopefully soon.)

 

[Emck]

I’ve just moved over to the TSlim and self finding the Dexcom, I don’t see why I have to, very unfair indeed, illleave that there.

The TSlim is a absolute monster at keeping bloods tight,the Dexcom and TSlim go so well together, I used to be all over the place, high ( 31 and then drop to 2) really got me down, but now, 2 days ago I was a whopping 76% in range!!

Unbelievable pump and CGM,I changed from Novo Rapid, as I had a problems with the company, wrote to them, but never got a reply, so I asked my healthcare provider to put me in Humalog, which I find so much better and a lot quicker too

Good luck with your pump, you will see the difference more or less immediately

Daf

Thanks @\Daf/ ! Can’t wait to get a date for the training and get started!!

 

[Emck]

I love my T:Slim too!
Not sure where you are, but if you are under the NHS you shouldn't have to fund your Dexcom:

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/202...chnology-for-people-with-type-1-diabetes.html

I asked the nurse at my pump assessment. It’s not widely available in Northern Ireland yet - we’re always a bit behind Eng & Wales with changes to protocols.

Nurse said that the rationale for that was that everyone in NI was offered the Libre. There was no criteria to meet or postcode lottery. As they are seeing an improvement from the move from finger pricks to flash monitoring, there’s not really a compelling reason to swap everyone over to CGM.

I contacted Dexcom and have been given a 20 day free trial, which I’ll use once I have my pump up and running. Maybe if I can demonstrate a difference, my hospital might be swayed?

 

[\Daf/]

I love my T:Slim too!
Not sure where you are, but if you are under the NHS you shouldn't have to fund your Dexcom:

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/202...chnology-for-people-with-type-1-diabetes.html

I’m in Norfolk, the rollout of CGM’s to all, starts next April 2023, but it doesn’t mean we all get it, immediately.

Usually it’s the centre of the country and spreads further down then sides, so it could be years until I see any “free”CGM’s.

I took the plunge to self fund, not only because of my age, now 60, and as I was absolutely all over the place with my glucose readings, I saw the effects of this immediately, I did actually have the Tslim basal IQ, but my hospital upgraded me (£300) to the Control IQ, their mistake…

Since then, I was around 16% in range, now I’m an unbelievably a massive 76% in range!

So, if any of you here, on the fence, if you can afford the £159 a month for the Dexcom, plus your hospital offers the tslim control IQ, go for it, I wish I did this years ago.

Good luck to all on the tslim, I will say today, my CGM said I was 4.8 but I was actually 2.8, as I write now, I am 6.7 and I did nothing, the pump did it all.

I absolutely love my Tslim pump ️

Have a good week all
Daf.