Continuous glucose monitoring and the NHS?

[simplyalex]

Hi Everyone,

Ive been a T1 since 1999 and am 27. I've always had a fairly relaxed approach to testing but for the past year have had problems concerning my eyes and gums. At the moment my BS seems to be very low and have had 2 severe hypos in the past 2 weeks so Im thinking of buying a CGM but would like to know are the sensor strips available on the NHS and if so for which devices? Im thinking of getting the medtronic guardian too and would like more info on it if anyone here uses it?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Dollyrocker]

I would be very surprised if any of it was available on the NHS as a permanent prescription.

As I understand it the CGMs don't give a real time reading, there's a gap between it taking the test and delivering the result so it might not work for what you want it to do anyway

Can you not speak to your diabetes team and see if they can hook you up to one for a week? That's what I'm doing in October

 

[simplyalex]

Thanks for the reply Dollyrocker!

Thats a great idea and hadnt even considered it! Im thinking of primarily using a CGM to warn me when im going low as Im having trouble knowing when im about to go into a hypo. I've lost touch with my diabetes clinic as Ive moved about so much but did ask my GP to refer me to the clinic again so once im registered Ill ask if I can go on a trail like you say! If no sensors are available on the NHS then I dont think ill bother investing in one as Ive heard theyre pretty expensive.

 

[shedges]

They're extremely expensive - £30-35ish for each one and they last up to about 6 days. I used a CGMS for 6 days earlier this year and found it extremely useful for plotting trends. I observed how different foods and differenct activities affected by bg levels.

But the timeliness of the readings make it less than ideal for use as a hypo warning system. I'd generally be into hypo before the readings on the meter suggested it.

Regards,
Sam.

 

[simplyalex]

Thanks for your info Sam!

I knew they were expensive so thats why im asking if it was available on the NHS but don't think I'll be able to go down that route now if it really is that much!

The main reason for me getting a CGM was because I beleieved it would be a good indicator of when I was going to have a hypo but if its not as accurate as I had imagined it to be then I don't I will bother with it!

 

[jopar]

There is no NICE guidelines govering CGM's which would enforce any PCT to provide funding for a patient... To get funding not only do you have to convince a consultant that you have a clinical need for it, you then have to apply to your PCT committee that deals with special individual patient funding...

I think you find that the sensor's are a lot more than £35 a throw, last time I looked they were nearing £80, when you consider that one infusion set for an insulin pump is £10+ and believe me there isn't much to them at all..

 

[JamesA]

Is there a national standard as to which CGMs are available or is it hit and miss depending on the PCT?

I'd be interested to know how long people had to wait for one.
I'd be in the group of people who don't want a pump, but would want to monitor what's happening at night once a year of something.
Borrowing one on the NHS or even hiring one would make more sense than buying one.

 

[Alzibiff]

I tried every avenue I could think of to secure NHS funding for CGMS and surprise surprise hit brick walls at every turn. I had/have my consultant's support, have applied to my PCT, appealed against their decision to reject my request ... no go.

I HAVE self-funded the Medtronics CGMS for several months but boy - it IS expensive. Not only do you have to build in the cost of sensors to your budget - which I have found I can use for around 9 days on average - you have to budget for the transmitter device too as this only has a 6 month warrany period and can stop working pretty soon after that period. Saying that, I suspect that the life of a transmitter is reduced if you don't use it with a sensor all the time - I have tended to use CGMS during periods of working away from home, maybe for two or three weeks and then nothing for another couple of months.

The last box of 10 sensors cost me £375 and I believe that the transmitters are a similar price but EACH!

Alan

 

[yipster29]

Hi

I've recently had use of a CGM as part of a research project and whilst it was HUGELY useful temporarily to see trends / peaks / troughs it was not accurate enough for me to warrant purchasing. To be able to hire one for periods of time when I've problems or changes in lifestyle would be far more cost effective if there's any way you coud do that??