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Guardian 4 sensors in Northern Ireland

D

debby_mcconnell

Member
Messages
10
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi all,
Any other Northern Ireland Type 1s having this issue?
I've been using the guardian 4 sensors with my 780g insulin pump on a year's subscription which has recently ended and when I tried to get a new subscription set up, the medtronic eshop will not allow any NI users access and after phoning and emailing back and forth with product support, they are telling me they can't renew my subscription over the phone. I've now been off the sensors for 4 weeks and it's having a bad effect on my sugar levels. I'm self funding so kind of shocked they don't want almost £2000 from me. I'm getting desperate to get back on the sensors ASAP as the Libre CGMs don't compare for me. My hbA1c is already 4 points higher after less than a month! Any support or recommendations for similar systems available to NI patients would be appreciated! Thanks!
 
Hi @debby_mcconnell and welcome to the DCUK forums.

Probably not relevant, but this thread here shows a user in Edinburgh having issues with the shop also.

Problem with Medtronic

I’m having trouble with the Medtronic web site. After logging in It is not showing my history of ordered supplies and even though I’m placing an order it is not arriving. I’ve been on the phone to them but I’m not sure it’s going to arrive either. Should be here before Friday this coming week...
www.diabetes.co.uk www.diabetes.co.uk

Have you tried asking your clinic for help? Writing to Medtronic head office to complain? Sending you lots of hugs and sympathy, I would be tearing my hair out of I had to do without my dexcom g7 for my tandem pump.
 
Thanks for the reply!
My diabetic nurse of over a decade, who got me started on my pump and helped me get the first subscription has recently retired! My GP and consultant at the hospital have virtually no knowledge of these sensors and have no idea how to help me beyond 'maybe contact their customer service?' which I've already done several times over. Unfortunately Northern Ireland patients seem to fall through the cracks a lot with medtronic, as we can't access the same apps (eg Penny app) as other patients. I will see what I can do about contacting the head office, thanks for that suggestion. I'll also take a look at your Dexcom g7 to see if that might be a better option if medtronic continue to ignore us!
 
debby_mcconnell said:
I'll also take a look at your Dexcom g7 to see if that might be a better option if medtronic continue to ignore us!
Click to expand...
The g7 is great, but my (limited) understanding is that it won't loop with your pump. I can't believe that medtronic want to lose their entire pump business in NI, which is what will happen if they refuse to supply you with sensors.

The other thing to try might be some sort of media complaint, do they have a facebook page? I've got to think that if publicised this situation would be very embarrassing for them.
 
Thanks for that idea! I've just left a comment on their Facebook page about it so fingers crossed they will actually do something!
If not, I'll be asking my GP to get me switched to a whole new system. Fast losing faith in medtronic as a whole :(
 
Good luck, hopefully they'll get it sorted soon. I've heard lots of good things about the medtronic as a pump system, so it seems a shame that you might have to stop using it because of administrative issues rather than because you want a different pump style.
 
Update. This morning the website had a new banner headline stating they've launched a new eshop. I excitedly went on to discover they don't seem to do the year's subscription deal anymore, and if I want to get back on the sensors it will cost £4000+ a year! Twice as much as last year!! I am now trying to get an appointment booked with my GP to discuss the possibility of NHS funded sensors since they made such a difference to my hbA1c.. if that's not a possibility I'll be asking about switching to a whole new pump system. £330 for a box of 5 sensors plus £420 for a transmitter (that slowly dies over a year so must be replaced annually) is just insane!
 
That's just crazy @debby_mcconnell ! As a comparison the dexcom G7 subscription in the UK is GBP 1236 a year ....

But I just found this on the UK medtronic site

MiniMed™ 780G system | Medtronic Diabetes

Our most advanced insulin pump system. Automatically* adjust insulin delivery and corrects glucose levels every 5 mins, 24/7with no fingersticks*†.
www.medtronic-diabetes.com www.medtronic-diabetes.com

Could it be that the long prmised upgrade to the G4 has finally arrived and they are phasing out the G4s.... Can't find a price for the simplera sync though.
 
The simplera isn't available in the UK until at least December from all reports, and even then will only be available to new pump users, as we would need an upgraded version of the Medtronic pump to connect to them. Surely all of us current pump users can't just be left in the dust with no feasible options in the foreseeable future? Frankly, If Medtronic start following in the footsteps of Apple with their updated iPhones I'd be turned off the whole company for life.
 
debby_mcconnell said:
The simplera isn't available in the UK until at least December from all reports, and even then will only be available to new pump users, as we would need an upgraded version of the Medtronic pump to connect to them. Surely all of us current pump users can't just be left in the dust with no feasible options in the foreseeable future? Frankly, If Medtronic start following in the footsteps of Apple with their updated iPhones I'd be turned off the whole company for life.
Click to expand...
There are quite a lot of UK medtronic users here. Are only the ones in NI self funding their sensors? Struggling to believe that there is not more of an outcry about such a massive increase in price. What did their CS say when you asked about the cost increase?

Looks like a pack of 5 sensors is $NZ430 here in NZ, about GBP210 .

Shop

intermed.co.nz intermed.co.nz

In your position, I'd phone and ask if there is some mistake....
 
As a US Medtronic customer, I find what you have experienced horrific. I can’t imagine losing my Medtronic 780 and G4 cgm. Man, I sure hope you find some assistance. It’s just unacceptable. i’m not familiar with your system there, so can offer no suggestions. Please post what you find out.
 
From what I have been told by my diabetic nurse, there are very few G4 sensor users in NI. The NHS will only fund the sensors if you have a lack of hypo awareness here, but otherwise you have to self fund. From what she understood, the NHS will cover sensors for most patients in England, but we get left behind quite a bit. I was told last year that I was the only diabetic in our area choosing to go on the sensors which seems wild to me, but I do understand why others who are so used to national health care don't want to pay £2000 a year.
I've been on the phone with my GP this morning, and they said they can't offer me an appointment since I'm also under the care of the hospital diabetic clinic. They gave me the number for a new diabetic nurse who has replaced my nurse who retired this year and I left a message for him, so just waiting on a call back now to discuss my options. I'm hoping I might qualify for NHS funding as I have a history of nocturnal hypos which haven't woken me up. I've had 4 this month since the sensors ended. Feel like I'm being passed from pillar to post and no one is taking responsibility for helping me out.
Thanks so much for the support, guys! It makes a huge difference to have people who understand how difficult this is ♡
 
I still wouldn't discount the power of negative publicity. Doubling the price of necessary medical equipment is outragous.

Good luck.
 
debby_mcconnell said:
From what I have been told by my diabetic nurse, there are very few G4 sensor users in NI. The NHS will only fund the sensors if you have a lack of hypo awareness here, but otherwise you have to self fund. From what she understood, the NHS will cover sensors for most patients in England, but we get left behind quite a bit. I was told last year that I was the only diabetic in our area choosing to go on the sensors which seems wild to me, but I do understand why others who are so used to national health care don't want to pay £2000 a year.
I've been on the phone with my GP this morning, and they said they can't offer me an appointment since I'm also under the care of the hospital diabetic clinic. They gave me the number for a new diabetic nurse who has replaced my nurse who retired this year and I left a message for him, so just waiting on a call back now to discuss my options. I'm hoping I might qualify for NHS funding as I have a history of nocturnal hypos which haven't woken me up. I've had 4 this month since the sensors ended. Feel like I'm being passed from pillar to post and no one is taking responsibility for helping me out.
Thanks so much for the support, guys! It makes a huge difference to have people who understand how difficult this is ♡
Click to expand...
I hate you are experiencing this. It really angers me. People don’t get how scary it is to sleep while taking insulin without a cgm. I hope your call comes soon and help is around the corner.
 
Got my callback! The new diabetic nurse is fabulous she is taking control of everything and is getting in contact with their local medtronic rep to question the price increase. Their team has not been notified of the year's subscription deal being cancelled so she was shocked it isn't offered on the new eshop (possibly an error as it's a brand new site) and will be getting all the info and hopefully getting me set back up on the same deal. Fingers crossed! She is also worried about the nocturnal hypos and is emailing my hospital clinic to set up a review with the consultants ASAP to discuss if I'm eligible for NHS funded sensors! Thank God for diabetic nurses! I'm so happy things are moving forward at last and she will get me sorted with what I need.
 
So very glad things are moving in the right direction for you. Hope you can get the sensors funded by the NHS due to the nocturnal hypo's.
 
debby_mcconnell said:
Got my callback! The new diabetic nurse is fabulous she is taking control of everything and is getting in contact with their local medtronic rep to question the price increase. Their team has not been notified of the year's subscription deal being cancelled so she was shocked it isn't offered on the new eshop (possibly an error as it's a brand new site) and will be getting all the info and hopefully getting me set back up on the same deal. Fingers crossed! She is also worried about the nocturnal hypos and is emailing my hospital clinic to set up a review with the consultants ASAP to discuss if I'm eligible for NHS funded sensors! Thank God for diabetic nurses! I'm so happy things are moving forward at last and she will get me sorted with what I need.
Click to expand...
Great to see this update!
 
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