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is using a CGM with an insulin pump useful?
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<blockquote data-quote="tim2000s" data-source="post: 1302818" data-attributes="member: 30007"><p>Okay [USER=274286]@asa35[/USER], let's start from the top.</p><p></p><p>You don't need CGM to use a pump, but some form of continuous recording makes life a lot easier. This is my story:</p><p></p><p>I acquired a pump at first in October 2015. It didn't have integrated CGM. I spent 6 months from October to March using the pump with the Freestyle Libre. It worked very, very well, and I'd recommend that anyone starting on a pump goes with a libre as the first additional thing they acquire as it makes identifying the changes in Basal rates so much easier.</p><p></p><p>From March, I built xDrip and ran HAPP (an open loop dose prediction app) on an Android phone using a Dexcom G4 transmitter. This told me what to put into the pump as basal rates based on my glucose levels. It's a kind of manual "artificial pancreas" system and I found it worked very well.</p><p></p><p>When I finally got funding for a pump, I moved onto a 640G, and because when I went to a festival I lost my G4 transmitter ( <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite3" alt=":(" title="Frown :(" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":(" /> <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite3" alt=":(" title="Frown :(" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":(" /> <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite3" alt=":(" title="Frown :(" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":(" /> ) I elected to buy into the CGM system on the 640G as it meant I had less to carry. I found it to be remarkably good, it meant I had less to carry and I was able to use SmartGuard, which is the best technology available on a pump right now in the UK (the 670G isn't available yet & OpenAPS you have to build it yourself). I found the predictive low suspend really stopped hypos in their tracks. You can extend the sensor life (I was getting up to two weeks out of the sensors, as others have) but not for as long as Dexcom. But if you can afford it, the smartguard is worth every penny.</p><p></p><p>You should see if you can trial it before using it though, to make sure you get on with the sensors.</p><p></p><p>So, in summary, no you don't need full CGM with a pump. Many use the Libre with it very successfully. But if you are going to go with CGM, make sure you know what that means and what it costs. Dexcom display on the Vibe is very different from the SmartGuard functionality on the 640G. And as far as pumps go, if you like the 640G, you might as well use it. I have no complaints with it as a standalone pump, as I wrote here: <a href="http://www.diabettech.com/smartguard/three-months-with-the-medtronic-640g-time-for-a-review-and-comparison-with-the-spirit-combo-that-i-used-previously/" target="_blank">http://www.diabettech.com/smartguard/three-months-with-the-medtronic-640g-time-for-a-review-and-comparison-with-the-spirit-combo-that-i-used-previously/</a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="tim2000s, post: 1302818, member: 30007"] Okay [USER=274286]@asa35[/USER], let's start from the top. You don't need CGM to use a pump, but some form of continuous recording makes life a lot easier. This is my story: I acquired a pump at first in October 2015. It didn't have integrated CGM. I spent 6 months from October to March using the pump with the Freestyle Libre. It worked very, very well, and I'd recommend that anyone starting on a pump goes with a libre as the first additional thing they acquire as it makes identifying the changes in Basal rates so much easier. From March, I built xDrip and ran HAPP (an open loop dose prediction app) on an Android phone using a Dexcom G4 transmitter. This told me what to put into the pump as basal rates based on my glucose levels. It's a kind of manual "artificial pancreas" system and I found it worked very well. When I finally got funding for a pump, I moved onto a 640G, and because when I went to a festival I lost my G4 transmitter ( :( :( :( ) I elected to buy into the CGM system on the 640G as it meant I had less to carry. I found it to be remarkably good, it meant I had less to carry and I was able to use SmartGuard, which is the best technology available on a pump right now in the UK (the 670G isn't available yet & OpenAPS you have to build it yourself). I found the predictive low suspend really stopped hypos in their tracks. You can extend the sensor life (I was getting up to two weeks out of the sensors, as others have) but not for as long as Dexcom. But if you can afford it, the smartguard is worth every penny. You should see if you can trial it before using it though, to make sure you get on with the sensors. So, in summary, no you don't need full CGM with a pump. Many use the Libre with it very successfully. But if you are going to go with CGM, make sure you know what that means and what it costs. Dexcom display on the Vibe is very different from the SmartGuard functionality on the 640G. And as far as pumps go, if you like the 640G, you might as well use it. I have no complaints with it as a standalone pump, as I wrote here: [URL]http://www.diabettech.com/smartguard/three-months-with-the-medtronic-640g-time-for-a-review-and-comparison-with-the-spirit-combo-that-i-used-previously/[/URL] [/QUOTE]
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