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Blog Entries With Tag: MedtronicBlog: Anna's BlogFrom: FatCatAnnaPosted: Mar 7, 2014
It’s been a month now since coming back to Canada from what I think was the best holiday I’ve had in ages. I’m still in the process of getting my thoughts together for a good travel blog on the experience along with going thru’ the 1,000’s of pictures both my DH and I took – but in the meantime – it’s back to business for blogging about what I do the best … diabetes … staying in control with it … using whatever method suits you best. For myself, on this past holiday, I was determined to use the I-Port for all my rapid insulin shots that I take during my waking hours. I average about 6 shots a day when using my rapid insulin for my meals and corrections. The ability to not worry about where I last injected (yes – some people keep charts). I’m lazy – too much work - using the I-Port – which is like an infusion set on an insulin pump (both devices to infuse are very similar) – makes it easier to give time to heal as you move the I-Port/infusion to the next spot. It makes my life easier! If I could have put my long lasting insulin into the same port – that would be great – but you can’t – according to the instructions. It makes sense – since the long lasting insulin (Levemir / Lantus) – work at a different speed – so best to keep them separated. So, for my regime of using Levemir during my holidays (x3 a day) that was fine (though the 6 AM wake up call for 1st of 3 shots – yawwwnnn – did I say I’m not an early morning riser???). Anyway, the jist of my blog here is that … I had to ditch using the I-Ports into the 2nd day of our 14 days of sailing. The reason why?
So, I ditched using the I-Ports for the whole 3 weeks of my holidays. And yes, I am back on the I-Port now back on terra-firma – still enjoying the pump break I’m taking for now. Testing out Levemir once again – but only on 2X a day injections (sorry Doris - the 3X regime was too much like being a slave to insulin - all I did was worry about times, etc. - not my personal style of controlling my diabetes health - too stressful). Sadly I only have 6 I-Ports left – and after talks with Diabetes Express / and Fay at Medtronic Canada – who knows when we’ll be able to obtain more. Discussions are ongoing for distribution since Medtronic took over distribution from Patton Medical Devices in February. It’s also very sad – when I hear from parents of kids who use the I-Port – and their not being able to get what they need (most kids use 6mm – as an adult – I use the 9mm – otherwise – I’d give the I-Ports to those that need them most). Feel like discussing this in the forums? You can go check it out here - where I originally posted about the I-Port back in 2008. It's not new - and many Americans don't know much about it. Meanwhile, back to dreaming I’m still living on water ….
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Tags: infusion (1) port (1) insulin (1) Levemir (1) Patton (1) Medtronic (1) Express (1) Diabetes (1) Related posts:Type 1 vs. Type 2 | In a slump and scared | Surviving the Holocaust with Type 1 diabetes | Eating from the ground - Yuca Fries | My first month with Bowie my Dexcom G4 CGMS | Miss Idaho is Defeating Diabetes | Sugar and Your Health | Crack Free #ShowMeYourPump | Edmonton man denied insulin for 20 hours | Jenna and The Hypo FairyBlog: Anna's BlogFrom: FatCatAnnaPosted: Dec 13, 2013
Right now it seems that it is just the separate CGMS remote that you find in this link as the Animas insulin pump called the Vibe that you see below - has yet to be approved for use here. The good thing? Once the Vibe is approved (Canada only has the Ping at the moment for sale) - you will be able to use the transmitters without the separate remote (or at least that is what I've read at various places online).
The main thing is - we finally have APPROVAL (an online petition by Nathalia Stanichevsky may have helped push it faster). For those of us who can afford it (either thru' work insurance coverage) or ability to afford out of pocket. We are one more step ahead of the game plan. I had seen it a few years ago at a diabetic conference - and was quite impressed (the excuses given by the rep as to why it was so slow to come to our country made my eyes role as normal - we're a smaller population than USA, the French/English bit, the list goes on). I even met up with an American that was using it - and she showed how well it worked for her when she was visiting Montreal this summer. I liked the screen - ease of looking at it - just like the Animas pumps are - compared to the Medtronic that I'd tested out earlier in my pumping years (I'm a late bloomer - starting in 2008 after 40+ years of multiple dosage injections). The good thing is - now we have two systems available to us in Canada (the other is Medtronic). For those of us who are hypo unaware (your blood sugar suddenly drops) or just want to have a better visual of what your blood sugars (BG) are doing - more power to you! Curently, you have to contact Animas Canada for more info - go to this link to request more info .... http://www.animas.ca/dexcom Psst, if you find out more info than I'm gathering up at this moment - please let me/us know - either via this post - or privately!
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Tags: transmitter (1) Vibe (1) Medtronic (1) approval (1) Health Canada (1) blood sugar (1) BG (1) CGMS (1) Ping (1) Animas Canada (1) Dexcom G4 (1) Related posts:Keeping track | In a slump and scared | My first month with Bowie my Dexcom G4 CGMS | My 13 year old self describing her DKA in the 70's | Twist and Shout – Sleep Apnoea | Welcome Ziggy Stardust | When You're Hot, You're Hot | My First Night with Dexcom G4 CGMS | Carb Counting | Home StretchBlog: Anna's BlogFrom: FatCatAnnaPosted: Jun 21, 2013
Image courtesy of http://www.traveling9to5.com/ ![]() The one thing I do have a beef about - and I'd mentioned about this a few weeks ago at Blogger - the cost of the infusion sets to Canadians (and those of us not living in the USA). The price that we pay for the infusion sets shows quite a wide gap in prices. For example, my Contact Detach here in Canada costs $155 - if I was an American - I'd be paying $94. I thought it was perhaps due to our value of our dollar - but we're pretty close to being at par these days. The price list as well - since I started pumping over 5 years ago - hasn't changed at all. When I spoke to Animas Canada about the price difference today - Alexis - one of the staff there who took my order (and a pumper herself) - said that due to duty/tarriffs and our smaller pumping compared to the States that this is why we - and other countries pay more. Huh???? I tried to figure out what the cost was to ship the product from Mexico - to United States - then Canada - but I'd have to have my brain go to school to figure all the ins/outs of trading between these countries through the Canada Border Service Agency website.
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Tags: Rapid D (1) Sure-T (1) Accu-Chek (1) Medtronic (1) Animas (1) cost (1) United States (1) Mexico (1) Canada Border Service Agency (1) duty (1) tariffs (1) Contact Detach (1) Unomedical (1) insulin (1) pump (1) set (1) infusion (1) Related posts:Type 1 vs. Type 2 | In a slump and scared | Orthopedic Surgery in Mexico - Is it a good idea? | Total Knee Replacement Surgery in Mexico | Why Mexico Is One Of The Best Destinations For Hip Replacement Surgery ? | Surviving the Holocaust with Type 1 diabetes | My first month with Bowie my Dexcom G4 CGMS | Crack Free #ShowMeYourPump | Edmonton man denied insulin for 20 hours | Jenna and The Hypo FairyBlog: Anna's BlogFrom: FatCatAnnaPosted: Jun 22, 2011
Okay - don't freak out - I've not suddenly quit my day job to become Uri Geller and perform fork / spoon bending feats - I mean - I'm hoping that this is a one time event - that it does NOT happen again.
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Tags: tissue (1) scar (1) teflon (1) bent (1) blood sugar (1) infusion set (1) insulin (1) Medtronic (1) Animas (1) Sure T (1) Contact Detach (1) Related posts:Type 1 vs. Type 2 | Keeping track | In a slump and scared | Surviving the Holocaust with Type 1 diabetes | My first month with Bowie my Dexcom G4 CGMS | My 13 year old self describing her DKA in the 70's | Edmonton man denied insulin for 20 hours | Twist and Shout – Sleep Apnoea | Crack Free #ShowMeYourPump | Jenna and The Hypo FairyBlog: Anna's BlogFrom: FatCatAnnaPosted: Aug 29, 2009
Not sure if any of you have checked out the forum area of Diabetes1.org lately - but I posted a discussion about Stephen Krueger - a Canadian - who died 3 years ago after his Medtronic pump (MMT-511) overdosed him with insulin. When I first came across the story - I was shocked at what had happened - thinking - what if this happened to me - or one of my many friends that wears a pump? The other thing that went off in my mind was the fact that the story was only coming to light 3 years later after the fact! The D and his Guy had posted the same story that I had - but with more discussion going on there - and in my quest to figure out how it happened - had put out a few questions to one person that seemed to know more about this terrible tragedy - and it came to light that they were friends of Steven's and his parents. They shared some information that has left me even more stunned - to the point that I didn't sleep very well - as it has disturbed me to no end. After Health Canada had completed their investigations that the pump was indeed at fault - they proceeded to hand over the pump to Medtronic - so they could also investigate why their pump had performed this act that lead to the death of Steven. They did not feel that is was important and send the pump back without any further testing! One thing I have come across in searching Health Canada is that in August 2007 - a recall notice was put out on Medtronic insulin pumps - due to strong magnetic field exposure - and I quote - "If the pump is exposed to strong magnetic fields, it may exhibit over-delivery potentially resulting in severe hypoglcemia. Users muse avoid exposing the pump to stong magnetic fields such as MRI as stated in the labelling." Could Steven's pump been exposed? I am not sure what he did for a living - but perhaps he was in the medical field. WTF - if a plane or car had caused something similar - a death - or accident that could not be explained - the manufacturer would no doubt want to do further investigations of what caused it. Am I being silly in thinking this way? I feel like I'm losing my marbles trying to grasp at why Medtronic isn't going further into the investigation. The other thing that is going thru' my sponge brain - Steven's pump was 4 years old - according to what I have read. Meaning it was perhaps nearing the end of it's warranty (I know with my Animas 2020 I have a warranty of 4 years). I know of some diabetics - who have had their pumps for much longer - and no problems as of yet with how it works - but there is always a chance something might go wrong. I am thinking perhaps pump manufacturers might want to have their product go thru' a diagnostic check up from time to time perhaps. Now, yes, it might cost the consumer - but at the price of a pump - it's a small amount compared to what they would pay for a new pump or perhaps have what happened to Steven occur. Anyway, I am to the point of trying to get a petition together within some of the diabetic communities I am in - to send to Medtronic to ask them why they proceeded this way in not doing further investigations. At this point in time - I am so glad I did not purchase a Medtronic pump. One of the reason I didn't at the time (I had test run the MiniMed Paradigm REAL-Time System for 4 months prior to trying out the Animas 2020) was due to the the Customer Service which I did not find as good as Animas. I want to be the Ralph Nader of Diabetics!!!
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Tags: insulin pump (1) MMT-511 (1) Medtronic (1) malfunction (1) Steven Krueger (1) insulin (1) hypo (1) Health Canada (1) Animas (1) Related posts:Type 1 vs. Type 2 | In a slump and scared | Surviving the Holocaust with Type 1 diabetes | My first month with Bowie my Dexcom G4 CGMS | Miss Idaho is Defeating Diabetes | Edmonton man denied insulin for 20 hours | Crack Free #ShowMeYourPump | Jenna and The Hypo Fairy | Welcome Ziggy Stardust | Wearing a dress with medical gadgets |
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