My Experience with the Hybrid Closed Loop System
Okay, so I know I've kept everyone waiting, but I wanted to give y'all a review of how the hybrid closed loop system is working for me over a period of time! So I'm glad y'all have been patient with me, the wait for this blog post is over! Over the past week, I've been on the new hybrid closed loop system. When I first heard that I was chosen to take part in this new journey, I was excited, then scared, then excited again. Excited to be chosen for something so big. Scared because that's a change in my life. Excited because my numbers may be more controlled than ever. I have to say, this experience has been absolutely amazing to be a part of.
The hybrid closed loop system works kinda behind the scenes in a mode called auto mode. The pump (Medtronic 670g) and my sensor work with each other to tell me a sensor reading of what my blood sugar is (which isn't always 100% accurate but it usually stays very close to my actual number) and gives micro boluses (gives insulin) when my body needs insulin and doesn't give any insulin if it doesn't need it. This doesn't replace me giving insulin for meals, I still have to do that. But I'm now less likely to have to give more correction boluses through out the day.
This system works efficiently by way of what's called calibrating. To calibrate my pump and sensor, I have to check my blood sugar and after it's sent to the pump, I select the option that asks to calibrate my sensor. It usually takes anywhere from about 10 to 15 minutes to calibrate my sensor with my pump. After it's done, my pump and sensor will be communicating with each other and my sensor glucose is displayed. It's usually within 10 points of each other, so that's a good thing.
Another interesting feature is that pump will let me know when my sugar has gotten too low or too high. If it's starting to get low, my pump will stop giving insulin. After 2 hours of it's still not getting high enough, it will alert me to check my sugar and treat the low. If it's starting to get too high, it will give more insulin. If after 3 hours my sugar still isn't dropping back to normal levels, my pump will alert me and tell me to check and give a correction bolus. Sometimes my pump will alert to check my sugar to stay in auto mode or to calibrate to stay in auto mode.
For me to be able to get in auto mode, I have an option I look at called auto mode readiness. If all the needed options are check marked then I'm able to go into automode. If there's one or two (or more) that aren't check marked, then I have to do whatever those things are to be able to go into automode. It was so awesome to go into auto mode for the first time and see that blue shield pop up on my screen! Now, for those who haven't heard much about this, I was in manual mode before. In that mode, I have fixed basal rates (which is a fixed amount of insulin that gets delivered at a certain time to try and keep my sugars in some type of range. In my opinion, I love auto mode so much better than manual mode. Auto gives me insulin based on my need for it and everyday it's striving and working hard to be better than it was the day before. Now there are times where I make a mistake here and there, but we're all human and it's bound to happen at some point.
I'm so glad that I've gotten this chance to be a part of this! With the help of my endocrinologist, Dr. Latif, and my Medtronic rep., and all the other staff there at the insulin pump center have been such a blessing and they have all treated me with great care! There hasn't been a bad visit since I've went there!! So that's something that has made me happy. I'm adding in some pictures here and in my gallery of some of the pictures I've taken over the course of the past week or so, so y'all be sure to check them out! If you have any questions or comments (or even anything you'd like me to talk about in a future blog post) be sure to check out the contact page and send me a message! Enjoy reading!!
xo,
Maddie
