This might be a kind of dumb question. I don't plan on upgrading to the 530G pump, but I am looking into what it would take to start using the integrated cgm. Can the enlite sensors be used with the "old" paradigm pump or can you only use the "old" sensors? Thanks.
Yes, they can. I trialed the enlite sensors with my current revel pump. The transmitter did not change. To start using it you would need to order a transmitter and the sensors/insertion device.
We even used it with the Guardian before we got the new pump. You just have to restart the sensor every 3 days like the old one unless you use the new pump.
Yes, Enlites work just fine with the Revel and Guardian. Also, the new sensors are a big improvement in ease of insertion and in the way the overtaping is designed.
I would call the rep to find out. If you are currently using sof sensors, then the Enlites will be an easy transition. If you are new to MM's CGM you would benefit from training.
one thing to note is that you will not get a huge improvement in accuracy with the enlites and the revel or garduian and the software algerathiom that gives increased accuracy is only in the 530 that said when we used our 523 with the enlites it was close in accuracy, but the 530 picked things up faster and adjusted to rapid changes faster then the 523
Yes, we were offered training. We didn't need it because we were already using the CGM with a Revel pump, we just switched to enlites. I received an e-mail offering the training about a week after the enlites arrived. I replied that I things were going well and I didn't think we would need it. Then, about two weeks later, I received a follow up phone call offering training again.
When I went on the website (to see what they cost, not to order) it says the enlites are not compatible with my device. I am guessing maybe they do this to encourage people to upgrade to the 530G? I called Medtronic almost 2 weeks ago to find out how much it would cost to start using the CGM, and I still don't have an answer...when I called a few days ago they said I had "ordered" and they were working on getting prescription from the dr. I'm not sure what that means...Is that normal procedure? (I told them to call me before they ship the order, so hopefully they do. ????) And I also noticed the enlites are more than double the cost of sof sensors. Plus the cost of the transmitters, etc..... So we may not do the CGM after all. I'm not sure we could afford it. One more question, how many sensors do people typically order for a month? Thanks.
And another question, I know you are told to replace the transmitter every 6 months, but how long to they typically last? And what do they cost to replace? Thanks.
For reasons I don't quite understand, the FDA is being really strict with Medtronic (or medtronic is just super paranoid...) about how they market the enlite sensors. Your best bet is probably to have your endo send a prescription to medtronic for the enlite sensors to be used with the revel pump. If they have that they should be more willing to talk to you. I think they have loosened up a bit about it but when I tried the enlite sensors with my revel pump they would only ship the sensors to my endo's office and not directly to me because I was not using them in an FDA approved manner (I think so anyway---I was so frustrated with the process I had my parents deal with it). I think they are now shipping sensors to folks directly as long as they have a prescription stating the off label use. You will probably go through 1 sensor a week once you get used to the system so 4 a month. In the beginning you may go through a ton (I wasted 4 enlites the first week and that was with years of previous medtronic cgm experience). I don't know how good medtronic is about replacing sensors that don't work.
My younger son uses Enlite with 530G. Older son uses Dexcom G4 with Animas. I will say Dexcom G4 is cheaper for us because I can extend the Dexcom G4 sensor to last 14 days or longer. I can not get more than 6 or 7 days out of Enlite. We started using Enlite in Nov. 2013 off label with Guardian. We had prescription from endo for it. Even now still with prescription and 530G we got end of Dec. I still have some MM supply reps questioning my order because he is under 16. Never had trouble ordering Dexcom supplies even before Dexcom got the under 17 approval.
My experience is that if you get a good one they last a really long time. My best transmitter is one that is over 5 years old. You need to store them a specific way if you are not using them. I think they are around $900 each.
On the charger. Our MM transmitters lasted a long time. I would usually order a new one at 18 months or so, but I think we had one in the rotation that was close to 4 years old. The sensors, however, last only about half as long as the Dexcom sensors, so I'm not sure which system you'd come out ahead on if you had a large OOP cost.
