mySentry Trial: CareLink Pro

Last posts in this series: mySentry Trial: Starting Up, mySentry Trial: Wearing the Sensor, & mySentry Trial: The mySentry Unit

I’m still wearing my old Cozmo pump. It’s long past its warranty period. There are so many cracks in it that I keep it as far away from water as possible. The battery cap is a different color than the cartridge cap, and the cartridge cap is a different color than the pump. It looks more like Frankenstein each time I harvest a part off an old pump to repair this one. But it’s still going, and doing a fine job. But I recognize that the day is approaching where I have to decide what pump I’d like next.

What I’m about to say is going to surprise many of my friends and former co-workers from Smiths Medical. Y’all might want to sit down…

I’m seriously considering a Medtronic pump for my next purchase.

(thump, thump, thump thump, thump) 

That was the sound of at least five of my former Cozmo buddies fainting…

Their CareLink Pro software is amazing.

Medtronic has clearly invested a lot of resources into this software, and even more resources into educating doctors and HCP’s on how to interpret the reports and make therapy adjustments. I’d even wager on them working harder on the software than on the actual medication delivery aspect of the pump itself (which hasn’t changed much over the years).

Scott E. wrote that “The Hook” brings you back, and I have to agree. I really miss it.

Just before my first endo appointment after starting the trial I uploaded my information into the software. At the appointment my doctor spent about five minutes looking through the data and was able to make some very significant therapy adjustments. Basal rates, insulin to carb ratios, correction factors, all of it. I was floored by how quickly he could make sense from what he was seeing.

And it all helped.

But you know what really draws me back? I didn’t do any extra work to provide him with all of that information. I wore their pump, I tolerated their sensor, I used their glucose meter. I didn’t write anything down, I didn’t keep a logbook. I didn’t even think about preparing a report for my next appointment.

I just used their system.

What am I waiting for?

Their next generation sensor.

I had a lot of trouble wearing the current Medtronic CGM sensor. As you can imagine, that sensor is capable of sending a lot of information into CareLink. Without sensor data I’m not sure I’d feel so strongly about the benefits CareLink offers. If I can tolerate their next generation sensor, rumored to be coming soon, then I’ll switch without hesitation.

I hope my Cozmo can last that long.

Disclosure

I received all of the pump supplies, components, and training from Medtronic, free of charge.  I was not asked to write or say anything about my experience, I was not given any limits around anything I did write or say.  I did not receive any compensation other than the opportunity to try their products.