Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Andy on June 7, 2012 at 6:23am

There was a way to link a meter, but via a cable, and the only purpose was to calibrate the Dexcom. It's not wireless, doesn't do it automatically, and frankly it's just simpler to manually enter the number and not carry around a cable.

This feature was necessary on the older models though, because they had some exclusivity with a meter so that you HAD to use a specific meter in order to calibrate the Dexcom. Thankfully that silliness went away and we can use better meters like the Flash now.

Permalink Reply by Mike W on June 7, 2012 at 6:26am

Thanks for the reply, I was under the impression that it updated wirelessly. Sometimes the lack of technology amazes me.

Permalink Reply by Andy on June 7, 2012 at 6:33am

It really is amazing how slowly this kind of medical technology changes compared to everything else. In the time that the iPhone has come out and gone through 5 major revisions, my Animas Ping still has the same exact menu that my Animas 1200 did 8 years ago. The only changes are the screen changed color, they made it bigger to work wirelessly with the meter (which I don't use because the Flash is much better since it's tiny and has a light). Oh yeah, they added custom alarm tones too, hooray!

Finally a few companies are just skipping ahead though. Check out the Tandem pump - http://www.tandemdiabetes.com/. Assuming it passes all the tests, this might be the best pump coming out soon.

Permalink Reply by Roger S on June 7, 2012 at 6:53am

From what I was told when I did my training Tuesday, that was a cable that went between the Dexcom receiver and the One touch Ultra meter, it has gone away and you just manually enter the results from the meter. I would like to have everything communicate together, but maybe later they will get the links worked out so a meter reading will transmit to Dexcom.

Permalink Reply by SusanT on June 7, 2012 at 8:17am

I'd be interested in knowing why you (Andy) think the Flash is a better meter. Briefly, of course. Thanks.

Permalink Reply by Andy on June 7, 2012 at 8:26am

- The Flash needs significantly less blood than OneTouch (Ping) meters. My fingers certainly love that feature.
- Strips are thinner, and come 50 to a vial. You can pack about 75 or so in one vial. Ping strips come 25 to a vial, and you can't fit quite as many in there.
- Flash has a much smaller case, which can actually can fit in my pocket occasionally unlike the huge Ping case. I also use it as my wallet.
- Flash has a light facing the strip, so testing is very easy at night even in the dark.
- I don't find the Ping's wireless features helpful. You can't update basals, and bolusing via the meter takes just as many button presses as the pump.

Permalink Reply by SusanT on June 7, 2012 at 9:04am

Thanks - I'll have to look at the Flash. The One Touch Ultra Link transmits to my Medtronic pump, so I'll have to keep that in mind. That does help in several ways. A big question: how is the accuracy? Dexcom rep likes to remind me that the inaccuracy range of the Dexcom (huge discrepancies which drive me absolutely nuts!) is also in our meters. It would help me to know I'm reading the most accurate blood sugar science can bring us at this time. I just don't quite know how to find and evaluate that. I'm not a great "trend" reading person, Dexcom's claim to fame, esp when the values are so far off. But I'm learning that I guess some measure of where you're at without having to test so frequently is better than nothing.

Permalink Reply by Brad Ringer on June 7, 2012 at 7:50pm

It is frustrating that advances are slow in coming, however comparing to the iPhone isn't valid. Apple doesn't have to have every change approved by the FDA. When I got my 7+ in 2009, it was expected that there would be smaller pods in six to nine months. We still don't have them.