Is anyone on here using Control IQ with the Tandem pump who has been diagnosed with gastroparesis?? My gastro Dr. thinks I have borderline gastroparesis. It takes longer than usual for me to get a low up since my stomach is emptying slower than it used to. I started taking Domperidone before meals about three weeks ago. It has helped me some to eat more food. I need to gain back about 20 lbs. Would appreciate hearing from someone on this question as my Endo is pushing me to start using the Control IQ feature. I’m currently using Basal IQ and like it a lot.
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I don’t have gastroparesis but it used to take a while for me to start recovering from lows. I started with Basal IQ (which handles lows only) then went to CIQ - it’s not necessary but my doctor had me do it that way.
I personally found that both BIQ - and now CIQ - help me recover from lows more quickly, unless I am way over on my carb count (which is rare). In that case I still need a snack to help counter the 
; otherwise it works nicely. If you decide to make the change I suggest doing a basal rate check before you do.
@happyquilter, I agree with @wadawabbit, Dorie. She has a vast knowledge base.
CIQ will watch HIGHS and LOWS while BIQ only does LOWS. Once you go to CIQ, Tandem does not have a way for you to go back to BIQ. Of note, I was on BIQ and went to CIQ in January 2020. I have never looked back.
Each (BIQ or CIQ) will do an extended bolus. I mention the extended bolus because it is my understanding (help me get this correct) food must leave the stomach and enter the small intestine to be absorbed. The CIQ extended bolus is limited to 2 hours and can’t go longer - although you could do a second extended bolus at the end of the first extended bolus.
The use of stacked (one after the other) boluses may be a great solution. If a little food is absorbed in the first time frame (up to 2 hours) you could bolus a lower amount for the early part absorbed, and at the point you & your health care team estimate the majority to be on board create a second bolus for the late arriving food in your blood stream. Again, please, correct me if I am out of my mind on this.
I am including links to Tandem’s Support Library so you are able to get the straight info.
Hope this helps. Please share how your journey progresses. We all learn when we share.
Patty, I have full blown diabetic gastroparesis with all symptoms on the list with exception of one. I have been seeing gastroenterologist. Sugar in liquids passes through stomach faster & will have quicker effect when treating lows. When I need to treat lows I use pure grape juice(can be from pure grape concentrate) not grape flavored drinks. Acts much quicker than orange juice & any other fruit juice. I buy Kadeem & Welch’s brand. I drink about 3 oz & wait. Waiting is difficult bc my sensory awareness of bg level is still high & I hate feelings connected to lows.
For convenient alternative I use 3 glucose tabs. I chew them up & drink water with them. It’s difficult but then I wait until I begin to see numbers changing on Tandem t:slim linked to g6. Many “treats” are out of question for me due to fiber and/or fat content. Both slow down absorption of carbs & are off my gastroparesis diet.
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Hi @Hen51. Not sure if your difficulty is with the glucose tabs or the waiting, but - something about the consistency of the tabs bothers me. I discovered Clif Bloks chews at a sporting goods store (and of course available on Amazon). Personally I prefer the texture and they taste good. You might want to research them to see if they’re compatible with your digestion, if you’re looking for an alternative.
Hi everyone! I have the Medtronic 670G with CGM. I want the Tandem system but can’t get new system until May 2022 because insurance won’t pay for a new system until the warranty on my current system ends.
I also have full blown gastroparesis. Like @Hen51, I use liquids to bring lows up. I hate the feelings I get when I’m low but have to wait it out until liquids do their job. I sympathize with everyone on this message thread! Thank you all for the insight.
My difficulty is with feelings of weakness & helplessness of lows due to high sensory awareness. Those feelings are what I hate. I wait bc I know it takes time for bg to be raised. Overtreating won’t help. Up side of high sensory awareness is feeling low coming when bg normal or above but dropping.
I don’t mind glucose tabs at all. Drinking water helps the sugar pass through the stomach more quickly in presence of gastroparesis. Pure grape juice works quickly too. Coke or soft drinks of any kind cannot be used bc carbonation only makes problems with digestion worse.
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. The sensations you feel when low are the worst. A doctor told me years ago that liquids work more quickly than solids. Even so, whatever I take it’s a challenge to wait for it to do its work. I’ve devoured much more than needed to raise my numbers even though it doesn’t make things go faster; likewise I’ve stacked insulin when I didn’t like my numbers, hoping that adding more would bring them down more quickly even though I had enough insulin on board and simply hadn’t given it time to do its work. If course in each case the final result was more than I wanted​:tired_face:. What a test of willpower it is to trust our bodies. I’ve learned but still have to repeat to myself “Wait, wait, wait” sometimes.
About same here. Lows in middle of night are worst. When in a panic something says eat more. Then up & down starts for a time. You’re right waiting is the worst part of treating lows. When I began better control over 18 years ago on 5 injections a day I could no longer tolerate highs. I feel sick & irritable.
I know it’s a year later, but @Hen51 thanks for posting this topic. I don’t have CIQ at this time - Omnipod at least until I start Medicare in a few months - but my endo (who is T1 for 30+ years) just suggested that my recent symptoms may be gastroparesis.
I want to particularly thank you for the tip about water-plus-glucose-tabs. Unfortunately I’m on a limited water intake because of chronic hyponatremia, low blood sodium (I’m normally 125-127 on a scale where 135 is minimum acceptable). More water means lower sodium and that risks life-endangering seizures, so I have incentive not to drink too much water! At the same time, though, lately figuring out a way to utilize the glucose tabs has been a priority, so I guess I’m going to drag out finishing the fluids so that some of the budgeted ounces can be used for glucose tabs.
Ugh.
And for my part, I’m fine with glucose tabs - as long as they’re grape. 
So @happyquilter , I know it’s a year later, but , a year later, how are you doing? I’m particularly interested.