Thank you for all the positive information on Tandem. It helped me move from Medtronic when my pump was 5 years old and Medicare would cover a new pump. I started on T:slim X2 in July 2019 and really like the Basal IQ help with lots of lows. I am working on adjusting my basal settings and wondering about adding Control IQ. How will it help with my lots of lows and highs? I have gastroparesis and food does not always pass through in a normal time. When I have high BS now and look at bolus, it says I have enough IOB (insulin on board). How will Control IQ help with this? Also, how far in advance of exercise should I turn on Exercise Profile? I am about to set that up. Thank you for all the help this forum gives. 46 years with Type 1.
I did the same thing. Start with BIQ. I switched to CIQ in January and have never been happier/ better. DexCom Clarity has been 95 or greater every week. A1C is down 0.6 to 6.0.
Make the jump. It is like going to warp speed. The learning curve is almost flat. Just a few more icons on same pump screen.
I forgot to say WELCOME to Forums @ JDRF.
Let us know how it goes. All questions are welcome. This forum is for all of us to learn.
Welcome back, Ruth @Ruthclever, nice to see you again, and also being able to share a positive experience with Tandem and Basal IQ.
In my experience, since late January 2020, with Control IQ [CIQ], I think that you could benefit well by changing to CIQ for its ability to ASSIST management with your higher glucose levels. CIQ will also show you some improvement with low range when the impact of eating is delayed because in those cases it will reduce your basal in addition to suspending, when necessary.
As your body glucose level [BGL] goes above 160 mg/dl, CIQ will increase your basal rate, and then if you go above 180, CIQ will give you a bolus. The bolus delivered is 60% of the amount calculated, based on the sensitivity rate you have in your Profile for that hour, to bring you back to Target. I’ve been “stunned” when looking at the “complete” history in my pump when I see the MANY microscopic adjustments made by CIQ; the “good news” is that since January, my TIR [time-in-range] has bee 90% or higher.
You are right, in making certain that the basal rates you have set in your different Profiles is accurate before beginning CIQ. Good luck!
Hi! I have a T1D friend who has gastroparesis, and she was greatly helped by migrating from BIQ to CIQ. I went directly from DIY Loop to CIQ, so no BIQ experience. Regarding exercise, that’s a very complicated issue even without your gastroparesis. Remember that Exercise mode can’t subtract insulin that’s already delivered, so IOB matters a lot. I start a Exercise mode as little as a half hour before, if my blood sugar is already up around 140, and IOB is low. If you use Facebook, I suggest you search for groups using Tandem CIQ. You should find at least two groups that can help.
Thanks so much for helping, I always look forward to your posts with so many good hints and helps as well as a long time T1. I am way behind you at 46 years but maybe was a higher BS at diagnosis, 1739 for me. I will be glad when Tandem educators can again be at the Endo office. I admire how much you exercise and have the pump set up to accommodate that.
Ruth Clevenger
Ocala, FL
Thank you for all your help and hints. I always look forward to your posts. I am a T1 for 46 years and know you are much longer than that. I was 1739 BS at diagnosis. I will continue to tweak my basal before I get CIQ.
Ruth Clevenger
Ocala, FL
Thank you for your help. I will continue to tweak my basal before I go to CIQ. Exercise will be something I will work out as I go along. T1 for 46 years, 1739 BS at diagnosis. Glad there are so many ways to help a T1 now.
Ruth Clevenger
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Wow I thought my 1627 was crazy at diagnosis. I have found what has been mentioned earlier about IOB to be very relevant with exercise. If I have any IOB showing I sometimes start my exercise mode 90min early to help prevent lows. I also leave it on for about 30min after I finish. CIQ has brought me down to 6.2 from around 6.9 previously.
We’ve learned to leave my daughter’s CIQ in exercise mode for the rest of the day. Otherwise, she’d be going low for 20-ish hours post-workout.
In case anyone has ever doubted whether exercise is good for you, or really does burn as many calories as it’s supposed to: when she goes on a long bike ride, the pump delivers ZERO basal, and she eats oranges and granola bars and drinks Gatorade just like anyone else would, without taking any insulin at all, or else she’ll go low. There’s incentive for you!
@srozelle , I question your statement that “Sleep Mode” on CIQ targets 150 mg/dl. The Sleep Mode target is 110 mg/dl. Below, is copied from the Tandem reference posted on Tandem Support page - Using the Sleep Activity with Control-IQ technology [video] – Tandem Diabetes Care
Basal Rate is automatically increased at or above 120 mg/dl, and decreased at 112.5 mg/dl.
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" When a Sleep Activity is enabled, the treatment values are lower and narrower since there are fewer variables that affect glucose values during sleep, for example you are not eating or exercising.
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When Control-IQ technology predicts a glucose value less than or equal to 112.5 mg/dL, it will start to decrease basal insulin delivery and will stop basal insulin delivery if the predicted glucose value will be less than or equal to 70 mg/dL 30 minutes in the future.
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If Control-IQ technology predicts that the glucose value will be at or over 120 mg/dL, basal insulin delivery will be increased. Note that when a Sleep Activity is enabled, Control-IQ technology will not deliver Automatic Correction Boluses."
Thanks, @Dennis. I deleted it.
I’m just going to sit here quietly and try to learn from my mistakes… 
Hi @srozell. Don’t know what you deleted but I hope you don’t feel bad about what you posted. We’re all here to learn - I’ve been corrected a few times myself and I’ve got 50+ years of diabetes under my belt.
Kudos on figuring out what works for your daughter for exercise. We do so much study/tweaking/experimentation/results review, we should get life experience for research! Keep up the good work.
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