After about a 2 year struggle with the insurance companies my girlfriend is finally eligable for a TSlim x2 pump.
She’s over the moon about it, but apparently in the netherlands you are only able to get it with Basil IQ.
Is there any chance that somebody can send me in the right direction on how to get the update in the Netherlands / hack the pump in order to get the Control IQ software on there?
Kind regards and thank you all for all the information on this forum.
It has been very useful.
The technology is not approved in your region, and that is why you cant get the update in your region. What you are asking is illegal. Since “Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc.” is liable and subject to the European approvals process, I am afraid you will have to wait for your regional approval. The good news is that, once approved, the pump software can be downloaded and upgraded at home.
I started with BIQ before going to CIQ (my doctor wanted it that way but it’s not necessary). When adjusting manually (before BIQ/CIQ) I found I would rebound high because I over treated for lows. With the right background settings BIQ helped greatly with going low in the first place so I didn’t need to treat as much, which reduced my rebound highs. Hopefully you will find the same until CIQ is approved where you are.
As @joe stated you must go through a process to get CIQ (and Basal) and here in the US we must have a physician’s rx, do online training and pass a test before getting the upgrade code - I’m guessing you had to do the same for Basal. For legal reasons Dexcom must follow the laws that apply to your area, so you’ll have to wait for the process to run its course.
@wadawabbit;
youre describing the exact same thing as what she is going through a lot of the time.
Iam glad to hear it helped for you, and hopefully will help for her just as much.
concerning getting Basil IQ;
She is a doctor herself, and she has an internist who has been a great help ever since she was diagnosed. the approval for Basil IQ is already there. But as far as i know there isn’t any testing being done (yet!) with Control IQ in the Neterlands.
It’s always helpful to know you’re not alone in your experience, which is what makes this forum nice; although as a doctor if not as a person with diabetes she may well have heard similar anecdotes.
I may be naive but it seemed to me that Europe is ahead of the US when it comes to adopting new treatments and technologies. Our red tape can be particularly sticky😑 but in this case perhaps Tandem needs to go through their own procedures first. So I’m surprised to hear there may not be any approvals for CIQ in the works.
That does beg am interesting question: if someone who uses CIQ were to emigrate to the beautiful Netherlands, what would they do? Could they continue to use it, or would they have to “go back to manual” while continuing to use their Dexcom to track glucose levels - once you upgrade to Control IQ there’s no going back to Basal.
Thinking about it, it is an interesting conundrum - of only in my mind - but it is something to ask for someone contemplating moving to another country. I would certainly research medical care and pump support, but I don’t think it would cross my mind to ask if both those features are supported. So I’m putting that out for anyone who may have dreams of moving or retiring to [your preferred country]. Be sure to ask. COVID may have put the brakes on to she extent but one day who knows…
Well I was surprised by it as well. Overall the healthcare is pretty good for diabetics here (all costs are covered under insurance, including sensors, pumps, insuline and help from professionals).
But the company my girlfriend has worked with have been hesitant to switch pump brands. She will be one of the first people to get the TSlim pump here. (through the route we have been taking, in hindsight it would have been possible a few months sooner if we wouldve walked a different route. oh well.)
My best guess is that as long as you have your pump and setting’s you’d be able to use it abroad.
Otherwise it would be possible to get CIQ with a simple VPN for instance (or send the pump to someone in USA to download the software into the pump).