Control IQ --- Q&A!

Answering your questions on the NEW Control IQ software for the Tandem t:Slim X2 insulin pumps with Dexcom G6!

This video is NOT sponsored.

I answered these questions as best as I could, but keep in mind I am not a Tandem employee - please talk with Tandem directly for the most accurate information.

Thanks!

My other videos on Control IQ:

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Snapchat: DeeMarieIsMe

[DISCLAIMER: While I am a Registered Nurse, nothing that I post should ever be taken as medical/nursing advice. Please consult your doctor if you have questions about your individual diabetes management and overall health.]

[Tinsulinpumper]

CIQ has been a complete a game changer! I'm using 35+ less units a day plus my bg has been a lot more stable.

[Karen-dmeq]

Hi Danica! I think you do a fabulous job. Your channel is inspiring even to a T1D like me who's going on 51 years of dealing with it. You must be such a great CDE!

Okay, here's my question: I'm about to start using Control IQ. In fact, I have the tutorial in front of me, ready to start. I was disappointed to learn that Control IQ doesn't help to bring down a high during sleep. This is really what I wanted most from it! For example, at bedtime, say my CGM shows that my BS is pretty steady at around 150. I pat myself on the back that I guessed right about how much insulin I needed for that fatty dinner (hah!), and go to bed. Then when I wake up in the morning, my BS is over 350. I've tried setting a temporary basal rate, but I've never figured out how to get it right overnight. I feel like I'm making a wild guess at what the food will do. So, now I'm wondering if I can avoid using a Sleep setting altogether or tell it I only sleep 2 hours a night. Is that possible? Would it be dangerous for some reason? Thanks for any tips you can offer me! And thank you for the great job you do on your channel. ~ Karen

[Wendygirljp]

Greetings from North Carolina. I started using a Dexcom pump some 5.5 or so years ago. Going from that system to the Dexcom G6 CGM, I got a bit "panicked" as I kept getting many more high readings. It took a while to realize that the highs and lows were probably always there, but testing only 4-5 times a day would not show the "in-between readings." I am now waiting for approval to go to the IQ system, which should come in the next week or so. Thankfully, the Veterans Administration (VA) offers the Dexcom system and, for me, without the expensive costs of the pump, transmitters, test strips, canulae, etc.

When I was first diagnosed with Diabetes 7 years ago, my A1c was at 15.5. For about the past year or two, it has been between 6 and 6.2, so the insulin pump, as well as the Endocrinology staff, have been helping me stay within a normal range. (Thank you, also, to Dr. M. Arthur Charles, (MD/Ph.D.) a retired research physician, the University of California at Irvine (UCI) Medical School and one of a very few diabetologists in the US, who helped me understand the system of insulin pumps some 20 years before I became diabetic.

Thank you for your sharing of such great information in your videos. Keep up the good work and I hope you keep up the good work of staying healthy.

[bigblackguarddog]

Hello, T1D mom here :) My 7 yr old t1 loves all your videos. You are her biggest fan <3 I heard your pump beep and automatically looked around for daughters pump 🤣

[ninaandianfan]

My favorite part to watch was definitely the: I.Don't.Know (because it felt so candid and was sort of funny to watch) and the rant about the unnecessary over 200 alert/alarm :D

[kathysharfe]

My A1C went from a 10.9 to a 6.1 in 3-4 months because of Covid I was unable to get to my doctors office. Now I’ve been using the T Slim X2 insulin pump and I’ve been having a rough time with it 😭 It’s just that I worked my butt off to get it down on my own without a insulin pump and this is the first time that I’ve ever used an insulin pump. Idk if I like it or not 😭😭

[juliepederson]

Danica! Just spoke with sandy! I made an appt with you! Couldn’t BELEIVE you’re the same Danica I feel I know already- right here in the office ‘I’ go to!! Yay!! 👍🏽😊

[TheHanStudios]

Regarding the first question, you actually can't just quickly update the pump from Basal IQ to Control IQ. It requires a prescription from your physician since it changes how the pump affects your insulin treatment (via CGM), so you'll definitely want to specify which you prefer if you're already aware of Control IQ when you are ready to get the pump. If you do get Basal IQ, you'll need to go through a process (might be long or short) with your physician to get the appropriate physician.


My Diabetes specialist actually said that they tend to recommend some people not get the Control IQ update because it may not be the best treatment plan for the person, based on certain habits and level of control. So, it's possible your physician won't feel comfortable giving you the prescription for the update immediately. I don't think this will happen to most people, but it's possible.


PS: Regarding the question on extended bolus canceling, it actually does NOT cancel the extended bolus anymore. They did this in line with the other change where it doesn't stop insulin delivery once your CGM reading predicts a low in the next 30 minutes. So, if you notice your BG going quite low possibly due to over-estimating how much you needed for the extended bolus, you'll need to manually cancel it.

[ruby-rooreviews]

Great video, I’ve been on a insulin pump for 2 years now 😊

[charlenepinpin]

Control IQ has definitely been life changing for me! I just switched to the t-slim from being on an Omnipod for 10 years. However, I am having the exact same issue with working out and trying to figure out what to do. Putting it in the Exercise function and even with disconnecting before the workout I will drop very low, very quickly! I haven’t figured this out yet either. Please share a video if you do find something that works! Thanks for all your videos Danica!

[MidnightButterfly]

can you do a vid on all the different tslim cases available, and alternative clips for it and how the clips work

[peggyamon]

How come when I fill the cartridge with 300 units the tslim x2 pump only displays that I have 240 units and it only took 13 units to fill tubing and cannula

[brandieblakley]

Is there anything u wish u knew when u first started with T-Slim with CIQ?
Is there an android app that I need or should get for my phone for the T-Slim?

[ashleyphillips]

When your pump beeped, I legit thought it was mine at first 😂

[analog]

With the 670G I find the temp target doesn’t always keep me from going low when I’m working out. I found if I fill my water bottle with half Powerade and half water that is enough to keep my BG from dropping really bad. My BG will normally stay pretty stable when I do that and I’m not seeing it spike after my work out. Maybe this is something similar you could try with control IQ.

[AndreAndreazza]

??? If the pump has update on Control-IQ and I deactivate it, is the pump in the Basal-IQ?
Since the update cannot be postponed, would that be an option?

[barbguillory]

Thanks so much for your q and a session on control IQ. I agree about the alert if it is over 200, but they say you can't bolus. Grr., If I try to bolus before a, meal it either works, or I eat much later than expected, so it goes low. Must use finger stick more at times like this. Only trouble is, on Medicare, they do not cover the cost of the strips once you are on G6! That is my major aggravation. All in all, so glad you are exercising. I am 69 with some COPD and asthma, so running or quick walking doesn't work well for me.

[chipblake]

Hope you’re OK and keeping safe from the current nastiness Danica!

[tashainjena]

I'm on Medicare and fixing to get a Tandem X2 hopefully. The one I get will have Basal IQ, but I can immediately do an upgrade. Can't wait. Have been using the Tandem tslim and have killed a couple in the last 2 weeks. My old one died, then got a replacement while my new one came in, and I killed it, too. Electronics hate me.

[eastonguy]

I have the Tandem T-slim with Basal IQ and my glucoses have been averaging about 96. I’m hesitant to upgrade to Control IQ because it seems that the algorithm attempts to keep your blood sugar between 112.5 and 160. I’m not sure why they decided to set the range so high without the option of changing it. I’m curious if anyone out there using Control IQ has had experience with keeping their glucoses in a lower range...if it is even possible.