[prydey]

Type 1 and Type 2 conditions have been able to make use of technology in the form of CGM's (constant glucose monitoring) over the last few years, and like everything the technology is always advancing. A company called Dexcom have had a device that for a while now that links to your mobile phone, so you can see what your blood glucose level is at all times. This is incredibly handy and eliminates the need for constant checking by the use of finger pricks etc.

A new diabetic pump has just been approved for sale in Australia (been in america for a while, Therapeutic Goods Australia TGA are a bit stricter) which is a brand called Tandem.

The beauty of this is they have also worked in conjunction with Dexcom so that the pump and cgm can be linked, and therefore create a closed loop system. This brings even more automation to the treatment. The other main brand, medtronic, also has a similar setup using their own cgm, but its not as good or accurate.

This gives the pump the ability to suspend insulin if the cgm (dexcom g6) detects the BG going low, even before it gets to a critical level. There is an update coming where the pump can have the ability to increase insulin if the levels are going high as well.

My youngest daughter just changed over to this pump and cgm about a couple of weeks ago and really pleased with it. My daughter has adapted quite well to it after 4-5 years of medtronic.

Another massive improvement dexcom have made it possible for the user to have 'followers'. As a parent of a child with type1 this is incredibly helpful. I can now look up the app on my phone and receive the info from my daughters cgm. So even if I'm at work and she's at school, I can keep an eye on her levels, providing her phone stays within 6m of her sensor.

So yes, we are very lucky to be dealing with these diseases when technology can play such a massive part of people's lives.