Great Scott! Or similar words have been exclaimed by me since the summer of 2023. The reason for such excitement? Hybrid Closed Loop. You've probably read some of my gushing on the subject and I continue to talk positively about it today because... well, sleep never gets old.
Prior to HCL, like many using the tech, I was using a pump and various types of CGMs separately and that was perfectly acceptable. My numbers were as good as they'd ever been; Great Time In Range & HbA1c. I felt no urgency to switch to closed loop.
As is often the case, talking to peers results in changes and it was an unrelated conversation that resulted in one kind person sending me a spare Dexcom G6 transmitter... then another from another person... and Anubis transmitters from two others. People within the diabetes community are really very kind. All that tech meant I could try HCL for a good while - over 6 months. So, I did.
There are lots of posts about how well things went for me in that period. Towards the end of my HCL time, I had my diabetes review with my consultant. He agreed that HCL was working well for me and that funding would be discussed at an upcoming meeting. Fantastic!
Of course, the tech expired as tech has that annoying habit of doing. I thought nothing much of it. I assumed it would be a seamless transition back to simple pumping and CGM use. It was. Reinstalling the old app was a pain in the neck because I can never remember usernames and passwords but, after some swearing and sweating, I managed to get set up again with Dexcom One. Quite soon, I realised just how much work I was putting in to this type of management compared to the recently ended Hybrid Closed Loop days.
The numbers were not looking great. *sigh* I thought I'll get through the life of the current sensor, then I'll buy a G6 transmitter and hop back aboard the Looping train. I noted the difference in managing Type 1 Diabetes through HCL vs standard pumping, on X. Peer support came to the rescue (again). Another spare G6 transmitter landed on my doormat just two days later. The #PayItForward movement is a remarkable one. My donor would not accept any reimbursement for postage. Blessed, I promised to donate something to my favourite diabetes charity - Action4Diabetes as my own Pay It Forward. Of course, if I'm ever in a similar position to my donor friend, I will do the same thing for others.
So, I'm back in the future! and over the last few days, the numbers are already proving how incredible the technology is once again. When just pumping and using a CGM separately, my average blood glucose was 8.5 mmol/L. I know that's not terrible, really. Yet, I could "feel" it. I was sluggish and just... blunted. Finding the right words is difficult. Needless to say, I was not myself.
And after a few days in the loop?...
Already, a significant difference over the previous 2 days. I think the numbers speak for themselves. You've probably read enough gushing from me, by now.
What happens next? I'm going to relay my experience and thoughts to my diabetes team. To move to HCL, then move off it, then move on to it again seems a little unusual and they may benefit from hearing about what has happened while looking at the data.
Also, and I've said it many times, I can never repay those who have been kind to me over my diabetes in the last 7 years - since opening up and talking about it online. I do try through various means. Some of those don't sit well with everybody and that's alright. Even the kindest will meet opposition and anger and jealousy. Do good things with good people. You'll usually finish up sleeping soundly, especially if you're using Closed Loop!
