@panda If you haven’t tried it, here’s a link to the Tricare Formulary Search Tool: https://www.express-scripts.com/frontend/open-enrollment/tricare/fst/#/ run by Express Scripts for DOD. Check the Tricare formulary for eligible products at military/network pharmacies and mail order. I recommend you go to/call the military/network pharmacy you use to verify availability. A quick search didn’t show any difference in Tricare Select ref pharmacy benefits. BTW, if you haven’t been prescribed, your PCP/Endo should set you up, and Tricare should pay, for some basic T1 diabetes education (≈10 hours of group/remote edu on carbs, food, insulin, MDI, pumps).
I’m biased about Dash pumps as it’s the only one I’ve used and allows me to Loop. Others here have wider experience; so listen to all the advice and use your own research to validate what you get. Remember, you have to be your advocate/team lead, among us, among your docs; but you’re the decider and will live with the result! Yes, Insulet Omnipod (both Dash and the 5) give you the “try before buy” ability (no warranty period, start/stop as you wish). But know pumps/algorithms vary a lot and people’s experiences are different. Ask “why?” a lot and of everyone, including your docs.
BTW, @Eric’s has helped others out similarly, I’d take him up on it if leaning towards the Dash pods. If you do, Insulet/your PCP/Endo will likely make the Insulet’s training sound essential; while useful for direct Insulet support, I think the videos on their website and some on Youtube just as good as anything over Zoom or the phone.
You’ll find all sorts of info here on FUD and other forums. If you have questions search for key words and if it doesn’t provide an answer or its older, ask again. We’re a ready source of info for you.
i appreciate all of you so much. insulet says they will be processing this starting monday and get back to me by next friday; after talking to the rep and reading around, mostly here (thank you all again for the time you take to write this out!!!), i think the dash is a really good place to start. that’s what i got insulet to mark in my file and request the Rx for. fingers crossed: doesn’t seem likely but maybe things will surprise me and go smoothly even!
Doesn’t matter what the universe is rooting for, FUD is rooting the other way.
And we win that fight. We always do.
Most likely you will have to wait until you get an endo before you get a pump script. Not sure if Insulet is able to do that without an endo. Hopefully, but we’ll see.
If you have to wait, that’s fine. Your 'betes isn’t going anywhere.
I was on MDI for 43 years. Don’t worry, You can make it!
Once you have an endo appointment, I will give you all of the things you need to do and say to get the Dash pump. If that is what you want. Don’t just do it because some of us are advising. You get the one YOU want.
I will coach you on the whole conversation before it happens.
First thing though is to get an endo appointment. Have you done that yet?
If you want, I can make some endo recommendations for you. I know people.
nothing that can’t be canceled or switched (wait lists are lengthy). recommendations always welcome: it’s becoming clear that having a doctor who “gets it” will make a giant difference. to cite a wise man, the diabetes isn’t going anywhere meantime, so it seems worth it to wait for the right fit.
And if the endo is a man, you are gonna play the heck out of the menstrual cycle card, too. Because the O5 does not play well with that. And most men will just punt when you get into that stuff.
@Eric I’ve read the rumor on several sites about both the G6 CGM and Dash pods. Both have been denied by company reps I’ve asked about it; both company’s reps cited believeable reasons for not be discontinued. I’ve looked at both companies websites for info as well and haven’t seen anything definitive. The Insulet site doesn’t contain anything regarding discontinuing the Dash. The Dexcom site has this: Information on Dexcom G6 Discontinuation & Dexcom G7 Upgrading | Dexcom. Dexcom is clearly “pushing” people to the G7 unless customers state a reason to remain on G6, like use of an AID that depends on the G6 (the only AIDs I’m aware of that do this are DIY like Loop, AAPS, iAPS, etc.). My own G6 supplier (Wellstart) recently stated their intent to move me to G7 and would contact my Endo; I told them in no uncertain terms I’d be making that decision, not them, if they did so without my asking I’d find a new supplier, that I use an AID that depends on the G6 (OK, I fudged a bit, Loop will work with G7! But moving me to G7 is between me and my doc!). I’m kind of prickly about people talking with my doc about me without being asked! The Wellstart rep changed his tone real quick! The Dexcom site states the G6 will be maintained for the time being, but I can see this changing quickly when commercial/FDA approved AIDs compatible with the G7 become available, particularly if Dexcom see it as improving their profit margin. Even then, since the Dexcom One and now non-diabetic Dexcom products continue to seem G6 related, it’s very possible the G6 line may remain available for quite some time.
From a logic perspective it doesn’t make sense to me for Insulet to discontinue a product they make money off of. The pro-logic I can think of is trying to force people onto Omnipod 5 or to simplify product lines. On the con side, folks like me who don’t like black box approaches might switch to Tandem or iLet or continue Looping with an old Medtronic pump (I have no numbers to support this “con”). I think the rumor regarding Dash Pods “may” have gotten started due to the recall of the Dash PDM due to battery problems coupled with their push to move people to the Omnipod 5.
I’m sure you and others here have more, probably better thoughts, on both Insulet and Dexcom’s potential rationale. If so, perhaps we should move this to a knew or old thread…
@panda@Eric is right that the women’s card is worth playing! I’ve read plenty of discussions that female hormone swings play havoc with BG control and insulin dosing. It’s a huge conversation on all the DIY AID development sites, though I haven’t read about equal attention on the commercial algorithm side… If you move to a pump, you’d do well to look up the topic here on FUD, JDRF fora, and the AID development sites if you decide to go that route. Various ways of treatment those cycles exist (increasing/decreasing basal rates, ICRs, establishing completely different profiles, etc.).
yay, cycle related sugar problems, just another prize i win for having lady parts! but hey, if it works as a cudgel to get my way, i ain’t above it! great tips as always
when i contacted insulet they were really really pushing the 5, but when i called back and insisted they flipped me to the dash for what they said they’d ask my doctor for. the rep said they also will handle my insurance application and they weren’t worried about my coverage because tricare. now we just have to see if my GP will go along with it when insulet reaches out and write me that Rx: i give myself about 75no-25yes odds, partly because i suspect she’ll be grateful to have the impression that someone else authorized is available to hand off the decision making (insulet will present themselves as an authority: based on “she elite”, the doc may bite just because i think she wants out of the hot seat for this responsibility).
if she won’t, then it’s mdi for now and a pump as soon as i can get it. no big either way! now that the sage FUD elders have me working with half units and dilutions, the urgency for a pump is greatly decreased.
thank you as well for the warning to consider upcoming product line shifts.
but hey, if it works as a cudgel to get my way, i ain’t above it! great tips as always 