Animas exiting insulin pump market

How often must you recharge? The MM use an Energizer (NOT a Duracell) AAA battery that lasts at least 3 weeks, unless I use the MM CGM in conjunction with the pump. For me it is an annoyance to have to charge the battery in the Dexcom receiver so often (every other day for fear of it running out on day 3).

That is funny - Energizer NOT a Duracell.
:slight_smile:

The X2 manual states it should last 7 days on one charge when not integrated with the CGM and 5 days when running integrated. We don’t run ours into the ground to test this but the day to day usage appears to be inline with this (based on battery percent meter).

Typically we just plug the X2 in during showers as the pump is taken off for the shower anyway so no difference.

We can also charge it off a portable USB battery which we normally have for the phones anyway. Plus in the car we have the USB chargers so it can be plugged in there.

Really turns out to be a non-issue. As mentioned, I had thought it was going to be annoying but once we had the pump this was nothing.

BTW - For the Dexcom receiver - why not just plug it in at night? Then you never have to be concerned about it. Those can be charged off a USB portable battery as well.

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Yep, you can’t use a Duracell in a 551, 523, 515, 511, etc (don’t know about the 6xx series) because of some issue with the circuitry in those pumps being incompatible with the internal resistance or some other electrical aspect of the Duracells. I tried them a couple of times and they would die unexpectedly in about 3 days–they would die, when seconds prior, the battery indicator showed several bars of charge. Pretty crazy. MM had warned me not to use Duracells and I argued with them. Nothing is obnoxious as someone THINKING they are right, when they aren’t. I had a lot of egg on my face after that telephone confrontation.

here’s one item google found Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos

Totally understand. I think that is probably one of those things you are going to have to see it for yourself. It certainly sounds a bit on the crazy side.

I would have just assumed they were getting kickbacks from Energizer to recommend that brand.
ha ha ha

I also charge my Dexcom receiver battery via the USB port on my laptop. I use a G4 but I remember searching the G5 User Guide recently and was surprised to see more than one note that said to only use the AC adapter to recharge the receiver. I don’t know what this issue is but that claim made me do a double-take. I don’t think the USB charger hurt my G5 when I used it for three months.

Recharging via USB while I’m using the computer in the morning keeps my Dex nicely topped off.

I would be interested in a link to the small USB chargers that you like. Thanks!

I also read the manual about only using their charging equipment. I don’t think I ever used the included charger even once. I decided I was just going to ignore that part of the manual. lol. So far no issues.

T-slim charging
The Anker 3350 mAh battery (pictured in the link above) is quite small and light (and only about $15 on Amazon). About the size of a tube of chapstick (more or less). Works great with the X2 pump or the Dex Receiver or a Phone. Nice to have one easily carried battery that can provide backup power to all your devices.

I also have a larger Jackery 12,000 mAh portable USB battery (pictured below). I use this to power my tablet. This one is a bit bulky to lug around but nice to have for times such as camping or just if I know I will be running my tablet a long time away from convenient AC power. I use the 12,000 battery to charge anything. Tablet, Dexcom Receiver, Phone, whatever.
image

Thanks for the links. I just ordered the 3350 mAh charger. I have a 9600 mAh charger that is about 3-4 times the volume and weight of this smaller unit. I’m traveling soon and I think this’ll come in handy.

I have the smaller Jackery Bar myself. Same cool color. Works great and very cheap

Hi @Barb27: Isn’t it amazing to reconnect? Yes, that was the International Diabetic Athletes Association meeting all those years ago. Before the Internet! Thankfully, I have some time still under the Animas warranty, so I can investigate and try to figure out the best path…

I think that the Mio 30 is a clone of the Inset 30.

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@Dave44 - lol. Yeah do you like my “hunter orange”?

Figured:
A) If I drop it outside then I can see it.
B) Nobody is going to take it thinking it is theirs

:wink:

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@tim35
how many charging cables do you have? i have currently located the provided one in the car, figuring a charge on my 20 minute drive each way will suffice, but i like having multiple cables in different places to avoid carrying one everywhere…

@cowboykyle - Totally agree. I do not like to move cables, AC or DC chargers.
Well except for the little cables for the USB portable battery but I leave those plugged in to the portable battery so kind of consider those as “not moving” (relative to the portable battery - lol).

We have so many electronic devices that charge from USB power sources.

If I find that I am having to move something related to “charging” from one room to another room or in/out of the vehicle then I purchase another of that item (cable or charger) so as to stop the “movement”. These things are all relatively cheap and I figure I am more likely to misplace them if they are constantly being shuttled around the house.

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When my wife and I bought our first phones that charge wirelessly I bought two wireless chargers. Then I bought two more. Then I bought two more. It is so convenient to have charging pads at all the places that we sit or sleep to keep the phones topped off so that when we go somewhere they are at 100%

My bad. We don’t have six charging pads. We have seven

Never had animas but I hate seing this market being completely DOMINATED by one (1!) company, which by itself is neither very innovative nor affordable for the patients.

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Nice little healthy magnetic fields all around your bed, I presume.

No that can’t be. Have you seen that magnificent UI of the 670G? That whips the llama’s a*s! ironic

Hi Dave,

Well, the cartridge filling takes a little bit longer than with the MM or
Animas. But, it’s large (holds 300 units) – I go for a week on one
cartridge (with a fill of about 250 units). You charge it with a USB which
I was concerned about at first, but I just plug it in every morning when I
shower to ‘top it off.’ So really, it’s great not to have to buy
batteries. I really find it hard to believe more people aren’t using it.

Barb

I also have the Tandem X2. I was also concerned by the whole rechargeable battery thing, but in the end it lasts long enough that planning to charge it is pretty easy, so I never run out of battery. I usually get around 6-7 days on a charge I think. I personally prefer not to keep any Li-Ion batteries charged to 100% all the time. I charge them then let them run down. It can lessen their life to keep them fully charged all the time. I believe the Tandem warranty covers if the battery won’t hold a charge, so that was reassuring.

I believe Tandem is offering some kind of discount for Animas and Roche users now.

I really hate to see competition dwindling in the market. I know Tandem has been struggling apparently too. The reason we are losing competition is because our healthcare system is designed to really prevent competition. It’s not that different in some other countries with socialized systems either though, where the government will only pay for certain pumps or CGMs, just like many insurance companies. Anytime there is someone else (i.e. insurance companies or the government) negotiating with providers (pharmaceutical companies, device manufacturers, doctors) and paying them instead of individuals then the providers are going to make deals with the governments and/or insurers to help kill off competition.

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Barb, thanks for that info.

I don’t consider the cost of a single AAA (bought in 16 packs) to be much of an expense and since I can go at least 3 weeks, it’s so much simpler than plugging in frequently. I already have phones to plug in daily, a watch every other day, and the Dexcom receiver every other day. It’s all a bit annoying to me. Double that all, for my wife’s stuff. I don’t like the rechargeable Contour Next Link. Prefer the Contour Next One which has gone for months on 2ea. 2032’s which are FREE from the mfgr. Just call them and they send replacement batteries for FREE. Can’t beat that!