I’ve had an Animas Vibe pump for 3 years, and was notified by registered letter today that they are exiting the insulin pump business in Canada.
Suggestions for a replacement pump?
Here are a few links that might have some good information for you:
TUD: A question for Animas pumpers here
FUD: Insulin pumps: J&J Animas drops out
After careful consideration of the options and being a Animas pumper for 14 years (and loving their pumps) I now too have to change from the Vibe.
Medtronic is offering via received letter a free replacement of their 630G pump if you are under warranty with your Vibe. Even though the 630G or the 670G are nice pumps they require new CGM sensors, tubing, cartridges, and insets.
I’m opting for the Tandem T:SlimX2 as their different cartridges will still accommodate my current tubing and therefore insets and will work with your familiar Dexcom sensors(it is for that reason that Dexcom also send me an email recommending the Tandem). Yes you will need new cartridges but at least some of the tubing and insets you might have will work and your G4 or G5 sensors that you are familiar with will work .
One other reason my endo and I like the SlimX2 is that it has smaller delivery increments capability than the other pumps that I need for my U-500 I’m using.
All new pumps on the market are good, it is just what is covered by insurance and/or how much new you want.
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I just wrote about this in another thread as i didnt even know there was an insulin pump forum. things have changed on this site. it doesnt say when the last day for everything. ive been on the vibe for a year or two already. i am in the process of trying to decide what to replace it with. notified my diabetes nurse educator on it as well. i just got my supplies back as well after having issues with ccs in getting my supplies.
I guess researching on what will be best. and talking to your doctor on what would be the best one to move to.
Both Tandem, Omnipod and Medtronic have information for Animas customers in the links below. As well is listed a statement from Animas.
https://www.tandemdiabetes.com/products/animas-special-offer
i looked into the tandem one. a friend of mine is on that one. i see they have info on the animas stuff. im liking that one vs the medtronic. it uses dexcom which is what i use for the cgm. i still have animas supplies and will have to contact the supplier i get my supplies from. would like to stick with the cgm under dexcom. i see it has a touch screen and the battery is rechargeable. sounds like something i would like and less batteries to buy. its hard to decide between the tandem and the medtronic
We just started pumping. Dexcom integration, rechargeability?, touchscreen and ability to update future software were big factors in us choosing Tslim X2. The cartidges seem harder to load than the animas cartidges but the day to day use is so easy. I love having the carb calculator on the pump. I am so used to having my phone and looking up the carb count and then going to the calculator and adding it all up…then going to the insulin app and figuring his dose…then rechecking it in my mind. Lol. It’s just a lot easier to dose. We love it so far but being my son’s first pump, I have nothing to compare it to other than MDI.
what meter does the pump use? im now leaning more towards the tslim. a friend of mine just gave me more info on it. sounds very cool and more of how i would use it…
@Amy2 - Regardless of what meter the Tandem may send, there is nothing special about it. Not like the Animas Ping which an integrated meter that also functioned as a remote. That was awesome and the best thing about the Ping. We previously used the Animas Ping (with the meter/remote) and now use the Tandem t:slim X2. We also use the Dexcom G5. We really miss the remote feature of the Ping but it is what it is and have had to get used to the lack of a remote. That is my only complaint. Other than that, we like the Tandem and the Dexcom.
For a meter, we have recently switched to the Contour Next One as it seems to consistently receive the highest reviews. Since getting it, we have been quite pleased with the very small drops of blood it requires as well as the “second chance” to get the blood in if on the first attempt you don’t get it quite right. That is nice especially at night time. I also like that the accuracy of the Contour Next One is consistently rated at (or near) the top of pretty much any review I read.
Let us know if you have any more specific question on the Tandem that perhaps we can answer.
Also if you are seriously considering the Tandem, there is a downloadable simulator that you can run on your phone. It is of course not exactly the pump but certainly gives you a much better idea of the Tandem functionality then you would otherwise get just from reading a marketing brochure. If you have trouble finding the downloadable simulator, I could find the link for you if you want.
i have the animas vibe currently and still use the animas ping meter as i get to label what meal it is, etc. i like that function. ill probably do the same thing. until there is another meter that does that feature ill probably stick with the animas ping’s meter. the contour next one? now i am wanting to look at what that one looks like. i want to know everything about the tandem. i am liking it more when i read about it. i already ahead of you on the simulator. ive been playing around with it. it seems to have me want to use it. it seems more user friendly than the animas pumps. at least to me. i read that it is a rechargeable battery which is good…im just liking it overall. but anything else you can tell me that you havent would be great. a friend of mine told me there is a rep in my area so i may ask to meet with that person and go from there.
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@Amy2 - Sounds like you are doing a good job of researching your options.
Do not let anybody pressure you into making a decision faster than you are ready. You have plenty of time.
Good Luck and feel free to ask anything.
oh im not being pressured…i just want to know what ill go with next before it happens so i am prepared in advance
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Just use the trial period if you go TSlim. Some of us had to give up that pump because the cartridgesystem caused us to have high BG about every two to three days despite numerous site changes. It has to do with the bladder cartridge they use in the pump. Excellent service, nice pump but there are some documented cases where it wouldnt work for some patients.
there is a trial period? i should consider that
Sorry, retinopathy eye: I was saying, I do not know how they are doing it with the Animas offer, but usually you have 30 days to test the pump out.
that is a while! i wonder if they do the same now. i guess ill find out once i hear from someone about it.