I am upgrading my old Animas pump to a new one. Does anyone use the Ping and can tell me the benefits over the 2020? I need to make a decision asap, and would love any advice I can get.
I demo wore one last week at FFL. From what I hear they are moving all now production to the Ping and all new orders are shipping as Ping. Not sure you have a choice.
The benefit is it talks to the meter, the down side is it talks to the meter. We could see an upside for our daughter and wearing a dress. The remote control would make that easier but other than that…
It is the same pump as a 2020 but the food database has moved out to the meter. Same food database interface, IHMO that is bad because I like the food database idea but think the implementation is so poor it is unusable.
The screen of the Ping is great, as great as it is the screen on the meter is bad. If you do the pink thing the way it is designed you drive the pump from the meter screen and so what is the point of the nice clear screen on the pump?
From everything I can tell it will require an upgrade to talk to a dexcom when that happens next summer. (See http://ydmv.blogspot.com/2008/08/from-news-wire-dexcom-on-animas-and.html for info on that process from dexcom’s earnings call 8/5/08)
I wrote more at http://ydmv.blogspot.com/2008/08/to-ping-two.html
Thanks so much for your feedback. So would your choice be the 2020 over the ping (It is still an option)? I’m not sure how much I would use the remote, and I don’t particularly want a bigger pump. Is the 2020 bigger than the 1200 too, or is it the same?
The 1200, 1250 and 2020 are all the same size. The Ping is maybe 1/4 inch longer.
The real issue IMHO is that the PINGII with DexCom CGM for whiter whites and brighter colors from your wash is due out next summer. Now that is gonna be more interesting. BUT Animas now that they are J&J charges out the wazoo for upgrades so is what are they willing to do to get your business now, give you a fix cost for the upgrade next year? Worth asking about.
I also wore a CosMore. It had cool internal menus and software features. Maybe worth a look. They are in the process of hooking up with Abbott’s Navigator but they aren’t there yet either.
I already where a Dex, so was planning on staying with Animas. I thought the 2020 was going to hook up with the Dex too, but maybe I’m wrong.
Nobody is saying boo about how Dex and Animas will play together. Well nobody at Animas. They were real clear that the current stuff doesn’t.
The pump will need some kind of communication capability. Only the Ping can communicate. And it need to deal with a lot of data the Dex will create. I think the 2020 only did 500 bg data points. 500 is nothing in a data point every 5 minutes world of CGM. 20 per hour x 24 hours = 480 data points a day.
It maybe that the meter becomes the middleman talking to the dex transmitter and the pump. Who knows. How long do you have on your warranty period?
My last warranty was up July 31, and that was a 4 year warranty. Originally my pump was supposed to have shipped this week, but when I inquired today, they aren’t sure when. That’s when I realized it was the ping, and so I was talking with the rep who said I could chose between the two, but he had assumed I wanted the ping.
I saw the ping and thought it was a nice product. I think the people it will really benefit are people who want to keep their pump some place inaccessible. I see it as a nice 1st step towards the type of data you can get from the paradigm system but with a better CGM and pump. My only complaint is that you are again obligated to use a one touch meter.
Unless the food database in the pump is something you need. I would get a ping on the theroy that the upgrade path to a pump working with your Dex is cheaper next year form Ping than from 2020.
I would also ask you rep for a note Commiting to an upgrade price to the Dex/Animas since Dex was talking about it being with in a year. The chance to make a deal come up once every 4 years. May as well try.
I emailed the rep today and here was his reply as to the upgrade price:
Honestly they have not discussed that option as of yet. I know there will be one but no details have been release so far. I can definitely keep you posted as soon as word comes out though.
Hi I know I am a little late on this but I wanted to tell you…My 4 year old Shelby uses the 2020 we got it last year in June. We have had 4 new pumps in a year due to a soft wear glitch and then they just die about 3 months into us having it…animas is great about replacing them but it makes it hard. I have heard good things about the new Ping but I have not used one yet. I would hope to upgrade in a year or so for my daughter. Not all of the pumps have the glitch it has been about 5 months since we have had to switch out our pump and I am keeping my fingers crossed we got a good one this time!
What was the glitch?
We use 1250s (two kids with them). For the most part the software in the pump works. The desktop thing is junk. There is a new version out this summer but I haven’t used it.
I had a chance to play with the Ping at an ADA Diabetes expo yesterday. The pump is slightly longer because of the addition of the wireless receiver. The reservoir size is still 200 units, though. I don’t see why they can’t support 300 units, now that they have made the pump bigger. Another big plus: They now have software for the Mac. I think this is a first among insulin pump makers. I’m waiting to get my mac version soon. I also spoke to them about CGMS integration, and they mentioned that they are working on it with Dexcom. I’d watch the FDA filings to see when they submit an application when it is done.
They found a software glitch on the new Ping too, that’s why they have delayed releasing it. Supposedly they have begun shipping it now, so I am just waiting for mine.
The glitch is in the basal memory it deleted them and then all of a sudden the pump kept alarming it happend to our first 3 pumps…the 3rd one we also lost all of the basal and history so the one we have now has had no issues thank Goodness I really do like animas though, they are great to work with! I hope to see maybe in a few years one with a GREAT CGM system then I will be happy but I don’t see it happening soon…
To Sri,
How often do you go through a 200 unit cartrige? I know you are an adult so that is why I am asking my daughter go’s through about 2 a week sometimes only one (she is only 4 and use about 12 units a day)…but I was just wondering out of personal thought…
I played with the software on a a MAC at CWD’s Friends for Life in July. I didn’t really get a chance to push it very hard. It looked like a new shell for the old EZmanager programs but in fairness I need to try the thing before writing much about it. Keep in mind too that I am pretty harsh about the desktop software.
They were very clear in July that when they have CGM working with the pump they will have desktop software. In other words this aint it.
My blog entry on Ping:
http://ydmv.blogspot.com/2008/08/to-ping-two.html
Here is DexCom on working with the pumps.
http://ydmv.blogspot.com/2008/07/dex-on-ping-pod.html
My two cents on exManager (that came with 1250)
http://ydmv.blogspot.com/2008/06/ezmanager-is-worse-than-i-thought-dont.html
got any plans for the old pump?
Not sure who this was directed to, but I return mine to Animas and they waive my share that my insurance doesn’t cover, which is around $1000.