I did 2 years ago, I wasn't happy, so I switched back.
I am on the Paradigm with Medtronics. I am thinking of switching ONLY because I am looking at an insulin pump for my 10 year old son and it seems the choice for kids is Animas and it would be easier for me for both of us to be on the same pump. HOWEVER, I have an older brother on the Medtronics Paradigm for the last two years and he loves it. SO CONFUSED!!!
I have been on the Paradigm for a month and like it but the Animas seems to offer more features i.e waterproof, more durable, smaller,
Any advice is appreciated!!!
No But I just switched from Animas to MM. I thought Animas was a great company when it was Animas. When johnson and johnson purchased it, it went down hill. The service was awful.
I am still waiting on information on their newest pump to arrive, and Ive had my MM pump 2 months already.
I called the to tell them one of the buttons on my Animas pump was malfunctioning. I had to push it in real hard to get it to work, and the pump software would crash if the button got stuck. No warning either so it would just stop working at night.
WHen I called the support line, they told me that I was out of warrantee, by 2 MONTHS !!!
ANd would not repair it even at my own expense. They offered me a loaner while I decided what to do. I filled out the forms and did the whole thing, but it never arrived.
I called MM and I got my new pump in 3 days. I wanted the CGM built in. So far I like it alot. I can't speak to the newest Animas pump because I never got any real info about it.
The Animas is suppose to be waterproof but i found that it leaked every time I swam with it. The battery compartment got wet and rusted. Also the Animas pump tends to develop cracks in the housing which also leak. I gave up using the waterproof feature early on. I had to replace my Animas pump 5 times in the 4 years I used it. Three of those times was due to it leaking.YOu need to change an O ring regularly, but even that didn't help because of the micro cracks in the housing.
The MM and Ping have very similar operating features (basal increments for example). I found it took more steps to bolus using the Ping and also using the remote - therefore I took more manual boluses. I also found it took more steps to do an infusion set change. And I HATED the clip, I guess you will need a more durable pump if it keeps falling on the ground from the clip slipping or breaking. I didn't really need the waterproof feature, so that wasn't a dealbreaker for me, I never took my pump in the shower or went swimming with it. Hope that answered some of your questions.
I'm in Canada and currently on an Animas. I switched from Medtronic in July because of the waterproof feature and the fact that the *future* CGM feature (with the Vibe) is supposed to be superior to Medtronic's (I tried their CGM and did not like it). I made the decision because I'm a big outdoorsy person and I found myself on a canoe in the summer with my Medtronic on, and all my friends jumped in to the lake to go swimming, and I could not. I also wanted a pump with a fully functioning remote so I could bolus discreetly. Medtronic has one, but it didn't have a screen and dialed up by audio bolus, which is useless to me. So far I've been pretty happy with the Animas and its features. I did my research before switching to make DOUBLE sure I wasn't losing any features, asking questions much like you are. I can honestly say I'm pretty happy with what I have. All pump warranties are four years: http://www.diabetesclinic.ca/en/diab/5pumps/comparison.htm so if you damage any pump after the warranty they do not have to replace it for you. I just take good care of my pump, put it under my house insurance just in case. I got used to the 2-step boluses, it's second nature now. I got a cushy, rubbery case for it to protect it from bumps and scratches. The insertion sets are exactly the same, except for the cap that screws the reservoir into the pump. The Minimed has a cap built in to their reservoir, while Animas has a separate cap that comes off the pump. It's a pain sometimes because you can easily throw it out with your old insertion set and the pump can't function without it. I have yet to lose mine though because I just check carefully before tossing it. I am also careful to read all the manufacturer's instructions, and I replace my battery cap every 6 months (and save the reciepts just in case anyone needs proof). Other than that I'm pretty happy! The choice in pump is an individual one, it's not one size fits all.
I'm about to. MM since 2000, sensors as soon as they hit the market, then got the Revel. I experienced the power failure problem that's been reported but that MM refuses to acknowledge, so I didn't get a new one from them. Then Omnipod last year. It seems the pods and I don't get along well. So I ordered a Ping last week Wednesday. There's one feature the ping has that MM doesn't which *for me* will be a lifesaver. You can change the ratios or targets on the fly. My schedule is crazy hectic. I could be running around carrying heavy items to multiple meetings for 4 hours or I could be sitting in a chair. I want to adjust my bolus or correction frequently to accommodate my schedule, and I end up guessing the majority of the time. The ping lets me set my targets lower than programmed on the fly if I'm going to be sitting, and lets me set my targets higher or use a smaller carb ratio if I'm eating and then walking the dogs. It then keeps a record of what I used so I can learn how much to adjust next time. With a MM or Pod, I'm just guessing, and certainly not writing it down.
Just in case this is a feature anyone else can use, wanted to let you know. I expect to be annoyed with the amount of button pushes as reported by others, but this feature is a good tradeoff *for me*. I'll let you know how well I adjust to the button pushing after I get it!
Hope this helps someone.
I have only had my Animas pump for two years and was on MDI before that, so I cannot give you any information on MM, other than they are a very good company. I believe Animas is equally as good, and have not experienced the lousy service that others have mentioned. My secret to good service with them is to check with my insurance company to be sure I understand how they want the billing to go and then relay that information to Animas. I always order by phone. That gives direct connection to the reps., so they have no question as to what I want.
For me the Animas is a good pump. It has a lot of fail-safes built in so it is virtually impossible to make a mistake with it. The colour screen is great for my old eyes, the tracking software is good, the remote is wonderful for communication with the pump without actually having to touch the pump and I have found it to be very durable under industrial situations. I think it is a durable instrument, and easy to run. Control with it has been far superior to MDI.
I wouldn't hesitate to get another one.
I switched from Medtronic to Animas and have been happy with my choice. Each pump has it’s pros and cons. They’re both good pumps overall.
One consideration advantage of Medtronic over Animas will be 300 unit reservoir. If your son is 10 now you might want to think about his insulin needs when the hormones hit and with pump warranties being 4 years you’ll want a pump that will also work when he’s 14. Also Medtronic does have smaller basal and bolus increments so I don’t see Animas as being a major pediatric advantage anymore.
Major benefits of Animas would be the meter remote and that it’s waterproof. Hopefully at some point the Vibe will available soon in the US.
Medtronic already has integrated cgms.
Good luck with your decision.