Right now I am on MDI. I’m thinking of going with the MM with CGM built in because I currently use a Dexcom 7 plus so it would be nice to have a all in one unit. My Q’s is how is the CGM part? Is it pretty accurate? Havent they had that same sensor for like 4 years? I like the Dexcom because they are always updating their stuff. I would really like to have the Animas ping but the less I have to carry would be best. Thanks
I switched from MM with CGMS to the Ping + Dex…I would not go back
for me the dex is much more accurate…only a once a week change and MUCH smaller needle…and with the integrated inserter–goes in at the right angle every time…haven’t had a bad one
And I LIKE having them separate (I did not think I wold) and LOVE the meter/remote–makes life much easier. When the link the meter–I will keep the remote linked and the dex separate (they said you will not be able to do both)
And for me the smaller unit capabilities of the ping–as well as different carttridge arrangement–I have not had a cartridge leak…a couple of time a month minimally with MM…and I love their inset infusion sets!
I’m very happy with my MM, but not everyone has a positive experience. It took me a few months of experimenting with the depth of insertion, but at this point the majority of sensors are pretty accurate in the 60-200 range with a typical lag of anywhere from 10-20/25 minutes after the first 24. Some sensors will have poor range and won’t pick up lows without adjusting the alert settings, but I never know if it’s the insertion site or the sensor. A bit of work, especially in the beginning, but I’m happy overall.
Like you, integration into a single unit was a huge factor. If Animas had integrated with dexcom or the navigator, I would have gone with them in a heart beat. Hopefully by the time my warranty expires they’ll be there.
I’ve heard rumors of a new sensor coming out – and it’ll be about time! It is very true that the sensor is poorly designed and badly needs updating. The needle is bigger and the adhesive on the sensor itself does not last very long so you have to be careful changing the tape. It also seems that the ideal insertion angle for me is not 45 degrees, but shallower like 30-35ish which makes the insertion a bit more challenging.
I recently just went off the Medtronic With CGM. I had several problems with that pump. It pump overdosed me twice and the CGM never went off. The first time resulted in the death of my daughter and the second time resulted in me totaling my car out. I recently just went on the Animas pump at the direction of my attorney and they offer the CGM as well. I like the pump so far and have had no problems with it. I recommend going with anything but Medtronic.
Wow im sorry to hear that Angie… and yes i agree i had MM for 9 years and they went down the drain! i had there CGM also and it blows! So i switched to the Ping also… Best choice ive ever made and the Dexcom is soooo much better i have it also…
I had the 522 Also for 5 years and while i dont love it i can say nothing bad about it… it served me well and was very useful
The MM Revel 523/723 with the DGM is not the same product as any MM product before. Don’t consider the previous MM 522/722 experience in your decision about using the MM. Try both products out before deciding on one or the other.
I have used the Navigator and the MM 522 and 523. The 523, even though it uses the same sensor and transmitter, is WAY more accurate than the 522. It has several different features and capabilities that enable accurate calibration and recalibration during use and the software is much more intuitive to use and the prediction built in is pretty accurate when calibrated. I get 6-7 days out of each sensor.
Hope that helps somewhat.
I am currently on the MM 522 with CGM. I have always had a positive experience with my Minimed pumps. When I added the CGM, it took a little getting use to, but I have had great results. If you calibrate the cgm when your blood sugar is changing, you will get inaccurate results. I chose the MM CGM because I didn’t want to have to have another device to worry about. I would have had to carry the pump, transmitter and the Dex device. Right now, I feel pretty loaded with the two. Couldn’t imagine a third.
I am hoping to upgrade to the MM Revel. It has smaller dosing increments, more alarms (if needed), among other things. I don’t think I would change. I did look into the Ping, but I even had trouble getting the information packet in the mail. Plus the phone system was not working properly for weeks, so I was unable to reach ANYONE. I probably got them in the middle of some kind of phone system overhaul, but it made me feel uneasy. Plus the rep kept knocking the Minimed. Had a not so good first 4 impressions.
I wish you luck in finding what’s you are looking for.
Wow… Thats bad luck i guess cause i got in touch with a rep Tuesday the 14th and had my Ping Wednesday the 22nd… as for them bashing MM they didnt at all and honestly thats very unprofessional of whoever you spoke to… But yea ive had more luck with Animas customer service then MM but thats just me!
I use the Revel 723 with CGM. I love my pump and have had no complaints with the customer service at all. They have been nothing but helpful anytime I have called. I use the integrated CGM and it works fantastic for ME. YDMV. I have had excellent accuracy as long as I calibrate it as you are instructed to which is when your BG is not changing rapidly. It settles after a day or so for me, meaning the accuracy gets much better for me after a day or so after placement and I keep my sensor in for six days before changing. It has caught many impending lows for me before they got real low. The Dex is not an option for me as I use Tylenol on a regular basis due to an allergy to motrin and alleve.
I have the MM Revel and CGM and I love it!! it is very on the mark for me and I have no problems with the pump part either. I work 24 hr shifts as a medic/firefighter and had to have A pump I could trust and this one I love. the all in one is great. they have .025 dosing units plus it is all in one and for me the less on my belt to carry around the better! I had a problem with one of the sensors going bad (even dex plus has that issue every once in a while ) I called mm and they replaced it no questions asked. I have used mm for over 7 yrs and well it works for me. I love it. For me it is durable as anything I mean come on firefighting with that thing?? if it stands up to that test I trust it. I have never had a medical problem due to pump failure. I have great accuracy with it I keep my CGM sensors in for at least 6 days if not more. I have hypo unawareness and this CGM has kept me from going to low because of not knowing. My twin and niece both have the same systems and we would never change. My niece is 2 yrs old and I am so picky with anything to do with her and for me to trust it says a lot. ohh in terms of upgrade MM is in the process of upgrading the CGM sensors hopefully coming out next yr. just my 2 cents.
I had always used the Minimed. I was in the trial when Minimed pumps were introduced to children back in 1995 when they started testing the CGMs. I was a faithful user of Minimed and then in 2005 my first incident occured and it cost me the life of my 3 week old daughter. Then in 2008 I upgraded to the 722 with CGM and had good use with it. I had minor problems everyone now and then but Minimed was always happy to help.In January I crashed and totaled my car out. A month later I found that my infusion sets had been recalled and Minimed never notified me. I called them and they acted like it was no big deal but it was. I contacted an attorney who is now representing me against Minimed due to their failure to notify me and all the problems ensued. Minimed use to be such a great company but they have really gone down hill since when they first started.
I don’t have a CGM, but it seems from discussions there are many problems.
Months to get depth correct, inaccurate sensors, expensive sensors, poorly designed sensors, bad adhesion. Why bother when they’re not accurate with so many issues?
I’m a Dexcom user with a MM pump and have been trialing the Medtronic CGM for the past 3 days. I wore both units side by side over the weekend to see how they’d react differently on me. You can view a spreadsheet of the results here. I plan to update the spreadsheet for a few more days.
In the end, I achieved very similar accuracy with both, though the lag was more like 20/25 minutes, unlike my Dex, which is about 15. But I did my demo on a 522, and am hopeful that the lag might be less on the 523.
Given all the negative talk about the MM sensor, I expected much more pain and discomfort, but didn’t personally find that to be the case. I’m a runner and have grown pretty weary of carrying both devices, particularly for my workouts.
I have been using MM pump and CGMS for about 6 months and it is amazing. The CGM is not for the casual user but if you learn how it works it works super well.
I have gone low a total of 2 times in 6 months at night vs. 2 times a week before. H1C down from 7.5 to 6.1 in the first 3 months. Insulin usage reduced 40%.
the work isn’t worth it for everyone. if you can keep tight control and don’t have any hypo unawareness, then it very well might not be at this point. it would be a lot of work for minimal benefit. but for me, there are a few advantages:
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the trend itself can be useful, especially during exercise. as soon as i start seeing a precipitous drop, I know that i have to treat. i can now complete most runs without having to stop because i can pre-empt lows before they start.
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i have some hypo unawareness, mostly overnight. i used to not wake up until 30s and 40s but now i can wake up when i hit the 50s or 60s. i’d say that this is the biggest advantage for me personally. the same is true for overnight highs if i don’t bolus properly for dinner protein or carbs near bedtime.
it’s also been great for busy days in the lab or during long meetings where a low could really affect my performance. i love it, and glad that i put the effort in, but there were definitely more than a few times when i could have thrown it out the window!
Thanks, Tom. Appreciate your reply. When you see a drop during exercise, do you use your meter to confirm?
I have had some problems with my CGM, but overall I think it is a fantastic tool. While sometimes the numbers are inaccurate, other times they are very precise (seems to depend on the sensor quite a bit) and the trend is ALWAYS accurate for me. Helps me avoid lows and gives me great feedback about how food, exercise impacts me. Also, it can be surprising to see what happens overnight!
It is totally worth the effort most of the time in my opinion. I have at times needed to take a break from it as it is demanding. The best thing I have learned from my MM CGM is to insert the night before and hit start first thing in the AM. This accurate calibration makes a world of difference.
Exercise is one of the few times that I don’t bother with my meter because when I see a downward arrow I know that I will almost certainly end up low. Most of the rest of the time, I will do a meter check unless it’s a very small adjustment or I’m low and have some symptoms.
Hope - do you insert just the sensor and then connect it to the transmitter in the morning, or do you hook up the transmitter with the sensor and just turn it on (the sensor featuure) in the morning?