Help me choose a pump! Please

Diabetes Technology Insulin Pumps
1

Good Morning! I am new to the world of insulin pumps. My doctor and I discussed them last week. I have been researching a few. I like what I have read about the MiniMed pumps (with the tubing), but I like the idea of the OmniPod, mainly because the lack of tubing.

I work full-time. I commute. I have three young children and we play together daily. I am concerned about the tubing while playing with my kids. I don't want it to get caught on something or pulled out. Is that common?

I have very busy days and I try to exercise daily. When the weather warms, I want to get back to riding my bike outdoors. I walk & use DVDs, attend exercise classes now. I want to try the elliptical machine.

I am still researching and I am attending classes on learning more about the pump in a couple of weeks. (Earliest one scheduled.)

Any hints? Tips? Pros? Cons? I learned that the MiniMed has a larger reservoir available than the OmniPod. I like that idea.

Do you notice it? I spoke to a lady at my podiatrist's office who wears her Minimed in her bra. I am just learning about all of this.

Thanks for your help everyone!

I have had Type II for almost 20 years.

2

I think you should look at the omni pod size, I have heard that some people can't sleep with the omni pod due to size of the pod. Tubing is not a big deal for me, I do everything with mine, however if you swim, you may also want to look at the Animas Ping, as it is totally waterproof. I keep my tubing tucked in my pants/underwear etc. and I clip it to my pants, undergarments and yes I even have put it in my bra when I want to eliminate the bump.

The tubing is usually always under my clothes, I have animals, and I get in the floor and roll around with them and play and I have never had it come out during play time. I hope this helps. Good luck and let us know what you choose...

3

I use an omnipod and love it. I pumped MM versions for about 5 1/2 years and have been pumping omnipod for just over 3 now. Every pump has pros and cons, but I think the pod is great. I am an active cyclist/triathlete and I do not have issues w/ it coming off (although I do use skin-tac to help keep it on, but I was doing that w/ my regular pump too so no difference there IMO). I LOVE the lack of tubing. I love that it's a self contained unit. I love that it's very user friendly and has a good user interface. I love that it has a built in glucometer (which means one less thing to carry!). I love it for more reasons that this, but you get the idea that I think it's a great pump :)
I wear it mostly on the back of my arms and on my flank/lovehandle area. I did shots and traditional pumping for 13 years or so with my stomach as the primary location so I've been trying to steer clear of that site since switching to the pod (although I do occasionally wear it there and have no issues w/ it). I do not notice it when I'm sleeping.
When wearing a pump there is what I would call "pump awareness". There is a certain amount of that which must come with any pump you choose. I think once you find that balance point , your everyday activities will go back to being just that--everyday activities!

4

Regarding tubing or a pod, I'll definitely choose tubing. Here's why: (1) the pod is big and bulky, (2) if the pod isn't inserted properly, you waste the entire pod and all the insulin inside of it... (and the corollary: 2a, you can't see the infusion site with the pod to know it's inserted properly), (3) if I had a PDM controller that wasn't attached to me, I'd surely lose it (the PDM, not my mind). If you exercise a lot, I'd be concerned about sweating underneath the pod; it does cover quite a bit of surface-area on the skin and doesn't allow for ventilation. Some people love the Omnipod, but I've heard horror stories, and lots of endos, including my own, don't like to prescribe it.

I use the Medtronic Minimed pump. I play soccer and street hockey with my five-year-old all the time, and it's never gotten in the way. I've snagged tubing on kitchen cabinets and doorknobs at times, but only when wearing pajamas. During the day, I always wear a belt and have the pump clipped to it (with excess tubing tucked in the waistband) so it doesn't get in the way. Using pockets is a bit more dangerous with excess tubing getting in the way. I use about 30 units a day, so reservoir size is not an issue for me.

The real decision, I think, is Medtronic versus Animas. Medtronic has been around longer, but it's interface and display is a bit "old school", dark and black-and white. The Animas display is in color, which looks nicer but may not offer more functionality. But if you wear a CGM, the Medtronic pump can also be the receiver; Animas doesn't do that. Conversely, you can control an Animas from either the pump itself or via a wireless connection from the meter (the "Ping" system). Both have meters that report the BG to the pump, but only Animas lets you bolus from it as well. Personally, I think the Ping functionality is more important for women who keep the pump near more "intimate" parts of their body and can't get to it easier.

Other things of note: Animas is slightly larger than Medtronic, but is also waterproof. Medtronic is OK to splash water on, but shouldn't be taken in a pool, bathtub, or ocean. (Many will say that they are equally resistant to water, and the claim by the manufacturer is strictly an indication of the liability they want to accept, but I feel safer taking them at their word. If I had an Animas, I'd feel comfortable swimming with it. I don't swim with my Medtronic).

Hope that's enough information for you!

5

Thanks for all of the responses. Right now, I use insulin pens. They don't bother me (and they hurt a whole lot less than the finger sticks!), but my doctor thinks that a pump will be better for me. I trust her judgment. I just want to get the right pump for my lifestyle.
Do you get big swings in your BG numbers when it is off of you? While showering or swimming? (My swim classes are about an hour, plus showering afterwards).

6

they suggest for me not leaving it off for more than 2 hours, I swim too, so I got the animas ping which I swim in constantly even went on vacation and swam, snorkeled for 4 + hours each day and kept my pump on. Otherwise you will have to see how it effects you when it's off. If I take it off for more than an hour, I bolus for the missing basal dose.

7

For showering, no. Not so much for swimming either, though I do keep a close eye on it... the exercise kind of counteracts the potential BG rise. I haven't been disconnected for too long though, and I plan to get an AquaPac before the summer starts so I can use it when swimming.

Like Solo says, if you're disconnected for a long time, plug in every hour (or two) and give yourself the amount of basal you missed. It helps keep you on track.

8

I used MM for 11 years and just recently switched to Omni. You get used to the tubing. It's rare that it gets caught on stuff, but it DOES happen. However, it's the same with the pod, because you could rip it off pulling your pants down too hastily because you have to pee so bad. (Yeah, personal experience...) But I like that it has a meter in the PDM, I like that I am not attached to anything because now I can be naked without holding the damn pump in my hands. I don't know how much weight you would give that, but it's definitely a prominent plus to me...makes me feel more human, less robot.

Omnipod is also coming out with the new smaller pods this summer or fall and they will automatically upgrade everyone no charge. I've gotten a sneak peak at them, and they are serious tiny, I'm so pumped (hahah, pun).

One HUGE consideration though is the insulin on board algorithm. Minimed's is solid, and you can trust it for sure when using the bolus calculator. Omnipod however is fundamentally flawed so you will have to think twice about what it suggests if you are needing to correct after a meal. Omnipod does not factor in bolus insulin calculated from grams of carb you entered (so, the meal), only correction, but since insulin activity is 4 hours, if you give insulin for your meal (w/o correction) and 2 hours later are higher than you would like, it will give you a full correction, even though you still have 2 more hours (half) of your meal bolus left to bring you down. MM would subtract that half from whatever it calculates as your correction based on your set correction factor, this is the correct and SAFE way to calculate it. However, it's not that noticeable when you're switching from shots because any bolus calc is an upgrade, so you might be totally satisfied with it, but I just want you to be informed. Even with this flaw (which I am currently working with my endo to get fixed), I really like the pod. The ease of being naked thing really does it for me. Besides, once I get them to change it, there won't be anything wrong!

Oh also, they are integrating the Dexcom CGM (BEST CGM, MM's sucks, I've used both) soon, too, once Dex gets their new sensor (Dex 4) out on the market, which is expected later this year as well.

Prob an overload of info but hope it helps.

9

I have the onetouch ping and I love it. I have a daughter and son that are very active and I am constantly playing and wrestling in them around. My son is in wrestling and often he wants to practice his moves on me. I have never once pulled out the tubing. I did not choose the omnipod because that does stick out so much and rolling around playing with my son I can totally see that being knocked off and hurting if I roll over it. The pump I actually put in my waist band on the inside so you can't see it when I have clothes on. I do try to use longer shirts, it feels more comfortable. The ping is easy to use and I love it. I get the shortest tube and the shortest inset because I'm so thin. I really love mine. Hope this helps.

10

A new pump came on the market from a company called "tandem" - I was really impressed w/ it in the market research phase. It is a pump w/ tubes, but in 20 years that's never been a big problem. I taught preschool, walk a lot, did a lot of bike riding. etc. Yes, sometimes the kitchen cabinet knobs catch it, but it's nothing serious to be concerned about. Mostly it's under your clothes and doesn't stick out.