In ten days I start pumping with the Animas Vibe and I will use the integrated CGM. I am using the stand-alone Dexcom G4 already, but will give this up when I get it integrated in the pump.
I know Animas Vibe is still not available in the US because of the ongoing approval process with the FDA, but I guess the Vibe isn´t that much different form the previous pump models and guess you all have loads of experience from those pumps.
I have read here at tudaibetes that an option with the Vibe/Dexcom G4 solution is the possibility of using both the Dexcom receiver AND the Vibe pump as receiver for CGMS, and get the best of both worlds. Meaning you could use 2 devices at night to hear alarms better and only use the pump when out and about at daytime. Does anyone know how this works and if I should ask to keep my Dexcom G4 receiver?
For your information: The last pumps I used were all Minimeds from Medtronic.
PS I was reluctant going back to pumping because of problems with occlusions so this time around I go for the 6 mm steel cannulas and cross my fingers for them beeing the solution to my problem.
I will get the full Vibe system, and the nurse talked about giving back to them the Dexcom G4 receiver so they could use it and lend it to pepople who wanted to try it for a while. I live in Norway and we don´t own any of our devices. We just lend them for free.
What I most want to know is if there are any good advices or things to know before starting with a pump from Animas.
In the Video chat with Terry Gregg, he stated that Dexcom is not allowed (at least in US / FDA requirements) to take back used devices. Many who upgraded to G4 wanted their older Seven+ systems to go to good use, but he said FDA rules prevent this. Maybe the rules are different for Norway.
Since you have used MM, I think you will find the Animas very similar in it's features, just different menu choices to get to the options. They have similar infusion sets, with different names, but made by same manufacturer. When I did a trial with Animas Ping, the thing that was most different was the reservoir change.
I'll let others give more specifics regarding Animas and start-up, since I am still using MM. There are several users who have switched from MM to Animas and may have helpful advice. I've heard many also have good success with the steel sets, when others have failed.
We're in New Zealand where both are available .. I have used a 7+ transmitter with 2 receivers but have been assured by Animas that the G4 transmitter cannot send to both..I'd love to be proven wrong though
Dexcom is not allowed to take back used devices in Norway either, but the clinic/hospital can. They keep the used devices as "loaner devices" so that people who need it can use them for periods of three weeks.
I don´t own my Dexcom or my pump, I get it for free and it´s considered a loan.
I´m just off the phone with the Animas sales rep. here in Norway and he said you can use the Dexcom G4 with the Animas Vibe. He told me parents often do this. They keep the Dexcom G4 and check on the blood sugar without having to pull out or check on the pump.
Here´s how: When you start up the pump and insert the transmitter-ID, you shut down your G4 and enter the same transmitter-ID here. That´s it. If you are going to use the G4 just during the night, make sure you´ve turned off the out-of-range-alarm. One more thing to remember is to calibrate the pump and the G4 with the same blood sugar readings every day.
Hope this cleared things up. I´ll ask the nurse to keep my G4 until I know if the alarms on the pump is load enough to wake me up at night or not.
