I would want a full description including the model number, serial number, and firmware version. These older pumps can suffer from over-tightening the battery cap and starting hairline cracks. I would want several pictures of it, too. How much are they asking? Is it possible to construct the payment so it leaves recourse for something like non-delivery? Is that what PayPal does?
Better yet, you could do a Skype call with the seller and watch him/her run the pump through its various paces.
Totally understand. I’ve been lucky that I’ve kept all my out-of-warranty MM pumps, which happen to be compatible. I’ve seen people had success geting compatible pumps from Craiglist.
Please be really careful! Many MM pumps look almost the same. One has to ask specifically for the model number, as well as the firmware version, which can be seen by pressing the ESC button on the pump and scrolling down to the last line of the pump menu. I’d not even think about buying a pump unless the seller was willing and able to provide the exact model and the exact firmware version, alongside with pump general conditions.The best option would be to look for a local seller, so that you have a chance to inspect.
Good idea!
Good point, they do have different names in different regions, which is confusing. I’ve found that there are compatible Canadian Veo pumps, but firmware must be 2.7A or lower. A new Veo will not meet this condition, but you may be able to find an older compatible Canadian Veo.
There is also another APS, AndroidAPS, that uses a new pump, Danar pump, manufactured in Poland. I’m not that familiar with it but I’ve been following the AndroidAPS gitter site and see great progress there. Below are links to it. I believe the developer, Milos Kozak, is also one of the developers on the NightScout team. And AdrianLxM who developed the watch support for AndroidAPS is one of the developers on xDrip. So great talent involved. Unfortunately, the Danar pump is not tubeless.
https://github.com/MilosKozak/AndroidAPS
http://www.advancedtherapeuticsuk.com/product/dana-diabecare-r-insulin-pump
Thank you for sharing all this, it’s very exciting! I hadn’t realized that this system is relatively accessible. It’s still a bit intimidating to start, but you have made it less so…
Glad you’ve been having such great success - may it continue!
Also, I know infusion sets vary for individuals, but am curious what set you have found to work best. I use QuickSet (and before that Mio), and have problems with them both to some degree. It’s so frustrating to be doing all this hard work and have the infusion set not doing its job!! Thanks.
I’ve used insulin pumps for almost 30 years now and almost every style of infusion set. My current favorite is Medtronic’s Silhouette. It is designed to insert manually at about a 30 degree angle. I’m on my third one now and it’s worked well. When I used a Ping pump I used the Inset 30 for several years. That’s an angled infusion set with a built-in inserter. I reached a point with that set and my favorite abdominal sites where I experienced poor absorption. I don’t think it was the infusion set’s fault. I believe that I wore out some favorite sites.
Before I switched to a Med-T pump for the Loop, I was using the 90 degree Insets with a 6 mm cannula depth. They worked well for me. I’ve also used the contact detach steel sets. When I used these sets, I had to change them every 48 hours due to site discomfort.
The big thing with infusion sets is to use the ones that work best for you. I am always on the lookout for unexplained elevated blood sugar on the third day of a set. This is more a function of the quality of the site and not the set.
For the last several years I have used sites on my lower back to the left and right of the spine. Using an inserter makes accessing these sites easier. I’ve had limited success reaching this entire area with the Silhouettes. For me, manual insertion requires reasonable visual feedback.
What cannula depth do you use? Have you tried both the 6 mm and 9 mm depths? Overusing favorite sites is often the cause of poorly performing sites; it’s not the set’s fault. Experiment with different sets and locations. The sites on my back have been dependably good for the last four years. I use the love handle sites for my CGM. Good luck.
With these infusion sets, the information that comes with the set indicates that it needs to be changed every 24-48 hours. So it’s normal that you had to change them at that point. It’s the only disadvantage of the metal sets (although not for me, since I have to change sets at 24-48 hours regardless).
Me too. I’ve been using the Accu-chek Ultraflex sets for a few years now, and (knock on wood) have not had a single kinked cannula. Before that I used the MM Sof Set Ultimate QR, and had kinks every other month or so.
I always look for a 3rd day high (a function of skin absorption not a failure of the set). I also look for any time a set hurts. If it hurts I pull it immediatley.
@Terry4: Is Animas’ new system which is similar to Medtronics model 670 G far from your closed loop system? Or will I be able to acheive your results with Animas’ solution? The hypo/hyper minimizer is coming to where I live in 2017, hence the question.
This is some info I found on Animas new system called “hypo/hyper minimizer”:
“Using a cell phone application and a glucose meter to control the pump’s insulin delivery. The Dexcom G5 sensor is used for continuous glucose measurement. Similar to Medtronic’s approach, the algorithm “nudges” the pump’s insulin delivery every few minutes towards a target glucose that is set by the user. Bolusing for meals and adjustments for exercise remain the user’s responsibility.”
I have not read anything about this system and would appreciate a link if you have one. Sometimes these websites geographically limit their internet content.
From the description you included, I think that approach is similar to the approach used by Loop.
This is one of the big differences between the 670G and the Animas product described. Letting the user decide the target is important to me.
Did any of the material you’ve read about the Animas system give any better hint about their introduction schedule? Early, mid, or late 2017? I’m thinking that you will get this system well before it’s introduced in the US. If I were you, I would be excited about the potential of this Animas system.
Now I’m off to google “hypo/hyper” minimizer!
I found a June 1, 2016 article on the Children With Type 1 Diabetes website.
The current model of the Animas Vibe pump has integrated CGM using the Dexcom G4 sensors. Animas are looking to launch a pump using a brand new algorithm called HHM, which stands for Hypoglycemic-Hyperglycemic Minimizer. Essentially the new algorithm will put this pump one step closer to a closed loop system. The HHM technology will predict high and low glucose events, and can increase and decrease insulin automatically as required to minimize the risk of a hypo and to help keep blood glucose levels in range and from going to high. Amazing huh?
This description details a hybrid model. Here’s more from the article:
It’s unclear at this stage if the next Animas pump will feature the full capabilities of the HHM [Hypoglycemic-Hyperglycemic Minimizer] technology or if the next pump will just be an improvement on the current Animas Vibe pump perhaps with the facility of Hypo Minimizer technology, prior to the launch of the full Hypo/Hyper Minimizer on a future pump. We’ll have to wait for an official announcement to find out what the full benefits will be of the next gen pump.
And it does mention that the product may be introduced in Sweden first but it hints at a 2016 introduction that appears to have slipped considering your comments. It also raises the issue of whether Animas will hold back the full introduction of the Hypo/Hyper Minimizer. Let’s hope not!
There have been no dates announced so far for it’s launch in the UK, it looks like Swedish customers will be first to get their hands on this revolutionary kit, though some sources are expecting a new Animas Insulin [pump] at some point in 2016. Unfortunately I’ve no images or any further details at this time.
Here’s more from a DiabetesMine column published February 1, 2016. The column covers updates on all the major players in the AP competition. It’s worth clicking over to read but I sure wish there was more current news!
Animas: The company is presumably still working on their Hypo-Hyper Minimizer (HHM), although we haven’t heard much – nor seen any images – since they last talked openly about this predictive system three years ago.
We reached out to Bridget Kimmel, Animas’ senior manager of communications and public affairs, and were told:
“Animas’ partnership with JDRF has enabled development of best-in-class predictive algorithms for closed-loop insulin delivery. Three feasibility clinical studies have been completed and results have been published. The Animas team is driving this technology aggressively to pivotal clinical studies and remain committed to continued innovation that addresses the needs of all our patients."
While a new HHM research article was just published in the January 2016 issue of the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, and Animas is also scheduled for an oral presentation at ATTD in Italy this week, there’s very little new information being circulated.
The study published involved 12 adults with type 1 diabetes using a closed-loop system with HHM in a clinical research center for approximately 24 hours, and the Minimizer definitely succeeded in “taking preemptive action to prevent hypoglycemia based on predicted changes in CGM glucose levels.” Good!
Now show us a little more of what’s in the works, Animas, if you want to stay in the closed-loop race.
Here’s a summary update from diaTribe, dated May 27, 21016, on the status of many AP projects.
I have not yet read your reply, but this is my post here at tudiabetes about the new pump from Animas: https://forum.tudiabetes.org/t/new-generation-animas-pump-integrated-with-dexcom-g5-expected-2017/54380
I have only talked to my sales rep here in Norway and she told me the pump is being released here in 2017, how it is supposed to work and the name of the pump. Google gave me the rest from searching “Animas hypo hyper mimimizer”. Seems like you have dug up the all relevant information available to date.
My endo has mentioned this pump to me, though without a timeline. I have a Ping that’s out of warranty and damaged, but am trying to hold off on getting a new pump until this semi-closed loop one comes out.
I’ve been enjoying a good run with Loop for the last seven days. Here’s the 7-day trend graph from Clarity:
The overnight hypers I fought pre-Loop have retreated. I still have some hyper movement in the evenings but most of that I can attribute to evening snacking. I have a couple of mild hypo concerns, one at 6:00 a.m. and one around 5:00 p.m.
Here are the current stats for the last seven days:
Time in range: 92.2%
Time hypo: 1.4% (That’s < 20 minutes/day average.)
Standard Deviation: 24 mg/dL (1.33 mmol/L)
Average Glucose: 107 mg/dL (5.9 mmol/L)
I’m happy with these numbers but would like to get closer to 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) for my average. The time in range and time hypo numbers are excellent.
Here are the worst and best days of the last seven:
Wow, simply amazing numbers. Very smooth graph! Thanks for keeping us updated and giving us inspiration!
Hi @Terry4, just wanted to say congrats on the fabulous success with Loop. One thing we do, not sure how it works in Loop, but with openAPS if you enter carbs through NightScout and BG starts to rise, then even if you haven’t bolused for those carbs the algorithm predicts a higher rise than it might otherwise, meaning it seems to ramp up basal higher and faster. It predicts carb decay rate based in part on how your blood sugar rises, so it’s possible this could help with something like ice cream where the rise is slow, steady and sustained. But maybe not.
Might be different for you for sure, but ror us, it means things like munching on cashews can be done with abandon, and also that we don’t have to bolus for our son’s afternoon snack.
