I started pumping on a Deltec Cozmo, then switched to a Minimed Paradigm. I loved the Deltec soooo much more and not liking Minimed (not waterproof, only has 30 minute options for extended bolus, and on and on) so I’m now considering Animas. I did hear the biggest complaint about Animas is you have to push a lot of buttons to do things. I’m just curious if anyone out there has used both and what their preference was, what they liked, didn’t like, etc… Thanks!
I tried MM before Animas and immediately was turned off for one by the screen… Animas is so much brighter and makes it really easy to read at night when it’s going off for some reason, and second, when I called MM to get more information, as my endo had instructed me to do, the rep on the phone was so rude to me that she hung up on me because she didn’t have my information from my endo and refused to deal with me and my little questions as she put it. After that, I was so turned off by the company that I refused to use them.
There are some nice things that the MM offered that Animas doesn’t. When you use the meter for the pump, with MM it’s sent to the pump, with Animas you either have to bolus from the meter or manually enter the BG into the pump. I wish Animas had that. Also, Animas doesn’t have the CGMS built-in yet, so I have not only my pump, but my meter and the Dexcom to carry around. It is a bit annoying, but the MM CGMS is not as comfortable as the Dexcom.
I do however, go swim daily so the fact that the Ping is waterproof is amazing, it hands down sold me on it.
I hope this helps a bit, try to do a trial with your endo’s office and see what one you like…
Elizabeth
I went with Minimed because of the CGMS, but I didn’t care for it after trying it (way too much trouble and I’m good at knowing what my sugar is doing anyway) so Animas not having that option is of no issue for me. Good suggestion about looking into a trial run with my Endo’s office though. I will see if I can do that. I have to make a decision before August 25th when Animas stops their current offer, so time is of the essence. Thanks for writing!
You’re welcome… I’ve had the Ping for awhile now and I love it… Though, I have to say, I love the Dexcom and can’t wait for them to be one unit… Yeah, the offer Animas has is a sweet offer, I think it’s been extended beyond the 25th, I think there was something posted on the pump forum about it… Anyways, if you have any more questions just let me know! I’m sure there will be other Ping users responding as well…
Good luck!
Elizabeth
I’ve pumped with both… Animas also has the extended bolus in 30 minute increments. I think the Cozmo was the only pump that gave you other options (you could do any length in 10 minute increments, right?)
The things I liked better about MM:
“Time to empty” - yeah, it’s a simple calculation, but I liked to be able to SEE that I had 12 hours of basal left and could leave refilling the pump for later (like overnight)… it’s just easier.
I felt like the clip was sturdier.
It came in purple 
Things I like better about Animas:
The meter remote - I never used the “link” meter with my MM pump… I hated the thing because it felt like more work and it didnt’ work right a lot of the time (# didn’t get transmitted), but I test and bolus with the meter about 90% of the time on the Ping. I really like it, and it saves me from having to dig out and mess with my pump (entering the # and using the bolus wizard that way is really not a hindrance, it’s the getting to the pump part for me). Some people hate the one touch strips though… I don’t mind them.
It’s waterproof (so was my MM when I got it, then they recalled that about 2 months later).
I can use “any” infusion set without anything extra.
I’ve yet to have my pump “fail” - I went through 18 or so Paradigms in the time I was on that pump… in 3 years. That’s an average of a new pump every 2 months… unacceptable in my book. I’ve had my Ping for 9 months and it’s the only one I’ve had.
I also wear a CGM and I don’t find carrying the dexcom receiver to be that much trouble. It will be nice when it’s integrated, but I’ve heard rumors that we will “lose” the ping remote when that happens… not sure how I feel about that.
BTW, my last name is Easter too 
The Animas rep did say that they did have a 15 minute extended bolus option, so I’m thrilled about that. But are you saying that Animas doesn’t have an option of alarming when you get down to ‘X’ amount of insulin? That would be awful if so! Is there a vibrate mode on Animas? I can’t hear out of my right ear, so vibrating is more helpful to me. And I am curious about what the clips are like. If really bulky, will be a big factor for me. I want the pump sticking out of my clothes as little as possible. The MM clip sucks. I have to take the clip and pump off my skirt/pants, whereas the Deltec clip allowed me to just slip the pump out of the holder. Quite a hassle… it’s the little things that make a difference, you know? And hello fellow Easter : )
I’m not sure why they would have told you it had a 15 minute option, because I can assure you it doesn’t… it does have a .1hr option (which is 6 minutes), then the rest are in half hour increments (so .5hr, 1.0hr, 1.5hr, etc). The thing about Animas’ and it’s extended bolus delivery is that it’s tacked on top of your basal delivery, which is every 3 minutes. So if you do an extended bolus over 6 minutes, it doesn’t steadily tick away quietly in the background like MM does (I don’t know about Cosmo) but it basically splits that bolus up into two parts, gives one half at the next scheduled basal delivery (could be seconds from when you started the extended bolus, or up to 3 minutes away), and the rest at the following one. So the 6 minutes is really misleading… it could be finished in just over 3. If you do a 4u combo at 0:100 (none up front, all extended) bolus over .1hr, it might end up giving you 2u with very little delay (though it could be up to 3 minutes, just depends on when the last basal dose was given), then the other 2u 3 minutes later. It’s kind of pointless in my book.
It does alarm at whatever level you set before it runs out, but the MM tells you how much time you have left - the Ping does not.
The Ping vibrates - no worries there Battery life is surprisingly good with it set that way too… I have mine set to only vibrate and I get 6 weeks or so out of each battery.
The clip is not bulky, it’s metal so it’s really thin, but the point where it attaches to the pump is plastic - I’m always worried I’m going to break it. My clip wiggles a lot now, and it didn’t when it was new. I liked the MM clip better because you squeezed to open it… you have to kind of force the Ping clip open… which I worry puts added stress on the plastic connector (nevermind that the pump housing itself is plastic).
Hmmmm…so that’s just so strange. I think only people that use pumps should design them. Now granted, I don’t use extended boluses a lot, but 15 min increments offer far more options than 30! On the rare occasions I use it (for a white russian!) I typically give 2 units over 30 (or more ideally 45, but that’s no longer possible apparently). So what you’re saying is the extended bolus amount is given at the same time your basal rates? I guess I had never really thought about how exactly it was being dolled out, so frankly I’m not sure how to feel about how Animas works. And you know, when I asked the Animas rep about the 15 min option, she had to ask someone, as no one had ever asked that before. I guess she got the information wrong. I’ll have to send her an email now to see what she says. So bottom line, you like Animas more than MM?