Hello- Hello!! I am very new to all this. I would like to know how you guys came to choose your pump? I am having to go to Pump Therapy in Dec and have been looking at different pumps out there. I am very active since i do have a one year old. I am also very afraid about the whole insertion of the needle/cath. Does anyone recommend one pump over another with my concerns??? Any suggestions would help!! Thank you!
It's a very individual choice. Here is a comparison of the top meters, including lots of features.
I have a Ping. Love it, love that it's waterproof. Depending on how much insulin you use per day, reservoir size might be the deciding factor for you.
Inserting the site is nothing, I don't even feel it. Once you've done it a couple of times following the directions you'll be a pro. I use the short (23") tubing, and just tuck it into my pants if the pump is clipped to my pants, or into the spi belt or tallygear belt.
My pump was/is life-changing, hope you'll love yours as much as I love mine!
I have had medtronic and animas..... Animas to me is a upgrade while medtronic seems more like a sidegrade.. thats my experience though. I like that i can swim or shower with the pump and not have to worry.. I use the insets and its pretty much painless most of the time.. i use the 6mm and 23 inch and its hard to feel it even there.. Ping can hold 200 units while medtronic can hold 300 units
I agree that it is a personal choice.
To start, I made a list of what was important to me. I want a pump that was waterproof because I like to swim, an easy to read screen, the ability to fine tune my delivery in the smallest increments possible and most important to me was superior customer service after the sale. That lead me to choose, initially, the Animas 2020. I've since upgrade to the Animas Ping. I feel it was the best decision for me.
I requested information about all the other pumps available in the United States and read through their literature before I made my decision. The Medtronic pump was in the running, for me, because it had an integrated continuous glucometer. But then I found the sensors had to be replaced every 3 days. The Omnipod is nice because there is no tubing but it has a very high, obvious profile. Pump cartridge size is also an issue for some and Animas is the smallest. One thing I will say is I use less insulin using the pump compared to multiple daily injections. I understand this is fairly normal.
The Animas pump had all the features, and more, that I wanted in a pump except the CGMS. I decided to go with Animas and the separate Dexcom CGMS where you change the sensor every 7 days. Plus having used LifeScan/OneTouch glucometers for many years I knew I would not be disappointed with customer service provided by a Johnson & Johnson company.
There are a lot of options, at least with Animas, as to infusion sets. I didn't know what to order so Animas sent me a few types and I eventually chose the Inset product that has its own inserter. I use the 43 inch tubing because I'm tall and it gives me more flexibility. If you can give yourself multiple daily injections, believe me, the infusion set is a piece of cake. I had to split my long acting insulin (Lantus) into two daily shots, took three daily boluses of Novolog to cover meals and any corrections that might be needed. That was a minimum of five injections per day. Most times I can change my infusion set and pump cartridge every three days, sometimes when my Sarcoidosis acts up every two days. Now I have what amounts to one stick/shot every three days instead of fifteeen. It's really pretty easy to do once you are trained.
I also just tuck the tubing into my pants to keep it out of the way. When going to sleep, I purchased one of the "Leg Things" and just put the pump in there. That way as I roll around during the night, the pump and tubing just go with me. I thought I'd mention this because that is a very frequent question on the forums, "What do you do with your pump when you sleep?"
If I have one piece of specific advice it would be for you to decide which pump best meets your needs and lifestyle then stick to your decision. Over the years I have seen many people on TuDiabetes and other sites complain about pumps chosen or forced upon them by their endos/doctors that did not meet their needs/lifestyles. Many times doctors recommend a specific pump because they have working relationships with pump vendors. My doctor normally prescribes Medtronic pumps for this reason. But I had done all my research, had all the different vendors documentation plus what I believed to be important to me and my success for pump therapy when I went to see my doctor for the pump prescription. We spoke about my concerns, wishes and what I wanted. The only issue was my physician was not able to provide training for the Animas pump themselves. It wasn't an issue because the physician told this to Animas when the prescription was written and Animas provided their own nurse CDE to do the training at my convenience.
Being active is one of the best reasons to go on pump therapy. I like to swim, ski, lift weights and especially run around outside with my 130 pound Alaskan Malamute. Being on the pump allows me more freedom to do anything I want, when I want. I can adjust my insulin delivery on the fly, cutting it back if I'm more active than normal or increasing it if I'm sick and just lying around the house.
In my case, going on pump therapy was my decision. I actually asked my doctor to change to the pump from MDI. I've been on the pump for over 4 years. It was the best decision of my life! To be honest, I'm sorry I didn't do it sooner.
Pump therapy is just like anything else. You get out of it what you put into it. It takes time. It can be frustrating at the beginning but the more you learn about it and how your body reacts, the better it gets. One of the best guides I found was the book "Pumping Insulin" by John Walsh and Ruth Roberts. It's well worth the time and $17.00 investment.
Good luck!
Thank you all for your comments!! The information you guys provided was so helpful! I kinda have to say that being on the pump sounds exciting compared to giving myself the shots 6 times a day. I take very large doses and my stomach is covered with bruises and welts. one question I do have is Where can you place the cath? Have any of you ever had it pulled out by accident? Does it stay pretty well put?
Thanks!!
The cath can be in your stomach area, on your side, upper buttocks area (little hard to get to by yourself). Some people have used their thighs or even their upper arms.
I only had two instances where I got the tubing caught and pulled the cath loose. Both times I was changing clothes and walking into or out of my closet. I caught the tubing on the doorknob once and the strike plate the second time. So it's not very common.
Since I use the Animas pump and products, I use the IV prep pad on the area first and let it dry completely. The helps the cath/canula to adhere better. Then I do the insert and I use the IV 3000 frame delivery product on top. The IV 3000 is like a Tegaderm clear bandage to cover the canula and the first inch or so of tubing. It sticks pretty well for me.
Abolutely look at all of them and choose, and I agree, never choose because your doctor or nurse told you which one to choose.
And dont do what I did 11 years ago...and buy one because it was a pretty color...;-)
Yes, it stays put. I used to use skin prep first to help it stick, but forgot once and had no problem. I use only alcohol now.
I use stomach, thighs, arms, love handles, upper butt, and side of breast near my arm pit. Plenty of sites to rotate, and rotation is important. When I remove a site I just swipe it with the alcohol swab I've used where my new site is going - I've never had an infection or anything. Mine only pulled out once when I was pulling down my pants and forgot it was on my thigh. I've only gotten the tubing caught a couple of times when I forgot to tuck it in. I've actually dropped the pump and had it hanging and the site stayed stuck on, no problem. I don't use any extra tape.
I also use a Dexcom and love it! I've had the sensors last with good readings for 3 weeks. I do use extra adhesive on them.
I love my Animas Ping. I looked at all the pumps available, and quickly realized that each pump had its advantages and disadvantages in the long run. I ruled out the Omnipod because there are many horror stories of bad pods, and some adhesion issues with the pods. Beyond that, for me, I worried that with my lifestyle and with what I do in a day, that the Omnipod would be very easy to knock off its mount, causing a destroyed pod, wasted insulin and lots of inconvenience.
that left the Medtronic and the Animas pump. I likes how both were quite discrete, with just a slight bit of tubing showing and its ease to clip to a belt or pants, and it's ability to be put in a pocket. I liked the Medtronic software. The Medtronic and the Animas seemed to be equally easy to operate. I really liked the ANimas colour screen and the food catalog stored in the meter remote. I liked the remote features of the Animas.
What really sold me on the Animas was the service. The rep showed me how the meter worked, how to make the meter work for my situation and demonstrated all the features of his product. The telephone reps were helpful and courteous. The MiniMed rep was had the opinion that his pump was the only choice to make and that all others were junk. The MiniMed telephone sales people were pushy and wanted the order today. finally I told them that I had chosen another company with which to deal and they backed off.
The Animas service and pump training and support has been wonderful. I have a cousin and a friend who both have Animas pumps and their experience has been equal to mine.
One thing I am sure of, is that I would be hard press to go back to seven shots each day. The pump has been life-changing.
All the best with your choice. I hope you are happy with whatever you choose.
Be well.
Brian Wittman
Actually, I was forced into it. I wanted the MM pump that I had been using for 8 years. My endo refused to write an Rx for the MM and also refused to give me a single reason why. (Kickback??) With a new doc and even she wondered why I couldn't have the pump I wanted.
I really dislike the Animas pump. Lots of reasons but here are a few:
When I change the battery I have to go through the prime, etc, steps as if I had just changed the infusion set. Nobody can tell me why this is necessary. For MM you just change the battery and you are done.
When I don't hit a button for 12 hours, I have to do the prime, etc. dance as well. With the MM you just hit the confirm button and it turns back on. No re-prime etc.
I have callouses from all of the button presses necessary to do a simple bolus.
The software is unnecessarily complicated. Example: When I am doing a bolus it asks me how if I want the final result. WHY WOULDN'T I?????
Etc.
Jeff
Jeff,
The things you are complaining about are SAFETY checks built into the Animas Ping. Research the number of court cases filed against Medtronic for harm up to and including one negligent homicide in Washington state.
I have worn a Ping for 3.5 years and have never seen the situation of no buttons for 12 hours causing a PRIME to be required unless the "dead man" switch was set for 12 hours, in which case your MD thought it was wise to stop your insulin if you had not pushed a button in 12 hours. This is what killed the person on the MM in Washington. Her switch was not set and she died.
The button sequence is designed as a mini-mental check. If you cannot program a pump bolus, you are too impaired to use it safely.
Hope all of this helps.
Jeff you can change that setting for not hitting a button for 12 hours, I think it's in advanced settings but check your manual. I can't imagine not using it for 12 hours though.
I fairly frequently don't use the result from the bolus calculator, either because I know my bg is rising (dexcom) and I need a bit more, I might lower it because I know I'm going to nap and my bg will drop, etc. etc.
I know that I can change the number of hours (not sure what the max is) but if I really am in trouble, 12 hours makes for a sensible choice. This morning, I had the same problem. I bolused (sp?) at about 7:30 last night and went to sleep at about midnight. I was preparing my breakfast and it went off at 8 AM. My BG was a bit low so I had some carbs before getting into bed. Never needed any more insulin.
On my old pump (MM) when this happened, I just confirmed that I was alive. I never had to go through part of the priming process again. This really just smells like a bad design either physical or software design.
But thanks for your comment.
Jeff
Jay-
Actually, no. (My normal state is mini-mental).
I understand the 12 hour thing (which I selected myself). It is a good interval to use and I have used it for many years. If I have to press a few buttons to make sure that my cognitive powers (whatever they may be) are not too badly reduced, that is ok. But I have had a few cases where I was speaking to a large group when the melody started to play. I had to leave the podium (it never stops!), take off my shirt to do the priming dance and then return a few minutes later. Never had a single problem, in this regard, from MM. As I say in my other response, this is nonsense.
But thanks for your comment.
Jeff
Hello! As others have said, it is a personal choice. But I will share my experience.
I chose both pumps I've used based on doctor recommendations and my own research. I started off with the OmniPod system, used it for a few years, and hated it. It didn't work for me at all, and caused me a lot of grief. I chose that based mainly on hearing about it from my old doctor, reading up on it myself, and wanting to give it a try. My new doctor was on board with me using it, so I did. It didn't work out, but I hear its changed significantly since I've been on it, so maybe its better now.
My new pump, the animas ping, was one of two pumps that my doctor recommended to me. He said it was one of the two "main players" along with the medtronic pump, I believe. The small infusion set makes this pump harder to bump it into things or tear it off, and it is generally a lot more comfortable. I really like the animas pump, though I think eventually I think I am going to go back to needles.
As far as inserting the infusion set, I would not worry about it at all. It only looks intimidating, but rarely causes any pain... Only a slight pinch. Every once in a while I'll just put mine in a bad spot and big boluses will sting a bit, but its nothing unbearable by any means. And they do stay in pretty good. The pod systems are a bit harder because they are clunky and can pull off easier, but the tubed systems have very small infusion sets which are harder to dislodge. I think I tore one off once because I was being careless. I do bump them into tables when I get up (I wear them on my tummy), but I'm a huge klutz. If you are aware of them and careful, you should hardly have any trouble at all.
I'm not very active (though I should be), but I imagine that the inset infusion sets that I use and the pump itself would not be invasive at all were I to be extremely active.
Pumps are great, and I hope you find one that fits your lifestyle perfectly. Talk to as many people as you can about what they use/recommend and talk to your doctor if he/she is up to date with pumps. I regret not getting my doctor's opinion on what pump was best earlier on, it would have saved me a lot of grief.