I have NEVER gotten my tubing caught on doors or anything else in 12 years, but I am very careful to have it tucked into my waistband all the time. Chac’un a son gout!
Thanks to everyone for their input…any other opinions would be appreciated.
Minimed, definitely Minimed. I know some folks have been very happy with their Omnipods, but in looking into it (and getting a sample pod), I found too many draw backs. People seem to have a lot of “pod failures,” and when a pod fails, you can end up wasting a lot of insulin. Also, those pod failures put you at risk for going into DKA, something I am very prone to do. While tubeless is nice, the pods were very large (IMO). I am a petite woman and could not hide the pod easily under my clothes.
I love my Revel. As someone mentioned, the Revel has fewer steps/button pushing involved than the Animas Ping. The Ping has a nice screen, but I’ve found the Revel easier to hide under my clothes (something that is very important to me). The tubing doesn’t bother me at all now that I’m used to it and the infusion sets (Mios) are really easy to use. I have not had success with the CGM; I’ve tried both the Dexcom and the integrated CGM and didn’t find either of them accurate enough to be worth the cost. I do better with finger pricks personally. The CGMs also make me lazy and too often I was bolusing or correcting based on inaccurate results (bad me, I know!!) Finger pricking keeps me more disciplined. BUT, it’s a nice feature to have available if and when I want it again.
I agree with MyBustedPancreas!
The longer we are on Minimed the more I love it.
Someone metioned on the Omnipod group that if a Pod fails you can withdraw the insulin bac out of the failed pod.
This is a BIG NONO!!!
I was told the same thing by another patient in my Doctor’s office and my doctors were livid. You can risk contamination of your insulin, plus you never get out all the amount you put into it!
I tried this technique but quickly stopped doing it.
Omnipod is very wasteful with insulin if your pod fails. My daughter is very frail and could not even put anywhere except her backside. If kept ripping off of her arms.
I should also add that I have been very happy with Medtronic’s customer support. I have always gotten what I need, and they definitely made the process of getting a pump SO simple. They have loaner programs and are very quick with pump replacements should your pump fail. Overall, my Revel has been a solid little device. I’ve given it quite a beating, and it keeps on ticking.
While there are indeed more steps to bolus with Animas vs MM I personally think that issue is a bit overblown. I know the MM reps really hit on this (at least in my area) but I have found that after the first few weeks this is no big deal. I also notice the steps are fewer with the meter remote. If you are new to pump therapy it will be a non issue as you have never gotten used to the way Medtronic does it 
I have read the product manual for the Vibe and these things are basically taken care of with the new model but as others have stated that makes little difference when you need a pump NOW. I think the main reason I would choose a Ping over the MM is because of their partnership with Dexcom as I figure the pros/cons of each pump cancel each other out and for the most part you are getting the same pump in a different package. The MM CGMS is ok but I prefer Dexcom hands down.
Interestingly enough Dexcom now has an agreement with Omni, Animas and Accu-Chek. They are really “inserting” themselves in the market (no pun intended).
When we decided to go with the Ping for my son, the big negative I heard was ALL these extra steps for a bolus and cartridge changes. For me, though, I viewed the extra steps as a positive. I liked that the extra check steps slow us down a little bit and possibly reduce user error on our part. Perhaps at the very beginning that adds time to the process, but my son can now bolus in a matter of a few seconds and we can do a cartridge/site change in 3-5 minutes, so the extra steps don’t really slow us down in any measurable way.
Plus, I really like the color screen. The Medtronic also sold that as a negative - that it was impossible to see the color screen outdoors in the sunlight. We have not had any trouble seeing the color screen in the bright Texas sun.
I have a question for the Medtronic users. Is the CGM portion of the pump more accurate than Dexcom? I haven’t worn my dexcom for awhile, because I got tired of all the sweeping BS readings…
Yogi
For me, the CGMS Medtronic has is less accurate than the Dexcom. I had a much steeper learning curve for MM than I did Dexcom. It took me about 6 weeks of use before I understood the little nuances that make the MM better/easier to use. Of course you would have this site for help so that would come faster. I think the main difference is that Dexcom is only about 5 minutes behind my actual blood glucose whereas MM sensors are usually about 15-20 minutes behind.
I like the sensors for monitoring high’s but the real reason I want them is for lows. I do not catch significant lows while using MM sensors but almost always catch them with Dexcom. It makes sense. If you are falling rapidly and the sensor is 15-20 minutes behind, you have already treated it and moved on before it is alerting you. I do not use the Revel and have not yet had the oppurtunity so perhaps some of the changes they have made (predictive alerts) make it better in this area. You can also set your alarm higher but when “flatlining” you would end up with a bunch of low alerts when you aren’t really low.
I think MM is serviceable but if I have my choice about where to spend the money I would chose Dexcom every time. However, I have heard of people not having any luck with Dexcom but really liking the MM sensor. Never know til you try
We’ve been very happy with our daughter’s MM Revel and integrated CGM. however, the sensor is irritating to her skin often and that seems miserable. I was at a Diabetes weekend when I heard a Dr. speak about the various CGMs and he spoke of the Dexcom being smaller insertion needle, more comfortable to wear, less irritation and more accurate. When I heard these things, I figured it was worth a try. He also said the Dexcom tends to be about 12-14% accurate, while the MM CGM is 14-18% accurate. I notice often my daughter feels her lows before the Sensor alarms, so I am hoping the Dexcom will catch them better. We just go the Dexcom and I have to figure it out so we can get started.
Also, the Dr. also mentioned pod failures due to the large amount of pods rolling off the assembly lines. I thought that was interesting and made me leery of the Pod for now.
Hope this helps!
Hi Jessica,
I also read that the Dexcom is a very good CGM and is much smaller than the one from minimed.
Unfortunately for me, I live in Canada and the Dexcom will only arrive here next year. I believe it can be used with any meter and it seems no system (pump) is perfect.
THanks again for your input and for everyone’s input…IT IS VERY HELPFUL!!!
Thanks again to everyone for their advice and experiences. This is so helpful in trying to pick a pump especially since I have no insurance coverage for the pump and it is such a big expense I want to make the right decision for myself.
The major beef I have with Dexcom is:
- The adhesive does not last a full week. It could be my natural body oils. But, I almost always wind up changing it in the middle of the week.
- I could only wear it on the top area of my stomach. It seems to be the only area that gives me the most accurate readings. However, unfortunately, It doesn’t give me much option in terms of rotations. The lower part of my stomach is the worst. Once it had me @ 250 and I was actually only 109
- I suspect that Ibuprofen acetaminophen isn’t the only thing that effects it’s readings. I am a herbal tea drinker, and I have a funny feeling that it interferes with my numbers too.
- Yes, it is very comfortable at first, however, because only certain areas work best, I don’t have a lot of leeway to rotate. Even a month is too short to go back to an area. It REALLY hurts…
- It is waaay too damn expensive if you have a high deductible, or no insurance at all.
- Despite the occasional misreadings. I do find the trend feature of REAL value. Because when I’m exercising, even if the numbers are off, I can see how fast my blood sugars are dropping, and that gives me a clue to take a finger stick.
Yogi
If you go to Kerri Sparling’s blog Six Until Me, she has a column on how she uses Opsite Flexifix (?) to secure the sensor in place. That might help you.
Just keep in mind, Jodil, that you would then have to carry around an extra “thing” if you use Dexcom.
I used the Dexcom on Mary. She hated any CGM thus far (The Navigator and Dexcom)
The Navigator was a terrible pain in the neck. I hated it too! But I really liked the Dexcom.
The only problem with having the CGM with her was that she hated to be hooked up to so much stuff.
When she had Omnipod it was so bulky for her little body then to have the CGM on her was too cumbersome.
I liked the Dexcomb because of the size of the sensors and they were very easy to apply. However, because she was so lean they only lasted 2-3 days. I kept getting sensor errors, which would frustrate me, which made me not use it that much.
Her Doctor wants to get her he CGM for her new minimed, but I am having second thoughts.
It seems much easier for me to just set the alarm in the middle of the night then have to hook her up to something that might not work so well.
The MM CGM can work very well too. It gets bashed a lot but I think that most of the time it provides very useful data. I have learned a bunch of things about how diabetes works for me since I have had it. The extra gizmo was a total deal-breaker for me w/ the Dexcom, although I didn’t bother researching them beforehand. There’s some wierd “force”/ Jediabetic stuff that goes on getting used to the CGM and how even when it’s “off” it may be moving towards “on” but that can be figured out.
Wow, so you’re paying for the pump and all its supplies out of pocket? Definitely talk with the people at Minimed because they have an assistance program. I don’t know if it helps out with supplies, but it will definitely help out with the cost of the pump.
Thanks Yogi,
- We dont have insurance coverage for the CGM.
- I drink herbal tea
- I take acetaminophen (allergic to ibuprofen)
I will continue to prick my finger no matter what. I would likely just use the CGM when I first start on the pump and maybe to establish a pattern for nighttime as I have “dawn phenomenon” and other times I need more details. On a day to day basis once I have become comfortable witih my pump routine, I would not use it.
Thanks Natalie…
I actually signed up for Six Until Me but did not see that so I will take another look.
Thanks.
Hi MyBustedPancreas,
Unfortunately, my husband works for a company based in Europe and there are only 2 Canadians on the health plan in Canada so we have a crappy package that does not cover the pump, CGM or any CGM supplies. It will cover the insulin and insertion kits.
I met with a Minimed representative who knows we are paying out of pocket and she did not mention that they can help with cost. She mentioned there is a payment plan which we will be using. I don’t know if it is based on income as well because my husband asked her “What happens if someone cannot afford the pump” and she said then “They don’t get one”. This representative I have known for over 10 years thru various diabetic functions and so you would think she would tell me something with regards to financial assistance.
HOWEVER, my son may go on the pump next year as the goverment has JUST APPROVED to pay for the pump for kids. THe children’s hospital told me the price they are being charged for the pump and it is much cheaper (matching the price of the Omnipod so they can compete) and they are throwing in the CGM. Therefore, I contacted the representative yesterday who is going to call me today to discuss this. I am interested to know why they are charging me $1,500 more including the CGM then they plan on charging the hospital. I know is is because they are competing with Animas and Omnipod so must be price competitive or they will lose a lot of business.
Cross your fingers that I can get the price down.
Thanks for the input.
Jodi