I think youve got all you need from my fellow TuDers. I just would like to add what my experience has been. Im on a MM 722 and have been for 4 years, before that the 508 for 4+ years.
Watch for scar tissue. The MM cannulas are thicker than the OmniPod ones. This makes a difference in how your body reacts to the foreign object that sits in your tissue for days at a time. Heres an intersting comparison of infusion sets and gauges. It doesnt include the Omnipod which I believe is a 28 or 32 gauge device.
Extended bolusing is king. There just no way as of now to do something like this with MDI. I would switch back in a heart beat, but I use TAGing with every meal. Theres just no getting away from how well that copes with food.
And even then insurance have started checking on that as well. I have a new insurance but they require the pump to be a) completely out of waranty and b) to have something defective in order to now cover a new one. They run fine even after the 4 yrs so I can see their side as well. I think it’s rediculous anyway to charge 6K for a device like this.
Believe me having had tubed pumps for the past 17+ years it isn’t as big of a deal as everyone thinks. I love my pump and never really had issues with my tubing. I must say my tubing probably saved my pump a million times from shattering into a 1000 pieces. ha ha
Cassie, I usually order the short tubing but with every order or every other order I get long tubing for sites that I know I’ll need extra leash ha ha Maybe you could try that.
I agree. I’ve been pumping for 12 years, and have never had a problem with tubing EXCEPT when I used to let the pump free-float under the covers at night and had a cat who liked to chew through the tubing – liked the taste of insulin?
Ha! We used to know a cat named Milo. He liked to chew through wires as well, but not small tubes, rather telephone wires! One day he ate enough that he needed to have them removed surgically. So his belly was shved (think big white cat). His own, a good family friend, took a larger blue marker and wrote Milo’s name and home address on his shaved belly.
My suggestion is to not just talk to the pump reps but each of the companies should also have a clinical nurse educator (usually a CDE). Talk to them. They’re usually the ones who deal with education, trouble shooting and problem solving.
Another suggestion for easy handling of the pump in addition to longer tubing is to wear a Spibelt.(Spibelt.com.) It stays put with an adjustable belt, has an expandable little nylon pouch. Nice day and night, no problem with changing clothes, etc.
Started pumping about 5 years ago, with Cozmore pump (no longer in production, drat, it was great).
About a year ago started with the Animas Ping, I did not have as good of control with the ping.
September, 2010, got into a “D” study at UVA, they switched me to the Omnipod for the research period.
I liked Omnipod so much better I switched to it and have been on it ever since.
I personally wouldn’t go back to MDIs unless forced or more likely, I retire and can no longer afford insurance for them. In my opinion ALL pumps cost more to operate than daily injections.
Remember, as others have said here, it is a very personal decision, so it is up to you. Good luck and let us know if you switch and how it works for you.
I have a minimed pump, my biggest problem with it was sleeping. No matter where I attached the pump on my waist, my arm or my leg it poked into a bone when I rolled over and woke me up. I liked using the pump, it was much easier than carrying around insulin and syringes everywhere I went. I got down to only using 1/2 unit per hour and have decided to go with other alternatives now, I was wasting too much insulin and my blood sugar kept dropping when I slept. But that was my big problem with the minimed pump.
I have the Animas PING and it’s great! I’ve been pumping for about 6 weeks and it’s been a refreshing change. I was worried about the tubing too, but it’s quite easy to conceal. If you’re wearing dress pants, put it in your pocket and run the tubing under your belt and keep the extra tucked into your underwear/pants. It looks like a cell phone and the small translucent tubing is a non issue. I worried about working out w/ it and what people would think. Everything things it’s a cell phone right next to my ipod. I do the same thing w/ my tubing, just stick the extra in my shorts and noone could be wiser.
The largest selling point for me on the PING was it being water proof. I am on a collegiate umpiring crew and a game I had this year it started raining. I was soaked, my pump was soaked, everything was soaked, but nothing to worry about with the PING. If I had went with Medtronics I would have been freaking out and trying to keep it dry. My son has spilled water on me and soaked it on accident and not having to freak out about it is a great feeling.
The CGM on the Medtronics isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be. I wore it for 2 weeks and it was more of a pain than helpful. The dexcom sensor is much nicer. Just my opinion.
I once fell in a stream while hiking, and my pump was completely immersed – took a licking but kept on ticking! I think MM’s are water-resistant, in that they can take a little bit of water for a short time, but not water-proof as in going swimming with them.
Make sure you dont get a pump unless you really really want one, sure pumps do have great benefits, but everybody is different. I was a holdout for many years before I decided on my own to get a pump, but dont let you’re own doctor decide for you.
Point and case, my mother and doctor back when I was 17 decided for me, without my consent or approval to buy me a pump, it ended up being a complete crash and burn near death experience, and it lit up a huge full blown screaming war between my mother and I when I refused to use it any longer and took it back to Kaiser, and made them take it back after I threatened to destroy it. Yes I actually swore on doing that, I was really pissed. Standing my ground and making it clear who the boss was in some ways ruined the relationship between my mother and I for a while, but that was all out her fault as far as I’m concerned
However, you’re not a minor in this case like I was back then. The point i’m trying to say is, its you’re choice, we all have our opinions. If you dont want a pump, then dont give in to it, you might regret it like I did.
Before I was finally able to get the VA of my need for a pump. I was on shots of lantus and humalog. Working up to almost 200 units a day and A1c in the upper 9’s. An educator suggested I try Symlin and after working up to the 120 mg, level my shots were cut to 110 total/day. My A1c did not improve that much. The pump (minimed 722) reduced med to 70 units/day and CGM has allowed me to be proactive not reactive. My last A1c was, IIRC, 6.2%. My doctors are happy and me too. what has been most helpful is the duel rate for meal bolus settings. I look at the pump often and again it allows me to be proactive with corrections and have much fewer Oh darn moments when I was high.
Maybe you could try that.