I'm starting to do research on insulin pumps rather than using MDI. I've gathered from reading here that some people find the ability to make small adjustments the advantages of using the pump/pods over MDI.
What do people like/dislike about the tubeless omnipod vs "conventional" insulin pumps? Since I'm new to insulin dependent diabetes, MDI's, insulin...etc please forgive me if I'm asking questions that may seem "obvious".
There are so many conversations already existing on this very topic. Maybe you can read some of them. Also there is a group for the Omnipod here: http://www.tudiabetes.org/group/omnipodusers
I think this is a pretty good article for steps to pick a pump ( it is dated but it's still good adive ): http://www.diabetesforecast.org/2010/jan/4-steps-to-picking-the-bes...
In addition, there is a yearly consumer guide listing of all of the available pumps and their specifics. I'm not sure if any questions are "obvious", but I am sure they've been asked and answered again and again and again. Good luck on your research.
One of my bosses had a sign on his office wall: "Don't be afraid to ask dumb questions, they're much easier to handle than dumb mistakes."
The truth is, there are no dumb questions (except the ones that don't get asked.) Questions like yours are precisely why this forum is here. And I predict that this thread will generate a wealth of good info for you.
Pump use and choices/preferences are very much an individual thing.
What is important to you may not matter to me, what I see as a deal breaker may be a big nothing for you.
I would recommend looking at over all size of pump, capacity of reservoir vs your needs. Numbers of basal programs allowed, how many time segments in a program. Wether you can have different I:C and correction factors in each time segment. What is the smallest basal dose and increment it will deliver, size of bolus dose, speed and timing of both basal and bolus delivery.
Howo easy is it to do what you want on the pump? Is it touch-screen or do you need to scroll endlessly to get where you want? How does the dose calculator work? Do you want a remote/meter combo or are you fine with a single button sequence on your pump for a rapid bolus with out needing to pulling out your pump and look at it.
As you can see there is a lot to think about.
Most important - be sure to look at, touch, play with, test run/trial all of the pumps out there before deciding. Many people think they want one but when they see others in action change their minds.
Also CGM integration is another factor, one device with an CGM that is not very accurate for many vs two devices from seperate companies that work better and may be integrated in the future.
Also look at where each pump company is going in the future. Do you want same old tech or to get in on the wave of the future? Check out the Beacon Hill study to get my drift.
I’m a long time pump user (MiniMed/Medtronic, Omnipod, Animas Ping). I won’t repeat the other good suggestions that you’ve received but I’ll add some things that get my attention.
I’d like a screen that is readable in bright sunlight, at least as visible as my iPhone. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to interrupt whatever I was doing to shade the screen to try and decode what the screen displayed. One time I had to change my infusion set outdoors. My polarized Rx sunglasses completely obscured the display and I had to solicit the help of a younger person nearby to complete my infusion site change. Grrrr!
I’d like to input carbs in tenths of units. I’m relatively insulin sensitive and 0.4 or 0.6 units of insulin do matter to my control. Related to this is the ability to store an insulin to carbohydrate ratio in tenths of carbs, for example an I:C ratio of 1:3.5.
Finally, this is a bit nit-picky but easily within the power of the pump manufacturers. Pumps do various electronic housekeeping tasks throughout each day. When my Ping decides to do, say a six second task, it disables all user input. This really annoys me. I’m pressing, pressing, pressing buttons and no response! The machine has like 99% of the time to take care of these tasks. Why does the human have to defer to the machine??! It’s especially disturbing when you’re trying to shoehorn a meal bolus into your pump in a short piece of time, like during the few seconds when the transit bus pulls up and your time to load approaches.
Terry,Everything you say make sense. All the inputs from the other folks are very helpful too. THanks everyone! I started this thread because I want to know the current status of these devices. An older thread may be outdated. (I was told that the Novo Junior Pen has been phased out and the endo wrote a prescription for me for it.) @Terry - does this mean that you prefer another pump over the Animas Ping?
Then Animas Ping fulfills all my basic requirements for a pump. Accuracy, dependability, durability, responsive and quick customer service, a reliable source for all supplies, and compatible with web-based data site, Diasend, all comprise my basic needs.
So, I'm happy with my Ping but still have some complaints as noted above. If I were ready to choose another pump today, I would look closely at the Asante Snap.
I’ve been on the omni pod for 2 weeks. Ultimately, I selected it b/c of the wireless capability. I tend to be clumsy. Tubing would be a hazard waiting to happen… I’d been on injections for 30 years, so I’m loving this technology. There’s a lot to navigate if(and we do)want tight control. There’s a decent amount of tech for fine tuning. I’ve had a few glitches, but it’s too soon to tell who’s to blame. If you can handle the tubing, the medtronics looked good, and you’d have the sensor.
The Asante Snap was offering a free 4 week trial according to the video. Perhaps it would be a good opportunity to test drive and I don't really see a downside with the trial. Any thoughts?
I am trying the Asante Snap for the 4 week trial on Wednesday. It will be my first pump. I'm wondering if you've decided to try it too. Let me know what you think. It looks like a good pump to start with, but I'm not committing to anything yet. I don't know of any other pumps that let you try them.
Most of the pumps have a 30 day return privilege...Be careful with your decision, most company's will not let you have the pump until they have received approval from your Health Care Insurance, stopping this proses and starting over is not an easy process....One thing you can look forward to is every 4-5 years U get a new pump...
Medtronic has the very best clinical software making it very easy for the health care team to receive data, communicate with, and help a new pumper....after a few years of pumping I would say go for the chrome and loud pipes....JMHO
Thanks for the good advice. It makes sense, except I don’t understand the Chrome and loud pipes…? Can you explain what you mean by that, please?
I've had the Omnipod for almost a year now, and it is sooo helpful. Before I was doing 10 shots a day, so this is a definite improvement. I love that it's tubeless, but sometimes the bulkiness of having something on my arm or stomach (although its a lot smaller than it used to be) can be pretty annoying an painful when i really nail it on something and it jerks the cannula around. I think it is medtronic who does the pump and censor that communicate to one another wirelessly? I was really looking into that one for a while but my doctor told me people were having a lot of issues with it because when your blood sugar hits the low setting (say 65) it shuts off insulin for 2 HOURS. People go so high!! Thats just some info I got from my endocrinologist.
Maddie, thanks for the great feedback. May I ask as to why you were doing 10 shots? was it for corrections or did you eat frequently?
My son Griffin is 8 years old and uses the Omnipod. It't the only pump we used he went on the Omnipod 3 months after diagnosis. What we like about it is that it's tubless so you don't have to worry about the tubing getting caught anywhere and then the site ripping off. Also with him being on a swim team he can keep his pod on and I can give him insulin while in the pool. I know people who use pumps with tubing usually take off the tubing while swimming and then there is no way for them to get insulin. I also like that you can check blood sugar right on the PDM. I know some other pumps have the same ability as well.
i can do up to 10 shots a day, too. i eat only three meals, most of it is small corrections and i have bad DP and middle of the night issues. i'm still wanting to get on pump again.
I would think that "chrome and loud pipes" would be the T-Slim, the highest tech pump? I'm not 100% sure.
I've been pumping with Medtronic for 5 years, first the 722 and now the 523 and like it a lot. The screen is very easy to read in any light (or the dark, as the light is easy to access...) and I'd agree the software is great, although I've never tried the other brands. The company has been very easy to work with as well.
I've managed to get Enlite sensors to use with my 523. If you can't override or simply disable the "Threshold Suspend", I would be very leery of the 530 pumps. I agree that would drive me nuts.
I just started on Saline yesterday for a week on my brand new Ping, and I am really anxious to start on insulin.
I looked at both the ping and T-Slim, as I wanted waterproof (just incase I ever fall into a pool or a lake or something haha) and Medtronic is not waterproof. The Ping has a great color screen, and a remote control to check sugars and bolus with (a HUGE deciding factor for me as well) I also decided Ping because of the future integration with Dexcom CGM that is supposed to happen.
All in all they all will do what they're supposed to do, it's really just a personal decision.
I’m getting my pump this afternoon. I’m both excited and nervous. I hope I can learn everything! It’s just a trial, so I still am checking out other pumps. My insurance hasn’t been billed for anything yet, so I still have options.