Your issues are likely do to an allergy to the adhesive. I have the same issues. I resolve mine with iv3000 and a tiny dab of neosporin.
I put a dot of neosporin on my skin, then I put the iv3000 tape over it. And I put the infusion set through the iv3000.
The neosporin is good barrier to keep the adhesive from trailing down the cannula.
I have no issues with this method, but it make changing my sets a longer process. Without it I can only go 2 days at best.
The reason I can put it in more places is because I could use my arms and legs without having to trail the tubing through my clothes. Where it’s more likely to snag.
Also have you ever gotten up from the couch and your pump has slipped into the cushions. And then snap! It yanks out your set. Don’t get me started with door knobs, little kids and dogs.
I mean I would like to try the new pods they have coming to test it out. But I like infusion sets that allow me to manually insert and see that it is in place.
Thanks for sharing what has worked for you! I did try some different barriers with plastic cannulas, and still had a big reaction (a few different brands too, which makes me wonder if it was the adhesive?).
but the Tru Steel sets work, especially being able to move them if I have a bad site, or just to be able to use the set for more than 2 -3 days. I use Skin Tac wipes before every site change, and also use a square of Hypafix tape on TOP of it - any movement of the cannula seems to irritate it faster. A bit of a process, but those things seem to really help! maybe some time I’ll try your Neosporin trick. Thanks!
Have you considered using Vaseline? Antibiotics come with their own problems, though I wouldn’t if Neosporin isn’t significantly contributory to resistance.
BlockquoteAlso have you ever gotten up from the couch and your pump has slipped into the cushions. And then snap! It yanks out your set. Don’t get me started with door knobs, little kids and dogs.
(C)ouch? Doorknobs are my arch enemy! Getting the line hooked as I walk through a door. I’ve gotten used to finding my pump before I get up from the couch. My cargo pants have elastic in the waist band, with a pleat inside over the pocket. This means there’s an opening to the pocket from inside the waist band, so I can keep the pump in the pocket without any of the line outside… wearing PJs id still at risky for door knobs.
Vaseline could work. Neosporin is not technically and antibiotic the way penicillin or kefflex is. It’s more an antiseptic which kills bacterium on contact.
I know they call it antibiotic, but it’s really not the same kind of drug, it isn’t systemic so it only works on the surface, once bacteria gets under your skin, it’s a whole different story and your body’s immune system starts fighting it. It’s the immune response that causes resistance. Because it thins out the bacteria so only the strong ones survive. That will only happen with a systemic drug, and only if you stop taking it before it’s totally killed off.
There’s lots of words! Tandem just did their big 2022 Q4 earnings call on the 22nd, where they update on all the pipeline products.
It was submitted for FDA approval back in November. Things were delayed because they decided to wait on the mobile bolus update first. (They originally planned to start with just a PDA controller and add mobile control later.)
The FDA has done the initial review and they’re on to the Q&A part of the process. If no problems are identified, then approval quickly follows. If they do identify issues at this point (basically the questions Tandem doesn’t have a satisfactory answer to), then Tandem has to resolve them before they can get approval. Might tack on a few more months and mean software updates for the pumps stockpiled in the warehouses, awaiting rollout. We’re looking at being 1-3 months away from approval, and Tandem said a few days ago that the big launch should be the month following approval.
But yes, there’s very little being said about the X3 yet. That’s still in development, and not yet in the clinical trial phase, so we’re still years away from that. It’s also likely that they’re going to move the full patch pump sooner up the pipeline before the X3, since they acquired the Sigi this year that is nearly ready to launch as-is, and Omnipod is their only major competition at this point.
I think my biggest concern is that I’m already on the x2 and I’m out of warranty. I was hoping, based on what I read in this thread, that 2023 was the year. I honestly did not want to upgrade to the same exact device. It’s been over 5 years now. From what you stated it’s still several years away. I’m disappointed (not your fault).
Trust me, I understand. I’m 6 years in, 2 years out of warranty, refusing to get another X2, despite how much I love it, because it already feels outdated to me. There’s just no way I’m going to commit to another one for 4 years. I keep revising my backup plan if my pump dies. I guess that’s the problem with a device that feels so similar to a mobile phone, they age as quickly, too. Could you imagine using the same cell phone for 10 years?
They’ve got that $1,000 upgrade plan in place, but I’m not impressed with that. But about to throw away an extra $1,000 on a pump just because things are moving painfully slow.
They’ve been talking about the Mobi (formerly T:sport) since 2017. It was originally supposed to be out late 2019/early 2020, but Covid went and made a mess of things. Didn’t just slow things down from the approval process, but they also decided to sit on Mobi long after it was finalized just because they didn’t think they’d “reached the full potential of the X2” since Covid screwed up financial earnings. It’s been a right mess and I’ve been truly impatient!
I’m only 9 months in and the T:slim X2 may be my only and last pump. I don’t care about new models. So long as it keeps working and I can get supplies for it, I’m happy.
The new algorithms that have been approved, and new CGM tech that will are where all the real advances will be happening and neither should require hardware changes by Tandem. Everything else is hardware packaging to carve up a growing market.
The new FDA approved algorithm that was developed open source should be no larger or processor-intensive, if coded efficiently and stripped of some lesser-needed expert-user configuration options, than what Tandem has been using for Control IQ 7.6.
If this wasn’t a growth industry but depended on instant “obsolescence” like cars cellphones and computers, I’d be a marketer’s nightmare. But imo, the pump isn’t the cash cow, the suppllies are. With falling insulin prices in the US, the market will be expanding faster.
I agree, these things are created to be wasteful. I really like my T2, but I want the new one that is half the size and can be attached to me like a pod. Or like a traditional pump. they also have a very different cartridge which looks like a syringe cartridge like Medtronic uses. if it is the way I’m hoping, then I’m happy to switch over and keep my T2 as a back up. Then again I have 2 more years of warranty
I am one year + in with the X2 and unhappy that Tandem seems to be focusing for the future on those who only take a few units insulin a day. I need the 300u size and will for the rest of my life. I have no use for the tiny pump nor do I want a smaller size. I have older eyes and need to see a screen contents.
This isn’t quite true. Tandem talks a lot about their internal market research. They recognize that there are at least 2 groups of patients, those who want the T:slim format and those who want smaller, smarter, more wear options, etc… That’s why the t:slim X3 is in the works. But since Omnipod is their only major competition at this point, it just makes sense to prioritize pumps that appeal to that market. We’re looking at being 3-4 years away from the X3.
And they will never make a pump that’s completely dependent on the phone connection. Not only is that not secure and an easy point of failure, but they know we don’t want to be stuck to our devices. Even the Mobi can fully operate without any controller. Control-IQ is on the pump itself, it talks to Dexcom (and soon Libre, since they finally got FDA approval for use with ACE pumps a few days ago), and you can bolus directly from the pump via the push button. You just can’t see your BG data directly from the pump, so you need to fingerstick or reference a watch/receiver device.
I’m not saying I don’t want smarter. I wish the tslim would actually deliver the bolus it sits on when my bg is higher thanit should be, for example. But I do want to retain the 300u and not have to use my phone for reading or programming.
when I said “smarter”, I was specifically thinking of smart phone control and interaction, not necessarily the algorithm. The X2 will likely always have the same software options available as the Mobi. They’re working on a 2.0 version of Control-IQ that should make it more customizable and efficient.
But unfortunately, the X2 doesn’t have the processing power to run too much more of an advanced algorithm. I don’t think we’ll see any major improvements to it until the X3 rolls out.
Tandem thinks the Mobi will hold the most appeal for the T2 market, who typically have much higher insulin demands than the T1 market, so they’re exploring their options for higher insulin volumes. Their future pipeline includes getting more concentrated insulins, like u200, approved for use in the pump. So that will essentially turn that 2ml (200 units of u100 insulin) reservoir into a 400 unit reservoir. They’ve stressed over and over again how critical concentrated insulins are for future developments.
When you’re ready to renew in ~3-4 years, there should actually be 3 different Tandem products for you to choose from: Mobi, X3, or Sigi (Tandem’s answer to Omnipod)… All 3 of which will have the latest pump automation and high insulin volume.
And who knows, there might be something else new in town by then.
I’m disappointed (not your fault).