Since Animas went bye-bye, I am now about to switch to the Tslim. I have been using the contact detach, TruSteel in Tandem terms. Previously, I used the 43" tubing, but the TruSteel only comes in 32". Why they don’t make a longer tube for the TruSteel as they do with the other sets, is a mystery to me. Today, I received my box of TrueSteel infusion sets. The box say it is of 32" length, but it measures at only 23". Anyone else have this happen to them? I called Solara and they are of no help. I often use my thighs as infusion site, and there is no way that a 23"tube is going to be long enough to stick in my bra.
I so want to stay with Animas. However, it is out of warranty and now frequently stops delivery.
I also love the longer tube. While I use my legs on and off, the main reason for longer tube for me is if I get caught on something, the extra length gives me some time before it pulls out.
I also just got my new order and was very unhappy to see a shorter tube length but it is the longest one available.
I will be letting Tandem know how unhappy I am about the shorter length. We must be a very small group who likes the much longer length.
@Suzan, if the box the sets came in says it’s 32" and inside the product is actually 23", I would call Tandem and start complaining. At the minimum you will get what you ordered/paid for and will also have the opportunity to voice your need for longer steel sets. Tandem also sends out a “How are we doing” survey every year where there are plenty of places to provide feedback.
@Suzan
I do see four varieties of the Tandem TruSteel (w/ t:lock) Infusion Sets available:
6mm x 23"
6mm x 32"
8mm x 23"
8mm x 32"
There is no doubt that the 23" and the 32" are different products and both valid.
I agree with @El_Ver that this would appear to be a case with simply not receiving what was ordered.
Does the packing slip also say 32" as well as the box saying 32" but it is only the product itself which physically actually is the shorter 23" length?
Note that there are t:lock infusion sets available with the longer 43" tubing but apparently not the TruSteel type.
The boxes of infusion sets, the individual sets, and the invoice all say 32". I spoke to three people at Tandem this morning. I will receive two new boxes of supposedly 32". Of course, I am stuck with one box of 23" because I opened it. I will check the lot number of the new boxes. I told everyone I spoke with, that it is ridiculous that there is no 43" for TrueSteel, especially as these sets are all made by Unomedical, which makes 43" for every thing else, including contact/detach.
If someone can give me a logical reason, why no 43" for TrueSteel, please tell me?
I also like the 43" length for TruSteel for the places that require a longer length. I can’t imagine why they didn’t tell Unomedical to make them a 43" length also. I hope maybe they will listen to their consumers?
Whether you opened it or not - it should still be returnable. If the product inside is not what it is supposed to be - that is a mistake on somebody. Certainly not your mistake.
I haven’t opened the new shipment. Just came in yesterday and I still have a good amount of old ones to work through. But I will open the box to see. Also wondering if the length is the whole tube or just from the pig tail and that bit between the cannula and the connector is part of the length? I actually just wrap the part around and tape it down so I lose that little bit of length. So if I have a shorter tube, it might also be short for me also.
I measure our 23" T90 (or whatever they call the new t:lock version) as:
25" for the actual tubing on the infusion set. Not including the clippy part or the t:lock part - just the actual tubing.
The little pigtail tubing coming off the cartrige - the tubing is 1-3/4".
The t:lock connection combined length including the half from the cartridge and the half from the infusion set is 1".
Total length for tubing and t:lock connection for infusion set and cartridge all the way from cartridge to actual infusion site is 27-1/2"
@Mayumi the reason for not making the 43" steel sets is probably just economics. I assume they took their most popular sets that Unomedical was making and only transitioned over the popular sets. Given they were having a cash crunch previously and they went to a proprietary set to generate additional recurring revenue, it wouldn’t make sense to have a slow mover on the shelves for an extended period of time. A slow mover would tie up much needed capitol until it could be sold. JM2C
Hmm, let me try to be technical here…For the Animas contact/detach, comfort, etc, the various tubing lengths are interchangeable. Thus the tubing I got for the comfort could also be used with the contact/detach. This was economical as everything was interchangeable, all had the same formation at the point of attaching the tubing into the various infusion sets. But for some reason, with the TruSteel, the attachment configuration (little holes with plastic thingies) has been changed. Now, I am not an economist, but it seems to me that it would have made more sense to standardize the tubing stuff. Now, they have to make two kinds of 23", etc.
Thanks for the infusion set exchange offer, but have already made arrangements to send them back the two unopened boxes. I will give the open box of 23" a try as I need them to do the training next week to learn the cartridge stuff.
I continue to get 43" Contact-Detach infusion sets from Animas, but do not know for how much longer. They are all disstributed by Unomedical of Denmark, but manufactured in Mexico. So Tandem–why will you not sell the 43" variety? Tall people need them!!
Please check this site. Tandems version of the Contact Detach infusion is called Trusteel (renamed from Contact Detach) it comes in both 23 and 43 inch lengths and in 6 and 8mm cannula lengths. Tandem renamed its set when it moved from Luer lock to their propriety T-Lock connector. In the very near future Tandem Luer Lock reservoir cartridges will be phased out.
Gary - I am not seeing the Trusteel in the 43" length. Many of the others come in 43" - but I am not seeing the Trusteel. Also, I had checked with a distributor and only saw it listed (the Trusteel) in the 23" and 32".
The new Tandem TruSteel no longer is made with the luer lock, thus the contact/detach will no longer work. Just out of curiosity, I attached my Animas contact/detach tubing to the TruSteel and it fit just fine. The I attached a 43" from a comfort set, also worked just fine. However, these would not work with the Tandem because of going proprietary, thus the universal luer lock will not work. What I still can’t figure out, is why, just for the TruSteel, they would change the part that attaches to the infusion set. So none their longer 43", available for other Tandem sets, will work for the TruSteel.
I am still waiting for an answer to this. It doesn’t seem likely to be financial, because now they have to make two different 23" tubing, one for the TrueSteel and one for all the other sets.
I received three replacement boxes of 32" tubing TruSteel infusion sets…still 23". I got them directly from Tandem. They are now overnighting me another three boxes of supposedly 32" as my training is Thursday morning. However, I am assuming that I will get another supply of 23" unless they send another lot and reference number.
I may have to give up and get the VariSoft (comfort) in order to get the 43". I had stopped using that set when I discovered that the steel infusion sets don’t leave a splotchy bump. Not sure if I can deal with 32" but know the 23" won’t work for me.
If this third delivery is still 23", I will contact you. Right now, I have two open boxes of 23" and four boxes of unopened. Here’s hoping that I don’t get three more 23".
