As an educator and having worked with all the pumps and pumpers of each type of pump, I totally agree with your assessment! I too as an educator miss the Cozmo… along with the Cozmonitor AND the Cleo!
I’ve never worn anything but tubed pumps, however I can say that throughout the day I may “wear” my pump in half a dozen different places - I like having the flexibility of moving the “bump” if it’s bothering me wherever it is. I would feel entirely restricted with the omnipod if I had something stuck to me that was essentially immobile.
Don’t get me wrong, I think the patch pump concept has a lot of potential, I just don’t feel that it’s current implementation is ideal… it’s too bulky, and has too many inherent limitations. I couldn’t even consider using it because of the teflon cannulas for example. I would need the option of a steel needle to consider a patch pump. As of now there are no options for that though - I’m hoping within the next 5 years or so we’ll start to see some competitors come to the marker (like Solo, and MM’s patch pump).
Also, I wear a seperate CGM from my pump… I don’t find it bothersome to carry something else in addition to my pump. Because I often wear my pump where it isn’t easily accessible, having the CGM in the pump might not be better for me.
I use them both. I love the Omnipod, but the failures are no longer tolerable. The Revel system works well, but it takes a little time to get used to the tubing and alarms… It is very nice to see the trends graphed out and allows to see what types of foods spike vs others… Ive worn it and for days its been right on compared to by glucometer, but then there are days when its way off.
However the control is better, for me, with Minimed. Good luck.
Hello everyone, thanks for the replies!
I’ve been on the Minimed for just over a week now and it’s been fantastic. The tubing has been minimally intrusive and my sugars have been under much better control with the CGM on hand. The alarms have also been quite useful (low predictions in the middle of the night are very useful).
And the reports generated after downloading the data with CareLink are incredibly educational.
I’m looking forward to my next A1C!
Thanks everyone for the opinions/suggestions!
I’m a DexCom / (new) Animas Pump user.
- LOVE the DexCom.
- In some ways my DexCom sensor is more annoying than my tubing, because it sticks out more than the infusion set does. (But not as much as omnipod). So i think your instinct here is correct. not all cons. I actually clip my pump to my shirt when i sleep and it bothers me less than my sensor. (which usually doesn’t bother me, I sleep right on it all the time.)
- Don’t count on less finger pricks with CGM. You probably will do less, but you may still double check before bolusing. When I get an accurate sensor that I fully trust, I still test 4 times a day. (morning/before sleep/around certain meals or if i feel differently than it says) But you may test less, and you’ll know about things in between and before they get out of hand.
- Not being integrated is a pain, but I wouldn’t make integration your number one thing. Accuracy and comfort far outweigh integration. Who cares if it is integrated if i don’t trust it? I don’t know if DexCom or MM will be better for you, but aim for the one that is most accurate.
- I managed to fit an iPhone and wallet in my left front pocket, Dexcom and keys in right, with my pump clipped to my belt. It would fit too, but i find it too hard to get to other things in my pocket with the tubing in the way. I don’t wear skinny pants tho!
- Integration may be coming, but don’t bet on it being soon. It has been coming for almost 2 years, and they are now saying no earlier than 2012. MM pump would give you the option of using MM CGM or Dexcom. But of course, it doesn’t seem like MM would integrate with Dexcom, so…
Somewhat off topic…
What is the difference between a pump that is integrated and one that isn’t? What information does an integrated pump give than a non-integrated doesn’t?
I don’t know if there is any significant difference. But, having it all consolidated into a single device is a huge convenience factor.
And I assume you’re talking it being integrated with a CGM?
I’ve been researching pumps for quite a long time. Seems to me right now the optimal choice (other than just doing something with ANY pump) is to wait for the Animas Ping + Dexcom product to appear.
Matthew,
Minimed’s CGM is a great innovation / technology when it works. For me it didn’t & I stopped using it after two years. My first suggestion is that you see if your endo & Minimed can help you try the CGM before you make the big investment changing from the Omnipod. Secondly if you do make the jump, read everything you can on this site about the Minimed CGM. It will help you in the long run.