I'm trying to decide what pump to get my son. He was just diagnosed 3 months ago but has been wanting a pump. We have attended a pump basics class and just received a call that the doctor is approving a pump for him.
On Wednesday we will go see all the pumps again and learn more about them and probably pick one.
My son thinks he wants the Animas Ping because he likes that it is waterproof and he loves to swim. I've been told that the Ping isn't the best choice for him because it only holds 200 unit of insulin and if we only want to change the site out every 3 days, the 200 units might not last that long for a boy going into puberty. I heard that boys need lots of insulin when they are teens.
My son is still in honeymoon and is currently using about 19 units of insulin a day. How much does a teen out of honeymoon use? I have absolutely no idea of what to expect.
The main reason he wants to get a pump is because he hates shots. They are painful for him. He is currently on MDI.
I have no idea of what his insulin needs will be for the next 4 years which is how long we would have the pump. How much insulin a day does a male teenager usually need? Would it be wiser to pick a pump that has 300 units of insulin? I would hate to have to change out the site every day or two. Hoping to only have to do it every three days.
If we don't get the ping, our second choice would be the medtronic revel, but I've heard of some people having problems with them.
Any recommendations on pumps, dealing w/a new diagnosis, parenting a child w/diabetes, or anything else that comes to mind is welcomed.
I'm in a similar position right now. 14 year old diagnosed 2 months ago. I've been researching pumps for the last month and although I have no real experience I can tell you what I've learned. My son is growing quickly and he uses about 200-250 units in a three day period. I've been told that the long acting (lantus) quantity will go down a little on the pump so 200 units sounds like it may be right on the edge.
He likes the Animas Ping for the same reasons and it sounds like the newer version could come out in the next 12 months or so. The Animus rep told me that they have a $100 upgrade fee that they continue to extend every time it expires. The new pump will have an integrated CGM which I really like as an option. My son also really likes having the Calorie King database in the pump.
I like the Medtronic but after playing with it my son liked it the least. It already has the CGM integrated and the next version has some nice safety functions (insulin suspend) that I like.
My son tried a trial of the Omnipod and disliked the bulky pod but if you go to thier website you can get a trial to check it out. They have just started shipping a new smaller pod so maybe its better (although vetoed by my son)
The last one that I have found is the Tandem Tslim. This one looks like a iphone and has some neat features. We played with one at our pump class and it is easy and intuitive to bolus and set up different programs. The downside is that its a new product/company so the PC software is not out yet waiting on FDA approval. I did some investigation and talked to thier rep and it sounds like they are a fast moving innovative company that we can expect some new things from (they have bluetooth and radio hardware in thier pump that is not currently used) like CGM and meter info being radioed to the pump.
Hope this helps and good luck
My son is 11 his 4 year d aniversary is feb 23 he has been on the animas ping for three years and we really like it. We have had no problems with the cartridge size as he only uses about half the cartrige full in 3 days we also really like the remote. He will be up for a new pump in a year unless things change we will go with animas again. The biggest plus I see to the minimed is the integrated cgm so that there is only one device to carry around. That being said I have also heard they are painful going on and the cgm must be replaced every three days. My son has the dexcom cgm and we like it because it lasts a week and is not that painful going on, the only drawback is when he wears it he has two devices to carry around. I know that animas is working on a pump that incorporates the dexcom cgm hopefully it will be ready by next year when we get a new one. I would also recomend to you the book Pumping Insulin by John Walsh it is an excellent resource for pumping. I have also read Smart Pumping, Insulin Pump Therapy Demystified and Think Like a Pancreas but I like Pumping Insulin it is the most complete.
I'm wondering if the new Animas unit that will be coming out (called the Vibe in Europe) will offer the CGM to children under 18. I checked out the Vibe features on the Europe website and it is not approved for kids under 18. I'm hoping that it will be different here.
We are leaning towards the Ping.
Our doctors aren't recommending the TSlim because there is no software yet. It's not waterproof either, so maybe this is one he will want in 4 years or so. It looks really cool.
I'm pretty sure no CGMs are officially approved for kids under 18, but that doesn't mean you can't use it. The dexcom isn't approved for kids but my son's been using it for almost 3 years, and he's only 12.
My daughter (10 years old) got the animas ping about 6 months ago. She is active and so ithelps that it is water proof and very durable. As far as the reservoir is concerned, she is just now coming out of her honeymoon period and I get the feeling that we will be using quite a bit more insulin than we have been since she got on the pump. The Animas does have the optional upgrade that we will be taking advantage of when the CGM comes out for the pump. I worked a diabetes camp last year and saw all the various styles. I was most impressed with the ping and so was my daughter. I tried an omnipod and was much less than impressed with it. I am not diabetic so I was not used to an infusion set. Well, short story long, I kept pulling the pod off of my arm when I would put on/take off my shirt and it was just too cumbersome.
Is the Ping really waterproof to the point that you can keep it on and swim in a pool? Someone told my son that he could keep it on and boogie board at the beach as long as it was safely secured under a wet suit (so it wouldn't fall off). Is it really that durable in water? Iread another comment that said it leaks in the water.
Have you had any problems or concerns with it?
My son doesn't like the Omnipod (he wore one briefly). We are deciding between the Ping and the Medtronic. I wish the Ping came with a bigger resevoir...
She hasnt had a chance to wear it in the water yet because we got it in October. But, there is all kinds of o-rings on it to keep the water out. She doesnt wear it during soccer just because we havent bought the athletic pouch yet but I believe it can be worn under the wet suit. We havent had any concerns other than when the batteries run out and we dont have any lithium batteries so we have to use regular batteries which dont last as long.
We have never tried his in the water, I was advised even tho it is supposed to be waterproof if there could even be a hairline crack somewhere water could get in. If you wanted to use it in water if something happened I believe it would be covered under warranty you would just have to wait on shipping. Anyway when kids are swimming etc. they are so active they don't need much insulin and what I do is call him out of the water every 30 min or so and hook him up just long enough to give a small bolus, checking his BG every couple of hours or more till you see how this will effect the child
Thank you everyone for your answers. We decided to go with the Animas Ping. My son was really sure that he wanted that one. The Animas rep. was great at answering all of our questions. He said that the pump can be used in water but that the O ring would have to be replaced every 3 months to keep it in waranty and to keep it from leaking. My son lives in the water at the beach, pool or river and did not want to have to deal w/getting out to check his sugars every hour. We liked both pumps, both had different advantages.
My son is so excited. He can't wait to get his pump. I think I better start planning a river trip.... :)
Now, we are going to buy a SPIbelt. Hopefully this will keep the pump secured to his body in the pool/lake. For the ocean, we plan on using the SPIgear belt with a wet suit over it to prevent loss of the pump. Those SPIbelts look great. I'm going to buy myself one too.
I think your son will be happy with his choice. Spibelts are nice for pumps although with the clip on back of pump we found it not necessary but do use it for his dexcom receiver.
