Hi
I am thinking of switching to insulin pump and I can not decide which one two choose .. I can choose between Medtronic's Veo and Animas Ping system .. The things I'd like to compare is:
1. Functionality in the menues - more profiles, better calculation IOB, and so on
2. Occlusion detection
3. Which CGM is better and comes cheaper (Enlite vs Dexcom's G4)
and so on ..
The things I like so far about the Veo is insulin suspension system about the Ping I like the waterproof and the remote .. but still these are only pump specifications .. I'd really like to hear from pump users about their expertise
Thanks in advdance
I've only used the Medtronic pumps (722 and 523, not the Veo, because I live in a primitive country that doesn't have those) however I like them a lot. Many people report preferring the Dexcom CGM however I have had very useful results with the Medtonic Paradigm, the precursor. I've also heard the Enlite is better as well. I'm not a big fan of the idea of the CGM turning my pump off as the regular beeps, buzzes and other alerts on the Revel pump/CGM seem very useful, adding in a "predicted low [or high...]" alert that goes off when it needs to and anticipates lows very usefully. It's kind of an extra layer of "coverage" to keep an eye on things.
I've had like 2 "No Delivery" errors in about 5 years of pumping with Medtronic pumps. I don't have too many problems with sites, although I had one recently where I used a different spot and it got puffy and red, but I switched it with BG maybe around 170ish and it went away and worked fine. I had one pump that failed during a 14 mile run, around 87 degrees out plus very humid, getting a "Button Error" message. After reading about them, it seems they may be moisture related. They sent me a new pump immediately but, while waiting for it, I'd put it in the freezer, thinking it would "pop" something by beeping itself to death, while I didn't want to hear the beeping. The next morning it appeared to be working again, after being "locked" on the button error message. I never asked Medtronic what they made of it when I'd sent it back but well, it seemed interesting that perhaps drying it out was all it needed. Others have fixed that problem by putting pumps into dry rice. I also had a "Motor Error" message and got a replacement quickly on that.
RE the different profiles, they are available and seem to be readily accessable but I don't use them. I prefer to set it up and make tactical adjustments (e.g. for exercise or illness...) to my basal %age, which can be run from 0% to 200% of the the settings I use.
Thanks for your reply .. Will have all that in mind ..
And what about the bolus options .. extended .. double square .. do the veo and ping compete here too or they are all the same ?
I haven't found the extended boluses to be that useful. I tried them a few times but I've found that most meals are easier for me to manage with the regular dosing.
The Ping/Vibe and MM have about the same options for basals and bolus, they just use different names. I like using 'patterns' on MM, which allows up to 3 basal settings that I can switch to for more/less active or sick days for example. I also use temp basal frequently, and dual wave boluses.
Neither the Veo or Vibe is currently available in the US. Some think the Vibe may be available by mid year, and the Veo possibly by year end. But with the FDA, who knows !
The Vibe will be integrated with Dexcom G4, and would then be pretty comparable to the Veo. The main difference would be the Vibe is waterproof, but no 'low glucose suspend'. The Vibe would not have the meter-remote, so all bolus/settings would be done directly on the pump, which also is the receiver for the CGMS, just like the Veo. The Ping will still be available, for those that really want the meter-remote + waterproof pump, but no CGMS integration. The Veo + CGMS would be the only option for low glucose suspend.
The other key feature to base your decision on may be the reservoir size, depending on your total daily insulin dosage. And for some the increment for basal rates and/or bolus is a factor, if TDD is very low.
Best thing is to try to get a hands on demo to see for yourself. Do you know if your health care team offers that ? Or you can contact the sales reps.
Thanks a lot for your response .. just what I needed to hear
Thanks again