I have the Animas 2020 (not even the ping) and I think it's more than sufficient. I used the Animas 1250 before that and liked it too. Animas does have a bolus wizard which is called ezCarb. You can also set alarms. About a month ago the rubber was wearing off the buttons so I called Animas and since my pump was still under warranty, I had a new pump within a couple days with no questions asked. Anytime I've called them, they've helped me with concerns or questions I've had without any problems. I cannot speak about the Medtronic pumps because I've never used them but many people like them also. For me, the features with the Animas worked so that's what I went after and stuck with. The main thing that stood out for me was the small increments (.05) that it delivered. On the Animas website there's virtual pump to "test drive" it.You really have to go to the webites and research them yourself to decide which is best for you.
You might want to check and see if there's some kind of a "pump fair" at your diabetes clinic or somewhere nearby as well. The reps will talk to you for as long as you need and about whatever, you can ask them any questions you have. I know you're looking for an outsiders view but the reps are totally honest. They really do want you to have the best product for YOU. Sometimes they themselves are T1, and have a pump, (that's what I found when talking to a bunch of reps) so they understand the importance of this decision.
I have experienced exactly what Amada said at the ADA convention a couple months ago in Long Beach. The rep from Animas even told me that I couldn't go wrong with either the Ping or the Medtronics pump. He wasn't pushy at all and showed me what the Ping did differently than the Medtronic Revel, which was brand new at the time. Apparently the Revel is now giving smaller deliveries similar to what the Ping does. It is a good feature for children I understand. But because Medtronics offerered smaller bolus increments, then Animas changed the ping to offer even smaller increments. Competion is good! Oh the Ping has a color screen and comes with rechargable batteries, and the Medtronic still has a black and white screen and uses Alkaline batteries. I think the black and white screen probably uses less power than the color screen.
I have only ever had Medtronic pumps and love them and don't think I would ever switch. when my daughter was diagnosed, at age 3, I immediately had the doc order up the papers for her to get one. The quality and customer service have been great all these years and the bolus wizard is easy for my daughter to use. She is only 5 but knows that what the pump figures is what she needs and does it all herself. I looked at the Ping recently at a JDRF thing and liked the waterproof part but I just can't leave Medtronic. They have been too great for me personally for 10 years now and for my daughter the past 2 years. It is all a personal decision though. Good luck!
Hi Meg - congratulations on making the decision for taking this step. It is amazing what a difference it makes!
I used a Minimed pump for 2 years. It was just okay. The graphics were outdated and technology somewhat antiquated. I elected to switch mid-warranty to the Animas Ping and have been happy with it ever since. Most of the patients with whom I have interacted also love their Ping.
There are 4 factors that prompted my change and are what places Animas over their competitors:
1. Waterproof - it is amazing what a difference this makes. Particularly for small children, having something attached to you all of the time makes it much easier to accidentally drop it. Having a waterproof pump has been fantastic for me - I wear it to the pool and don't have to run away when threatened with water. I think this is particularly helpful for children as there are many more opportunities to get wet during playtime!
2. The low-dose basal rate. Animas has had this for some time and makes adjusting the rates to meet the insulin needs of a child more appropriately. While Minimed now has a low-dose rate, it is new to the company and bound to have kinks to work out.
3. Continuous insulin infusion. This is where things get nit-picky. Minimed and most other pumps function by giving the basal rate as fragmented doses every 10 minutes or so. For example, if running a basal rate of 2 units per hour, it would break this dose into 6 doses of 0.33 units every 10 minutes. Animas on the other hand works continuously.
4. Animas is the company chosen by the JDRF for the Artificial Pancreas Project. Though Minimed has an integrated CGMS currently, the readings are less accurate, there is a longer lag time (so its not real time) and the customer satisfaction has been low overall. Animas will soon have an integrated CGMS using the Dexcom sensor, which has a 5 minute lag time (ie real time) and has sensors that are FDA approved for 7 days but last for 14. This is a big deal. CGMS is the future of diabetes care and having a reliable system can make or break your experience with the system.
Finally, I would like to note that while the Medtronic representatives are very available when selling the product, this goes away after the purchase. The company is notorious for aggressive sales, high turn-over rate, and a profit-driven employee base. On the other hand, a large portion of the Animas workforce have diabetes. They understand the system and can troubleshoot using more than memorized information. I have found the clinical and sales representatives to be knowledgeable, friendly and readily available (despite being outnumbered 10 to 1 by Medtronic). Animas is willing to come directly to your home for training, even if it means driving across state, whereas Medtronic frequently defers to the telephone support.
These are the experiences of myself, patients and other physicians with whom I've worked. I think its good to know.
I do not work for Animas by the way - I am simply strongly invested in finding the very best products for myself, my brother and my patients!
Hope this helps!
[quote user="Hayley"]
3. Continuous insulin infusion. This is where things get nit-picky. Minimed and most other pumps function by giving the basal rate as fragmented doses every 10 minutes or so. For example, if running a basal rate of 2 units per hour, it would break this dose into 6 doses of 0.33 units every 10 minutes. Animas on the other hand works continuously.
[/quote]
my turn to be picky! According to the Ping technical specifications, page 101, the Ping does NOT deliver basal insulin continuously, it delivers it in pulses, just like a pod or a minimed, in fact it has a minimum pulse clock of 3 minutes. if someone told you that it's "continuous" (a rep for example) it should bring their knowlege under suspicion. FYI, Minimed uses a variable pulse clock and a fixed bolus size pulse, which means it will actually pulse faster than the ping, up to every minute (1/60 hour) minimum,. For your 2 unit per hour example, the Minimed breaks the basal up to 0.05 units for a total of 40 pulses per hour, or one pulse every 1.5 minutes, precisely twice as fast as the Ping can go.
Most people really like the pump they have, so I would say they are both great, get either one of you are interested. I've been using my minimed for 4 years now.
[quote user="Hayley"]
1. Waterproof - I think this is particularly helpful for children as there are many more opportunities to get wet during playtime!
2. The low-dose basal rate. Animas has had this for some time and makes adjusting the rates to meet the insulin needs of a child more appropriately. While Minimed now has a low-dose rate, it is new to the company and bound to have kinks to work out.
3. Continuous insulin infusion. This is where things get nit-picky. Minimed and most other pumps function by giving the basal rate as fragmented doses every 10 minutes or so. For example, if running a basal rate of 2 units per hour, it would break this dose into 6 doses of 0.33 units every 10 minutes. Animas on the other hand works continuously.
Finally, I would like to note that while the Medtronic representatives are very available when selling the product, this goes away after the purchase. The company is notorious for aggressive sales, high turn-over rate, and a profit-driven employee base. On the other hand, a large portion of the Animas workforce have diabetes. They understand the system and can troubleshoot using more than memorized information. I have found the clinical and sales representatives to be knowledgeable, friendly and readily available (despite being outnumbered 10 to 1 by Medtronic). Animas is willing to come directly to your home for training, even if it means driving across state, whereas Medtronic frequently defers to the telephone support.
[/quote]
I used various Animas pumps for 8 years (although i was only on the ping for 3 months), and recently got the new MiniMed Paradign Revel (523). I found some things you say to be different than my experiences.
1. While the minimed isn't waterproof, it is water resistant. Usually you're fine as long as it's not submerged in water. Mine has gone through sprinklers/water balloons/water guns many times and has been fine.
2. I don't remember what the Ping's low dose basal rate was, but on my MiniMed 523 it's in the ten-thousandths place (0.0000). This is the same for boluses, but i changed the setting to the thousandths place because i don't need it to be that small.
3. Animas doesn't have continuous insulin infusion. I'm not sure who told you this, but they were wrong according to the manual. In fact, if you keep your pump near your ears at all (i.e. i keep mine under my pillow when in bed) you can hear the fragmented doses. My first Animas pump would pace basal about every 15 minutes, the 1250 was about every 9 minutes, and the ping was about every 6 minutes for me. I don't hear them with minimed so i'm not sure how often, but it's working.
4. I had a completely different experience with customer service. When I got my first pump Animas was amazing. They flew a rep to my rural home town to train me, replaced it every time it broke, and never questioned my diabetes IQ. I noticed in the past 3 years that they were doing much more screening, and had actually refused to replace my broken pump on a few separate occasions while I was still under warranty. This occurred with the 1250 AND the ping. In addition, they would try to educate me about simple things such as how often to change my site, if my insulin was expired, and other factors that should be innate after pumping for so long. Also, MiniMed came to my house just like animas. They also have a rep who checks in with me once a month to make sure all the computer software is working correctly and to answer any questions i might have. She even orders my supplies for me automatically so I don't have to worry about running out.
Maybe I'm just lucky? Maybe it's the region? I heard there is a lot more access to Animas on the east coast.
All in all, no matter which pump you pick, you're going to get essentially the same thing. Different people have different experiences. I would just get the pump that my doctor recommended. If they are more fluent in one pump than the other, it will be more beneficial to your health to use their preference.
Hayley,
I understand standing by a brand you went with but I find some of your claims about Medtronic untrue. I just got trained by my certified pump trainer, I had my choice of trainers (approx 5 in my area) and they were all diabetic. They were very kind and they knew what they were talking about. Medtronic allowed family and friends to be present for emergency training and our trainer gave out her business card for future questions and concerns! I was amazed. (This was wonderful for a newly wed. My in-laws are not very familiar with diabetes at all)
I can always speak with someone live on the telephone and if there are concerns about customer service it is addressed quickly. I also had my choice of insulin pumps. Medtronic didn't push anything on me.
Basically, Medtronic is a company. Companies need to stay in business. Companies also have competition. Animus is competition.
To make a wise decision someone should make a list of facts, not claims, verified facts. What are the pros and cons of the medtronic device vs the animus?
I found the information about the ping being waterproof and how it is useful with young children valuable. I also found the information about the ping cracking (with the patient not knowing) and not being waterproof any longer valuable. Why? Because it is important to know what the risks and benefits are. Is the patient more likely to drop the pump or get it wet because the ping is unlikely going to cover a water damaged pump if it has been dropped.
The information I put forth was not meant to precipitate a debate.
I appreciate the advice about "wisdom" with information. However, my statements stem not only from my personal experiences with the various pumps but as a physician who interacts with industry representatives. We are obligated to provide unbiased information about products to allow patients to decide for themselves. However, behind closed doors, doctors DO have opinions. Medtronic is notorious for the aggressive and somewhat deceptive sales techniques. They could sell ice cubes to Eskimos. Furthermore, their focus has largely been sales rather than product development. Their pumps are clunky compared to the other brands.
A pump is a pump. They all deliver insulin and there are minimal differences. However, for a child - the very low dose basal/bolus option and waterproof feature are helpful. I also think the product speaks for itself. Animas has spent the last several years improving its product and moving with technology. Rather than investing in bettering their product, Minimed has invested in their sales force. There are little things about each that are unfavorable.
I still feel that the fact that JDRF selected Animas as the company to move forward with the Artificial Pancreas Product speaks volumes. Again I will reiterate that Animas will soon be paired with Dexcom CGMS. The value of "real-time" continuous monitoring continues to be illustrated in various studies. Most patients I've worked with have their Medtronic CGMS the same place I do (and my brother as well) - in a drawer somewhere collecting dust.
First, I have had Type 1 since 1971, and used syringes until two years ago. I had joked with my endo that I wouldn't change what I was doing unless they made a pump in pink. Well guess what? Now you can get skins and pumps in almost any color, so . . .
I evaluated both minimed and ping, looked at the pros and cons. The biggest pro for minimed was the amount of folks and physicians who are comfortable with it. The pro for the ping is that the blood sugar meter is also a remote control for the pump. With the minimed you would have the meter, the pump, and an optional remote that has no display and works only on increments.
My doctor picked the minimed and I tried it for two days. I had gone through training and lots of education, but I hated it. I cried (I'm over 40!) The biggest problem, other than having to take it off for every shower, was that I had to touch the pump to do anything. At around $6000, I didn't want to have to replace it if I damaged it, so I had intended to strap the thing to my bra. But I had to reach in my shirt and take it out to bolus, which was not working. I called minimed and told them to take it back. I called my doctor and told him I wanted the ping. I called the ping rep and she had a pink one out to me the next day.
I like having the pump close to my body because I can set the alarms very low or to vibrate so that the entire world doesn't know what's going on. It's much more discreet than the minimed in that way. For a child, it could be strapped on securely around the waist. Any administration of insulin can be done by the parent using the blood sugar meter/remote control. They constantly communicate, and anything you would need to know about the pump you could find out with the meter without undressing her to get to the pump.
That being said, the folks at minimed were SNOTS about taking the thing back. If they were the only people making pumps, I would go back to syringes.
I like the Minimed and have used it before Medtronic took them over, and customer service is a problem. You can be on hold for hours during peak times...they have been saying they are adding more people, but not from what I see. I ahve had serious problems with being trained incorrectly on their CGM and they admitted they almost killed me, but they wont make it right - so lawsuit may be in the works...I would check out the customer service aspect. I like the pump, it is the people behind it that I am not as happy with. Also Minimed claims to be in contact with you when you ahve the pump and until I went in the hospital with the extreme low (24) and almost died, they had not every contacted me. They also love you when your pump is under warranty but when it is not, they can't be bothered to speak to you. Again, my personal opinions for my use over 10 years.
i though I wanted to say somehting and then thought better of it... sorry
I meant no harm with my "wisdom". I just attempted to provide accurate information. You presented your information as a regular consumer when in fact you are a physician. Of course your experiences with these companies are different. Why are you the person contacting these industry representatives anyway? Isn't an Endocrinologist or another specialist supposed to do that?
Anyway, your experience with a company is not going to be the consumer's experience with a company. I corrected your information as a consumer. The best thing for a concerned parent to do is check the medical reports on animus vs medtonic and decide based on personal preferences and safety data that is provided on websites accessible only by doctors. I found that information very enlightening.
Both companies have wonderful options that were unheard of 15 years ago and competition only makes things better! ^_^
The Ping is really great. It's awesome for when you're wearing a dress and have to bolus or something.
Thanks everyone! My doctor was really indifferent on which one so it was great to come here and get some real world advice.
We went with the Animas Ping, mainly because of the great reviews for kids and the remote bolus feature. I love that I will be able to test her and have her run off to play and I can still bolus her without making her stop and have everyone ask her what she is doing. We head to the endo tomorrow for training.
Thanks again, I feel really lucky to have a place like this where people are honest and so willing to help.
-Meg (mom to Emmie, diagnosed 10/29/09 at age 4)
Congratulations on your decision. For the rest of those on this forum, I think you will find that locating the specific details about the basal algorithm for various insulin pumps somewhat difficult. Below is the actual literature comparing Animas and Minimed.
(I have relationships with these professionals because I'm training to become an endocrinologist, do research in endocrinology and have spent a lot of time on the clinical side of an endocrine office).
Medtronic has improved their delivery system with the introduction of
the Revel, which now delivers equally as small basal increments (0.025
u/hr) as the Animas pump. It took some searching to find out how the
new delivery system for the Medtronic Revel works, but here it is:
Basal Delivery Pulse based on basal rate volume:
- Delivers in pulses of 0.025 for basal rates from 0.025 to 1 unit per
hour
- Delivers in pulses of 0.05 for basal rates from 1 unit per hour to
9.95 units per hour
- Delivers in pulses of 0.10 for basal rates of 10 units per hour or
more
This is based on volume, so the number of deliveries per hour varies
based on the basal rate.
*Animas pumps make a basal delivery every 3 minutes or 20 deliveries per
hour. The number of deliveries do not change based on volume. The
volume is always equally split into 20 deliveries over the hour.
[quote user="Hayley"]
*Animas pumps make a basal delivery every 3 minutes or 20 deliveries per
hour. The number of deliveries do not change based on volume. The
volume is always equally split into 20 deliveries over the hour.
Nope. Dr Hayely, the Ping pump can only detect a pulse of 0.025 units. Therefore it cannot break down a basal rate of 0.025 units per hour into 20 pulses, every 3 minutes. so the Animas, just like every other pump in the whole wide world, has a lower limit to the bolus clock but is bound by the sensitivity of the displacement sensor.
Animas: minimum one pulse every 3 minutes for basal rates ABOVE threshold value (of 0.025*20 = 0.5 units per hour) otherwise the pulse rates are more than 3 minutes, up to once per HOUR of your basal rate is 0.025 units per hour
Minimed: minimum one pulse every 1.5 minutes (twice as fast). Again, under the limitation of the minimum sensed pulse, at 0.5 units per hour the MM pump will deliver EXACTLY the same as the Ping, every 3 minutes. At 0.75 u/hr it delivers at 2 minute intervals, 33% "closer timed pulses" than the Ping. Which also makes sense, because with more insulin, you would want your pulses closer together if possible.
don't take my word for it, call tech support. hope this clears things up.
Guys, she doesn't care. She's made her decision. But this would make a great new thread!!!
=) I can't help myself I compulsively correct misapplied specifications and incorrect assumptions when it comes to instruments.
I may need ritalin, and I do know how annoying I am.
Joe, annoying or not, you still always manage to make me laugh! Is that weird? LOL