I am about to be a pumper!! I have been investigating the different brands but would like some help from you guys. Right now I am thinking Medtronic, they have the CGM and at a very reasonable price. I have also read about the Animas but I am not convinced.
Any advise?
Thanks
Well, since you asked. I have been on a medtroics pump for almost six years now. I just two weeks ago got on their newest Revel 523 pump. And for the first time the CGM. It has more bells and whistles than you can ever use. My old pump was pretty basic. This thing allows you to change bolus delivery rates at different times of day. The CGM I hear is better than the previous. It was previously out shown by the Dexcom CGM. So that is why I believe Medtronics made it better. The big diff between the Dexcom and all the other CGM's is the life of the sensor. Dexcom is approved for 7 days and Medtronics only three. I just inserted my second sensor today, the medtronic cgm, and I wore the first one 6 days. I hear that the sensor Medtronics makes is cheaper than the dexcom. I think after 6 or 7 days you would want to change the site regardless. It gets uncomfortable around then. My CGM actually seemed very accurate on the second 3 day stint I wore it for.
The big advantage of Animas Ping is that it is waterproof. It doesn't hold as much insulin at the Medtronic's 723, but I didn't need that large of reservoir so the 523 was fine for me. I also heard it argued that if you were swimming in the ocean, why would you wear any pump, as if it got bumped or fell off in heavy surf, the pump is GONE regardless of it being water proof. And I have heard of some complaining of getting sand in the Ping pump being a problem. 'Spose that could happen to Medtronics Revel too.
I have experienced excellent customer service from Medtronic's. They bent over backwards on getting my CGM and new pump approved and all of the bureaucratic paperwork with my doctor's office. And when my old pump broke, Saturday night just before midnight, they got me a loaner pump by 9 am Monday morning delivered to my front door. THAT is what made me decide to stay with Medtronics. I hear Animas has good customer support too. I live in So California, Medtronic Minimed headquarters, I suppose if you live back east, near Animas, there may be a benefit there.
I hope this helps.
Ooooo! You are in Calgary. Hmmm? I don't know anything about how Medtronics customer support works up north. I would hope it is good.
Hello cggonzalez,
I am not sure how different it is for an adult to manage their type1 diabetes than it is for a child but; my son is only 12 and has been on the Animas pump for the 6 years he's had a pump. We have had no problem with the Animas, it is a very high functioning pump and easy to use. He is on the 2020 currently only because we are waiting for the warranty to run out. Animas warranties it for 4 years, if we change out before that to the newest pump it is a higher out of pocket cost than it would be if we wait out the four years (because there are no mechanical issues with the pump our insurance won't cover as much); since my son has no medical concerns with managing issue that updating his pump would help with we decided to wait until next July when the warranty runs out on his current one, this way the out of pocket expense will be less and the insurance will cover more. We plan to get him on the Ping next July!
Even though the Animas is water proof he has never worn it to swim, this is a personal decision as his parents, however; I do know some people who do swim in it. Also in regard to durability; I find that it can take a beating. MY son wears it all day long (he keeps it in his pocket) even on the playground at school and during P.E., aside from getting sand around the top (which will be in his shoes or pockets anyway) it holds up well.
I am nor sure what type of relationship you have with your Doctor; but if it is a good one and you trust his/her judgement and treatment strategy I would say to get their opinion. Not only do most of them have a personal preference which will stem from their research on medical products that pertain to their patients, but they will also have patient satisfaction responses from other's they treat. Also, your doctor is going to know your history in regard to your type 1 and have opinion on which pump will best suit you according to your management issues good and bad. My son's Endo. recommended the Animas to us because of certain criteria he took into consideration, things like his age and ease of use for our son and us. So sometimes their opinions are helpful and worth taking into account when choosing your pump.
Hope this helps and have a good day!
Dear CG Gonzalez,
I've been using animas ping for 18 months. I was very resistent at first but definately made the right decision to start pumping. I don't use the CGM w/ my pump. Keep in mind, either brand you decide requires a seperate tranmitter inserted to communicate w/ the receiver. With dexcom you need to carry the extra receiver. So, you asked about the pump. Animas support has always been top notch for me. You may want to read the thread I started in this group (called how water proof is your ping insulin pump) for proof of that.
I had some less than perfect customer encounters w/ minimed during the insurance precert process, which was a big factor in my decision. The ping is small, very light weight, and very durable. Once while pitching batting practice to my daughter's softball team, a linedrive smashed my pump right on the display screen. Well.... nothing happened, I was shocked there wasn't any damage. Another good story, was at a recent pool party, I was wearing my pump and got tackled into the pool (I'm 38 just to put this in perspective), I didn't see my friend (also 38) coming but was glad I had chosen the Ping.
The one negative thing seems to be a glitch w/ the meter-remote that comes w/ the ping. They have replaced my meter three times in 18 months after glitches (once, the meter believed it was hooked up to the computer when it wasn't). There was never a cost to me for the replacement but somehting they need to figure out. So if you go this route keep a back up meter on hand.
Back to the cgm, my doc has me wear the extra device for a week to see if I liked it. Well I didn't like having both, to uncomfortable to sleep. Having one thing attached was a huge change for me. I couldn't deal w/ two. I don't know how long until a update to a newer model (several years from now) but I to choose animas again. There are working on several solutions to having the all in one cgm/pump, as well as a closed loop system that could be a bridge until we get the news that there is a cure.
I'll keep reading this thread, if you have any specific questions for me just ask.
Jason in Orlando