After 47 years of insulin injections, I am considering moving on (or up) to a pump. I have had a Dexcom 7 cgm for about 6 months and that has helped control bouts with low blood sugars, but I am concerned with my elevating A1c levels for the past few years. I am planning to test several pumps, starting in March. I am concerned about wearing a cgm sensor plus being tethered to a pump. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who uses both. What problems should I expect having two devices plugged into me?
I'm sure you'll get lots of advice from people who love both, but I couldn't stand having 2 devices. I felt like a cyborg.
I LOVE my pump and with just it don't feel like I'm tethered to anything. It's about like wearing glasses... minor inconvenience at times but for the most part don't notice it.
I did shots for 25 years and was resistant to getting a pump until I started having bad hypoglycemia unawareness. Once I started the pump my lows diminished dramatically (I have maybe 2 a month now, rarely with a blood glucose less than 50) and my A1c dropped from 8 to 6.5 without making any lifestyle changes. I can sense a low when my blood sugar gets around 70 and that hasn't diminished in the decade I've used the pump.
Give the pump a try and hopefully wearing it with the CGM won't bother you. If it does, I'd try just the pump for a while and see if it's beneficial to you. The pump has drawbacks, but there is nothing more amazing than having your blood sugar be on target so much. It feels like magic.
I definitely can not live without my pump! It has made life so much easier being on it for the past 11 years. The good thing about having both devices is that if you don't want to wear the CGM all of the time you can take a break from it. I like wearing it when I am basal testing or just having problems with my blood sugars. I used to wear it all of the time but, it does make you feel a bit cyborg as Jenna said. But, overall I didn't mind wearing both.
It really depends on you and you won't know till you actually try it.
Problems you may have are pump/cgm malfunctions, blood gushers, itchy sites, infusion sets not sticking to your body
I hope this helps
Thanks for the info. I am feeling overwhelmed by the choices I'm facing as I prepare for a pump. I have been a lazy diabetic for most of my life. I just kept doing what I'd always done since it seemed to work. I never looked into the breakthroughs that would make my life better until 6 months ago when I got my cgm.
Jim,
Better late than never! I have the Minimed Pump. Been on it for the past 11 out of my 12 years with D. Well, I don't think you are lazy, its just the if it ain't broke don't fix it mentally. In this case though you should try the pump you will love it! Baby steps... You got a CGM, now if you can be connected to that, the pump is cake!
Thanks for the encouragement! Now I just have to figure out which pump.
Since you use a Dexcom 7 CGM the natural pump choice is the One Touch Ping, also created by Animas. I don't use a Ping, but my understanding is that it can be programmed from the pump or with a remote that also has a carbohydrate database. I've heard complaints about the infusion sets, but don't know if there are ongoing problems
Your other choices are the Medtronic Minimed (most commonly used; great customer service; water resistant but not water proof). Or the Omnipod, which is tubeless. People either love or hate the Omnipod; you can request a free sample from their website to figure out what you think.
Have you looked at John Walsh's book "Pumping Insulin"? It's helpful.
the T-Slim is a new innovation in insulin pump, no bulky reservoir so the device is quite small for it's capacity. ( was going to say "slim") touch screen, remote, good gizmology in my opinion. It's just a little too new for me... maybe I am getting sick of my Minimed revel and it's dumb looking buttons... anyway Medtronic has been rock solid for years for me even with the abuse I give it.
I was SO excited about the tSlim and pushed to get one since I'm due for a new pump. But I've changed my mind since seeing reviews like the attached video. Think they need to work out a few kinks before it's an improvement on a Minimed.
www.diabetesmine.com/.../tandems-tslim-up-close-and-personal.html
thanks for the link Jenna! imo, I am not interested in a rechargeable pump, I hate the screen lock/unlock, and I would miss my "audio bolus" too much, so I am going to stay conventional for now too. good luck on your new pump, the revel has the exact same stupid buttons as the paradigm, and now there' s 2 more steps for a reservoir refill, but otherwise it's still the same workhorse. cheers.
Joe,
I also hated the 2 more steps in the beginning on the Minimed Revel but, got used to it. I wonder why they added those steps anyway?
Gina! hope you are well - the first question is to save you while performing a rewind and prime while being connected. Remember the paradigm real-time? It used to flash DISCONNECT. It's unlikely but you could potentially get a bunch of insulin if you were priming while connected. For the 2nd question I am thinking that someone didn't prime and had a DKA (it would take forever if the tubing was empty and you had to wait for your basal to fill it. that's my guess anyway. If someone filed an actual complaint on minimed, it would prompt them to add these "safeguards". When the FDA investigators are staring at you across the conference room table, it's better to say "we're going to do X" than to say "no, our product is fine the way it is". I should look up if there were FDA complaints on minimed but I am so lazy lately.
I loved the comments below the video on diabetes mine, people making fun of the minimed "buttons" were right on. take care Gina