Which pump?!

[grainger]

Hi all,

It’s time to get a new pump (after 1st 4 years) and today I was sent an email with my new pump options... due to Covid they won’t be doing rep visits etc...
so...which should I pick?!
I need a steel needle but that’s my only real restriction. I’ve been on the Medtronic 640g for the last 4 years.

pros / cons etc all welcome.

I’m active (run, hiit, weights etc) and have two young kids so ease of use is a big plus!

thanks!

choices are:
Dana RS
Medtronic 640g
Omnipod dash
Roche combo/insight
Tandem Tslim
YpsoPump

 

[Sally71]

We had two Roche Combos and they are good sturdy pumps, fully remote controlled from the meter so you can just wear the pump under your clothes and forget about it. Now on Tandem TSlim, not remote controlled but both basal and boluses go to a new level of accuracy - old basals went to nearest 0.01 up to 1 u/hr and then nearest 0.05 above that, tslim will go in between and do to 0.025 for example, useful for us. Boluses go to nearest 0.01 instead of 0.1, the mind boggles! Combo did look a bit old fashioned, bless it, tslim has full colour touch screen and will link with Dexcom G6 sensors and give you Basal IQ (switches basal off to try to prevent hypos when you are dropping, and succeeds quite a lot of the time) or Control IQ (does mini boluses and increases basal automatically to deal with highs, as well as dealing with lows). At the moment we only have basal IQ but it's prevented loads of lows which is great, much as we miss the familiarity of the Combo I don’t think we’d want to switch back! Both Roche and Tandem have metal cannulas available. We are finding that the Tandem cannulas don’t stick quite as firmly as the Roche ones did, we use the plastic ones though.

If you liked the Medtronic you could always have another! Roche Insight I’ve heard so many people complaining that the handset/meter is really slow!

 

[grainger]

We had two Roche Combos and they are good sturdy pumps, fully remote controlled from the meter so you can just wear the pump under your clothes and forget about it. Now on Tandem TSlim, not remote controlled but both basal and boluses go to a new level of accuracy - old basals went to nearest 0.01 up to 1 u/hr and then nearest 0.05 above that, tslim will go in between and do to 0.025 for example, useful for us. Boluses go to nearest 0.01 instead of 0.1, the mind boggles! Combo did look a bit old fashioned, bless it, tslim has full colour touch screen and will link with Dexcom G6 sensors and give you Basal IQ (switches basal off to try to prevent hypos when you are dropping, and succeeds quite a lot of the time) or Control IQ (does mini boluses and increases basal automatically to deal with highs, as well as dealing with lows). At the moment we only have basal IQ but it's prevented loads of lows which is great, much as we miss the familiarity of the Combo I don’t think we’d want to switch back! Both Roche and Tandem have metal cannulas available. We are finding that the Tandem cannulas don’t stick quite as firmly as the Roche ones did, we use the plastic ones though.

If you liked the Medtronic you could always have another! Roche Insight I’ve heard so many people complaining that the handset/meter is really slow!

thank you! I think for me at the moment it’s a case of either stick with Medtronic or switch to the tandem.

 

[SB2015]

Hi @grainger i am another Combo user, but I am switching to the new Medtronic 780 when it is released, and happy to chug along with Combo until it is available.

• Having had the Bluetooth on the Combo I would not want to have a pump that I need to get out every time I need to Bolus. The new 780 is bluetoothed.
• I also wanted one that could be linked to sensors and do the switch off of insulin if going too low. I feel that I have too many hypos as I like to keep a tight rein on levels. The 780 also has an auto mode when using sensors which I plan to self fund

I managed to get to a pump update before lockdown. I know the Ypsomed was another option I looked at (and it came in lime green!) and it had many of the same features as the Medtronic. @everydayupsanddowns has recently started on the TSlim with auto mode and started a thread on that.

Whichever pump you choose it is only for four years and things are changing so quickly at present.
Let us know what you go for.

 

[grainger]

Than

Hi @grainger i am another Combo user, but I am switching to the new Medtronic 780 when it is released, and happy to chug along with Combo until it is available.

• Having had the Bluetooth on the Combo I would not want to have a pump that I need to get out every time I need to Bolus. The new 780 is bluetoothed.
• I also wanted one that could be linked to sensors and do the switch off of insulin if going too low. I feel that I have too many hypos as I like to keep a tight rein on levels. The 780 also has an auto mode when using sensors which I plan to self fund

I managed to get to a pump update before lockdown. I know the Ypsomed was another option I looked at (and it came in lime green!) and it had many of the same features as the Medtronic. @everydayupsanddowns has recently started on the TSlim with auto mode and started a thread on that.

Whichever pump you choose it is only for four years and things are changing so quickly at present.
Let us know what you go for.

Thank you. It’s just so hard knowing if you are making the right choice (I’m probably overthinking it!)
I think I’m mainly struggling with not being able to see/feel them in person before deciding.

I will let you know🙂

 

[grovesy]

Than


Thank you. It’s just so hard knowing if you are making the right choice (I’m probably overthinking it!)
I think I’m mainly struggling with not being able to see/feel them in person before deciding.

I will let you know🙂

I am not a pump user but it is understandable.

 

[stephknits]

I think the tslim sounds really exciting, although I'd want t to be able to afford the dexcom with it. If you had any thoughts towards the omnipod you can order a trial experience pack thing where you get a pod to try sticking on. Best of luck with the decision!

 

[Sally71]

If you have a look round the Tandem website you can get a simulator app for your phone, so you can pretend you are using the tslim and all the screens are exactly the same

 

[Inka]

I have the DANA RS and love it 🙂 It’s tiny but holds a full 300 units. It’s also controlled by my phone, which makes bolusing or adjusting basal much easier, especially in public. I also appreciate having no extra thing to charge. The pump itself doesn’t need charging either.

I chose it for those reasons, and also because it has very good sets and cannulas (including rotating ones) It has steel cannulas as well as Teflon.

I find it very intuitive to use, and I like the look of it.

Another reason I went for it was that it supports looping with Android APS and needs no extra stuff (apart from the CGM obviously) It’s the most popular pump now at my hospital.

Finally, I find the customer service excellent - very, very quick and very efficient.

Before choosing, I read lots of reviews and watched videos on YouTube which gave me a good feel of how the pump handled.

 

[grainger]

I think the tslim sounds really exciting, although I'd want t to be able to afford the dexcom with it. If you had any thoughts towards the omnipod you can order a trial experience pack thing where you get a pod to try sticking on. Best of luck with the decision!

I can’t have the omnipod unfortunately as I need steel cannula x

 

[grainger]

If you have a look round the Tandem website you can get a simulator app for your phone, so you can pretend you are using the tslim and all the screens are exactly the same

fab thanks - will download that today

 

[grainger]

I have the DANA RS and love it 🙂 It’s tiny but holds a full 300 units. It’s also controlled by my phone, which makes bolusing or adjusting basal much easier, especially in public. I also appreciate having no extra thing to charge. The pump itself doesn’t need charging either.

I chose it for those reasons, and also because it has very good sets and cannulas (including rotating ones) It has steel cannulas as well as Teflon.

I find it very intuitive to use, and I like the look of it.

Another reason I went for it was that it supports looping with Android APS and needs no extra stuff (apart from the CGM obviously) It’s the most popular pump now at my hospital.

Finally, I find the customer service excellent - very, very quick and very efficient.

Before choosing, I read lots of reviews and watched videos on YouTube which gave me a good feel of how the pump handled.

great idea re YouTube. I’ll check out the danaRS more too!
I think I may have too many choices

 

[trophywench]

I've never seen a Dana - although when @Pumper_Sue was the only British person any of us heard from over on Diabetes-Support forum who had a pump, think she either had one or would have liked one? - early to mid 'noughties' ish ?

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I've never seen a Dana - although when @Pumper_Sue was the only British person any of us heard from over on Diabetes-Support forum who had a pump, think she either had one or would have liked one? - early to mid 'noughties' ish ?

I loved the look of the pump and did have one to try but found it to small for my usage as my dexterity is a tad iffy at times. The support you get from the company is second to none. I was with them for over 3 years as had the Cozmo which they supplied. From what I have heard it's a very good pump.

 

[trophywench]

Oh yeah - the Cozmo Sue! Didn't recall the name not having heard it mentioned for so long. Sounds to me like their UK address is where all of Warwick Industries used to be and they were the commercial arm of the University of Warwick and made anaesthetic equipment and all sorts of medical gizmos.

Think the Dana RS sounds very similar to the Insight I have now in operation, apart from the larger reservoir. I found the Tslim buttons hard to operate, have to be utterly precise and can't be even a tad off centre, also the ones I was given to play with were quite hard to turn on and off cos you have to be so precise to press the button exactly in its middle, not just depress the whole oblong switch. I didn't like the reservoir and didn't like the palaver to fill it, keep changing needles between insulin vial and reservoir, withdraw air, clear air from syringe again, chuck it after 3 days (when I have to change cannulas every 2) AND have no remote control. OK - it's mega slim and light. If you can afford to self fund Dexcom well fine - they work hand in hand with each other BUT I've never thought I wanted or needed to have one really and certainly wouldn't expect the NHS to change tactics and pay for it, so hence rule CGMS out for me.

Early days on the Libre but so far has not revealed any more of a daily pattern than it did when it first came out.

 

[Inka]

Think the Dana RS sounds very similar to the Insight I have now in operation, apart from the larger reservoir.

No! Blasphemy! I detested the Insight as I’ve said previously. The DANA RS is nothing like it. It’s the antithesis of the Insight which was the only pump I truly hated.

 

[grainger]

Oh yeah - the Cozmo Sue! Didn't recall the name not having heard it mentioned for so long. Sounds to me like their UK address is where all of Warwick Industries used to be and they were the commercial arm of the University of Warwick and made anaesthetic equipment and all sorts of medical gizmos.

Think the Dana RS sounds very similar to the Insight I have now in operation, apart from the larger reservoir. I found the Tslim buttons hard to operate, have to be utterly precise and can't be even a tad off centre, also the ones I was given to play with were quite hard to turn on and off cos you have to be so precise to press the button exactly in its middle, not just depress the whole oblong switch. I didn't like the reservoir and didn't like the palaver to fill it, keep changing needles between insulin vial and reservoir, withdraw air, clear air from syringe again, chuck it after 3 days (when I have to change cannulas every 2) AND have no remote control. OK - it's mega slim and light. If you can afford to self fund Dexcom well fine - they work hand in hand with each other BUT I've never thought I wanted or needed to have one really and certainly wouldn't expect the NHS to change tactics and pay for it, so hence rule CGMS out for me.

Early days on the Libre but so far has not revealed any more of a daily pattern than it did when it first came out.

this is what I worry about not being able to physically touch any of the pumps to try them out etc.

 

[SB2015]

I was out off the Dana RS which requires its own battery, rather than generic ones. One person I met had big issues with this and got caught out abroad, and had to revert to pens.

However I know that there will be horror stories about every pump from someone.
Just keep going with the questions. Does your hospital have any that you could go an have a hold of. It is pretty important that you are comfortable with whatever you choose. Our clinic are letting people have appointments at the hospital if needed.

 

[trophywench]

Inka - the Insight is slow, or rather the ruddy handset is - hence rather than getting wound up about its idiosyncracies I've simply slowed down to its speed, whilst cussing sotto voce. I obviously don't know in what way the Dana differs - so please amplify, cos my clinic have ceased offering the Insight because of problems that lots of other folk have had but I dunno what - and Pete reminded me last week my first Insight handset used to eat batteries, one a week for 5 weeks until they agreed to replace the ruddy thing. I'd wiped that from the memory bank, cos you just have to get on with your life, even after you retire from gainful employment.

Honestly, it would be really helpful to me and Grainger, both of us, right now please!

 

[Inka]

I’ve been pumping for almost 17 years and have had various pumps over that time. The Insight was the only pump I actually hated and the only pump I’ve ever given back.

Jenny, from memory we’ve had this discussion before.... but to be clear my dislike of the Insight was based on the pump not Roche (I’ve had Roche pumps before) and nor is my dislike a comment on anyone like yourself who has an Insight.

My ideal pump is faff-free. I want to get on with my life and forget it. I want it to be high-precision, high quality and totally reliable. I also want high quality sets and cannulas and a reliable customer service. I want to be able to choose what insulin I put in my pump, not be tied in to some kind of deal that’s only to the benefit of the pump company and that particular insulin company that’s agreed a deal with them. I don’t want fiddly extra cr@p that needs charging every day or two, and I want a safe pump.

The Insight was none of those things IMO. It was painfully slow, had extraneous stuff to recharge, was fiddly, only allowed you to use the pre-filled cartridges so basically made you have to use Novorapid whether you wanted to or not. In the short time I had it, I had a number of Alert Emails from Roche warning about various things and Field Safety Notices, in particular, the risk of an accidental bolus. That’s not safe. But more than the safety, it was the utter faff of it - all for a substandard piece of kit in my opinion. I had high hopes of it and it felt nice when I first held it, but it turned out to be awful and a massive let-down.

The DANA RS is the latest DANA pump so is pretty recent. It wouldn’t be the one Sue mentioned above. It’s none of the above Insight awfulness. To me, it’s perfect and I can’t think of a single fault with it. Genuinely.

It’s as fast as my phone (I basically don’t need to touch the pump except to refill/change sets and batteries). The batteries last weeks (the company says 3 weeks but I get 6+), there’s no extra guff to carry around or recharge. it’s accurate, reliable, high quality, has high quality sets and is really well-designed. There are lots of tiny little things that show the design quality and intelligence eg the set tubing is designed to make bubbles easier to see when priming, you get a little blue tube in with the O Sets that’s simple but clever (it acts as a proper needle shield and also an extra tool to help with cannula insertion.

It also comes with a very smart and very well filled bag that contains a belt clip, leather case, soft case, various bits and pieces - lovely to look at and very useful (the pump rep told me everyone always comments on the case )

It’s one of the tiniest and lightest 300 unit pumps but it’s amazing build quality. It’s just such a clever design, and that clever design makes it a pleasure to use. It’s obvious someone has spent a huge amount of time getting things just right - and it shows.

The company who make it have been making pumps for decades and made the first commercially available pump way back in 1980. They have an excellent history, but more than that, they produced a high quality, very user-friendly pump.