Any pumpers out there?

[knieriem]

I have bitten the bullet and finally decided to get an insulin pump however there's so many choices out there that I've narrowed it down to two but am wanting some feedback from those of you that are out there wearing the pumps.

I'm down to Medtronic and Animas. They both have pros and cons in my opinion.

If they only made a Disney one it would make it so much easier!

 

[Lorelei528]

Hi there!

I've had type 1 diabetes for about 37 years now and just this past Nov. finally decided to go on the pump. The only reason I did so however was because I found the Omnipod which is the only tubeless pump on the market as of now (there is another one being worked on).

So, I can't help you out with the Animas or the Medtronic. Sorry!

While I was researching on-line about the Omnipod, I came across a review or blog or something written by a dad who said he was so happy that during his last family trip to WDW he was so happy he could basically just give himself insulin while standing in line for a ride whereas before he would always have to go the to the bathroom to do his shot even just before an ice cream or any type of snack! That basically sold me on the Omnipod and I asked my dr. about it on my next visit!

I cannot give you any info about having a pump and being at WDW because my first trip with the Omnipod will be in Sept. I do know there is a mom on another board who has a son who uses a pump and has been to WDW at least once or twice since he's been on it. I know he has to take it off for some rides whereas with the Omnipod it does not have to be removed.....

 

[Chloesmom]

My DD11 had the Medtronic pump and has had it for 3 years now. We love it. We actually wanted the Animas one but our insurance would not cover it. Now that we have the Medtronic we are glad we chose it. There are 4 other kids in DDs school on pumps and DD is the only Medtronic. It seems to have more features than the others from what I have heard. The nurse was shocked with everything her pump did because the others didnt do much. Now this could just be that they have this feature turned off so I dont really know. Medtronics linked meter in a One Touch which I was not crazy about but it has grown on me and the strips are easy to find if there is ever an issue.
We have been to Disney 4 times on the pump and nearing our 5th trip next month. The pump has literally changed my DDs life. Before she could not go on sleep overs because I was worried about the shots and other moms freaking out. Everythign was an issue but now its sooo easy just to live life. I wish we got on it earlier than we did but DD was afraid of it when she was 6.
BTW.. Minimed makes skins that have Disney characters on them...so you can have a Disney pump.

 

[BayouMickey]

Both DD and DW use the animas pump. They love it. And Animas has always been very accomidating when it comes to supplies.

 

[camp4]

DD17 has been a type 1 diabetic for 3 years now. The endocr. started her on injections (supposedly they all do; don't really know why it's such a hassle especially when you are a teen that likes to eat all the time) and then she chose the Omnipod. Their slogan is "make diabetes a smaller part of life" and boy is it TRUE! The big draw for her was the "no tubes" design. She is in all dance/theatre/acting and costume changes (and dance movements) are frequent throughout her day so the self contained design of the Omnipod was a perfect fit!

 

[knieriem]

I wore a test Animas pump last November with saline in it and did pretty good on it. I looked at the Omnipod but I like the idea that when needed i can disconnect the tube pumps if I needed a break from it for a little bit. The omnipod I'd have to rip it off and then the pod won't be good anymore.

I talked with my reps today and I'm waiting to hear back about getting a Dexcom CGM. If my insurance will cover the Dexcom then I'm going with Animas. If they won't then it'll be medtronic. I'd love to have the Dexcom because everytime I go to disney my bloodsugar drops when I don't feel it and I end up almost passing out in line!

Thanks for all the feedback!

 

[SplashMountainMama]

My son started pumping in February. He chose the Animas Ping and so far he loves it. He says he can't imagine going back to shots now. I think whatever pump you choose you will like because you'll quickly see how much less time diabetes takes out of your day. All the pumps out there are good pumps. They just have different bells and whistles. Try to check out the different brands and see which one appeals to you the most.Good luck with your decision!

 

[Belle94]

I have been on my pump for nearly 10 years now. I just love it. I have always had a Medtronic pump and have had no problems. I am currently looking to upgrade for the third time. I have been to WDW 4 times with my pump and can't imagine having to deal with shots while I was there. I know that which ever pump you choose diabetes management will be easier. Good luck.

 

[Lorelei528]

I have also just recently been put on the Dexcom CGM. So far, I'm having no problems with it really at all and between that and my Omnipod am under much better control than I ever was before just doing finger pricks and using syringes...

 

[Jen_in_NH]

My son uses an Omnipod, and it has been great for him. MDI with a 2 year old was a huge project, and being able to do the smaller dosing with the pump was awesome! When we were looking at pumps, we were more sold on MEdtronic than Animas, mostly based on the integrated CGMS.

Our endo approved us to start CGM, and we really like the Dexcom, but our insurance caps our DME per year pretty low, so the pods take up the entire amount. We can't really afford the CGM out of pocket, so I'm looking into other ways to pay for it. Hopefully I can come up with something - I think it would be great for him.

 

[daneenm]

Just wanted to encourage you on pumping. DS9 wears the OmniPod and loves it! He chose it 2 years ago because it was tubeless - he had his mind set that he did not want tubing. Before that, he was on MDI for 5 years.

He swims daily, plays (read: sweats), showers, everything with the pod on and has only ripped it off twice. The two times it cam off were both when he was trying to get out from under a table or desk and he caught it on the edge. We have been to DL since pumping but not WDW. He has had zero issues with the pump in the parks and going through security (both park and airport).

We like the idea of a CGM, but with the limited real estate on a skinny 9 year old body, we have decided that it is not for us right now.

Keep in mind that switching to the pump is very much like starting over. Your dosages will differ, the way you think about diabetes management will be different and it might be a bit frustrating. This is NORMAL! Don't get frustrated, just give yourself a bit of time to settle into your new routine and you will love it.

 

[Pooh Crew]

Another omnipod user here! Ds9 has been on the pod for a year now and we just love that it is tubeless. He was on Cozmo for several years, and we loved it, too, but the fact that nothing is hanging off of him has been wonderful! He can tuck in his shirts without tubing, he can flip and cartwheel and run without his pump falling off. I love that he can swim without disconnecting, plugging the infusion set, taping it off, etc. Someone mentioned disconnecting being a plus for tubed pumps, but for us it was just an added inconvenience. If ds needs to not receive insulin, we can suspend delivery without disconnecting. I also love the blood glucose graphs and reporting that is available on the pdm controller. They help me to see what needs to be changed to improve effectiveness. We love our omnipod!

If you call Insulet (makers of Omnipod), they will send you a dummy pod to wear for a trial. They gave us several and all four of my kids wore them around the house calling themselves The Pod Squad.

As someone else mentioned, you will love which ever pump you choose. Good luck in your decision.

 

[knieriem]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! I have to agree that the OmniPod does seem great because of the no tube but I like the fact that with a tube pump you can disconnect it if you need to. I did try the trial omnipods at the end of '09.

That said I've decided on the Animas Ping and a Dexcom CGM. They've started the paper work so who knows how long it'll take. The last time I tried a pump (2007) I was freaked out by the fact that I had to wear it 24/7. Now I've told my husband that if I freak out he has to tell me to not think about it and immediately drive to Disney (We live about 45 min. away) We'll see if Disney can help me get through the first month or so of wearing it!

 

[Lorelei528]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! I have to agree that the OmniPod does seem great because of the no tube but I like the fact that with a tube pump you can disconnect it if you need to. I did try the trial omnipods at the end of '09.

That said I've decided on the Animas Ping and a Dexcom CGM. They've started the paper work so who knows how long it'll take. The last time I tried a pump (2007) I was freaked out by the fact that I had to wear it 24/7. Now I've told my husband that if I freak out he has to tell me to not think about it and immediately drive to Disney (We live about 45 min. away) We'll see if Disney can help me get through the first month or so of wearing it!

Hi again! Congrats on your decision! So far, I'm pretty happy with the Dexcom CGM.
That being said, I just wanted to say, the whole idea of the pump has freaked me out for years (I've had type 1 for 37 years now). The tubes specifically I just could not get my head around and just couldn't deal with the visual idea/thought of having tubes connected to my body or having to disconnect/reconnect them all the time.

That is why I was so excited when I found the Omnipod. At first I was a little nervous, but because it basically just sticks to me (as you know from your trials) I am really not conscious of it at all ever.

Let us know how you do with your Animas and Dexcom! I will try to remember to post here after my trip in Sept about how I do with my Omnipod and Dexcom in WDW for the first time with them.

On that note, have any of you Omnipod users (or parents of) been to WDW since being on the Omnipod and can you tell us about your experiences? (Sorry to hijack your thread!)

 

[visitingapril09]

My daughter was diagnosed 5 years ago and has been using the 2020 Animas pump for just over 2 years. She loves it. Animas has been awesome. The pump has been immediately replaced twice under warranty (not due to huge issues and one was her fault) Their customer service has been amazing. She is an elite athlete and has not found removing the pump for games to be an issue etc. She would never go back to injections.

I can see we certainly haven't made your decision easier.

Also, hello to all the other type 1 families out there on disboards. Who would have known there were so many of us!

 

[Jen_in_NH]

Let us know how the CGMS works. I'd like to get one for my son, but our insurance won't cover it. I'm trying to figure how to pay for it, but I'd love to know how well people find that it works.