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I have to choose a insulin pump :S

G

Guacanoele

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi all,

I have just been given approval of a insulin pump on the NHS. I have the choice of the following.

Animas Vibe
Med Tronic 640g
Roche Acu Check Insite

Which should I go for?

I currently use a Freestyle Libre for testing but it is very expensive at around £100 a month!

My blood tester is a Bayer contour next USB tester.

I cant decide which pump to go for?
 
Hi @Guacanoele - welcome to the forum! I started on a pump this time last year, and didn't have a choice - I've got the Insight and love it.

The Insight is made up of two parts - the pump itself and a handset which is also the test meter, bolus calculator and remote control all in one. The pump has a prefilled cartridge that you just replace each time it runs out, no filling of reservoir required. I don't need to fiddle with the pump itself - I can do it all via the remote. That means I can wear my pump where I want, under my clothing (I don't like it in my pocket because it gets in the way, so I wear it on a comfy strap around my chest), and I don't ever need to fish it out to press buttons as I can do it all on the handset.

I have no experience of the other pumps you mention but I'm sure someone will be along shortly to say how much they love their Vibe and their Medtronic!

I use the Libre too and just couldn't be without it!

:)
 
Another question is how much insulin do you use? If you get through 3ml in three days, the pumps with smaller reservoirs (Insight and Vibe) will need changing more frequently.
 
Filling the cartridges isn't that much of a problem but for anyone who uses a lot of insulin, it's possible to have 3 cartridges filled up and to have one in the pump, another on the table and one in fridge and literally circulate them
 
I would suggest the Vibe so you could drop the libre and go with dexcom. the prices will be very comparible if not cheaper as you can restrt the sensors. currently a transmitter and 4 sensors is £250
 
E="Engineer88, post: 1273632, member: 70171"]I would suggest the Vibe so you could drop the libre and go with dexcom. the prices will be very comparible if not cheaper as you can restrt the sensors. currently a transmitter and 4 sensors is £250[/QUOTE]
Whats happened to the Animas dexcom G4 starter pack of £500 to include G4 transmitter and 4 sensors. 250 seems incredibly cheap.......
 
iHs said:
E="Engineer88, post: 1273632, member: 70171"]I would suggest the Vibe so you could drop the libre and go with dexcom. the prices will be very comparible if not cheaper as you can restrt the sensors. currently a transmitter and 4 sensors is £250
Click to expand...
Whats happened to the Animas dexcom G4 starter pack of £500 to include G4 transmitter and 4 sensors. 250 seems incredibly cheap.......[/QUOTE]
Its on 50% off for new customers, I saw the email on fb this morning from a trusted souce
 
Engineer88 said:
Whats happened to the Animas dexcom G4 starter pack of £500 to include G4 transmitter and 4 sensors. 250 seems incredibly cheap.......
Click to expand...
Its on 50% off for new customers, I saw the email on fb this morning from a trusted souce[/QUOTE]
Isn't the dexcom sensor the same as freestyle libre in that with both you still need to do a blood test because if where the sensors sit?
 
I didn't get a choice but if i had it could very well have been the Insight for its handset/BG meter or tge Medtronic 640g.

I have been using a pump for about 4 months now and find the 640G really easy to navigate around, what would make this pump better is a handset like the insight though its also fair to say its more than manageable without one.

The 640G also uses 2 sizes of reservoir which is handy if you use a lot of insulin.

Try and download the manuals for the pumps that are available to you as you may be able to make a more educated evaluation.

Regards

Martin
 
Guacanoele said:
How often do you have to change dexcom?
Click to expand...
no its not like the libre, and people have managed to extend the life of the dexcom sensor up to and beyond 21 days (ive managed 30 a few times). Its not like the libre that stops working at 14 days and wont restart. The main benifit of dex is low alarms ie it sends data rather than having to scan it.
 
Engineer88 said:
Whats happened to the Animas dexcom G4 starter pack of £500 to include G4 transmitter and 4 sensors. 250 seems incredibly cheap.......
Click to expand...
Its on 50% off for new customers, I saw the email on fb this morning from a trusted souce[/QUOTE]
Hi Engineer88 do you have any further details about this special price? I've just been on the phone to Dexcom UK and they didn't seem to be aware of this.

Thanks
 
Steve3 said:
Its on 50% off for new customers, I saw the email on fb this morning from a trusted souce
Click to expand...
Hi Engineer88 do you have any further details about this special price? I've just been on the phone to Dexcom UK and they didn't seem to be aware of this.

Thanks[/QUOTE]

Yes its only from Animas not Dexcom, I suspect it may be a loss-leader
 
Yes its only from Animas not Dexcom, I suspect it may be a loss-leader
Click to expand...

That's a shame - I'm using an Omnipod so no access to the special offer for me.
 
Guacanoele said:
Hi all,

I have just been given approval of a insulin pump on the NHS. I have the choice of the following.

Animas Vibe
Med Tronic 640g
Roche Acu Check Insite

Which should I go for?

I currently use a Freestyle Libre for testing but it is very expensive at around £100 a month!

My blood tester is a Bayer contour next USB tester.

I cant decide which pump to go for?
Click to expand...
Hi @Guacanoele , likewise I've just been approved for an NHS pump: choices are the Animas Vibe, the Omnipod or a Medtronic (640g possibly), although my local hospital aren't keen on this one. Which did you chose in the end?
Can anybody offer any advice on these other 2 please? I currently have a Libre Freestyle, but reading these forums, I wonder if a CGM (Dexcom) may be better???
Thanks
 
tim2000s said:
Do you know why your local hospital aren't keen on the 640G? Some of the features (SmartGuard, if you can afford the CGM sensors) are amazing.

There are loads of Omnipod and VIbe users on here (@CarbsRok @noblehead @himtoo to name a few) who can help.
Click to expand...
Morning @tim2000s, not sure at the moment, but will know more tomorrow at my appointment. I am reading posts on both the other meters, and there's +/-'s for each, so will need to decide which way to go by tomorrow. Reading up on CGM'S, these seem to be a bigger initial outlay in cost, but may be better overall (?). Although the sound of tubeless sounds appealing, and because I've used the Libre it may be easier (the PDM is also a blood test meter I believe), the Vibe's use of a CGM could be more accurate (although would I need to still carry a blood meter around also??). So many things to consider, my minds working overtime!!!!
 
Hi @asa35
I chose the omnipod mainly because of the tubeless feature.
I couldn't afford CGM to fund myself so that pushed the others down in my personal ranking as well.

and yes the omnipod PDM has the blood testing meter integrated ( although not a ketone test ability )
so you still require a dual purpose meter as well ( mine is the glucomen LX )
 
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