• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Any recommendations for best insulin pump.

J

Judith Bishop

Member
Messages
6
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
NHS choice between the following three pumps-:-

1) Omnipod
2) Accu Cheka’s Solo
or
3) Medtronic’s (imagining it will be the 670G model & not be the latest …780G model).
 
Judith Bishop said:
NHS choice between the following three pumps-:-

1) Omnipod
2) Accu Cheka’s Solo
or
3) Medtronic’s (imagining it will be the 670G model & not be the latest …780G model).
Click to expand...
Meant to ask if you have any experience of these pumps or any recommendations. Many thanks
 
The best pump depends upon what is important to you and your lifestyle so it may help to tell us a bit about yourself and your pumping requirements.
For example, do you want the ability to Close Loop? Do you mind if your pump is on display? Do you have experience of using a pump? Do you want to be able to control your pump remotely or are you happy to get it out to do a bolus? Are you a tweaker or do you leave settings alone once they are set up? ...
 
Hello @Judith Bishop

Best advice for selecting a pump is to knuckle down and write out your wish list in regards to what you want, most pumps are the same in regards to functionality but there are subtle differences, then get yourself on youtube and look at each one on someone who uses it, lots of users love posting vids about their pumps and will happily explain what their pump can do, from your list I have only used the medtronic 670g and didn't have a choice, but I loved my pump, it worked for me and ticked my boxes but as i'd never used another I had no way to gauge it against others. I am now on a tandem slim which is linked to my dexcom G6 and love this one too, personally I think it's best we're not given a choice as it's easier to live with the pump without the option of others.
 
When choosing a pump, I draw up a chart with things like choice of cannula's, how many time frames you can set in a day, minimum bolus amount, minimum time for a multiwave bolus etc, etc. Then as Juicyj said go on YouTube and tick if each pump has got those features. You can also add to this by googling each pump, and downloading the instructions etc. It depends how much detail you want to go into. There are certain things that I'd always try to get on a pump, but no one pump has all the features I want, so I then try to rank the features in order of priority.

I know this will be overkill to some, but it's just the way I approach it.
 
I was in a similar position position a year ago. Research left me a little bewildered.

The diabetic nurse recommended the medtroinc unit, due to the impressive back up. Local rep was very helpful and knowledgeable Apparently.

When I said I wanted to keep everything as simple as possible she then said no contest omnipod. Which is what I chose. (I'm not a complete luddite)
 
Many thanks to all above comments. They have been very useful. I have been on Omnipod for many years and it has been wonderful. However, last year I suffered a tremendous amount of skin irritation & had huge problems with my skin becoming badly damaged. I had to take off my pods more frequently otherwise my skin became virtually desecrated. Thankfully, this has eased considerably but I’m still using Cavilon spray and two Cutiderm film dressings before placing a pod onto my body. As my pump is up for renewal this year, I’m keen to collate as much information before deciding on which pump to pick. Once again, many thanks for your help.
 
Since it looks almost certain that NICE will approve NHS funding for Libre or CGM for all type 1s from April, then it makes sense to consider a pump which can be used in a closed loop.
I use a Tandem T:Slim, but there is the Medtronic 780G you mentioned and Omnipod should be loopable in the future. Possibly others. Worth researching.
I wouldn't be without mine, it has made such a difference.
 
Judith Bishop said:
Thank you very much……as all information is a plus.
Click to expand...

Judith, this was my overnight graph, last night, using my T:Slim/Dexcom closed loop.
It's not always like this of course, but it often is. It makes such a difference to be waking up at around 6.0!
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_2021-12-07-07-44-Overnight.jpg
    Screenshot_2021-12-07-07-44-Overnight.jpg
    233.9 KB · Views: 180
My Diabetic clinic specialist doesn't seem too keen to consider me for an insulin pump, despite me currently being on Base Bolus regimen - 6 units Novorapid three times a day and 8 units Tresiba at night - using Libre sensor and Accuchek blood checks, as the two rarely agree anyway lol - and I do often go low during night or by morning.
 
DunePlodder said:
Since it looks almost certain that NICE will approve NHS funding for Libre or CGM for all type 1s from April, then it makes sense to consider a pump which can be used in a closed loop.
I use a Tandem T:Slim, but there is the Medtronic 780G you mentioned and Omnipod should be loopable in the future. Possibly others. Worth researching.
I wouldn't be without mine, it has made such a difference.
Click to expand...
Hi ...this is literally my first input to this forum so if I have done it wrong then profuse apols :) I was interested in your statement re NICE and pump funding etc. Is this true ie that NICE will approve funding? I thought that there was a very long and arduous waiting list and horrific criteria that needed to be complied with in order to get a pump? Again apols if Im blundering in
 
MartinJ said:
Hi ...this is literally my first input to this forum so if I have done it wrong then profuse apols :) I was interested in your statement re NICE and pump funding etc. Is this true ie that NICE will approve funding? I thought that there was a very long and arduous waiting list and horrific criteria that needed to be complied with in order to get a pump? Again apols if Im blundering in
Click to expand...

Welcome Martin! Ask away!
The NICE guidelines suggest funding for Libre/CGMs should be available from April. Pumps are a different matter - that's down to your diabetes consultant. Once approved the time varies - I was lucky & got my pump in about 6 weeks but it can take months.
This is what NICE said:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/GID-NG10265/documents/draft-guideline
Also this discussion:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/nice-approvals-for-cgm-and-looping-too.185199/
 
Back
Top