Cellnovo Insulin Pump

Rusty650

Member
Messages
19
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi just wondered if there is anyone on the forum using a Cellnovo patch pump and if they would like to share their thoughts about it please ?
 

Applenerd81

Well-Known Member
Messages
205
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Carbs
Hi just wondered if there is anyone on the forum using a Cellnovo patch pump and if they would like to share their thoughts about it please ?

Hi Rusty, I have been using Cellnovo since October 2014 - There are mixed reviews out there but I've had an excellent journey with it (in conjunction with a low carb/ high fat diet) and freestyle libre. I've lost lots of weight, improved my HBA1Cs and reduced frquency of hypos/hypers.

The pump has been good to me, I've had few problems but overall I believe it is an excellent and sleek system. The latest gen is now out which has a newer more smartphone like handset. I am currently on a pump break - the whole insulin pump thing has started to get to me, so I am currently enjoying being disconnected. Will probably be back on soon.
 

jimbaxter

Member
Messages
7
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
HI @Applenerd81, I am considering switching from the Animas Vibe to the Cellnovo but have just started using the Freestyle Libre.

I was wondering how you used the Freestyle Libre and Cellnovo pump for correction doses, do you manually calculate the insulin bolus and enter it manually on the Cellnovo pump?

I was told that it did not allow you to add a glucose reading from another meter which is a shame and I would like to avoid still pricking my finger unless necessary :) .

Thank you,
Jim
 

jimbaxter

Member
Messages
7
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi All, @Applenerd81 ,

I spoke to a Cellnovo representative today and they said that there should be an update in July that will allow you to enter BG readings from another meter which will solve my problem.

Thanks,
Jim
 
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Applenerd81

Well-Known Member
Messages
205
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Carbs
Hi All, @Applenerd81 ,

I spoke to a Cellnovo representative today and they said that there should be an update in July that will allow you to enter BG readings from another meter which will solve my problem.

Thanks,
Jim

Hey Jim, appreciate its been a while now but how are you getting on with the Cellnovo system? Did you make the switch yet?
 

jimbaxter

Member
Messages
7
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I have moved from an Animas Vibe before and that was my only previous pump. My main reason for moving was that I wanted shorter Cannulas.

I like the pump a lot, the Steel Cannulas are much smaller and more comfortable than with the Animas and I barely notice them, I used to have issues with the Animas that the shortest Cannula would go too deep and cause a growing pain until I removed it to find I was bleeding. With the Cellnovo I notice where the patch pump is attached more as it can pull on the skin if it is in the wrong place, luckily you get extra pump Velcro patches so I can move it around when this happens. I am getting better at choosing the locations now.

The pump never hurts when pushing in Insulin as it injects it slowly over about a minute, the Animas even on the long 4 second Bolus would sometimes cause a sharp pain.

Generally the handset is well laid out and it is easy to work it without a manual. The only bad thing is that the touch screen is not responsive enough which makes the keyboard very awkward to use and button pushing annoying, often I have to push buttons on the screen more than once to get a response.

Sometimes there is also a delay of a few seconds between pushing the power button and the screen coming on, this is apparently because the handset is synchronising with the Pump. I recently got a new handset with later software and this delay is now shorter. I have not used other wireless patch pumps such as the Omnipod so this maybe normal, with the Animas it was mostly responsive to button pushes immediately.

At the moment the product is a little cutting edge and so is still being developed but I like that it is still being improved, with the Animas pump it felt like they did not want to improve anything so you were stuck with it for 4 years. The Cellnovo rep told me that if they release a new hardware during the 4 years I have this pump, everyone will get new hardware.
 

jimlemans

Member
Messages
12
I also switched from the Vibe to cellnovo and echo your comments completely @jimbaxter . I literally only switched yesterday so still getting used to having the pump attached to me, I do already feel relieved not to have the tethered pump dangling about when getting changed etc. and extra space in my pocket.

The only annoying thing is the fact I know have to carry the pump handset, Libre reader and my phone. Hopefully in the future there will be one app that uses contactless technology and can talk to the pump and Libre.

BTW you can now enter a manual BG reading which is recorded in the automatic journal and is used in the bolus calculator.
 

jimbaxter

Member
Messages
7
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
@jimlemans I did ask about using your phone to control the pump and they said there are safely issues as your phones primary role is as a phone and a phone call could cause complications.

I do agree about not having the pump tethered, I had to go back to the Vibe briefly when I suffered a handset problem and the one thing I noticed was the pump tubing catching on things, I do find most of the tune I forget I am wearing the cellnovo which never happened with the Vibe.

One tip I find sometimes if the handset is taking some time to see the pump move the handset near the pump until the handset pump status icon shows green and blue, then you can move away again.

Also if you have an Android phone with NFC you can get an Librelink app to reader the libre for you, though I still need the libre reader for ketone testing. It would be nice if the Cellnovo handset could test for ketones.