Pumps

[Julia_JJ]

Hi everyone, I am new here. Which pump would you recommend - Roche or Medtronic? Still hesitating...

 

[NicoleC1971]

The trouble with pumps is that we tend to just know our own brands.
I am on Roche insight for example and haven't used a Medtronic. Here are my pluses /minuses for what it is worth:
PLUSES
Cartridge fill so no messing with tubes in bottles to refill
Bluetooth connectivity with blood glucose meter that suggests correction does or bolus based on your inputs re carbs, exercises
Customer Service and re ordering direct from Roche has always been excellent
When its gone wrong they've sent replacement stuff out promptly even over weekend
MINUSES
The bg meter gets out of charge very fast so have to charge it every night and now I have FSL I don't bother so rather than dosing via the meter I am fishing the pump out of my bra/pockets to do the dosing based on guestimates.
If you use lots of insulin then you will be changing the cartridge often as it takes 160ml (on the other hand this could force a discipline of changing the insertion site).

If you have a look at YouTube you will also find a few type 1 pump reviews. There's a few more Amazon sites that supply accessories like pouches or pump undies (sad reflection of the more people needing to treat with insulin I suppose).
I am moving onto to Tandem Basal IQ + Dexcom CGM which auto adjusts doses of insulin to nip hypos/hypers in the bud hopefully.....

Best of luck with whatever you choose.

 

[sleepster]

Hi @Julia_JJ, welcome
I'm a fan of Medtronic personally, I've had them for my last 3 pumps.
Somebody posted a little while back saying Roche weren't going to be making pumps any more I think!? Let me check.

 

[sleepster]

Ok so it's the Insight and Combo that are being stopped according to this post https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/no-more-combo-or-insight.182279/
I'm not sure what that means as non-user of these pumps. Sorry this is probably deeply unhelpful

 

[In Response]

@Julia_JJ what is important to you in a pump?
This is very personal.
I have never used either Roche or Medtronic but I would consider things like
- patch vs tubes
- size
- total cannula size
- smallest possible dose
- how is it controlled? Is there a PDM/phone app or do you have to dig you pump out to bolus?
- how easy is it to change the sets? Youtube videos are good for this.
- how easy are the controls?
-

 

[Rokaab]

Also @Julia_JJ is your clinic giving you the choice or were you just looking to see what's around before that, as some clinics have far more limited choices than others (my clinic there was no choice, it was its 'this pump' or nothing)

 

[Hopeful34]

Just to clarify re Roche pumps. You can get a new Combo or Insight pump until December 2021 and ongoing consumables (including replacement pump/handset if faulty) for the usual 4 years contract.

Come January 2022 you can't start a new contract on either of these pumps.

 

[Peter03]

Medtronic for the last 18 years, I find the service is excellent although that's by a third party company, I have never had replacement problems