Animas Vibe, Medtronic or Accuchek Combo?

[DanniP]

Hi Everyone,

I realise this topic has come up quite a lot but I have been offered one of three pumps:

Animas Vibe
Accuchek Spirit Combo
Medtronic Paradign Veo

I am unsure which one to go for and wondered if any of you knew of any major disadvantages/advantages of any of these pumps as they are all fairly similar but as I will be having it for potentially 4 years I want to be sure I am making the right choice.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Danni

 

[Lyndesay]

Hi Danni,

I have got the Accu Chek combo. I have been using it for 2 months and think it is fantastic!

I can't speak for any other pumps as this is my first one but I like the way it controls nearly everything! Everything is calculated for you and very easy to use.

I suppose everyone's needs are different and maybe a different pump would be suitable for different people.

I didn't have a choice to choose from but I am delighted with it! You should go onto their websites and go through the 3 of them, see if there are big differences with them.

Good luck with your choice!

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[JANROU]

Love my accu chek, only one that I've used. The remote is great and everything is easy to learn


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[Jkm2010]

Hi, I have been on a combo for 3 weeks, I had the same choice as you. The reason why I went for the combo is.....
I am a man I don't want to have a pump on display all the time when I wear a suit
I wanted a proper remote, which sounds like a gadget, but when you use it every day it's amazing. No one else has a system like this.
Great customer service
Tried and tested
The lancet device means no sharps and quick to use.

I did not go for the medtronic as i had to fish it out, and I do not like the bayer lancets used with the BG meter. Which sounds silly, but when checking your sugars I can't do with the hassle of carrying lots of little lancets. I was also not interested in the glucose monitoring.

Animas main selling point seams to be that it's waterproof, but as did not need this feature I looked no further.

Omipod looked appealing, but I tried one on and did not like it.

All pumps are amazing, choose which is right for you. It's hard, as its almost a blind choice. But saying that I'm rally pleased with my combo. I have had no issues and the back up is amazing.

You don't realise what a pain it is doing Injections when you start on a pump. It is odd at first, but it just seams to fit. They give you a skin, and all sorts of clips, neck straps, waist straps so you don't need to buy anything. All the software for your pc I'd free too.

Go for it. Which ever you choose,I'm sure you will not look back.

Ps the lancet devise also just inserts the infusion set seamlessly, you don't feel and and you will not know you wear it. I'm quite skinny and was worried I'd feel the infusion set, but I don't.

Hope it helps




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[DanniP]

Thank you for your replies

 

[pumppimp]

Hi Danni P,
As everyone else has talked about the combo, I'll talk about the vibe.
I love it it's pink but also comes in different colours, it's waterproof big must for me, It also has a really good accurate cgm the reciever bit is the pump so it's all intergrated. It's also very small I believe smaller than the other pumps but I havn't seen the newest versions.
Laura

 

[Kalobe]

I have a Medtronic. It is easy to use, and works like a charm. Don't worry about which pump so much as which type of cannula set as this will depend on your size (plump, skinny etc) and lifestyle (sporty?). All the pumps have similar sets to choose from, except the Omnipod.

 

[JaneC]

If you are female go for an Omnipod, if you do sport, swimming and don't want a wire, go for an Omnipod!


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[SpikyMike]

43 years as a T1, and will hopefully be getting a pump soon. Saw the dsn yesterday (spent 7 hours total on train, as local clinic doesn't support pumps), and she let me have a look at the three pumps mentioned. Came away with an Accu-Chek Aviva Expert, so I can try out the bolus wizard.

Was using the Accu-Chek Mobile meter, which was very convenient, as you didn't have to bother with test strips, and it was an all-in-one device. Currently favouring the Accu-Chek Combo pump, as I can't afford to self fund CGM, and I like the idea of a remote. Will do some research to get more info on the three pumps. The OmniPod is not available however, as this would definitely be my choice. Ah we'll.

Also waiting for the C8 Medisensor CGM to become available, as that will only be a one-off cost, and will allow me to monitor my blood/sugar continuously.


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[iHs]

Hi

I have the Combo pump and although I can deliver the bolus and adjust the basal settings from using the handset which is lovely especially when outside, it's not everything. The Accu chek handset using the Aviva teststrip demands a decent droplet of blood and with the need to monitor bg levels fairly often, the old fingertips start to take a bashing which doesn't look wonderfully nice and I am now using another part of my hands to monitor. The bolus wizard has also got its problems as it doesnt allow for any meal bolus to still be partly active if eating food before the acting time of the bolus has elapsed. Other pumps will allow for this and will display insulin on board and allow for this in the calculation.

Not sure what pump I will be able to use next year when the warranty expires on my Combo. I would like to make use of cgm but I think it will be a couple of years yet before Accu chek are able to offer it and also C8 Medisensor when I last looked at facebook will be about a year away before it gets launched.

 

[JaneC]

SpikeyMike, why do you say an Omnipod isn't a choice? Most clinics offer patient choice and although the staff may not currently be trained up on it, if you ask for it and even contact the supplier Ypsomed yourself for info and make the appropriate case then you could get hold of it. Ypsomed would probably send you a sample pod to try. There are only a smallish number of users in the UK and because of the slightly increased cost, the PCT's don't love it. I do however as it fits in with my life style and doesn't shout pumpwearer . It's worth making a small fuss for!


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[Riri]

Our clinic offers no choice. It's the Medtronic Minimed or no pump However very very pleased with my little pump so I ain't complaining Simple to use, very small and discreet and it works - it's my body that gives it a hard time not the other way around !!

 

[SpikyMike]

JaneC, I did enquire about the Omnipod when I saw the DSN. She said that Ypsomed did not participate when NHS Highland did their last pump review. I think they do one every year, so hopefully they will participate next time. DSN said that even then, it wouldn't be available until next year. So if the Omnipod is not on the the list of available pumps, then I can't see a way of getting one.


Type 1 since 1969.

 

[kangoo]

JaneC, I did enquire about the Omnipod when I saw the DSN. She said that Ypsomed did not participate when NHS Highland did their last pump review. I think they do one every year, so hopefully they will participate next time. DSN said that even then, it wouldn't be available until next year. So if the Omnipod is not on the the list of available pumps, then I can't see a way of getting one.

I'm also travelling back and fore to the pump DSN in NHS Highland. Are these the three choices, then? I saw an Animas on my first trip, the was given on old Medtronic last time, just to see how I got on with being attached to something 24/7. I'm going to send it back tomorrow as I've had it for a week now.

 

[SpikyMike]

Kangoo, yes, I believe those three pumps are the only ones available. I was given an old Medtronic to try for a few days, although it wasn't switched on (no batteries), and had no saline in the reservoir. But it did give me a feel for wearing one 24/7.
My carb counting is ok (according to the specialist dietitian I saw at my last DSN meeting), so just waiting to hear from DSN regarding the next step.


Type 1 since 1969.

 

[kangoo]

Thanks, SpikyMike. It sounds like you are a step ahead of me. I am still having to email spreadsheets of carbs, meter readings and injections. In 16 years, I've had too many consultants and never managed to nail the basal dose to get regular single figures first thing in the morning. I'm hoping this won't hinder me getting a pump, as I think it's the main reason I should get one - if that makes sense.

 

[SpikyMike]

I agree kangoo, sounds like you've got a good case for a pump. I've been having nighttime/morning highs recently, and have increased my basal as far as I can, without it interfering with my daytime readings, which are fine. Hopefully with a pump, and being able to set a different basal rate for nighttime, will resolve this.


Type 1 since 1969.

 

[Trina]

Hi

All I can say is that I've been using the Accu Chek since November last year and have nothing but admiration for the little beastie. However, like a lot of others I really wasn't given the choice when it came to choosing a pump as it was Accuchek or Accuchek. However, I have to say if I had been given the choice the Animas would have come up trumps if only because the rep was so good he even came to my home to demonstrate the Animas pump and this was the only company that seemed to bother.

Having said that I have no regrets with the Accu Chek and it does outweigh all the others in that it is bluetooth which means that everything can be controlled with the handset and that also means that you are not messing around with trying to fish out the pump and setting all the bits and bobs, it can all be done remotely.

Like I say it has worked for me and the Accuchek team are on hand 24/7 and do respond very quickly in times of need of which I have had at least three. The supplies arrive in good time, what more can I say.

 

[justjay]

This is an interesting thread for me. I've been on a "pump trial" since June last year and due to other reasons have had to have it extended a few times. Spoke to my DSN yesterday in the clinic and had another blood test, with the results potentially saying a yes or no to getting the pump permanently. Phone call today results on this already! Hba1c slightly lower still so likely to get the pump permanently now! Anyway I've prattled on a bit, I've been on the animas 2020 but like the look of the accu check and think this has answered lots of my questions!

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[SpikyMike]

Got approval from the consultant yesterday, to get a pump, so happy with that. Will be seeing the DSN on 14th May to hopefully get a start date, and to arrange pump training. Can't wait.


Type 1 since 1969.