Medtronic, Accu Check, Cellnovo, Vibe and Omnipod - info needed please

[Deleted Account]

I'm a "Vibe"r. It is the only pump I have every had and there was no choice.

When I first got it I was very disappointed in
- the size. I am small and have found no way to hid the pump. This means I feel my diabetes is on show all the time. Over the last 18 months I have become less conscious of this.
- the user interface. Think the first Nokia phones without the fun of the snake game. Lots of key presses which pause when the insulin is being squirted.
- the canula system. Like most people, I was given the pump with saline for the first week. Mid way through I contacted my health care team and asked if it was supposed to hurt all the time. Thankfully, they quickly realised I needed an "inset 30 system". This means the canulas go in at an angle (I guess, of 30 degrees). As a result it doesn;t go in so deep and doesn't hurt.
- the size of the cartridge. Vibe has a 200 unit cartridge. This is more than enough for me and I would like to see a smaller cartridge so they can reduce the size of the pump.
- the tube. It is not always possible to tuck it away. As a result, I sometimes catch it on the door handle. For little me, I would like a shorter tube.
- uploading to Diasend. In order to keep the pump waterproof, data transfer to via a little window on the back which I have to line up the cable with ... and often fail. As a result, I rarely upload data from my pump but depend on my BG reading instead.

Due to all these frustrations, I started researching alternatives (knowing I would have a fight on my hands to convince my local team to change from the norm). However, I soon discovered the UI of all pumps are old fashioned; the Animas Vibe is one of the smallest in terms of cartridge and overall pump; and the only option available in the UK without a tube is the Omnipod. Looking at the specs of the Omnipod, I realise it would not resolve many of the problems I have (whilst it is larger than a tubed pump, it is not small and would still be seen all the time) and I have come to like the option to remove my pump when exercising.

If I was given the choice to replace my Animas vibe in a couple of years, I would check out the other options but, unless things have moved on, I would probably stick with the same.

One other point is the customer service - it has been faultless. They always send supplies fast; they provide a loaner pump when you go on holiday and, when the battery compartment cracker, they sent a replacement in less than 24 hours. Yes, it is a little concerning that the battery compartment cracked: this seems to be a known problem but given how fast and easy it was to get a replacement, it is not yet concerning enough for me to change my mind.

 

[saruhbeau]

My nurse (pump nurse) supplies all the pumps listed except omnipod. Obviously she doesn't live with a pump herself but has dealt with 200+ patient's so I trust her opinion.

Her favourite is medtronic 640g followed by animas vibe. She said the only issue with the vibe is the screen resolution degrades over time.

The only one she really didn't recommend was the insight. She actually called it the insh*te she said so many of her patients have had problems with that pump, mostly software/technical issues.

I don't use a pump yet but like the look of the 640g. I already use dexcom so may think about the vibe though, however unsure if animas are stopping doing pumps..?

 

[tim2000s]

By contrast, the Minimed 640g's CGM system is almost twice the price, and less reliable. Accu-check doesn't even have a CGM system. I think Omnipod does, but I can't speak to that, or Cellnovo's (if any).

People complain a LOT about the reliability and accuracy of the 640g's enlite system. By contrast, the Vibe system sounds very reliable, very accurate, and when it's not accurate, it pays attention to your corrections. Apparently the 640g doesn't -- maybe because it's safeguard system directly relies on trusting the CGM, and so it HAS to be extra strict about it. That's fair, but still sounds annoying.

I wanted a CGM with safeguard (insulin cut-off when low or going low) a lot, but while researching, I've come to realise that's not such a big deal for now. Reliable readings and alarms will let you know to stop your insulin just fine. Unreliable readings won't help even if the thing (the 640g) can TECHNICALLY stop itself, but refuses to do anything because the CGM readings are so far off normal.

@justbe, this sounds very much as though you've been reviewing commentary about the Medtronic CGM system on Facebook, where nearly the entirety of what you read comes from the US, uses the older Minimed transmitters and really is just not as accurate.

You might want to have a read of this: http://www.diabettech.com/cgm/whats...n-easy-question-with-a-more-difficult-answer/

In the meantime, I'd agree that the Medtronic CGM is more expensive than using Dexcom with the Vibe, but don't think the G4 you get in the UK is particularly accurate - it has a MARD and Clarke Error Grid analysis that isn't as good as the latest generation Enlite and Guardian 2 transmitter available in the UK and Europe.

I really wish hospitals would give people the opportunity to properly trial the 640G, because I believe that they'd find that more people would see that the CGM system is pretty good, the CGM integration is just that - integration with the functionality of the system rather than simply a CGM receiver, and how well that works on the predictive low suspend feature. Ah well...