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Pumps pros and cons

KayLaidlaw

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi everyone.

I am currently using injections at the moment. Ive been told to look into the omnipod and the T-slim pumps. Could people let me know how theyve found using them and any advice.. tips ect

Thank you all in advance

Kayleigh
 
Hi Kay, I can’t comment on omnipod or the t-slim but I’ve just been given the Medtronic 780G with the guardian 3 CGM. I honestly cant explain how good it is. I’ve only been using it a month but before the pump my a1c was 83 & now my predicted a1c is 48.7. Using the 780G with the guardian 3 has a feature called automode, basically it adjusts your background insulin for you every 5 minutes to keep you in range. It then also shuts off insulin when going low or can give auto correction doses when you go above target range to bring you back down. It really is like having a mechanical pancreas!

If you picked the Tandem would they fund you the dexcom to run alongside? I think the tandem t-slim has a automode feature like my Medtronic that’s all, but if they aren’t going to fund you the CGM you would lose that feature or need to self fund.

any questions just message me
 
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I was using Accu-check combo, and when it was time to change, got the Omnipod. It works well for a lot of people, but unfortunately not for me. I experienced so many high readings and painful sites, I had to give up eventually, and get another Combo which I love. I'm not sure, but I came to the conclusion that the issue with the Omnipod was that it uses 6mm cannulas whilst I use 8mm ones with the Combo. I did like the freedom of it though with it being tubeless, and wish it had worked for me.
 

Hi maco,

Thank you for your reply. Gave me lots of information!! Im not sure if they will fund both honesty right now. I was just told to look into both
Pumps

Thank you!
 
KayLaidlaw said:
Hi maco,

Thank you for your reply. Gave me lots of information!! Im not sure if they will fund both honesty right now. I was just told to look into both
Pumps

Thank you!
Click to expand...


Hi Kay,

I’d ask if they will find the dexcom with the tandem or if they would fund the guardian 3 with the medtronic. You’d be losing the main features of these new pumps if they didn’t & that’s just annoying :/

you’ll not regret going for a pump!!
 
currently on the Medtronic 640g moving to T-slim x2. Medtronic 640g-780g the pain with the guardian 3 CGM is the calibration as you need to do it every 6-12 hours or it shut's the cgm down which is bad if you have very irregular sleep patterns and miss a calibration you will drop out of auto mode . t=slim x2 with the the Dexcom G6 last up to 10 days with no calibrations so i'd think it would be better which is why i'm moving to T-slim next next month as i constantly miss calibrations due to falling asleep with out warnings which stops the medtronic cgm
 
the new hybrid closed loop pumps need the cgm to to work properly so should have their cgms proscribed with them if they don't ask your Member of parliament to write to funding body to get the cgm
 
Unfortunately it's very difficult to get Dexcom's funded by the NHS. I've been self funding for 6 years. My consultant is trying to get funding for me but I'm not holding my breath..
The t:Slim has been excellent. Even without a CGM it is a very nice pump - small with a (relatively) modern interface. As noted elsewhere the cartridge filling is a bit fiddly & slow but you soon get used to it.
 
I have Tslim with Dexcom.. it’s rare to have Dexcom funded by the nhs.. if the won’t fund and you won’t fund it yourself then I would highly consider the omnipod

If you will have Dexcom then go for the Tslim
 


Calibrations are every 12hrs after the first sensor calibration of 6hrs. If you miss a calibration you have 4hrs before it kicks you from automode so still a good window of time if say for instance you pop out shopping and your pump asks for a calibration. Also Medtronics Zeus sensor will be out the back End of this year maybe the start of next year which requires one calibration on start up then nothing for the rest of its life span.
 
I have the Dexcom and the t:slim. Most non CGM pumps are no different to CGM pumps where you do not activate the CGM, so I'd leave this out of the equation for now.

I'd go for a GCM capable pump and then decide to either stay as is, self fund or fight for funding. Remember you get the pump for 4 yrs.

As for the move, I held off for maybe 8-10 yrs after being offered a pump and now in hindsight wished I'd moved to a pump when first offered. It was the "having something joined to me" concerns that put me off for so long.

Some locations do support CGM when backed up by your consultant - for me I self funded for 8 yrs, got moved to Dexcom then found my area would fund the CGM and my consultant fought my corner and eventually won for me.
 

May only thoughts if you are not going cgm is that pods are tube free and therefor slightly less hassle.. and the pdm might be easier than operating directly on the pump

So the use of cgm may well be something to consider.. if I didn’t have Dexcom I’d go pods
 

Yep but having used the Omnipod for a trial for 3 months for my hospital my own experience is that I would not use it, but many are happy with it and as you say CGM operates without a pump. Also in my opinion it was more hassle rather than less.
 
I'm supposed get the t-slim x2 with Dexcom when my pump warranty run's out in march. The only one they won't fund is the CamAPS® FX | Advanced Therapeutics (UK) Ltd as they won't fund the phone app that allows to learn as it runs as it £70-80's per month in cambridge but that allows a lot tighter controls i think
 
try to get your consultant or DSN to work out average hospital admittance cost's versus pump cost's per year and if refused then ask your MP to write to ask why they're wasting money on hospital admittance as 1x(999 call out+ A&E, 3-7) days in hospital probably cost's more than pump + sensor yearly running cost and covid ATM make hospital beds a rare thing now
 
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