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Why is the Insight handset so slow?

ealingr

Well-Known Member
I've had the Accu-Check Insight for a while now and there's a lot I like about it, but the slowness of the handset is starting to bother me.

A few times now, I've found myself missing a bolus because I get interrupted during the (lengthy, multi-step) blousing process. I've also found myself blousing directly from the pump for speed purposes rather than using the bolus calculator on the handset.

The speed of the handset has been discussed at length, I know, and I don't want to duplicate previous threads. My real reason for starting this thread is to ask...

Does anyone know *why* the handset is so slow?

The reason I've found myself giving to others is that regulation and approval of medical devices takes time, which means insulin pump technology necessarily lags some years behind mobile phone technology. But even mobile phones from a few years ago had faster "brains"!

Is the real reason something else? Cost? Something to do with the bluetooth connection?

I'm interested if anyone knows more about this...
 
You will never get an answer from the manufacturer, my guess is that you can stack boluses with the Insight and it needs to take time to work these out.
 
A few months ago I rang Accu Chek and told them the slowness of my meter was driving me nuts. They said it was my fault, because I was putting my test strip into the meter first, instead of turning the meter on first. I’ve been pumping for 10 years and had no idea I was doing it wrong. I’ve since been doing it their way, and no difference - if anything it gets slower as time goes by. Still driving me nuts!
 
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I'm on it and it's the most frustrating thing about it. Nope, you can put the handset on simply by putting in a test strip. That's a perfectly valid way of turning on handset and I'm not suprised it hasn't altered the speed as it's just an INCREDIBLY slow, slow handset. I was warned about this before I accepted it, but didn't realise just QUITE HOW SLOW it was. May I ask those using it their reasons for choosing it? Mine was because I didn't need to keep whipping out my Medtronic from my bra to bolus (with a dress it would have been going to the loo every time to extract) so this was and still is high on my list of what the Insight can do BUT, god, the slowness.
 
My main reason for choosing it was being able to bolus remotely, too - particularly at work. It is also very small and neat, which means it is easy/discreet to fit under clothes.

I hold out hope that the next edition will give us an improvement in the handset. Or even better, the ability to control the pump from a phone app!
 
I was also warned it was slow and it is slower than what we are used to when we load up apps/emails on phones but I am okay with that because I like the bluetooth feature, have used the brand for my last pump but mainly because I like the no fuss cartridge change (partially sighted and struggled to see air bubbles in the previous pump ).
 
I usually do something else whilst it is sorting, getting dressed,put kettle on or breakfast on.
If you hold top button on for a few seconds every day, it resets and speeds up slightly. But otherwise I like it
 
Yes it is painfully slow. Been on it for almost 4 years & thinking of the Omnipod next. So irritating!
 
I've had the Insight for 4½ years and it is (mainly) brilliant. As the only pump with pre-filled cartridges it was a no brainer for me. The handset was driving me potty though with the time taken, the comparative size of the sample required and the sheer number of failed strips all being factors. I have now ditched the meter with Roche giving me a code to upgrade MySugr which I now use all the time. Clearly, if they're prepared to fund this upgrade they are aware it's an issue but are, frustratingly, doing nothing about it.
 
Went on Insight after 52 years mdi.After doing Dafne course. It suits me fine as I am partially sighted and it has filled cartridge. Now 79 years.
 
I was on the insight for 8 years and found it painfully slow but at the time, this was progress.

Ive now changed and I’m on MEDTRONIC 670g with the CGM, since 7-10-19, I’ve found it so difficult to grasp as personally I’ve found it so high tech which I’ve not picked up easily and am still struggling with, but am slowly but surely getting there, it’s quite difficult to read as I’m sight impaired, but the CGM is excellent biggest bug bare is it’s not pre-filled cartridges.

And if your worried about your carbon footprint like I am there’s so much wastage, paper, plastic, etc.

But the pump and handset are very fast making it for me a brilliant piece of kit
 
kazam401 said:
How do you all get on these pumps? Been type 1 diabetic since 1981 and have NEVER been offered
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Hi Kazam401. In the UK you have to ask first.
Then you have to satisfy certain criteria; that will probably vary depending on which health care trust you are under. With mine, I had to be carb counting, showing significant effort to get my HbA1c down, and still having issues with my numbers. I have "brittle" diabetes ... rapid rises with carbs and rapid falls with insulin, so the pump made sense in trying to slow the ups and downs.

There are various assessment criteria, but I'd also recommend a good relationship with your DSN!
 

Thank you for that shedges, first I have ever heard of the term "brittle" diabetes, my symptoms some times follow your description. I will be asking my local DSN when I get chance.
 
Hi
I like many on the thread only had the choice of the insight or medtronic. I chose the insight due to the remote handset.
My dsn asked me only at my last appointment if I had reached "the throwing at the wall stage, yet?" very nearly was my response. I like others use the time it needs to chuff along to make tea or breakfast and occasionally load the washing machine. Criticism aside I wouldn't want to go back to injecting.
 
KillerQueen63 said:
The reason I have the Insight is because it was the only one on offer. I had no choice!
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....... The reason i chose the insight was purely for the insulin filled cartridges so i no longer had to draw up the insulin and spend ages flicking the syringe to get rid of air bubbles. The handset is so SLOW though it is annoying. I really hope they can improve this. I was due for a replacement pump last year but nothing so far. Doubt this will happen now?
Michele
 
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