I may have mentioned that my warranty ends on my Minimed in February, prompting me to get excited about getting the new 530G and Enlite sensor/transmitter system.
But I thought… hmm, I have the opportunity to shop around for a new brand of pump because my insurance isn’t limited to a Medtronic contract, why am I not taking it?
I know Kim over at textingmypancreas is also shopping around for a pump, so I’m following her trials and reviews a bit more closely.
Lifestyle-wise, I’ve added the T:Slim to my list of possible upgrades.
This is the T:Slim:
It’s a touch screen insulin pump, similar to a smart phone. This would alleviate the issues I seem to have with button errors when sticking the pump in places other than a pants pocket. (See my NYE story last year…) It also has a rechargeable battery rather than being powered by an Energizer disposable, so the tree-hugger in me is semi-soothed. (Insulin pumps still produce a lot of waste, but whatever.) The infusion sets seem fairly similar, if not better, than my standard sets from Medtronic. You can enter carb counts on a keypad rather than scrolling through a sequential list. It’s flat – so more comfortable to sleep on. Color screen is easier to see in the dark or bright light – much like a smart phone. And there is an app to upload data for evaluation by a health care provider.
Sounds awesome, right? Well – you take the good with the bad. The T:Slim was introduced in 2012 by Tandem – a brand new start up trying to revolutionize pumping. Fine and dandy unless you are someone who doesn’t like to try the first version of anything. With the startup comes complaints about customer service, etc. and so forth. However, I’ve had some interesting customer service from Medtronic over the years so, that’s not a HUGE concern. (But still a valid one.) The other thing to consider is that I would need a separate device to act as my CGM. The obvious choice would be a Dexcom, which many in the DOC love to pieces and tell me it’s heaven compared to my mosquito sensors… but again, the inconvenience (and expense) of ANOTHER sensor device to tote around feels like a hassle when compared to my All-in-One, no matter how inaccurate it may be.
(Though – rumor has is that t:slim and Dexcom will be integrating eventually into one device as well… but it’s not yet.)
Anyway, I told my husband about my cursory research and that this could be the future of my pumping. Here is how the conversation went.
M: It’s fancy.
J: Yup.
M: It looks like an iPhone.
J: Yeah a little bit, huh?
M: Can it play your Snoopy game?
J: No, probably not.
M: What about Insulin vs. Carbies?
J: …Yes… actually, yes, that’s exactly it.
Think about it…
GRAAAAAAIIIINNNNNNSSSSSS!!!
I think my husband is on to something.
See Jen Dance 
I thought about the T-slim. For all the same reasons too. Seemed a lot more manageable to me. Especially since navigating it would be almost like a smart phone. Cute little graphic by the way. I hope no matter what you choose you’re very happy with it. 🙂
Thanks. 🙂
I’ve thought about switching pumps when I come due for another (which, I think, is in May). But I realized that everything I was looking at was simply “change for the sake of change”.
Being pretty doesn’t mean much to me. Saving me time is important — as is the compactness of the whole thing. From what I gather, the Medtronic still requires the fewest button-presses to do stuff and is faster at most all functions — the only possible rival is the Asante Snap. But the Snap doesn’t talk to anything else, and the Medtronic does. Having my meter automatically input a BG into the bolus calculation is HUGE – as is the ability of it to calibrate the CGM (though I’m not entirely sure about the CGM just yet).
The Animas has its advantages — namely waterproofness and remote-bolus (if that matters to you, though the meter it uses is inferior, IMO). T:Slim is quirky with its low-BG bolus corrections, and takes a lifetime to prime the tubing, though it does allow you to perform basic carb-addition if you can’t do it in your head. Accu-Chek has been ramping up promotions of their new pump lately, though I haven’t paid much attention. And Omnipod is a whole different concept, entirely.
My point is — don’t get hooked in by the bright lights and slick appearance. Start by deciding what features are most important to you and then which pump offers those features; don’t start with the pump and then try to find features to make it worthwhile. And finally, go by what’s available today, not what may be available in the future — that does you no good.
Right now, my next pump is leaning towards Medtronic. But there’s still time for things to change, and a bit more feedback I’m looking for regarding its CGM.
Understood, and I value your opinion. However, upgrading from my Paradigm to anything else right now (Medtronic or not) will be a HUGE change, both aesthetically and functionally. So I would rather explore all options fairly because, well frankly, I have that option. I’ve got an Omnipod “trial kit” coming in the mail soon too. I have no idea what that means, but I’m excited to find out.
Just as a general tech thing, I’d advise against a non-removable rechargeable battery, given how expensive and necessary it’ll be for your device to function optimally. (If the battery is replaceable, ignore this.)
If you prefer being more green, and use AA or AAA batteries, why not stock up on some Sanyo Eneloops? They hold a charge very well. I don’t notice a difference between them and regular batteries aside from having to recharge them.
I just got the new Medtronic 530G w/ Enlite…so far, I’m pretty happy with it!