# Tandem t slim



## steveo (Jul 22, 2022)

I'm due to change pump from the Accu chek Insight to the tandem t slim in September. Has anyone else changed over? How did you find it was there any problems?


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## Inka (Jul 22, 2022)

A number of people here use the T Slim, including @everydayupsanddowns Any new pump seems strange to start with but you’ll soon get used to it. If you get a chance to look at the T Slim online that will be good as you can familiarise yourself with it. There are also various videos on YouTube, but really I’m sure you’ll pick things up quickly.


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## helli (Jul 22, 2022)

There have been quite a few threads about this.
The search function at the top right of every page is very useful to find them


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## everydayupsanddowns (Jul 24, 2022)

I switched from Medtronic to tSlim a year or two back, and really like it. 

One thing which does strike me, moving from Roche… you’ll have to get used to a different way of showing Insulin on Board - which will look alarmingly big to you to begin with. Roche discounts any insulin set against carbs for its IoB, so it only really shows ‘correction on board’, but Medtronic and tSlim show all the active insulin, so the iob will look much larger on your tSlim, and you‘ll have to keep mental track of ‘carbs on board’. 

If you’d like to get a feel for the menus, and what’s where, there is a tSlim emulator app you can put onto your smartphone which allows you to play with menus / settings / bolus wizard etc. I found that really helpful.


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## SB2015 (Jul 24, 2022)

As others have said, any switch of pumps takes a bit of getting used to.  I went from Combo to Medtronic and there were quite a few differences, including the insulin on board/active insulin that @everydayupsanddowns mentions.

Are you going to be using the t-slim in closed loop? For me that was the motivation to switch pumps and I am so pleased that I did.  I think about my diabetes a lot less than before. It took me some time to trust it to do a lot of the work I had done before, but delighted that I did. 

Well worth doing the homework to become as familiar as you can but also just be patient with yourself as you get used to a different system.


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## steveo (Jul 24, 2022)

SB2015 said:


> As others have said, any switch of pumps takes a bit of getting used to.  I went from Combo to Medtronic and there were quite a few differences, including the insulin on board/active insulin that @everydayupsanddowns mentions.
> 
> Are you going to be using the t-slim in closed loop? For me that was the motivation to switch pumps and I am so pleased that I did.  I think about my diabetes a lot less than before. It took me some time to trust it to do a lot of the work I had done before, but delighted that I did.
> 
> Well worth doing the homework to become as familiar as you can but also just be patient with yourself as you get used to a different system.


I'm just using it as a stand alone pump due to my CCG not agreeing to give me the Dexcom one.


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## Saoirse (Jul 24, 2022)

steveo said:


> I'm just using it as a stand alone pump due to my CCG not agreeing to give me the Dexcom one.


Just to say that Dexcom one is not compatible with looping. For that you need a Dexcom G6


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## steveo (Jul 25, 2022)

Saoirse said:


> Just to say that Dexcom one is not compatible with looping. For that you need a Dexcom G6


Ok then I thought it done the same thing as the G6 but just a bit more simplified with not as many options.


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## Melbob87 (Jul 25, 2022)

Hi, how come your changing ? Have your hospital stopped using it ? I’m on the accu check aswell and been on it for 6 years now but I received a letter saying they are taking everyone off it and I need to pick a new pump! I have no idea about the 3 other pumps  one being the tanderm t slim, Medtronic780G or the omipod! What made you choose to go with the tanderm ? Thanks!


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## everydayupsanddowns (Jul 25, 2022)

Melbob87 said:


> Hi, how come your changing ? Have your hospital stopped using it ? I’m on the accu check aswell and been on it for 6 years now but I received a letter saying they are taking everyone off it and I need to pick a new pump! I have no idea about the 3 other pumps  one being the tanderm t slim, Medtronic780G or the omipod! What made you choose to go with the tanderm ? Thanks!



I think the only Roche pump still on the books is the semi-patch Solo. As I understand it the Insight isn’t being offered to new pump starts, and the Combo is 2 generations ago, so no longer being offered after current contracts end?


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## everydayupsanddowns (Jul 25, 2022)

steveo said:


> I'm just using it as a stand alone pump due to my CCG not agreeing to give me the Dexcom one.



I believe it’s the same pump. One of the cool things about the tSlim is that you can update the software/firmware on the pump via an internet download. eg I was supplied with the Basal IQ version (suspend only) and have upgraded it to the Control IQ version (hybrid closed loop)


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## steveo (Jul 25, 2022)

It was the best of the 2 pumps that was offered to me. I trialled the ypsopump but never liked it to me it didn't seem very user friendly and the Bluetooth connection on the app was very unreliable. I've seen loads of videos on you tube and the t slim appeals to me much more although there is no app available at the moment. I would have chose the omnipod because I really wanted a tubeless pump but i was only offered a choice of 2


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## Melbob87 (Jul 25, 2022)

I still have 2 years left with mine, but I received a letter saying it is unsafe and the hospitals decided to stop using them so I need to pick a new pump! I’ve always found mine to be ok to be fair and looking at the 3  other pumps they are offering with having to fill them ect… they all seem very different and I’ve been asked to choose one! It’s quite hard when I literally have no idea about any of them  I’m obvs doing some research into them all but what made you go with the tanderm ?


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## steveo (Jul 25, 2022)

Melbob87 said:


> Hi, how come your changing ? Have your hospital stopped using it ? I’m on the accu check aswell and been on it for 6 years now but I received a letter saying they are taking everyone off it and I need to pick a new pump! I have no idea about the 3 other pumps  one being the tanderm t slim, Medtronic780G or the omipod! What made you choose to go with the tanderm ? Thanks!


was the best of the 2 pumps that was offered to me. I trialled the ypsopump but never liked it to me it didn't seem very user friendly and the Bluetooth connection on the app was very unreliable. I've seen loads of videos on you tube and the t slim appeals to me much more although there is no app available at the moment. I would have chose the omnipod because I really wanted a tubeless pump but i was only offered a choice of 2


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## Melbob87 (Jul 25, 2022)

Oh ok makes sense! I liked the idea of no tubing but the pod looks quite big! I have ordered a dummy one to try that out! I think they all have pros and cons to them, I just wasn’t expecting the letter and having to choose a new pump!


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## PhoebeC (Aug 9, 2022)

steveo said:


> was the best of the 2 pumps that was offered to me. I trialled the ypsopump but never liked it to me it didn't seem very user friendly and the Bluetooth connection on the app was very unreliable. I've seen loads of videos on you tube and the t slim appeals to me much more although there is no app available at the moment. I would have chose the omnipod because I really wanted a tubeless pump but i was only offered a choice of 2


I have ordered the ypsopump to try. And I have the Mudtrum to give a go also. 

I liked the trail omnipod a lot. It was small and no tubes is appealing to me. 

There's so much to think about, I want to be prepared when I speak to my team. Never been offered a pump in 17 years.


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## PhoebeC (Aug 15, 2022)

Melbob87 said:


> Oh ok makes sense! I liked the idea of no tubing but the pod looks quite big! I have ordered a dummy one to try that out! I think they all have pros and cons to them, I just wasn’t expecting the letter and having to choose a new pump!


What did you think of the dummy one?


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## PhoebeC (Aug 17, 2022)

Well the ypsopump demo is useless. Loads of packaging, no contact off them, or booklet / instructions only a 3D model of the pump and a canula, with a freepost return letter.

 All it has done is show me the size of it which is much bigger than the omnipod and Mudtrum. I could likely keep those on for rugby, at least training if not matches but no way with the ypso. 

Also I phoned Tandem T slim about a sample and these are only with the healthcare provider. And their line was poor and she had a very strong accent so I already don't like them. I am so picky with customer service.


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## Pumper_Sue (Aug 18, 2022)

PhoebeC said:


> Also I phoned Tandem T slim about a sample and these are only with the healthcare provider. And their line was poor and she had a very strong accent so I already don't like them. I am so picky with customer service.


I found their customer service fab, gawd knows what you would think of medtronic, barely speak English and the accents are so bad I end up by not continuing the call


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## Pumper_Sue (Aug 18, 2022)

PhoebeC said:


> Also I phoned Tandem T slim about a sample and these are only with the healthcare provider. And their line was poor and she had a very strong accent so I already don't like them. I am so picky with customer service.


As a matter of interest what sample were you expecting?
Cannulas are prescription only hence why you were told they were with health care P's.
Oh and they cost about £10 each.


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## Sally71 (Aug 18, 2022)

PhoebeC said:


> Also I phoned Tandem T slim about a sample and these are only with the healthcare provider. And their line was poor and she had a very strong accent so I already don't like them. I am so picky with customer service.


They sound like North East England to me, I’m sorry but if you can’t cope with regional dialects from your own country I think you might be a bit too picky


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## PhoebeC (Aug 19, 2022)

Sally71 said:


> They sound like North East England to me, I’m sorry but if you can’t cope with regional dialects from your own country I think you might be a bit too picky


Scouse, Manc, Yorkshire or Lanc I would be fine. It was mainly the bad line with the accent


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## PhoebeC (Aug 19, 2022)

Pumper_Sue said:


> As a matter of interest what sample were you expecting?
> Cannulas are prescription only hence why you were told they were with health care P's.
> Oh and they cost about £10 each.


Well the Medtrum sample is the full patch with cannula minus the insulin element, same with the Omnipod, all but the insulin tank.

Currently got the Medtrum sample on. There is a little key (like an iPhone sim key) to remove the cannula, perhaps that’s part of the sample experience.

Also the Tslim sample has a cannula. Considering some people self fund I understand why they would want a sample without the health care team


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## Pumper_Sue (Aug 19, 2022)

PhoebeC said:


> Also the Tslim sample has a cannula. Considering some people self fund I understand why they would want a sample without the health care team


The only thing to have from Tslim would be the cannula and a druggies could use them, plusprescription item then Tslim wont supply them without a prescription and this applies to self funders as well.
I you want t ty a Tslim there are plenty of online tuition websites to do so.
If you want to find out what a tubed pump is like the use a yoyo. Just don't play with it whilst at work


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## SB2015 (Aug 22, 2022)

Melbob87 said:


> Oh ok makes sense! I liked the idea of no tubing but the pod looks quite big! I have ordered a dummy one to try that out! I think they all have pros and cons to them, I just wasn’t expecting the letter and having to choose a new pump!


I am using the Medtronic 780, and switched to this from the Combo. I was already used to a tubed pump so not worried about that, but took some getting used to needing to access the pump to do any bolus, having got used to the Combo all being done from my handset/test kit.

I find the pump support is excellent, and they patiently supported me through the switch over.  I now use the pump with their sensors in a closed loop, where the pump makes adjustments to my basal rates every 5 minutes.  It has made a very positive impact not only giving me a Time In Range often in the 90s but most of all I think about my diabetes a lot less And the looping does a lot of the work for me.

There have been glitches in their ordering of supplies, but I have not experienced any of the difficulties PumperSue has identified in understanding them.  Their teams are based in the UK and the only one I struggled with was a very strong Scottish accent.  My problem not theirs.


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## trophywench (Aug 22, 2022)

Waste of time my saying this really - I had the choice of Omnipod, Medtronic 640, T-slim or a Roche Combo.  PITA for starters having to fill cannulas again after using the Insight for 5 years.  Anyway I didn't fancy the faff about filling the Tslim reservoir, nor the fact the rep told me it was useless without the Dexcom - and No Way Pedro has our CCG funded a CGM for anyone normal.  (Can't speak for the unusual people since I've never been informed I am one!  I daresay if there was an incontrovertible medical necessity for CGM, they'd have to.)  So I discounted the Tandem and opted grumpily for another Combo - but have wished, ever since, that I hadn't sulked and said I'll have the Tslim and pay for the Dexcom myself - just find it annoying after paying into the NHS for 40 years, to have to because I live in the wrong place.


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## Sally71 (Aug 22, 2022)

@trophywench you were misinformed - the TSlim will function quite happily as a basic pump without the Dexcom, we were advised to use it that way for a few weeks to get used to it before we added the sensors.  The refills are a bit of a faff though, thankfully for me my daughter has taken that on all by herself so I don’t have to get involved !


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## trophywench (Aug 22, 2022)

I now understand more about the T slim and I was damned annoyed at the hospital NOT telling the rep upfront that CGMs are as rare as hens' teeth (changed that from my usual descriptive phrase   ) as far as UHCW patients are concerned.   All very well a 30 yo telling me I could self fund it - well as it happens I could actually - but I believe that by no means all 72 yo's she might happen to meet are in my position financially.  Certainly not earning 20K+ a year now and to me, my personal finance should not come into such things.


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