# Which pump?



## Amberzak (Jan 20, 2015)

I have an appointment with the consultant about getting my pump in February. Any recommendations on which pump? I have the accucheck expert glucose meter.


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## Sally71 (Jan 20, 2015)

We've only ever had the Accu Chek Combo and I can't recommend it highly enough.  The test kit acts as a remote control so you can do all your boluses etc without having to fish the pump out from under your clothes.  The test kit/remote is exactly like the Expert but with a bit of extra programming to allow it to communicate with the pump, so you should find that easy to use.

The main downside with this pump is that it won't integrate with CGMs.  We've never tried CGM and daughter doesn't want to either at the moment, so that isn't a problem for us.  But if you think you might be wanting to use CGMs then it might be better to consider one of the other options.

Of course they might offer you the Insight instead, in which case I can't help you!

Whichever pump you pick you will eventually love, just be prepared for some hard work for a little while as you get it all set up correctly and get used to it.

Good luck


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## everydayupsanddowns (Jan 20, 2015)

Roche have a new pump the 'Insight' out now, which may be worth looking at too if you want to stay with Roche from your Expert experience.

Medtronic are just launching a new replacement for the Veo (which integrates with CGM) called the MiniMed 640G (there's a thread about that in the pumping section). All sorts of new cleverness to potentially avoid many many hypos if used with sensors, and lots of other great features if used without, including some 'bolus from BG meter' options, though the full bolus wizard is still on the pump with Medtronic.

The other pump that integrates with CGM in the UK is the Animas Vibe, which uses Dexcom sensors. General feeling is that Dexcom tend to last longer (especially if you are comfortable restarting sensors), which could be important if you want CGM but are self-funding.

Alternatively, if you are concerned about tubing you could always look at the Omnipod. Has never appealed to me, but lots of people are mad about them.

To be honest it's a very personal thing - and if it's your first pump you can't really go wrong. Once you've got your head around it you will LOVE it!


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## trophywench (Jan 20, 2015)

Anyone getting a Roche pump is getting the Insight now I think.  My Combo is due for update quite soon and it better be an insight LOL

The snag with the Combo - which won't apply with the insight - is(was) the size of it since it took (takes) a 300ml reservoir - and you have people say with other pumps Oh I keep it down my bra inside one of the cups - Really? - surely not if the pump doesn't have a remote? and in any case the Combo practically fills a 36B bra cup on its own so where does your boob go!

I think whatever pump you land up with you'll love anyway to be honest.

It's only when you live with em that you get to pick flies with anything.  But there again, while you can pick flies, I don't think you always notice so much the things yours does really well, that maybe others aren't so good at.

Elsewhere there has been discussion about the Combo not showing you the current state of the battery - it simply doesn't.  It gives you an alarm and message when it's getting low which it repeats at intervals after the first one BUT you still have a day or so to get a new one in so it doesn't cause panic.  The meter's the same so no paranoia.

Anyway the Insight does so again - NP  !!

I have of course, never used any other make so nothing to compare.


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## trophywench (Jan 20, 2015)

PS  Pumper Sue is actually the only regular poster I have come across so far who has actually changed makes of pump and her old one did do things better than the new one from what she said.  However since they stopped making her first one - she was stuck with having something different.  That's not quite the same experience that will apply to most of us.


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## Sally71 (Jan 20, 2015)

Actually that is one slightly annoying thing about the Combo - when the handset battery is low you get no warning of how low it is, it goes from fully functioning to battery low and it switches the Bluetooth off immediately to save power. So whilst you can still do blood tests you lose all connectivity with the pump, so you have to replace the batteries immediately if you don't want to be faffing about doing all your boluses manually on the pump!

I suppose that's only a minor niggle though!


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## trophywench (Jan 20, 2015)

Yes - but you have to do that anyway all the time with pumps without a remote!!

Mind, I've never had the Bluetooth stop when the battery low indicator has come up - I spose if you ignore that until you get its last warning it might.  Do you always turn the meter off as soon as it starts delivering any bolus?  cos otherwise the Bluetooth just stays on until the meter turns itself off and there's no point once it gets stuck in, cos it's already told the pump what to do and it does it.  And of course uses more battery power.


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## Sally71 (Jan 20, 2015)

That's why I love the Combo - I'd really miss the remote functionality if we switched to a different pump.  Especially on a child in the middle of the night or when out somewhere.  I suppose if I'd been given a different one to start with I wouldn't know any different!

When I do boluses I always watch it start to count down and then switch the remote off, I don't watch it count down all the way.

We actually get over 3 months out of a set of lithium batteries which is pretty amazing - and pump and handset always fail very close together so now as soon as the handset advises low battery I change the pump one too.  I don't think the pump itself switches the Bluetooth off when it advises low battery but the handset does, I always get a message something like "low battery - pump unavailable" or something.  Have never tried to turn the Bluetooth back on again, I just change the batteries at that point!


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## trophywench (Jan 20, 2015)

Well yeah - ditto - when ones needs a battery - the other gets it too - don't want sibling rivalry do we Sally?

The battery changes just aren't that frequent that they are annoying, to me.


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## spiritfree (Jan 21, 2015)

I am on the new Accu Chek Insight pump and I can't praise it enough. The handset is just like a mobile phone, so it doesn't cause other people to notice you and want to know all about it. The meter is smaller than the combo and it is easy to use. The information on the screen can be made larger, for people who don't see to well. The cartridges are pre-filled and the pump screen tells you what to do through every step. It is a really great new pump and I would recommend it to anyone.


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## Amberzak (Jan 21, 2015)

I'm really liking this insight one. I will push for that. I want to stick with Roche because I like them as a company.


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## HOBIE (Jan 21, 2015)

I am the same with Medtronic ! The staff are great


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## HOBIE (Jan 21, 2015)

Just had news letter from Medtronic (email) & storey about a T1 doing an Iron Man. Recipe's & events


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## Nyadach (Jan 21, 2015)

Currently using the Medtronic 530 and it's been great. Taken quiet a pounding also over the years. But must admit I am drooling over the new 640g which looks very nifty.

Link to 640 review


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## HOBIE (Jan 21, 2015)

Hi Nyadach,  To those who don't know Nyadach.  Here is a little storey. He is a lad that travels more than 40miles on a bike to see his Diabetic Dr. He has done "Lands End-John o G" by himself, camping on the way.  No help or back up van. T1 on a long journey. All for JDRF.  When he says pump has had a hard time ! Well


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## Nyadach (Jan 21, 2015)

It had a really hard time in Oct, head on smack against a tree. Didn't notice it had grown leaves till the next food stop (had a small bush sticking out of it). Mangled the infusion set though which I didn't notice till after the event, but it lived and I'm still using it. 

p.s. Great seeing you Hobie


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## heasandford (Jan 22, 2015)

Amberzak said:


> I'm really liking this insight one. I will push for that. I want to stick with Roche because I like them as a company.



I have a Roche Accuchek Combo which I would certainly recommend to anyone. The only thing about the new Insight is that I read somewhere (where?) that the cartridges only hold 200ml, which may mean changing more frequently? The Combo holds 315ml, which is perfect for me for the maximum 6 days allowed between cartridge changes


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## HOBIE (Jan 22, 2015)

Nyadach said:


> It had a really hard time in Oct, head on smack against a tree. Didn't notice it had grown leaves till the next food stop (had a small bush sticking out of it). Mangled the infusion set though which I didn't notice till after the event, but it lived and I'm still using it.
> 
> p.s. Great seeing you Hobie



Hope you had your hat on. Them pesky trees


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## trophywench (Jan 22, 2015)

The Insight does only hold about 200 heasandford.  The bespoke Novorapid cartridges for it only hold 180 - ideal for moi, can't wait !

315ml lasts me nearly 11 days - far too big.


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## Sally71 (Jan 22, 2015)

200 units might just last us 6 days if we're very lucky, but not if daughter is on a growth spurt!  I usually put 220-250 in depending on what BGs have been like (usually higher and needing lots of corrections when growing).  So that's one thing I don't like the sound of for the Insight.  However I don't think we're due for a new one yet, is it every 4 years that you get a new one?  In which case we've still got another year and a half with the Combo so I don't need to worry about it yet!


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## trophywench (Jan 22, 2015)

Yes, 4 years.  Thing is seeing as if it's Novorapid it just means changing the cartridge same as with a pen (though different cartridges obviously as pen ones are 3ml) it's hardly onerous - now it's a PITA to a) fill the cartridge which I hate (well it's the flicking I hate more than anything) and b) if you only stick 200-ish in (and why waste it) you have to wind the shover doings in the pump back up from 315 to 200, which takes ages and hurts me finger.

I'm hoping you can do a cartridge change without having to prime the tubing - but we'll have to see.


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## HOBIE (Jan 22, 2015)

Nyadach said:


> It had a really hard time in Oct, head on smack against a tree. Didn't notice it had grown leaves till the next food stop (had a small bush sticking out of it). Mangled the infusion set though which I didn't notice till after the event, but it lived and I'm still using it.
> 
> p.s. Great seeing you Hobie



A pump with leaves ! Beat that


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## spiritfree (Jan 23, 2015)

There is no need to worry about how much insulin the cartridge holds as you just put a new pre-filled cartridge in and off you go again. I use very high amounts of insulin and a cartridge may last 1 day or it may last 1.5 days. I was really worried about keep changing cartridges but it is so easy with pre-filled cartridges. I really can't fault the pump at all, infact I LOVE IT.


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## Amberzak (Jan 23, 2015)

Remind me, spiritfree, which is yours again? 

I change my pen every 3-4 days.


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## Bloden (Jan 23, 2015)

HOBIE said:


> A pump with leaves ! Beat that



LOL. Great story, Nyadach!


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## heasandford (Jan 23, 2015)

spiritfree said:


> There is no need to worry about how much insulin the cartridge holds as you just put a new pre-filled cartridge in and off you go again.



I thought you couldn't pre-fill a plastic cartridge? You can only keep insulin in plastic for 6 days maximum? Although I suppose you can prefill up to 6 at a time if they only last a day each.

And it's not just the cartridge filling, it's priming the tube which also takes up time, since each cartridge change needs this. Not meaning to be negative, anything that impoves the technical bits must be good! I'm just over a year into pumping with my Combo, and I'm a big fan (although I still get too many ridiculous results with no apparent reason!)


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## trophywench (Jan 23, 2015)

Spiritfree has the Roche Insight pump, their new one.  Novorapid make pre-filled cartridges for it, none of the others do.  It also has the option for normal pump cartridges you fill yourself, just like every other pump known to man at the moment.  So if you favour Humalog or Apidra, fine carry on.

I'll get mine soon !


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## spiritfree (Jan 24, 2015)

Amberzak said:


> Remind me, spiritfree, which is yours again?
> 
> I change my pen every 3-4 days.



I am on the Accu-chek INSIGHT.  I really LOVE IT. I would recomend it to anyone. Superb piece of kit and a great handset.


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## HOBIE (Jan 24, 2015)

Bloden said:


> LOL. Great story, Nyadach!



I know its true Bloden


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## Nyadach (Jan 24, 2015)

This was after the food stop...think I missed a few leaves but they still got a pic of me hehe. Daft thing was due to the crash, getting an infection, the broken infusion set, and dehydration from the ride ended up with DKA for first time in 35 years and in hospital that night. So a pretty memorable day.


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