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For insulin pump users: What was the format of your most recent pump training?
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My current pump is a Medtronic 770g, which is basically the same as the 670g I was using before. I did not do any training for the 770g.
When I got my first Tandem insulin pump, about 7 years ago, I had a trainer come to my home and give me instructions. When I got my most recent Tandem X2 pump, it came with a booklet and a CD (I think). All is well.
Although I’d been using a Medtronic pump for the last 20 years, my diabetes team insisted that the advances made in pump technology deserved a meeting/training session with a representative from Medtronic/MiniMed.
Apart from the Medtronic 640G pump now having an ‘Auto Mode’ … which works alongside CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitoring) … there was very little difference to what I was already doing. (I’m due to be getting the Medtronic 780G soon, so I hope I don’t have to go through the same palaver again.)
Have you heard when the 780G is out?
Individual 35+ years ago for the first one. Prerecorded videos for those after that had a different operation.
It was in October 2020 when we were fully into COVID. Tandem and its rep did a wonderful job handling the training virtually.
I was transitioning from an older Medtronic Minimed Paradigm pump to Tandem’s t:slim X2 with Control IQ.
It was almost 10 years ago. I don’t think virtual training of any kind was available then.
20 years ago with my very first pump, a Cozmore, it was in person in my home. When I had to switch to Animas I did the transition myself. 8 years ago (or so) for my switch to Tandem it was in person – at my home (I have pugs, all rescues, and the trainer did too. So she came to the house to meet ours and brought hers along!). Since then when I upgraded to BIQ I did it myself.
I’ve been a pump user for 20 yrs. Haven’t had a pump training for at least 12 yrs. Then it was ono on one training with a RN
I hooked myself up to the Medtronic in the early 1990s without any training. When I switched to Omnipod in 2010 their representative came to my home to give the training but it was not needed.
My very first pump–an old pager-style Medtronic–was a group training at Joslin. I think there were three of us in my “class,” over a few sessions, then one-on-one to get all the settings adjusted over a few weeks. More recently but still a long while ago now, was one-on-one when I tried the 670G, which was a big change–I was the first in my Endo’s practice to give it a shot. Had a very good in-house RN plus a Medtronic rep. And it never really worked out for me. After 6 months of frustration I went back to my old, simple pager-style Paradigm, which I’m still using. Fewer failure points, better results, and I’m pretty disillusioned with the whole closed (or semi-closed) loop thing.
Over the years both Animas and Tandem were done in person one on one. That being said the updates on the Tandem to both Basal IQ and Control IQ were done over the Internet through audio/video followed but a quiz.
My training ended up being on the phone, not even virtual, for about 45 minutes. The guy was new to the area for Insulet, but seemed knowledgeable. I thought we skipped over a lot I expected him to cover. Got a two additional calls over the next month, but quite frankly, I thought the online video’s did a better job of covering topics…except you can’t ask a video a question and I had a couple.
I received training in person when I got my first pump about 20+ years ago and nothing since.
I did not have pump training
I had the trainer from Tandem come to my house. I must say, however, when the time came for the first time I did it om my own, it took me about 45 minutes. LOL Not that the trainer was bad, but I just had a difficult time filling the cartridge with insulin the first few times I did it on my own. Now I do it in a different fashion than was taught to me, and it makes it so much easier for me to remember how to fill the cartridge. I take maybe 10 minutes now from start to finish (from unwrapping all of the components to putting or throwing all components away).
In May, 2020 Tandem was only providing virtual training. I had lots of concerns and wanted hands on training. My CDE, also a certified Tandem trainer, offered to provide that in a clinic appointment. It made a tremendous difference to be able to get my questions answered and the have all of the pump settings adjusted by a trainer who knew me and my medical history. Watching the training videos helped, but I learn by doing, so I needed the in-person training. My previous pump, an Animas Vibe that I had for two years, was my first pump, so this is still rather new tech after 60+ years of using a syringe and vial.
Other. A half hour in a Starbuck’s with the Tandem rep. Insertion & everything out in the opening, out in public.
Not like the old days. 1996 was two days in the hospital.
And now, even better with do it yourself independence, it’s some time watching UTube, do the proper plumbing, and get on with your life. Ainsi va la vie. Ahhhhh! ᕙ། ¯ ~͜ʖ~ ¯ །ᕗ
As it was 5 years ago this month that I received my current pump, it was in person, individually. Thanks to many doctors’ offices/clinics still wary about in person visits, thanks to the lingering issues with the pandemic, who knows how the new pump will be introduced to me – it should be happening sometime later this month, however it is to be done.
Other, I read the manual and did it myself. Didn’t want to wait over a month for the trainer. Apparently, I upset the staff at the diabetes care center I go to. My endo told them “a can read”. It wasn’t my first rodeo. “D
I had mine up and running within the hour and spent 5 minutes on the phone with the trainer. 55 years T1D, 15 years pumping.
I had a full day group training and then two follow up appointments (one with a nurse and one with a nutritionist). The 2nd appointment was about a week before the clinic closed for the pandemic in 2020. I was on the phone with the nurse as she was packing up her office to work from home.
When I received my pump, appts for training were 3 weeks out, so I just started the pump on my own. I knew mostly what to do because I had been on another pump. They wouldn’t train me after I had already started on my own. Ha, I sort of felt like I was being punished. I wish I could get an appt with a trainer now tho’ as I would like to ask questions about the algorithm. These would be questions that come later after using the pump for a while.