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On a scale of 1-5, how satisfied are you with your current insulin delivery method (pump, pens, syringes, inhaler, etc.)? 5 = the most satisfied, 1 = the least satisfied
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Of all the technological trinkets and tchotchkes available for the diabetic condition, I am incandescently happy. However, um . . . . . . I think I’d really like to have a pancreas. ( ◔ ʖ̯ ◔ )
Agree wd love to have a pancreas
I agree, but with out anti rejection shots.
Me too
A healthy undamaged biologic pancreas that works! Maybe in my next life???
Too many leaky pods to rate it a 5, but overall pretty happy!
I am a senior type 1 and like “Sameness” in my diabetic treatment. As a result, I still use syringes and clicked #4 with satisfaction. Interesting that the highest percent clicked #4 too. Nothing is perfect with T1D, but we do the best we can.
My Tandem pump and Dexcom sensor gives me the best control I have ever had since diagnosis in 1963, so I gave it a 5. Still, there is room for improvement. Some have commented that a real pancreas that works would be light years better.
I prefer using pens, rather than a pump. I wish the Levemir came in cartridges which would fit in a pen like the Echo, and I wish I could replace the battery in my Echo pen. But I like knowing that when I inject insulin, that the specified amount is in me. My pens don’t lie, unlike the pump.
Levemir does come in cartridges, at least it did several years ago when I purchased it that way.
Just changed from
Pump to MDI. Thing o love most is not being tied to a device. Especially ones with tubing. Even the pod was annoying and had a lot of delivery failures. Took me awhile to get my basal (Tresiba) to correct dose so didn’t wake up with lows. Use Lyumjev for bolus and love how fast it works. But this took awhile to adjust. At first used less than usual but now use more. Not sure why but I don’t mind the shots so it’s ok if I need to give myself another. I try to practice law
Of low numbers. Rather not go low. So that’s my story. Will not go back to a pump in foreseeable future. FYI on Medicare insulin pens cost way more than pump. $205 for 3 months compared to $0.
Tándem and Dexcom g6. Without them I couldn’t have the control I’m able to achieve now a day. It’s also great to sleep through the night.
Yes there are things I’d like to be different but so far they don’t exist in the diabetic world.
I put 4 because there’s always room for improvement, especially when it comes to diabetes. I always felt beat up over getting diabetes. You know the argument of eating better and so on. We all know that being diagnosed is a huge life adjustment that never stops. Battling T1D is huge. Would like to see more developments for care. I’m very blessed to have a great team helping me.
Although I am delighted with the closed-loop aspect of my Tandem T:slim X2 with Control IQ there are areas where it could be improved. For those of us fortunate enough to be highly sensitive to insulin (e.g. total daily dose around 20u per day for me), the waste of insulin at each site change interval (3 days for me) is disturbing. In order for the pump to accept a new cartridge, it must register that there are 50 u, after filling the tubing. The manual states that we should add 45 MORE units than we think we will need for delivery when loading the cartridge. (That is more than 2 days use for me!) I MUST load each new cartridge with 90u in order for my pump to register after tube fill that I have at least 50 u in it. Even when I’ve used my pump until there are zero u left and it stops delivery, I can still withdraw via syringe about 25u to 30u from the cartridge….more than one day’s use for me. The cartridge fill process is also cumbersome. I dislike the inability to see exactly how much insulin I’ve loaded. If I see +40u, it means that more than 40u but less than 60u have been detected in the cartridge. It isn’t until less than 40u remain that it will begin decreasing 1 unit at a time and display that number. I chose Tandem over Medtronic because I am on Medicare and Medicare was not covering the Medtronic CGM at the time of my pump warranty expiration. Unless I wanted to pay OOP for the Medtronic CGM, The Tandem/Dexcom option was my only pump choice. I will hit 46 years as a Type 1 this summer. I rated 4 on this question because I LOVE the closed-loop aspect of this pump…but it has a way to go to rate a 5 from me.
With my Tandem pump I change the site every 3 days but the cartridge every 6 days. It works for me.
You don’t have to add an extra 45 units of insulin to a Tandem cartridge – there is no reason for it. The recommendation is to add a few extra units in case you need extra insulin, so with your infusion being ~ 20 units a day, add an extra 10 to 20 units to your 60 units in a new cartridge. That should cover you and won’t waste so much extra insulin. Maybe you will only need 10 or 15 extra units. Remember whatever insulin in the tubing for your prime eventually gets infused/absorbed into your body.
My Omnipod Dash, after getting it dialed in to my needed basal rates/periods and ICRs/periods is definitely an improvement over MDI. I really like being tubeless and able to discreetly administer my doses. Site selection is a test of endurance, right along with T1 itself. The Insulet/Omnipod PDM, however, seems like ancient and slow tech with questionable programming/layout decisions. Functions I commonly use take too many steps and messages presented get in the way or cause more “swipes” to get rid of so I can get done what I’m doing. Of import, the IOB indication on the flash screen is inaccurate for a few to several seconds on bringing the screen to life, often I have to swipe/open the device to get it to update. It seems to be the norm from what I hear from others; its a wonder the FDA approve it this way. The iPhone “Display” and “View” apps are equally inaccurate as to IOB, slow to update, as well as to sync. I learned this the hardware by applying a totally unnecessary correction when it wasn’t needed. Also, having to have the iPhone and PDM within 30′ makes them just about useless. I’m in hopes the Omnipod 5 release will correct these issues and make the PDM a thing of the past! As with many things tech and the slow FDA process of approval, by the time a device gets released and in our hands, is seems slow and outdated, even though it’s far superior to what was.
I use MDI with pens. The only improvement I can think of would be to have a cure. No tubes, no blockages, no infusion site issues. I always know what is going in because I put it there.
Same with me!
Ditto
Using Tandem t:slim x2, C-IQ. Too many issues with cannulas to give a 5. In previous 15 years of pumping never had so many issues. Wasn’t using a Medtronic pump but was using their quick-set infusion sets.
I’ve been pumping for 22 years. At first pump worked spectacularly well. More and more I’m having issues with insulin absorption at infusion set site (I believe) even though I rotate sites. So your problems may just have to do with the length of time that you are pumping.
Are you by any chance using a flexible type cannulas? I had so many issues when I first started pumping as the infusion cannula would always bend, giving me high blood sugars. I switched to the steel infusion set a few months after I started pumping and haven’t had that kind of problem since the cannula can’t bend.
Have you tried the Vari-soft cannulas? They insert at an angle. I find they don’t kink/bend and get blocked like the cannulas that insert at a 90 degrees always do on me. If those also don’t work, I have also heard people having success with steel cannulas Anita suggested. Good luck!
I am grateful to have the Tandem pump and Dexcom G6 cgm. I sometimes have infusion site issues and the Tandem app often loses connection with pump even though my phone and the pump are close. I could have been born before insulin or pumps, cgms and other advancements. In addition, I am a work in progress and trying to improve my knowledge and life style choices.
Tandem CIQ and Dexcom working well for me. 87% TIR. But I travel a lot and taking all that equipment on a long trip is difficult to “ carry on”. Thinking of trying mdi for my month long trip to Greece in September. But first, I have to recover from my broken ankle. ( caused by me not thinking about possible risks…… dumb dumb!) 👍🤪
I will be most satisfied when I can get the tandem slim with its insulin adjusting fearure .I have to wait till November. I was one of the very first with MiniMed 33 years ago it served me well all these years.
I would like to switch from my omnipod to a closed loop system. Right now I use Dexcom with the omnipod. I agree with the comments about having to use and throw away quite a bit of insulin after every 3 days. On average I use 19 units a day. I haven’t decided what to do since I’ve had so many challenges switching from private insurance to Medicare. Not to mention moving out of state and having a new endocrinologist. 🙄
I’ve never tried this personally, but I read that if you want to use less than the minimum amount of insulin required by omnipod you can simply depress the plunger very slowly. Worth a shot! (no pun intended) 🙂
What I have done is pull unused insulin out of a used pod and put it in a new pod.
Omnipod 5 was just approved by the FDA. It is a closed loop Omnipod/Dexcom G6.
I’m happy with my Novolog pens but wish it had 1/2 unit scales.
novopen echo; change rx to cartridges instead of pens after you receiver; or have provider do a prior auth for humalog jr pen due to needing 1/2 units to avoid hypoglycemia.
I answered #5, most satisfied. But, there is always room for improvement. I’m happy with my Tandem Control IQ and Dexcom G6 combo.
I put 4 because overall I’m pretty happy with my Tandem & G6 combo. My only issue is that I consistantly get readings that are 40 to 100 points off for the first 2 to 3 days of a new sensor. Sometimes they’ll be high, other times low.
I’m using Tresiba as a basal rate instead of my PDM. I love Insulet products, but would appreciate a closed loop system. Know they are working on it, but I operate with an iPhone & it will take longer to be released
I love my Tandem X2 but I’m feed up with the tubing. Hopefully when the day comes and I switch to the Omnipod they have adapted the same closed loop algorithms.
Posted a 5 for Tandem t:slim X2/Dexcom G6 combo with Control-IQ app. Vast improvement over anything else I’ve used in the past 66+ years. Of course, there can always be improvements…just doubt I have another “5 years” left to wait.
5 – I currently use a Tandem CIQ pump and Dexcom G6 GGM and I have been very comfortable, happy and satisfied using this smart technology for insulin delivery and BG monitoring – for now. Having lived with T1D for almost 60 years, I have survived dinosaur diabetes self-care & treatment technology, have embraced the tech and insulin upgrade changes over the years, and I look forward to the innovations of the future. Living with T1 diabetes gets better and better and the best is yet to come!
3, because the pump sets my target higher than I have ever set it. I have to micromanage in order to keep my bs in the range that I want. I do get less hypos which is good and my rollercoaster days are less. I look forward to the day that I can set my target at 100 which I have done for almost all my years with diabetes. I keep my A1c between 5.1 and 5.7 most the time but it still takes a lot of work with Tandem because the pump shuts my basal off when I am at 80 and sometimes higher which sends my BG up higher later, so I am always having to adjust small amounts. 3 is a positive score in my mind and I don’t want to complain. I am extremely grateful for the improvements. I am also looking forward to having a waterproof and perhaps tubeless pump so that I can swim again without disconnecting. I am thinking about trying the new insulet omnipod but worry about learning a whole new algorithm which also sets the target at 110. Again, very grateful for the amazing improvements as I have had this long enough to remember lots more difficulties in staying in range with little variability. Ha! I didn’t even know my variability and trends because I only went on a pump and CGM around 7 years ago. Even from then the improvements have been a lot. TY to all the companies working on this. I know it is is about the money but to me it is about living as normal of a life as I can with as little stress as possible over operations and management, money, and access to the supplies my doctor and I want to use for appropriate management for my particular needs. I get really tired of the insurance company trying to manage my diabetes through access or lack of access when they have never met me, nor know my particular needs.
I have the same problem! Pumps just aren’t designed for those of us who want to keep our blood sugars in the true “normal” range of 80 – 100!
For the pump’s reliability and how well it works for my BG control, I’d love to give it a ‘5’, but after 10 years using one, I find I’m running out of reliable ‘body real estate’ – Scar tissue under the surface is increasing, and it would be nice if another delivery method could be figured out at some point in the future! For this reason alone, I gave it a ‘4’.
sweet Charlie says #4 because I am doing the same basic thing with slight changes for 69 years.. and will soon be 90 years old…”maybe”
I was much happier on MDI than on pump/CGM. I never minded the “decision making” of MDI. I know my body and I know how much insulin I need for the foods I eat, and even found it easy to figure out how much I needed for new foods. With the pump, I never know if I’m getting the right amount of insulin, and quite often find that it is wrong. Please don’t tell me it’s my settings! I have been trying for 6 years or more now to adjust them (with my endo), with no luck. I just can’t get it to work without needing to make adjustments every few days. We’ve tried adjusting the basals, the I:C ratio, and even the correction factor. Nothing helps!
I put 4. Using Tslim x2 with my dexcom gives me very good control, but there will always be room for improvement (like glucagon in the system to totally prevent low blood sugars) . However, I think much of the improvement will come from better insulins compared to better delivery devices. If insulins started working as quickly as insulin does in a non-diabetic, that would help with post-prandial blood sugars. Also, if the smart insulins come about (the insulins that start working when your blood sugar rise), that would greatly improve sugar levels too.
I’m on a Tandem X2, Control IQ pump. Not really pleased with the slowness of the Control IQ system. Buit all else said the Insertion of the Quick Set is absolutely painless. Needed to really concentrate inserting the Insulin into the Cartridge. However, the process can be started and completed in less than 15. minutes.
3 Is my answer. I prefer my tandem x2 and Dexcom over the past delivery methods, but I still deal with unexplained highs and lows, probably because of digestion. Timing of insulin cannot be perfected unless my body spoke to me.
My sincere wish is that Dr. Denise Faustman speeds through all her next two phases of clinical trials of reversing long standing type 1 diabetes and this website becomes archaic. Please oh Please.
All technology has it’s pros and cons. Overall, I rated my Tandem TSlimX2 as a ‘4’ for delivery. It is an excellent device overall. The ‘4’ is due to 1) my dislike of the design of the cartridge requiring removal of air from the ‘sac’. 2) No ‘slow’ delivery setting for insulin delivery to minimize pain, stress on the tissue and absorption problems. 3) The inability to totally silence alarms for medical procedures, events requiring minimal noises (church, plays, etc.)
Switched to Tandem last November. Overall very happy with it. Much fewer lows and waking up at target every morning is such a huge plus.
I do agree with you wish list items for improvement though. I feel uncertain if I’m getting all the air out of the reservoir sac during loading.
I also miss the more in depth history summaries I used to be able to pull up on directly on my Medtronic pump. I like to be able to review my daily insulin totals and percent time in, above and below range over the past several days. The mobile app gives me the last 24hrs.