[Diabetes-talk] Subject: Re: Update on Pumps?

Sun Aug 18 21:57:03 UTC 2013

In a way, I kind of benefitted from the fact that the diabetes education
part of my clinic is so lacking in substance. So right away, this forced me
on to the internet and on to other pump lists. And Everett, the best you
could hope for is to find a conference of some sort where the companies have
tables in the exhibit hall. But there's really nothing equal to calling them
up and setting up a personal visit. Then you'll actually get enough time to
start to understand the pump and ask intelligent questions before you sign
on the dotted line. For instance, you can't get anything from the PR about
how each pump calculates the insulin on board. And some of them handle it
very differently. That was one of the things that made me hold off a bit on
the Medtronic and the Omnipod. So no shortcuts, I'm afraid. And each of us
needs to decide what ends up being important for ourselves and I would
encourage this same behavior, the visiting with each company, even for
sighted people. 
So let's all continue to share whatever we learn with each other here.
Veronica

Watch the video as The Guide Dog Glee Club sings "Rehab!" Yes! Yes! Yes!
http://youtu.be/JvakJ5lk6Us
Then find more music from Veronica Elsea and The Guide Dog Glee Club at:
http://www.laurelcreekmusic.com
                Veronica Elsea, Owner
Laurel Creek Music Designs
Santa Cruz, California
Phone: 831-429-6407

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Bridgit Pollpeter
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2013 4:15 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Subject: Re: Update on Pumps?

In ignorance, I assumed my clinic understood what I was looking for and
would summarily check out various pumps, allowing me to check them out
too. I also, in ignorance, thought when they told me that the Medtronic
and Animas were the only two on the market that would work for a blind
person, this was an accurate assessment of the market. I now wish I
would have been more proactive in the search process.

My nurse educators are great and obviously don't doubt my ability to
operate a pump, but they are sighted people with very little exposure to
blind people, and many of those blind people are struggling themselves
with coping with their diabetes. I don't know names, but I'm aware that
my clinic only has a handful of blind diabetics, and currently, only
three of us use pumps. And of us three, I've been told I'm the most
proactive about my diabetes management and work the most with my med
team. So they did their best, but I could have been more involved in the
selection process.

I'm still very happy with my choice with the Animas, but when my
warranty is up for it, I definitely intent to demand I be able to play
with any available model out at that time. For nothing else, I will have
a better understanding of current pumps and be able to make more
educated comments on them.

Thanks, Veronica, for posting this. You're my role-model here, smile.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Veronica Elsea
Sent: Friday, August 16, 2013 7:03 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Subject: Re: Update on Pumps?

Everett, the Accuchek Spirit will give you quite a bit of audio feedback
on the main pump itself. In their latest model it relies more on a
remote which isn't so great for us. But you may want to check out the
pump to see if you like the main unit. I agree with you Bridgit that the
Animas is worth checking. Also, depending on which state you're in, the
Snap pump by Asante may be available. It might be the next one I
investigate if it comes out in California soon. Like Bridgit, I haven't
been quite willing to part with my beloved Cozmo yet because I've been
so spoiled. 
But I did spend time reading the user manual for the Snap and it does
have a lot of audio feedback, as well as prefilled cartridges that you
just snap into the pump, hence its name. I know that Medtronic is
waiting on the FDA for approval of a newer pump so if you buy theirs,
you'll be eligible for a free upgrade when it does come out. This could
be a nice thing or a really nasty surprise if the upgrade is less
accessible than the current model. But I don't know the answer to that
question. 
If I were sighted, this discussion would be leaning towards the T-slim
by Tandem diabetes. The pump actually has really nice audio feedback for
stuff and the beeps are in a lower register, making them easier to hear.
But it's a touch screen. And most things you do with it, including
filling a cartridge involve it asking questions that need responses. We
couldn't figure out how to make any kind of reliable overlay for it
either. Too bad though. It's really cute and small. There is also the
Omnipod by Insulet Corporation. It's a tubeless pump. You put the
insulin in what's called the pod, which is the part that goes into you.
Then you control everything with a remote. The tubeless aspect of this
pump is really attractive. Nothing beeps on the remote. It does have a
home button so if we got goofed up, we could get back to a known place.
But there are three issues I see with this one. First, it too has a lot
of fussy alarms. There's an alarm if something happens to the pod, when
the pod expires, bla bla bla. You fill the pod with three days' worth of
insulin and if anything goes wrong, either you've wasted insulin or
you're engaged in a rather fussy sort of task to try and get the insulin
out. Third, the pods, though smaller than the originals, are big enough
that if you put one say, on your arm and smack into a doorway, you can
dislodge them. But the company is very open to working with us to see
what we can do. So if no tubing really calls you, don't be afraid to
check it out. 
And that's pretty much what's out there right now. There are some pump
patches out there designed for type two's where you don't change the
dosages. They sound kind of cool, actually. There's just this patch that
contains a set delivery of insulin over a day and then you change
patches the next day. No tubing, no anything, just wearing this patch.
And bummer, I'm blanking on its name. Oh that big round-number birthday
that looms ever closer! <laughing!> Anyway, I hope this gives you
something to play with and to think about. It's an exciting time, making
a big change like this and I hope you enjoy the process as much as
possible. That's what will set you up for the process of experimenting
and figuring for yourself what you can and can't get at. Happy snooping
and please keep us posted. And of course, questions welcome, on and off
list. Have fun! Veronica

Watch the video as The Guide Dog Glee Club sings "Rehab!" Yes! Yes! Yes!
http://youtu.be/JvakJ5lk6Us Then find more music from Veronica Elsea and
The Guide Dog Glee Club at: http://www.laurelcreekmusic.com
                Veronica Elsea, Owner
Laurel Creek Music Designs
Santa Cruz, California
Phone: 831-429-6407

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Bridgit Pollpeter
Sent: Friday, August 16, 2013 4:22 PM
To: 'Everett Gavel'; 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Subject: Re: Update on Pumps?

Veronica can better answer this than me, but as I'm in the process of
switching to an Animas, I think this pump is good for blind users. The
menus aren't terribly complicated, there's an audio feature you can turn
for some functions and the operation itself is really nice. And for
those with useable vision, it has a larger screen and you can change the
contrast of the screen.

I haven't played much with other pumps, but the Medtronic Mini and
Accucheck Spirit aren't bad either.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Everett Gavel
Sent: Friday, August 16, 2013 6:09 PM
To: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Diabetes-talk] Subject: Re: Update on Pumps?

Hello Again,

Since I took the plunge, finally after so many 
years, and am seriously considering getting a 
pump, now that the reps came out from Medtronic, 
what other pumps would you recommend for a blind 
diabetic these days?

Thanks,
Everett

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