Insulin Pumps.... tell me more!

Heidi - posted on 01/29/2009

My son was diagnosed at age 4, 03-15-06, he has the Animas pump.  We love the pump!  Basically we were in your same shoes a year ago when we got the pump.  In the end we let William decide...he is the one wearing it after all:)  He liked the Animas 2020 and his doctor said it was a great choice for a kid.  It has proved to be very durable (he is only 7 and a boy) and just as water proof as they claimed it would be.  He has forgotten to take it off several times at the pool and the lake:)  Good Luck!  You and your daughter will love the freedom the pump gives both of you!

Nicole - posted on 01/28/2009

Help!! We are in the process of getting our daughter Mikayla on a pump, but have no clue what company to go with. We had a rep from Animas come to the house last week, and we were quite impressed with their company. We have a rep from Medtronic coming on Friday, and we have researched them online and are quite impressed with them also. Of course the Medtronic rep tells us all the downfalls of the Animas, and the Animas rep tells us all of the downfalls of the Medtronic. They're salesmen, what can I say? Mikayla's endo says that they are both very good brands, and that he recommends either of them....not much help, right? :) It's kind of a big decision, since once we decide on one brand, we just can't switch to another one a couple months later. Mikayla likes all of the different "skins" that are available through Medtronic, but also like the pink Animas. She is 10 years old, and was diagnosed in August 08. Does anyone have any advice out there to help make our decision a little easier?

Kirsten - posted on 01/14/2009

Hi Kim,

My daughter is 2 1/2 years old and was diagnosed with diabetes on 23.09.08.  She was put on the pump right away, while we were still in the hospital.  We are using a pump from Medtronic and it has been great.  There is also a remote, but we have not ordered it as of yet.  We don't have it in pink, but it is purple!  The best advantage is being able to give her corrections at night and not having to wake her.  The one thing that we sometimes have problems with, is that the cathetar plugs quickly.  It is always different.  Sometimes we can stretch it out three days, and sometimes we need to do it daily.  It seems to be the best solution for us.  Every once in a while we are forced to use the pens, and she always makes a real fuss.  I don't know what we would do without our pump!

Autumn - posted on 01/13/2009

My son was dx'd 10 months ago at the age of 21 months, he is pumping with a green Animas 2020 since July, and we LOVE it!  Good luck

Heidi - posted on 01/12/2009

I guess I should add that he has the Animas 2020 pump, again LOVE IT!

Heidi - posted on 01/12/2009

I guess I should add that he has the Animas 2020 pump, again LOVE IT!

Heidi - posted on 01/12/2009

My son William was diagnosed almost 3 years ago at the age of 4.  He is 7 now and doing great!  He got the Animas pump 1 year ago and I can not even tell you how much I Love that thing!  It has given us both more control over his numbers.  He knows how to work it all by himself now and I just give him the numbers.   Inserting the sites are a little frustrating at times.  It hurts and he doesn't like it.  He mostly complains a lot.  Sometimes he cries.  But the bonus it is only every 2-3 days instead of 5-6 times every day.  He loves his pump too.

Kristin - posted on 01/10/2009

Hi Kimberly! My daughter Abby was diagnosed with Type 1 on December 15, 2006 when she was 9 years old. She took anywhere between 5-6 shots a day. She was on Humalog pen and Lantus pen for the 1st year and a half. She did a trial period with the OmniPod insulin pump, but we were very dissatisfied due to how heavy the pod was on her body and that the material would not stick to her skin for any length of time. We would end up wasting insulin because you could not draw it back out of those pods. The wireless part was nice, but it ended up being a great big headache to her. She was just recently started back on the Animas 2020 pump this past Monday. She absolutely loves it. She was able to pick her color too. She picked the limelight green. The come in pink, limelight green, blue, and silver. Insurance wise it was cheaper for us to do the Animas 2020 than it was the Ping and it is just the same without the remote. She loves all of the features and she is doing so good with it. She is ecstatic now that she is not popping that pen into her all the time now. I wish we had gone the Animas time the first time around. We went through American Diabetes Wholesale who we found out about through online searching. We checked them out and they have been really wonderful to us. We were able to get everything really quickly once insurance approved and everything is shipped overnight. I hope all goes well with Avery and that she will find much satisfaction in learning and operating her pump. It is very empowering once you get educated about diabetes. You feel totally helpless until you do, at least I know I did. JDRF has been wonderful to us too. If you have not already connected with them, I highly recommend it. We did the JDRF Walk for the Cure for the 2nd time since being diagnosed. It has been great being able to support this cause which is working hard everyday to find a cure. You can keep up to date on all of their clinical trials and where they are in the process too. It is nice to meet other Moms that know what we are going through. Our family wishes you all much success and best wishes for a healthy future with diabetes.

Wendi - posted on 11/28/2008

Hi Kim,
My son McKay has been on the Animas 2020 for the past year. We love it! He is 11 so he does much of the pump by himself. I like it for so many reasons, but mostly because it will figure out the insulin to carb ratio and I don't have to. McKay likes it because he can do it on his own (with supervision of course) and he feels somewhat in control of a disease that controls him. He also liked that he could pick his own color; it comes in blue, silver, or pink. My husband says this pump is the same as the Ping, but it doesn't connect with the glucose monitor. Let us know how things go!

Carole - posted on 11/25/2008

My son Chase, 4, was diagnosed 2/29/08. He had a routine check up at the Endo today, and we were finally told he could go on the pump. My husband is on the Minimed Paradigm, and through research we feel that the Animas Ping is what will work best for Chase. I have discussed the Ping with Chase's doctor before, but the doctor has only ever worked with Minimed in the past. I doubt it was me that convinced him to look into Animas, but I am thankful he did. He said Chase will be his first patient on the Ping. It has been a great day, and I feel so relieved! How far along into the process is Avery? Have they given you a date yet?

Kimberly - posted on 11/08/2008

Thank you everyone for your responses. Sorry it took me so long but we have been away in Disneyworld. It was difficult with her so newly diagnosed but she is already out of the honeymoon phase and it was a lot of shots - but she was AMAZING! She took her shots much better there and I am hoping to keep it up at home until she gets on the pump. We are currently looking at the One Touch Ping Pump (?) - our endo thinks she is ready and since she is taking so many shots and is already out of her honeymoon that she is ready. I am hoping it works out. My husband is on the medtronic pump and that was life changing for us. I am SO GRATEFUL for all of you in my life - this website is a life saver for me. As I said, no one truly understands unless you are living it and my friends although they love us just don't get how it affects everything. THANK YOU !!!

Kelly - posted on 11/04/2008

Hi Kimberly ... My son was 22 months old when he was diagnosed. He was three when he went on the pump and will be six in a few days. It was the best thing and his blood sugar levels keeping going down. He is a very active child. He plays soccer and does a lot of swimming. He is on an Animas 1200. I would like to get one without any tubing but as far as I know they are not in Canada yet.

Brooke - posted on 10/30/2008

Hi,

My daughter was diagnosed at 16 months and she got her first pump at age 4. We have her on the minimed in fact she is now 9 and just got her second one yesterday!! It's puple and she is so excited. I am 29 and got my first pump at 16 I am going to disagree on getting one right away. The pump is great and you won't find a bigger supporter of it than me but... I would say wait at least 6 months. The first year of diagnosis can be a bit up and down. Is she still in her honeymoon? If yes than I for sure would wait. A lot of people look at the pump as the answer to all of their problems and it is in a way but, the lows on the pump are a lot scarier than on shots for some people and until she is stable I would wait. When you do get it I'm telling you minimed is the only way to go. I know dozens of diabetics and I don't know any who would chose otherwise. Ultimately the decision is between you and your dr. Good luck with everything.

Jenni - posted on 10/30/2008

Kimberly, my daughter was four when she was diagnosed....also :) My husband is Type one...but you are so right, it is so different when you are the one responsible for taking care of a little one! Chloe went on the minimed pump a month after diagnosis and that was the greatest day of my life. I don't know about you, but the shot thing was not going well in our house! It was torture. I didn't think I was going to make it. Everyone said...give it six months it will become normal. I really didn't believe it, but it is. Stuff still comes up that I haven't dealt with before...(large ketones in urine at school...was our one yesterday...we had never had ketones, etc.) but she is such an amazing trooper! I am so glad we found this site...looks like we have a lot in common! Anyway, my plug is the sooner the pump the better! :) My husband was on the minimed pump so we didn't even look at others...but we love it. Their customer service is like no other. Her pump is purple :)

Jamee - posted on 10/29/2008

My daughter was 6 when she was diagnosed. a year later she went on the pump. She is 11 now.It is the greatest invention. You will love the flexibility. Taylor uses the medtronic paridigm 712. It is very easy to use. we still use an older meter the freestyle flash it uses less blood then the others we were told to use. becareful with remotes. make sure the pump will work with out it. and see if it has a locking device she is kind of young and may like to play with the buttons. good luck! Jamee