What's your advice when shopping for an insulin pump?

Question

I am currently looking into getting an insulin pump. I was wondering if anyone could suggest a specific brand, what their pro's and con's might be, and any questions that I should ask my doctor about. Also, does it seem like insurance companies prefer one brand to another?

Answer 1

I requested info from Minimed, Animas, Cozmo, And Nipro. Since then there is Omnipod and Accu-chek on the market too. I practically memorized all the literature.

I also looked at online charts:
http://base.google.com/base/a/1232483/D7204852549494882525
http://www.integrateddiabetes.com/pump_c.shtml
http://diabetesnet.com/diabetes_technology/insulin_pump_models.php
and http://www.diabeteshealth.com/charts/

The pump company sites are:
www.animascorp.com
www.cozmore.com
www.disetronic-usa.com
www.minimed.com
www.myomnipod.com
and www.niprodiabetes.com

I chose a Cozmo because it's waterproof, has a 300 unit reservoir, stores all kinds of data in it's history, and has free software upgrades. It also has a nice bolus calculator.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

I used to have the MiniMed 508, but that's kind of a dinosaur now. It wasn't waterproof, and no I didn't forget, but I did drop it in the toilet once. Waterproof is a nice quality in a pump.
Right now I have an Amigo. It's nice. They come in 6 colors, and they have a bolus button that you can sneak a bolus without having to look at the pump. It does all the calculations for you, too.