Today the two companies announced that they will work together to integrate Dexcom continuous glucose monitoring into Animas insulin pumps.
"The new technology will enable the Animas® pump to receive glucose readings and display this information on the pump’s color screen. Users will have access to real-time glucose readings and trending in addition to receiving alerts for low and high glucose readings. Having real-time readings displayed on the pump screen will not only allow users to make more timely adjustments to their insulin delivery – it will eliminate a separate receiver, reducing the amount of equipment required to use CGM and the pump system."
According to the news report this should be available in 2009 or early 2010. And again it's a non-exclusive agreement, leaving Dexcom free to work with other pump makers.
I've mentioned the super bolus before on this blog. This is a technique that only works for people who are using an insulin pump.
According to John Walsh's original note about the super bolus:
A Super Bolus is created when some of the basal insulin delivery is stopped or partially reduced, and delivered instead as additional bolus insulin on top of a normal carb or correction bolus. This shift of basal to bolus insulin creates a larger bolus that can have more impact in situations where more insulin is needed quickly. These situations may include but are not limited to covering high glycemic index foods, larger intakes of carbohydrate, and speeding the return of an elevated blood sugar to normal.
The super bolus boosts the effectiveness of a regular bolus by taking some of your basal insulin and delivering it early. For example, if your basal rate is 0.7 units per hour, you can temporarily turn off the basal delivery for one hour and then take the 0.7 units immediately. The trick is how you take that insulin. If you took it as a bolus then it would affect your insulin on board totals, so instead you take it by using the prime features that you'd normally use to fill the cannula after inserting a new infusion set.
I shot three short videos that show how to do a super bolus on different insulin pumps. This gives you a chance to compare these pumps in action and see how to use this useful technique which helps correct high blood sugars a little faster.
Here's how to take a super bolus with a Minimed 512 insulin pump.
Here's how to do it with an Animas 2020 insulin pump.
And here's how to do it on a Cozmo 1800 insulin pump.
Recently I was given a loaner Animas 2020 insulin pump to evaluate. My current Minimed 512 is out of warranty and is due for replacement. I evaluated the Animas and a Cozmo 1800 pump before deciding on a replacement that worked for me.
While I had the Animas I took some video that demonstrates how to use the Animas to take a bolus. I hope it gives you some idea of how this pump is to use.
Please note that in the video the screen flickers. In real life I found the screen bright and easy to read even in direct sunlight.
I really liked the built in food database that helps you when bolusing for meals. The Animas lets you bolus in 0.05 unit increments and set basal rates in 0.025 unit increments. So it's great for anyone who's really sensitive to insulin. It's fully waterproof, the O-rings on the battery cover and the insulin reservoir really emphasize this. It also delivers the insulin boluses very quickly compared to my old Minimed. And despite the bright screen it doesn't seem to drain the single AA battery too quickly.
On the down side. I didn't like the speed at which the up and down arrows worked. The numbers scroll extremely quickly and it's hard to stop at exactly the right spot. I also missed seeing the carb information on the summary screen that's shown just before you get a chance to take a bolus. The history on the pump is very insulin centric, with no information about carbohydrate consumption or blood glucose values. I also wish the daily summary showed the ratio of meal boluses to correction boluses. Finally the accompanying software has a very dated feel, the reports are pretty basic and there is no data export capability.
Even though I was just trying out the pump, Animas was very supportive any time I had a question. This was very refreshing when compared to some recent experiences I had with Minimed.
In the end, I chose the Cozmo 1800 pump and look forward to starting on it early next week.
Sometimes I'm a bit of a perfectionist. I demand a lot of myself and expect it from others. I'm telling you this because maybe I just have unrealistic expectations.
In September my current insulin pump (Minimed 512) will be 4 years old. At that stage it will be out of warranty and I can get a new pump and expect that insurance will cover most of it.
Insulin pumps are truly a marvel of technology. This is a small pager-sized device that I will wear 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It helps me to keep my blood glucose levels close to normal and it's something that I'll probably actually use and interact with at least eight times a day, every day.
So why are pump companies making it so hard to try one out for a short while? Yes, I can read the instruction manual and get some feeling for how the pump will behave and feel. But that's not the same as wearing the thing and using it for a week or so.
My original plan was to contact a few pump makers and ask them for a one or two week loaner. I'd fill it with a saline solution and wear it together with my old pump for that period. That way I could gauge its accuracy and usability and see if it was right for me.
So far I've contacted three different companies. One (Cozmo) has told me they don't have a loaner program. And the other two claim to be working on it, but I'm not holding my breath.
Pump companies (Minimed, Animas, Cozmo, and others) - WAKE UP. These are complex devices that are essentially extension of our bodies and our brains. There is no way I'm going to purchase a new one without trying it out first.
I don't want a 30-day money-back guarantee. I want to be able to try out the pump, with its software for a week or two. I want to know how it will work for me.
Will I be able to use it when I'm exercising? What are the insulin on board calculations like? How easy is it to bolus? What do I need to do to set a temporary basal? Can I easily calculate meal requirements? What kind of extended bolus options are there, and can I use them?
Maybe I'm crazy. Maybe I should just look at the glossy brochures with pictures of happy people and just pick one at random?
The Diabetes Technology Blog is focused on using technology to life better with diabetes. I review: blood glucose monitors; continuous glucose monitor; blood sugar meters; diabetes software and living with diabetes.
About Me
Name: Bernard Farrell
Location: Massachusetts, United States
I was born in Ireland and now live in the US.
I have had Type 1 diabetes for over 35 years. I struggle with my blood sugar, the same as most people with diabetes.
I wear a Cozmo 1800 insulin pump and a Dexcom SEVEN CGM to track my blood glucose levels. I also take Symlin to help control my post-meal blood sugars.
I'm blessed by God, and every day brings the possibility of a cure.
