Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Zoe on December 11, 2012 at 4:10pm

It shouldn't make any difference if you pull out your test strip; the number is recorded and you still have to go to the bolus menu.

I don't think any of us have any tips for scrolling; it's pretty much what everyone dislikes about the Ping. I love having a remote, and wouldn't change to a pump without one, but the scrolling thing is a pain. I'd have to adjust to seeing the amount already plugged in, but it would certainly be an advantage - I could always alter it from there. The only thing about scrolling is your fingers get a bit more used to letting go at the right time...sort of.

You know what you're right...I just tried it...I automatically pull the strip out and it does add another step. But dumb question, with the medtronic where you don't have a meter/remote, don't you have to manually input your blood sugar from your meter?

Permalink Reply by Laddie on December 11, 2012 at 5:42pm

No, the number is automatically sent to your pump if you use the MiniLink meter. What I also liked about the Medtronic link was that if the BG reading was out of range, the pump would beep either alerting you to a below range low or indicating that the result was high and you should consider a correction bolus.

I'm wearing my Ping in a Spibelt to force me to use the remote. I'm just so unused to a remote that it seems like an extra step to get the remote out of my purse to use it. I certainly can't carry it in my pockets which already have a Dexcom, glucose tabs, pump if it's not on the Spibelt, and sometimes phone.

I really am OK with the switch, but will keep counting the days until the Vibe. Of course since you prefer a remote, you'll probably be staying with the Ping.

I think that it's interesting that the Tandem was released with no link meter. t-slim buyers get a Verio meter, but it's not linked to the pump. I really like linked meter and I wonder why Tandem abandoned that feature. One thing I did like about the t-slim is that it has an onscreen keyboard to type in number info rather than scroll.

Zoe, I look to you as an experienced Ping user who really likes her pump and I appreciate all of you advice.

Permalink Reply by Zoe on December 11, 2012 at 6:04pm

Oh, I see; I didn't know it sent the number to the pump! I really think it's just what you're used to. When you say it's an extra step to get the remote out? Don't you take out your meter to test before bolusing? To me it would seem like an extra step to test, then put the meter down and pick up the pump to actually bolus! Yep, it's definitely what you're used to.

Oh, relatively experienced I might be but I totally hadn't given any thought at all to the fact that I was adding a step by pulling out the strip! And another negative to the Ping is how slow that first step is, so I'm going to work on retraining myself not to do that. Thanks for the fresh eyes!

Yes, I prefer the remote and am not interested at all in a CGM, so the Ping works for me.I actually don't know if you can stay with the Ping once the Vibe comes out. But I'm only going on two years and by the time I'm ready for a new pump the new ones out will be a little more tested and more people will have info on them, so I can look at my options. But I don't think I'm giving up my meter remote any time soon; my new favorite place is hooked to the center of my bra. Everyone always said "in my bra" but I have perfectly fitting bras so there is no "in". But hooked to it works great and I don't know it's there. Only the very thinnest fabrics does it show through.

Permalink Reply by DianaS on December 11, 2012 at 6:26pm

It took me a while to get used to Ping scrolling and I still tend to overshoot the mark. I don't have any tips it just takes time and practice. I've heard the remote which he FDA won't let us Americans have yet has improved the scrolling but don't know if that's true or not.

It really aggravates me that Medtronic patented that feature of the bolus wizard where the bolus dose is populated in the field which is why you have to manually enter it on the Animas. To me that's a basic calculator function that I had on a calculator in grade school which is saying something since I'm not a spring chicken!!! Saying it's a safety feature is just stupid marketing on Animas part in my opinion.

I've had to switch to the Bayer meter because insurance has made the strips too expensive I miss my remote.

Permalink Reply by MaryMary on December 12, 2012 at 7:23am

My understanding is that the Vibe has the feature, and wondering how that is possible? There is no way that my daughter could safely use the Ping because of her disability so we are hoping that the Vibe gets approved soon.

Permalink Reply by Andrew on December 11, 2012 at 6:48pm

Yeah, scrolling with the Ping is a pain. I've had mine for three and a half years, and I still sometimes miss my mark by five or so units the first try.

You can pull out the strip once you've chosen the bolus option. I don't usually pull it out until I've finished bolusing, but the more you use it, the sooner you'll find the method that works best for you.

Permalink Reply by MegaMinxX on December 11, 2012 at 7:38pm

I don't recall if the Ping has the equivalent of 'easy bolus', but if you're only taking 2 - 2.5 units, and not using dual/square wave, you could check to see if that is available.
For example, if you can set the easy bolus to .5 units, you would hit the 'easy bolus' button 5 times for 2.5 units.

I use MM, and frequently use the 'easy bolus' for small doses.

Permalink Reply by Zoe on December 11, 2012 at 8:04pm

No the Ping doesn't have that.

Permalink Reply by MegaMinxX on December 11, 2012 at 8:32pm

Just searched the Animas Ping user guide and found the following. Sounds very similar to the MM easy bolus.
http://www.animas.com/sites/default/files/pdf/41010600D_OB_PING_US_...

Audio Bolus and ezBolus™
The Audio Bolus feature of the OneTouch®
Ping™ Insulin Pump allows you to bolus without looking at
the screen display. If you do not wish to use the Audio Bolus feature, this button serves as a shortcut to the Normal Bolus screen. See ezBolus™
, page 61 in this chapter.
1. Turn on Audio Bolus in the Setup Advanced menu and select your preferred step size. See Chapter 10 in Section I, pages 49–58.
2. The Audio Bolus button is the soft rubber button on the end of your pump. Press it once. Your pump will beep (or vibrate) to indicate you’ve accessed Audio Bolus mode as well as indicate the step size.
3. Press the Audio Bolus button once for each step size you’ve programmed
to reach the desired total amount. For example, if you are using 1.0U step
size and you wish to bolus 4 units, press the button 4 times. You will hear a
beep tone or vibrate for each button press. If you are using 0.5U step size and
you wish to bolus 4 units, press the button 8 times.
4. Within 5 seconds, your pump will respond with a number of confirmation beeps equal to the number of times you pressed the Audio Bolus button.
5. Within 5 seconds, your pump will beep twice to “ask” you to confirm that
you wish to activate delivery and “Confirm” is displayed on the Audio Bolus
screen.
6. Within 5 seconds, press the button again to activate delivery. Your pump
will beep twice to confirm your delivery command. The DELIVERING bolus
screen is displayed and your pump will beep once to signal the start of
delivery and once to signal end of delivery (if you turned on Normal Bolus
Sounds in Setup).

Permalink Reply by Laddie on December 12, 2012 at 11:38am

Yes, the Audio Bolus on the Animas Ping is exactly the same thing as the Easy Bolus on the Medtronic pumps. On the Ping, you have only a few options for the Audio Bolus: .1, .5, 1.0, and 5.0. I think on the Medtronic pump you can set it for any amount that you choose, so it's a little less restrictive than the Ping.

Permalink Reply by Zoe on December 12, 2012 at 12:54pm

Ah, I have never felt I had a reason to use the audio bolus. I think of it as something for special circumstances where you don't have visual access.

Permalink Reply by Laddie on December 12, 2012 at 5:41pm

With my Revel I didn't use the easy bolus that often. It was good for SWAG (scientific wild eyed guess) boluses, especially when I had no idea of the carb count for something I was eating. If I was out with a group, sometimes it was just a quick way to bolus.

Since you seem to use the remote all of the time, I don't think it's available from the remote. I think you'd just do a normal bolus.

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