It feels like everything is going wrong today.

Comment

Comment by Sarah Keech on November 21, 2009 at 9:45pm

Anna,
I like my Ping. I did not upgrade my previous MinimedMedtronic pump until it was long past the warranty date. I had read on the British Diabetes website that you really only need a new pump once every seven years, so I waited seven years. The main quality I like about the ping versus my old Minimed is that it hurts a lot less to change the cannula site. Your pump probably is like this already. I use the all in one angled inset.. I haven't gotten into using the software so much because I write everything down on a log I made out of spreadsheet. Manny Hernandez had mentioned some free software that we can log everything into, like meals I believe, which sounds interesting. Hopefully it is still up on his page. Minimed's silhouette infusion sets were so painful that I would wait until the site was no longer absorbing insulin before I changed my cannula site. Minimed's quicksert, which was to help insert the cannula, was a horrible, painful, very spring loaded device that created a lot of scar tissue and my site often ended up bleeding back into the cannula and blocking the supply of insulin. The easier cannula seems more inportant to me than the areas where minimed is excelling because I cannot get good control with having to hesitate so much about changing my site everytime. It is soo easy with Anamus. It is less painful often than checking my blood sugar. As I said earlier, you have this. Maybe I will get more knowledgable anout the software soon. I tried the new thing where your supposed to be able to download what you eat to a list so the pump calculates the carbs for carb boluses. So far I have not been able to get that to work and need to call Anamus regarding that. We, diabetics, know our carbs pretty much anyway unless we are eating something unusual.

Comment by FatCatAnna on November 20, 2009 at 9:28pm

Hey Sarah,

Man oh man - you are having a crappola time right now! Like you say, it's hard enough that we have to take care of our health, try not to stress ourselves, and then bing, bang, boom, you're being asked to cough up money that you didn't know you had. I would be ready to be in a straight jacket. Just glad you are putting down your thoughts to us here in writing - it may not solve the problems you are having - but at least you're getting them off your chest. Just try to keep tabs on what is going out dollar wise, and make sure you don't get ripped off. I know, easier said then done, but I'm the type of person that won't let things rest and maybe you're the same.

BTW, how are you finding the Animas pump? Being American, am assuming you bought the Ping, but maybe not. Here in Canada, it just arrived this month, but I can't afford to upgrade, so still using the 2020 and hopefully it keeps on ticking past it's 4 year warranty!

Hope the chicken dish made your hubby and dog smack their lips at meal time!

Anna from Montreal aka FatCatAnna - The Trials and Tribulations of a Diabetic

Comment by Brett on November 20, 2009 at 8:20pm

Hi Sarah,

I'm sorry to hear about the problems that the pump companies have been giving you. I agree, sometimes all the extra crap that comes along with Diabetes is almost worst than the disease itself. It's so frustrating to have to fight day and night for basic things that we have to have just to stay healthy. I suppose it would be different if we didn't pay tons of money for good insurance, but to be hassled around after paying so much for good coverage is just adding insult to injury.

Unfortunately, I don't really know any way around it other than to say don't give in. The only way we really win is if we keep fighting and not let the big companies bully us around.

Take care of yourself!

Brett