Who here is already on an automated insulin delivery (AID) system?
I’m not, but I am actively curious 😀
Exploring AID
I’ve spent the last six months researching Tandem T-Slim Connect IQ and Omnipod 5. In Canada, we currently only have Tandem and Medtronic for automated insulin delivery systems, but we’ve been heavily teased that Omnipod 5 will soon be coming. UPDATE: Omnipod 5 released in Canada today!!
Friends, I am struggling.
Medtronic isn’t an option for me for various reasons, so I won’t even talk about that here – sorry Medt friends.
Currently I’m on the old-school Omnipod Eros system. I like the tube-free style it promotes, which is making it very challenging for me to even consider Tandem.
AID: to tube or not – the challenges
Once upon a time, some of you may recall, I was on Animas (tubes and all) and, for the most part, I quite enjoyed that system. But, there were challenges:
- Ripping the tube out on my door handles, multiple times
- Ripping the tube out if it was inserted anywhere other than my abdomen and arms
- Sleeping (I am a toss and turn kind of sleeper)
- Where to place it on runs without it irritating me (I hated running with spibelts)
- And finally – dresses and long, fitted sweaters; there were days I looked like the Hunchback of Diabetes Land with the pump’s locale
I know, I know. There are a lot of advancements nowadays. A friend told me to focus on dresses with pockets so that I could cut a small hole in the pocket and place the pump there. Another friend told me about fitted shorts with a pump-specific pocket that I could wear under my dresses. All, great ideas. But then I think of other things too – like having to go to the washroom to give my insulin. And what about the one day of the year when my son and I go to the waterslides?
These are all big deals.
But…
AID to tube or not – the benefits
I’ve done a lot of research, and from what I can see, Tandem is the gold standard for AID. And, for me, personally, Omnipod has not been so super fantastic with its customer service recently. Both of which are also big deals.
Plus, the Omnipod PDM is like carrying another large cell phone, which I do not care to do.
If I’m to go AID, I want the best system for me. I want a system that’s going to be better than me. And I think, if we took the tube situation out of the equation, Tandem is the answer – for me. But, can I get past the tubes??
Friends, this is where I now need YOUR support. For those of you who have already switched to AID, I would love to learn some of your tips and tricks for navigating the tubes. It’s been six years since I was last on them, and I need a good refresher 🙂
Advocacy plug:
British Columbia (the province I live in) does not currently have Pharmacare coverage for all insulin pumps across the board. It is the only province in the country that does not yet cover Health Canada approved AID systems. This is a huge issue, and I would love for my readers to get involved in helping to make a change. If you live in BC, please contact your MLA to share why we need choice in the insulin pump systems we wear. AID4BC has a template to make it super easy at www.aid4bc.ca