Recently while scrolling through my newsfeed, I ran across an article that made my heart drop. I was hoping that what I was seeing wasn't true, but after investigating a little farther I realized it was. Animas is shutting down their pump line. As I sent the article to Dylan, I was in shock that the pump he had chosen, that we had researched and learned together, would no longer be available to us. I have several aspects that I want to talk about today.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional nor is this blog to be taken as medical advice. This blog is meant to discuss the effects to my family and the steps we are taking moving forward. If you are in need of medical advice or attention for your diabetic needs, please contact your health provider.
No warning from the product owners;
As you can imagine, discovering it through an article posted by a facebook group wasn't how we imagined we would ever find this news. The company itself did not notify us of what was to come. There are options available, which I will be discussing later on, but I am glad we discovered this article when we did. I hope that others in the community do not have the same trouble in discovering that their pumps are being discontinued. Without warning, the change comes as a surprise and shock, especially when it comes to considering the future of the pumps on the market. It brings forward a lot of questions.
How this affects our family:
Like I mentioned earlier, this is the pump that Dylan chose to use for his type one needs for a little over a year now. We have learned every aspect of this pump together. Having previously been on shots, the switch to a pump was a new adventure for him. However, it wasn't just him in our family. One of our older adopted children has the same pump as well as a few of his siblings and their children. We were swift to share the news and start discussing what comes next. The news was received with varies emotions from upset to anger and even worry. One of the ways it challenges our family is introducing the younger ones using this pump to a new system for them to learn. Straying from their usual can add more stress causing more blood glucose issues.
Figuring out the next steps:
In the article, they talk about Animas partnering with Medtronic to supply their current customers with the option of a new pump. This is something we wanted to look into; however, we also wanted to keep our options open to other pumps are on the market. The next logical step for us was to start researching the other pumps available. Most of our previous research was still current, but it was good to refresh our memories. Several other brands are offering discounts and special offers for Animas users as well. I highly suggest that you take a look at all the pumps on the market to see which one you like best and the offers that they have to offer. Don't forget in all this that you will need to get in touch with your healthcare provider and insurance company as well.
What are our options:
While we researched the Medtronic pump we learned it is a closed loop system, which caused a few concerns for us. It would mean a complete switch to a new pump as well as a switch to a new meter and CGM (continuous glucose monitor). The Omnipod involved a similar switch with the pump and meter; however, we can still use the Dexcom G5. Tslim was the next place we looked, and it was one we highly considered in the past. With integrated G5 technology and the ability to update as new advances come out, it was something to consider.
As I mentioned previously, research has been our best guidance on what our options are. We have also sat down with his doctor to go over the pumps on the market, why the sudden discontinuation, and what this may mean in the future for other pumps. Dylan and I have talked a lot and we have narrowed it down between two pumps: Omnipod and TSlim. Soon Dylan is starting a trial run with the Omnipod to see if it is something he would like.
As we move forward, we are trusting God and our medical teams to help guide us to what is the right pump for us. Is this something that is affecting your family as well? Another research you can check out is Diabetic Danica, who has been a huge source of information and support for our family on our type one journey.
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