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Report of an experience with Animas IR1200
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Introduction
The Animas IR 1200 is my second insulin pump. But before I start with my experiences with that pump I want to say some technical information and before that I tell you something about my diabetes.
My diabetes and how I got to Animas
In the year 1998 I got diabetes type 1. The reasons for that are probably – no doctor can say it exactly – from the meningitis in my first year of life, because back then the pancreas was also attacked. Until my abitur 1999 everything was okay. When I started studying, my diabetes collided with the new gained freedom of a student: the therapy got worse, and the result of my moving to Rostock were regresses in the supply – Rostock has about 10000 diabetics (type 2 included) and just a few competent doctors indeed. 2002 I told one of the inapt doctors that I wanted to have a pump, because I suffered from the syndrome to need less basal insulin and therefore I didn´t get by with the injected 24h basal insulin. The 24h basal insulin doesn´t work the whole time at a low dose. In the university hospital I got the D-Tron. When the afore-said doctor made known her surprise and said that she has never seen a pump, I changed the doctor. Now I got to a capable doctor. After 4 years the D-Tron or rather its sister pump deactivates. This “marketing-gag” from Roche or formerly Disetronic was one of the reasonds why I didn´t want to have another pump from that company. Apart from that I was satisfied with the D-Tron. 2006 was the decision which pump should be the next. Eventually there were 3 pumps – the most recent – shortlisted:
- Animas IR 1200
- Roche AccuChek Spirit
- Minimed Paradigm 512/712
These reasons were important to decide between the first two:
- the animas doesn´t deactivate after 2x2 years – with that current health insurance funds policy of our government you cannot know if they implement the us-system “pay or die” in the next 4 years
- the service suffered hardly under the absorption of disetronics by Roche
- the animas is a little bit smaller and more logical in the menu setup
Between Animas and Paradigm decided these reasons:
- the paradigm has no Luer-connector ( Luer is an international standard of catheterports. I can screw every catheter on a luer-connector, but Medtronic minimed has to break ranks.
- The animas is even here a bit smaller
- The reservoir of the 512 was too little for me (176 IE) and the 712 was enough but therby the pump was too big for me (300 IE)
- I admit that between the animas and the paradigm laid only millimetres and the final criterion was a rating in a specialist journal where the Animas was better.
Technical details:
The pump has the measurements of 74 x 50 x19 mm and weights about 86g. In comparison to other older pumps it has these specialfunctions:
- alarm clock
- bolus manager, that shows advices, according to the bloodsugar-value, BE- and correction factor, plus still acting insulin
The insulin reservoir has to be hoisted. It is a special reservoir with 2 ml capacity (200 I.U../U100). You can “pump” the insulin in bolus with the following functions:
- normal, audio, combo, langbolus
- bolus area: 0,05 – 35 units in 0,05 IU steps (comment of the author: I.U.. is known as international unit, but here it is also insulin unit)
The adjustment of the basal rate ( comment of the author: basal insulin ist like “idling mixture insulin” that is added to the body when it doesn´t eat or digest)
- 12 different basal rates at one day
- 4 various basal rate pattern
- basal steps up from 0,025 unit an hour adjustable
- ½ horal adjustable
“pump and water” is a shaky topic, but the animas should be waterproof (I didn´t try it out) after IPX8 (until 2,4m over 24h). The transmission of the data takes play via infrared interface, that I also didn´t test and the guaranty amounts 4 years for the one pump in the set
Other characteristics:
- Exact insulin leftover notice with warning: adjustable acoustic warning signal-/vibration at a remaining capacity of 10 until 50 insulin units (steps of 10)
- Big display: 992 mm2 surface for 9 text lines allow a good readability and less leafing
previous experiences
I don´t want to explane the whole menu construction – I would tip here until tomorrow. The most diabetics know already something about the technical equipment. So I want to describe my experiences with the pump. The negative surprises in the last 1 1/2 years were these: in comparison to the d-tron ist the changing of the catheter more circuitous, because there is no adaptor, but a cap which can fall off when you screw off the catheter of the reservoir. Furthermore the rubber facing of the buttons on the right site of the pump peel away (see picture – black). To paste a new spot every 3 months with instant glue is possible but not the way it should be. Now, because I really like the pump anyway, the positive experinces: the size of the pump and the weight is absolutely brilliant. The D-Tron was in comparison to that like a bone which you can use to beat someone to death. The display and the light function is also very good. Nevertheless the battery lasts abnormal long. The menu management is intuitional and easy to remember – like a new mobile phone. ;o)
Internet information
Therewith you are not confused. In the USA is the follower of the animas IR 1200. http://www.animascorp.com
Conclusion
I didn´t regret the change to that pump. The fashioning is very good except for that rubber facing. The display is big and the size and weight is comfortable. Therefore I give 4 points (max 5).
Translated by Sabrina Aust
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