How to Pick the Right Insulin Pump
Picking an insulin pump is a fun and exciting part of having diabetes, if you choose to use one. I got my first insulin pump at the age of 11, one year after being diagnosed with diabetes and only a few months after the first insulin pumps were approved for use in Canada (exciting times!). Back then there were only two choices, Medtronic and Animas, but now there are so many more options depending on your wants and needs. Here are a few things to consider, in no particular order, when picking a new insulin pump!
Ease of use
When deciding on an insulin pump, I always call the companies I’m considering to get them to send me a demo version so I can play around and see what I’m getting into. All pumps have pros and cons of course, but some of them are much easier to use than others. For example, a pump site that only requires inserting the insulin into the reservoir before applying is a lot easier to use than one where you have to put together several pieces (and remember to order all the pieces) to fill the pump reservoir. Some pumps come with automatic plungers for site insertion, whereas others allow you to do it manually, which could be a pro or con depending on what you like. Some pumps have simple screens, whereas others have a ton of different options that might take some getting used to. Fancy technology is great (more on that below!) but you’ll find that a pump can be a real pain in a hurry if it’s not easy to use, so take the time to play around and test them out before deciding.
2. Tubed vs. Tubeless
One of the biggest game changers in insulin pumps over the past ten years was the development of tubeless insulin pumps. I’ve worn both tubed and tubeless insulin pumps, and I have some pros and cons for both options. First off, tubeless pumps are definitely more convenient for sleeping and clothing options, and you can say goodbye to getting your tubing caught on door handles (the worst)! However, in my experience they couldn’t hold as much insulin and therefore required more frequent site changes (and more cost to buy those sites), the adhesive used was super strong to keep the pump on and irritated my skin a lot, and my tubeless pump beeped and fell off more than any other device I’d ever used. Having gone from a tubeless pump back to a tubed pump I can say that I definitely miss the freedom it provides, but there are some features and flexibility that I like from my tubed pump more.
3. Technology & Integrations
The technology and available integrations are always changing on insulin pumps and getting fancier by the day, it’s really incredible to see! A lot of pumps are now integrated with a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to provide a closed loop system where the pump is able to make minor insulin adjustments based on your CGM blood sugar readings to try to keep your blood sugar in the desired range (which you may or may not be able to set yourself). I’d advocate for trying to get the most technologically advanced pump on the market when you go to pick one, because it’ll be outdated in just a few years and you likely won’t be upgrading more than every 4-5 years, especially if you’re on a government pump funding program. You don’t always have to use all the technology that comes with a pump, but it’s nice to have it.
4. Visibility (or lack thereof)
Dovetailing with the tubed vs. tubeless conversation is how visible you want your pump to be. Some people don’t care at all, whereas others want to keep their pump concealed as much as possible. A tubeless pump does make this easier, however the site itself is often a bit bulkier on the body and can show through clothing more noticeably than a smaller tubed site. That being said, a tubed pump needs a spot on your body throughout the day, meaning you might need to get creative with outfits. When deciding on a tubed insulin pump most recently, I went with the T:Slim as it was…wait for it…slimmer than most other pumps and I knew I’d want to wear it in my bra regularly so it was important to me to get the smallest pump available.
5. Cost
This is a big one, especially if you’re paying out of pocket. In Canada, some provinces cover insulin pumps and provide a stipend every few months for supplies, but not every province does this and many U.S. States don’t either, unfortunately. If government funding isn’t an option, look to your insurance companies next and see what they cover—you might be able to pick any pump as long as you get a doctor’s referral, but some companies only cover a few pumps (I was in this camp with my insurance when I was younger). If it looks like you’re going to have to pay out of pocket, call the companies you’re considering and see if they have a discount they can give you, and ask them what the fees would be on that insulin pump (both start-up and monthly fees). In my opinion, add an extra 20% on top of those fees for things like more alcohol swabs, a backup of supplies just in case, and the fact that they’re likely providing the lowest number from a range of real-life data to close the sale. Depending on what you find out, the cost could be very different for each pump brand, so do your own research and don’t just listen to the sales reps.
6. Reviews
Before deciding on a pump, be sure to check the reviews! This one might be the biggest of all, because there’s nobody that’ll convince you that you want a pump more than people who already have it. Some great places to look for reviews are social media (TikTok and YouTube are excellent), blogs (like this one…hi!), and Reddit. Check to see if the content is sponsored or if it’s just a genuine review, and be mindful of marketing tactics. Some of the things I like to look for include any comments on sleeping with the pump, how easy it is to wear day-to-day, how long the sites last, and how much noise it makes. I once had a pump that beeped all. the. time. and it drove me and everyone else crazy and I couldn’t wait to switch to another one after a few years. On that note, however, be mindful that a pump might not work for one person but will be amazing for another, so look for themes across multiple reviews and focus on areas that matter to you!
