- Is the pump paired up with a specific glucose monitor?
I can attach a tiny Freestyle glucometer to the back of my Cozmo pump, and the result = the Cozmore System = two devices in one (sort of). The glucometer sends blood sugar readings to the pump, and the pump uses that info to calculate insulin boluses. It's cool, but the meter makes the pump more bulky when it's attached. The Minimed Paradigm communicates wirelessly with a OneTouch meter, and so does the Animas Ping. Make sure you're comfortable with the brand of glucometer that works with a pump, so that you can take advantage of this feature. Otherwise, you may end up not using half of the system - like me! I don't like the Freestyle, so my Cozmore is just a Cozmo :( The glucometer attachment is sitting somewhere in my closet... sort of a waste.
- Is the pump paired with a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM)?
Right now, the only pump that receives real-time blood glucose readings from a sensor is the MiniMed Paradigm. But other companies are working diligently to use the same technology. Be on the lookout for the Cozmo pump to pair with the Freestyle Navigator CGM in the future, and the Animas is going to pair with the Dexcom CGM (see this link for my post about the Dexcom CGM!).
- Does the pump calculate insulin doses automatically?
Some pumps allow you to program your insulin:carb ratio, and then whenever you eat you just enter the number of carbs in the meal, and the pump automatically converts that number into the appropriate units of insulin. No math skills required to figure out your dose!
- Does the pump have an extended and/or combination bolus feature?
For some high-fat, high-carb foods such as pizza, it's a good idea to give yourself extra insulin over a few hours, rather than all at once. An extended bolus delivers the dose over 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, etc., to keep blood sugars from rising later. A combination bolus allows you to deliver part of the dose immediately and give the rest over an extended period of time. Some people never use these types of boluses, and some people love them. If you have tons of trouble controlling your blood sugars after eating pizza, chinese food, or italian food, maybe this technique is something to try.
There are seriously hundreds of other features regarding boluses, basal rates, design, and safety, custom alerts/reminders, and warranty coverage that are important to think about before deciding on a pump. This is just a short list for those of you who may be thinking of going on the pump for the first time.
For more information, visit these websites:
- The Deltec Cozmo pump and CozMore system
- The Animas pumps.....other information
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