This Tandem Diabetes Care Review covers t:slim Insulin Pump And t:connect App to address the important question – How Effective The t:slim Insulin Pump And t:connect App for people with diabetes?
Different groups are dedicated to making life easier for people with diabetes. This explains why many devices, drugs, and supplements are available for diabetics.
One of those groups is Tandem Diabetes Care Inc.
Tandem diabetes care is a united state-based group with the main role and function are producing products for people with diabetes. They function with different technology groups, researchers, and people with diabetes to produce new devices for treatment. Tandem diabetes care has products like glucose meters and insulin pumps, software and apps, infusion sets, and pump accessories.
The most common use of insulin pumps is for insulin therapy, especially in the treatment of type 1 diabetes in both adults and youths. People with severe stage type 2 diabetes could need an insulin pump too.
The insulin pumps have advanced progressively over the years, enabling them to integrate with continuous glucose monitors (CGM) and incorporate algorithms.
The control algorithms function to automate some insulin delivery in response to the glucose information received from the CGM to reduce hypoglycemia or hyperglycaemia
and also improve overall glycemic control.
Features Of The t:slim X2 Insulin Pump?
Insulin pumps are one of the numerous devices which help people with diabetes manage their blood sugar. The mode of action is to deliver insulin through a tube that goes under the skin.
Some of the features include:
- The t:slim insulin pump is unique in that it can hold up to 300 units of insulin.
- This particular insulin pump is 38% smaller than some of its competitors.
- T:slim insulin has a dimension of 3.1 x 2.0 x 0.6 inches.
- Bluetooth technology enables it to pair with the Dexcom G6 CGM.
If you want to connect to the Dexcom CGM, you can choose any of the following features
1. Control-IQ
If you are above 6 years (of course you are) and weigh more than 55 pounds, then this control IQ is very suitable for you.
The Control IQ functions to adjust insulin levels based on the reading of the CGM, and it will also deliver automatically corrected bolus to prevent hyperglycemia. It will also show any increase or decrease in insulin delivery.
2. Basal-IQ
This is a particular that you can use to predict blood sugar levels 30 minutes in advance to reduce the frequency of low glucose events.
- The t:slim insulin pump has a large color touchscreen.
- You can recharge the product using a micro-USB charger, and it also enables you to connect up to 6 different user profiles.
- This insulin pump has remote software updates.
- It has an easy-to-view insulin delivery and glucose history.
- You can transmit data wirelessly to computers.
Now let’s explore the advantages and disadvantages of t:sim.
Pros Of t:slim Insulin Pump
- The insulin pump can be easily programmed with a good display.
It has confirmation steps that help to promote the safety of the system.
- The t:slim insulin pump has a quality sensor.
The insulin pump is linked to the Dexcom G6. Dexcom G6 is an accurate sensor that functions without fingerstick calibrations.
- The t:slim insulin pump is practically simplified.
The HCL system was designed to perfectly soothe the need of consumers.
You won’t want to do any extra work just to be able to use the system, t:slim insulin pump helps you to avoid those extra works.
Once you turn it on, it will run in a quiet and consistent manner in the background.
You won’t have to worry about any additional alarms or user interventions because there is already a steady stream of input from the CGM.
- T:slim insulin pump can be easily updated.
It is very much flexible. Updating the software can be achieved by just a simple download. This upgraded feature makes it possible for the users to benefit from new and improved features without waiting to first be out of warranty.
- T:slim insulin pump helps for automatic glucose entries.
You are still responsible for delivering boluses accurately and in time. The tandem insulin pump helps to facilitate the process.
The tandem insulin pump automatically helps populate or add the sensory glucose value in the blood sugar entry field when the boluses are being calculated.
- The tandem insulin pump has unique customization.
The user’s basal and bolus settings will be applied whenever the control IQ is running, although the target and duration of the insulin action won’t be applied.
Having the proper basal settings helps the system to spend less time chasing rising/falling blood sugars. This helps the pump focus on maintaining within a healthy range.
- A Tandem insulin pump has a correction bolus which is unique to the control IQ algorithm.
When the user’s glucose levels are predicted to be above 18-mg/dl, the control IQ algorithms help to administer correctional boluses on the user’s behalf.
- The control IQ algorithm is faster than other HCL systems for fixing high blood sugars.
- Another unique advantage is that users can program correction boluses on their own.
- You can use the sleep mode feature.
The sleep mode works best for people who want to keep their blood sugar in a tight or narrower range.
- Tandem insulin pump control IQ is covered by Medicare and other private health insurance plans.
Cons Of Tandem Diabetes Insulin Pump
- To effectively use a tandem insulin pump, training is needed.
Whether you are a first-time user or you want to upgrade, you will need to get trained by a professional in other to master how to use it. This works for most people but is inconvenient for others.
- Even though t:slim pump offers flexibility and customization, the user cant fix the duration of insulin action, which is used to calculate the insulin on board (IOB).
The IOB is fixed for five hours, and it is longer than some peoples rapid insulin. This usually leads to a slight overestimation of IOB.
- There is a possibility of setting an extended bolus when control IQ is running, but this can be done by only a maximum of 2 hours.
This can work well for some people, but it won’t be ideal for people suffering from gastroparesis or when taking very large or high-fat meals.
- There is a limitation to the information displayed.
Tandem display usually shows when the control IQ is raising or lowering basal insulin or when it is administering a correction bolus. You won’t find specific information on the display, history of food, boluses, or automated adjustments.
- You might find that it has a weak clip, awkward case, and upside-down orientation.
- So many people don’t like the sight of tubing in most traditional pumps.
This is because of the numerous steps required in the change-out process coupled with the fact that air pockets usually form.
T-connect App
Tandem is very much out to make so many things easy for people with diabetes. Thanks to their constant generous initiative, Tandem has also released the t :connect mobile app.
The App enables users of the t:slim to view pump and CGM data on their smartphone. This also allows users to have wireless cloud data sharing between patients and providers.
It was built in a way that you can’t bolus with it, but you can view basal and bolus insulin events, insulin on board, carbs, current settings, and both pump and sensor status.
The App was designed to enable you to view pump messages and alerts as push notifications on your phone.
It is easy to access the App on your phone when you cant comfortably pull out your insulin pump may be due to your location at that particular pump.
The App helps to reduce the difficulty of having to connect the pump to a computer or having to upload data and wait for it to download before your doctor can view your information. This is because the App is designed to help you upload your data in time to your cloud-based t:connect account for easy access by your health care provider.
Also, your health care provider does not need to have a special skill to be able to view your data. The t connect App is available for many android versions, check to see if it is available to your version.
Health Benefits Of Tandem Insulin Pump
The insulin pump has the tendency to delay the onset of diabetes complications like retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy. An insulin pump can be very beneficial to type 1 diabetics who are constantly in need of exercise. When you are exercising at a hot temperature using an insulin pump, it reduces the hypoglycemic episodes.
Health Risks Of Insulin Pump
Although this insulin pump has been found to have numerous health benefits, it can still pose some health risks.
Some of the health risks include:
- Hyperglycemia
This is also known as high blood sugar. When using an insulin pump, hyperglycemia can occur, especially when the insulin pump is damaged or defective.
For this reason, it is advised that you always check if your insulin pump is in good shape.
- Infection
You might get an insulin pump site infection. This might be characterized by redness or other skin discolorations. Also, skin tenderness and fluid leakage in the affected area.
- Diabetes ketoacidosis
This diabetes ketoacidosis
occurs when the body breaks down fats for energy instead of sugar.
For people using insulin, diabetes ketoacidosis can occur when the insulin pump is defective.
When there is insufficient sugar, the liver converts some fat in the body into acids called ketones. These ketones, in turn, build up in the bloodstream and spill over into the urine. When ketone becomes excess in the blood, the blood becomes acidic leading to diabetic ketoacidosis.
Conclusion
T slim insulin pump is a device that helps to release insulin into the body. You can use the pump with or without the Dexcom G6 CGM, which has some special features.
Using insulin pumps can help you keep your blood sugar level stable while working to delay the onset of diabetes complications, including nerve damage.
Insulin pumps are generally recommended for people with diabetes as it keeps them away from harm and also help them to monitor their glucose levels.
Tandem insulin pump has made the usage of t:slim pump easier and more beneficial by providing a corresponding t:connect App. The t:connect App enables you to monitor the insulin pump from your phone and makes it possible to share data with your health care provider wirelessly. You can also connect to other users and your family members with the t:connect App.
