Curious to hear from anyone that is a new “pumper” having difficulty choosing the best infusion set? I’m new to the Tandem X2 and have tried a few of their sets but yet to settle on one that is a perfect fit. The Autosoft 90 bends a lot on insertion. The Autosoft 90XC (6mm) seems too wide and painful. Have yet to try the Autosoft 90XC 9mm, but will soon. And, haven’t tried the TruSteel. How do you make this decision for a 90 day supply without trying them all?
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I’m not a new pumper, but when comparing infusion sets, I was always able to get free samples from doctor or pump sales rep (Medtronic in my case).
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Welcome, @cblack0901! That’s a good question and I am sure members here will have some insights and suggestions for you.
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Welcome to our community @cblack0901. When we started having infusion site issues, we got samples of all of them from our endo and tried them out. If you are extremely thin, the steel sets may work best for you.
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Welcome, @cblack0901! We are Medtronic users but the “contact detach” is basically equivalent (the only difference is the Luer lock mechanism which doesn’t affect the set). We’ve had very few problems with things like occlusions or bent cannulas, though over the last few months we’ve had issues with them coming out for our (very active) 4-year-old who probably has slimmed down a bit and therefore has less chub to anchor it in place. In general though, I’d say it’s both comfortable and reliable for him. He says it is more comfortable than the G6 sensor that he wears on his stomach.
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funny, I’m not thin but I’m finding that they work the best out of everything I’ve tried! thanks…
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the Trusteel that is!
Glad you are finding one that works for you. Infusion sets are something I think diabetics have a very personal relationship with, and finding one that works for you, is a great result!
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@cblack0901 the advice to get samples from your Endo or Tandem trainer is a good one. I got them from my trainer. If the rep is in the area they will also drop some off for you, don’t be shy to ask. From what I have gathered as a newish user:
Varisoft: for people with little or no bellies that need a variable angle to work the set in (think runners, 20 somethings, very fit people)
AutoSoft 30: My trainer suggested I wasn’t thin enough for those (I’m also not thick in the middle)
AutoSoft90 & AutoSoft XC: personal preference, the main distinguishing feature is the size of the connect clip. The smaller connect clip on the XC is actually easier to use.
TruSteel: For those who have repeated kinked cannulas, or want the extra bit of security with the extra attachment point, or have an allergic issue with the nylon sets.
It was also suggested from the start that 6mm sets were best for newer users with little or no scar tissue, and 9/10mm sets if you had a significant amount of abdominal scar tissue that would need to be penetrated.
It was also suggested the AutoSoft90 was their #1 seller since the new user didn’t have to worry about “giving themselves a shot” and didn’t actually witness the application of the infusion set. I tried them and the "XC"s, which for me were ok and I use them on occassion, but I get too many kinked cannulas to just toss them out. I use the steel sets. The trade off is I can only use them for 2 days (3 in reality) then they hurt. Nylon sets while recommended to change at 3 days many do not.
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