Tag Archives: Tandem t:case

Tandem Occlusion Alarms: Crying Uncle

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Last week I published a blogpost addressing my annoyance with false occlusion alarms on my Tandem X2 insulin pump. Periodically Tandem techs have advised me that using a case might eliminate the alarms and that has actually been my experience. But I hate the case which makes the pump heavy and bulky instead of slim and sleek. Thinking that maybe adding something to the pump to protect the vent holes might mimic the case, I experimented with attaching a black plastic ring to the back of the pump. 

A few hours after publishing the blogpost, I added an update:

7/26 Late Morning: Unfortunately my science experiment is already a FAILURE with an occlusion alarm during basal delivery this morning. I totally jinxed myself by publishing this blogpost. In defeat I have already taken off the black washer. I spent 45 minutes on the phone with Tandem and the pump passed all of the tests. Of course it would because the pump works fine most of the time. I even changed my cartridges every 3 days for the last week and a half and got 4 alarms within the last 8 days. The issue has been sent to the local rep and I guess I can try to work with him to get a replacement pump. But I am not convinced that a replacement pump will matter. Why do I get these alarms and so many people don’t???😩😩😩

In my typical stubborn fashion, I put the case-less and clip-less pump back in my pocket. Fast forward to Saturday where I had another occlusion alarm—the 5th alarm in 9 days. (Please note that these alarms stop insulin delivery so they are a serious problem.) Not only did the blogpost jinx me, one of my Facebook friends who never gets occlusions got an alarm on her X2. Then another friend got an occlusion on his Medtronic pump. Occlusions are spreading like wildfire through the diabetes pumping community!

Maybe the wildfire remark is an overreach, but I cried uncle and put my pump in a t:case vowing to wear it clipped to my waistband. Unfortunately I had previously broken my black case  and was stuck using the pink case which I don’t like. Boy, do I sound like someone with a severe case of #1stWorldPrivilege! In my defense, Amy Tenderich of Diabetes Mine figured out a long time ago that design is important for diabetes devices and her 2007 “Open Letter to Steve Jobs” went viral.

The 24 hours that I wore the pink case reinforced now much I hate it. Both the shade of pink and the amount of black showing through the cutouts bug me. I decided to purchase a new case and was disappointed that black is out of stock in the Tandem Online Store and at Amazon. So it was back to the drawing board. I devised a minor engineering solution to secure the Tandem clip to the broken case by using Velcro in place of the missing plastic anchor strip. So far it is working and my fingers are crossed that the fix will be durable. The Velcro does double duty by adding “grab” to help prevent the pump from sliding off my waistband, an unfortunate common t:case problem. 

So it has been another-day another-adjustment to diabetes tech. If I continue to get occlusion alarms on this pump, I will now be totally justified in battling for a replacement pump. If a case solves the alarm problem, I should be happy. But I will still be frustrated. Frustrated that Tandem promotes the small size of the X2 with photos of the case-less pump. Frustrated that many people use the t:slim successfully without a case and I can’t. And maybe most importantly, frustrated that I still don’t understand why.

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7/30/18 Afternoon: I need to stop publishing blogposts because once again my fix that was successful for two days FAILED. The clip slipped out of place and the pump fell off my waist mid-morning. Ugh! My latest solution to prevent going back to the pink case is to attach a Nite Ize clip to the back of the case using strong outdoor adhesive tape. There are various pieces of Velcro on the inside of the clip to make sure the pump stays put. Although I do not miss my Animas pumps in many ways, I do miss the clip that easily attached to the pump and held it tightly on my waist.

Tandem t:slim X2:  Experiments with Clips and Cases

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In early August I wrote a review of the newly-released Tandem t:case. My views of the case were mostly favorable but I wrote one sentence that was more significant than I knew at the time: “IMO the clip is slightly too short when wearing the pump vertically and is not as tight on my waistband as I would like.”

A month after the Dexcom G5 software update for my X2 pump, I revisited the case issue and wrote: “Wearing the pump on my waistband has brought back the problem that the clip on the new case is neither tight enough nor long enough to keep the pump secure in the vertical position. Over two days it fell off 5 or 6 times.” I followed that statement with one case hack that failed and one clip option that was successful. I promised to experiment more and share the results in a later post. So here we go.

Three Successful Hacks

Success #1:  Knowing that Velcro is my hack solution, I applied a square of Velcro (hook side) to the back of my pink t:case. In one week of use, the pump did not fall off once. There was a little tugging and scratching of the Velcro as I slid it onto my pants, but it was a solid and reliable solution. The pump mostly stayed vertical but was easy to rotate when I wanted to see the pump screen.

Success #2:  I considered that the scratchiness of the Velcro might cause damage to the front of my pants. (Actually I don’t care because I always have a shirt or sweater covering my waist, but you might.) So my next experiment was to attach Velcro to the inside curve of the clip which would only come in contact with the inside of my slacks. This amazingly worked great and once again the pump did not fall off during the weeklong experiment.

Success #3:  In my September post I mentioned that I was using the Nite Ize Hip Clip attached directly to my pump. I removed the clip in order to do the case experiments described in this post. (To remove the clip, I carefully used an X-Acto knife to cut through the adhesive and peeled off as much of the tape as possible. Then I used a tiny bit of adhesive remover to get the last bit.)

After all of my experiments, I decided that the t:case added unnecessary weight to my pump and I went back to the hip clip applied directly to the pump. As before I had a small piece of Velcro (hook side) on the inside of the clip. Although the pump has never fallen off with this solution, it did spin more than I liked. So I added another piece of Velcro—the loop side this time. Just so you know, the Velcro FAQ calls this side “the softer mate.” Almost pornographic, isn’t it?  This provides enough friction (Stop the pornography!!!) to stop most of the tilting but is still easy to turn when I want to look at the screen.

BTW if you decide to apply a clip to your pump, be careful not to cover the vent holes. To give credit where due, I learned about the Nite Ize Hip Clip several years ago from Kerri at Six Until Me and Sarah at Sugabetic.

The Failures

Failure #1:  In my September post, I indicated that I had tried attaching a piece of Velcro to the curved tip of the clip. The Velcro solved the pump-falling-off problem but unfortunately made it difficult to slide the pump onto my waistband. Ultimately I broke the case by trying to open the clip wide enough to pull onto my pants. A definite user error and because I was given this case for free, I did not try to get a warranty replacement.

Failure #2:  To repair the broken case, my next hack was to attach a Nite Ize Clip directly to the case. It was a previously-used clip and I purchased 3M Scotch Outdoor Mounting tape to attach it to the case. I used a piece of Velcro on the interior of the clip as described above in Success #3. The 3M tape is guaranteed to hold 15 pounds and the clip stayed attached to the case with no problems. The issue was that like the Tandem clip, this clip was not tight enough to keep the pump on my waistband. The Velcro pad was not successful in dealing with the combined weight of the pump and case.

Summary:

I am currently using a Nite Ize clip applied directly to my pump. Two pieces of Velcro keep it secure on my waistband. Before the Dexcom G5 integration, I was content with the pump in my pocket and I used a case which seemingly prevented false occlusion alarms. Now I am wearing the pump on my waistband most of the time because of the convenience of seeing my Dexcom G5 info when I bolus. I have not had any occlusion alarms and I will keep my fingers crossed that they don’t reappear.

If I had to pick my favorite pump clip ever, I would pick the Animas clip which attached directly to the pump and was super tight. Tandem pumps are designed differently and the Animas clip layout wouldn’t work. At the same time I would argue that Tandem could have designed a clip that would keep a t:cased pump secure on users’ waistbands. But they didn’t. So know that Velcro is your friend and don’t be afraid to experiment. If you find a great solution, please share.

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Please note that I have not damaged my pump, clips, or cases (except the one I broke!) with these hacks. I suspect that you won’t have damage either, but I can’t guarantee it. So hack at your own risk.

My Review of the Tandem t:case

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On the surface it seems that designing a case for an insulin pump should be an easy task. The new t:case for Tandem t:slim pumps demonstrates that it is actually more complicated than that and that it might be impossible to design one case that will make everyone happy.

Two weeks ago the news spread like wildfire around the Tandem community that we could finally order the long-awaited t:case. A limited selection of colors was offered at that time, but the full spectrum (Black, Blue, Olive Fatigue, Pink, Purple, and Turquoise) is now available on Amazon. Some colors are in stock with others back-ordered until August 5. The Tandem online store continues to show most colors as “Coming Soon” but keep checking. The introductory price of $19.95 is guaranteed until August 31 after which the price may increase to $24.95.

The previous t:clip case was available in fun mix-and-match colors. It looked great, but had major problems with a top heavy design and the tendency to fall off user waistbands. The clip was too bulky for pocket use although some women liked that it was easy to attach the pump to their bras. Frequent breakages and replacements were common. I personally hated this case. Some users liked the t:slider case and I used the removable part of that case in my pocket.

The t:slider case has not been available through the Tandem online store for many months and the remaining stock of t:clip cases shows availability only in Flash Green and Sunset Orange. Leatherette cases are still offered and include the t:flip, the t:holster, and the t:wallet.

One thing I like about Tandem is the importance of design. The t:slim is a sleek and modern pump and I don’t think that Tandem would be satisfied with a case that wasn’t equally attractive. I also think that after the track record of the flawed t:clip case that it was important to “get it right” this time.

So did they get it right?

Yes and no.

The Yes:

The case is made out of what seems to be a very strong plastic and there is no flimsy clip or hinge to break. I think that the case will be durable and provide excellent protection for my pump.

The cutouts make a lot of sense and allow the user to charge the pump and change cartridges without removing the case. (That is good because it is not easy to remove the pump from the case.) My photo below shows a view of the back of the case with the many cut-outs.

The removable clip allows the pump to be worn in a vertical or horizontal orientation. For those  who carry the pump in their pocket, the clip can easily be removed. However, it is so low profile that you won’t be bothered by just leaving it on. The clip is made of stainless steel and seems unlikely to break or bend.

The No:

In my opinion Tandem made a mistake in how the clip attaches for horizontal wear. Those who wear the pump horizontally usually do not want to remove the pump from their waistband to see the screen or program pump functions. Therefore it makes sense for the pump to be oriented upside down so that when it is lifted up it is right side up for the viewer. The t:case orients the pump so that it is upside down when the user lifts it up. This is a big problem for those who are using the t:slim G4 for their CGM data and for those X2 users who will soon be able to see their Dexcom G5 data. Another annoyance about this clip position is that the tubing comes out at the bottom of the pump which increases the opportunity for tubing to hang down below your clothes and to jump out at doorknobs.

The Meh:

The t:slim screen is turned on and off by pushing the silver T:button at the top of the pump. My guess is that I push that button 30 times a day. For unknown reasons Tandem added a plastic cover over this button on the t:case. Previous cases just have a cutout. Unfortunately I found that the button cover made it difficult to turn on my pump. Sometimes it worked the first time; other times I had to push the button 4-5 times. I have arthritis in my hands and am unwilling to tax my joints just to turn on my pump.

Fortunately this was a problem easily fixed. The photo below shows my X-ACTO knife solution.

I found the clip to be quite secure when wearing the pump horizontally, but as I explained above, lifting up the pump to an upside down view doesn’t work for me. IMO the clip is slightly too short when wearing the pump vertically and is not as tight on my waistband as I would like. But it is okay and I know to be careful.

Tasks like removing the pump from the case and changing the clip orientation are not straightforward and no instructions are provided with the case. Fortunately there are instructions available on the Tandem website but that link is not included with the case.

User Feedback on Facebook:

“After wearing my pump all day in the new case, I have to say, I really like this new style case…ALOT! “

“I love my new (pink) case so much I now also have a black one and a purple one on backorder lol”

“Okay, so I may be the odd person out, but I’m not feeling the new case. I don’t like the clip…”

Addressing the cover on the silver T:button — “I’ve found mine getting easier to press- although it’s possible that it’s just my hand getting stronger”

“I just received the new hard case they have designed. No more plastic clips!! Has a metal clip and you can change the cartridge without taking the pump out of the case. I love it!”

“Anyone else annoyed that the pump is upside down with the new t:case when you look at it?! Why didn’t they put the clip on the other side?!”

Addressing the clip placement for horizontal use — “My understanding is they took in feedback from a lot of pump users so either no one thought of that or there were technical limitations that prevent it or they ignored the user feedback.”

“I love it! It’s way more comfortable to wear, and it doesn’t dig in like the old style did. And best of all…it isn’t top heavy anymore!”

“I really still don’t like it. I can’t put it in the center of my bra, which is where I normally wear it, and it won’t stay on my waistband. Putting it in my pocket makes my pants slide down and/or the tubing hangs out.”

“Just got the new clip for the pump but it didn’t come with any information on how to put it on can anyone help me out with this??”

“How do you flip the metal clip on the new case?”

“It is great. I can use the clip on a pair of shorts or put it in the pocket of my trousers without removing the clip.”

“My new T:case came…. WHEEEEE!”

Summary:

I am happy with my t:case. It is compact, functional, and attractive. Although I think the clip design makes a horizontal orientation an unlikely wear for me, I am satisfied to use it vertically or in my pocket. I have previously written that my problem with false occlusion alarms on my X2 was solved by using a case. Whether it is a temperature issue or the cutout for the vent holes, the cases have completely eliminated my alarm problems.

I think that no one could create a case that would please everyone. We each have unique needs and opinions. The t:case is mostly a win for Tandem, but IMO the horizontal clip position is a big problem—especially for integrated CGM use. I know that Tandem had many customers test drive the case and I wonder why the horizontal wear issue was not fixed. Also, did they consider older and disabled users? If it were not for my X-ACTO knife, I would not be able to use this case because of the difficulty of using the T:button. And I am not really that old or very disabled….

Here is a short instructional video about the t:case. I am currently using a black case but also ordered a pink one. In terms of color, I think that the video depicts the color of the cases much better than the Amazon photos.

 

Please note that this post discusses the t:case for the t:slim, t:slim G4, and t:slim X2 pumps. The t:case 480 is for t:flex pumps and is available in black and purple. The t:case 480 only allows a vertical orientation because of the larger insulin cartridge.