Blog Entries With Tag: memory

Blog: Anna's Blog

From: FatCatAnna

Via Email - Thursday, January 3, 2013

Hi Anna:

My name is Caroline Pavis and I serve as the Communications Director for Animas Corporation. It is great to meet you over email. Thank you for all the amazing work you do providing information and education to people with diabetes!

I have read your blogs related to the software limitation we recently discovered with our Animas 2020 pump models. I want to make sure to provide answers to all the outstanding questions you have about this issue. Following is a list of questions (and our responses) which I hope will be helpful to you. Please let me know if you still have outstanding questions that I can help you with, after you review the Q&A below.

All the best,

Caroline

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Q1 - When and how was this software issue discovered?

Animas recently discovered this software limitation as a result of a separate investigation into the calendar designs of all our pump systems. This investigation was launched in March of 2012.

Q2 - Why was the pump designed with this software limitation?

The pumps were not intended to be designed with this software limitation, or end of use date.  The end date was a consequence of the memory limitations of our technology available at the time the platform was first created.  Due to how the pump’s memory is allocated for storing dates, the memory capacity is limited to a 16-year range. The IR 1200, IR 1250 and Animas® 2020 pumps all began with a reference year of January 2000, which restricts this family of pumps to January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2015.

Q3 -Why didn’t you notify patients about this software limitation sooner?

Upon discovery of this issue in mid-2012, we launched an in-depth investigation designed to ensure it would not pose a health or safety risk to patients prior to the date of Dec. 31, 2015. Now that we have a full understanding of the issue, we are notifying patients and healthcare professionals.

Q4 - Did Animas design your pumps with this software limitation, or end-of-use date, so that patients were required to purchase a new pump after their warranty expired?

No.  There was and is no plan to limit the date on the pump in order to require patients to purchase new pumps. The end date is solely related to memory limitations of our technology available at the time the platform was first created.

(To reiterate from question 2: Due to how the pump’s memory is allocated for storing dates, the memory capacity is limited to a 16-year range. The IR 1200, IR 1250 and Animas® 2020 pumps all began with a reference year of January 2000, which restricts this family of pumps to January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2015.)

Q5 - After midnight on Dec. 31, 2015, can I change the date on my Animas® 2020 pump to a previous year, so that it will continue to function?

No. After midnight on Dec. 31, 2015, the Animas® 2020 pump will no longer function, meaning the pump will no longer deliver insulin. Changing the pump’s date to a previous year will not serve as a “fix” for this issue. The issue/end date for the pump is a consequence of the memory limitations of our technology available at the time the platform for the Animas® 2020 insulin pump was first created.

Q6 - What will Animas offer to Animas ® 2020 pumpers who are out-of-warranty?

We are committed to providing assistance to our patients whose warranties will expire prior to Dec. 31, 2015. Between now and the end of 2015, we will be proactively reaching out to all our out-of-warranty Animas® 2020, Animas® IR1250 and Animas® IR1200 patients to remind them of the end of use date.

Q7 - Will Animas continue to honor your warranty commitments to patients who are currently using Animas® 2020, IR1250 and IR1200 pumps?

Animas will always honor any and all warranty replacements of our insulin pumps, and is committed to honoring our replacement warranty plans for all our Animas® 2020 users. Prior to the end of 2015, we will provide in-warranty patients with a free replacement pump of a newer model to ensure their care with pump therapy is not interrupted.

Q8 - Is the Animas® 2020 being phased out?

Animas recently discontinued the Animas® 2020 insulin pump in the United States and Canada in favor of newer technology. We will therefore be providing patients in need of replacement pumps with a OneTouch® Ping® Glucose Management System, which includes an insulin pump and a glucose meter that can also act as a remote controller of the pump. The OneTouch® Ping® insulin pump has very similar features to the Animas® 2020 insulin pump.

Caroline Pavis| Director, Global Communications

Office: 610.240.8128 | Cell: 610.357.3121 | Fax: 484.568.1444 |  [email protected]

Blog: Anna's Blog

From: FatCatAnna

Today is one of the coldest days we've had this winter.  Temperatures today with the wind chill factored in ... -42C / -42F (when it gets this cold - Celsius/Fahrenheit read the same - I don't have to calculate for my American readers).  In the province of Quebec that I live in, we are being asked to reduce our power consumption, by keeping our houses heated abit lower (mine is at 17C / 62F) - along with not using major appliances.  During these types of temperatures, I conserve power due to being on a special Hydro plan - where we pay less for power usage when the temperatures are normal, but when the climate dips between -12C to -15C we pay almost triple the amount per kWh.  It does work out cheaper in the end, since we only usually have no more than a week of these types of "extreme" coolness.  Let's just say, for those of us who have this hydro plan, the dishes stack up in dishwasher, the laundry doesn't get done, and we are even more bundled up in warm clothing than normal.  Welcome to Quebec – home of Captain Crusty Underpants

Of course, I'm feeling slightly lazy today (okay – I feel like this most days during winter months), despite having to do abit of research work today. For some reason, the coolness makes me just want to go into a little cocoon world of warmth and be a slug.  I've been going to one of my cats to warm my finger tips on him, lazy bugger; he's all curled up in a ball sleeping away as if no care in the world.  Next life, I come back as a cat.

Of course, this isn't conducive to my goal of being more active this year (don't I say this every year in the month of January?).  Sadly, since my last visit 6 months ago to my endocrinologist, who I saw last week, my weight has increased by 10 pounds.  I knew something was up, since my jeans seemed tighter in the midriff and leg area.  Yes, have been reducing my food intake, but it doesn't help that I'm going through the peri-menopause time of my life.  My body just wants to keep all the comfy fat to itself, though I have to admit, for infusion sets in the stomach, its perfect real estate.  That's a bad excuse though.

So, today, I'm going to either peddle on my bike inside or do a combination of weight lifting/cardio during my lunch break.  I've got basically a home gym due to my husband being a workout freak after he’d lost about 50 pounds by eating sensibly/exercising about 20 years ago. I just don't use it that often - and try to dust it off from time to time.  Again, horrible excuse for avoiding doing exercise - but I'm sure I'm not alone with these thoughts.

The one good thing with my visit to the endocrinologist - my HbA1C was 6% - so I'm happy with that.  It's not the results of having lows; it's all to do with staying on a pretty even level for blood sugars (BG's).  I hate bouncing low then high radically - it's hard on the body.

Also, a low TC/HDL-C reading in my blood work which when researching what this meant (and freaking me out due to a study indicate older patients in mid-life developing memory loss) – is nothing to be worried about according to my endocrinologist.  He says it’s a good thing and not to be worried, especially with my cholesterol total being within a good range.  I am still going to inquire with my GP next time I see her – just to make sure I have two opinions on this – since the study did make me worried.

Off to save the world!!!!

Blog: WIDA

From: WestIslandDiabetesAssociation

Date: Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Time: 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Location: Elizabeth Russell Centre, 750 Dawson Avenue, Dorval

Dr. Loraine Mazzella, MD, CFPCc, from the McGill Centre for Studies in Aging will present a Brainy Boomers Lecture and Discussion on "Aging and Memory".

Did you know that uncontrolled blood sugar and casual management of diabetes worsens progressive cognitive decline in such patients?

We welcome anyone who has diabetes along with their family and friends and  those interested in learning more about diabetes to attend this very informative event.

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For further information please contact [email protected] or call 514-630-2225, ext. 5339