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Tandem has finally made its long-awaited app-based Mobile Bolus feature available to insulin pump users through a set of recently released updates. We tried it ourselves to see how the first app-connected insulin pump works.
As highly regulated life-saving devices, insulin pumps tend to lag behind. These are utilitarian devices and didn’t have color touchscreens until just a few years ago.
The ability to view your blood sugar, pump status, and, if needed, deliver a manual bolus of insulin from your phone has been a long time developing. It is a big step in modern life.
After first being approved by the FDA in February 2022, the update is now available to users.
Our devices
I have been a type 1 diabetic for about a decade. I thought I was in the clear, showing no symptoms of this generic disorder until I was in my early twenties. Type 1 diabetes is generally called juvenile diabetes and is much more likely to inflict children than adults.
Type 1 diabetics like me are the most dependent on insulin pumps, as we are almost entirely dependent on insulin. My pancreas creates little or no insulin, which forces me to dose insulin by manual injection or via an insulin pump.
My Tandem t:slim X2
I use the Tandem t:slim X2 insulin pump which is, so far, the only model compatible with the new Tandem Mobile Bolus function. Tandem has announced its new Mobi pump which will have no screen and will rely entirely on the mobile app to deliver insulin due in late 2022 or early 2023.
I also use my iPhone 13 Pro for this test. Many newer iPhones are supported, up to the iPhone X. For Android users, it’s a bit dark. Only certain Samsung devices released within the last two years are supported.
Updating our devices
To use the new Mobile Bolus feature, you need Tandem mobile app version 2.1.3 (or newer) and t:slim X2 software version 7.6.
The T:Connect app update is free on the App Store, but you must complete a series of training modules before the pump update is available.
These modules explain everything you need to know about the Mobile Bolus feature. How to update your pump, how to deliver a bolus, how to stop a bolus and more. This is crucial and probably required for regulatory reasons so that anyone using it has a solid understanding.
I don’t think about being tied to a pump 24/7 anymore, but it’s crucial to remember that insulin is critically important. Too little or too much can have deadly impacts.
The Tandem Update Process
After my training was completed, Tandem emailed me a unique verification code linked to the serial number of my pump. I then entered that into the Tandem update app for Mac and it was on its way.
It should be noted that during the update process, the t:slim X2 restarts several times and you will need to use a new cartridge when you restart it.
Finally, the possibility of delivering insulin from our iPhone
I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. My Dexcom G6 Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) – a longtime partner of Apple – has worked with my iPhone and Apple Watch for years and I look forward to the day when I can also manage my pump from the.
T: Connect mobile bolus
Having to use the pump alone has always been tedious. Getting the pump out of your pocket isn’t always easy, and using it can be obvious.
With the new update, you can administer insulin directly from the app. You press the bolus button and can set exactly how much insulin you need to deliver, just like before a meal.
T: Connect app
If you are using the Dexcom CGM with the t:slim X2, the Tandem mobile app will automatically retrieve your current BG reading. It will then use this to calculate any corrections each time you administer insulin.
For example, if your blood sugar is trending low and you are about to take a bolus for a meal, the Tandem will lower the amount of insulin to help prevent further lows.
An alert on our iPhone
Alerts from your pump are also displayed on your phone. If there is an occlusion, your insulin is low, the battery is low, or ControlIQ has increased your insulin due to high blood sugar, you can see the alert from your phone, rather than having to dislodge your pump out of your pocket.
You already have your phone handy next to your Apple Watch. The combination of mobile bolus, notifications and pump information provides a much better experience than the pump alone.
All is not perfect with this new implementation. You must always clear alerts directly from the pump, and extended boluses cannot be programmed from the phone either.
But this new update shows a ton of progress that diabetics can rightfully be excited about.
Cost and availability of the Tandem t:slim X2
The Tandem t:slim X2 has been on the market for a few years and continues to receive software updates. Without insurance, the retail outlay with a prescription is approximately $4,000. What you pay out of pocket varies depending on what coverage you have or don’t have.
For current Tandem t:slim X2 owners, the online portal offers training for the update.