Hi Jan @JanS, I can see, feel, your frustration. Just when one of us feels as if “I’ve got this diabetes thing mastered”, something will go wrong - Murphy’s Law. It probably doesn’t matter what hardware you will use, the major factor is what we have learned from experience and knowing hoq our body reacts - yes, we need to assume that our bodies change over time and what worked well 40 or 50 years ago may now apply now. The major difference between LADA and “Regular T1D” is that your learning began later in life. [Correct there is a new study that may contradict what I just said.]
When you say that your HbA1c “went sideways”, can we assume that it stayed just about level? During the last three or four decades, my A1c has remained between 5-7 and 6’4%, lab testing every three months. and during this period I’ve used many different pens - none the pre-filled type - , and three different pump models. My A1c may have been lowest before beginning a pump, after 47 years with injections, but I certainly enjoy the convenience of a pump and the 1,500 fewer needle pokes every year. I used MiniMed/Medtronic gear for 15 years and during that time I had a variety of infusion-set types; I suggest that you investigate the different types. Although my A1c might be slightly higher when using a pump, my glucose variability -the Standard Deviation - has been greatly lowered, which in my opinion is preferable. The Tandem infusion-sets, which I currently use, are very similar to the Medtronic sets in use and choice of style.
All that said, if you want to make a change in hardware, I strongly recommend the Tandem t-Slim x2; combine this with the DexCom G6 glucose sensor, and activate Control IQ, if a doctor will prescribe this for you, and enjoy almost hands-free diabetes management. Correct, you must first know your body, how it reacts to insulin and food, and enter into your pump correct basal rates for all periods of the day, carbohydrate:insulin ratios for all daily periods, and insulin sensitivity factors for various times of the day and night. Insulin duration is “locked” at five (5) hours, 24 hours every day.
I may be an exception, but Control IQ has certainly worked well for me. All I need to do, is have the correct Personal Profile selected for what I plan for the day, select [and remember to deselect] the “Exercise Activity” button when I’ll be exerting more than normal [this helps preventing “lows”], and count and enter carbohydrates whenever I eat. Really very simple and I often forget that I’m wearing a very small, easy to read, insulin pump. In the two and one-half months since I activated Control IQ, my TIR [Time-In-Range] has increased to well over 90% .