Omnipod Users - Recent Threads

From a new user: Any help would be appreciated!

EBC312 — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 20:59:47 GMT

My 10 year old daughter began using the Omnipod a few weeks ago, switching from MDI. Her (our :)) control with MDI was quite good; her A1c's were regularly in the 6.5 range. However, since beginning on the pod, her numbers and insulin needs have skyrocketed. We've changed basals, ratios, correction factors, etc., to little avail. We've also had two pod failures requiring early site changes.

I so want this to work out for her as she greatly enjoys the independence it offers and the absence of so many injections. I'm playing with various sites and so forth, but I'm wondering if anyone had a similar type of start and grew more successful with knowledge and experience.

I've read and re-read Pumping Insulin and Think Like a Pancreas; the ideas have been so helpful as, obviously, the medical folks are ok waiting things out and trying small changes while I'm thinking more like a mom and worrying terribly about what these numbers are doing to her body. Of course, to her, we just make it all a logic problem and say it will take some time to figure out the new things we need to do.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!

omnipod

skye — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 23:26:26 GMT

don't you just not like when your pump wiggles on your arm

Pod Sites

Sylvia — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 15:23:50 GMT

Hi All,

I have been a type 1 diabetic for 28 years. It took me a long time to try an insulin pump (2006) and my first one was the medtronic. I started using the omnipod a year ago and I love it. There are a couple of draw backs for me. First I do 2 exercise classes a day and they fall off easy because of sweat. I do use skin tac wipe but someitme it just comes off. I have also had many issues with occlusion errors on my PDM and having to get up in the middle of the night to change out my pod? Any body else have these issues?

I have been WAITING for the smaller pods and improved PDM to be released for 2012 but it looks like maybe 2013. I also need some imput on other sites to wear the pod. I wear it on my upper and lower abs, lower back and butt. I haven't tried my arms or legs yet though just scared it will be too bulky or rip off.

I love that I have finally found this site. I would love to hear from some more users and their experiences.

Thank YOU

Sylvia

Diabetic Records! What's your fastest pod change time??

Carly — Thu, 17 May 2012 06:34:24 GMT

I've only had it for a couple of weeks and I'm terrible at getting the bubbles out when I'm filling the pod with the syringe and vile, so I usually go pretty slowly! Fastest I've been able to do it was like 10 minutes!

But I'm sure there are plenty of you who are more experienced, so what are your record times??

omnipod and work

Amandaxo822 — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:48:39 GMT

I have been on the Omnipod for almost 3 years now and I love it. I am finishing school to be a scrub tech in the operating room. Does anybody work in the operating room and has problems with their pod? Or does their job effect their pod at all??

Sensitivity to Cannula

AZ2 — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 20:43:33 GMT

Hello I am a recently diagnosed T1 and am looking at pumps the Omnipod and Animas. I was given a trial of the pod (with cannula inserted and saline) and LOVED the wireless aspect of the pump. However I did notice I was slightly sore and sensitive the next day, especially when there was slight pressure placed on the pod. Omnipods cannula is 9mm (inserted at an angle). I tried a 6mm Animas cannula and felt no pain. I was just wondering if anyone out there with an Omni experiences sensitivity to the cannula. As much as I love not having the wire tubing I'm not sure if being sore for three days would be worth it. I would consider myself average and defiantly have some fatty tissue in my stomach and legs, but in general am just sensitive to the length of cannulas (I bite the bullet with my CGM Dexcom as I can feel that sensor the whole 7 days). I have read posts that say you just need to find "good sites that work" or "pinch up." Is that true. Apprantly while there will be a change in size and depth of the next generation Omnipods, the size of the cannula will remain. I don't want to get this and regret it later because of the soreness factor. I appreciate any feedback as this will help my decision on choosing a pump.

Any words of wisdom?

Renee Gerber — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 15:53:56 GMT

My 8 year old Type 1 daughter is considering the Omnipod. She saw it at the Friends for Life 2011 convention in Orlando. She was dx on 10/29/10 and has not been interested in a pump until now. She even tried the demos out. We go to the Endo on Thursday and plan on discussing. Any input is appreciated.

Sometimes I get so mad...

Brad H — Sun, 15 May 2011 22:05:24 GMT

Hi. I'm glad I have a spot to post, as I know that you can all relate.

My son Jon is ten and has had T1 for two years. He's been an OmniPod user for about a year. Jon loves playing sports, and the thought of tubes made absolutely no sense to him. (It didn't hurt that one of his favorite counselors at Camp Joslin in Massachusetts had an OmniPod!)

Jon gets so stressed every time he needs to change his Pod. I don't blame him. He never knows if it's going to hurt, or how much it will hurt. Certain rituals have been ongoing, so that he feels he has some control over the situation. He always get a hard candy. The TV - the great distractor - is always on. Et Cetera.

Last night was an exceptional bummer, as his endo told him to turn around the Pod - so that the infusion site was more toward his side. He usually puts the Pod on either side of his belly button, or his backside. He was really stressed because he didn't think he had enough fat there, but the endo said he did. I saw Jon pinch, and I felt there was enough. It took the longest time until he was ready to hit the start button on his PDM. He finally did it. The unknown countdown began. There are times when after the CLICK he says, "Good." This was not one of those times. He was in nasty pain that even a Bruins game in the Eastern Conference Finals of the NHL couldn't pull him out of despair. Yes... eventually he was able to focus on that great distractor/hypnotizer, but it was a real bummer. My heart went out for my child. And inside, I was so, so mad.

Today we went to an outdoor batting cage to play some baseball together. On his first swing, his Pod jabbed him. The tough kid kept up his swings... and I kept up my pitches. We took a break. "We're gonna have to change it later today, you know. You have a game tonight, and you can't play while you're hurting. You'll want to do your best, and you won't be able." No way. That wasn't happening. I've seen him limp through basketball games rather than prematurely change a Pod. Once we got home, my wife Linda took over and she helped Jon change his Pod to a often used, more "comfortable" site.

Yes... I know. We've come a long way, baby. The fact that he's on a pump... especially one that lets him jump in a pool without thinking twice, is awesome. Meal plans and shots were a drag. But I get crushed when I see him hurting.

My son Jon is one heck of a brave boy. I just wish he could prove his bravery in a different way.

If you got this far, I thank you for reading my words. I wonder how others deal with sites.

I thank you.

Respectfully,

Brad

Ordering Test Strips to work with the Omnipod

Rachel — Fri, 06 May 2011 03:21:11 GMT

Hello,

I am having a really hard time finding a place to send me the Freestyle test strips that work with the Omnipod. I know that some will work with it even though they aren't FDA approved, but where can you get the correct ones?

I have reordered 3 times through a company who supposively has these strips and knows the difference and now, 2 weeks past my reorder date, I still have the incorrect strips. I have been stuck using my OneTouch Ultra Mini with some random strips I had left over. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Where do you like to wear it?

Angie — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 15:18:45 GMT

I need advice on where to wear it. I currently only like it on ly arms, With summer coming I'm not sure how that will work. Any tips or advice would be helpful Thanks!

Just got approved.

justincharles — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 01:39:36 GMT

I just got approved for mine, and I can't wait to get started. A good friend of mine wants me to get a Ping from animus, but I love that Omnipod has no tubing! I have worn the fake one for days through workouts, and it never fell off. So I can't wait. Are there really smaller ones coming out?

Hello

Nancy — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 02:41:11 GMT

My daughter, Karlee started the Omnipod in May 2010, she has been a diabetic for 4 years, she absolutely loves this pump! She never wanted a pump until she saw this one, without any tubing, she said she had to have it! It is the best thing that has ever happened to her. She runs cross country, track , she is in the band and will be in the marching band next year in high school, she ever stops! This is a Godsend. Her A1C dropped from 8.8 to 7.0 in 6 months. She loves not having to get anymore shots. In fact another friend of hers, just started the pump within the last few days, and he is excited to have started it. His mother is the person who told us about the pump in the first place but her son was reluctant to begin the Omnipod, but Karlee is a daredevil, she will try anything that has to do with her diabetes easier to deal with and this has made it a breeze. Thank you Omnipod!!!

pods

Jozef — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 04:09:19 GMT

ok the 1st thing is that i hate it when these things fall off during a workout and 2nd, werent they supposed to get smaller like 3 months ago?

Hi all fellow Omnipod users

Traci Henn — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 15:07:51 GMT

My name is Traci. I've been a Type I for 28 years. I've been on the Omnipod pump for a little over a year. I love it and would never give it up. I chose Omnipod for the tubelessness of it. At the time I was choosing a pump, my son was three. There was no way an infusion set with a tube was going to be off limits to him. He would accidently pull it out at some point. I will admit, he has taken a pod off my back once.

How are all of you doing with your Omnipod? Do you have any issues, suggestions, etc.?

Take care,

Traci