I'm on my third pod now. The first two were fine except for an occlusion that happened, probably because of a bad location. BGs for both pods were predictable, stable, and probably the best consistent numbers I've seen in awhile. I was very pleased.
Pod #3 is acting strange. I got the dreaded pod change spike with this one (into the high 200s) while the other two did no such thing. Overnight, basal, and premeal BGs since the pod change didn't seem that far off the other two pods, but post meal BGs are crazily different. I get a very slow, but steady rise from premeal BGs in the 90s,that plateau in the 200+ almost 2.5 hours postmeal. My Dexcom clearly and accurately (verified by multiple fingersticks) shows a steady rise, but it's too slow to show any kind of upward trend arrow. It then shows no sign of dropping, even 3 hours postmeal, until I let the PDM calculate a correction and bolus. I then get no perceptible response from my BG, after bolusing, in any direction, until it starts to drop another 2 hours later. It then steadily, and a bit more quickly, drops to a normal premeal BG. So from the time I bolus premeal, to the time I get back to normal BG postmeal (with a correction bolus) a little more than 5 hours have elapsed.
I have never seen anything like this, ever, on MDI, and my previous two pods showed nothing like this either.
What do you guys and gals think? Bad pod, bad location, bad insulin, improper placement technique? If something like this happens to you, do you stay with the pod until it starts behaving, or do you just change it out?
Hey FHS…I wouldn’t think it’s bad insulin especially if it’s from the same vial you used in the first 2 pods and if it’s not that old should be ok. It seems to be delivering insulin but the absorption from this placement doesn’t seem to work as well which could be either just a bad location for you or the insertion didn’t work as well. Do you use the pinch up method or just hold the pod down from the top when you insert? I have always just held it down and have had great success, believe I read others having more issues using the pinch up method. When you change next time I’d try back at your first locations and record the results. May take some time to locate the areas that work, with MDI I never moved much from my abdomen area so I never saw a difference as you suggested. But with the pod I have 6 spots that I rotate between and while all work I have the best success on the back of my arms. Think I read that some people have used different basal or I/C ratios for different locations. Sorry can’t be as much help, I had one location that I thought was not working but think it was more heat related as I tried it again with success…Glad to hear your first 2 went well and stable numbers! I’m sure you’ll get this solved and back on track. Take care! ~Schmutz
Hey Schmutz. I talked to my trainer and you pretty much said the same thing she did.
I just wasn’t sure about the insulin because I’m still using my Novolog pens until that prescription is used up. I know the ones in the fridge are still good for awhile yet, but I’ve been using the ones I had from my various stashes I keep in handy places like my computer bag. Not a catastrophe if I got one bad dose from a bad pen, but definitely a different story if i happen filled a pod from a bad pen. As a precaution, I’m now only using one at a time, fresh from the fridge (warmed to room temp before use of course).
Anyway, I dumped the pod, took note of the site, and popped a fresh one on. My trainer said she’d drop by in a couple of days with a replacement and to check on things. Very nice person.
Oh, and I do use the pinch up method. I don’t have a whole lot of cushion to work with. Normally, not something I wouldn’t think of complaining about. =P
Hey man…sounds like you are getting good feedback here, glad to hear you have established a working relationship with your area Insulet rep, this is very important! (I cant tell you how many times my rep/trainer has bailed me out of a bad pod situation!) I think it could have been any/all the above(?)! YOu may never know…keeps you guessing…(part of the “Omni adventure”) Schmutz offered great advise on the “pinch up” method, which i use standard practice. In any case…good luck, glad everything seems to be going well, PEACE!
Thanks Steve. Yeah, I feel real fortunate to have the trainer that I have, plus all of the help from this group. You guys and gals are real lifesavers, literally.
I agree! I have resolved that all of us…TU people… are the “New Orleans of human beings” (say it so it rhymes…makes it better). I resolved this after Brian Williams was hosting last nights NFL kickoff, which was New Orleans vs. Minnesota, and he said “if there was a city that could take another catastrophe like the BP incident, it is New Orleans. The resilience and the spirit there just makes it so special.” I immediately thought of everyone here! WE ARE THE NEW ORLEANS OF HUMAN BEINS!
