I believe that the transition has been handled very poorly, and continues to be handled very poorly. There seems to be no empathy or help given to old users at all. It breaks my heart today to watch my son crying about how bad his pump hurts because he was playing on the playground and tugged his shorts which knocked his pump, which covers half his freaking back. This would be a lot better and easier for us with the new pump, since I could tuck it a lot better into his clothes, but nooooooo. Plus the new IOB really helps the little ones, since I *have* to rely on other people to take care of him and the IOB has always been a nightmare - try explaining correcting within a meal bolus to random people. Have no idea when we are getting it either. I wouldn't be so upset if wasn't for the fact that the new pump is really going to improve my little one's quality of life. Grrrrrr......
It's a pity Insulet hasn't communicated more clearly, but I suspect they have a very difficult job because North America is at the end of the line; I believe it's the last market with a substantial number of existing users.
So if they're to remain in business NA has to use up the stock of gen-1 pods from everywhere else. As I understand it Canadian approval is still not available, but even so I suspect the Canadian market is small compared to the US one.
What the "3-6 months" figure says to me, however, is that something significantly wrong is happening, because the original "end of March" statement was clearly way off. I'm speculating but I can only see two possibilities:
1) The change over to the new pods was much faster and easier than Insulet expected, so they have a big stock of gen-1 pods from outside NA.
2) The US health care professionals (Canada isn't involved yet) are resistant to change and don't want to learn a new system, so Insulet are getting push-back resisting change.
There may be other things I'm missing, but clearly something is going on.
John Bowler
i just talked to my rep and they are making the new pods as fast as they can. it's not just a matter of getting rid of the old ones, but making enough new ones too. they don't just magically appear. think of all the users out there and to get everyone enough supplies is a lot of pods. i get they are doing everything they can, BUT they could have communicated better to their existing customers and not lied to potential new customers to get them to switch to omnipod while it was still shipping their old pods. i started the omnipod system in the end of january. if i had waiting one and a half months (which i was willing and able to do), i wouldn't have had to start on the old pod, and now be waiting to switch to the new pod, and learn the new system, etc.
i beleive they know when everyone is going to get transitioned. they know their inventory of old pods, they know in their computers when everyone's re-orders are. my guess is that a lot of people are waiting to re-order or going month to month and that has slowed down using up the old supplies of pods.
Seems to be a lot of conflicting info out there, depending on who you talk to. I had put my auto-ship on hold back in January, because I had a surplus of pods save up. At that point I was told by Insulet CS that when I was ready for a shipment, if the new pods weren't available yet, I could just order a 1 month supply. Well last month I needed to re-order and was told that the new pods weren't available yet. But the kicker was, this time I was told that whether I ordered a 1 month or 3 month supply I WOULD NOT get the new pods if available for 3 months from this order date. So sometime mid-June, I'm hoping the new ones will be available - but of course because I wear them the full 80 hours, I'll have a little surplus again! I've been on the Omnipod for 26 months and have been waiting for the smaller pods since I started.
OK, how are they being dishonest? Seriously how? They don't know, and it's dirt simple why they don't know. It's because the users like you keep calling in to "delay" your shipment of next pods, therefore increasing the time it will take for them to deplete their inventory. As long as people keep calling, they will never know when it will be gone. It ain't rocket science.
The smaller pump is safer? I would argue that good control from any pump at any size is far better than a smaller pump. Smaller pumps are good, don't get me wrong. But any pump is better than no pump.
I'll add one last reply here and repeat one thing I said above. Insult does not know when they will run out of the older pods. And it's NOT their fault. It's ours. I read day after day here how folks have called into Insulet to delay their next shipment waiting for the newer pods. This only causes the old inventory to lengthen in time to be depleted. Since they can't guess when that last person will call in to refuse shipment of the older pods, it's impossible for them to know exactly when it will occur. Impossible.
So, griping about what you THINK is their problem is only making it worse. Folks need to stop it, and just sit back and wait. It will happen, and no sooner than it can.
The only reason I’m delaying is because the reason I called omnipod to make the switch from minimed was because of the smaller pod. I was told I would get the smaller pod sooner if I got on the existing pod first (dishonest). I didnt like the current pod. I felt it was just a tad too big. I only went to them when I saw they got approval for the smaller pod. I was excited and fell victim to their sales person convincing me I would get the smaller pod sooner if I signed up for the existing pod. That being said, I’m going back on my minimed to wait now.
If they had originally calculated that they would run out at a specific time, and believed it how is that a lie? Once they realized that the older pods were not being ordered and/or delayed by existing customers, that calculation changed. So what was the truth at one time, changed by means they did not have the ability to predict at the time. Correct statement? No, but not a lie.
True, they don't know how big our hoards are, and true, Type 1 diabetics are notorious hoarders; it's a necessary defense mechanism.
All the same Insulet *should* know, and it is rocket science; it's pretty simple math, just like rocket science: Insulet have an easily calculable upper bound on how many pods are sitting in bathroom cabinets and they know how many they have in hand.
Perhaps they only just got round to doing the math.
The lie is when I was told on the phone in january, when i called to ask about the new pod, by insulet that if I started on omnipod in January, I would get on the new pod sooner than if I waited until they started shipping new pods. If I had waited a month and a half to switch, I would have a new pod now. Now I have to wait 3-6 months. That is the lie I was told.
Hi Scott. There are safety functions to the new system that do not exist in the older one. People who are not primary caregivers (ie: school nurses, grandparents) often have a tough time with understanding IOB. The new system considers meal bolus in the IOB calculation, which in certain environments, is a safety enhancement which can be significant. Also, Jen mentions the increased number of target windows. I know that when my son was younger, having only 4 targets, CFs and IC ratios was restrictive for us because of his insulin sensitivity. Having more windows also improves safety in certain circumstances.
I know these are things that I am anxious to have access to particularly as my son becomes more independent in his care. I think that was also Jen's point of reference when mentioning safety - not the size of the Pod.
Do you even consider for one moment that, in January, the plan was one thing and now it has changed due to new information, feedback, etc.? Why do you assume an intent to deceive as opposed to the equally possible explanation that they've simply had to re-assess and adjust their plans based on reality?
Holy cow, people, why so much animosity? I've already said that their communication has been less than ideal, but that's a different issue than outright deception. The history of this company is that it takes very good care of its customers, don't they deserve at least a little benefit of the doubt?
The target windows are HUGE for us with little ones. Can't wait to get eight - will make it so much safer for him. Plus the IOB is HUGE too - all make it a lot more safer.
I'm doing my part.
I thought about switching over to a one month supply but opted to stay with a three month supply because, for the last three years, Insulet has sent an extra box (4 instead of 3) with my first annual shipment. I need that extra box because I lose a number of pods to physically beating myself up during training. When I didn't get that extra box this year, I made arrangements to have my doctor just order an extra box or two for me ASAP.
I'm no different from other pod users. I want the shiny new smaller pods. I want the CGM integration. I want a pony. It's frustrating waiting for new stuff. However, what I have, right now, is an insulin pump that's working well. Waiting for the new pods doesn't suddenly make my older pods less effective at what they do.
Anybody who wants to help deplete the current supply of old pods, please, send me your stock. Order more, then send me those too!! I'll use them til they are gone. In the meantime, I'll go to jiujitsu a lot more than I'm going now. Maybe work on those old inline skating tricks I always wanted to learn. Wrestle around with the neighbor's dog more. I'll think of something to help burn through all these unwanted pods!!!
Another person I know that also has the new Pods and PDM.
This made me smile! :) Especially this: "I want a pony." Thanks for keeping things in perspective, FHS.
I empathize with everyone wanting the new pods too. When I started on OmniPod 13 months ago, I was also told that existing customers would be the first to receive the new pods. I also have a surplus that I'm trying to *spend down* but I would be doing that regardless because my prescription is for a new pod every 2 days because sometimes, but not all the time, that's what I need. I delayed a new order because I still have unopened boxes. And I'm fine with the old pods.
I just wish Insulet would say "We don't know because we have to use up existing product (or whatever the reason), but as soon as we do know, this will be our criteria for prioritizing shipments of new gen systems: based on length of product use, (fill in criteria)blah blah".
I don't feel like that's asking for too much. I'm pretty much a straight shooter and if I don't know something, I say I don't know. On the other hand, I work with people who act like they are always certain when they answer and they will never admit they don't know. I avoid these people because I do not trust them.
Just shoot straight with us, Insulet. As loyal customers, we can handle the truth. It's a trust issue.
One last thing, I wish Insulet would have the courtesy of sending something out to existing customers on "the transition plan". This board is the only place that I can find information on what's going on with technology upgrades. It was here that I found out that I was eligible for the Dexcom G4 upgrade at no cost - if I had not read it here, I would still be using the old 7+ system because I never heard anything from Dexcom and my supplier never mentioned the opportunity to upgrade.
Loyalty should be rewarded, not taken for granted.
I called..I offered to pay out of pocket for a new smaller system. My son is 5, he is 42 pounds and a smaller, lighter pod would mean more than words can express. Because I am currently an Omnipod customer I am not ALLOWED to purchase out of pocket.
It doesn't seem right but.....its what they said.
Yeah, I don't want to make it seem like I'm making excuses for Insulet or make it seem like we don't have valid reasons for being frustrated and pissed off in some cases.
I'm still dealing with residual bitterness from the hold-up with the Dex integration. Whether or not it's Dex's fault, or Insulet's fault, or the FDA's fault, after hearing about the integration, anticipating the integration, wanting the integration, not having the integration sucks. So much so that, despite the fact that I'm eligible for the upgrade (thanks to this forum for letting us know, definitely) I haven't upgraded and haven't even used my Dex in a year.
OTOH, I look at all the reasons for disappointment expressed on this board and think, yeah understandable, so's that one, yeah and that one too. When I think of Insulet just trying to address every concern, I feel like the only way Insulet could have made everybody happy would be to have beamed the new pods directly to the home of every new and old user alike, possibly along with a complimentary pony, Star Trek style.
So, I go to my happy place, still satisfied with what I currently have.