I am thinking of getting a omnipod pump. I have a dexcom and love it. My main question is does one have enough spots on ones body to have the two devices on. Also wondering with the pump do you feel you have much better control. I’m thinking of the omnipod because it’s tubeless . Any input is greatly appreciated .
I have both an omnipod and dexcom. I wear my dexcom on my arm and switch back and forth between arms. The pod you can wear anywhere you would take a shot. I have not had trouble finding locations.
Any pump won't automatically give you better control but it does give you more options. My basal rate can be different throughout the day and I can take a more precise dose for meals. I also find bolusing in public to be more convenient.
I picked omnipod because it is tubeless and have been very happy with that choice. They will send you a trial pod if you want to wear one and see how if feels. I do know that most people who have tubing say that it is easy to adjust to but I have no experience with that.
I've been on my Omnipod for years now. Was on MM pumps for 10 years before I switched. I have to say that I love my Omnipod and would never switch back to a tubed pump. I loved my MM, but my kids kept yanking the thing out. I also wanted that "non-tethered" feeling, didn't want to have to disconnect when swimming or showering etc.
I've also been using Dexcom for years and it is something I cannot live without now. It's my road map.
Don't think you can go wrong with this combo!!!
Thanks for the help. Yes my trial pack is on the way. You both gave me answers that I needed
I use the Dex and the Animas Ping. I tried the Omnipod a few years ago and failed after a five-month trial. I'll give more details, if you're interested. Many people use and like the Omnipod.
You can find plenty of sites for both but it helps to try new places, like the back of the arms, and not wear out any favorite territory.
Thanks. Yes I would love your input on why you had issues with the omnipod. My big sell is that it is tubeless
I have both Omnipod and Dexcom. In fact it was my Dexcom that ultimately convinced me MDI was just not working - after 37 years. I wear my sensors typically on the back of my arms and generally get any where from 3- 4 weeks worth of use out of each one. The beauty of the pod for me is not only can you wear it anywhere you would take a shot but also in a bunch of places you wouldn't. I currently have a pod slapped on my back near my shoulder blade but I have also used the sides of my breasts, top of butt, arms, thighs, love handles, calves and occasionally my abdomen. My control and A1C were fairly good before I started pumping but I had far too many hypoglycemic events especially during exercise. Now with the Omnipod I can customize my basal rate to my activity level and my control has really improved. My last A1C was 5.8. I did not want a tubed pump and I waited until the newer sleeker, thinner, lighter Omnipod came out in April 2013. The pod has allowed me to focus my energy on something besides D and I am really grateful this technology exists. Every pump experiences failures - kinked tubing, cannulas that become dislodged, occlusions, lack of absorption etc. But I would not trade in my pod and return to MDI for any reason.
I do not have an OmniPod - but I can tell you that those I know who have the Omnipod love it. It gives you many options as to where to wear it. I am still considering going to that. I have 3 pumps I am thinking about - The Omnipod, the T-Slim, and the Animas Vibe.
I tried the Omnipod in 2012. I am a long time pump user, since 1987. I was curious about a tubeless system and was open to new ways of doing things.
Unfortunately, I experienced too many occlusions and poorly absorbing sites. It didn't happen every pod session but probably had one bad pod every second week, on average. I also had problems with hyperglycemia when I placed a new pod. I couldn't figure out what was causing these pod change highs and I was aware of other users that had this problem.
My overall control suffered during this time and after sticking with it for five months, I just had to pull the plug.
On the plus side, I found Insulet's customer service responsive and they would replace failed pods.
I am very aware of many people here, like Clare, that get very good results with the Omnipod. I never was able to understand why I failed and I'm usually pretty good at troubleshooting pump related problems.
After the Omnipod, I returned to the Ping and experimented with several different kinds of infusion sets and found some models that gave me consistent absorption.
I've never viewed infusion set tubing as a liability. You hear all the stories about getting snagged on doorknobs and such. I've worn tubed insulin pumps for many years and the number of times I snagged my tubing on something are measured in less than once per year. I understand the appeal that women may have with different styles of clothes that may work better with the pods.
One thing I see as a problem with the Omnipod is inadvertantly leaving the PDM behind and not being able to deliver a meal bolus. That happened a few times in my experience. I came to appreciate the tubed pump's controller always going with me and not vulnerable to a memory lapse.
Good luck with whatever you decide! I love insulin pumps.
@Terry4: Can I ask you which infusion sets you found most useful? I have trouble with consistent absorption myself, and so far I´ve moved to 6 mm steel cannulas, but would love to have other options.
I´m actually thinking about trying the OmniPod myself to get more reliable absorption, but your experience makes me wonder if that´s just another sidetrack.
I found that the 6mm Insets to work well for me. At the time I adopted these sets I also starting using new areas of my body to infuse. In particular, I’ve had great success using my lower back, on either side of my spine, one to four inches above my belt.
When I was having absorption problems, I was using the Inset 30 degree angled sets. I had used them successfully for many years but they stopped working for me. The OmniPods also employ an angled insertion of its cannula. That could be some of the reason that I was not successful with the pods. But I also had trouble with them on the back of my arms, previously unused sites. It seems to me that many people love their pods, but I also realize that I was not alone in the pods not working well. The best thing for you would be a trial period before making a commitment.
Good luck with whatever you decide. I’d be interested to read what your experience is. Good consistent absorption is the holy grail of pumping insulin.
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