Curious about other's POV on this. Just slapped a new one on this morning, left thigh. I generally try to manage my insulin so that I'm home when the pod goes dry, but about 20% of the time I'm at work.
I have no problem running through the whole procedure at work, then going in the bathroom to slap it on and get it going. How about you all?
Like you, I usually plan to change pods at home. However, I do keep a spare pod in my computer bag and have changed it at work on occasion. A couple of times I have had either a pod failure or a PDM failure that necessitated changing pods. I just do it in my office.
The easiest thing is to stick it on my abdomen in that case, as it requires the least undressing. If it is summer,and I am wearing short sleeves, I can stick it on my arm.
I don't like doing diabetes care in the bathroom as it is one of the least sanitary places.
I sometimes end up changing pods at work. I prefer not to, but I won't change it until it stops working. (either expired or run out of insulin). I teach so it's often a quick process between classes (frequently as kids transition). I'll often use it as a teaching moment as I slap it on my abs or upper arms and explain to students what it happening.
I just changed mine on the subway. Anytime for me, try to steer away from late nights and early mornings. I hate getting woken up by the stupid hour from pod change beep
I've always found I need a stable, clean, surface to either inject (MDI) or do a pod change. Many many years ago I did MDI in bathrooms, but trying to balance a vial of insulin, a syringe and (originally) a swab with no safe surface to put any of them on just got too silly, particularly as the ground is generally not carpeted and is instant destruction for a vial of insulin.
I also let the pod control when I change it; I want to get the full 80 hours from each one, so I have a change window of maybe 30 minutes.
Consequently I just do the pod change wherever I happen to be, just as I did insulin injections. Since I am almost invariably with my wife I have a safe surface even in places like airport departure lounges (where the tables are often suspiciously sticky). She just holds the stuff while I fill the pod and plop it on to whichever site is next in my rotation.
When I was working I tended to inject in the stomach, which is quick and easy. When I didn't want to disrobe in a restaurant but wanted to use my upper arm I'd just inject through my shirt.
I don't use my thighs, so I don't have to deal with the inconvenience of wearing trousers. I do always where button up shirts, so it is easy to get to the six sites I routinely use.
Obviously your dress can be an inconvenience. I didn't chose my dress to suit my injection/pod placement needs, I was just fortunate. If I did use my thighs then I would probably chose to adjust my dress on those days where I was expecting to use those sites; while I don't normally wear short-sleeve shirts sometimes I do to facilitate an upper arm pod change.
John Bowler
I never run out of insulin before 72 hrs, but occasionally will have a pod error and have to change at work. It's inconvenient for me as we have nowhere private at all. The women's restrooms are like grand central station -- if I go in a stall there's no mirror to double check placement. If I don't have to get to my thigh, then I just stay at my desk in my cubicle and slap it on my tummy no problem. I always have a spare pod in my bag and also keep one in my desk drawer at work. Any inconvenience is minor in comparison to the benefits of having the pod / pump!
I don't get a full 3 days out of a pod due to insulin resistance. So I change my pod whenever it runs out, where ever I may be. I always carry an extra pod and insulin with me. So I've changed out in a variety of locations. I do like the new plastic syringes used to fill, as I've found them much faster to fill without bubbles. I do try to plan in advance at least a little bit. I've also swapped out a few hours before I expected to run out just in case in situations where changing would be difficult. Those that work with me know that I have this procedure needed once in a while, so they are good with it. I never hide my Diabetes. Much easier to explain oddities that occur if I'm more open about it.
I work close to home, within 5 min. So with all the warnings of end of pod, I can time it so I either put on a new one before I go to work, change it while I am home for lunch or wait til end of day. At my previous job I had an extra pod and insulin bottle in my desk and I would change it in the restroom or in my classroom if students weren't around. I try to get every minute I can out of each pod, so sometimes the ending alarm has happened while I have a roomful of kids and it raises questions, which I don't mind answering. Like someone else said, a teaching moment.
You do know that you have about 8 hours life left after your "change" time. I rarely go dry but if I need to, I have absolutely no problem changing almost anywhere. Ive done it in a restaurant, car, work. If I get an alert at work or out and about I'll just wait until I get home to change. If it's totally out of insulin then I just change wherever, however... never a problem. I try to schedule so it's done in the evening anyway. It's so freekin simple with the pod that it's never an issue. :)
I have a private office so I CAN change a pod at work if need be (and have), but I still prefer to do changes at home where I have my bottles of liquid UniSolve and liquid SkinTac. I do carry the swab versions for ‘emergencies’ but I do find the liquid versions much more convenient.
Typically I bolus an hour’s worth of basal insulin before removing a pod and then shower and primp ‘pod-less’ before starting a new one. I find exfoliating the new sites 1st helps with adhesion. Especially important for extending the Dexcom sensors.
I like to have a little "podless" time also Sue, and try to time my changes accordingly. I'm type two and have a very low basal setting from 2-7 pm as my BG tends to drop then, so being without for 1-2 hrs is no biggie for me. And I'm not having any skin sensitivity issues yet, so a simple alcohol pad is fine for me.
I've found that for me personally it's best to keep my pod change times consistent - I try to do it in the morning after I've done any exercise and to get my breakfast bolus out of the "old" pod. This way I can avoid the lag in insulin that sometimes occurs with the new pod - I'm not eating again until lunch, at which point things are usually running smoothly. AND I never have to deal with it at work! Plus, as Sue mentioned below, I get to have a tiny little window of time in the shower where I am Pod-less, and that's nice!
There are downsides to this - mainly, I never stretch my pods to 80 hrs. But right now it's more important for me to avoid the post-change highs, and that's what my whole "schedule" is based on.
You only get 10% overall on the 80 hour thing. It's just a diabetic thing for me; those extra hours not having to actually change the pod count, but it's like using the same needle for the whole of the insulin pen (something I always did on MDI); it may be convenient but it's not necessarily the best thing to do.
John Bowler
I change mine all the time at work, and I stick it on in the officer unless it requires pulling pants down, then i head to the brathroom. everyone knows what I have and what i`m doingt so i`m okay with it.
Might be a male thing, but when I do wind up changing at the office, I just leave the old one on until I get home, then deal with the Unisolve mess (love the stuff) where it's much less of a hassle. I like to soak the pad pretty good, then just leave it 'till the pod just about falls off on its own (and does, sometimes!).
Unisolve is a skin saver.
I stick it on in the officer unless it requires pulling pants down
What does the officer do if you have to pull your pants down? :-) :-)
I try to time my POD changes at night, but if I need to change my POD I will. I don't care where, if it's time to change it, it's time to change it. If it is something you don't want to see......don't look.