Hi Guys ,
I saw older posts(2007-2009) that blood sugars fluctuate way more on omnipod than on minimed/animas pumps .
this Q is for the experienced pumpers that used both omnipod &minimed/animas before that .
Did U encountered this issue ?
I'm seriously considering Omnipod for my 2y old daughter & the last thing I need is more instability ...please help .
Meant to post on one of your posts earlier - this post will not answer your current question but I put my two year old on the Omnipod (she is now 7) and I will give you my experience. We put Maddy on the pod right around THanksgiving (would not recommend that - need to have days that are stable food and excitement wise to get the correct bolus and basal figures) It took us a month to get the basal and bolus figures correct. During that time, we had to change the pod a few times extra - looking back, it was probably because she was not getting enough insulin through the basal. Once we got through that period, we loved having a pump - if she wanted to eat more, she could. When she is running around - we turn off the basal, we can bolus and correct whenever we want. She was fighting shots before we went on the pod - so bolusing was a struggle - not with a pump. The old pods would sometimes have highs after putting the pod on - for us it was very inconsistent(25% of the time) - so I was assuming it was on sites that were not good - however, in using the new pods we rarely have a high after a site change. However, the new pods have given us a lot more errors(about 3 per month) - the good thing is that seem to error right away - we have not had her BS go up after an error. But errors are a pain! We were hoping to go to a tubed pump in the next year or two as she gets more independent so she cannot leave her pdm at home. I worry about the insertion though - the automatic insertion with the Omnipod is great on a little kid - if she is squirming and trying to avoid the pod change, I just stick the pod on and I don't have to touch her to insert. So I am going to test some insertion sets with her to see if it will be an issue or not. THe IOB calculation used to be an issue with the Omnipod, but they have fixed that with the new pods. I also like that she can keep the Omnipod on while swimming at camp and bathing - less time when we have to think about it. I am also curious how it is sleeping with a tubed pump - do you have to tape the tube down to prevent kinking?
LOts of plusses and minuses to think about but any pump will be more flexible than needles - it helps alot when they are sick - you can use a temporary basal to up their insulin level. It helps too when they are being fussy and not wanting to eat - you can bolus for part of the meal up front and bolus the rest when they finish. Being on a pump makes your life feel more normal (especially if you are not a structured person to begin with). Their numbers get better too after the basal levels are working because you can cahnge their levels through out the day instead of dealing with the peaks of the long acting.
Good luck - pumping will bring some challenges but I think you will find it worth it (also for childcare - it is alot easier to walk someone through a pump than needles)
Celeste
No, It's totally dependent on how you manage it and how her body responds.
There is no difference on how the pumps deliver insulin. It all depends on how you set them up.
Andy T1 59 Years