So… The first couple of weeks with the pod were amazing. Of course, anything is better than shots. But recently I’m regretting my decision to go with the OmniPod. I’ve been having problems with my sites being very sore and uncomfortable. Also the reason I went with the Pod is because it was tube-less, now its super annoying to not be able to teak a break from it without changing a Pod.
Has anyone Tried the Omnipod and switched to a pump with tubing?
Do you like it better?
If you wanted to take a break you could suspend it. I had one with tubing and the omnipod is so much nicer I think. Nothing to get hung up on and can hide it better if I want to. Also sleeping without having to find a spot to hook the pump to is nice. And taking a shower much simpler.
I have a freind on the Mini med…When she went on it, Omni pod didn’t exist…
When I was thinking about a Insulin pump, I had a long conversation with her. She is very used to what she has, but she has to carry her “PDM” with her , on her body, at all times, She does take it off when she bathes and swims. She told me she cannot wear everything she used to,…Also, has to watch the tubing.
Since an insulin pump is a good thing for ME, I LOVE the pod. I don’t have to attach my PDM to my body, don’t have to remove the pod for anything except to change it every 3 days… So far, I have no problems with it as far as sights… I have only been using it for about 5-6 weeks. Yeah, I’ve thought about the fact this is 24/7, but I think the positives outweigh the negatives…
A simple view of it, but none the less, why I think it’s much better than having the tubes …
Even a non-Omnipod insulin pump should pretty much be 24/7. Unless you’re doing some sort of injectable basal too then you need the insulin 24/7. Studies have been done that disconnecting even for something as short as a shower can raise your sugars more than 30 points due to the loss of insulin. I have some friends with “normal” insulin pumps that will go two or three hours between infusion sets to be pump-free and that’s just dangerous to your body. So I guess what I’m saying is that, in my opinion, the fact that you can’t take a break from the Omnipod makes it a more healthy system. As for sore and uncomfortable sites I’m not sure what to say. I find that if I use my arms they get sore more than any other place. I avoid using them most of the time to prevent this. Also, when I first start using a new place it tends to be sore more than after I’ve used it a few times. My nurse says that this is due to the site “learning” how to deal with the insulin infusion. I’d say if you’re following all the rotation and pod placement guidelines and have sore sites everywhere then it makes sense to try another method but don’t leave just so you can “take a break” that will hurt your body down the road.
I did tubed pumps for 9 years (3 Minimed models, then the Cozmo). You can’t - or shouldn’t - take a break from it without accounting for the missed basal insulin, as Rebecca said. I could disconnect for half an hour or so, but had to take extra insulin and deal with rising sugars for the time disconnected. (They say your BG rises approximately 1 mg/dL for every 1 minute of missed basal.)
I’ve been on the pod for a little over 2 months and love it. But everyone is different. I loved my Cozmo, but the whole time I was on it, I knew I should have chosen the pod because the technology seems to all be headed in the direction of tubeless pumping. I find dealing with the pod much easier than dealing with all the extra tape, priming, tug of the tube or air bubbles in the tube (otherwise, I was never bothered by tubing), and clipping the pager-sized device to whatever I’m wearing.
Out of curiosity, where are you having site issues? Have you tried it in the small of your back? I can’t even feel it there and find it’s lower profile than my belly. I haven’t tried my arms yet because I use my arms for my cgm sensors every day and don’t want to overuse the area. But between legs, hips, butt, abdomen, and back, I love using my back.
But grayce lou, go with your gut/heart on pump choices. Every model out there has pros and cons, I can promise you that. And so do all of the companies. (I’ve also been dealing with Animas for a year because I used their infusion sets, so I can tell you I’ve dealt with the four major pump players.) I think they all have wonderful products to offer. BUT I think the pod is the best pump out there right now. I’m so glad I switched.
If you haven’t tried the arms, do it! I use to use my stomach and back and was very unfomfortable with these areas (same as you, soreness and whatnot) I then tried the back of my arms and loved it! you can barely feel it is there. Then again it’s different for everyone.
Melissa and Ken: I use my arms and belly, and both get sore. I have tried the back and it is very uncomfortable. I have yet to try my thighs because They’re not fatty at all…
As far as taking a break goes, I know you have to make up for the insulin lost while the pump is not connected. I personally, do not like having the insulin stuck to me for 72 hours…
I used tubed pumps for almost a decade. You still can’t have the insulin exposed to extreme heat and sun, it can still go bad in the reservoir, and you still have to change it every 3 days (or risk staph infection like I got once). And once you begin pump therapy, you can’t just take it off when you’re annoyed with it without going back on MDI and a basal insulin (Lantus, Levemir, NPH).
Make sure you guys ask questions of the pump company reps about what the reality of wearing ANY pump is like. Heat & sun exposure, skin issues, hot water, and 24/7 connection are major concerns with every pump - not just the pod. To me, that’s all just the reality of pumping. And like I said, I’ve been with every company.
I agree with everyone that any pump should be 24/7, It’s not very smart to just unhook from the pump so you can “take a break”. I still go out in the sun and I have not had a problem, I wear my pod when I swim w/o a problem and I don’t have to stop what I’m doing to go take a shot!! I don’t think from what you are saying that you would be happy with a tubed pump. It sounds to me like you just want to stop your insulin and be non diabetic when you feel like it and you can’t even do that with shots or you will get sick just as easy as with a pump. We all wish we could take a break from being diabetic, however the reality is that we can’t and the pod to me has been so much better for me, I used to forget to take my lantus, or I couldn’t remember if I’d taken it or not and had to wait hrs b/f I could tell if I needed another shot or not, this way is soooo much better!! Good Luck to you with whatever you do.
Grayce lou-
Hello! I am sorry you are having second thoughts about the Pod. The only experience I’ve had with a pump is with the Omnipod only. I have been podding for a little over a year. I wouldn’t change it for the world. I felt the same way you felt about the Pod in the first 2 weeks. The only difference is I wanted to stop because of my numbers. I couldn’t get them to sync. I post my frustration on TuD and I was given great advice. I was told to be patient and it’ll work out. Guess, what it did. I have placed my Pod in the wrong place so many times I can’t count. I remember the area where it hurt the most and pray I don’t put there again. If I do, I suck it up and move on…lol I’m way to cheap to waste a pod.
I agree with Melissa. You have to figure out what you want. You are the only person who can make the decision. Can you do me one favor…
Sit down and write down why your chose the pod vs. a traditional pump. If you decide to change after you compose your list then go for it. If not…we are here to help answer any questions you need help with.
I used a MiniMed for about a year. I fought with that darn tubing every night, and at times disconnected myself in my sleep. Changing the tubing took me a good 20 minutes, and had to make sure I was home when it was time to change it. If I had a problem and needed to change tubing, I had to leave work and get home to change the set. I have been on the Omni Pod for a year-and-a-half. If I need to change my pod in the car, I can in less than 5 minutes. My only real problem is that my skin is super sensitive, and the pod does leave a mark on my skin, and I get water blisters. I deal with it because not having tubing, and being able to swim, bath, etc without unhooking my pump. Every system has its problems and flaws. You just have to decide what fits your life style. Good luck to you!
My current pod is two days old, and I have been baking myself poolside in the Las Vegas sun at Mandalay Bay for the last few days. My blood sugar is 101.
I inadvertently responded to a different thread before – my apologies as I was trying to use my iPhone to respond.
Considering your interest in taking a break from pump therapy, I think the first question to ask yourself is whether pump therapy is right for you. I know some people take breaks from pump therapy, but like others on this board, I don’t think it’s something you should take a vacation from.
If you’re going to stick with pump therapy, keep in mind that there is a BIG difference between a tubed pump and an OmniPod. The OmniPod is a lot less intrusive and cumbersome than a tubed pump. I achieved great control on a tubed pump for 20 years, but I would never think of going back to a tubed pump after the OmniPod.
With regard to site irritation, I would talk to your CDE or OmniPod rep about ways that you can attack the irritation issue head on – either with a preparation, more rigorous disinfection before applying the pod, or exploring different sites.
No matter what your decision ultimately is, good luck.
I was outside in the heat almost all day at my niece’s birthday party and I actually had a low sugar…my pod is about 2 days old as well.
I got my first pump when I was 19, in 1985 (Minimed…505 maybe?) used it for about 3 years. Went on another Minimed in the early 90’s…for about a year. Then again in 2004 I tried it again, this time for 6 months. I absolutely cannot deal with the tubing. I just cant. It is such a PITA for me, I would rather poke myself 8x/day than wear a tubed pump.
Then came Omnipod. Ive been on it for about 2 months now, maybe a little less. So far, love it. Of course it has its issues, most notibly knocking them off on doorways etc…but overall, its worth it . Pumping isnt for everyone, but understand with today’s pumps calculating IOB and linking glucose monitors with your pump…well, it takes all the guesswork out of boluses and corrections, thus tighter control.
This is for another discussion, but Ive seen a couple comments about disconnects…one was 30 BS points for every 5 mins disconnected, the other was 1 point per minute. I dont understand this. A pumps typically pulses what…once every 6-10 mins? Even if youre on a hefty 2u/hr basal, missing two pulses would amount to 1/2u missed for 15 mins disconnected? I dont see how a BS could raise so much over 1/2u…but anyway. Thats another thread 
Dan: I’m glad you like the OmniPod! Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a great system for most people, but I"m just not one of them…
About how much your BS should go up while not connected, I’m not sure. I"ve ripped my pod off and left it off for as long as 3 hours and my BS only went up about 30 pts. Of course I wasn’t eating or doing much of anything but for me, it doesn’t affect me THAT much… and you can always bolus before you take it off…
& it’s official, insurance has approved the Medtronic pump, and I should be on it within the month!
Happy pumping to all!
How much you rise depends on your basal rate, your sensitivity to insulin, and your activity level. The 1 mg per 1 minute is a baseline to go by. Half a unit in either direction can send me lower or higher, so half a unit missed can affect me worse at different times of the day.
When I first started on a pump about a decade ago, I thought I could go a couple hours before refilling the cartridge one time (I was far from home and figured I’d take care of it when I got off work). I made it almost 3 hours before collapsing from a high with ketones (in the middle of a song I was singing in front of an audience). After that, I learned not to go more than half an hour without my basal. And once I got on a Cozmo, I loved the feature that allowed me to give a disconnect bolus in tiny increments for the time I’d miss. On the pod since this May, I don’t have to disconnect, so I don’t worry about any missed basal. Everyone is different. There’s no way I could miss a couple hours of basal.
Different pumps have different pulse rates, too. My Minimed gave me insulin about every 3-4 minutes. Some have variable rates delivered at specific time intervals, others have variable time intervals for a specific dose toward your hourly basal.
Hi -
Just wanted to put my two cents in - our son, who is now 3.5 years old has been using the OmniPod for the last 1.5 years. We love it. It does take a while to get up to speed as I think going from shots to any pump does. That said, we’ve recently started a study using the Guardian CGM though Stanford. We had the device for two weeks and it was so annoying to have to carry around that pager thingy (same thing as the pump on a traditional tubed pump). It’s quite heavy and you have to have it on your body the entire time, just like a traditional pump. We got a pump belt and that helped but still pretty annoying. Our little guy was quite frustrated with having it on him and also having to find a spot in his bed for it. I found myself constantly nagging him. This won’t happen with a traditional pump because you have no choice but to wear it but the entire time we had the device, I kept thinking how fortunate we are that we never used a tubed pump. I love the convenience of having the OmniPod. Once you find the perfect spot on your body, I think you will really like it. Our perfect spot is the tricep - you can wrap a coban wrap on it for swimming and you can be in the water all day. We’ve hung out in the sun and have never had any issues with our insulin going bad, etc.
Check out the “Tips & Tricks” section that was posted a long time ago - it has great information on starting up with the pod. Hang in there!!
You CAN hang out in the sun with the pod. I was not sure how the pod would work during summers in South Carolina, but I have not had any problem with it. I go to the pool most every weekend and am in the sun for several hours with no problem.