This came from a discussion I was having with Spooky. I’m new to the OmniPod. I’m a T1 Diabetic on shots for 15 years. I had it DOWN. I was encouraged to go on OmniPod due to my active lifestyle, crazy work life, raising my wonderful kids full time and being a super wife!
Mentally its been a challenge for me to get used to my new Pod 'friend/alien/thingy/i-pod' (all my pet names for it). It really brought up a lot for me emotionally about how I just really don't like this disease. It kinda sucks. :) But I will continue to kick it's arse daily and keep control of it so it doesn't control me!
Anyway, wearing it this weekend with my bikini and my husband wanted to take a picture of me.. I just felt, well, un-sexy. It was a bit of a bummer. It's there all the time! And it's not very pretty! I know it is a permanent part of my life now and it makes life easier and my control level out, but dang it-- I just feel more self-concious wearing it. :) THAT'S what I'm working through right now. My husband (bless his heart) could literally care less. He's always been supportive of me and the pod is just a new part of our lives. He is proud of the fact I'm giving this a go.
I feel pretty much the same way as you and my husband has pretty much reacted the same way as yours. In response to my statement about how un sexy the pod is (or I am with the pod on my belly,) he said, “sexier than dead,” or something to that effect.
Maybe we need a fun slogan. “Sexier than dead” is a bit much, but maybe “Love the Pod on the bod.”
Trust me, my goal is to ROCK THE POD and wear it with pride. And who is the chick in the OmniPod ad that makes it look good? hahahaaaa. I mean, can we get colors or prints… anything??
ROCK THE POD works for me. Colors and prints sound fun, but I wouldn’t mind a demure flesh tone for certain wardrobe needs. Maybe they should offer a whole assortment…colors, patterns (lace, camo, tatoo art.) If you’re going to wear (rock) it, wear it with pride.
Hah! As a representative Y chromosome nosing in on this thread, I’m not sure that I worry too much about feeling sexy wearing an Omnipod in the same way you do. However, I have asked my girlfriend if it bothers her that I have all these sensors and things stuck to my body. She was pretty honest about it and said it takes a teeny bit of getting used to, so I guess I have some sense of what it may mean to the ladies to actually have to wear one.
But, from one guy’s point of view anyway, I’m a big ol’ Trekkie so I can’t think of too many things more sexy than my own personal Seven of Nine if she ever decided to just stick one of my pods on her for looks. =)
I’ll put in my guy thoughts too. I have no problem about not feeling sexy wearing mine, in fact I like showing it off! Now I do get concious of it sometimes when I’m with my wife.
If you are anything like my wife she feels unsexy for the most bizarre reasons. When we say it doesn’t matter, it really doesn’t matter. But if you are determined to figure out the sexiest thing you can do with the Pod I would say wear it on your back. It is unobtrusive and a woman’s back is sexy!
The Pod isn’t like a giant wart or deformed toe, we know the Pod can always come off.
HA! Love the responses. I knew I wasn’t alone! I’m a pretty confident silly and goofy woman, so adjusting my mind set for this new adventure has been interesting. I’ve wondered about dating with the Pod and ‘explaining’ the Big D. I’m sure its been an adjustment to my husband and friends hanging by the pool. This is all new!
I do joke about it would nice to call up Insulet and order “I’ll take 1 in hot pink, 1 in cheetah print and 1 in zebra print please”. And it would be very cool since technology has advanced us to this wireless technology if the ‘coolness’ of it all evolves too! It’s definitely changed in the 15 years I’ve been working hard on it.
Trust me, I’m bringing SEXY BACK with this thingy… slowly.
I don’t wear a bikini any longer, and I usually wear the pod on my stomach area, I DID/DO sometimes wear it on my thigh, and with shorts, (I live in Fl) I put some funky stickers on the pod. My grandsons love to see the stickers.
Hopefully, the new smaller pods will allevate some of the self-consciousness. I have two daughters (thankfully not diabetic), so I feel for what you ladies go through with your bodies. Society definitely puts more pressure on women to look good. Guys can get away with just about anything.
Hi Dana,
This post is pretty much what I am thinking…thanks! Just one difference for me…I am not married, nor am I in a relationship. I will have to cross that bridge when and if I meet someone.
Michelle
I wear one too. Its always one thing or another when it comes to feeling or looking sexy. Think of it this way, if you didnt have the problem with diabetes then you wouldnt have the pump then you would chose something else that you dont feel sexy about and work to cover it up…Honestly ive tried to deal with how bulky it looks but over the past year I cam to realize something…I dont care anymore I truely dont! Of course me and my friends even female friends crack jokes once a month about our shortcommings but hey whooptydoo! Everyone has there flaws and no one is perfect, so work on being self confadent period because if anyone ever show make fun of you in any way even if it werent about the pod its just because there covering up something ugly about themselves. So the pod is something to keep you alive and well there is no reasion to hide who you are. Anyways if your hubby loves you truely im sure he can give less than a mess about your pod FYI. When I fall for a girl/Woman I know her flaws are admirable when she is proud to be who she is…its sexy because knowing that somethings can be perfect and showing then in an eligent light to me is one of the most beautiful things in a true woman!)
Sorry about my spelling BTW I know its horrible but O well! Love yah all!)
Hi Dana, I am a T1 for 25 yrs, just started on the pod about 3 weeks ago and I LOVE it–I had the medtronic minimed for the last 5 years and talk about un sexy (try wearing that with a negligee). Anyway, I have been to the lake once aleady with pod and on my way again today–I put my pod on my hip just behind hip bone at the level of my bikini bottoms–no one knows its there and I have a small frame (not much fat) I know it doesn’t show this placement on directions but it works great for a bikini, so it’s not on your butt or stomach it’s pretty much on your side, under bikini bottoms My husband also just mentioned that he likes the pod a lot better than minimed (we don’t get tangled in the tubing!! Hope this helps, I know you never had another pump, but I no longer have to worry where to wear it with what I am wearing
I really think writing this raised my confidence! It is me and its a part of me now. We went out with friends last night and they were totally interested and I gave a little tutorial on it. I think it all comes with time and how we wear with CONFIDENCE what we need to do to be healthy and live as normal life as possible.
Strangely enough, if the pod is behind me (small of my back or my buttocks), I look down and feel more sexy than I ever did on pumps with infusion sets where I had tape and tubes coming out of my abdomen. So I guess that experience helps my perspective.
I’d definitely have to agree about Minimed’s pump being un-sexy. I don’t have the omnipod (yet, am hoping to get one when my warranty is up next year) but being without tubing (I would imagine) just leaves you to be so free! I hate having to unhook and take off my pump every time I want to be intimate. Not too mention if I forget to place the little cap on- the site has sharp edges which scratch …let’s be real nothing about wearing a pump is sexy! But it’s a (small) part of who I am and I’ve got to wear it with confidence.
I just returned from a cruise. Never had a shirt on the whole time at the pool. I been pumping for 2 years. D since 3 in 1958 so maybe my hide is too thick to worry about it. To steal a friends sons comment, I tell everyone “I’m the new six million dollar man” with the pod and dexcom.
…let’s be real nothing about wearing a pump is sexy! But it’s a (small) part of who I am and I’ve got to wear it with confidence.