I started on the Omnipod system on Monday after 21 years of 5+ injections a day. Monday, I placed the pod on my stomach and had wonderful readings during the day but then during the night dropped to 32! The next day and night were ok, and the last day/night the readings were hovering around the mid to upper 200’s. I’d give a bolus and tested a couple hours later with only a slight change in my level. I changed the pod and placed it on my arm. It seemed to do ok, but nothing like the readings the first day. I started a new pod on my thigh this morning and the readings also hovered around 200 even with an extra bolus. I decided to toss that pod and put another on on my stomach and am having low readings again even though I am eating similar things. I am so confused! Is this normal activity or am I doing something wrong?!?
Some people have expierenced having to change basal rates depending on pod placement. I have higher basal rates when I wear the pod on my side or back, when I wear it on my arm I have to use a lower set of basal rates. To get started I’d use the same area of your body for awhile to make sure you have your basal rates set correctly.
The more you can make things the same the easier it will be to figure out your rates. Also helps if you are working with a good CDE, sometimes an outside set of eyes can do wonders!
Well, I had textbook results from the beginning pod.
Just remember, that they usually start new pumpers out very conservatively.
I don’t know how your sessions with your educator went, but a temporary basal might help you establish what your insulin needs may be. It is a big change from long-acting & fast-acting to only fast-acting insulin.
From what you write, it sounds like you have better absorption on your stomach than the other sites you have tried. Have you tried your back/“lovehandles” area?
Give it some time, and don’t hesitate to call your Educator and iron this stuff out, I talked to mine every day for the first two weeks!
Remember that it could just be the moon that causes strange blood sugars…everyone has those days.
Good luck!
Keep us posted.
Thanks for the advice, I greatly appreciate it. I had a very short short training with my pump trainer (an hour on Friday and 30 minutes on Monday) and I dont want to bother him if I dont have to, but sounds like I probably should. Maybe I will just give it another time or two on my stomach to see if its just the sites then. If its the site, then I will try to figure out a new basal rate when I go to see my doctor in a couple weeks for the other sites. I have not tried the back or love handles yet. I was afraid that it would be uncomfortable there near my waistline?
Just to give you an example of what is sometimes required for new pumpers: When I first started on a pump, I called my diabetes educator twice daily for about a week or two and told her all my blood sugars in order to figure out what my initial basal rates should be. I think you’re totally justified asking your pump trainer for more help in figuring that part out.
Here was my start:
Monday: Training 1 (2 hours)
Monday (Next Week): Training 2 (1 hour)
Tuesday-following Monday: Talk morning & evening
and once a day for a week after that.
Don’t worry about calling your trainer… It would be better to talk to someone you trust, who knows you, and who can help you understand what is and isn’t normal.
You will never know what is uncomfortable until you try it. I hated the idea of using my arms, until I tried it, and now I use them pretty much exclusively…
On my stomach and back, I place the pod about 1 inch above the waist of my pants at a diagonal
Good luck!
Hi Kelby,
Do you have your basal rates set? That is the first step to pumping, getting your basal rates set. Bug the heck out of your pump/diabetes educator if you have questions. YOU are paying them to help you, so make THEM earn YOUR money! If you haven’t already read it or heard about it, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND you read Walsh and Roberts Pumping Insulin. It is the pumping bible.
Cheers and good luck,
Mike
it gets a bit boring, but for the first two weeks I would really recommend eating almost the same thing everyday or only foods where you can read the carbs on the package. eating out and “guessing” stuff can come later on, but it really helps to be steady and consistent. for example, i ate oatmeal every day for the first two weeks (different flavors, thank goodness!), can of soup and yogurt for lunch , apple and nuts for snacks, and lean cuisine for dinner with greens. At least then you take the food variables out of the equations. good luck – the first two weeks I had TONS of lows, but not so much anymore and my A1c has dropped from 8.5 to 7 in six months!
Good luck with everything! I would suggest to not be afraid to be in constant contact with your trainer or dr. until you get all the numbers worked out. I have heard of quite a few people that have different basal rates depending on which site they use. There is a learning curve to get to that, keeping good notes on where the pod is, basal rate, and bs numbers. Your first day of being low - I know when I switched, I only used half my long acting insulin the night before, and then, after starting the pod, had a temp. basal rate for the first day. Even though the long acting insulin is 24 hour, it actually has a residual that sticks around longer.
Interesting, I will have to watch numbers vs. site locations.
Where did you give yourself injections. Did you ever notice better absorption with certain injection areas. This thread has me thinking.
The Insulet nurse that came to the house for training and pod start up showed us areas to place a pod. I showed her where my daughter had been getting her long acting insulin (on her bottom and upper butt area) and where she was getting most of her boluses (stomach). The nurse did not believe she was getting adaquate absorption from her butt area because she is muscular even on her bottom. She was on 24 units of Levemir split to 12u every 12 hours. Now on the pump she is getting 10 units of basal. That is less than 1/2 of her other basal. This sounds crazy, but it’s true. She kept going low the first few days until I was able to get her basal set correctly.
Maybe we need different settings for different site areas (never thought of that). I was told by a few people that the best absorption spot is on the stomach. This makes me only want to use her stomach and maybe the back of her arms (she refuses the arms). I then wonder about scar tissue. Is there a way to prevent scar tissue or is it inevitable? I think I may start a thread with that question. Don’t want to derail this great conversation.
So many responses! Thank you all so very much for your insight with my problem. I have decided that I am going to bother my pump trainer today :o) I was doing well with the injections but am having quite a few highs with the pump but my average is 148 so thats not terrible I guess. I am sure its quite a bit of trial and error for the first few weeks or so. Thats a great idea of eating things that have the nutritional value documented on them and wearing it around the same area. I am sure it also helps to not accidentally rip off the pod (I did that yesterday while out to lunch! It was embarrasing asking the waitress for a bandage to hold it on!) Still had the cannula in thank goodness!
I have only been a member for a day or so and I think I am really going to like this group! So helpful and everyone seems so nice! Thank you all very much!
It took me almost a month after starting on the Pod to get my BG under control. I agree with others here that you should not hesitate to contact your Endo and/or CDE. I talked to mine several times a week the first month of pumping and emailed my BG sugar readings to her almost daily.