I’ve noticed that some new members are a little alarmed by OUR negative posts. I include myself in this. People researching the Omnipod need to realize that normally we only post when we have run into a problem and need the experience of our fellow omnipod users. And when you consider the number of members we have in our group, our postings make it appear that the omnipod system is a flawed method of pumping insulin.
So let’s only post good news here please. Let us know what is going on.
I love it that now that I have been on the omnipod about 1 1/2 years, if I run out of strips I can still stay in good range as long as I count my carbs correctly. This happened yesterday. Got home an checked BG after a day at work and it read 150.
LOVE IT!!!
With the help of my omnipod my a1c went from 7.4 to 6.2 in 6 months. Love the pod. 
As a parent I love that my son feels “free” to do what he could do before. He wouldn’t go to summer camp last year, but now that he has the Omnipod he feels like he can. He can swim, play basketball, soccer, and even “touch” football (there really isn’t anything that’s only touch football to a 9 year old) all without much thought about his pod. He forgets where he’s even wearing it sometimes. He also feels like he has some control - loves the PDM, (friends think it’s cool) can bolus by himself, reduce basals, look up some carb counts . . .I could go on and on. I can’t really put into words how awesome it is as a parent to see your child respond so positively. He even told me once, “Diabetes isn’t really that bad now that I have the Omnipod.” Of course he doesn’t feel that way all the time, but even if he feels free of the disease for short periods that’s better than not at all.
I love that I can ‘have my cake and eat it too’ with the Omnipod. I need a basal rate (obviously) all the time, and with the waterproof aspect of the pod, I can maintain my basal rates even during long swim workouts in the pool. It is fantastic for maintaining solid glucose not just during the activity, but even after (the point at which that ‘missed’ basal would catch up to me in the past).
There are plenty of other reasons that should go in here too, but that was the first one that came to mind I love my pod too!
It’s all good, is true!
I have many anecdotes, but the best one, by becoming a pumper and an omnipod user over a year ago, control has improved if only because it was difficult to bolus at lunch time, in public/semi public places, which is the time I’m least often home. Omnipod solved that hurtle, along with the active life style issues complicated by other pumps.
It’s in the human nature to criticize. As “thinkers”, humans will never be satisfied with any treatment for diabetes, short of a cure.
In the end, I’m better off with the Omnipod than without it.
My facebook status yesterday said this: Wednesday, February 3, 2010 is an important milestone for me. It marks 1 year on my Omnipod Insulin Pump. It marks 1 year since I stopped having to take ~4 shots / day, since I stopped fearing going to sleep because of lows, and since I started actually firmly taking control of my future health. So I’m planning on celebrating! The Omnipod is the most important thing I’ve ever done for myself (perhaps with the exception of my Dexcom CGMS). It’s awesome and it really does make my diabetes easier to manage!
Thank you Robin, I couldn’t agree more. I am amazed that some people continue to use the Omnipod after months and months of failure and keep writing about it. No system is perfect and no one system is for everybody. It is unfortunate that future users are unnecessarily alarmed by some of the continuous negative postings.
As for me, I am now in my sixth month on the pod. I changed to the pod system after 32 years of 5-6 daily injections. with only average to not very good control. The existence of a tubeless system helped my decision to move to a pump, I would not have done so if a tubeless system was not available. So, after five months, I can truly say that this was one of the best decisions I have ever made for myself. My A1C is down to 6.5 and dropping, I feel more in control of managing my diabetes than ever before with half the effort. Throughout this time, I have had only one pod failure and one occlusion, I have never had a pod fall off (I’m pretty active), and absolutely no problem with any kind of skin problem from the adhesive. I have called Insulet a few times for info and replacement of the failed pod -the customer reps were responsive and helpful.
I don’t believe that my successful experience with the pod is because I’m “lucky”. I believe that if you follow the system directions carefully, learn from others, and don’t get hysterical when you don’t hear two beeps etc., you’ll do just fine. As an aside, many of the postings on the TuDiabetes website have been invaluable and certainly contributed to my successful changeover to this pump system. For this I thank all of you who have made constructive suggestions.
I wrote about my positive experiences a few months ago: http://bewarethepenguin.blogspot.com/2009/08/my-experience-with-omnipod.html
My daughter has been on the OmniPod since April 2009, she was diagnosed in February 2009. Her A1C in February 12.9, the latest A1C was 6.9. I don’t believe we could have achieved such great control without the Pod. She loves it, I love it and I love her. Go OmniPod!!
I’ve been using the Omnipod for the last 6 months and have not yet (knock on wood) had any troubles with occlusions, failures to prime, failures to communicate, etc. I previously used the Cozmore pump, and loved it EXCEPT for the tubing. I found it very inconvenient every time I had to use the bathroom, change clothes, and so on. The Omnipod got rid of that one last exception. I’m very happy. Very very happy.
I have been on the Omnipod for a year now and love how it has made my life with diabetes so much more easier. I did MDI for 29 years and when I started on the Omnipod last January I wished I had started sooner. I really realized how much easier my life was during the holidays. I was more conscience of what I was eating to make sure I carb correctly and didn’t have the spikes in my blood sugars like I did back when I was MDI. I also think that being on the Omnipod has made me more open with my diabetes. I can’t say enough how much I love the Omnipod.
I absolutely love my Omnipod. I switched from the Minimed in August 2009 and have very little problems. I had issues with the Minimed in very cold weather. I am a deer hunter and in the fall of 2008 my pump gave me problems in 9 degree weather since my basal rate during the day is only 0.10/ hour. Too much time in the tube. It affected the insulin. Now with the Omnipod it is completely under all of my clothing and did not have issues this past fall. I was on MDI for 50 years since the age of 3 until 2-2008 when I started pumping. Will not go back.
I second all the previous positive comments about the pod. I’ve been a happy podder for almost a year. It’s the best decision I ever made for my diabetes!
Your welcome Bob, I feel that the forum is a great place for us to learn from each other’s accidents and mishaps. I just thought there should be one discussion in the forum that is positive and encouraging for those checking out our disscussion forum looking for information.
I’ve been on the OmniPod since 12-15-08 and I also love it. Prior to the Pod I was on multiple daily injections and I hope I never have to go back to that. I like the freedom of having a break from all those ‘jabs’.
I LOVE that I can have a basal that takes care of my morning “wake up” highs, I LOVE that I can spend the morning swimming with my kids, in and out of pool and hot tub, followed by a long hot shower without ANY insulin delivery interruption, and I LOVE that each day around 11 AM I don’t suddenly think - “wait - did I take my morning lantus?” And really, I LOVE all the support from fellow users when things don’t go so well!
I LOVE, no ADORE my omnipod! I love the aspect of no tubing, which is why the omnipod was the only pump made for me! I love that I can barely ever feel it (and when it’s on my lower back, often forget it’s there,) and that now that I’ve gotten the hang of it my A1C, in two months went from 8.3 to 7.3, and is on the way down! I love that I don’t have to take 8 injections a day anymore, and that I can shower, swim etc with no issues. I love that it’s more like having a working pancreas, and that I don’t have the mental let down of SO MANY frequent off the wall BG readings, and no trends or ways to track what the heck I was doing wrong. Ode the omnipod
Just wanted to say that its been just over a month, and I am absolutely head over heels in LOVE with my Omnipod! It was frustrating at first, but I think I am getting the hang of it! My A1C before I started my omnipod was 8.2ish and just in the last 30 days, my average is down to 138 (even with some occasional high readings) and it gets better as each day goes on. My daily average this past week is between 105 and 124. I can’t wait to get my next A1C to see just how much of a difference the pump makes! I do not miss the 5+ injections per day…my life is SOOOO much better since I have figured out how this thing works!! :o) I strongly suggest anyone who has been thinking about it, to definately try it. Dont be scared like I was. I was afraid of being attached to a machine 24/7. You honestly forget that you have it on, and it makes a huge impact on living life and taking your life back!
best thing I ever did for my diabetic condition. I have gone from a 12.4 in December 2008 to 7.1 in Feb 2010 and I expect to be around 6.5 or so at my next A1c test in about 20 days.