Been using the new Omnipods for a few weeks now and very impressed. Only time will tell for reliability but no issues with filling/priming/starting so far.
The new pods really are noticeably smaller and are definitely easier to get a wetsuit over - the adhesive seems to hold up better after prolonged immersion too. Reduced mass of the pods was also noticeable for the first couple of days, particularly when running and cycling on rough terrain. Coloured canula is also a nice touch and makes it far easier to check for problems.
Only downside so far is that they're way harder to get into; probably not an issue for most but I like to break 'em apart for recycling - needle & canula in sharps bin of course.
As for the PDM, physically there's no change other than the colour; it's now black. As for firmware, the only changes I've spotted so far are:
1. ID confirmation prompt at waking: when waking from sleep the PDM asks you to confirm that you're you - you have to give the PDM an ID at setup to facilitate this. I guess this is to avoid inadvertent swapping of PDMs if there's a gaggle of podders around.
2. Additional extended bolus options; think I spotted something about this in the manual but may be wrong. Will check again.
As for other features/changes, the blister packs are slimmer thus making it easier to carry spares. Also, filling needles are MUCH shorter to accommodate the thinner form of the pods.
That's all I can think of for now but I'm happy to answer question from anyone that's interested.
Hey Pete, thank you so much for the information and feedback from someone who is using the new system! It is helpful to hear more details. I am looking forward to the upgrades. I hope there are no more delays.
Considering I've been on these for 3 months and just talked to my doctor about going back to injections, any improvement at this point would help. I hope they get to the US sooner rather than later.
As they're already in volume production for European markets I'm guessing the FDA approval should move things up for you guys. Here's hoping your wait isn't too long.
I was ready to change back to my Medtronic pump because of omnipod problems but decided to stick with it and see if the improvements help with the issues I'm experiencing.
How far underwater have you been with the new and the old? The old were only certified to 4 feet (IRC), but the new are certified to 25 feet which is well over the limit I can get to with a snorkel; good news for people who like snorkelling. (Although, I admit, I just dived down and haven't had a problem yet with the old pods.)
I rarely go too deep - no need with surfing/kitesurfing unless you really screw up - but have probably been to 10ft or so when swimming, but only briefly. So, no idea how long they'd resist ingress at those depths I'm afraid. Will wait until I'm in the water with a pod nearing the end of it's life and do some testing.
Barend, you are correct; my mistake. The US manual for the old pods (dated 2010) says the same thing, but translated into US of course:
Watertight rating: IPX8 (25 feet for 60 minutes)
There's misleading information on the "Diving and Scuba" forum and I didn't bother to check (also, my wife confirmed the 4ft, but that's actually the Dexcom CG monitor depth I think.)
25ft (7.6m) is adequate for anything with a snorkel, but a little above the limit for shallow scuba dives (that's 40ft for 45 minutes). In fact it's also above the limit where decompression is required (33 feet), so my guess is that the "snuba" type equipment (a helmet with an airline to the surface, used recreationally) is also perfectly fine with Omnipods (new or old.)
Does anyone know if the "screeching" of the pods with pod errors occurs in the new ones? It doesn't happen often but I cannot stand when it does! And if you're saying it's harder to get the new ones apart, no bueno.
The manual (I'm in the US so haven't seen one yet) says that the vibration alert does not apply to critical warnings, so my guess is that the whine still happens in the various termination conditions.
It's not going to be much consolation but at the age of 52 I can hardly hear it.
