Hi
I been using the Pod for about three months now. Been T1 for about 20 some years (46 yrs old). So far, so good. Definitely better control and no daily shots. A friend of mine at work just started the Dex com. She still gives herself shots. Anyone have opinions of using both? I really didnt wnat to have two diffent units in me and was also wondering when Omni Pod would be able to also show glucose levels. Sort of an all in one system.
thanks
S
Many of us on here use both the Dexcom and the Omnipod. Together they are great tools.
Insulet had been working with Dexcom on integrating the two, but they terminated that agreement and are now supposedly working with another CGM supplier to come up with a single device that does both.
I think it is a shame as the Dexcom is one of the more accurate CGMs on the market and also has the longest sensor life.
I use both. I call it my "two-part remote control pancrease". I wouldn't give up either one.
I've been using omnipod and dexcom together now for over 6mo. I'm sure the dexcom has saved me from severe low's MANY times! Plus it helps me gage where my bs is during exercise so I don't get low. It reminds me to recheck high's. It is pretty awesome!!
I've been on the Pods for about 1 1/2 years. Started Dexcom about 3 months ago. WOW! These two really need to work together, as it's a big difference in what you know and how you react to it. There's a lot to learn once you start to get the most out of it. I now have a LOT more information on why I'm low, and how to react (or high etc etc). I've already brought my A1C down with these two together. can't wait 'til the next test to see how really good I can control myself now.
Can you tell I'm excited? :) Basically, if you're on a pump, you need a Dexcom. It takes the guess work out of the equation. And, I'm no longer afraid of lows any more. Join the Dexcom group here if you've not do so yet. Lots to know and learn.
Before I changed insurance and my Dexcom was no longer covered, I used both and absolutely loved it. The Dexcom ultimately provides more information than the snapshot blood glucose test.
I've used both for a little over six months now and am very happy. I wear the dex on my belly and the OmniPod on my arms, of course, rotating sides when it is time to change them out. I also inject Symlin with each meal on the opposite side the dex is on. The first few days after I move the dex I always find myself pausing and having to shift the pen to the opposite side.
I am looking forward to the day when it is a one-system type thing. I still test with a lancet/blood approximately ten times a day, so I think it would be great too if that could be bypassed somehow with a single system.
I use both! A little annoying & I can’t wait until they become 1, but it works! Better control, & as you said - no shots!
I learned online that you can keep decomposed on longer than 1 week! That’s great!
I use both. Omnipod adds convenience to my life. Dexcom saves my life.
saves your life? wow!
i find dexcom helpful, but too frequently it's inaccurate.
too often it's significantly off and too often it'll wake me during the night with a wrong reading.
Sometimes the Dex is off, but about 90% of the time it's right on target. I think I just have to calibrate more often. I rely on it enough that I often plug the results into my omnipod for a correction bolus or to determine if I have to seek out carbs. I have had absolutely no problems with my Dex and can't remember the last time I had to call them on an issue. What's nice about the Dex is that it reminds you when to calibrate. I guess the only issue, now that I think of it, is that it doesn't stick well for 2 weeks. I usually have to cover it with something to get a few more days out of it.
Add me to the list....I use both and can't imagine being without either, but hated the thought of each. I gave up waiting for the integrated system after 10 years. It's weird to feel like the Bionic Woman or Man, and keeping up with scrips, technology, insurance, etc is a PITA, but you will love the benefits. Good luck to you.
I tried both initially. I didn't have any success with DexCom - IRC I tried about four sensors and each one failed within about 3 days. The readings continually drifted from finger-stick readings and the unit repeatedly woke me up in the middle of the night to tell me it had failed.
The sensors I was using (this is a while back) were also only water proof to 3ft (IPX6 I believe.) That limits their utility if you are in the water a lot, particularly as they were meant to last one week.
I found the DexCom customer service unhelpful. I would expect major problems like those I experienced to result in major help and certainly the offer of a refund since I didn't have a single sensor that worked. In the end I had to go to my credit card company to get a refund.
I'm enthusiastic about an integrated unit, but given the recent reliability problems with the Omnipod on its own I think Insulet need to be very careful.
While it seems apparent that many users of insulin pumps and CGMs are very happy with using both systems together, I just can't bring myself to attach a second device. I'm a 6-year Omnipod user, but I won't be getting a CGM anytime soon. Ironic, considering our society's general love of technological gadgetry. But possession of an Ipod, Iphone, and Ipad is a little different that physically attaching a device to your body. So for me personally, that's my hurdle in committing to a CGM. One pod attached to me for 3 days at a time is enough.
If and when Omnipod integrates a CGM into their pods, however, I will be the first in line. :)
Honestly, I'd like to know what others' experiences are with wearing two devices? Awkward? Or easy to hide under clothes? Do you put both devices next to each other?
I wear one on each leg. Can't even tell that they are there. :)
I am going to try both soon. I have talked to a few folks that actually had the POD and Dexcom and eventually got rid of the POD. They went back to using needles and used the DEX Com only...
I had felt the same way for a long time, Emily. But I gave it a go. I had used the Dexcom on my abdominal area exclusively and rotated the OmniPod on the other recommended areas. I felt it was very easy to conceal and not at all awkward.
I test with a fingerstick before I go to bed. I set my dexcom accordingly. If it is running 20 points high - I set my dexcom at 80 as a low, etc.
I fly a lot, and sometimes - after a flight - I run low in the middle of the night in the hotel room. It will keep alarming until I get the problem fixed.
It isn't always accurate, but if I've just finished a walk and it says 112 with 2 down errors, I know I could have a problem.
It isn't always an absolute number - but sometimes just a pattern that gets my attention.
I have some of the same reservations Emily voices about constantly having two devices attached. My doctor -- who uses a pump and dexcom himself!! -- suggested I could use the dexcom for a week here or there, learning a great deal about how my body responds to various meals, exercise, etc.; but when I'd like a week or more off (a little less bionic, I guess) I can do so.
For those using DexCom now -- do you take occasional breaks or do you find you're dependent? Would you feel lost without the constant data???