Hello everyone! I came to this site to figure out if the Omnipod would be good for me and my line of work via the responce from those individuals who do roughly the same line of work as I.
I am currently using the Accu-Chek Aviva Combo pump. My Endo is talking about the switch over to the Omnipod, but I have concerns.
I install and maintain DirecTV. So I’m out in the hot blistering sun in the summer sweating perfusivly while I dig trenches, holes, running cable through very tight areas such as crawlspaces and attics.
I had tried the Dexcom before but it always fell off the same day I put it on, so I’m a little weary of this product.
How well does the adhesive stay through sweat and high heat?
Would this device send a code of it overheating and stop delivering insulin?
Does its bulkiness get in the way?
Does the needle stay inside your body or does it retract with a plastic piece that stays inside?
I should also mention that I’m 5’8 and 160 lbs soaking wet, and most of my weight is from muscle. So I dont have much fatty areas on my body if the needle is long. Laying on a needle that would go through my fat and I to my muscle while I’m moving through a crawlspace seems painful.
Crawlspaces suck! I had to go under mine last year to fix a leaky pipe at the furthest spot from where there is access to the crawlspace. I took off my tubed pump as I didn’t want anything on me whatsover given that I’d be crawling on my belly under the HVAC ducting. I don’t think I’d want the bulk of an Omnipod when performing that kinda work. What a hassle it would be to need to replace one during the work day. I use very low profile infusion sets–the Sure-T. They are very secure when covered by an IV3000.
Try to talk to Omnipod or your doctor, if they would provide you with a complimentary pod and you would be able to try it yourself before making a decision.
I can’t help you with the Omnipod, but if you ever try the dexcom again:
Shave area well where you want to apply Dexcom.
Wash and dry shaved area either in shower or alcohol wipe.
Cut a patch of Opsite Flexifix about 1/4 inch bigger all the way around than the dexcom patch that holds the sensor.
Center and apply sensor on the Opsite patch. The G5 easily pokes through the Opsite, not sure about G6.
Make a second Opsite patch identical to the first one but with a cutout to leave the transmitter exposed and put that patch over transmitter area.
This Opsite sandwich holds my sensors in place in the most demanding situations. You can test this by making an opsite patch and placing it on a clean shaved area of your body and see how hard it is to peel it off after a couple of weeks of work, sweat and showers.
I have had the omnipod for the last 6 yrs. The cannula is flexible, the adhesive is good. If you are concerned about it coming off then you can use skin prep and an IV patch to secure it. I have never had it fall off and I have crawled in our crawl space. I use to work out in the yard in TN heat and humidity. No problems. I’m pretty sure you have to wear slacks for work so use your stomach, hip, and legs. Hope this helps you a little.
Adhesive is a little better and larger surface area, but that might not be enough if your falling off the same day. One good thing is that if you loose it in a crawl space, just replace. No big deal. You using extra adhensive on the dex? Same day adhesive failure is unusual. We might need a specialist to comment on this. Sounds like Cj114 got it covered.
Muscle will be an issue. If you get a painful site, I assume its doing damage to tissue and remove it. It will be uncomfortable to lay on.
Needle retracts.
I wouldn’t worry about hot/cold failure. It will reliably send error messages for that and you can swap it out. That won’t happen, though. It will be other failures. You can call them on the phone and ask what the error message indicates, if your concerned, but I wouldn’t worry about that.
If it stops delivery, you will know. Thats not a concern w/ omnipod.
It seems that my best interest will be to give it a try. I know insurance usually covers these items, but I’m curious about a rough estimate of what everyone is paying after hitting their deductable, of course if you are comfortable with speaking about that.
My appointment isnt until late May so I’m trying to get my ducks in a row until then to possibly over compensate on the monthly cost.
If I ever actually paid the bill, I could tell 'ya, lol. Its expensive. Make them give you a trial. It will be a short trial, so try and time it so that you really get a good test out of it. You could just stick on a pod, with no insulin delivery and see how it wears.
Regarding “bulk,” the pod is the size of an Oreo cookie (slightly longer) and weighs about as much. Wearing a pod would not stop me from going into a constricted space. Depending where it was stuck on me, and what I was doing in that space, I might try to be conscious of where it is so as not to accidentally knock it off – though as others have pointed out, extra tape and covering can help with that.
The PDM – the pump controller – could be called bulky, but there’s no need to carry it on you at all times, unlike a tubed pump.
With pressure against the pod, once or twice the cannula has bent slightly, but it does not appear to interfere with insulin delivery. Granted, this is not the same as putting all one’s body weight against a hard surface, but there are places you can put a pod that might take less pressure than, say, the stomach or butt – back of arms and on the pecs, for instance.
It gets humid in the summer where I live, and my pods have stayed on no matter how sweaty I get when active. Skin is a very individual thing, though, so you may need to experiment with additional tapes. I use Opsite Flexifix over my Dexcom, and it stays stuck for four or five weeks.
