Omnipod pros and cons?

Love the Pod. Omnipod will reimburse insulin up to 50$ per year. Ask when you call in a failed Pod.

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After using several models of pumps since the 1980s, and being fairly happy on MDI, I was prepared to find something not to like about the Omnipod. But after nearly two years, I can’t think of anything. I do have a problem with tunneling, where the site leaks when insulin backs up, but that’s easily dealt with. I love the freedom and convenience. And customer service is always professional, helpful, and good-natured. I am a happy customer!

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image I was using the Omnipod system, but had a chance to switch to Looping with an older Medtronic pump. This is the DIY artifical pancreas system that you may have heard about. My AIC has gone down with Looping. I am using a Medtronic 522 with a RileyLink, Dexcom and an app on my iPhone.

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Mel - Perhaps you could start a post in the DIY closed loop category. (DIY = do it yourself.) There are a few of us here and others may want to follow up with what you’ve experienced.

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I like the OmniPod. I never wanted a tubed pump until I began reading about Loop. I’d really like to try that someday; hopefully it will become available with the OmniPods someday.

I like not having to remove it for swimming or showering.

The company has been awesome to work with.

My wish list would include a count down from the start, not only when it reaches 49 units.

I’d like to not have so many confirmation screens, but after so many years using the OmniPod I’m used to them now.

I’d like integration with Dexcom. This would be a huge plus.

How do you deal with tunneling? I had a huge problem with that. I’ve dealt with it by moving to new sites (not my belly anymore). Is there another way?

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From another thread:

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I think I’ve written about my son’s experiences with both fairly recently (in the past year). I’ll take a look and reply back if I find it. Caleb has used OmniPod for - holy cow - nearly 12 years. He’s more recently used an older medtronic pump in order to Loop while traveling. There are nuances about the medtronic that we like - less insulin waste, not a hard stop to change site (this is both a pro and a con), the pump is always with you - but overall, Caleb is always relieved to be back on OmniPod. I’m sure some of this has to do with the fact that it’s what he’s done for so long and it’s so familiar, but it’s got more to do with the fact that he simply prefers to be without a tube.

I’m sure I’ve got more specifics somewhere…will look. Good luck with your decision!

Found it and after reading it I’m reminded of the Pod failure issue. It’s infrequent and although irritating, completely manageable from our perspective, but someone who is not prepared for it may find it appalling! lol

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Man, I am still shocked at the fact no other company has entered this space. The tubeless thing is the only reason I am using a pump at all. MDI for 44 years before I got on a pump.

All the companies seem to be in lock-step for everything else.

“We are going to use CGM to stop basal…” Okay, now all the pump companies are working on versions of it.

“We are going to use CGM to adjust basal…” Yep, check! Every pump company is working on that too.

But for whatever reason, tubeless is just not seriously pursued by anyone else.

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To be honest for the most part I have really liked my medtronic pump. I found it reliable and it is all I have used for years. I was disappointed that they increased the size of the pump.Plus I use a dexcom and want a pump that will work with it. So then I started to look at the tslim and never considered an omnipod until I saw the actual size. I am so happy to read about peoples positive experiences on it. I have a few months to make my decision, but I am the type of person who does a lot of research and needs to think before I make the choice. My husband is super supportive but I think he is having a hard time getting his head wrapped around the omnipod. I think he is used to seeing me with a tubed pump and is worried about having a pod attached to me! lol! I wish choosing a pump was easier. Thank you all for the advise! I feel a lot more informed about the omnipod now!

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Except Roche in the UK finally supposedly bringing the Solo Patch pump to the marketplace (or whatever the thing is named nowadays…).

You may have mentioned this, but do they have a trial program over there like we have here? If you do the Omnipod trial, you get a free box of pods and the PDM. You don’t have to trade anything in, but it helps to make sure you have everything good to go if you decide to move on with the pods. It truly was so much better than I expected. Have fun making a selection!!

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I know people love their pods and I hate being negative but I tried to use omnipod for 1.5 years and it was a nightmare. My a1c went from 5.2 to 5.9. I’m convinced it was the 6.5 mm 45 % angle of insertion. Every time I changed my pod instantly 200 + , then I was taking more insulin when I was promised all this freedom and less insulin it was the total opposite.
I’m a yoga teacher and the pod was just so in the way I can hid a pump much easier (T-slim) than that. I also would waste sooooooo much insulin cause of pod that didn’t work and only needed 15 units a day I would just throw insulin out. Felt like a sin.

I use about 16 total units per day, and thought I was going to be tossing it like mad but actually I have barely been through any vials at all. Trainer said it would be one per month but I dont think so. I use the minimum fill line, and I use it for the extra 8 hours, so maybe that’s it. With the infusion sets I am not filling (I had terrible times in the last several years with them) and tossing, maybe it has equaled out. I don’t know???

I would have days I would use 3 pods just to get it to “work”. If it’s in a bad spot now I just pull my set out and use another one. People so they love their pod and I am like how is that possible lol
It just didn’t work on me and was so uncomfortable. But I am a yoga teacher and dance so I want as much ability to move as possible without a lump in the way. My pump fits in a bra pocket (T-slim)
What do you now for an infusion cause that is the biggest issue. I need a needle not plastic cause I will kink it and goes in at 90 degrees. I could probably also use the long one that goes in sideways.

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People debate about this, but here we go:

1.) Some people believe that medtronic delivers inconsistent amounts of insulin. If you hold the pump above the catheter site, some people have published that it delivers a different amount of insulin than if you hold it below the catheter site. Now, some people report different rates of delivery if your laying on your omnipod in bed. I, personally, feel I get more consistent delivery rates from omnipod.

2.) If you spend much time outside in the winter, medtronic tubing freezes. I have broken mine in half and seen ice come out. I had a lot of winter failures with medtronic because if the tubing gets exposed at all, it freezes, below a certain temp.

3.) If you are a Dexcom user, Omnipod is joining with them this year. But, they are behind schedule. Not sure when it will happen.

I love my omnipod and would never use anything else. I have trust issues with medtronic, as a company.

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I was in ballet 25 yrs, thankfully no pumps in those days and my diabetes did pretty good because of the exercise. I do know angled sets do not work for everyone, obviously. I used Silhouettes/Comforts for about 16 yrs, and Cleos last year before I got the pods.

Medtronic had a different delivery rate than Animas, and I used to really be able to tell the difference.

Go to:

Methods

We tested CSII pumps from Medtronic Diabetes (MiniMed 512 and 515), Smiths Medical (Deltec Cozmo 1700), and Insulet (OmniPod) using insulin aspart (Novolog, Novo Nordisk). Pumps were filled and primed per manufacturer’s instructions. The fluid level change was measured using an inline graduated glass pipette (100 μl) when the pipette was moved in relation to the pump (80 cm Cosmo and 110 cm Medtronics) and when level. Pumps were compared during 1 and 5 U boluses and basal insulin delivery of 1.0 and 1.5 U/h.

Go to:

Results

Pronounced differences were seen during basal delivery in pumps using 80–100 cm tubing. For the 1 U/h rate, differences ranged from 74.5% of the expected delivery when the pumps were below the pipettes and pumping upward to 123.3% when the pumps were above the pipettes and pumping downward. For the 1.5 U/h rate, differences ranged from 86.7% to 117.0% when the pumps were below or above the pipettes, respectively. Compared to pumps with tubing, OmniPod performed with significantly less variation in insulin delivery.

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I’m considering OmniPod for my next pump. For the past 11.5 years I’ve only used tubed pumps. I’ve never had an issue with them (I find it funny when people who have never used a tubed pump state that getting dressed is problematic…just disconnect the pump!). But I’ve been using my Ping long, long past warranty and need to pick something new. Debating between OmniPod or t:slim or, as a last resort, 630G.

I tried the non-functioning pod and quite liked it. It was smaller than I expected and I was surprised that I didn’t notice it at all once I put it on (and I purposefully put it in a place I thought would be annoying). However, my main concern with the OmniPod is that I have serious allergy issues with plastic infusion sets. I didn’t react at all to the OmniPod tape, which is good, but I don’t know how I’d react to the infusion set. With most plastic infusion sets I can’t wear them for more than 24-48 hours without my blood sugar skyrocketing due to allergic reactions at the site. Even with metal sets, I sometimes have to move them every 12 hours because, even though it’s supposed to be impossible, my body can make metal sets not work due to inflammation at the site.

I would like to try out the OmniPod, but I never got a response back after several attempts at communicating with the company. Which is disappointing…

My two other slight hesitations are that I use the touch bolus option on pumps all the time (as in to administer at least 50% of my boluses), and I think not having this option and having to pull the PDM out every single time I wanted to administer a micro-bolus would get really annoying. And finally, I don’t like that the PDM has a white background. A black background works much better for me, and I wish it had an option to switch to a high-contrast mode like phones, computers, and even some meters do.

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Sorry you are having issues connecting with them. is it possible to find a local rep? The free trial gives you the PDM plus a box of pods which should be enough to let you know about allergy issues. Also some people can get a prescription written for two day changes, so you are not stuck wearing the pod for three days. My stupid HMO wont do that, but some folks get it done. And then go online and look at the new PDM which will be out soon (if it isnt already) and check out the screen. You may like it better or it may not help. I thought the separate controls would bug me, but really I am only annoyed when I go upstairs to bed at night and realize I have the PDM downstairs…it is a bit freaky though when you realize your controls are separate from your pump!

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