OMG - you’ve described exactly what I’m feeling. I can’t wait to ditch my MM pump (and the annoying tubing). I only wish I’d done it sooner!
Ooh, I’m so glad they didn’t send it to my CDE’s office! Did I mention I have no patience? 
Thanks for the tip about priming. I also saw a wonderful list of tips and tricks in the forum that I’m keeping on hand.
You guys are the best!
I agree with Jaybear and MelissaBL. I was able to get a pump start quickly onto the pod, but I had been pumping a MM for 5 years, so it was definitely BORING and I didn’t learn anything new.
My only error was not cleaning the skin very well when applying the pod (cleaning the skin and getting the pod really stuck w/ the adhesive completely flat e.g. no wrinkles, had a bit of a learning curve for me). I met the trainer at a local cafe and we did the pump start (everything I did I had already read how to do in the manual i.e. putting in the carb ratio info, basal rates, etc). As mentioned , I didn’t get the pod stuck very well. I was in the middle of a training regimen for a tri and had to get in a swim workout that day. I had put the pod on my arm and then when I tried to go swim, I had it start to peel up towards the cannula end of the pod, so I had to cut the swim workout early…I learned a lot about what I could and couldn’t do w/ the pod in the pool in a short time 
So, I wasn’t sure about leaving the pod on for three more days w/ the edge already peeled up, so I went home and changed it. Outside of that, I had no problems.
Good luck with whatever option you decide as far as starting the pump, and I’m sure you’ll love it. I think lots of other people on here would agree
That’s what I figured - the formal training would be BORING and redundant.
I called Insulet and explained my situation. The woman on the phone insisted that I needed the training. “It’s very different from whatever insulin pump you’ve been using.” But, after going though the interactive online tutorial, I don’t see all that much of a difference (other than the pod insertion). In fact, it looks to be a lot more intiutive than the MM I’ve been using. I got every question on the “interactive quiz” correct, too (yes, I’m an overachiever).
So, I was transferred to someone else to “get approval” to skip training. I left her a message, so I’m just waiting for a return call.
Thanks for the feedback!
Oooh, I know, Rebecca. They wouldn’t replace one for me recently that had fallen off my thigh b/c I answered that I don’t clean the area with alcohol first before applying. I clean the area with an IV skin prep instead because I find it doesn’t dry out my skin and it aids in adhesion. The issue was the adhesive not sticking on this particular pod. As soon as I said no, I knew I’d screwed up. They said that if I wasn’t following their protocol, it could have been my skin being too oily - which is a laugh because I have pretty dry skin. I tried telling them that the clinical specialist in my area had approved me to do it that way, but they didn’t care.
I don’t remember all of their questions, but these are some I know they’ve asked me every time I call in with an issue. Just so everyone knows, some of the right answers are:
- Yes, I filled the pod with room temperature insulin. (And, along those lines, no, I’d never remove insulin from a failed pod and put it in a new one.)
- Yes, I was wearing the pod in an approved location. And no, I didn’t “bump” it on anything; it just fell off.
- Yes, I used alcohol on the area prior to application, just like I was told to do.
On the other hand though, I’ve had them replace pods that fail during priming with no hassle and had them offer to send a courtesy pod when my second pod’s cannula slipped out due to my clothes rubbing at the adhesive.
I always here about people starting on saline, but I was started directly on insulin with my first pump back in 2000. Supposedly, starting someone on saline allows them to learn to use the features of the pump without adding the additional confusion of managing dosages while dealing with the new technology.
Thanks. I will do my best to avoid pumping saline.
My training will be on 12/21. I consider it an early Xmas present. The trainer asked me to bring insulin. That is a good sign.
Weird - I responded to this question first thing this morning, but it (evidently) didn’t post.
Melissa’s response was far more eloquent, anyway.
Congrats!
Hey Shannon, welcome to the family.
I will not comment on whether or not you should wait on training or not, but I will tell you a little of what recently happened with me. My PDM malfunctioned and could not be reset. So I received a new PDM. When the new one came it WAS VERY EASY TO PROGRAM. The menu walks you through the process very thoughly and at the end of the setup it tells you that you have completed setting up and “Would you like to activate a pod now?”
You could the PDM no if there is something you were unsure about. Have fun.
I went through the ENTIRE online tutorial series, and I feel like I already know how to use it. It seems that the PDM is incredibly user-friendly and intuitive.
I’ve decided to just go for it! I’ll let you all know how it goes!
UPDATE - I just heard from my regional training director. She approved me to start on the system without “formal” training! Yippee!
I would just add that you can probably manage to get a pod on and startc but know that it is a process and you won’t necessarily use the same basal. I had to adjust mine to get the right omnipod basal due to the different length and angle of ;cannula, absorption was different for me. Also the simplest things may not just come to you. I asked lots of questions here and got most of the answers always very quickly. You need to come to grips with the fact that you will put a pod on and may have a problem and may have to use another one. I say good luck and move forward…I love my pod and you will too!
What year did your husband graduate? I’m originally not from here - but I know people who went to LHS. I was just worried that I wouldn’t get customer service during the training period if I messed up. I just read that you got approved to start without the training though - so maybe it will all work out! Congratulations!! We are so happy with the pod - my son just loves it.
Brian graduated from LHS in 1991. I’m not originally from here, either.
I’m so glad I didn’t wait for the training. It was very easy to set up, and I’ve been using the Pod for three days. I LOVE it - I don’t know how I lived with tubing for so long.
But, I’m very glad that I got the proper approval from Insulet to skip the training. I would definitely be concerned about customer support and defective Pod replacement if I hadn’t received received that approval from Insulet.