Since I started the same discussion in both the MM and Animas groups, I thought it only fair to jump over here to see what your thoughts are on the OmniPod. I’ve been pumping for eons (24 yrs) and I’m thinking it might be time to go tube-less. Can you give me the pros and cons of the oPod? If you’re a previous pumper are there advantages/disadvantages to the Pod? I’ve got roughly 6 weeks left before my current warranty runs out but would like to have all my ducks in a row before making that final decision. Anything you can tell me would be greatly appreciated.
You would need to get on Omnipod order started now. It took me about 10 weeks from start to finish to get going on my OmniPod. Getting doctors orders, getting insurance approval, waiting for the OmniPod to arrive and then waiting to get the OmniPod training done before I could go live.
Thant said, I absolutely LOVE my OmniPod!!! I was on MDI before this (I have been podding about 5 weeks now) and I love the freedom the OmniPod gives me. I have not had any issues with any of the pods failing or having problems. I was a week in and my PDM failed from a loose battery connection, but the overnighted a new one to me and I had it the next day. They even replaced the pod that had to be changed out early. Insulet Customer service is second to none and really work with you.
I would not go back to MDI for anything in the world.
I have been pumping for 17 going on 18yrs and I thought the same thing so I tried the Pod. “For me” it was too bulky and wripped off a few times also being 5"2 and about 120 on weight there weren’t many places I could stick the Pod. Several failed and “for me” customer service was horrible. I had rude people barking at me and was sent shipments that I did not order and was forced to keep. Thankfull I had a rep that took care of billing for me so I wouldn’t end up owing on a co pay of things I didn’t order. I could keep going on but end of story is that I hooked up my Animas after just 3months of Pods and will never look back. I have the PDM and almsot 4boxes of pods that will probably just expire. Good luck. What works for one doesn’t for another and I know plenty of folks that love it. Just didn’t work for me.
Sandy, I would gladly take your PDM and pods if you would like to get rid of them. I will pay for shipping of course. Let me know. I think the pod boxes would fit into a medium or large flat rate priority box. You can e-mail me off list at neasews@msn.com
I would love to have extra pods and a backup PDM. Thanks, Renea
I am a 30 year veteran of this crap…only been pumping since 2005 (prior to that I was MDI), I was one of the first “podsters”. My endo wanted to get me on something new, as my control was basically crap (A1C of 13) and this thing the “Omnipod” was a new thing on the market, and he thought with my lifestyle (heavy sports, lots of running, skiing etc.) it would be perfect for me. So, I went on it and got my A1C down to 5.4, then started having problems with some of the pods going “bad” on me, can be VERY frustrating…I would encourage you to read the threads on “how many pods have been going bad on you…” go through the training, and see if it is the right alternative for you. I have been considering swithcing to the Animas for about a month, I have never had any experience with anything other than the pod and MDI, so I may not be the best source of inro for you…but good luck and PEACE!!
I too have never experienced anything but the Omnipod. I will be honest and say I probably lose 3 or 4 pods a months to “pod errors” or the occasional occlusion. Insulet ALWAYS replaces the “pod errors” after just double checking my procedure and getting the info on the pods. I went through 3 first generation PDM’s because of screen cracking issues and am currently on my 2nd or 3rd second gen. PDM because of a minor issue with the battery (didn’t make it unusable but they switched it out anyway to make sure). So no, the product isn’t perfect. With that said I wouldn’t use a tubed pump. The concept of disconnecting for a shower terrifies me because my sugars rise in the 5-10 minutes it takes to switch pods. Being disconnected for a half hour to an hour wouldn’t work for me. I love the fact that it’s not always connected, although there are days I’ve had to run home from work or hunt through my apartment because I forgot or lost the PDM. I do always carry pod change supplies with me in case there’s an error and I have had times when it beeped at inappropriate times in meetings. With all of that I would not use any other system right now because I firmly feel that this is the only system that gives me the freedom and peace of mind I want. Insulet is continuing to do research and has smaller pods and integrated CGM systems on the horizon. I would not trade my Omnipod for any “tethered” system.
Steve, see if a rep has a loaner pump that you could try but personally after pumping almost 18yrs now I love the Animas Ping. It’s user friendly and customer service is the best ever. Good luck making the choice.
Thank you Sandy! That is the best testimonial I have heard on the Animas…which I am groing toward. I do love the Omnipod, but the “bad” pods and pods that go bad at inapprpprate times irritate me to no end! I finally decided to look elsewhere…when I got a bill from Insulet for $700 with no explanation. For the most part, Insulet corp deals wtth problems swirtly and courteously, I am calling them about once a week for a replacement pod, which they are usually more than happy to abide by. I am gonna give the Animas a try, though. Thank you again, Sandy!
A word of encouragement, I have never felt strapped (for lack of a better word) to an insulin pump because of the tubing. It was no big adjustment for me to go from years of injections and it’s almost like an appendage…it’s there and people accept it when I pull it out. I climb into the pool and keep it (MM model) above the water line or disconnect. No big deal. I just want to let you know that if tubing could possibly be an issue with you, I wouldn’t let it get in the way. It’s whatever puts you at ease that should be the deciding factor. Too, have you followed my thread on the Animas group? They’ve pretty much convinced me that’s the way to go. They will also be integrated with DexCom sometime down the road.
Hi Rose…I have been on the Opod for about two years and am on my 2nd PDM, which they provided free of charge after I cracked my first one by having it in my pocket. I have never had a problem with customer service…haven’t had a pod fail or an occlussion for months. I never “tubed,” just MDI’d but I love my Omnipod. There has been a lot of discussion about various benefits of one pump over another if you want to reseach past forums. Good luck.
It’s been about two and a half years now. The first gen PDM’s were prone to cracked screens. The problems with the batteries have been experienced by a number of 2nd gen PDM users but aren’t a serious issue. I’ve never had a PDM fail to work on me entirely, it’s just slight cosmetic or electronic malfunctions that Insulet has deemed unacceptable and replaced.
I was a MMM 522 user and I have to say that while going from MDI to pumping felt awesome, going from the MM to the pod was leaps and bounds better. Let me preface this by saying that I carry a big purse and I love my dresses and skirts. So my major pros for the pod are that I can wear any clothing I want without having to think about where to insert a pod (although I do have to think about that before going through airport security because they get weird when they see a lump on your arm and the metal detector doesn’t go off), I never get tubing caught up, it is WATERPROOF!, and no long tubing which means no large bubbles that go un-noticed and cause unexpected highs. Cons are that when you rip off a pod, you lose it all instead of just an insertion set, the darn things don’t handle being knocked on a doorjamb very well, some folks experience high failure rates (not me) and you have a minimum amount of insulin you must use per pod (85 units - my 3 day TDD is at most 60 units) so that you may end up wasting insulin.
I think Insulet still has that trade-in program going, where you pay $150 for a PDA and a few pods, and they’ll cover the warranty for as long as your current pump’s warranty lasts. I also think you can return it within 45 or 90 days if it doesn’t work out. There is only one insertion (angled, I think it’s like 13mm?), so that could be a deal breaker. But overall, I would say try it and if it doesn’t work out, you haven’t really lost much.
Did I say I love my pod more than anything else in the world? Dead, cold hands my friend.
my daughter has been on the omnipod for 2 1/2 yrs now. we still have 2 PDMS and have dealt with bad pods and errors and customer service. when something goes wrong it can be annoying, but really, everything in life can be now and then. i am a hairstylist and work with alot of people with diabetes, and we often talk about everyones different devices, they all have problems. Even needle injections can be a pain, example, Walmart never had enough to fill my daughters script, so you would have to go back and pick up on different days. Or trying to get the bubbles out of the syringes. Unfortunuately, nothing we use everyday is 100 percent perfect. Not even us lol
Rosie, I couldn’t have said it any better. I have also never felt trapped or strapped to. I just feel like it’s part of me like my cell phone. :o) The Animas is waterproof upto 12ft I believe for a certain amount of time so you do not have to detach if you don’t want to but if you do you just give a little bolus and it all works out well.
Generally, I like the pod and the freedom. I hated dealing with the tubing of the minimed. Just saw my diabetic specialist doc today and he said I was his only patient on the pod. But he was satisfied with my results and he also mentioned he liked the software on the pdm. I won’t change back unless the competitors offer a tubeless model. There are a few problems, just getting used to the pod and where it is and at the beginning I knocked a couple off. There have also been some bad pods but Omni sends replacements no charge. I think it’s definitely worth it. They are only going to get better with smaller sizes promised and hopefully more reliable pods. It will be really sweet when they can integrate a CGM (hopefully the Dexcom) with the Omni. Like anything they take some getting used to and it helps if you have patience. I think the OMNI is a work in progress and so far I’m impressed and pleased.
