I’m 18, and this October makes it 13 years of having type one diabetes. My new Endo brought to my attention I should try going on the omnipod. I’m a little unsure about it though. I never went to diabetes camp or wanted a pump because I wanted to feel normal, to feel like I don’t have diabetes even though I do. I still don’t want to publicize that I have type 1 diabetes but I’m thinking about switching from 8 syringes a day to an omnipod. Anyone use one and like it? I’d love to hear about it
Have you thought about one of the other pumps? They're a lot smaller and less visible. Everyone thinks they will hate being attached by a tube but you stop even noticing it quickly. Plus I think people have more problems with omnipods and then have to waste a lot of insulin because you can't draw it up into a new cartridge like you can with other pumps. Just my impression; some people really like them.
But whatever pump you get I think you will be pleasantly surprised that it makes you feel less aware of your D all the time, not more!
I've been using the Omnipod for 4 years this month. I used a Minimed tubed pump before that and was only on shots for about 3 months post-diagnosis until I went on a pump. The omnipod makes me actually forget I've got diabetes most of the time. I have had numerous times where I just ate w/o bolusing b/c I forget about it.
It can be tricky - some folks are having a horrible time with the pods (both old and new), but others, like me, have no issues whatsoever. You'll just have to try it out to see if you would like it. I believe they have a 45-day return policy.
I have been having the same thoughts. I am using a pen & I normally take 5 or more shots a day. I think the Omnipod sounds great, but when I read some things about it, it scares me away.
Let me know if you do end up trying it. I'd love to hear about it.
I don't use the Omnipod, but I felt exactly the same as you before going on the pump. As someone else mentioned, I thought before hand that it would make me feel more diabetic than I did before, but the opposite was the case. Obviously, everyone is different, but I really wish I had gotten a pump sooner!
Leata
leatabetes.com
I've been on the Omnipod for 3 years after 20+ years of diabetes on MDI. Never been on another pump so I have nothing to compare to. For 99% of the time, I prefer the Omnipod to MDI.
For overall discreetness, though, I do prefer MDI to the pod.
With the pod, you carry a largish PDM to control the insulin pump, and maybe a back-up pod and insulin, just in case. To bolus, you need the PDM and, these days, nobody will mistake the PDM for a cell phone or any other electronic device you would normally carry. They may not know you're dosing, but they might ask what it's for. You don't have to carry it all the time, but it does have its own BG meter, and you do need it to make changes to the program and to bolus.
At other times when you don't need to use the PDM, while you're wearing the pod, the pod kinda disappears and melts into the background after you've become accustomed to it, but, depending on your basal regime and time of bolus, it may beep and click at seemingly random times. People may or may not notice it.
You can swim, and shower, and do most activities without ever having to worry about the pods functionality, but you can't hide it while wearing a bathing suit, or form fitting dress, or under most other clothing that isn't loose fitting.
All that being said, one of the things I really had to do, eventually, was just get over the idea that having diabetes is not normal. I'm not saying you're there yet, or that there is any schedule to getting there, but once I stopped worrying about what others think about the things I had to do to manage my diabetes I felt a lot better about my management options.
Right now, at this point in your life, you may not be ready for a pump and can do perfectly well on MDI. It did take me 20+ years when I was well into my 40s before I was ready for a pump.
Now that I'm on a pump, however, I do not want to go back to MDI.
hello, i am trying out the pod right now, been on medtronic for 8 years before. i am planning on starting a discussion here to compare the two pumps cause i can not decide which one to take further on. i hope to get it together til this upcoming weekend, maybe you wanna see it.
But: i am a huge pump fan, i could not live without it, be it a tube-pump like minimed or a tubeless like the pod. i would definitely give it a try. pump makes a lot easier, and you will get used to it fast.
other point: dont hide your diabetes, it is part of you. i only can give you that advice. you dont have to walk around with a tshirt written on it: i am type 1 diabetic.
but i can tell you you will only feel normal if you dont hide it. hope i could help you in some ways.
love and hugs, swisschocolate
I have thought of the other pumps, and i'm so against it that I don't want to be bothered by a cord. I'm use to giving myself 8 shots a day and have been for 13 years. Its either stay the same or get an omnipod. im not quite sure what i want to do.
thank you!! i've been taking shots 8 times a day for 13 years now so it'll e a huge change for me
I'll absolutely let you know what i end up doing, it's going to be a change and i'm just unsure right now haha.
I'm getting sick of the 8 shots a day for 13 years. and its o hard to lose weight with injections. i'm 5'9 and 155 pounds, some say i'm not fat but i sure feel it. and i'm just hoping i like the pod and it all works out. and thank you for the advice, i've been doing a little bit better with accepting it, you think i'd accept the fact that i have it by now, but i still haven't.
As a pod user, I tell people who are thinking about the pod the same thing people who use the pod told me...give it a try.
It's good to have as much information as possible before making the decision because there are positives and negatives to every situation, but had I listened to just the negative reports on the pod, I would have missed out on 3 years of largely issue-free pumping.
For me, it wasn't really a choice. Maybe I have an irrational negative attitude towards wearing a tube, but that one deal-breaker was enough to put me on the pod. After going on the pod, my two choices remain pod or MDI. I'm still on the pod, until I have another tubeless choice to consider.
Let me start by saying that pump therapy works very well for many. I've used pumps since 1987 and wouldn't go back to MDI unless I was forced to. The ability to customize the insulin delivery (basal, bolus, and correction) allows you to make it work for your unique needs. Letting the pump do the insulin arithmetic is also a big help.
I've used Medtronic, Animas, and the Omnipod pumps. I tried the Omnipod for five months last year and was not able to get reliable results. If you like, you can read my lengthy post about it from November 2012.
That being said, I know that there are many people who love and do well on the Omnipod for many years. Yet there seems to be a significant yet small (just based on my reading on social sites like this one, nothing scientific) number of people that fail on the Omnipod. The biggest danger of trying the Omnipod would be if your insurance company would only buy you a pump once every four years, then, if you fail on the Omnipod, you'll be shut out from the pump until that period expires.
If I were you, I would try to see if you can try out several pumps before you commit. Good luck with your decision. Insulin pumps are one of the five best tools invented for diabetics in the last 30 years.
Your BMI of just under 23 means that you're a healthy weight. It might be normal to want to lose a bit of weight, but even without seeing a full picture of you I'd venture a guess that you're far from being "fat."
Took the words right out of my mouth :-)
this is a photo of me.
thank you!
thank you, this means a lot to me. I think i'm finally at the point in my life that i want a change and i'm hoping it'll work out for the best.
I'm on the pod for 3 years. Love it. You can pretty much put it anywhere on your body so its concealed. I've had no issues with bad pods. I highly recommend
I went from 6 shots per day with pens to the Omnipod and I LOVE it! I wear my pod on one leg and my Dex on the other. The only time they are visible is in my bathing suit. My Endo told me that he knows someone who switches back to shots in the summer because he does a lot of swimming and doesn't want to have to worry about the pod (even though they can get wet).
Trying to bolus under the table a restaurant is a pain. Using the remote control is so much better! No one would have a clue even if they looked.
There are a lot of people complaining about problems with pods but I went 6 months with hardly a blip. And then I did have 4 failures. It sucked but wasn't the end of the world because I always carry a spare pod and a pen in my purse.
Good luck!