6 years ago I decided to get a Medtronic pump. After about 8 months I couldn't handle it any more and stopped using it. Don't get me wrong I loved what it did for my diabetes but I simply couldn't live with that thing on me. I was always getting the tubing caught on something and either giving myself crazy bruises or yanking it out completely. I could never keep the tubing tucked in and it was always hanging out or getting in the way. If I slept funny the tubing would get a kink in it and then I wouldn't get all insulin and get high blood sugar that way. During the summer months my blood sugar would run high because I had to take it off so much when I was at the pool or the beach. So I was done not so much with the pump but with the tubes!
After getting off the pump I just mimicked what the pump did and now I inject myself whenever I eat. Now I'm at the point where I am utterly sick of injections. I'm coming up on my 25th year of being diabetic and I'm ready for a change.I'm thinking about going on the omnipod. The only problem is the demo model they sent me seems like it sticks out too much and would get caught on things and in certain occasions hamper what clothes I am wearing. So I'm looking for some advice from current users. What do you like about the omnipod, what do you hate or wish was different?
Thanks in advance for your insights on this topic.
Definitely worth trying it out. make sure to join our Omnipod-Group, where lots of experienced users can give you advice!
http://www.tudiabetes.org/group/omnipodusers
Love my Pod - yes, you will have issues such as the screamers but overall I'm happy with it. I was MDI for 28 years and also did not want the tubing issues so I went with Omnipod. Lately I've been placing it on my thighs and have great results (6.1 A1C) and never notice it when sleeping.
Swiss, I thought you were on a minimed? When did you start using the pod?
I was on the pod for 30 days, but dumped it.
it was in september, i was due for an upgraded and thought it might be a possibility, but nope, not for me…
still, i think the pod is a great tool for many, it was just not for me.
Omnipod changed my life.
I say that a lot around here about both the Omnipod and the Dexcom G4, but it really is true. The difference in my freedom, control, precision, and then all the positive physical and mental improvements -- easily rolled back the age clock on me 10 years.
Now, that said, I'm like you -- I could never handle being tethered to something. That's not a criticism of the technology, just a recognition of my own personal limitations. I'd be obsessed with it, fussing with it all the time, catching it on stuff, etc. Pretty much every "bad" thing that happens with tubing and infusion sets that our fellow pumpers handle with admirable aplomb would send me through the roof.
The Omnipod, on the other hand, is non-existent to me except when I'm changing it. I wear it on the back of my arms, switching arms each change. I also make sure I move the placement around a bit, and swap orientation relative to my shoulder each time on that same arm. All this to avoid scarring and hyperlipotrophy. So far, I'm doing great.
In that location, and a few others, I completely forget it's there. And I basically never have to consider its presence for any activity I engage in.
Yes, it does protrude a bit more than I'd like. However, back of arm placement is really good for avoiding accidental contact with things. Every once in a great while I'll catch it on something like a doorframe and rip it off. Just put a new one on. It goes with the territory.