I've been on the Omnipod for a little less than a year, and I am still finding that only 1 of 3-4 pods is completely painless for me. I'm not experiencing intense pain, but discomfort enough that I am unable to roll over in my sleep without waking up... Any ideas? I really only use my arms (cannula up) and my back (cannula on either side). Any suggestions? I am pinching up and switching my sites regularly.
Cara, I get pain when I use my thighs. I have been using my arms (up near armpit, just as far as I can to the rear of the arm) and my upper chest (in the fatty area above my nipples, sorry for the description). I have the most fat in those areas. I can sleep on my side and, even though the pod is under pressure on my arms, it does not hurt and works well. You have to try different areas until you find what works. When I get pain at the site I find that is when I get failures (unexplained highs). If you don't have many fatty areas, you have to find the ones that work. Good luck and you will probably get lots of other good advice also. Hank
I have some problems on one of my arms, I just bruising alot on my arms too! I do the same thing you are doing also. I pinch and switch up regularly too.
Is it pain from pressure on the pod, or pain from the cannula being inserted against muscle?
The worse sites for me for pain from pressure put on the pod is is my back, handles areas. I sleep mostly on my back and sides so it puts a lot of pressure on the pods and causes bruising occasionally.
I don't experience too much pain from the cannula itsef too often, but it does happen occasionally. It's not really a site specific issue as much as it is just a bad insertion on a sensitive spot. When it does happen, though, it is way more painful than pain from pressure on the pod itself and I've had to remove the pod earlier than scheduled on a couple of occasions.
I addressed placement issues and ideas in "jla replied to Jeanine S's discussion 'Thigh Sites' in the group OmniPod Users". Yes, some places are less comfortable than others. For the most part though, I forget where mine is most of the time. I do notice it at night sometimes but I can always roll to the other side from where it is or to my back except the for the 2 (of 14 sites) on my back and I put those as far around to the front as the middle of my hip. Being lean does make "siteing" more complicated so I look for fleshy places. Good hunting for good sites.
Thanks- it's a weird uncomfortable kind of pain... sometimes it feels like the cannula is too close to the muscle and sometimes I think it might be a blood vessel causing the pain? It's not all the time... but what I have noticed is that it's itchy sometimes too. Is it possible to be allergic to insulin? hah- then I'd be hitting a new low for me...
My last pod was in my arm and it hurt bad, It feels like it was touching a nerve or something. I was so glad when my 3 days was up.
I find that there seem to be several causes of pain. Sometimes the cannula seems to be too close to a nerve. It stings at insertion and continues to be uncomfortable for the entire time I wear it. On rare occasions, it is so bad that I replace it. There is also the pain or discomfort from the insulin. You can feel it during a bolus. Usually this is not too bad, and I can just ignore it. The third type of pain is itching from the adhesive or sweating beneath the pod. I kind of scratch around it, and it usually goes away. I end up just removing a pod about 3-4 times a year. Usually, any pain or discomfort is not so bad that I can't live with it until a regular change.
Thank you for all the help! I positioned my pod at the top of my arm, by the armpit, and it’s painless! I was always pinching up, but now I’m doing it more carefully. Thanks again all!
I have no pain whatsoever except for the initial prick when starting a new pod.
I have experienced each of the three annoyances described and sometimes it was too painful to wait out the three days and other times when I would wait, I would bleed a great deal after taking off the Pod and kicked myself for trying to be a trooper and "stick it out"