Pod Placement

I’ve been wearing the omnipod for about 6 months and prefer to wear it on my lower back, right above my jeans. I’m wondering if anyone knows how important it is to switch the pod around? I hate wearing it on my stomach and when I put it on my upper arm, it often comes off. I’d love any suggestions…

I love my lower back, as well. I often put it above my hips, too. Have you ever tried putting it on your legs? I’ve found some good spots to put it on my thighs.

As long as you are absorbing the insulin well, you can keep using your back. But… eventually, the skin is going to get tough. But, basically, as long as everything is working well (no pain, no insulin absorption problems, etc), i don’t see why you would HAVE to switch it up that often.

At the beginning the pod began peeling at the edges for me whenever I tried my thigh. The last two times I have recently tried the thigh, it hasn’t done that…so I’m thinking maybe it is a change in soap brands. I think we currently have one of the Dove brands in the shower these days. Try changing soaps next time you decide to try the arm again.

Thanks for your feedback! I’m just hopeful they will be able to design a smaller one sometime in the near future, one that isn’t so noticeable beneath my clothes!

I’d love it if they had a 200 unit model and a 300 unit model.

Just in case and pod engineers are lurking through the website.

they need to ditch 2 of the batteries make a smaller motherboard and a bigger reservoir by 50units and make the pod 25% smaller

Just for the lurkers lol

I use my inner thighs regularly, rotating sides along with my left and right abdomen. This easily hids the pod under my shorts, and it seems to be the least likely place for a pod to get knocked off during basketball.

Ditto that! I mean, can’t they make the reservoir rectangular shaped, and just longer, so the pod can be slimmer? I mean, even if it means a tad wider, I’d take it for a much slimmer “lump” under my clothing. I still love the thing though…MUCH better than MDI :slight_smile:

Has any one put the pod on the back of the leg? Like right above the knee area? My mom also asked if you can wear it on your calf? How high on your back can you go? My family was asking if I could wear it like near the bra strap?? Thanks for all your help with my crazy questions.

Hi! As far as pods falling off - I’m no expert by any means, but I was having a lot of trouble keeping them on and spoke to one of the Insulet nurses. She told me to try a barrier film when I put on a new pod. In addition, I knew this from biofeedback lead placement- it really does make a huge difference in adhesion if you really scrub the area you want to use with the alcohol pad until it gets red. Seems like “overkill” I know! but try that. Then let it air dry all the way. Then, apply the barrier film (several brand names are Bard,Hollister, and Cavilon). These barrier films or gels are usually used by people with ostomies but you can even find them on ebay! They also protect those of us who have sensitivities to adhesives. Since I began using the alcohol pad vigorously, and applying a barrier film, I’ve never had one fall off. In addition, they are often on so tight I have to use an adhesive remover wipe to get them OFF! I guess all the extra steps seem like a pain, but when you consider all the insulin you have to throw away when one falls off, it seems worth it!

can you explain the procedure with the barrier film a little more in detail… you put the pod ontop of the film? Does the canula go through the barrier?

Hi Kenneth! It confused me a bit when I started but it’s really easy! :slight_smile: Say you are changing your pod. First, you really clean the area with an alcohol wipe. This is very important. And, to be certain you’ve gotten the area really clean (not just from germs, but also any oil on your skin) you rub the area with the wipe until it turns pink or red. Then you let that air dry ALL the way(if you don’t the barrier won’t stick either). Once it’s dry, you open the packet with the barrier wipe in it - it’s like a little tiny sponge pad with fluid on it) and you swab the area where you will place the pod. Go out further than you think you’ll need so you have “wiggle” room. The pad is pretty “juicy” so you will get good coverage. Don’t RUB it on hard because you will be removing what you just put on. Just get the area covered. The fluid is clear but it’s easy to see where it is because when it’s dry, the skin will look kind of shiny there. Once you try it you’ll see that shine and know what I’m talking about. The barrier is just a film of dried fluid that seals to the skin and creates a barrier from oil coming up through the skin, and water or fluid going down through the barrier TO the skin(and therefore loosening the pod adhesive). Then, you put the pod on like you usually do. The cannula has no trouble getting through the barrier because it’s so thin. Maybe a couple of atoms thick? :slight_smile: I don’t know but I can tell you it does NOT interfere with the pod function. What it does, is keep that adhesive on the back of the pod sticking to it so tightly that I’ve even knocked a couple of pods off and had to use the uni-solve adhesive remover to get the pad loose from my skin! That fabric adhesive patch was not going ANYWHERE! So, I hope this will help you, too. Clearly, it doesn’t stop a clumsy person like me from knocking the whole plastic pod off, but as far as how well the patch thing is attached to me, well,believe me, it IS attached well! so in most instances I think it will keep the pod secure. I’ve also heard of an adhesive that you apply in addition to the regular patch adhesive that is supposed to grip like iron. I think you’d have to ask your Omnipod nurse or educator about that, though. I hope this helps! Let me know if I can be of any more help!
Anita :slight_smile: