Problems filling pod w/ insulin?

We’ve been podding with absolutely NO problems for 1-1/2 years now.

Just recently (within last 2-3 months) have had several instances where the syringe full of new insulin is jamming up and not letting us fill a new pod up. We’ve wasted several pods this way – pod will accept a few units of insulin and then the syringe just meets some type of resistance and refuses to budge.

Have already tried pushing syringe more slowly (haven’t changed our techniques since first started podding, we’ve done nothing different as far as I can tell?) . . . I thought maybe we had gotten a bad batch of pods and/or syringes within . . . but since this is going on with several different lots over several weeks I am really befuddled now.

Is this happening to anyone else?

-BJ

Yes, BJ…last night was the first time in 5 years of podding that this has happened to me! I was totally confused, and I just went ahead and primed the new pod, which had only taken about 20 units or so…so the pod went into the long beep about 4:00 am, “empty reservoir”. I was not going to call it in, as I assumed that I must have done siomething wrong, but now that I see that this was not such an anomaly, I will find the pod in the trash and call it in! Thank you!

Insulet has been great about replacing the pods I have called in (called 3 in the first time this happened) . . . but they do kind of insinuate during the phone call that it is something I must be doing wrong . . . I have about six more pods that I haven’t phoned in about, but I’ve been keeping notes about lot numbers, etc. as there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to why this continues to happen.

I agree…it depends on which rep you reach at what time…they can be a bit 'accusatory" (is that a word?)

Thanks for the heads up. We have not had this experience as of yet but it is always good to learn what some of the problems that we might encounter in the future.

On page 47 of the OmniPod User Guide, it says:

NEVER use a Pod if you hear a crackling noise or feel resistance when you depress the plunger. These conditions can result in underdelivery of insulin.

I’ve had this happen a handful of times and they’ve always replaced those pods without trouble. Several years ago, there was a series of these reported here at Tu Diabetes; since then I’ve only had it happen once or twice.

This has not happened to me yet.

I have had pods refuse to double beep after inserting approximately 150 units.

I do the following to fill my pods:

  • Screw the syringe together
  • Move the plunger in and out to the 200 unit mark. This was taught to me by my CDE to "lubricate" the syringe
  • Withdraw the plunger to the number of units I want
  • Insert the needle into the vial and push the plunger down to insert the air into the vial
  • Flip the vial upside down and withdraw the number of units I want
  • Insert the needle into the pod and depress the plunger s l o w l y

The plunger seems to move more easily if I do the "lubrication" step.