Talking to insulin pump reps. Thought I had it narrowed down to two MiniMed (which I've used for the past 15 years), and Tandem t:slim, now a OmniPod rep called me and gave me an unbelievably cheap quote with my deductible so I feel like I should investigate. I want to find some current information on what people's opinions are about the Omnipod. Are there still problems? Is it a good option? I want some honest answers??????
I would never use anything but my Omnipod. Are there some problems? Yes. On occasion I'll have a pod go bad (but it's been months now and they always replace them). Some people are allergic to the adhesive. In the summer when sweating or in water you can lose a pod. With all that, it allows the pump to affect my life as little as possible. It gives me excellent control over my diabetes. It has great analysis software. I think it's the best option available. The one caveat here. His unbelievably cheap quote is believable because we pay less up front and more with each pod order. It end up being about the same. So if you're just looking 'cause of price it's probably not worth doing.
I have been on the OmniPod for five years, and I love it. No tubes, waterproof, very few hassles. If you have used a pump for 15 years, your transition to the OmniPod will be easy.
The unbelievably low price for the PDM is correct. The PDM itself does not cost that much, but the Pods run about $10.00 each and last three days. That cost is much more expensive than the infusion sets for the tubed pump. I did some calculations a couple of years ago and found out that in the course of two years, the high initial cost of something like the MiniMed plus infusion sets was fairly equal to the low initial cost of the OmniPod PDM and a two-year supply of the the Pods.
I personally have experienced very few problems with the OmniPod. Some people have trouble with the Pods staying stuck on. I have no problem with that and in fact sometimes have problems with peeling them off! Some people have lots of Pod failures. I hardly ever have a Pod fail. If I do, I just call Insulet and they replace it at the start of the next month. Some people complain of having whole "bad" boxes. In the past five years, I have had one "bad" box, and Insulet replaced the whole box when I complained.
In five years' time, I have only had the PDM itself fail once, and that was my own fault. I dropped it off of a restaurant table onto a tile floor. Insulet overnighted me a new PDM the following day.
I feel that the OmniPod is a very good option for you. One of the great things over a tubed pump is the ability to wear it in different places. If you have been pumping for 15 years, you probably have built up some scar tissue where you usually put in your infusion set. Now you can use your arms, your thighs, your upper butt, your lower back, your sides, and any other place you have enough fat to pinch up an inch. I know some people have even tried their upper backs and calves. (I'm not that brave.)
Although forums generally contain comments from more complainers than praisers, I hope that others will respond and let you know the good points about using the OmniPod.
If been on the pod for about a month and have loved every minute of it before I was. With animas for years loved them but when I saw the newer small pods and my worrentiy expire. So after a ton of reaserch I descide d to go with omnipod. Where it was a nightmare to get my insurance to cover it but evenchely they did/ as far as pod problems if had 000000000 so shere its a bit more ruf on the skin but I'm still experienceing. Plus the pod is the only one that is completely water proof even tho the others say they are trust me I no from experience. I still have a lot to test out like at theam parks with tubed you have to disonect do to gravity with pod I'm told no worries any ?let me know ask the rep to have one inserted in you