Kris - I didn’t know the tegaderm was OTC. I’ll have to get some tomorrow. I never got a chance to call my doctor today. I’ll try to do that tomorrow too. I know about the welts all over your body! It took 3 weeks for mine to heal up and now I have another one from the pod I tried over the weekend. I hadn’t heard about the Medingo. I’ll have to check that out too. Did you end up cutting a hole in the tegaderm to get it to work properly?
Well here is the latest from my doctor’s office and the OmniPod clinical rep. According to them my body is going through a rejection time (itching, swelling, etc) with the pods. This sometimes happens when you have been using a product for a long time. Just like having allergies my body is saying that it doesn’t like the adhesive on the pod and this is causing the “rejection”. They have suggested a couple different items to try (OmniPod clinical rep) is actually sending me some of these samples to find out which ones will work for me. Here is the list that they gave me: Skin Barriers: Hollister Gel Protective Dressing, Cavilon (3M) wipes or Cavilon (3M) spray bottle. I will let you know how this goes.
Are you using an antibiotic onitment like Neosporin? I usually apply Neosporin after every pod change for my son and then change the site for the next pod. We do a rotation of sites and on the days that I don’t use Neosporin (pod removed) I use CeraVe cream. Ladies, this cream is wonderful. It does something to turn over the cells and quite frankly, I use it myself on my face as a night cream or if I’ve been out in the sun for long periods of time it’s very replenishing. It might help your welts, etc. When Will has something like that, I make extra sure that I am applying something to help the healing along. On another note, there is another great cream called Amlactin cream - you can get it at Walgreens (same with the CeraVe) and it has lactic acid and turns the skin cells over (wow, I sound like a sales rep). I do actually use this for my own overnight cream (every other night) and I’m pushing 45 and can tell you I have no visible lines because of this cream. It’s fantastic. The thing to remember with Amlactin is that it can sting because of the lactic acid so you really want to use it on skin that’s already on the road to recovery. For skin that still is welty, use the CeraVe. Again, I use this on my baby (he’s now 3.5 years old (turns 4 in Jan) but I’ve been doing this since his diagnosis at 15 months and even his drs are impressed with his skin.
Hang in there!! Also, I did notice that when we used certain liquid soaps, we had skin issues. We currently use the Olay brand in our showers but I remember having problems back before we switched to them. I read somewhere on the OmniPod site that people had issues with soap so I change and it made all the difference. You guys should find out what kinds of soaps you are showering with and maybe there is a link. Ok - it’s reaching but it could be something like that.
Hope you feel better soon.
The first one that I put on I put on my skin then placed the pod over it. It went in fine, but had an occulsion about 2 hours later. (I think I just put it in a bad location). The next one I put on the pod adhesive first, then cut a small hole and placed it on my skin. That worked and now it has been 24 hours and NO ITCHING! I am definatly going to get more Tegaderm, but in a bigger size (4x4 I think). The adhesive that OmniPod uses is Hypafix. This is the same adhesive for Medingo so we would end up with the same problem. They also haven’t shipped any of their insulin pumps yet. Not sure when they are coming out, but they look smaller than the OmniPods, but can’t really tell as they don’t give specs out. I think I might ask for a “sample” on-line. Let me know if you get any information from your doctor. We will get this figured out I’m sure of it!!
Thanks Susan for all the great information. I am going to try some of that cream, it sounds wonderful. It’s costing me a mear fortune right now trying to find out what works and doesn’t. But it will be all worth it once I get this figured out. I’ve tried the Benedryl spray, which both my doctor and OmniPod rep said I should try. Didn’t really help, so I’m off to my next product. If that cream doesn’t work I will also use it on my face as I’m 45 also and hoping the lines will never show!! I will also look at my shower soap. It hasn’t changed in 2 years, but maybe I’m now having a reaction to that also. Thanks again for all the great options!
Let’s just hope something works!! Make sure to just add the Neosporin as part of your regular routine when you take off a pod. It really does heal the site.
The Amalactin/CeraVe combo on your face will do amazing things!! I think you will be happy!! :+)
Sorry, but I’ve never tried Amalactin/CeraVe products. DId you say you got them in Walgreen’s? Would I be likely to find them in the cosmetic aisle or some other part of the store?
I would like to find a product that would help the healing and these sound promising. I am currently struggling to find a transparent dressing to cover my picc line. The regular tegaderm is making my skin itch so bad. One hospital uses the tegaderm HP and the other tells me “Sorry, we don’t carry that.” 
We are new and our daughter has been having these issues for a few months. Problem is I am away (deployed) but will be home soon. Any idea if it is a certain Batch# or Lot# is the culprit. I will call the company if need be from theater.
I have told her to take a claritin daily and use topical hydrocortisone or triamcinolone (topical steroid) to help clear the skin, and use a new spot.
That’s great that the Tegaderm appears to work–knock on wood.
Medingo plans to roll out the Solo by mid-2010. Seems like products always come out later than the PR indicates so maybe closer to year end 2010. I have the demo and it is essentially the same size as the pod except it sticks out less from the skin. Once the new reduced-size pod comes out, I think they will be nearly the same.
Are you saying that OmniPod is coming out with a smaller version on their pod? That would be great. I sent a request to Medingo to receive the sample. I always like to be in the know. Thanks for the info.
On a side note: I made it through my whole 3 days with NO ITCHING OR OOZING with the tegaderm. Now I’m going to order on-line for a box of 50!! Now to get the rest of my locations cleared up!
I bought some tegaderm last night and unfortunately, I’m having some irritation with it. I’m not giving up yet, but it doesn’t seem good. Maybe I’ll try to find that tegaderm for sensitive skin. Also called my doctor’s office today and they haven’t heard of any of their other patients having problems. They have their OmniPod rep calling me…we’ll see how that goes.
I also put in for a free demo of the Medingo. Competition between companies can only be a good thing for us.
BTW the pods I’m using now have this info on them:
REF POD-ZXP325
made 2009 - 09
exp 2011-09
Lot L30212
The omnipod rep just called…she said she has seen this a handful of times before where someone developed a reaction to the adhesive after using the pod for a year or more. She is sending me some products to try as a barrier. I hope something works!!
Yes, Insulet is actively developing a smaller version, maybe a third smaller. The expected timeline is unclear. I always thought the smaller pod would come out first followed by integration with CGM but I recently read somewhere (probably at this site) that integrated CGM might come out first with reduced pod coming out maybe in 2011.
We’ve been using the OmniPod since Jan 2007 - they have been saying that the smaller pod was coming out since then! I think things are very slow going with Insulet. Remember, any changes they make have to go through the FDA and it’s the slowest government entity out there!!
I travel some for speaking engagements for diabetes, and while I was in Iowa earlier this fall (The first of November), the omnipod rep that I was with said the smaller pod should be available in 2010.
There was some confusion (or secrecy) about Insulet talking with both Abbott (freestyle) and Dexcom concerning CGM integration. The rep said for a while it looked like it would go w/ Abbott, and then that sorta stalled out, so then Dexcom stepped in and moved forward, and then Abbott stepped in again. So he was under the impression that the first CGM integration would be w/ Dexcom, but that they were still in talks w/ Abbott so it may be that down the road the PDM would talk to either type of sensor (kind of open platformish…I’m not super ‘techy’ so that verbage may be incorrect).
Now, that being said, all of that information could be skewed as well, as it is just 3rd party info that was ‘passed down the pipe’ so to speak.
I am headed back to Iowa again next week, and if I run into that rep, I’ll ask him again to see if he has any updates on information since last we spoke.
Susan, thanks for your valuable input.
My son is 2 yrs old, diagnosed 5 months ago. He’s on the OmniPod & We’re placing the pods under his diaper on the buttocks upper part. We want to hide the pod from him, so he doesn’t play with it. We’ve also used the neosporin at every change. ALSO, we’ve used the desitin diaper cream. But I guess the key is to interchange sites as mucha as possible, so the skin can recuperate.
Where else would you recommend placing it, so it’s secure/hidden from his reach?
Hi Santi -
Hope you see this - for some reason, I can’t reply directly to your post. I’m sorry to hear of your son’s diagnosis! The first year of diagnosis is the hardest -so hang in there. When Will was diagnosed at 15 months, I tried my best to make diabetes normal for him. I gave him old BG meters to play with, lancets without needles and old test strips. He used to carry them around in a bag. Once we were on the pod, we’d take the old one’s off and put them on his stuffed animals. We never told him not to touch the pod. We always told him it was medicine that helped him and it was ok to touch but to be careful. It’s been almost two years and he never really messes with his pod. We used his butt exclusively for the first year and then switched it up to the backs of his arms. He still doesn’t ever want us to put anything on his tummy so we don’t. You can also use the front of his legs (we put his CGM there). If it’s in a place where he can see it - tummy or legs - put stickers on the pod and let him chose where they go, etc. I really wouldn’t make a big deal about hiding it - this is something that the sooner he gets used to, the better you will be. At 2, he understands and you need to explain to him that it’s medicine that helps to keep him healthy. Give him old pods to play with (don’t worry, the needle is way up in there and won’t hurt him). Give him the old syringe to fill it without the needle. Give him all those free meters that they give you at diabetes events. Make this all routine and normal. Will now loves to take out his PDM, put a test strip in and test himself. He can’t read yet but brings me the PDM and says he’s hungry so he knows that testing means food, etc…He’s almost 4 in January but it’s so great to see him taking charge of his health and participating. He knows not to press any buttons on his PDM because we tell him all the time.
Being diagnosed young is almost a blessing in the sense that this is all our children will know, this is their normal. Older kids have a much harder time accepting their diagnosis because they remember their life before diabetes. I learned that last year when we were at family camp. While I know how hard it is to hear this diagnosis, it really does get easier as time passes. You will become an expert and soon will know more about your child’s health than his doctors!
This is a great group and we’re all here for you! Please email me if you have any questions at all or just plain need support. I’ve sent you an invite as a friend.
Take care.
I did not read all the posts but I see that many talk about what to put on your skin after the pod is removed. I use this to remove my pod.
Well, I finally had to give up the pods for a while. I have run out of locations to put the pods as my skin is in total itch, ooze mode. I have been using the CereVa creams and that is working in getting my skin back to normal. I went to tried another of the skin barriers from my OmniPod rep (Hollister skin gel protective) and that didn’t work either. Guess once my skin finally clears up I will go back to the pod and use the tegaderm. Only thing that seems to work for me. It is a lot of work, but I’m not liking be off the pod and giving shots 100 times a day (ok, so I exagerated a little bit, but it seems like it.). Now my sugars are running higher since I don’t seem to have the ratio worked out. All I can say is that this is crazy. OmniPod needs to get this figured out! Hope everyone is finding things that work.
Kris - I haven’t found anything that works yet. I tried the tegaderm but no luck. My pod rep sent me some stuff to try too. I’ll probably try it later tonight. My levels are all out of wack now too…its such a bummer. I did get a sample of that other pod in the mail tonight. Maybe there is some hope for the future, but not sure what to do about now. I’ll keep you posted on how the other barriers work out.
Hi guys. Im new here, but this is basically the reason I ended up tracking down this site. Exact same thing has happened with me. Approx 3-4 months ago I started having the reactions to the pods, and ive been using the omni pod for about a year now. At first I thought it was just over exposure to the adhesive, but now Im not so sure. Ive tried all sorts of lotions etc… but nothing seems to really help. It’s to the point now where my skin is so bad a layer sort of flakes/peels off after a day or so after removing the pod. The oozing, itching, scratching, peeling is becoming quite the annoyance. Like others have said, I really dont feel like going back to injections, but this has got to stop.
Do many of you put the omni pod on your legs or back? My doctor suggested this to give my arms and stomach a rest (only sites i use) but not sure how convienient that would be.