Temp basal on pod change

Diabetes Technology Insulin Pumps
1

First things first - I love my Omnipod!

I’ve had it since December, 2009 and have always used Regular insulin. Apidra, NovoLog and Humalog require twice the amount of insulin to do the same thing for me. I have a slow metabolism, I guess…

But here’s my question for the Omnipod Users Group: every time I change a pod - I have to set a temp basal at 20% for 3.0 hours to prevent any spike in glucose readings. Is this normal?

Is this maybe a Regular insulin delay?

Thanks!

2

I bolus an extra two units of=Apidra when I change pods. Many of us have found pod changes take more insulin. I’ve heard both instant boluses like mine and extended boluses or temp basal increases like yours. If it works for you then it’s fine. :slight_smile:

3

Thanks Rebecca! This is good to know :slight_smile:

4

Our pump instructor said that the canula hold about 0.2 to 0.3 units… so just in case it didn’t prime right… my son was instructed to push an aditional 0.3 units… and believe it or not… that seems to work…most of the time. If he changes the pod at bedtime he tends to spike more though than if he does it when he is active… and he also tends to spike when he uses his belly… ( extra padding) then when he uses an arm. If he hits a “stretch mark/scar” on his belly… it takes a long time for it to start absorbing right then it kinda “bursts” into gear and he has to watch for a low. I have heard soooo many different patterns w/ diffrent people…and other pump users have this too…not just Omnipod. So I don’t know the exact answer…but trial and error for what works best for you… since it seems…everyone is different in how they absorb and where they absorb. Wish there were less variables!!!

5

Here is the procedure that my daughter uses:

  1. Bolus one unit from the pod about to be changed.
  2. Bolus a half unit from the new pod.
  3. Set a temp basal of 30% for 3 hours.
  4. Check BG 2- 3 hours after new pod activiation
6

That’s probably a good (aggressive) approach I’ll try next time!

7

my arms and legs are my ONLY option for pods. I used the Minimed from 1999 till 2009 and only used the right or left abdomen :frowning: Needless to say - 10 years of scar tissues makes for every day ‘NO DELIVERY’.

8

It really does depend on where I’m placing it, what time of day, what major events are happening around the time I’m changing, what the moon cycle is, if a black cat crossed my path, if I took 15 steps to the bathroom that morning, or 16…



I don’t change my basal to try to head off a pump change high though. My response is too variable. I’ll bolus to conpensate if necessary. It might be ab hour or two after my change before I know for sure. I’ll know for sure after the next postmeal reading. If it hasn’t settled by then, I’ll probably have to change pods again.

9

I usually take a half unit immediately after every pod change.

Also, I rarely bolus with the old site for an hour prior to a pod change and I leave the old pod on as long as I can after the change. Sometime schedule doesn’t allow it, but I like to let any residual insulin absorb at the old site. Too many times I notice insulin oozing out of the site. Always leads me to wonder how much I actually got :slight_smile:

10

100% - I TOTALLY go with moon cycles and black cat crossings, too! lol