I disagree with you emphatically. 1) The pod is there to deliver insulin. Nothing more. 2) Allowing others the freedom to disable the alarm does not take away the ability to enable the alarm from those who wish to have that "protection." Further, it does not mean Insulet could not make the alarm the default. 2) Who are you, who is Insulet, who is the FDA to say I need someone or something else to protect me and keep me safe? Many health problems people have in the US come from this idea that someone else is supposed to take care of us. I need to take care of me. I need to keep myself safe. 3) How many people have actually died because of the lack of an alarm from their insulin delivery system to remind them to do a BG test? I can't imagine having sympathy toward anyone who has been diagnosed and educated about diabetes who is unintelligent enough to test so infrequently that it leads to a DKA induced death.
Thats the problem with this whole thing, if more people would wake up, insulet wouldn't jerk people around as much. I will post whatever I feel like posting thank you very much master....
I've actually only ever had the old ones, and I'm satisfied too!!
I get it. I'm as anxious to get the new ones as anybody but that doesn't mean there aren't issues to deal with, as there are with everything in life. I'm sure there are reasons to have as many alarms, warnings, and confirmations as they do. It's always fun to read warning labels on products because you know that the only reason my they are there is because somebody, somewhere, decided to do it.
That's fine, I have choices but I still choose the Omnipod, alarms. warnings, confirmations, or not. You are amazingly positive Brunetta. Continue to be so!
Hey, I’m a happy European! In type 1, with neither long, nor short-acting on board, DKA can occur within a few hours of a pod / pump failure. Not testing during the night, or testing every 6 hours when awake, is usually fine. When a pod or pump fails, that’s too long! This is the message from the Dr from the ED who sat in on my training, the Endos & the Ypsomed trainer.
I'm new to any pump and chose Omnipod because of the freedom from tubes, attachments, and in the hope of improving my control and lowering my A1c. I was able to get the new system and pods as a first time user and am sooooo happy!. In 6 weeks, no occlusions, failures, problems. I use R-500 so fill with minimum amount of insulin so I try to maximize both Pod time and insulin usage. My changes rotate around the clock (latest was at 4am) and Yes, the 2 hour test beeped, even if I did a test an hour earlier. My settings are all for vibrate, yet I get beeps for changes and the 2hrs test. If those are my only problems(?)I'm grateful. I am liberal, freedom loving with a sense of responsibility, very pro-active with my health and still am counting on the alarms if, and when my facilties diminish. Can't we try some positivity here? Remember the good and try to evaluate if the 'Bad' is really so very bad. Some in this community have a very low threshold of tolerance, especially for those dealing with children, teens, and adults with some cognitive issues.
My Pods don`t last the 3 days so my pod changes are all over the place, sometimes before breakfast, mid morning, after lunch. before dinner, before I go to bed, and in the middle of the night. I have to change them, when I have to change them. So I can see this being an issue if I change it before bed or in the middle of the night. *crossing my fingers this will not be on the Canadian version, but I will have to deal with it if it is.
I admit that any alarm that would keep my PDM "on" for hours on end would be a nuisance for me. Even if I spend an entire night without a basal hit, my BG will be fine, but I'm lucky like that. At least, for now. I'd consider it an annoyance.
You certainly are a happy European! Here's to holidays abroad. :)
It’s the most expensive pump on the market. The additional features that make it better for vulnerable users justify the additional expense in price sensitive situations (aka 21st century healthcare).
Why are pods lasting less than 72hrs? That’s a bigger issue than the beeping.
I live and workout heavily (training for iron distance tri at the moment and am a chronic cyclist), and I live in oklahoma. I sweat. A lot. Even with skin tac, pods come off early from time to time.
I also am fairly lean. Occasionally I hit blood vessels or the pods enter scar tissue (17ish years of MDI and previous pumps have built up some spots) even w/ my frequent site change positions.
Occasionally when the pods are on my arms I brush them against doorways as I enter/exit, and while the adhesive holds, the welded spot of adhesive to the actual pod may tear.
Pods may or may not make it to 72 hours (and 80, as I try to wear them up to the few minutes before they expire) for these and many other reasons. The 80 hour wear time would also come into play w/ a "change like clockwork in the morning" scenario. For me, life happens, and like others have posted, I change at many different times of day, unfortunately.
European - that explains everything. ;)
I was in DKA for A LOT longer than overnight before I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of three. Doctors and diabetes educators, etc. frequently blow these issues out of proportion. To be clear, I agree DKA is not healthy and should be avoided. But individuals should have the choice to balance the severe unlikelihood that this situation will actually present itself, and being able to live a life day to day that minimizes stress.
For those that have an unjustified paranoia that they are going to die from DKA overnight, they can lower their overnight basal and inject with a little NPH in addition to enabling what I feel should be an optional alarm.
No one that appreciates the alarm has successfully addressed the issue that you still have the ability to enable a number of alarms if you so choose to take advantage of them.
Proposing that I should join a circle and sing kumbaya over something I neither want nor need is not that of a liberal, freedom-loving individual. Have respect for the input of others instead of shaking your finger at those who have valid issues they are discussing intelligently with the group. I have no qualm with anyone who likes the alarm. Hell, I have no qualm with anyone that likes a required alarm. I have a huge problem with people implying that those of us who have a problem with the alarm should invoke a sunnier disposition about it. Had we as a group done this about having diabetes, there would be no insulin; there would be no at home diabetes management; there would be no pumps; there would be no wireless pumps.
Any way, I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's okay to not be happy about it. And it should be okay to discuss it here, of all places.
There's also the issue of pregnancy. Often times insulin needs increase to the extent that insulin use will require a pod change daily or every other day.
My reasons are very similar to Bradfords's. I may change a pod in the morning, afternoon, at work, or, despite the warnings, a couple hours before bedtime. It's not that unusual for me to lose a pod well before 72 hours have elapsed, though I have gotten much better at minimizing those occurences.
Actually, something that I did consider when I was choosing pumps is the fact that the Omnipod was, easily, the least expensive pump at start-up. I pay 20% of DME and 20% of a 90 day supply of pods + PDM still came in well under the up front cost of 20% for a $6300 Animas, my second choice.
The extra expense comes with the long-term cost of our monthly supply of pods which isn't so bad when the cost is split up into 4 payments a year.
Needing a bigger reservoir makes sense, scar tissue & discomfort make sense… It falling off, doesn’t. On my limbs, I use a dressing to hold it in place.
I had ketones at diagnosis, but was still conscious & relatively well. I’ve been fine regarding ketones & highs for 15 years: I am staying that way & appreciate all the support I can get!
What makes you think that showing your complete lack of forum etiquette and trying to drive every post off topic with your problem is going to make people "wake up," and be sympathetic to your issue?
Belinda, I am on high doeses of insulin
I don't think focus groups or Insulet had any say in it... blame the FDA:(
Sounds like whining......
All of this sounds like "whining" as you guys pointed out to me... haha
It's medical equipment that is operated by the consumer, and I think the FDA required it to ensure that a new pod is getting insulin to your system. Yeah, I kind of buy into the whole 'you have a right to kill yourself' mentality, but if a bunch of people die, then the product will get pulled.
Still, it might be a good idea to contact the company on this one, and point out that if the alarm goes unnoticed, it will do the opposite of what is intended by draining the battery, and also some people are hearing impaired. Make them aware of the problem and maybe they'll limit how long the alarm is going off.
Simple solution. Make the alarm optional. Safety-conscious folk who don't mind others telling them what is good for them can always enable it.