The Omnipod requires a minimum fill of 85 units. There’s no way around that. You either use it or waste it, or possibly withdraw it but that’s highly not recommended since the insulin degrades in the pod (in any pump, really).
You haven’t said why you want a pump. V-Go is the type 2 alternative to Omnipod, for people just wanting to simply things, but the lowest patch available delivers 0.83 units/hr.
I don’t think there’s a pump or patch pump on the market that will fit your individual needs of just ~ 15 units per day.
Technically, Tandem’s T:slim X2 has a minimum fill volume of 50 units for typically 3 days of use, plus about 12 units to fill the tubing, but that doesn’t sound like something you’re interested in, and insurance coverage for it as a type 2 with little insulin need would be difficult.
Also, all pumps have some wasted insulin in them. Generally the amount wasted every three days exceeds your daily usage.
@John70. You seem set on the Omnipod. Before you jump in, check out the Tandem t:Slim with Control-IQ. I am using one of these pumps with the Dexcom G6. It is heaven. The only dosing I do is covering carb counting.
Check it out. After reading all of your comments, I believe it may be an eye opener.
Share what you decide. Decisions and rationales help all of us. Best to you.
Jay. Thanks for your input. I just spent the last hour going over the info on Tandem’s web side . While the interface with my G6 CGM is a plus, the two draw backs I see is having, to physically wear the pump and the biggie it’s not warmer proof only water resistance. I do a good deal of pool swimming.
But on the other hand it appears not to was excess insulin as the pods do.
Again thanks for your input.
When I am in the pool, I disconnect my pump and put it in a zip lock bag in my locker. The exercise I am doing prevents my BG from going up… Food for thought.
Jay6. Again thank for the feedback.
I do however have other questions you can help with.
How much insulin does the tandem cartridge and how long is it good for.
Tandem hold 300 units in t:Slim. T:Flex, if still on market, hold 450 units. I use those 300 units until they run out, usually in 72 to 96 hours depending on my carb intake.
This can be more of a drawback for some people than others. For all the years I wore tubed pumps, I found it hard to ignore that thing constantly on my belt or in my pocket. It was always there. On the other hand, I’m not even aware of wearing my pods. To me, they’re completely unnoticeable. But again, it depends on your priorities.
When my doctor told me about Omnipods, she goes it’s small you won’t even notice, this is what it looks like. She started patting herself all over trying to find her pod. I laughed. Now I find myself doing the same thing!
I used Minimed and Tslim X2 before starting omnipod. I’ve been on pods for 18 months and they are so much better than a tubed pump. Very quick to change and you don’t have to deal with tubing and pump in pocket. I leave my PDM on my desk during work or in the kitchen at home. No need to carry it with you every minute if the day. It is awesome. And, sometime in 2021, with omnipod horizon, you’ll be able to use your phone instead of the PDM. No need to carry anything extra.
@Marie20. One of the major drawbacks to OmniPods is they are hard to find in emergencies. I have a friend who works as a Paramedic in a large city. An Omnipod user went low and no one knew they were diabetic.
The paramedic protocol for that area required the paramedics to treat as a narcotic overdose first – wasting time because of the hidden device. When they got to the blood sugar it VERY VERY LOW. The patient did arouse, but had residual effects from the low blood sugar.
Bottom line, regardless of status & treatment, always let those around you know you are diabetic.
@Jay6 That actually is a very good point, a lot of people wear them all over the place. There would be no way for a paramedic to have a clue unless they stumbled across it. But if you were on MDI shots they wouldn’t have a clue either. I suppose that would be a reason to wear a medic alert bracelet that says type 1 diabetic. They have some nice ones nowadays but I’m not sure I would actually ever wear it. My Dexcom is on my arm and I am always sleeveless so hopefully they would recognize that. But until I knew there was a tubeless pump I refused getting an insulin pump.
Maybe I need a first tattoo applied that says type 1 diabetic!!!
I wonder if tattoo shops do temporary henna tattoos? Anybody know?
@Marie20. I was taught by my EMS friends that the best recognized and one with the best depth is the about 50 year old system, Medic Alert Foundation. They are partners with the National Association of EMTs & American College of Emergency Physicians, et al. Medic Alert subscriptions (fact check this, please) are deductible under USA-IRS tax rules as a health insurance expense for those who itemize their deductions. (any little bit helps.). They maintain an Emergency Medical Information Record and transmit it to ERs and EMS thru secure, authenticated channels. In addition to my standard record, I have instructions for using my pump and CGM so ER staff know what they are looking at on my body.
You can pull the insulin out of a pod but as it has been attached to your 98.6 degree body for 3 days, it will degrade with time and heat exposure. Keep in mind too, you have 72 hours per pod + 8 extra hours grace time before the pod stops delivering insulin and lets out a loud alarm. Another tip, if you fill the pod extremely slowly, you can get away with only adding ~70-75 units.
I have used an OmniPod system since 2009, and I love it. I would never go to a tubed pump, and I find that having the Pod makes life “almost” normal. I, too, am VERY sensitive to insulin. I generally take a bolus of anywhere from 0.30 - 4.00 units per meal (depending upon the number of carbs in the meal), and my basal rate uses a little less than 7 units in a 24 hour period. So is there waste at the end of 3 days? Yes, most of the time I end up throwing insulin out. I know that I can draw insulin out of a three-day old Pod, but I never do so. I do not want to spend any time wondering if that high I just experienced was because I did not calculate something correctly or if it was because the insulin I drew out of the last Pod had lost its potency. My life and time is worth more than that.
If you go on the OmniPod, you will work closely with your doctor to set up the basal/ bolus program that works the best for you and for your lifestyle. Can you suspend a basal rate? Absolutely! I have temporary basal programs set up for light/ medium/ and heavy exercise. I suspend anywhere from 50 - 70% for those activities. I also have a “walking basal” that suspends all insulin 100% when I walk, then tailors it back to 25% for an hour after I walk. Each person is unique, and the OmniPod allows you to minutely tailor your insulin trickle to match your lifestyle and your body’s reaction to food and to activity.
I use the DASH controller with my OmniPod. The great thing is that Insulet is working toward morphing the DASH system into their Horizon model that is a closed loop system. That means that your pump will be able to work with the CGM to change the insulin output automatically based on what your glucose levels are at a given time. Great things are coming soon!
So, yes, OmniPod is a great system, even for those who are sensitive to insulin. And yes, since your needs for insulin are not great, you can expect to “waste” some of the insulin you put into the Pod. And, yes, you will find that the CGM and the OmniPod’s PDM (personal diabetes monitor) controller will make your control better and your life easier. Good luck with your decision.
I want to thank all that responded to this thread.
After much consideration and consulting with my Endo Doc. IT has come down to this, I can, by consulting my Dexcom more often and still take my mealtime bolus, take a little 1 unit or so to maintain a lower level. There by not wasting the insulin left in the pod or pump after 3 days
Again thanks all for your input.
Stay well
Go for the Omnipod. I wore a tubed pump for 20 years and then switched to pods. It is life changing. Fast pump change and always have 2 free hands when using bathroom or getting dressed. Also, horizon is supposed to use iPhone to replace the PDM. I am so looking forward to that. Nothing extra to carry. I always have my phone with me
I used tubed pumps for about 10 years until I changed to the OmniPod. I was the OmniPods first commercial customer as my insurance at the time authorized it a month earlier than any other insurance. Insulet invited me to their factory to talk to the workers assembling the pods. I would never go back to a tubed pump, the Omnipod is truly a game changer for me.
