[Dee]

Sorry about that Novalog , funny I like the TV series Nova and I had to look at the bottle to notice its not spelt novalog but novolog.
I am type 2 so I do not know how much harder it is to be a type 1

I like the pod, I dont mind being a cyborg, started wearing glasses from a very young age and my parents made my sister and I wear braces on our teeth. So I think I was cyborg before I knew the term.

Best wishes to you. Could be pod is great for type 2 more so because some aspects of use are not as critical. That may be a bias I have and didnt think to consider.

[JasonJayhawk]

Dee--Type 1s depend on insulin for life, and DKA is a condition that presents itself like a person who is publically intoxicated, and it can occur in just a few hours after the basal delivery ceases. A potentially deadly situation!

Type 2 diabetics would probably be best off with a pump that can hold more than 200 units of insulin per pod when they use large amounts of insulin... I wonder if Omnipod is working on a design that can use U500 insulin for Type 2 patients? The cost of a new pod every 2 days would really be painful to insurance plans.

I've worn glasses since I was 11, and braces from 12 to 18 (yes, 6 years, despite the doctor saying it would only take 3 years), and so perhaps my cyborgness died with the last episode of Star Trek NG.

BTW, have you considered applying for a sales position with Insulet Corp? I know they're looking in several new territories. Of the last 18 threads you've participated in on this board, 17 of them have to do something with supporting Omnipod devices (and you're very well-educated on them!) You should be getting paid by them for your excellent WoM marketing skills.

[Nifr]

I am a T1 diabetic who started on the Omnipod exactly 10 days ago and I love it so far. On a thread titled "The Omnipod Experience", I am most interested in reading about other users' experiences with their Omnipods. I want to hear that good, the bad and the ugly about the Omnipod (my experience hasn't been flawless.) But I would like this information from other Omnipod users.

I started off on a rocky road. The insurance approval process was a nightmare. Mid-process my husband changed jobs and our insurance changed. Thankfully, the new insurance is better than the old, and I was approved almost immediately. Then, it felt like a million years from the time I was approved until I had my first training. I was on saline for 3 days, and started on insulin a week ago Monday. The first day, my numbers were nearly perfect. Beginners luck, I guess, because since then, they've been nothing to brag about. I'm working with my endo's office to adjust basals, but it's slow going. They tell me they don't want me to bottom out. And I was having lots of lows with MDI, so they're trying to avoid that again.

As for wearing the pump, I barely notice it's there. I sleep on it with no problems at all. I've been wearing it on my stomach so far, but I am anxious to try other areas after I'm a little more comfortable. I would like to hear about other's experiences with that.

Before I started I was nervous about whether the cannula insertion would hurt (it doesn't) and how much you can feel it (not at all). Does anyone ever have bleeding from the cannula insertion site? And if so, what did you do about it? I haven't had that happen with the pod, but with shots, I would occasionally hit a spot that would bleed so I figure it's bound to happen at some point.

My first night on the pod I had a malfunction between the pod and the pdm. I called Omnipod that night, and they have already replaced that pod and sent me a package to return the one that malfunctioned.

I've read in other places that some people have issues with itching. Has anyone here had that experience?

Also, can anyone say specifically what you use to prepare the infusion site and where you buy whatever it is you use? My diabetes educator told me to just use an alcohol pad. Is that really enough?

Thanks for any input you can provide.

[albertinex]

The pod has been suggested for my adult type 1 diabetic son. My question is that as he has problems in always recognising the onset of a low would be pod be dangerous? If it continues to feed him insulin when he's already low that could be very bad. Not long ago his test tapes were defective and his readings very very high, he kept trying to get them down with insulin but as the tapes were faulty it looked like he wasn't getting any results. It wound up with his collapsing and my calling 911 who had to give him an intra of glucose. At the moment he's on inhaled insulin but I'm anxious to get some reassurance on the pod as exubera won't be around for very much longer.

And hello to everyone, this is my first posting! I'll try not to be so wordy next time! Be back later...

[Funnygrl]

Originally Posted by Dee

I mean so what if your pod runs out for a couple of hours, your not gonna die.

For every hour my pump is not delivering, I find my bg about doubles. In 3-4 hours this could easily mean a "HI" on my meter. Your willingness to go without insulin a few hours would be very different if you had type 1, I would hope.

That being said, I would absolutely hope people on a traditional pump are carrying their current vial with them as well. It's saved my butt a few times.

[Funnygrl]

Originally Posted by albertinex

it continues to feed him insulin when he's already low that could be very bad.

This argument against pumping as always irked the heck out of me. Does a pump continue to give you insulin when you're low? Yes, unless you tell it not to. It may be "smart" pump it's not "intelligent."

Does Lantus continue to give you insulin when you're low? Yes, but you can't stop it. It's not smart or intelligent.

Same with NPH, Levemir, Lente, Ultralente, or whatever other concoction a person comes up with to meet their basal needs.

Some may argue long acting insulins will eventually run out if the person passes out from a low. Yeah? Use your pump's auto-off feature if you want that.

[notme]

Many people don't realize there are these functions available on the pump. A pump can be suspended so no insulin is delivered, it can be easily taken off your body with a quick release or you can us the auto off function. There are many ways to stop the insulin from pumping more into your body when you are low. Worse case scenario someone could cut the tubing if they didn't know how to remove it!

I think the bigger issue with a pump is highs. If there is no delivery of insulin, you can go into DKA very quickly as there is no background or basal insulin helping.

Have your son check out the pumps. He can demo one if he calls and makes arrangements with the pump company. It will give him a clear idea if the pump is for him.

Good luck!!!! Let us know how it goes.

[albertinex]

Thank you notme for your helpful response. Funny Girl, I asked a reasonable question. Sorry it irked you.

[Funnygrl]

Originally Posted by albertinex

Thank you notme for your helpful response. Funny Girl, I asked a reasonable question. Sorry it irked you.

It doesn't irk me that you asked the question. It sounded like your physician put that thought in your head. I've seen that as an "argument" against pumping in my nursing books too. It irks me that people who take a stance of experthood on diabetes are perpetrating this myth.

[panda1076]

[quote=Nifr;328218]
I've read in other places that some people have issues with itching. Has anyone here had that experience?

Also, can anyone say specifically what you use to prepare the infusion site and where you buy whatever it is you use? My diabetes educator told me to just use an alcohol pad. Is that really enough?
QUOTE]


Hi Nifr

I am glad you are liking your OmniPod. I love mine! I have been on the OmniPod for about a year and a half now. I have had a few problems (maybe 5 or 6) in that time, which I don't think is really that bad statistically. I could answer any questions you have, so just let me know.

Regarding itching, I have only had that problem when I have not stuck the Pod to me well and water has seeped under the adhesive. I have never experienced itching otherwise. So I just am really careful each time I put a new one on to rub the adhesive down thoroughly.

Regarding site prep, I use only the alcohol prep swab. I used to use IV Prep when I put Pods on my arms, but then I realized I really didn't need it. They stick fine for me without anything. I also bought mastisol, but I have never used it. I bought it to being to Australia for me since it was going to be my first warm weather experience with the OmniPod. But I never needed it. Alcohol prep was sufficient.

FYI--a tip on putting pods on the back of your arm... bend your arm so it's flexed first. I like to reach arm my chest and grab my shoulder. Then place the pod on.

You can look at this PDF on the OmniPod website for ideas for placement:

My favorites are back of arm and stomach. I never get good asorption on my upper butt. And lower back bumps the car seat when i drive. I need to experiement more with that.

Good luck. Let me know if you have other questions!

Amanda

[panda1076]

You can look at this PDF on the OmniPod website for ideas for placement:

Looks like URL isn't pasting/hyperlinking properly. You'll have to copy and paste.

MyOmniPod.com/pdf/pod_Placement_Sheet.pdf

[albertinex]

Funny Girl, the dr. did not put that thought in my head. What did put it was, as I posted originally, my son doesn't always recognise the onset of a low blood sugar. That is why I was, and still am, concerned about the pump continuing to work while he doesn't have the capacity to do anything about it because he doesn't RECOGNISE a low. The night before last he went down to 32. Until he stood up and walked out of the room I had no idea that he was that low and neither did he. I saw his walk was funny and so he tested.

[panda1076]

albertinex

In your case, the pump is probably better than shots for your son's situation since you'll be able to control the basal rate per hour or half hour with pump settings tailored to your son's needs.

If he's going low in the middle of the night, or during a time when he's not eating and bolusing, then his basal insulin is not at the right levels. Or if he's on lantus for example, he can't tweak what he's getting at different times of day. So you end up finding a balance which means sometimes you are igh and sometimes low. So he would be better off on a pump where you can fine tune how much insulin you get per hour/half hour.

I shouldn't assume you know how a pump works... basically, instead of taking Lantus or a long-lasting insulin, you only take fast acting, and you tell the pump how much fast acting to drip per hour. So for example, i was using 8 units of lantus per 24 hours but it stopped working around hour 21-22 and i was always low after breakfast. Now I use .15 u/hr or .45 u/hr or .5 u/hr, depending on time of day. And i can fast all day and have a flat BG of 100 or so all day long.

[It Ain't Over]

Albertinex:
Low BG sensitivity is related to both the time one has had diabetes and the level - number of- and time since one had a low bg. With a severe low we lose a lot of the ability to sense the next low coming on. I have read with a low under 50 it can take up to 6 days before the sensitivity returns. Also with time it fades a lot. There is sort of a scale on the time you may lose your sensitivity with level you drop to.
With the pump and variable basals most of us find we suffer far fewer lows than we did with MDI. Long acting Insulins are not all that predictable and they can't be set up to vary with the time of day. That improves the ability to detect a low coming on. Of course they don't go away. We are still managing a storm and there are too many things that can a do go awry.

[williamcrawford]

I recently started pumping with the Omnipod (13 days). I am having much success and loving the freedom it is providing me so far. My one complaint- I am having trouble removing all the sticky gooey adhesive after a pod change. The change itself is not a problem, I have the adhesive removal pads. Its that I cannot seem to get all the "RESIDUE" off afterwards. I've tried soap and water in the shower, and using extra pads to dissolve it and wipe it away with bath tissue, towel ect., to no avail. ANYONE with some experience in this matter PLEASE HELP!