Omnipod - What's in the "kit" and when does it need changing?

[Alzibiff]

I understand the fact that the Omnipod system is made up of a pod unit which is replaced every 3 days plus a PDM - Personal Diabetes Manager - smartphone looking thing which incorporates a BG monitor. However .... do Ypsomed provide some sort of carry case with the PDM to carry a finger pricker and tub of test strips or is it up to the individual to source such a thing for him/her self. I'm just thinking that things would be easier if the bits which are peripheral to the pump itself were housed together.

One other Omnipod question - having read the user manual, (and forgive me if I have missed something), it appears that the pod starts beeping as it approaches the end of its three day, 72hour lifetime. Can this be changed or muted in some way?

At the moment, my pump vibrates / beeps when the reservoir is running low rather than after a specific timeframe. If you were to do an Omnipod pump change on Sunday afternoon, say at 3pm for example, is an Omnipod "change me" alarm inevitable with one hour to go on the following Wednesday afternoon or could you leave it in and working, (quietly) until you got home from work - changing say at 3 days plus 4 hours on the assumption there was plenty left in the reservoir? If not, I guess that you have to either change things early when convenient or make sure you organise the 72 hour lifetime to expire when it will be easy and convenient to change.

It would be good to hear from Omnipod users out there who have developed a suitable regime for using this pump.

Thank you,

Alan

 

[Spiker]

Better call - @Omnipod !

 

[tfishuk]

I have recently changed my pump to Omnipod and I have to say I think it is excellent, it is odd that they don't supply a finger pricker so I use my old Accuchek. I tend to change the pod before the alarm goes off so it doesn't bother me.

 

[Chas C]

I have an Omnipod that I got on trial - i used to replace it before the insulin ran out, found that it was best to fill it with over three days of insulin so there was plenty spare (in case its needed) and allowed me to replace it without setting off the alarms.

I thought it was a great pump and will consider it seriously when mine reach 4 yrs.

 

[Alzibiff]

@Spiker "Better call - @Omnipod !"
Thank you for the advice but I as said in my original post, "It would be good to hear from Omnipod users out there who have developed a suitable regime for using this pump.".


@tfishuk " it is odd that they don't supply a finger pricker"
Indeed! Thank you for the advance warning. I have just taken delivery of the Freestyle strips for use in the Omnipod PDM which I will have on trial for 30 days or so next week. That was an adventure in itself as it seems that Abbott manufacture three flavours of Freestyle strip - the Optium and the Lite are described on their website but the standard Freestyle, only used by the Omnipod PDM, is not. Took a while to convince my Pharmacy that there was such a thing. Thank you for the heads up.


@Chas C " i used to replace it before the insulin ran out,"
I guess this is the point of my question as from what I have read - that is what I currently understand - is that even if you fill it with enough insulin to last beyond three days, the pod starts beeping an hour before the 3 day "change me" period ends. If this is the case then it becomes important to bear this in mind when changing the Omnipod. For example, I am thinking that I would generally change in the evening in order to avoid daytime bleeps at work but would have to watch out if I was planning to go to the theatre in three days time!

I currently use a Medtronic pump which only beeps when the reservoir is in danger of running out (an alarm function which you can set to whatever warning limit you deem appropriate) and if you cannot fudge the Omnipod to work in a similar way, it will require careful advance planning.

Replies from any other Omnipod folk out there gratefully received, thank you.

Alan

 

[Spiker]

@Alzibiff there is a user on here called @Omnipod who I was tagging to flag up this thread

 

[mariposa84]

Hi

I'm using the Omnipod. You're right in saying that pod and PDM will alarm 1hr before pod is due to be changed (it can be earlier i.e. 4hrs before but minimum is 1 hr). The pod emits a short beep and will continue to do so every couple of minutes or so until you acknowledge alarm on PDM. If there is enough insulin in pod you can continue to use pod for up to a further 8 hours before alarm sounds (this time high pitched constant sound more like a fire alarm). During those 8hrs you will get intermittent warning beeps both from pod and PDM. As far as I am aware you are unable to stop these alarms from happening. Hope this helps.

P.S Yes you do get a bag to keep PDM etc. in but I found it quite bulky and in the end used something else to keep my PDM, strips, insulin, spare pods etc. in

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App