Omnipod insulin pump

[Davey208]

Hi guys does anyone use the omnipod pump and how do you find find it to use and does the injection part not get in the way as it looks like it sticks out a bit I'm doing some research as i have been offered a pump by diabetes nurse so any info on the omnipod will be hugely appreciated thanks

 

[catherinecherub]

I'm going to tag @noblehead for you as I think he has an omnipod.

 

[noblehead]

Hi @Davey208

I'm a Omnipod Pump user and have been for the last 18 months, it's a great little pump and has the advantage of being tube-free which I quite like.

The injection part is called a Pod, it sticks to the skin and has an automated cannula insertion so its pretty straight forward to apply and get going, you control the Pod remotely by a hand-held controller called a PDM where you programme your basal & bolus delivery.

The Pod does protrude from the skin but they are quite small and I don't have any issues with this, I've knocked them a few times on door frames but the Pods are quite robust and are built to withstand this, without saying anymore I'll provide a link to the Ypsomed (mylife) website which will provide more details on the pump, but if you go on YouTube you will also find some great videos of people who use the pump, but just be aware that some of the videos are a few years old now and the Pods have since reduced in size.

http://www.mylife-diabetescare.co.uk/mylife-omnipod-product-overview.html

Any other questions just come back and ask, I'll also tag @himtoo into your thread as he is also a Omnipod user. Best wishes.

 

[himtoo]

hi @Davey208
I have been using an omnipod 9 1/2 months so far.
i can highly recommend it.
as with all pumps it takes a bit of time getting used to running it by getting your settings right , but i would not like to go back to injections .

the cannula insertion is so easy - you just press a button on the PDM and it inserts automatically - brilliant !!

 

[Davey208]

Thanks guys much appreciated

 

[voiceoverman]

I'm a pump newbie (less than a week ago) and so far the experience is a positive one: I went for the Omnipod because of the absence of tubes to get tangled in. It's taking a while to work out the dosage but that would apply to any change of regime. I've had one glitch - on Saturday I had a long hard and hot day working and the pump became detached, enough to dislodge the needle. I didn't notice till the end of the day and my BG was sky high because the insulin hadn't been going where it should. Lessons learned: choose the pod position carefully with reference to your activities, and check it frequently!
Ypsomed's helpline is a blessing - there's always someone on call (even at 10pm on a Saturday!) and they're friendly and helpful.

 

[tfishuk]

I have been on the Omnipod for nearly two years now and it really is a very simple pump to use, I did have a break from it earlier this year to try the 640g however I did miss the convenience of having a tubeless system so I returned to the Omnipod and I love it.

 

[noblehead]

I've had one glitch - on Saturday I had a long hard and hot day working and the pump became detached, enough to dislodge the needle.

I've had similar where the cannula has become dislodged and leaked, a way to tell is look for a wet patch on the adhesive or run your finger along and smell it, insulin has a distinctive smell so there's no mistaking if it's leaking or not.

 

[toffski]

Ive been using an OmniPod for 2 months now, after 40 odd years injecting, and I love it.
For me, the lack of pipe work was a big pull. Ive had a fee minor issues with my own insulin absorption at some sites but, apart from that, its superb.

I've worn mine in 30+ degrees heat, been cycling and snowboarding with it and had no issues what so ever. Sometimes the adhesive can come unstuck but I carry tape with me if I'm going to be really active - I've not had one come off.

Ive paired it with a Freestyle Libre blood glucose monitor which has helped immensely getting things under control.

Good luck with whatever you choose but I can highly recommend the OmniPod.

 

[JaneC]

I've been using Omnipod for nearly 5 years and as its tubeless it suits me very well. I do a lot of different sports and again this works well and haven't had problems although have found a tendency for the pod to alarm occasionally in the cold. Omnipod back up service is usually excellent and responsive. I haven't used any other pump but worth looking at them all to see which is best for you. I understand that not all are waterproof as the Omnipod is, have just remembered that when showering in the bath, insulin delivery doesn't need to be halted as it is in some others. It's possible I may be wrong on this though.