- Messages
- 76
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Pump
After something like 42 years of MDI followed by over 5 years of using the Medtronic Veo, I started a trial of the Omnipod system last Wednesday and despite one issue, (I got an occlusion, "change me now!" warning on the first day which Ypsomed suggested may be down to firing in an immediate bolus which was too large for the fine cannula to cope with in the site I used), things are going well. It seems very odd not having to unclip the pump from my belt or fish it out from my pocket at various times of the day.
I have used the Contour Link meter for the last 5 years or more and although I have been very happy with it, have now switched to using the Abbott Freestyle meter which is built into the Omnipod Personal Diabetes Manager (PDM). First impressions were not good though, maybe my fingers are the wrong shape but I find it a bit of a "faff" to pull out a single Freestyle strip in the tightly packed vial of 50 which is substantially smaller than the vial used by Bayer who manufacture the Contour strips. OK, not a big deal in the scale of things but taking a blood test was taking me ages simply because I could not get hold of the blinking test strip.
Solution? Things should get easier as the number of strips in the tub reduces and maybe I could simply pack a day's supply in a used vial once I have one but hey - I like making things which is what this post is all about.
Over the last few years I have become increasingly fascinated by 3D printer technology and have taken my interest as far as making three printers at home. (My photograph of one of them is in the book, "3D Printing for Dummies"). It occurred to me that it should be possible to design and make a box to carry a day's supply of Freestyle strips using one of my printers. All against the rules of course as we are supposed to keep our strips in the supplied vial - something to do with a drying agent in the lid according to the small print provided with every box - but what the heck, it would be an interesting weekend project and maybe a useful one.
On Friday, I stated jotting down a few ideas and I have now made eight such boxes in various colours - I would like to give 7 of them away to any Omnipod user who thinks that they may be of use to them - users who have the same frustration as me when it comes to fishing for a test strip. The boxes are made entirely of plastic - I used a Bio plastic called PLA which derives from corn starch rather than something like ABS plastic which comes from oil. They snap shut and the lid is released by pushing on one side of the box in order to enable a plastic bump to work its way out of a capture hole. I took a few pictures which can be viewed here: http://rydersonline.co.uk/PhotoAlbums/Freestyle Box/
Legal bit (if needed): No guarantee that these boxes are fit for purpose or will last a lifetime. Furthermore, if you take one of these from me you must accept that you will use them entirely at your own risk. As said - it was just an idea and maybe yet another "what's the point of that" product. The boxes which are around 60mm long, 12mm wide and 30mm tall can take 9 Freestyle strips. In terms of bulk, you will not save much, if anything, compared to carrying a Freestyle tub of strips but it is a lot easier to use my box than the manufacturers container.
PM me if interested.
Alan
I have used the Contour Link meter for the last 5 years or more and although I have been very happy with it, have now switched to using the Abbott Freestyle meter which is built into the Omnipod Personal Diabetes Manager (PDM). First impressions were not good though, maybe my fingers are the wrong shape but I find it a bit of a "faff" to pull out a single Freestyle strip in the tightly packed vial of 50 which is substantially smaller than the vial used by Bayer who manufacture the Contour strips. OK, not a big deal in the scale of things but taking a blood test was taking me ages simply because I could not get hold of the blinking test strip.
Solution? Things should get easier as the number of strips in the tub reduces and maybe I could simply pack a day's supply in a used vial once I have one but hey - I like making things which is what this post is all about.
Over the last few years I have become increasingly fascinated by 3D printer technology and have taken my interest as far as making three printers at home. (My photograph of one of them is in the book, "3D Printing for Dummies"). It occurred to me that it should be possible to design and make a box to carry a day's supply of Freestyle strips using one of my printers. All against the rules of course as we are supposed to keep our strips in the supplied vial - something to do with a drying agent in the lid according to the small print provided with every box - but what the heck, it would be an interesting weekend project and maybe a useful one.
On Friday, I stated jotting down a few ideas and I have now made eight such boxes in various colours - I would like to give 7 of them away to any Omnipod user who thinks that they may be of use to them - users who have the same frustration as me when it comes to fishing for a test strip. The boxes are made entirely of plastic - I used a Bio plastic called PLA which derives from corn starch rather than something like ABS plastic which comes from oil. They snap shut and the lid is released by pushing on one side of the box in order to enable a plastic bump to work its way out of a capture hole. I took a few pictures which can be viewed here: http://rydersonline.co.uk/PhotoAlbums/Freestyle Box/
Legal bit (if needed): No guarantee that these boxes are fit for purpose or will last a lifetime. Furthermore, if you take one of these from me you must accept that you will use them entirely at your own risk. As said - it was just an idea and maybe yet another "what's the point of that" product. The boxes which are around 60mm long, 12mm wide and 30mm tall can take 9 Freestyle strips. In terms of bulk, you will not save much, if anything, compared to carrying a Freestyle tub of strips but it is a lot easier to use my box than the manufacturers container.
PM me if interested.
Alan
Last edited by a moderator:
as well as "*** (fat finger syndrome lol)