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Omnipod insulin pump

C

carak1987

Active Member
Messages
40
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi guys. I'm getting my omnipod insulin pump tomorrow. I've been watching loads of videos about it and I'm extremely excited . My question is, What would people advise with any dos and don't's in my first week or couple weeks. No matter how much I watch the videos, I am garenteed to come out my education course with my pump and forget everything. I do intend to take a notebook in with me.
 
That's a great idea taking a notebook along

All I would say is don't come away from the appointment until your confident you can use the pump, but even if you do forget something the Omnipod pump manual is self-explanatory and you can always ring your pump DSN up and ask for advice (or ring the Ypsomed Customer Care-line), don't stress about it as I'm sure all will be fine.
 

Hi I don't have an omnipod but I do have a pump & taking a notepad is a very good idea as you do get a lot of info thrown at you, I didn't and had an utter meltdown when it came to doing my first set change as I completely forgot everything!! Lol
 
Hi @carak1987
great news on you getting Omnipod !!
Yay !! Today is pump day !!

my best advice is be prepared for it to take a while for all the settings on the pump to be matched to you as an individual.
your DSN should be in fairly constant communication over the next 4-6 weeks
( mine rang me twice a week for the first 4 weeks and suggested adjustments to basal rates and , the other factors that get set on the PDM )

Can I suggest you buy the book Pumping Insulin By John Walsh too ( if you haven't already )

and finally -- be kind to yourself if everything isn't exactly how you feel it should be numbers wise-- this is a brand new experience for you and you can only learn in real time ( so lots of BG testing )

( been on my omnipod for 10 months and I love it )
 
 
Hi @carak1987
If you are bruising really a lot -- then another couple of tips -- if you can
get hold of Cavilon barrier film spray -- you spray this on to where you are attaching the pod ( and it helps protect the skin from developing a reaction to the adhesive )
I get mine on prescription

also - some sort of product to assist in removal of pod at changeover time. ( i am very sensitive to the sensation )

I use either Zoff --adhesive remover wipes or Opus healthcare - Lift link here http://www.opus-healthcare.co.uk/liftplus.htm
 


I don't use the pod yet so don't know if I bruise with it. It's the injecting I bruise with. But I also suffer with hyperlipotremia (how ever it's spelt) in my tummy too lol I'm thinking of putting the pod on my arm. Where do you put yours. I know it's individual to the person. But it look less of a hindrance there. I sleep in funny angles lol
 
so far my favourite places are on my upper arm , quite high up on my stomach ( just below rib cage ) , and at the very top of my backside .
I rotate between these mainly ( some lower stomach too ) but I didn't care for upper leg personally as absorption did not seem as good.

we are all different though - and you can only figure out best places for yourself in real time - so keep the faith and patience

and do keep posting here --always some of us about if you have questions !!
 
himtoo said:
and at the very top of my backside .
Click to expand...

How do you find it there Paul, is it not uncomfortable when sitting.

I use my arms, stomach and sides for the pods, like you the legs don't seem to work due to poor absorption.
 
noblehead said:
How do you find it there Paul, is it not uncomfortable when sitting.

I use my arms, stomach and sides for the pods, like you the legs don't seem to work due to poor absorption.
Click to expand...
i probably didn't describe the placement very well -- so it is more like around at the back at around top of hips

hope this helps
 
Does anyone get a dull achy pain when the pump delivers the insulin? I think I need to change mine this morning. My pump isn't correcting my bms I woke up with a 15.8 bms which was higher than when I went to bed. I might wait the next couple hours out though as I've just done a bolus for breakfast with a correction dose. I'm wondering if it's due to the fact I may have residual scaring from my contraception implant.
 
morning @carak1987
in my 10 months on the pod - I have experienced this sensation a couple of times
and it has coincided with rising BG's

have a feel of the adhesive near the cannula -- any moisture ?
or can you stick your nose next to the pod and smell the medicine type smell

if yes to either of those --- definite pod change
 


No the adhesive is dry and no horrid smell of insulin. I feel the insulin going into my arm. Whether I'm not correcting enough or using enough bolus. I dunno. Maybe it's a case of changing my setting with the Dsn's as I know I'm counting my carbs correct. Maybe it's the ratio
 
to be honest -- it is such early days that it will definitely be something in the settings
and this will be the cause of some frustration over the next few weeks --

realistically you need 2-3 days of BG readings before starting to make changes and then a further couple of days to see what effect the change had on your BG's -- all of this info is recorded and between you and your DSN -- starting to look for patterns that assist in tweaking settings --

to get ALL my settings to a desired optimum took about 4-6 weeks for me
 


Yeah, I thought that. It's just frustrating ha ha I hate being uncontrolled. I'm due to have my hba1c done again soon I want to see it lower lol
 
carak1987 said:
Yeah, I thought that. It's just frustrating ha ha I hate being uncontrolled. I'm due to have my hba1c done again soon I want to see it lower lol
Click to expand...
haha -- before i went on a pump my HbA1c's have been "perfect" for a number of years ( well perfect in my opinion)
between 39-42 for the last few years
but my latest 1 -- after 6 months on the pump -- has shot up to 49 -- i was not so happy -- the consultant was literally doing cartwheels round the room -- he thinks i run too low
i must admit to much less hypos now -- so perhaps he has a point
 

I would just change the Pod now, high bg levels together with the pain means that something isn't quite right.
 
noblehead said:
I would just change the Pod now, high bg levels together with the pain means that something isn't quite right.
Click to expand...


It's slowly coming down its 13.2 now lol I'm a worrier which you have probably guessed. But it's never territory for me lol
 
carak1987 said:
It's slowly coming down its 13.2 now lol I'm a worrier which you have probably guessed. But it's never territory for me lol
Click to expand...

We all worry about high bg levels, when I started on the pump my DSN said to change the Pod if there was ever a issue and bg levels were rising.
 
carak1987 said:
It's slowly coming down its 13.2 now lol I'm a worrier which you have probably guessed. But it's never territory for me lol
Click to expand...
good it is coming down -- it is hard to be patient though
 
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