Omnipod pump experience

[Tracie1212]

I am into my third week of using omnipod I test every two hours until mid night then at 3am . On day one at hospital I felt unwell very dizzy and hypo although on testing I wasn't. I have since had two more similar experiences dsn says it is not the omnipod but I feel it is. We changed ICR after low hypo and feeling shaky for two days . Then following evening felt like another hypo but levels were ok but I felt awful. Today I used temporary basal for cleaning house and so far so good. Overall my levels have improved considerably already but it's also about feeling well. Has anyone else had similar experiences? My dsn is referring me to pump consultant. I appreciate
Its about patterns and fine tuning and it's early days. Look forward to replies. Thanks.

 

[Deleted Account]

Is this your first pump experience?

I do not have the Omnipod (it is not available at my CCG) but when I started on my Animas Vibe, there was a lot of trial and error and fine tuning to get the levels right.
Thankfully, this was helped by a week of CGM readings (this was a loaner which seems to be standard in my area before adopting the pump) which helped get some hints for how to set the levels so there was less tweaking needed.

I've never met a "pump consultant". Thankfully, I have an incredibly good diabetes nurse who knows far more than any doctor or consultant I have ever met. She set the levels and tweaked them. She was the nurse I met when I was diagnosed 14 years ago and I love her attitude of "diabetes should not stop you doing what you want" and is up for working out what to do with my insulin with every activity I throw at her. And she has been thrown many.

I notice you say your levels have improved considerably. I wonder if the hypo feelings are what are sometimes referred to as "False Hypos". When your body has got used to being at a high BG, it reacts like a hypo as it drops to lower (non-hypo) levels.
If this is the case, the only relationship this has to the Omnipod is that the pump is able to control your BG levels better. The feelings should stop as your body familiarises itself to the lower levels.

 

[Tracie1212]

Yes this is my first pump experience my dsn is very supportive and helped me set up the initial doses. The hypo feelings I'm getting leave me feeling very unwell have you had any of these? I'm doing my best to stick with it I'm told can take months to adjust. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Juicyj]

Hi @Tracie1212 - I am a Medtronic user but haven’t come across this, what are your bg levels doing whilst you feel like this ? If your levels are falling quickly then as Helen has said it could be a false hypo - tagging in another mod for his input @himtoo

 

[Tracie1212]

Hi my leves were stable at 8 but hadn't eaten properly only biscuits which I'd bolused for dsn said this wouldn't have made me unwell. Thanks

 

[himtoo]

Hi @Tracie1212
i am on an omnipod pump -- been on it for 2.5 years--in the early days and weeks it was a huge adjustment to go from taking injections to having the pump , my DSN deliberately set all my settings so that for the first 2 weeks i was constantly running high ( like low to mid teens ) , but we were on the phone nearly every day and after loads and loads of basal testing - link here https://mysugr.com/basal-rate-testing/ ) we started making adjustments to basal rates and after about 6 - 8 weeks i was finally happy with levels and how i felt on the pump.

i think it is important to give the pump time. !!

 

[Tracie1212]

Hi@himtoo

Thanks for your reply and links. Yes I agree it is important to give it time I am building confidence everyday. Using my second temporary basal today and so far so good. I did feel very unwell at times but am definitely moving forward. I speak to my dsn every week and back at hospital for update next week. I upload my data into diasend and am impressed with the results as is my dsn. Still have my L plates on but glad I have stuck with it. Everyday is different so keeping a journal of how it all works for me. Feel very lucky that I have omnipod feel like this is going to be life changing.

 

[Tracie1212]

I've just cancelled my 1st temporary basal -10% and changed to -15% how long does it take for change to start working? Can I change as often as I want throughout day? I've eaten but feel a bit shaky at reducing levels of 9.2. Should I bolus even though feeling shaky or wait til my levels rise. Thanks

 

[Tracie1212]

I decided to bolus for food, I thought I'd changed temp bolus to -15% its
not showing as running in temp bolus but appears in my records as selected. Am I missing anything that I should be checking? Thanks

 

[himtoo]

I've just cancelled my 1st temporary basal -10% and changed to -15% how long does it take for change to start working? Can I change as often as I want throughout day? I've eaten but feel a bit shaky at reducing levels of 9.2. Should I bolus even though feeling shaky or wait til my levels rise. Thanks

any change in basal rates normally takes about 2 hours to come through in results in BG's.

 

[himtoo]

I decided to bolus for food, I thought I'd changed temp bolus to -15% its
not showing as running in temp bolus but appears in my records as selected. Am I missing anything that I should be checking? Thanks

when you select a temporary basal , you must then also select a time period for that temp basal , minimum is 30 minutes -- you then need to confirm . after the temp basal finishes your PDM will beep to let you know it has finished.

 

[Tracie1212]

Thanks for this @ himtoo . I wondered how it all worked, definitely feel more energised. Yes I put a beginning and finish time heard the bleep but couldn't see end time on records it did appear eventually. Clever stuff.