Omnipod

I have been on the omnipod for 5 1/2 months now and I love it !
it is really small and sticks really well.

tagging @noblehead and @Sarahkylie88 , @Okulu , @Omnipod who are all users.

all the best !!

Hi @Diamummy_

I've been on the Omnipod Pump for the last 13 months, really can't fault it tbh and the whole experience has been life-changing, much like yourself I opted for the Omnipod as it was tubeless pump.

If you go on YouTube there's some really good video's where you can see users talking about their experiences of using the pump, but just keep in mind some of the video's are a few years old now and they were using the older pods which were around a third larger than the current design. Good luck.

Hi @Diamummy_

I have the Animas Vibe and love it. It's robust and waterproof and simple to use. Although I'm not a child, I'm very clumsy and have children of my own so I'm constantly lugging them around and lying on the floor, etc, etc : D My pump has withstood all that with no issues at all. I also like the variety of sets that come with it.

I also like the way that the Animas Vibe supports the Dexcom CGM. I'm not using that at the moment, but I'm very pleased to have that option there.

Of the three pumps you mentioned, the only one of those I'd be wary of is the Insight. I had one briefly and hated it.

Pumps are individual choices. Try to find out as much as you can, both good and bad, about each pump. Also, imagine how it'd fit into your daughter's life - her hobbies, what 'routine' the pump needs for insulin and set changes, how easy it is to use, what would happen in the event of problems, etc, etc

Diamummy_ said:

Thanks @noblehead, we have been watching a few videos on YouTube and we are really keen on the omnipod, even my daughter seems really excited

, hopefully going to see our diabetes nurse next week to have a look

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If you contact Ypsomed I believe that they send out pods for people to try, obviously you won't get the PDM but it will give your daughter a feel of what its like to wear the Pod and to see if she likes it or not.

My son is 6 and he has been on the Omnipod since May 2015 so we are coming up to one year. I would definitely recommend it but I can't compare to any other pumps as this is his first. We were attracted to the fact that it was a pod and not a pump and therefore no wires which works well. It can be worn in the bath or swimming although we tend to leave that to the 2nd or 3rd day (pod change) rather then risk it coming off and being replaced early.

The meter is about £250 to replace so unlike other options it isn't that expensive. The meter itself is a bit basic but it does the job. I did hear that a new meter was due for release this year but reading in between the lines they are now considering replacing this with a phone app, probably some years off.

The only issue we have really is that the insulin it can deliver is by 0.05 units which didn't sound like a problem when a pen delivers 0.5 units but when you set you basal by the hour it is all delivered at much smaller doses.

For example at the moment my son is on a basal of 3.20 units spread over 24 hours which equates to 0.1333. Some meters can be set to 0.13 per hour but the Omnipod is by 0.05 units so my son is either on 0.10 units or 0.15 units depending on the time of the day, I would expect it to vary anyway but an increase could be a 50% increase insulin or a 33% drop. It isn't such an issue for those on larger doses. It just means a little more work potentially in getting the basal right but then I think all pumps are probably hard work initially but once you get it right then the flexibility and improved numbers are well worth the effect.

I was very sceptical of going on a pump! I am very active, like @azure I am clumsy and have a child! I love the omnipod now, I have been put off pumps for their tubing but I like this one as I don't have something attached to me all the time! (That's just my personal opinion) I know my mum, also type one was offered one, but turned it down for fear she would lose the pdm! (She has had a stroke and is a little forgetful!) i would recommend it, I love mine now! Good luck! Hope u get what's best for your little girl c

Is the omnipod available nationwide on the NHS. I was told by my dsn that it is only in certain areas but I think she misinformed me

I'm 28 and I've had this insulin pump for 3 years now and wouldn't go back to injections. I hadn't controlled my sugar levels that we'll so untill loosing my toe in January down to infection I am slowly getting it under control. I would recommend getting this for a child as they would control it a lot better and it rules out having to inject as only time they would feel a little nip is when they changed the pod itself..

I'm having the pod fittered next week but a tad worried as I'm on small doses of insulin and only inject 7 units at night. How will I break that down over 24 hours? I've read in the past that the pump can go wrong and inject too much insulin and the person went into a coma. How safe would this pump be to use?

Casper60 said:

I'm having the pod fittered next week but a tad worried as I'm on small doses of insulin and only inject 7 units at night. How will I break that down over 24 hours? I've read in the past that the pump can go wrong and inject too much insulin and the person went into a coma. How safe would this pump be to use?

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My basal is only 7 units. It's easy to spread over 24 hours as you can do fractions of units eg one of my basal rates is 0.275 per hour My basal varies over the day and night and my pump allows me to do that

Modern pumps have high tech equipment to make sure the insulin is being delivered accurately The only pumps I've read about that went wrong like that were early ones from the 80s. Don't worry

Casper60 said:

I'm having the pod fittered next week but a tad worried as I'm on small doses of insulin and only inject 7 units at night. How will I break that down over 24 hours? I've read in the past that the pump can go wrong and inject too much insulin and the person went into a coma. How safe would this pump be to use?

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Your pump DSN will work out your basal rates, they may start you on one basal rate with a view to adjusting it once you've done some basal testing.

Like all pumps the Omnipod has some built in safety features, it always asks you to Confirm all actions before administrating insulin.

Diamummy_ said:

Hi all, I have been told that the pumps available to my 4 year old daughter are the accu chek insight, the animas one and the onnipod, I really like the look of the onnipod as its wireless but I was just wondering what other people's opinions are,

Many thanks !!

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Hi, I used the accu chek aviva combo pump for about 5 years and got it soon after i was diagnosed (8 years ago). I am now 20. I stopped using it (silly of me) for cosmetic reasons. but i got the omnipod 2 weeks ago now, and absolutely love it. its so discrete, easy to use. very simple system. and it really is pretty painless on insertion. it is so much easier without a wire or tube, so no worries about it getting tangled and pulling out! one thing i would say is that it is easy to put it in a place that you'd lay on in bed, which is slightly annoying.

The accuchek pump does have benefits though...
The basal (background) is given in smaller increments. Where as the omnipod gives 1/2 the hourly dose per half hour, i think accuchek can do it in 10 min increments.

Hope this helps a little

Diamummy_ said:

Hi, a little update, went to see the little ones consultant today and had a chat with the nurses and they aren't recommending the omnipod for her as she's not on massive amounts of insulin and the omnipod doesn't go down in small enough increments, oh well we have another appointment booked to go have another chat an play with some pumps so will have to see how it goes, thank you all for your advise

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The omnipod is wireless so for a bloke it's better as a wired one I personally would find it hard where to actually put the pump a woman can place it under her bra.. and you give yourself what insulin you want if she carb counts any pump would work. Hope they sort her out with what helps her best