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Switching from tubed pump to Omnipod

A

andy2010

Member
Hi all
I've been using Medtronic pumps since 2009 and am now on HCL. I'm thinking of switching to Omnipod 5 HCL when my warranty ends this year.

Just wondered, for those of you who have made the same switch, how you've found Omnipod 5, any regrets about switching, have you maintained or improved your control, and is there anything you wished you'd known about it before you switched.

Thanks
 
andy2010 said:
Hi all
I've been using Medtronic pumps since 2009 and am now on HCL. I'm thinking of switching to Omnipod 5 HCL when my warranty ends this year.

Just wondered, for those of you who have made the same switch, how you've found Omnipod 5, any regrets about switching, have you maintained or improved your control, and is there anything you wished you'd known about it before you switched.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Hi andy2010

I used a Medtronic pump some time ago but due to problems with set changes I moved to Omnipod Dash. I then moved to Omnipod 5 in February this year. The main issues I have had is maintaining line of sight between the pod and libre 2+ sensor. To achieve this the pod and sensor must be on the same side of the body. It is recommended that you have both the pod and the sensor on the one arm. As the sensor lasts 15 days and a pod 3 days you have 5 pod changes per sensor. With that for me the skin on my arms suffers.

My control has been quite good. This is my first experience of closed loop so have nothing to compare it to.
Hope this is some help
 
andy2010 said:
Hi all
I've been using Medtronic pumps since 2009 and am now on HCL. I'm thinking of switching to Omnipod 5 HCL when my warranty ends this year.

Just wondered, for those of you who have made the same switch, how you've found Omnipod 5, any regrets about switching, have you maintained or improved your control, and is there anything you wished you'd known about it before you switched.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Hi I just swapped to Omnipod 5 last month after 13 years of Medtronic pumps.
It's my first time on a HCL and as the system is still learning from me I can't really comment on effects on control at the moment, it's about the same as when I was on Medtronic but have been told it can take around 8 weeks (I think!) to see a difference.
As mentioned above it can be a pain trying to keep line of sight, but as I wasn't told the pod and sensor should be on the same arm I have just started trying it on my side, just below my waist and it's working well there. I know people who use their thighs and lower back or top of bum for the pods.
One thing that's taking me a little while to get used to is having a separate controller and not having a (controllable) pump on me at all times, I will regularly leave the controller in another room and be like "oh I should bolus" only to realise I can't do that right this second :hilarious: I got a lanyard to make it easier to have with me but if you have clothing with pockets that should be less of an issue, the joys of women's clothing.
Also the pod clicks obnoxiously which I wasn't expecting and it can take a little bit of getting used to.
Hope that helps a little!
 
The only thing that prevented me switching is the small reservoir size if the omnipod it only holds 200u and I use close to 100u a day, so would not achieve the 3 days of the pod

Oh and tge fact that in the UK you can use a mobile phone you need the PDM so actually that can be more hassle than a tubed pump
 
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