Hey I would like to introduce myself!
My name is Ally, and I’ve had diabetes for 24 years now. Mostly MDI however I recently switched to Omnipod! I live in Canada and I am 34 years old with two sweet little boys aged 2 and 9!
I wanted to reach out to see if anyone has had issues with OmniPod’s and high blood sugars?
I stated my pump on Jan 26th however I have gone though 3-5 pods due to errors (and painful sites)
Tonight I boloused for my dinner, and 2 hours later my sugar spiked to 22-HI reading on my Libre. I reached out to my nurse and she told me to be patient with the pump however I needed to take a shot of additional insulin and I had trace keystones. I am so frustrated with this new pump. This isn’t the first time I’ve had this issue with pods.
I have been researching the Medtronic minimed 780g however I am worried that the same issue may happen with the minimed or should I keep giving this Omnipod a change? Thankfully I’m still under the 90 day warranty. What advice can you give me regarding this?
Hi @AllThePods! Welcome to the forum and to the “pump club.” I see you are new to pumping. I’ve been on a pump since the mid-90s and last summer I switched from Tandem with CIQ to Omnpod5,
It sounds like your issue might not be with the Omnipod itself but your pump settings - your basal rate/s and/or carb ratio/s. A person might have the same insulin needs 24/7, or - more likely - they will have different ones for different times of day. So when you start using a pump your doctor will recommend certain settings to start with, but those may need to be adjusted. If your numbers are good most of the time but you have a pattern of highs after dinner you may need to adjust the carb ratio for that time of day. On the other hand if it was a one-time occurrence you may have “blown your bolus” - muscounted your carbs.
Look for patterns, which mean you do need to make some changes. Once you’ve been pumping for a while you might - hopefully will - learn to make adjustments on your own (keep in mind, a small change can make a big difference so don’t be too aggressive). For now though, follow your doctor’s advice. It’s also not good to take an injection on top of pump insulin but there are guidelines on when to go off pump and switch over to shots. Also ask your doctor how long you should wait before taking a correction - you could end up stacking insulin and end up going low as a result.
You also said you had pain with the pods. Has it happened with every one, or with various sites? There is a large variety of site options for wearing them and some may be more comfortable than others. It’s possible to get a bad batch of pods. Omnipod will replace them. If you have another box - ideally from another lot number - see if those work better. If so, call Omnipod and let them know there was an issue with the first ones. BTW, pump companies are supposed to replace problem products so be sure to ask for replacements for the ones you’ve wasted.
You could also be allergic to the adhesive or something in or on the device. Omnipod does make a barrier underlay which may help with adhesive issues if that is the problem. I found these on Etsy - have never tried them so can’t vouch for them.
It took me over 6 months to get my pump settings to be “as good as” MDI and another 6 months for it to be better. Before day 1, I gave myself a year to decide if I liked pumping because at the time we didn’t have feedback pumps and it often took that long to figure it out.
You didn’t say which omnipod so I can’t offer any direct advice.
Here’s what I’ve learned in 40+ years of treating t1: you can make ANY therapy work with enough effort. Once it’s working it is a much better place to decide. Good luck
@AllThePods Welcome to the forums! I don’t see where you say which Omnipod you’re using and that makes a big difference in advice. If you’re using O5, I don’t have experience (use Dash) so best to listen to others with actual experience on settings. However, I understand the O5 can take a few pods to adjust to best fit your needs; since you mention just starting Jan 26 and having issues with 3-5 pods, that period could easily be extended as the O5 uses data from the previous pod for a new pod. In addition, there have been lots of people reporting the O5 lets them run significantly higher than expected or desired (lots say it’s great too). As to having pain, you’ll find numerous posts advising how to put an Omnipod on and where on the body is best; I think it comes down to individual physiology. Some say to pinch up the fat layer, some say to press lightly on the canuula area during insertion…you can try these, if it helps great…I don’t do either, just let it insert. Rotating where you insert is good to do, particularly you have a problem with tunneling or scarring. I rotate use of my stomach area (left/right of belly button, slightly up/down, staying 2.5-3" for the cannula) (avoid getting too close to the rib cage!) and left upper arm (inside between tricep and bicep, as well as back of arm. Seems to be good for a side-sleeper like me (mostly right side), might be bad for stomach sleeper. I put them horizontally on the stomach area, vertically (in-line with the bone) on the arm. I use roughly the same location twice: left stomach w/ cannula to the right/left, then the other way, then right side, then arm cannula up/down, then back of arm cannula up/down. I’ve tried thighs, but don’t get good absorption there. I rarely have any pain/discomfort on the stomach, the arm locations sometimes a dull ache (perhaps too close to muscle?). Anything “painful” gets removed (we deal with enough already!).
If you’re using Dash pods and you’re going high, your settings (ISF, ICR, etc.) need adjustment. I recommend videos on YouTube from Ken Fox and Loop and Learn, alternately go to the LoopandLearn.org website and look under for videos in the resources area. (You’ll need to convert from mg/dl as they’re US based, but the info on how is the same.)
Other than that, feel free to ask more questions here and find what works for you. BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE! As you probably already know from the 9 yr old, enjoy the boys as they grow, the opportunity only goes by once. I’m 68, with a daughter and 6 yr old grandson; I was gone a lot with a military career and lots of odd shiftwork, missed more than I should have of my daughter growth, fortunately only live a mile from her and my grandson now! The time goes by very quickly…
Hi! I am currently using the Omnipod DASH system. I am not very familiar with loop to be honest. Is this an addition to entering BG vale’s and carb ratios in a separate app?
I saw your question and found an article that explains closed loop systems. Minimed - which you said you might look into - has its own using own CGM), and Tandem and Omnipod5 each have their own which work with Dexcom. I chose an article from Diabetes Self-Management since it’s independent of those three, but of course do look into the details specific to each one. BTW, I used to have a subscription to DSM and is an excellent publication. The article below was written by Gary Scheiner, who has diabetes and works in the field. He wrote the book Think Like A Pancreas which u read for the first time after 50+ years with diabetes and I learned some new things so I invite you to check it out of you haven’t already.
@AllThePods Sorry, I should have been more clear. Loop is a DIY program for integrating a CGM and Omnipod Eros/Dash into an Automated Insulin Delivery System (AID), but it does NOT work with O5. My thought was the video’s might be of value at least to explain HOW to check certain settings (basal in particular). The Loop program itself only works with pumps as listed in the Loop docs, but doesn’t include the O5.
@AllThePods The article @wadawabbit, as usual, provides is good as is the book by Scheiner she mentions (you can find it free online or purchase it…well worth the read). Scheiner’s organization (https://integrateddiabetes.com) has some excellent content on CGMs, pumps, and educational material on their use (including the O5) that may be of use as well and has web-based educational seminars at a reasonable cost (lower to zero cost depending on you’re financial situation)!
Hello. My son is type 1 and had a tandem and dexcom. I looked into the omni pod. I came in this forum and people were saying the same thing you were saying about the highs. Some people wrote that they went back to their tandem t slim pump. Their was someone in this forum from Canada and they said The Tandem tslim is in Canada now. I heard really bad things about the medtronic. Its not compatible with the dexcom. I think you have to use the guardian cgm wirh it. People complain that the chm beeps in the middle of the night every hour to put blood sugar in. Good luck.
Hi @AllThePods,
I have a similar background. I’m 36, I’ve had diabetes almost 30 years and I’ve been on MDI that whole time EXCEPT I used the Ominod DASH for about a year from 2020 to 2021. I think I also had a similar experience with the Omnipod system, given what you described. My A1c actually increased over that year. Sometimes my blood sugar would go well over 400 for no apparent reason. I’d change the pod and there’d be no evidence of leaking. Sometimes my blood sugar would be in target range and I’d change the pod as scheduled to find that it had leaked and completely saturated the bandage. I often had red, swollen, painful catheter insertion sites and sometimes had to change the pod early just to escape the pain. When the pods worked, they were wonderful. I loved the extra flexibility they afforded and I was excited about the promise of a closed loop system hitting the market soon. But they were so unreliable that I ultimately decided to go back to MDI. I’m in the US, so I don’t really know how to weigh in considerations like warranties or insurance in Canada, but I’m glad that I put a good faith effort into trying to learn how the pods work and I’m also glad that I switched back to MDI when I did. I’d be happy to chat one on one if you want more detail on my experience with Omnipod. Feel free to message me.
