PattiEvans
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I just thought this account might be of interest to anyone thinking of going onto the Omnipod.
I was nervous about starting the Omnipod as I have been on the Accu-chek Combo for 8 years and was so used to it. However the training was absolutely amazing. It was done by video conference on Wednesday between myself, the Omnipod rep and the pump nurse. In advance I had supplied the pump nurse with my basal rates, which apparently don't conform with most people's in as much as they rise little by little from midnight to noon and then slowly drop until I am barely on any insulin from 18:00 to 20:00 when they begin to rise again until midnight, when they halve. In contrast the nurse said that generally the format to follow a circadium rhythm is to start at a rate then a slight increase from 3-4 am then a drop from 8 am till mid afternoon and then a gentle climb until midnight and then from midnight a drop. The combo allows for 0.01 increases, but the Omnipod only does 0.05u. So the nurse had sent me a proposed schedule which looked very reasonable to me and conformed to my personal rhythms.
I had watched the videos on the Omnipod website twice, which did help, even if I only retained about 50% of what they said. The training with Emma (the rep) followed the format on the online videos, ticking off each item to ensure I understood it at every stage. We went through all the functions of the PDM and set all my basals before she supervised me filling the pump and starting it. To give you some idea I attach a form which shows what the training encompassed. At the end she explained how many boxes of pods I could order and that the 0800 number was available 24/7 in case of needing tech assistance, or even ordering. She also explained about their recycling programme, and told me to ask to be included in this recycling project. It did help that I understood the basic principles of pumping. I wondered how anyone new to pumping would get on.
I put it onto my arm, above the elbow at the back of the arm. I had never used arms for injections and Emma warned that absorption may be much increased and faster on "virgin" territory. In total the training lasted 2hrs 15 minutes. By this time it was lunchtime and due to the fact we had received a delivery of goods which needed to be frozen, we had removed some left over Christmas "party food" from the freezer to have for lunch. Mistake... 3 Bao buns and 3 duck "straws" (85g carb) gave me a huge spike during the afternoon! Now I know why I like to restrict carbs somewhat. We'd arranged to have an early dinner at the local pub with some friends and I bolussed as I normally would for the meal, although BGs were still higher than I'd have liked at 9.9. We were home by 8pm, at which time my BG had dropped to 6.1... it then continued to drop, despite toast, honey, tea with sugar, numerous Dextrose tabs, skinny whip bars, suspending insulin for two separate half hours etc etc. At 3.29 I set an ongoing temp basal of 30% and finally slept. So Emma's warning regarding absorption was very apt! However, after that first day things settled back to normal and I have had no further trouble.
In relative terms the Combo was a good workhorse but had nothing like the sophistication of the Omnipod. Yes, I could set extended/dual wave boluses, put on temp basals etc etc... but the Omnipod PDM is amazing and provides so much more information, all of it useful in managing your diabetes. I also like the feature where it keeps a record of your infusion sites so you don't repeat them too soon. I am really quite smitten with the Omnipod.
Things I don't like: I don't like filling the syringe from the vial. I feel as though 3 hands would be useful during this process! It seems rickety and I'm afraid of dropping the vial which wobbles around on the needle. I'm sure I will become adept... but for anyone with arthritis or shaky hands it might be a permanent problem.
I'd prefer that the PDM incorporated a BG meter, but that's minor. At the moment the only strips I have are for my Combo handset which is quite large and heavy. The nurse has suggested I get Freestyle Optium strips so I can use the Freestyle Libre 2 reader as a meter since it also reads the Optium ketone strips. It's smaller and lighter so will work better. I've spoken to the surgery and should have a script in process to pick up next week. During the training I discovered my Ketone strips were only a year out of date and my back-up Levemir a a mere 4 months out of date!
Today I changed the pod successfully! Woo hoo...
I was nervous about starting the Omnipod as I have been on the Accu-chek Combo for 8 years and was so used to it. However the training was absolutely amazing. It was done by video conference on Wednesday between myself, the Omnipod rep and the pump nurse. In advance I had supplied the pump nurse with my basal rates, which apparently don't conform with most people's in as much as they rise little by little from midnight to noon and then slowly drop until I am barely on any insulin from 18:00 to 20:00 when they begin to rise again until midnight, when they halve. In contrast the nurse said that generally the format to follow a circadium rhythm is to start at a rate then a slight increase from 3-4 am then a drop from 8 am till mid afternoon and then a gentle climb until midnight and then from midnight a drop. The combo allows for 0.01 increases, but the Omnipod only does 0.05u. So the nurse had sent me a proposed schedule which looked very reasonable to me and conformed to my personal rhythms.
I had watched the videos on the Omnipod website twice, which did help, even if I only retained about 50% of what they said. The training with Emma (the rep) followed the format on the online videos, ticking off each item to ensure I understood it at every stage. We went through all the functions of the PDM and set all my basals before she supervised me filling the pump and starting it. To give you some idea I attach a form which shows what the training encompassed. At the end she explained how many boxes of pods I could order and that the 0800 number was available 24/7 in case of needing tech assistance, or even ordering. She also explained about their recycling programme, and told me to ask to be included in this recycling project. It did help that I understood the basic principles of pumping. I wondered how anyone new to pumping would get on.
I put it onto my arm, above the elbow at the back of the arm. I had never used arms for injections and Emma warned that absorption may be much increased and faster on "virgin" territory. In total the training lasted 2hrs 15 minutes. By this time it was lunchtime and due to the fact we had received a delivery of goods which needed to be frozen, we had removed some left over Christmas "party food" from the freezer to have for lunch. Mistake... 3 Bao buns and 3 duck "straws" (85g carb) gave me a huge spike during the afternoon! Now I know why I like to restrict carbs somewhat. We'd arranged to have an early dinner at the local pub with some friends and I bolussed as I normally would for the meal, although BGs were still higher than I'd have liked at 9.9. We were home by 8pm, at which time my BG had dropped to 6.1... it then continued to drop, despite toast, honey, tea with sugar, numerous Dextrose tabs, skinny whip bars, suspending insulin for two separate half hours etc etc. At 3.29 I set an ongoing temp basal of 30% and finally slept. So Emma's warning regarding absorption was very apt! However, after that first day things settled back to normal and I have had no further trouble.
In relative terms the Combo was a good workhorse but had nothing like the sophistication of the Omnipod. Yes, I could set extended/dual wave boluses, put on temp basals etc etc... but the Omnipod PDM is amazing and provides so much more information, all of it useful in managing your diabetes. I also like the feature where it keeps a record of your infusion sites so you don't repeat them too soon. I am really quite smitten with the Omnipod.
Things I don't like: I don't like filling the syringe from the vial. I feel as though 3 hands would be useful during this process! It seems rickety and I'm afraid of dropping the vial which wobbles around on the needle. I'm sure I will become adept... but for anyone with arthritis or shaky hands it might be a permanent problem.
I'd prefer that the PDM incorporated a BG meter, but that's minor. At the moment the only strips I have are for my Combo handset which is quite large and heavy. The nurse has suggested I get Freestyle Optium strips so I can use the Freestyle Libre 2 reader as a meter since it also reads the Optium ketone strips. It's smaller and lighter so will work better. I've spoken to the surgery and should have a script in process to pick up next week. During the training I discovered my Ketone strips were only a year out of date and my back-up Levemir a a mere 4 months out of date!
Today I changed the pod successfully! Woo hoo...
