From Cellnovo to Omnipod

[Matthew]

Hi there,

Owing to some of the failures being experienced with Cellnovo, I've been trying out an Omnipod.

Whilst I've lost a lot of the technological benefits that come with the Cellnovo (and superb service) I'm reassured that I won't have so many failures. However I'm on a test kit so it's not assumed I'll switch for definate.

Here's a list of my current observations in no particular order Feel free to add any points...

• Buttons quite hard
• Software dated. Like an old Nokia
• Seems delivery of insulin much faster
• When suspending delivery, it's not clear how far gone you are
• Any way to amend popular menu items?
• Some discomfort on canula but nothing substantial
• How can you tell how much insulin is left in the cartridge?
• Cartridges much more comfy to sleep on
• Messed up one by pushing insulin in wrong hole
• Can't seem to add food / bolus calculations when BG is low
• Not obvious to see how much insulin has been delivered
• Unable to see how much insulin left in cartridge
• The clicking sound as insulin delivered grates slightly

 

[stephknits]

Hi Matthew. There are a couple of us podders on here. I guess there are pros and cons with all pumps. I can respond on a few of your comments.
The handset will be changing in around a year to a mobile phone device. Google omnipod dash.
It tells you how many units of insulin you have left once you go below 50 (at top of screen).
I guess the amount of insulin delivered is shown by your IOB, or you can look in my records and it shows you as a list all actions.
I'm a bit deaf, so don't notice the ticks!

 

[trophywench]

Do any pumps do bolus calculations when they already know you're hypo?

I don't know whether they do or don't - but Roche Accu Chek pumps definitely don't. The Combo didn't and neither does the newer Insight.

 

[Sally71]

I would have thought that not being able to bolus when low was an obvious safety feature, after all if you are hypo you shouldn't really be injecting more insulin! Although you can get round it on the Combo if you so wish, it will allow you to go to the bolus manager without testing first, will complain that you should test first but will then allow you to proceed anyway if you don't. We have occasionally done this if daughter is low at a mealtime, rather than her dinner going cold while she's sorting they hypo out we just reduce the size of the bolus by 15g carb and extend it for half an hour or so, so that she can come back up again just by eating her dinner. Assuming there is enough carb in the dinner of course. Doctors and DSNs would probably be horrified at this though, and I don't know anything about any other pumps, maybe they don't allow you to bolus without testing first, it does make sense.

 

[trophywench]

Well yes Sally I agree with all of that, after all on MDI you can do it anyway.

I have literally a quick swig of Lucozade and wait a minute or two, then eat, then bolus what I would have had for the carbs after I finish eating exactly as you do on the Combo. Most times I then deliberately don't test again until the next standard normal test - eg next meal, bedtime or whatever, at which time if still too high, I take a modest correction dose. Bolus insulin may well only last 4-ish hours - but it needs to be past that to confidently correct with the normal calculations I've programmed into the pump/meter algorithm for me.

It's actually a useful thing to happen sometimes, cos it causes me (at least) to raise a red flag, so then I take extra notice of whether it tends to happen at that time of day more than just occasionally - indicating I need to adjust basal rates leading up to that time. Test, review, adjust! LOL

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Do any pumps do bolus calculations when they already know you're hypo?

I don't know whether they do or don't - but Roche Accu Chek pumps definitely don't. The Combo didn't and neither does the newer Insight.

Medtronic will (and deliver the bolus too) but it will complain a bit and give you warnings clear to make sure you definitely know what you are doing!

 

[Matthew]

My sincere apologies in my response delay. Thanks very much for everyone's contribution thus far.

Interesting on the surprise about blousing when your BGs are low. Whilst it's natural to treat a hypo with carbs, sometimes I may do this with a quick acting but have a meal, as well. I suppose I could do a quick calculation - I'm just used it, I suppose.

I appreciate stephknits's point about the new controller. As a geek that may help to counter some of those areas I mentioned. Although that appears on the US site, there's nothing for the UK one. I wonder if it's a way off?