Omnipod Insulin Pump

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Tony R

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My son is on a Medtronic Pump. I'm pretty happy with his basal and bolus rates but every so often his levels shoot up due to what I suspect is him moving about during the night and the tube pulling on the canula. The other problem he has is that the only place he can have the canula is in the buttock and his site is getting a bit sore.

I read a post about the Omnipod Pump system which enables the user to have the pod anywhere, I wonder has anyone had experience of it and whether it's suitable for a teenager.

Thanks.
 
Tony R said:
My son is on a Medtronic Pump. I'm pretty happy with his basal and bolus rates but every so often his levels shoot up due to what I suspect is him moving about during the night and the tube pulling on the canula. The other problem he has is that the only place he can have the canula is in the buttock and his site is getting a bit sore.

I read a post about the Omnipod Pump system which enables the user to have the pod anywhere, I wonder has anyone had experience of it and whether it's suitable for a teenager.

Thanks.
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Hi Tony, if the only place he can stick the cannula is his backside then surely that would apply to the pod as well? After all it's just a cannula with a cartridge stuck on it.
Why can your son only use his backside for cannulas?

The simple solution to stop the cannula moving is to stick some tape over the tubing this stops the cannula being pulled. 🙂
 
Hi Tony, my son also can only use buttocks as a cannula site, he simply doesn't have a scrap of subcutaneous fat anywhere else. However we have managed very well for over six years rotating within this limited area and between both sides of his butt, so it can be done! I don't think the omnipod would make a difference if your son's arms, legs and tummy don't have sufficient fat. What cannula is he using? My son uses silhouettes (angled sets). Mios and other 90degree cannulas are no good at all for very slim patients.

Also, if sites tend to be getting sore by the end of day 3, try changing them every 2 days instead. We always used to see higher BG levels on day3, so changing every other day had been a real improvement.
 
He's on the Sure T canula (metal one) which he changes every other day, He swapped to that as the standard Teflon quick set one was causing a lot of problems and things are 100% better with the Sure T. The reason why I mention the Omnipod is because on the post I read somewhere, it suggested the canula was smaller and you don't get problems with a tube pulling the canula.


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Redkite said:
Hi Tony, my son also can only use buttocks as a cannula site, he simply doesn't have a scrap of subcutaneous fat anywhere else. However we have managed very well for over six years rotating within this limited area and between both sides of his butt, so it can be done! I don't think the omnipod would make a difference if your son's arms, legs and tummy don't have sufficient fat. What cannula is he using? My son uses silhouettes (angled sets). Mios and other 90degree cannulas are no good at all for very slim patients.

Also, if sites tend to be getting sore by the end of day 3, try changing them every 2 days instead. We always used to see higher BG levels on day3, so changing every other day had been a real improvement.
Click to expand...
 
Tony R said:
He's on the Sure T canula (metal one) which he changes every other day, He swapped to that as the standard Teflon quick set one was causing a lot of problems and things are 100% better with the Sure T. The reason why I mention the Omnipod is because on the post I read somewhere, it suggested the canula was smaller and you don't get problems with a tube pulling the canula.


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The pod is an angled set I believe and as I have already posted the simple solution is to use some tape and tape the tubing a couple of cm from the cannula, I thought this was standard advice given to all pumpers when starting to pump :confused:
 
Hi Tony, the thing that puts me off the omnipod is the greater potential for it to be knocked off - just my impression due to it's size on a small bod.

Might be worth a trial of an angled cannula for other areas, you can use both sure T's for buttocks and the angled sets elsewhere, we tried this for a while but are able to use tummy (though limited area of same) now with sure T- (I thought she was still too lean but DSN had a feel and told us where would be fine). Also in favour of micropore, we use this over the cannula as the sticky pads aren't sticky enough for little one.
🙂
 
+1 for trying other sets. Ask your pump DSN for a few of each. I had almost no reliable areas with 90-degree sets, but Silhohettes (angled) suit me much better.

If you rarely/never disconnect then some Opsite or tegaderm over the site can help keep things stuck fast.

Interesting that pods might be angled. I'd thought they were 90-degree. I would try all set options (Silhouette/Mio) before going down that route tho.

INPUT have some interesting thoughts about tubed vs tubeless which are worth reading
 
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Thanks Sue!

Still doesn't make me fancy one though. I spend so much time with a set positioned on/near places where I lean or lie that the idea of wearing something the size of a whole pod there just doesn't appeal. Each to their own though!
 
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That's my prob with the thought of a pod too. My bones stick out already in some places, but at least they don't have a cannula attached poking my innards!
 
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