Patch pumps

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NayNay

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi,
Can anyone tell me what it's like to sleep wearing a patch pump. I've had a tethered pump since 2004 and, being an "active" sleeper, I'm forever waking up to unwrap my pump from around my body or I've woken up having either disconnected or ripped out my cannula in my sleep. Is it comfortable? I'm used to wearing a libre sensor on my arms but the patch pumps seem more bulky. I'm currently using the Roche Insight pump but the glucose meter is very slow to use. I'm hoping that the new ones are quicker.
I'd be grateful for any advice.
 
Sorry not be able to help with patch pumps. I have always been tethered but found that with a 60 cm tubing it seems to work, however we all have different sleep patterns. I now have a sensor with transmitter in my arm. I suspect that that is a bit smaller than a patch but I don’t notice any discomfort when I roll onto that arm. It is inserted into the ‘spare bit’ of upper arm which helps. There are plenty of patchers who will no doubt be along with their views.
 
@helli wears a patch pump but she's the only regular I know for definite does xx
 
I find the patch pump much more manageable at night than being tethered. With the tethered pump, it would always end up under a bone when I turned over unless I clamped it to my leg. You cannot insert a patch pump into a bone so this does not happened.
Whilst a pump is bigger than a sensor, a patch pump is smaller than a tethered pump.
 
I'd have happily kept my Insight despite the slowness of the handset for the simple reason that I loathe filling cannulas since I cannot 'flick' air bubbles. Couldn't flick syringes either for all those years. I can flick of course that's not rocket science, but usually hurts my finger far more than it does any good.

But - you take your choice - cos absolutely every other pump on the market involves you filling the reservoir. If you're a piano player or can type on an elderly manual typewriter NP you won't have any prob flicking air bubbles cos you'll have strong finger muscles tendons etc. (If you've never had to do it you'll have to learn that as well as how to operate the rest of the kit.)

The reservoir changes don't take as long as a tubed pump does as there's less priming - but still wastes insulin if you have to change your cannula for whatever reason, more frequently than every 3 days and don't use much insulin every day. Can't recall which is which between the Omnipod and the Solo, but one the minimum fill is 75u and the other 85u.

I rarely use more than 20u TDD plus have to change my cannulas every 48 hours if I want that bit of me to absorb insulin reliably for another day & night.
 
@stephknits uses an omnipod, doesn’t she? She would know what it's like to sleep with one,
 
Thanks your your replies guys. It really helps. I do love the pre filled cartridges that the insight uses but I always used to have to fill the reservoir myself before having the insight so I'm not too worried about that. Never been able to choose before so it's a big bonus and really interesting seeing all the different manufacturers and types.
 
@NayNay i am sure the prefilled cartridges are convenient. For me, i prefer the flexibility of filling the cartridges. I am a relatimely low insulin user who hates waste. Although my cartridges/pump take 200 units, I am able to only fill it to 120 units and still have insulin to spare after 3 days. Throwing away half used cartridges feels wrong.
 
Yes that is huge plus, although with the pre filled being in a tethered pump, I just use it until empty. I do like that you can fill to where you need and not waste too much. I have quite a small basal rate (11.3u over 24 hrs) but quite a large bolus ratio (1:6) and I love things like pasta so I think just a bit of calculation is required on my part.
 
I switched to a patch pump (Omnipod Dash) about 6 months ago and have had no problems at all sleeping. TBH, between pump changes I mostly forget where it is and I have never inadvertently knocked it off.

That wasn't the case when I had a tubed pump, I caught the tube on door handles, drawers etc on numerous occasions. There was one painful time when I was away and re-packing my suitcase to return home when I got through two cannulae in 20 minutes getting caught on my suitcase catch. Only emphasised the importance of travelling with extra supplies when away from home, as I was then down to my last cannula.
 
m1dnc said:
I switched to a patch pump (Omnipod Dash) about 6 months ago and have had no problems at all sleeping. TBH, between pump changes I mostly forget where it is and I have never inadvertently knocked it off.

That wasn't the case when I had a tubed pump, I caught the tube on door handles, drawers etc on numerous occasions. There was one painful time when I was away and re-packing my suitcase to return home when I got through two cannulae in 20 minutes getting caught on my suitcase catch. Only emphasised the importance of travelling with extra supplies when away from home, as I was then down to my last cannula.
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Totally know what you mean about travelling. You almost need another suitcase just for supplies! I'm always pulling out my cannula when catching the tubes or even when getting changed when it's in my leg. Sometimes when I insert the cannula though I do catch a blood vessel and have to RIP it straight out because it hurts like heck. Do you ever find that with the omnipod?
 
I find this thread very interesting. Have had a tubed pump for almost 8 years now (AccuChek Combo) and am due a change in November. My clinic offers the Omnipod or the Medtronic now. I'm definitely leaning towards the Omnipod because the tubed pump drives me mad when trying on clothes, or on holiday when wearing a swimming cossie. Also can go swimming with it on. Like others here, rarely use more than 20u per day.
 
NayNay said:
Do you ever find that with the omnipod?
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Not so far. The cannula on the Omnipod is a bit shorter than I used to use, and is also angled, so maybe it doesn't go deep enough to hit one of the bigger blood vessels.
 
Pattidevans said:
I find this thread very interesting. Have had a tubed pump for almost 8 years now (AccuChek Combo) and am due a change in November. My clinic offers the Omnipod or the Medtronic now. I'm definitely leaning towards the Omnipod because the tubed pump drives me mad when trying on clothes, or on holiday when wearing a swimming cossie. Also can go swimming with it on. Like others here, rarely use more than 20u per day.
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One of the things that pushed me towards the Omnipod was the ability to swim with it. The Medtronic 640 that I had before was alleged to be waterproof but I never really trusted it and always took it off to swim and shower (where do you put it in the shower anyway??).
 
Hi, I have the omnipod and very rarely notice it at night. Occasionally I might notice if I am lying on it if it is on my arm, but you don't have to wear it there if you don't want to. Order an example pod to try from Insulet.
 
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