Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dee on September 25, 2011 at 12:35pm

Once it happened when I was out....I turned off the alarm, had a good evening, changed the pod when I got home and gave myself the Bolus I needed.
In the 2 1/2 years I've worn the pod, I have had maybe 5-6 failed pods.

Permalink Reply by Kitabparast on September 25, 2011 at 2:33pm

You would do what any pumper should do - carry extra supplies, including syringes. (I can't begin to tell you how many times I've read that all diabetics need to carry extra supplies with them.)

I've had a good run with the Omnipod, but the last time my pump ran out of insulin and needed to be replaced while I was at work, the new pump failed whilst priming. I had no extra pods. So, I tested my blood sugar, and delivered the correctional bolus via syringe. What I realized is that I need a cheatsheet with me on how to deal with basal via syringe (I think there's a way to calculate how many units to inject every hour or so) until I got home.

While it may be inconvenient, this is nothing different from what any pumper should have with him/her in case the pump or (in the case of tubed insulin pumps) tubing got damaged. Best always be prepared!

I have a manbag/murse/carrier bag where I keep my supplies. I always have extra pods, insulin, syringes, Optiflex Flexifix, pocket knife, glucose tablets. My philosophy is that one should always be prepared to change the pod - whether because it expires, insulin runs out, or it randomly fails.

Permalink Reply by Bradford on September 25, 2011 at 2:43pm

Short answer: yes. But there's almost always more to the story ;-)

If you had noticeable but unexplained highs (you bolused for a normal meal but have odd high BG afterwards) then it might be a site that's going bad (no alarm yet, but insulin is not doing what it's supposed to do), then it would be wise to either change out the pod then, or ride it out but also take a pod (and insulin) w/ you just in case. I typically do not carry a pod w/ me for normal "around town" stuff (when I'm over to a friend's house for dinner, etc). 

However I do keep an extra pod and a syringe in my truck's console, and I also have the same gear (and a vial of insulin in my frig) at work in my desk. And if I'm ever going farther than about 25-30 min drive (so "out of town") then I'd probably throw some insulin into my PDM/test strip/lancet device carrier (to use w/ the spare pod I keep in my truck). So typically I may not have it "on" me all the time (like a "kit" of gear), but I do have supplies stashed close enough that I can get to the stuff I need w/o inconveniencing myself too much (like turning around on a trip or suddenly having to leave a location and drive 2 hours to get a new pod and insulin, etc). If I am travelling far out of town, then yes, I carry extra supplies w/ me (when driving/flying out of state, going somewhere overnight, etc). 

 

That being said, I've only had to actually use the spare pod in my desk on 1 occasion. And I've never used the spare pod in my truck either. 

Ultimately I think it will depend on your lifestyle...mine is such that I can stash extra stuff around w/o actually having to carry it w/ me everywhere. Others choose to carry extra gear on their person. Others choose to 'risk it' and go w/o extra gear altogether (and in most situations, all of us--no matter our game plan--are alright ;) 

Permalink Reply by Kitabparast on September 25, 2011 at 3:32pm

I like Bradford's system. Extra supplies hand but not on his person at all times.

I also like Bradford's last point. :-)

Permalink Reply by David Eddy on September 25, 2011 at 3:08pm

Hey there everybody,

My love of the omnipod is over.

I, unlike Dee, have had 4-5 pod failure while wearing them just in the last month. I have been a pumper for 10+ years now and on the pod for 2.

In 2 years I have had somewhere in the neighborhood of 35 pod failures, not due to occlusion, though I think Omnipod gets a bad rap on that front.

I was on a minimed prior and went for the allure of not being connected and the supposed integration with Dexcom. 2 years later on that front and Animas has released the Vibe in the EC and has it into the FDA for approval in the US.

I am getting off the omnipod and going to Animas. I frankly would have stuck with minimed if the CGM was not so inferior to the Dexcom. It may seem sort of like the tail wagging the dog, but that is how I am going to roll with it.

Permalink Reply by Tom on September 25, 2011 at 6:13pm

Soo do you carry extra viles of insulin with you? Right now i don't use the viles and syringes, i just use insulin pens, they're much more convient for me because i'm always on the go. I don't know how i can keep a cold insulin vile in my car incase a pod failed.

Permalink Reply by Bradford on September 25, 2011 at 6:32pm

I only carry a vial w/ me if I'm going to be away for a while or if I'm far away from home (the "more than 25-30 min drive" part from above).
I'd carry it the same way you carry your pens. Where do you put your pens when you're out and about? I'm sure you don't leave them in your car right? You carry them in your pocket or in a bag or in your GF's purse or something right? I do the same w/ the vial I carry w/ me (if I were going to carry one). It doesn't have to be refrigerated all the time (it's more stable that way of course, but we also live in the real world and having access to a refrigerated environment 24/7 is not really feasible :)

So you'd just replace your pens (wherever/however you carry them and the pen caps) w/ 1 spare pod and 1 vial of insulin. And that's it :) Pretty simple switch.
And of course if you were traveling far you'd carry more (just like you'd carry extra pen caps and pens in case something happened to your normal supply, etc).

Permalink Reply by Tom on September 25, 2011 at 7:25pm

I usually just carry the pens in my pockets because they don't need to be refrigerated. Thats why i use pens. I wonder if i can use pens to fill my pod.. like draw the insulin from the pen....

Permalink Reply by Kitabparast on September 25, 2011 at 8:21pm

I think it should be possible to fill a pod with a pen.

While I've read a pumper should have a backup for if necessary, it doesn't have to be vials and syringes - could be a pen. I'm sure someone with more experience with pens and pods can answer more authoritatively.

Permalink Reply by Bradford on September 26, 2011 at 6:23am

I'm sure in a pinch you could probably fill a pod from a pen. But b/c of the fine gauge needle (and depending on the length you prefer) on your pen caps, it may not work out very well (there may be physical limitations of getting the needle to engage w/ the port on the back of the pod, etc). I've not tried it myself, but I think others on here have before (and may have made it work?).
Tom I would suggest (if you decide to make the switch) to just use up most/all of your pen supplies before you transition to the pump. Then when you're getting your doc to write the Rx for the pump, just get him to include regular vials of whatever type of insulin you're using too. Of course if you had a lot of supplies left (lots of pens and caps) and you wanted to utilize them somehow, you could always carry that as your backup.

Permalink Reply by Kate on September 26, 2011 at 8:00am

Yep, I used pens prior to the omnipod. When I switched, I still had a couple of pens left. You can use that insulin in the pod. To do so, stick the syringe needle with the pod into the pen and draw out how much you need. DO NOT try to put air into the pen first. They don't work like that! Just yank you what you need an move on. I'm pretty sure that the pen needle will not fit into the pod to activate a new pod. And, seriously, who would want to crank out that big of a number on the pen dial?!?! :)

As for carrying supplies, I just throw all my D-stuff in my purse and roll. I keep a vial of insulin (un-fridged), syringe, tabs and spare pod with me at all times. But I do have the luxury of a ginormous bag. I can imagine it being different for guys...

I've only had a pod fail once while out (it was within the first 2 months of starting). I knew I was going to run out of insulin on the day trip, packed 1 extra pod and it failed during priming. I ended the trip a bit early, tested every hour, and took 1 unit plus any correction each hour. Perfect, nope. But I survived and my bg never hit 200. :)

Permalink Reply by Steve_B on September 26, 2011 at 12:21pm

You can fill a pod with a pen, you just have to crank the top to the maximum level. Then just draw it from the top. I wouldn't inject the pod directly with the pen. I went back to viles since they are far more economical than the pens are.

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