OmniPod Tips & Tricks
Hi everyone -
My son, Will, has been on the OmniPod now for almost 9 months and we're still loving it. I thought I would start this thread for those of us who have been using it to help the new folks with all our OmniPod tips & tricks that we've learned over the course of using the product.
Here are a few of ours:
1. After filling a new pod with insulin, take a q-tip and put it in the window of the pod to absorb any insulin that might have leaked in there during the priming - this will make it easier to see the cannula in the window (no condensation build up).
2. Use Medi-Sol Adhesive Spray removal to remove an old pod during a change. Once you spray this on, you can fill and prime your new pod and during that time deactivate and pull off the old pod.
3. Pod changes after a shower are good because when the pod is wet, it does come off easier (for little kids, put them in the bath).
4. Pods that have the serial number L114 are the beeping pods of death....they are the one's that fail on priming We have had several of these and customer service has replaced them all.
5. For sports & swimming - use a 3M Coban Wrap around the pod (placed on the arm). This will allow you to swim all day. Works great and use can get them at the grocery store!
6. SkinTac & IV Prep are also really great if you have a problem with the pod falling off - also, some folks swear that the soap they are using has some correlation to how the pod stays on. So if you are having sticking problems, change your soap and see if that's the problem. We use alcohol only to put our pods on and get three days of use out of them.
7. Unexplained highs after pod changes - give a bolus before the pod change - you have to experiment with this - customer service says anywhere between 1/2 unit to a unit depending on your size, etc.. This would be a good thing to talk to your CDE when you go for a check up. We're still experimenting with this so I have not conclusive words of wisdom to pass on...
8. If you get a pod that beeps and you can't turn it off - take a paperclip and open it up to a point. Look at the top of the pod - where there is a round patch (I believe that's where the batteries are) there is a little dimple on the pod - place the paperclip in that little indent and push down hard - it will turn the beeping off - if that doesn't work (sometimes it will start to beep again when you take the paperclip out) if that happens - throw the pod in the freezer - once frozen, it will stop beeping.
9. If you are like me and are saving all your old pods because you feel bad throwing them in a landfill, OmniPod is working on a recycling program - who knows when this will happen but for those of us who are feeling bad about the waste, hang on to them, you may be able to send them back for recycling sometime.
10. Pods that lift off the adhesive and pull away from the body - use superglue or liquid band aide to glue the pod onto itself. Place two tiny drops in the corner where the pod is square. DRY THOROUGHLY BEFORE PUTTING ON YOUR BODY. We just tried the superglue but I haven't removed the pod yet (am doing that today - if there is a problem, I'll update you all) the pod did stay stuck to the adhesive for three days. I'm going to try the liquid band aide next because the superglue seems a bit scary.
Hope these tips & tricks are helpful. If you have some, please add to the post. The more we know, the better we can deal with all of this.
Susan
My son, Will, has been on the OmniPod now for almost 9 months and we're still loving it. I thought I would start this thread for those of us who have been using it to help the new folks with all our OmniPod tips & tricks that we've learned over the course of using the product.
Here are a few of ours:
1. After filling a new pod with insulin, take a q-tip and put it in the window of the pod to absorb any insulin that might have leaked in there during the priming - this will make it easier to see the cannula in the window (no condensation build up).
2. Use Medi-Sol Adhesive Spray removal to remove an old pod during a change. Once you spray this on, you can fill and prime your new pod and during that time deactivate and pull off the old pod.
3. Pod changes after a shower are good because when the pod is wet, it does come off easier (for little kids, put them in the bath).
4. Pods that have the serial number L114 are the beeping pods of death....they are the one's that fail on priming We have had several of these and customer service has replaced them all.
5. For sports & swimming - use a 3M Coban Wrap around the pod (placed on the arm). This will allow you to swim all day. Works great and use can get them at the grocery store!
6. SkinTac & IV Prep are also really great if you have a problem with the pod falling off - also, some folks swear that the soap they are using has some correlation to how the pod stays on. So if you are having sticking problems, change your soap and see if that's the problem. We use alcohol only to put our pods on and get three days of use out of them.
7. Unexplained highs after pod changes - give a bolus before the pod change - you have to experiment with this - customer service says anywhere between 1/2 unit to a unit depending on your size, etc.. This would be a good thing to talk to your CDE when you go for a check up. We're still experimenting with this so I have not conclusive words of wisdom to pass on...
8. If you get a pod that beeps and you can't turn it off - take a paperclip and open it up to a point. Look at the top of the pod - where there is a round patch (I believe that's where the batteries are) there is a little dimple on the pod - place the paperclip in that little indent and push down hard - it will turn the beeping off - if that doesn't work (sometimes it will start to beep again when you take the paperclip out) if that happens - throw the pod in the freezer - once frozen, it will stop beeping.
9. If you are like me and are saving all your old pods because you feel bad throwing them in a landfill, OmniPod is working on a recycling program - who knows when this will happen but for those of us who are feeling bad about the waste, hang on to them, you may be able to send them back for recycling sometime.
10. Pods that lift off the adhesive and pull away from the body - use superglue or liquid band aide to glue the pod onto itself. Place two tiny drops in the corner where the pod is square. DRY THOROUGHLY BEFORE PUTTING ON YOUR BODY. We just tried the superglue but I haven't removed the pod yet (am doing that today - if there is a problem, I'll update you all) the pod did stay stuck to the adhesive for three days. I'm going to try the liquid band aide next because the superglue seems a bit scary.
Hope these tips & tricks are helpful. If you have some, please add to the post. The more we know, the better we can deal with all of this.
Susan
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Diabetic_Iz_Me on -
Thank you Susan!!! This will help out a lot. Can I place this on my personal blog?
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Permalink Reply by Susan Anderson on -
Sure - be sure to add your tips and tricks since I know you have some because I read you all the time!! :+)
I just took off Will's pod that I glued down with superglue (sounds terrible, I know) and guess what, no problem, it didn't stick to his skin or anything. The pod was on for three days and didn't lift off from the adhesive. I would say that it worked!!
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Permalink Reply by Diabetic_Iz_Me on
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I am going to have to try it! When I had the pod on my arm I wish I would have thought of super glue.
Thanks for reading:) I love blogging:)
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Permalink Reply by Natasha Bowlds on -
Are you still doing this with the glue? My son just started the pod two weeks ago, and two have come off their adhesive. I bought some glue but haven't tried it yet. It just seems so heavy for such a little amount of glue holding it on!
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Permalink Reply by Susan Anderson on
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Hi Natasha -
I do it rarely. I think the key to pod placement is making sure that it's on a site that lays pretty flat. I've found that because Will is so small, if we use his arms - I either put a sweatband (for wrists - he's still pretty little - 3.5 years old now) and that holds it on just fine. If I see the adhesive coming off and it's on his arm, I put a Coban wrap (think stretchy Ace bandage) around it and that holds it until we have to change it. If it's on his bottom and starts to pull off, I either put a bit of Tagaderm tape over it or just change the site. We haven't had many problems recently with the adhesive coming off from the pod but I do remember going through that in the early days. He's pretty rough and tumble so I know what you mean about it happening. A little superglue BEFORE you put the pod on works fine. However, then the pod is going to sit ridgid and not have flexibility.
Hang in there. It takes a while to get the hang of putting the pods on correctly. Once you get in the groove, you'll love it!
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Permalink Reply by Natasha Bowlds on
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Thanks so much! We do love it, and my son REALLY loves it. He doesn't even mind changing them when they come off - but I don't want to run out, and I don't want it to happen in soccer or at school without me around to fix it. We have the Coban wraps - I read that somewhere else on here. I just hadn't put one on for everyday use. I was planning to do it for soccer, but I wasn't anticipating needing it all the time! I guess with a 9 year old boy we do. Thanks again - your thread has been really helpful!
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Permalink Reply by Susan Anderson on
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No problem. I've heard you can order Coban wraps online in all different colors - I'm sure your son would love that!! Glad the thread has been helpful. Take care!
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Permalink Reply by Holly on -
Wow!!! What a great post. Thanks for all the tips. I can't wait to get started on the OmniPod and try some of these tricks. Thanks!!!!
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Permalink Reply by Rolland on -
9. If you are like me and are saving all your old pods because you feel bad throwing them in a landfill, OmniPod is working on a recycling program - who knows when this will happen but for those of us who are feeling bad about the waste, hang on to them, you may be able to send them back for recycling sometime.
This is great news! It is one thing that immediately bothered me about this system. I work in the environmental management field. Hmm...maybe they need a waste reduction and recycling coordinator?
Great list. Can we make it a sticky?
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Permalink Reply by Susan Anderson on
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Glad you liked the post. Feel free to make it a sticky.
Take care!
Susan
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Permalink Reply by alice on -
Great tips - thanks Susan. I've been using the Pod since 8/4 and I LOVE it. Haven't had any issues at all - it's awesome. :)
Alice
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Permalink Reply by Eric Rizzo on -
Regarding recycling: what I do is remove the 4 button batteries (size 357) and then offer them up on Freecycle. Now that I've developed a technique, it only takes me about 30 seconds to get into the pod and pop out the batteries; it's a bit of effort to do that and mail them out to people, but it makes me feel better about throwing away the used pods.
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