Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Michael on November 15, 2012 at 1:25pm

Hi Type 1. Just another thought to add to the rest and it has to do with air in the pod. Have not had too many situations like you describe but have had at least one that I can attribute to air. Was high, dosed, waited an appropriate time and rechecked. Still high not much change. In times past when that has happened I would find the cannula had been pulled out. So this time I pulled the pod and the cannula was fine so set the pod on the counter and did a bolus and much to my suprise it just blew bubbles. Since then I have been very carefull to get all the bubbles out of the syringe before loading. I litterally beat the daylights out of the syringe with a tooth brush.I like the rest encourage you to work the problems out and yes there is a learing curve but it is worth it.Did MDI for 47 years and the pod for 3 would not go back if given a choice. Take care and good luck. Not sure luck has anything to do with it.

Permalink Reply by elaine peterson on November 15, 2012 at 2:21pm

I hadn't thought about that, Michael. Lately, the syringes have seemed easier to plunge....makes me wonder. Thanks. Hope that helps you as well, t1g.

Permalink Reply by SandyG on November 15, 2012 at 4:15pm

Michael, when you beat the daylights out of the syringe is it still insterted in the bottle of insulin (upside down)? Thanks!

Permalink Reply by Michael on November 15, 2012 at 7:44pm

In a word Yes. It takes quite a lot of impact to get the job done. Am not a fan of the now popular soft handled tooth brushes. Hard plastic is better. And who knows maybe it is a non issue. But I feel like it has been working well for me.

Permalink Reply by type1gal on November 16, 2012 at 12:20pm

That's a good point and I had not thought about it. I came from using the flexpens so not much experience with vials and syringes. Guess practice makes perfect!

Permalink Reply by Sarah on March 8, 2013 at 6:38pm

hi type1gal, just wondering how you're NOW doing on the Pods? tried the MM Revel and just hated the tubing. So, I'm thinking the Pod would work better. There are pros and cons, I guess, to everything we have to manage this, MDI's, tubed, non tubed. I too was seeing higher and higher numbers with my Medtronic pump and I was like, "I just want to take a shot." So, how are you doing now?

Thanks!

Permalink Reply by type1gal on March 11, 2013 at 6:43am

Hi Sarah!

I am doing better now...I have had 6 pods that have either failed or had occlusions (since I started in November). That's the only frustrating part. Sometimes its not even my fault, like when one of them failed while priming. For the most part, I do like it. And I love not having tubing...I never did and I don't think I would like it. Insulet customer service is also wonderful, that helps a lot. Hope this helps! Good luck!

Permalink Reply by tebbemae on November 16, 2012 at 2:51am

Hey type1gal! So sorry that your first 2 weeks have been filled with frustration! I've been using the omnipod for 3 months (after being on MM for 11 years)-here are my nuggets of wisdom.

My site selection makes a huge difference in my insulin absorption. The more fatty the tissue-the better my absorption. For me, this means my outer thighs work best. I've also noticed that I have better absorption in my right arm vs. my left arm. No trainer/endocrinologist can tell you this-it is only something learned through trial and error. Along the same lines, I've found that if I bolus 1-2 units extra with my old pod prior to a change and bolus 1-2 units w/my new pod after a change I overcome any post pod change highs. Sometimes it takes less (which means I am constantly checking my bs after changing my pod to treat lows), but it is worth it to avoid the higher numbers. Also, make sure you really pinch up on the skin prior to cannula insertion. I just changed out a pod that was placed in an area where there was little skin to pinch up on and guess what-I had a bent cannula (first time that has happened to me!). I've noticed the type of insulin in the pod also impacts my numbers. I've tried Humalog, Novolog, and Apidra and noticed different numbers associated with each. For me the Novolog and Apidra seem to work better than Humalog.

This is just a general rule I try and follow (based on my diet and knowing my body's response to insulin). If my numbers are somewhat high (180-260) I know that I am having some air bubble issues and will bolus a little extra. I've found that 12 hrs after a pod change my numbers will hover around 250 for a couple hours. Why?-Who knows. But it is a pattern I've documented and thus I am attempting to combat it by bolusing a little extra around this time. If my numbers are high (anything over 350) I know that there is a problem with the site/cannula/insulin and will change out the pod.

Permalink Reply by annecy on November 16, 2012 at 11:11am

Hi Type 1,
After 5+ years on the pod, here are some of the strategies that have helped me the most:
1. If bg is over 250, bolus 1 1/2 times the suggested amount.This is what my CDE told me & have found it to be very helpful. High sugars, with possible ketones present can take FOREVER to come down. Using the 1 & 1/2 amount rule speeds the correction up.

2. If bg is high drink water! When my CDE told me at least 8oz every 1/2 hour I thought it would gag me. Now I happily/easily can drink more than that because I know how efficiently it brings down highs.

3. If I suspect the pod may not be functioning properly & always during the 1st 6 hours after a pod change I use a needle to bolus for meals & to make corrections.

You will continue to learn & learn, hear things that you may have been told before but never really heard, experiment, make adjustments, & hopefully all the while feel supported, inspired, & understood by people here who really do understand your frustrations.
Good Luck.

Permalink Reply by tebbemae on March 11, 2013 at 7:29am

I just saw this comment after I submitted a post with many questions answered here! If you don't mind can I ask some follow ups? Do you always bolus with a syringe in the first 6 hours? If your numbers are high 9 hours after a change do you continue to bolus with a syringe and keep the site or change it? If you see this and choose to respond-thank you!!!

Permalink Reply by annecy on March 11, 2013 at 8:31am

My routine is as follows:
1. eat breakfast & bolus with old pod
2. then immediately change pods & make very small additional bolus
3. check sugars very frequently til lunch
& correct with needle if needed
4. bolus with needle for lunch
5. keep checking sugars
6. for me, pod seems to be working about 6 hours after change
7. use new pod to bolus for dinner, but add 10% more insulin for that meal
8. for me this is a conservative strategy that works very well almost every
time
I don't know about the 9 hours. For me, that would indicate something unusual & I'd change again. But again, this is a very good reason to change in the early part of the day. Then you have plenty of time to make changes/corrections if everything goes south WITHOUT having to stay up late & lose sleep. But you'll see from reading here how incredibly different each person seems to be, e.g. if I bloused 2 extra units with the old pod & then the new was functioning correctly from the outset, those 2 extra units would cause serious problems for me! Be conservative with your experimenting. Don't give up. You'll find the right strategy for your body.

Permalink Reply by tebbemae on March 11, 2013 at 9:28am

Thank you so much! You have given me some very useful strategies to try (and thanks for the words of encouragement!)

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