Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Michael on March 2, 2011 at 3:05pm

I got a bad box that I've sorted out. About 6 out of 10 failed for one reason or another. I've had pretty good luck with them other than that one box.

Permalink Reply by Mitchell Boeshart on March 12, 2011 at 4:03am

My last 90 day shipment of pods (5 boxes, 50 pods) I had 5 failures. Those 5 pod failure occured within the same box. If I travel I DO NOT take pods from the same box. I will grab a few pods from several boxes. Not sure why this occurs but my 18 year old son is also on the pod and he RARELY has problem with pod failures.

FYI. Most of my failures are during the priming phase.

Permalink Reply by Mark on March 23, 2011 at 8:21pm

Just had my 3rd pod failure tonight (still working through my first shipment of pods). What I noticed is that both the failures I had (the 3rd that failed was an occlusion) right after placing the new pod on my arm, were when I placed the pod with the cannula toward my elbow... every time I've placed it with the cannula toward my shoulder I haven't had a problem. Just seems strange... and I won't be placing anymore with the cannula toward my elbow:X Love the Omnipod and my Dexcom... when they work, just very frustrating when they don't.

Permalink Reply by Seth L on March 25, 2011 at 12:34pm

My endo. told me they started outsourcing manufacturing. No joke

Permalink Reply by Cara1028 on March 28, 2011 at 4:14am

Hello all-

I've been using the Omnipd for less than a week and had one pod error and one PDM error. I love the pod, but this is a little much... from what I can tell in this group, not all of you have had the same trouble. Although, many of you have pod errors often. I really don't know what to think.

Cara

Permalink Reply by David on March 28, 2011 at 6:02am

Cara,

Just about the same thing happened to me and I felt the same way. I had a 2nd PDM error about 3 weeks later and was feeling very frustrated. I called the 800 number several times to try and get an idea if this is "normal" and really didn't get good answers. I was seriously considering just forgetting the pod as I didn't feel confident in the technology or the support. I called a 3rd time and got a great rep and she did some checking with her supervisor and told me that, no, it is not normal to have PDM errors this often so she gets a replacement sent out to me and I've had no problems since. I don't know if it made a difference, but I wasn't using the Energizer Max batteries which are the ones that OmniPod recommends using. I started using the Energizer batteries in the new PDM and plan on sticking with them. They last 1 week longer than other alkalines.

What did they tell you when you called the 800 number (about the PDM error)? I think someone here also started recently and had 1 PDM error and had a replacement sent out to them. I tried to find the posting but was unable to.

I really understand how you feel but I can tell you that I've gotten much more relaxed about realizing that things can and probably will go wrong at times.

Permalink Reply by Cara1028 on March 28, 2011 at 7:57am

Thanks for the info, Dave. When I called, the lady said that my info would still be stored in the PDM and simply asked me to rest it. I did so, changed the pod and it's been fine since. I am using the Energizer Max batteries, and I'm going to make sure I purchase those for the future. She also said that I will get a replacement for both pods (pdm error and pod error) with my next shipment.

Permalink Reply by EricG6410 on March 28, 2011 at 2:00pm

Not sure if this was mentioned earlier but I was told by my OmniPod "trainer" not to use lithium batteries but to stick with straight alkaline.

Permalink Reply by David on March 28, 2011 at 2:28pm

I know this probably isn't the appropriate place to post this but since we've gotten on the batteries topic, thought I would mention that Walgreens has the 16 pack AAA Energizer Max on sale for 7.99 this week.

Permalink Reply by Amy W on March 30, 2011 at 6:26pm

Ugh!! I HATE, HATE pod failures! I have been using omni for a few years and would say my failure rate is around 25%. Mine almost always happen at beginning. I just had one tonight that was due to the canula hitting a blood vessel. Totally sucks! I agree that the customer service is great, but it takes time to go through all the info which can definitely be a pain.

I have learned that certain sites work better than others: Arms (best), stomach (usually good), back (bad).

I have thought about switching to traditional pump, but hate the idea of tubing and like that omni can get wet (esp in the summer). We'll see... If omni gets the BG sensor this year (pending FDA approval), that'd be huge!

Permalink Reply by Bob S. on March 30, 2011 at 7:56pm

It's a little difficult to get a clear reading on what users are experiencing regarding pod failures. There seems to be several definitions of a failure. For example, knocking a pod off its placement site is not a pod failure, an occlusion is most likely not a pod failure (although sometimes it might be), and putting cold insulin in a new pod and having it fail is more a user problem by not following instructions. Repeated use of bad sites also give pods, rather than users, the blame. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I have been incredibly impressed with the Omnipod's technology and reliability. When I explain everything the system can do to non diabetics, they are totally amazed.

I have been on the system for 18 months (over 180 pods). I have had 5 pods fail (replaced by Insulet, wouldn't prime or would not make contact with the PDM), 3 knock offs, and 3 occlusions (usually around the 2nd day). Two PDMs were replaced by Insulet (one defective screen and one wouldn't hold battery tight enough for contact). Quite frankly, given how complicated the technology is and the need for users to be very sensitive to site placement and the filling process, I believe this is an excellent product, for me anyway. Given that I used to inject five times a day for 30 years, I personally have nothing to be unhappy about.

Permalink Reply by Sophia'smommyLori on March 31, 2011 at 11:08am

My daughter was diagnosed w/ type 1 diabetes Sept 2010 at 4 1/2 yrs old. By December 2010 we had her on the omnipod pump. The first 3 months were great. Not one pod failure, occlusion, etc.... and then it started. In March we started getting in to the back-up box just due to pods over the 3 months that fell off due to adhesive not working or pod pulling away from adhesive, got knocked off w/ hard play, or we changed early because we just didn't think it was working correctly.....and Insulet had our next shipment of supplies to go out 1 wk after our first 3 month supply would have been used. The first 5 pods out of the fourth "back-up" box all had a pod alarm error. Some after being on for 2 hours and some after being on for 24 hours. Customer service could not tell me what the pod alarms meant and that they would ship the replacements with the next 3 month supply shipment (not the one that had just gone out) and I refused saying I wanted them now and they did send them. I don't feel like with everything that is going on I should have to keep track of pods owed to us over a 3 month time frame. Send them NOW!! All pods had the same error code except one. If I had pulled this box up first I would have sent the system back!! I also asked them to replace the remaining 5 unused pods out of the box and the CSR said it wasn't an issue because the pods are randomly packaged and there are 100's if not 1000's of pods produced in between each one in the box so it was unlikely that the box was "bad". HA! Two out of the first failed 5 were sequential and 3 out of the 5 unused that I eventually returned for replacements were sequential. I asked to speak w/ a manager and my area rep called me and wanted to know why I hung up on the manager when she called. I stated I rec'd no phone call. The CSR had taken down the incorrect phone number.......at this point I was ready to start crying I was so frustrated and feeling blamed. We are losing trust in the system and in hind site are wondering if some of the pods that stayed on for 3 days were functioning correctly to begin with having bg from 300-400's to 40's. They will say it's probably placement, honeymooning, blah, blah and it can't be the pump because it will ALWAYS alarm if something is wrong with it. Makes it hard to adjust basal rates and i/c ratio when you don't trust the product. New shipment, 2nd pod used the needle did not eject to insert the cannula but the pod never alarmed that something was wrong with it........ They wanted to ship that replacement in 3 months and I refused and had them send it NOW!! I have sent back 11 pods in 1 month (5 unused but I wasn't going to put my now 5 yr old through putting on pods that would potentially fail (you don't have to be Einstein). She actually said "just give me the shot"!). I love the idea of the product and for the first 3 months was very satisfied. Not sure where we will go from here :(

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