Hi I’ve been on the Omnipod for about a year and just ready to give up on it. Thought I’d ask you guys for tips that might help. It keeps malfunctioning like at the water park I was so excited to have a waterproof pump and perfect BS only for it to come off and go high and ruin dinner. Then it never works more then a day on my arms which was a big draw-to give my stomach a break. After being on Medtronic for 20yrs I was excited to be tubeless! Freedom! But it’s just not working. All the ads and people I talk to seem to love it and have no prob. I just never know if it’s really working. The Medtronic was just so reliable. I think it could be the sites 45 angle vs 90 degree angle. Anyone have any suggestions?? I do bolus after changing pods to avoid the immediate high. I’m feeling kinda defeated going back to wires. I really want it to work but I don’t want to call Omnipod for replacements weekly either. Thanks for your help!
@Ambryan hi Annie, so I think you are talking about the pod glue and that it falls off? Many folks go through a IV prep and then an over patch (like a CGM) ritual to help keep the pod on.
You are getting other failures as well? Are you getting random highs? Occlusion type things? Many people are sensitive to the type of infusion set they use. You have choices with mm/tandem but no choice with the pod. If the pod infusion system doesn’t work for you it doesn’t make sense to stay with that particular tech.
Tougher to guess what else is broken maybe you can elaborate?
Hi Annie @Ambryan, like you I had used Mini<ed Paradigm [three progressive models] for years and considered the Omnipod - well, I looked at all available pumps when my most recent pump went a year beyond warranty.
I’ve heard great reports about the Omnipod, even watched toddlers tumble about without not knocking the thing off their arms or legs. BUT…, like everything else, ‘one-size’ doesn’t fit for everyone. With my MiniMed pumps I used my arms [32" tubing] as well as my abdomen; after years of pumping and before that decades of using my abdomen I had to switch to longer 13 mm angled infusion sets which work wonderfully for me. I can count the “malfunctions” on one hand and I always remove my pump when swimming or using the hot-tub.
I did change to the Tandem pump which I really like; really easy to read with my lousy eye-sight and use the 30 degree 13 mm infusion sets on my adomen and have also tried different size 90 degree infusion sets on my arm.
The pod stays on for the most part except with long hours of swimming. I keep having random insulin leaks. Today at work after lunch, I went up to 300 unusual. Put in some extra units, still 300 felt around the pod by insertion and felt insulin. When I pulled it out, there was nothing physically wrong with it that I could see, it was only day 2. Ahh thanks for your responses. Guess it’s time to decide what’s next.
how big of a bolus are you doing at once? it has been said that anything over 10units can cause leaking… so i always keep mine under 10 and if i need more i will wait 30+mins to give more… i have had a few issues with omnipod but nothing that would make me move to a tubed pump
Hello Annie,
I too am a OmniPod user. However, I love my OmniPod system.
You say it malfunctions at the “water park”. What do you mean by that? Are you implying that it falls off? If so do you use EXTRA adhesive before you apply it, such as Skintac or Mastisol? Or even thought about since you know you have issues with the water park about not spending so much time all at once in a pool and allowing the pod adhesive to dry out, or buying extra tapes to keep them taped down like those of us who DO spend a lot of time in the water for our Dexcom and OmniPod systems. (I wear my Dexcom on my thigh and my Pod on my thigh or my arm and I RARELY have them fall off and I use alcohol prep, Flonase (I will otherwise react and form dermal scars from my Dexcom and pods), Skintac and Mastisol (mixed), and if needed, I have GriffGrips. And my pods last a full 72-80 hours (and I spend 2-4 hours a day in the water, and I spent 20 years on pumps. Disetronic Htron, Dtron; Deltec CoZmo; MiniMed 508, Veo, Revel, 530g, 630g; Animas IR1200, 1250; OmniPod and OmniPod Dash).
As for using my abdomen, I have used my belly, 3 times in 10 or years… um, thanks but absolutely NOT. I use my arms, legs or backside for pods, and my legs or arms for my Dexcom.
Also some people just have issues not with the angle of the set with the 45° vs 90° but the depth. For I know many who use the comfort shorts/Silouette mini which is 13mm and variable that both MiniMed and Tslim have and they do very well, but have tried the OmniPod which is only a 6mm and 45° but their sugars were horrible… most people have issues with not the angle of the cannula but the depth that the cannula goes. (I have already had a friend go back to her MiniMed because her sugars were always in the 300’s… I was on the OmniPod and she got it because I had one and I was doing awesome on it and she hated her MM, and then she realized it was not for her, thankfully she did the cut the cord programme and did not involve insurance).
As for calling OmniPod Weekly… well you don’t have to. SAVE those pods that fell off and call once a month. DO NOT throw them away. You will need the lot number (on the pod and the box) and the SEQUENCE number (on the pod and each one is DIFFERENT). And because they will WANT to know when placed, when lost, I would DOCUMENT in a notebook when you lost it, and look up in your PDM when you placed… and also how many UNITS you have left… for they WILL also reimburse you $0.05 per unit you lose of insulin up to $50 per year (MAX of $50 per year).
If I have a pod fall off or a screamer, I document them ALL in a special notebook, document how much insulin I have left, ect. One time I called it was for 2 months of pod failures (screamers) and 2 that fell off… total of 8 pods. And with insulin lost, I also received a cheque for $27.85
I have been on the OmniPod since 8 November 2018
Thanks beccagae- I too was once on disetronic htron! I want to love Omnipod but I find myself like your friend. It must be the depth bc I had to replace this am again and it’s already bright red where the insulin deposits under the skin. The post above mention less then 10u at a time which I typically do as well. I use my abdomen constantly bc the arms are so unreliable and it’s painful/annoying on my back. Thanks for your input. I’m so jealous!! Enjoy life without pockets 
@Ambryan try using soap and water instead of alcohol a few times. You can also try some overpatches. Insulet will send you 3 for free one time.
As mentioned, your 20 years of pumping might be making the infusion set not work for you.
I too love my Omnipod System. I can’t speak with expert opinion regarding regular swimming but I can speak to you about adhesives and malfunctions. Almost every malfunction had been caused by improper insertion which is not always apparent when you put a new pod on. If your blood sugar is high it may be the insertion, the quality of your vial insulin or your basal.
If your pod is coming off or gets loose it could be that you have the wrong type of adhesive. Insult Corp has pods available for issues like that and also for ski sensitivity causing rash or irritation! In addition they are there for YOU not the other way around. They can’t help or fix what’s wrong if you don’t tell them!! Their service is always professional and pro patient! My experience anyway. I have worn an omnipod for ten years and it gave me back my independence and my quality of life is immeasurably better then prior!
Tell them what’s going on!! This disease is challenging enough without going it alone!! Good luck and if I can help write me back!
Sorry to barge in here but I have a question about the Omnipod. I’ve thought about getting it but for a number of reasons have stuck with my Tslim, which I’m very happy with. Still, if you do switch to Omnipod, are you locked in for a certain number of years? Or since each pod is essentially its own pump, can you simply switch (assuming your insurance authorizes it) if you decide you prefer another brand? Just curious - thanks.
@wadawabbit. I think it’s the pdm that is a one tome cost. My pods would be covered under pharmacy so I could switch back. You have to check with your specific insurance
Annie,
I am right there with you. I went on OmniPod when I first went on the pump but after 3 years I had, had enough. Lots of pump failures! I switched to Animas and loved it! Then Animas decided to quick (Johnson and Johnson sold their business to Medtronics). I never really had luck with some of Medtronics equipment (CGM) and I didn’t care for there office staff. Anyways… I was talked into trying OmniPod again, I was told they revamped their product and they were much better. It’s been 5 months now and I am looking to switch to Tandem (that was the pump I wanted to switch to in the first place before I got talked into OmniPod again). OmniPod DOESN’T work efficiently on my arm, I definitely get a better insulin delivery on my stomach. I too was trying to give my stomach a break but ended up putting OmniPod on my stomach for better insulin delivery. My stomach hasn’t been too happy about that, it bleeds a lot from the cannula injection. So I am back to my arm until insurance approves the Tandem. I am not looking forward to having a tube again but I dealt with it before. The Tandem is waterproof and will shut off if I start to drop into a low (like the newest Medtronic). I know the decision is hard to make but having diabetes is frustrating enough, you shouldn’t have be more frustrated with your pump as well.
Check with Omnipod. They usually have a “cut the cord” special. Or the Dash doesn’t have a contract time.