Based on info I’ve read here, I started extending POD replacements past the 72 hour mark (but not past 80 hrs) if there was still 20 or more units of insulin in the reservoir. Today, while out running errands (and of course without all my pump “stuff”), my POD timed out for good. My CGM read 82.
I deactivated the POD (thankfully it went silent) and took it off. I knew it would be about an hour or so before I could get back home to my pump supplies. My first thought was “crap, what now” but realized I had Afrezza with me. I kept an eye on my BG and when I saw a slow rise I took 4u of Afrezza. Got home an hour later and started up a new POD - I was at 100 (30 minutes later had a soft landing at 90)! Another reason I’m so glad I have Afrezza as one of my daily insulin options.
This is a great example! I recently had a similar situation but had to return home as soon as I realized my mistake. The timing of extending the pod can be tricky for sure. I’ve gotten caught a couple of times. Also been caught with a sudden shutdown before (owing to static or some sort of failure), but I don’t run errands with extra insulin so that wasn’t super easy. Thankfully both of these times I was close to home.
I have some syringes in my car for this reason. If you have a pod failure, with a syringe you can pull some insulin out of the pod and use it as an emergency measure until you get back home. The nice thing about that is the syringes will last in your car for basically forever. (even if it is not ideal storage conditions, and in theory the syringe plunger tip could dry up, the syringe will still be functional enough to serve this purpose).
Along the same line, if you have a pen malfunction, a syringe can be used to pull insulin out of a pen.
Also, if you get to the bottom of your pen,and it is “empty”, there are still a few units in the pen that a syringe can pull out!