I do the same when I seem to be going high for no other reason. Just use a syringe for correction injection. In my case, at least recently, the unknown high is often due to poor insulin sensitivity, extra fat in food intake, etc., so not due to the Pod. It is hard to know when it is the pod because the pod covers the area where insulin is being injected, so leaks are not apparent, at least to me! If the pod hurts or causes discomfort then I usually replace it. Also, any jarring of the pod to cause movement of the canula can cause leaking, so best to replace it.
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Well, I had to similarly replace the replacement I put on for the first âsuspectâ pod! The replacement, on the other thigh (Iâve been trying the âthigh rotation sequenceâ I read by someone else here), seemed to start out ok. But it quickly fell into the same problem: multiple additional boluses (bolli?) to correct a 200+ high with zero impact. On removal at 2AM, I found insulin on both the pod (around/inside the cannula opening) and my skin (around the cannula site), at least by smell; so I assume it leaked around the cannula. I didnât see indications of leakage on the patch material on either pod. I will say my apparent insulin need to counter known carb standard meals has been odd recently. Usual meals (30-50 carbs) normally requiring 3.5-6.5 units) have driven higher BG levels (180-220+) for more hours (2-4+) requiring more insulin (2-6 units WITH exercise) to work, sometimes ending in a continual downward track to a low (60±). Perhaps my pancreas was still working a little and decided to stop completely? Iâll discuss with my Endo on Thursday, but value any inputs from you folks here. Thinking of calling up IDS too.
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The test to see if this is a pod issue or a dosing issue (such as needing a larger insulin-to-carb ratio) is to use a syringe instead of the pod for a few meal boluses, and see if the dosing works now, or still shows the same problem. Over the years I have had to increase my insulin:carb ratio several times.
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Thanks @bkh for the recommendation!
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I have had some real problems with certain lot numbers. I can be going months with no issues and all of a sudden have several pods not work as well. It might be a combo of me and pod lots and maybe the depth or something. But 4 out of 5 in one box not working as they should and then another lot working months on end fine lets me know it has something to do with certain lots.
But what happens is they work fine the first day and then sometime that first night or the next day I start having a stubborn high and having to take extra insulin. But if I dose with a pen I drop right down. So I know itâs the site or pod issue. Iâve had 3 or 4 lots that Iâve had this issue with.
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This happened to me last year, too, and was both frustrating and puzzling.
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@Marie Interestingly, when I called Insulet about the issue I had with the two pods, I noted both of them came from the same lot #. Makes you wonder if itâs a person or part issue in the manufacture process, eh? On the good side, I just got a new order of pods, so checked and its a different lot # and I have enough to not worry about it. Also, though the phone call took a while (think the guy might have been relatively new) replacement pods are on the way. It would be interesting to know how long the replacements take to arrive from others using Omnipod?
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In the past I have done 2 things for issues like this.
If I get 3 failures out of the same box or 5 failures out of the same lot, I call and get them all replaced (either the box or the lot). It takes a little longer to get a huge replacement done like that, you gotta talk to a supervisor over there. And they want you to return them all of course. But they have done that for me.
The other thing is simply this: NeverâŠneverâŠnever travel with all your pods coming from the same box. And if you can help it, donât travel with all your pods coming from the same lot. Just a little safer to do that.
When traveling, I also try to pull a few from a box that has worked for me, and then a few from a different box. And I try to make sure all the boxes have had a few trials before I take any of them on a trip.
So do a little planning for travel. In the weeks leading up to a trip, use a few from box A, a few from box B, a few from box C, etc. Make sure all the boxes seem okay, and then for your trip pull a few pods from each box.
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Good comments all @Eric! Thanks, will try to store those for future reference!
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Good point. I hadnât thought of that (I just throw the box into my backpack.)
I also noticed another effect today/yesterday. Iâd been doing fine with the 'pod on my chest and right arm, so I put one on my left arm (Jan 24 @11PM), a site Iâd been avoiding, and hit all the old problems. I stuck with it (high of 300+, bolus of up to 8.65IU) and it seemed to eventually work out. I have a theory that the particular site canât take a big single bolus; Iâve been doing half hour delays and the results seem to be much better. Of course this is pretty much impossible for me to prove and the 'pod doesnât permit me to delay a correction bolus, however large.
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Not sure what this means. You can do an extended bolus. Just donât tell the pod itâs a âcorrectionâ.
Try it; once youâve entered a BG the Dash PDM (at least) wonât allow you to extend anything other than the amount corresponding to a carb entry; so itâs not possible to use the bolus calculator other than by aborting the bolus, remembering the number, going back to the bolus screen, entering that number without a BG⊠Dangerous, stupid but thatâs the way it is.
There are a lot of features in Dash PDM that seem idiotic. The worst in my opinion is the IOB on the screen when PDM has been asleep for a whileâŠit is not up to date and always too high. Why do they bother posting a number we canât rely on?
I have never tried an extended correction bolus so donât have any comments on that. I have many times though used a temp basal that is quite high for 30-60 min. Seems to work pretty well.
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Sorry, I was referring to the older PDM, not the Dash version.
There is a reason I am slow to adopt new technology. Because things get progressively stupider.
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Theyâre interchangeable, itâs just a matter of how the calculation is done. Iâve been having problems with highs that seem to take an unreasonably large amount of insulin to correct; Iâve suspected site issues, Fiasp and faulty pods but regardless of what the explanation is I do seem to find that extending the bolus over half an hour, or sometimes longer, helps.
I just did the calculation and the 8.65IU I gave myself two nights ago, while it seems a lot to me, is just a drop 0.27mm in diameter. It was squirted into my upper left arm in an area where I donât have much fat. If part of it had actually squirted itself straight back out I probably wouldnât have been able to tell - itâs not much fluid. More and more Iâm simply extending the bolus and when I do it I seem to get more predictable results; ironically this means I get no advantage whatsoever from Fiasp or, indeed, any analog insulin!
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Luckily I havenât encountered this myself â my pod problems have been my problems, not Insuletâs. But when I called once to get a couple replaced and said I didnât normally have problems and hoped that was it for a while, the rep said, âThey often come in threes.â I thought that was an odd thing to say, but it could indicate they know there are issues with particular lot numbers.
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@John58 After dealing w/the IOB issue you mention for my first month, I called Insulet yesterday about it (should have asked here!). I thought it might just be my PDM. Insulet CSR said they could send a new one but they hadnât had people report it as an âissue.â I donât think itâs the PDM, I think itâs a slow device with questionable priorities in its programming. Further similar problem is the connection to an iPhone via the Display or View app. Per the CSR, both only sync to the iPhone if the PDM is within 30â of the phone, the phone app is constantly on, and the PDM has entered âdark screenâ mode for 30+ seconds. I donât get the usefulness of either app w/those requirements.
I still think the pod is far superior to MDI, just donât get the design considerations chosen.
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Actually they have. I called in this issue a long time ago and was told to reboot the PDM. Itâs something we can easily adapt to but still seems pretty dumb.
All in all I have gotten used to the Dash. The PDM has its quirks but fits nicely in my pocket!
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Just saw this online: Insulet Announces FDA Clearance of its OmnipodÂź 5 Automated Insulin Delivery System, First Tubeless System with Smartphone Control | Business Wire
Checked Insulet site and saw nothing on it, would have thought theyâd be ready with a new website roll out. Now for the wait for Medicare and other insurance info on coverage!
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This just showed up on Insulet/Omnipod site: OmnipodÂź 5 | Omnipod
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