I just setup and connect my new Omnipod 5 for the first time. It won’t connect to my Dexcom. I don’t use the Dexcom receiver. I use the tandem x2. Any ideas? I have the OM5 and Dexcom on same arm next to each other. Dexcom on shoulder and OM5 on back of tricep.
Are you trying to use Tandem pump to display cgm?
I think you need to use the O5 app on phone or use controller provided in starter kit.
The dexcom transmitter can pair with one phone app and one device.
So if you pair with Tandem pump, then cannot also pair transmitter with the O5 controller. Link below indicates need Dexcom app to see dexcom.
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Yeah that’s what it was. I was paired to phone app and tandem. Once I turned off my pump and restarted the OM5 PDM it worked.
Man this PDM is horrible though. Cant even see the current basal on dashboard? Wth.
Man i will have to say i absolutely hate this PDM, really takes away from the experience.
After one night here is my first impressions:
Pros:
- Love having no tube and nothing extra in my pocket. (temporary PDM until iphone app)
- Kept my blood sugar perfect overnight. (but so did my Tandem)
- Easy to change a pod.
Cons:
- The worst PDM ever. Cant look at current basal rate on dashboard? REALLY? auto events doesnt show basal it shows each time it gives insulin so cant compare to normal rate, i.e. 1.5 hour.
- IOB shows 0 insulin all the time, should show basal and bolus insulin given.
- Battery life on this PDM is horrible.
- Trying to find a place for two items on my body in line of sight is difficult. I always wear my Dexcom on my shoulder which lasts for 10 days so have to find different sites every 3 days for OM5 so that leaves the back of the arm out for future rotations.
Honestly not having a constant view on IOB and basal rate is a show stopper if I had to use this PDM all the time. But since I know this is temporary i’ll continue to give it a go. Main thing is how it handles my blood sugars.
Does anyone have the phone app and can tell me or better yet post me a screenshot on what it shows? Does it show current basal in auto mode and correct IOB?
Line of sight is not required, but I wear my Dexcom and Omnipod on the same side so I can sleep on the other side if I want or need to. Sometimes, my Dexcom stops working from me putting pressure on it during sleep on my back (I always wear it on the back of my arm). I get an alarm from my PDM (which I also hate) and turn onto my side.
As for IOB - I get that always on my PDM. Maybe there is a setting you need to tweak? I had to adjust my duration from 3hrs to 2.5hrs because my level kept getting too high, and I had to make a manual bolus. Now the calculated bolus works much better.
I wish the PDM was smaller, like the Dexcom controller. I also wish I didn’t have to charge it so often.
I talked to my trainer today and it won’t show IOB until after my 48 hours as it only shows basal that’s given when it has to increase it from baseline or something like that.
I think I’m going to do upper back of waist and shoulder for Dexcom.
Thanks for the tip on duration of insulin. I was told it’s normal to have to adjust carb and correction ratio also after 48 hours once it starts using the algorithm.
I wear my Dexcom on my arm and my O5 pod on my thigh. Keeping them both on the same side, I rarely lose the connection. I switch sides when I change the Dexcom. Since the cycle times of the two devices are relatively prime, there’s usually a transition day around the change of the Dexcom where I’m on opposite sides. I do get some dropouts then, but still not usually for an extended time at once so it doesn’t seem to significantly impact the automatic basal.
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I can’t imagine wearing it on my leg. 
doesn’t it get caught on yoir jeans and all?
I’ve never had any trouble with my jeans/pants, even those that are pretty snug. I once picked exactly the wrong spot for the pod where I could feel the bottom band of my boxer briefs tugging at the pod. The problem was the band sliding up and pulling against the side of the pod. A little stretching out of the band resolved that issue and I now avoid that placement.
In any case, pants–even if they are fairly snug over the top of the pod–don’t seem to be a problem. The only concern with wearing the pod on your leg would be something tight against your leg which might catch against the side of the pod and exert lateral pressure to potentially pull it up. So I wouldn’t just assume that there will be a problem with your pants. As always, YMMV based on your wardrobe and activity in it, but I’d recommend giving it a try if you are looking for ways to expand your placement options.
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I’ve had about 2/3 of my leg pods work well but the other third have had to be replaced before their 3 days was up. I use the inner front part of my thighs so there is low risk of bumping the pod or yanking it with pants etc. The most common issue with the leg for me was insane pain at the pod site…which seemed to correlate with poor insulin absorption.
Ok I’m ready to have my Dr call in a script for some pods. Should I have him write it for one pod every 2 days so I have some extras in case a pod goes bad? I have same issue with the Dexcom I’m constantly having pods last only 8 or 9 days so always having to call else I’ll run short. Was planning on just using CVS does it matter where I get them?
Yes! Theres no downside. If your insurance is by the 90-day supply, then you get the extra pods. If you have a co-insurance you’d pay for them anyway so you just wait the extra 45 days to refill (or whatever cycle you prefer. I use expressscripts but I’m sure CVS is fine. Sometimes with the local pharmacy you need to wait for them to order them in.
IMO every script should be written for the maximum possible usage or even greater. The benefit of not running low, not adjusting care based on a restricted access, outweighs any cost of haven extras that go unused. And how many unused supplies has anyone had in their life? I’ve got 2 boxes of medtronic reservoirs, a couple boxes of expired test strips, and some unused backup pens from the last 20 years of supplies.
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I asked them to do 35 pods for 90 day supply. I think if I go too high insurance might not approve.
If they approve the script, they don’t deny it because of the amount. It is either approved or not approved. The doctor and your script decide the amount, not your insurance.
Like if you have a certain type of insulin approved, insurance does not deny it because you get a script for a higher number of units per day.
Any failed pods will get replaced by Insulet. You just call their support number and report it.
Further, I believe the Insulet guideline change is every 2 days, and the 3rd day is the limit do you don’t have a hard switch. So technically your prescription should be for 45 per 90days and you changed them every other day.
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Ah you’re right, just looked it up. I called and changed it to 45 thanks!
My Rx insurance coverage may be an outlier but they will cover OmniPod5 but only for 3-day use. So, I get 30 pods every 90 days. If I needed more then they feel the pump is not a good choice for my needs and they will not cover it. Appeals don’t help. I am lucky to be able to get three days out of 180u of insulin. The good news is I only pay $3 for each pod and nothing for insulin.
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Not sure if you’ve tried having your Dr prescribe the pods as one pod every 2 days? The best way to go is to include every drop of insulin you use including disposal of opened vials after 30 days etc. and see if your insulin use can reasonably be prescribed at 70 or 75 units per day which would require additional pods compared to what they are telling you.
No, I’ve not tried to get more pods than what would be needed for three days of use. I don’t need more, presently. I fill the pods with 200u and always have some insulin remaining even after using the 8 hours of grace. But I know this is an issue and some users supplement with long-acting insulin, give supplemental manual injections, or simply run higher than they’d like to not run out of pods. That’s not ideal so having the ability to add more insulin to an in-use pod would be nice. u200 insulin can be used in earlier Omnipods, I believe, but is not (as yet) approved for the 5.
My insurance has a set limit of pods per prescription.
I fought with them back and forth.
One way around it, is 30 pods for a 60 day supply.
Don’t get a 90 day prescription, get a 60 day prescription with the same overall number of pods!
Not sure if that will work with other insurance providers, but that was my way around.
Personally, I try and run every single pod the full 8 hours over, or more if possible (just no insulin for a couple hours at work) so that I can get a slightly bigger supply of pods on hand.
I HATE not having some kind of emergency supply of anything I could need for my T1. This is a slow build up, but does add up over time.
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