Omnipod beeps

Type 1 & LADA
1

I am having a discussion with a T1D buddy of mine, perhaps someone with more experience can settle or discussion. When filling an Omnipod will it double beep if the plastic tab is removed? I say it will not, my friend says it will. Who is right?

Surely someone can answer this without wasting a brand new pod?

rick

1 Like
2

It will beep. But it will also be unusable.

It beeps when it gets to the 70-ish unit mark. But the insulin spills out all over the place.

The cannula still deploys. So I guess technically you could still use it. But you wouldn’t really know how much insulin was remaining inside the pod. Insulin was all over the place when I did it.

Not sure who wins your argument, because yes it beeps, but you really don’t have a pod that you’d want to use.

Here are the pics.

image
image756×1008 137 KB

Before deploying the cannula, insulin spills out when filling

image
image756×1008 176 KB

Cannula still deploys

I guess that plastic tab is kinda important.

:joy:

4 Likes
3

It’s possible to re-insert the tab. It will pop out easily after the first removal, I think because the two little tabs that hold it in place have been degraded, but it can be held in place.

I’ve never removed the tab before filling but I have certainly removed it after filling and before priming; that’s when I push the tab back in and hold it during the prime. I think I’ve also applied a full but unprimed pod then primed it into myself; that’s maybe a little more dubious.

The pod may squirt insulin out but the 50IU alarm should still function. So you might get fewer days but I don’t think it will suddenly fail because of pre-removal of the tab. Of course Omnipods do suddenly fail for all sorts of other reasons anyway.

1 Like
4

Not sure why the question came up, possibly due to an accidental removal of the tab? Anyway, thanks to @Eric and @jbowler for the answer…yet another piece of information to fill my braincells with! And a special thanks to @Eric for the lovely pictures! :upside_down_face:

2 Likes
5

I think I’ve always removed the tab before filling? Maybe I shouldn’t have

2 Likes
6

I’ve removed the tab after filling but before priming and not had a problem with that minor oopsie. It still primed just fine.

It’s conceivable that it’d be possible to attach a pod to my skin after filling and removing the tab, but before priming. And I think it’d work, but maybe be just a little wet with priming insulin having squirted out onto my skin. Haven’t quite goofed up that way yet but I’ve come close.

3 Likes
7

@Sam, I don’t think so, let’s see…I’m on Dash pods & use the Trio app; my process is:

  1. Use Trio app to disable previous pod, usually remove previous pod first (done because once it was late night and I found I was wearing two pods in the morning);
  2. Note the serial number of new pod (take picture of tyvek label with S/N “just in case”);
  3. Remove tyvek cover I just took picture of;
  4. Follow Trio instructions to fill pod, listen for two beeps;
  5. Pair pod using Trio app;
  6. While pod pairs, prepare pod site on body (shave, wipe w/alcohol, apply FlexiFIx/Tegederm);
  7. After pod pairs, remove blue tab, remove adhesive covers, apply pod to body on top of FlexiFix/Tegederm (OK, it might have once or twice jumped, by itself, from my hand, landed some unplanned place on my body (OK, OK, furniture or the floor!) the adhesive gripping itself tightly and unwilling to let go, there may have been swearing involved and the process started over!);
  8. Verify to Trio pod is attached;
  9. Use Trio app to inject cannula (usually a “slight pinch”, once or twice an “Oh my God” or other more emphatic phrase uttered);
  10. Verify cannula injected (once or twice after pick myself up off the floor!), check cannula isn’t kinked, tell Trio it’s good;
  11. Use Trio to dose .1 to .2 if slightly high or just carry on with life.
  12. Throw recycle stuff in to a bin that supposedly gets recycled (beliefs are a great thing!), put sharps into a sharps container, put old pod in a red recycle bag for sending back to Insulet (again, beliefs are a great thing!).

Wow! I think that’s right! It’s become so second nature, it’s almost automatic!!
Note: Paraphrased comments are comic relief (OK, mostly!), usually goes off without a hitch unless I’m tired, it’s the dead of night and I’ve been woken up by the system or my spouse because an alarm’s going off, or other unbecoming circumstance!

Do other pumps/programs have more or less steps?!

2 Likes
8

Fill, double-beep, prime (from the PDM or 'phone), remove tab, remove adhesive covers, plonk on skin, activate (from the PDM or 'phone).

I’ve done it so often I get mixed up frequently. I’ve taken to relying on the instructions on the 'phone (from AAPS in my case); the steps require an action (“I’ve done that”) on the 'phone. AAPS is quite good because it requires two acks before “activate”; takes twice as long to .

2 Likes