# Omnipod: reuse insulin from old pod?

**URL:** https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/omnipod-reuse-insulin-from-old-pod/3218
**Category:** Pump
**Tags:** omnipod
**Created:** [January 12, 2018, 8:21pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/omnipod-reuse-insulin-from-old-pod/3218 "2018-01-12T20:21:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 8

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### Author: ![Eric](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/eric/32/9209_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Eric)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2018, 9:32pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/omnipod-reuse-insulin-from-old-pod/3218/8 "2018-01-13T21:32:31Z")

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> [@Does the smell of insulin always imply a pump leak?](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/does-the-smell-of-insulin-always-imply-a-pump-leak/3200/18):
>
> On the other hand, @Eric, I believe, does it every time—is that correct, @Eric ?

Oh no, absolutely not!

Think about it - if you do it every time, you are taking insulin molecules that - for example - were in a pod that you wore in a hot-tub a year ago and putting it into your new pod with new insulin. I would never advise anyone to do it every time.

It’s diminishing returns. If you have a new pod only a day old, you might have 150 units in there you don’t want to waste. But it’s only 1 day old, so it is reasonable to put it in a new pod.

On the other hand, if the pod is 2 or more days old, you might only have 40 units, so it’s not worth saving. It’s older insulin and it’s not as much. It’s a diminishing return the older the pod gets.

> [@Does the smell of insulin always imply a pump leak?](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/does-the-smell-of-insulin-always-imply-a-pump-leak/3200/12):
>
> If the insulin has been in there for 2 or 3 days, maybe it’s better to discard it. But if it’s only been in there for 1 day, it doesn’t matter if you put it into a different pod.

I use insulin that has expired or been left out of the refrigerator. I don’t waste insulin by throwing it away in a vial. But I am not extreme about saving it from the pods. I have a big prescription and a huge stash, so it is not a big concern for me. Maybe if it is a relatively new pod, but not every time.

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