I have been using Omnipod for over a decade and have always found that insulin is just not absorbed for hours after a pod change. I have no scarring at any of the 5 locations on body where I put it. If, for example, I change the pod immediately before a meal bolus, then take the bolus and then eat, my BS will soar to 300 or more and stay there despite repeated bolusses. Then, several hours later it will start declining if I do additional bolusses. It seems the bolusses done within the first 3 hours just disappear into neverland. There is no way that Omnipod 5 will work with this behavior. I’ve finally now decided to only change my pod before bedtime.
Does anyone else have this issue and how do you deal with it?
I had that experience with Omnipod and Omnipod Dash, but I don’t have that with Tandem, even though I’m using the same locations.
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@Klondiker, try an “activation” bolus. Whenever you start a pod, do a small bolus to get things going.
If your pump is tracking carbs and BG and freaks out when you bolus, just tell it you are eating some carbs, even if you aren’t.
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Small activation bolus of ~1/10 of a meal bolus does no good either. WHY ISN’T INSULET DOING ANYTING ABOUT THIS ISSUE?
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I’ve always assumed it was a problem of the flesh around the new pod being like a dry sponge that has to absorb some insulin before releasing the rest into my bloodstream, not really something Insulet can fix…anyway, here is what I do: Take a bolus with the old pod about 5-10 minutes before deactivating it. Depending on where my BG is heading, usually I will double whatever correction bolus is needed at that time. Then with the new pod I take a 1/2 unit bolus.
In extreme cases (for example starting a new pod when I am already quite high and trending higher) I will use a syringe and take whatever correction bolus I need at that time.
I have not had 100% success with these extra bolusses when changing pods but they seem to be pretty reliable.
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Sometimes the old pod turns out to be the reason I am trending higher so the bolus with the new pod is less effective. Not a problem during the daytime (take a walk, do housework) but I hate when it happens when I am sleeping.
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I agree wit above, before I change pod I eat something that would raise my bg by amount 2 units will cover and do a bolus right off.
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