What Happens While Using An Insulin Pump
An insulin pump delivers insulin in one of two ways:
- Small, continuous insulin doses .
- Surges of insulin near mealtimes .
While using an insulin pump, you still need to check your blood sugar levels. Most people check blood sugar at least four times a day. Or you may use a continuous glucose monitor.
The pump uses information you enter about your food intake and blood sugar levels to calculate how much bolus insulin you need. The pump then recommends a bolus dose to you and waits for your approval before delivering. In addition, some pumps automatically adjust basal doses based on glucose levels from a continuous glucose monitor.
Does Omnipod Work With Dexcom
Not at this time. Omnipod is not integrated with Dexcom. You are going to have the PDM for the Omnipod and the Dexcoms receiver or cellphone, in order to manage your childs diabetes, and dose from the PDM.
Need to pay out of pocket for diabetes supplies?
Diabetes warehouse is committed to providing affordable supplies to help you manage your childs condition. They ship directly to your doorstep so that you never have to worry about running out of supplies again.
Choosing Technology As A Parent With Diabetes: Tubes Or Tubeless Pumps
I have been on a pump for more than 15 years now and a CGM for more than 10. A lot has changed with the technology, size and options in pump therapy. started out on a tubed pump and made the transition to Omnipod soon after it came to market mostly for athletic benefit at the time. When I chose to start using a pump to manage my diabetes, I considered the many pros and cons to using a pump. I considered the fact that diabetes management feels like a full time job at times and I wanted to make this a bit easier. The pros to wearing a pump outweighed the cons and a major player in my decision was that my husband and I wanted to have children at some point in the future. While it wasnt in the plan immediately after starting on a pump, the goal was to get more optimal control on a day to day basis.
Now, as a mother of a 5-year-old and a 13-month-old, my life with type 1 diabetes is busy. I work a full time job, am a full time Mom, and lead an active life with yoga, and distance running and cycling. Diabetes has to be managed within these components of my life. I knew becoming a parent would add more to the mix, but I also considered the pieces of technology that I would use to manage my diabetes as a part of this equation. These parts that make me feel a bit like Robo-Mom, help me keep my management where I want it.
Read Also: Is Smoking Weed Good For Diabetes
What Are The Risks Or Complications Of Insulin Pumps
Insulin pumps have a low risk of complication. Pumps provide more precise insulin doses than injections, so pumps may carry less risk for people who struggle with calculating their dosages.
Possible cons of using an insulin pump can include:
- Inability to hide the tubing or pump with non-patch styles.
- Higher cost than injections.
- Pumps breaking or tubing becoming disconnected.
There is also a risk of setting up the pump incorrectly. Its crucial to use the insulin pump properly and continue to check your blood sugar regularly. If you dont, you might not get the insulin you need, which can be dangerous and even life-threatening. First-time users should ask their healthcare provider for setup instructions.
What Else Is Coming
The Omnipod DASH will also have Apple and Andriod apps. The Display app will allow users to monitor their system from their smart phone without taking out their PDM. This app will include a Find my PDM feature to help users to track down its whereabouts.
The Omnipod View app will further allow parents and caregivers to monitor their loved ones blood glucose levels on a continuous basis. This app will allow sharing for up to 12 people.
Read Also: Can You Lose Weight If You Have Diabetes
Advantages Of An Insulin Pump
The biggest advantage is you dont need to give yourself daily injections. You can match your insulin to your lifestyle rather than planning your life around insulin injections.
Other advantages:
-
Insulin pumps deliver insulin more accurately than insulin injections, in a manner more like your body normally releases insulin.
-
Insulin pumps do a better job of improving your A1Ca test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the last 3 months.
-
Insulin pumps avoid the unpredictability of intermediate or long-acting injectable insulin. The result is fewer highs and lows, and better diabetes management.
-
You can adjust an insulin pump around your diet. This lets you be more flexible about what and when you eat.
-
You can adjust an insulin pump to your level of exercise. You wont need to load up on carbohydrates before you exercise.
Ask Yourself: Do The Pros Of My Management Style Outweigh The Cons
You will have good and bad days with any T1D management style that you choose. You have to consider which problems youd rather deal with at the end of the day. You have to ask yourself: What problems can I manage best? Thats really what it comes down to.
Insulin injections and pumps each have their downfalls.
I experienced terrific days and horrible days with pods and injections. Good or bad management is not exclusive to either. After my first pod failure, I experienced two other significant issues, which finally pushed me to revert to injections.
Many people love using the Omnipod to manage their T1D. At the start of Omnipod, I was having a lot of good days that I shared about, and I do not want to give a false or unrealistic recount as I look back. The good days were just as real as the bad ones.
Don’t Miss: Is Cassava Flour Good For Diabetics
What Is The Omnipod Insulin Pump
The OmniPod is a state-of-the-art insulin pump that combines wireless and tubeless technology.
The innovative insulin pump system delivers continuous insulin to the user. It is completely tubeless and wireless, allowing the user to manage their diabetes conveniently and discreetly.
An OmniPod insulin pump is a battery-operated device that delivers small amounts of insulin into the bloodstream twenty-four hours a day. The OmniPod connects directly to the skin without tubes and communicates wirelessly with a Personal Diabetes Manager to programme insulin delivery simply and effectively.
Have Different Basal Rates At Different Times Of Day
A big advantage of an insulin pump is that you can set your pump to deliver different rates of background insulin at different times of day. So, if youre having night time hypos, but are fine during the day, with a pump you can adjust your night time basal and keep your daytime basal dose the same. It may also give more control in beating dawn phenomenon
Recommended Reading: Best Time Of Day To Take Insulin Shots
The Different Types Of Insulin Pumps Available In 2022
Welcome to the ultimate guide to the different types of insulin pumps on the market the 2019 edition! I thought since I am on an insulin pump, and have done the research into choosing that insulin pump, that it would be useful to have a little guide on all the different types available and what is the âbest insulin pump on the marketâ.
If youâre interested in why I think an insulin pump is good for travelling, then you can check out my post here.
How To Get One And Who Should Consider It
Insulet states its products are suitable for people living with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The company suggests the small medical device can help simplify diabetes management and is a viable alternative to injected insulin therapy.
To get an Omnipod system, a person will fill out an information form and undergo an insurance benefits investigation. If the individual is happy with the options and costs, a doctor can prescribe them a system. New users can organize a training session on how to use the system virtually or in a clinic.
The Omnipod website also provides information for caregivers on accessing a system for a loved one.
Read Also: Type 2 Diabetes And Insulin Shots
Patch Pumps: What Are The Advantages For People With Diabetes
- Bernhard KulzerCorrespondenceResearch Institute of the Diabetes-Academy Mergentheim, Bad Mergentheim, GermanyDiabetes Center Mergentheim, Bad Mergentheim, GermanyUniversity Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
- Current developments of patch pumps from the perspective of users.
- Overview of the advantages and disadvantages of patch pumps for people with diabetes.
- Review of patient-reported outcomes regarding patch pumps.
- Evidence for patient-relevant advantages of patch pumps versus pen therapy or insulin pump therapy with conventional insulin pumps in the current literature.
Should You Wear Insulin Pumps
Lots of insulin pump users find more advantage of using it which outweighs its disadvantages. If you are planning to use it, you should first be experienced in carbohydrate counting and must test your blood glucose for at least three to four times daily. Also, you must also have to be in a multiple daily insulin dose program. Those who are apt candidates for using insulin pump should also have to understand as well as work well with devices such as computers.
Don’t Miss: Does High Glucose Mean Diabetes
What Insulin Pump Is Compatible With Dexcom G6
The Tandem T-Slim x2 insulin pump is fully integrated with the Dexcom G6. Meaning that it literally reads your childs Dexcom G6 graph and trends, and depending on the glucose levels it delivers insulin for you, without your input.
Omnipod does not have this yet. There is a newer Omnipod called the Omnipod Dash, where you can see your childs insulin on board on your iOS , but the Dexcom is not integrated like it is on the Tandem T-Slim.
New Insulin Pump Comparisons And Reviews
Insulin pumps are NOT commodities. There are differences between systems that make certain pumps better options for certain individuals. It is astounding that so many people are given little to no choice when it comes to selecting an insulin pump. Given that pump warranties last longer than the average marriage, it makes sense to invest some time in comparing the various devices before making a selection. Every member of our clinical team has personal and professional experience with every make and model of insulin pump. We are not employed by any pump company, and we are not easily pressured , so we can offer you fair and impartial information/insight. Please use our pump comparisons to help make an educated decision. We have listed the positive and negative features that are unique to each pump. Features that are common to all pumps, such as allowing for multiple basal patterns, are not included. At the end of the day, the choice is yours. If you would like some expert input, feel free to contact our office and schedule some time to meet or speak with one of our clinicians. And for assistance applying your pump to achieve the best possible glucose management, please reach out.Continue reading > >
Also Check: The Diabetes Code Prevent And Reverse Type 2 Diabetes Naturally
Omnipod Dash Tubeless Insulin Pump: Hands
If youre interested in an insulin pump that is not tethered to your body via tubing, be aware that theres currently just one choice available to people with diabetes in the United States: Omnipod, made by the Boston area manufacturer Insulet Corp.
Ominpod DASH is the latest Bluetooth-enabled version of this pump, that received approval from the Food and Drug Administration in June 2018.
Using the Omnipod system is quite straightforward and intuitive. You wear a little white Pod full of insulin that adheres to your skin and can be worn for up to 3 days before needing replacement. You control it using a handheld receiver device, dubbed the Personal Diabetes Manager, or PDM.
The latest DASH model is the first Bluetooth-enabled version, with a PDM thats essentially a dedicated mobile phone device . The company says the DASH technology will serve as the foundation for future models that will likely be controllable directly from your phone.
DiabetesMine has compiled this deep dive into the Omnipod DASH system.
The Omnipod has been around since 2005 as the only patch pump in the United States, and the third generation DASH offers several features and design aspects that werent previously offered.
Food database. The PDM sports a food database from Calorie King that includes more than 80,000 food items, and you can manually enter post-meal blood sugar results and other diabetes data as well as personalizing meal entries for quick access.
Omnipod : All My Reviews And Resources
*nothing on this page or site is medical advice. I am not a doctor or healthcare professional. I’m just sharing my experience!
hi there! the world’s best pump just got better! Omnipod 5 is finally out and I am so pumped to be on it!
I know choosing a pump can be a SUPER difficult decision. I also want to remind you that it’s a really personal decision. Reading reviews and people’s experiences online can be helpful in navigating pros and cons, but there’s really no way to know the best pump for you until you try it out yourself.
So here’s my best attempt to fill you in on about my experience with Omnipod 5.
To answer the ultimate question: do you recommend it?
my answer: ABSOLUTELY!
I wouldn’t be wearing it if I thought there was a better insulin pump for me out there. But again, it’s a personal choice and what works for me may not work for you.
My top 2 reasons for loving Omnipod 5:
I think it’s the best pump out there for active people. Features that support this: no tubes and activity mode
On this page you’ll find links to all the resources I have made about the Omnipod 5. Please check back as I will update regularly as I make more! And if you have questions, please DM me on instagram for the fastest response
Youtube resources:
Don’t Miss: What Are The Medications For Type 2 Diabetes
What Is An Insulin Pump
An insulin pump is a device that is used to treat diabetes patients. It is typically about the size of a deck of cards and is mostly used by those with type 1 diabetes. Some patients with type 2 diabetes may benefit from insulin pump therapy, as well.
There are many different insulin pumps on the market, all of which vary slightly in how they work. However, they all perform the same primary function, which is to provide insulin delivery to patients seamlessly.
They are filled with short-acting insulin and will need to be changed every 2-3 days. An infusion set attaches to the body with adhesive, and a small cannula sits just under the skin. This is how insulin is administered from the cartridge.
Patients, with the help of their doctor, will set a basal rate. The basal replaces the need for long-acting insulin since a small dose of short-acting insulin is delivered every hour. They will also plug-in their insulin-to-carb ratio into the device. Patients will then just need to plug in how many carbohydrates they are eating, and the insulin pump will calculate the bolus the patient needs.
Traditional pumps consist of an infusion set with tubing that connects to the device, which is normally kept in the patients pocket or hooked on their belt. Patch pumps do not require infusion sets, as they attach to the body via adhesive and are controlled with a wireless/tubeless device.
Pros And Cons Of An Omnipod
I like the no tubing, waterproof . I like that it swaps out every couple of days so if something does happen to it you have more. The commitment of 5 years with the pump scared me even if it was the water proof one I feared would fall off in ocean and be lost. Downfall now with my daughter she only likes it in her belly. My daughter competitively dances and plays hockey and the no tubing is great for that. Submit SubmitContinue reading > >
Don’t Miss: Continuous Glucose Monitor For Dogs
What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of An Insulin Pump
An insulin pump is a small, computerized device that continuously delivers insulin. It attempts to mimic the normal release of insulin from the pancreas. A pump delivers a small amount of insulin continuously the basal rate. The basal rate helps keep blood sugars stable between meals and overnight, and replaces the need for your long acting insulin .
In addition to the basal rate you need insulin to COVER food and CORRECT high blood sugars which is called the bolus dose. You must tell the pump how many carbohydrates you are eating and what your blood sugar is following which your pump will calculate the appropriate bolus dose to be given.
Both the basal rate and bolus doses can be adjusted for certain situation, such as sick day management, hypoglycemia prevention, physical activity, etc.
Effective and safe use of the pump requires:
- Commitment to checking blood sugars at least 4-6 times/day and/or continuous glucose monitor.
- Ability and willingness to count carbohydrates
- Understanding of insulin dose adjustment based on physical activity or type of carbohydrates eaten
- Continued parental supervision
- Consistent improvement in HbA1c
- Basic understanding of diabetes, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia and problem solving provided in diabetes outpatient education class.
- Good communication with your diabetes team and if possible, the ability to download glucose data at home to share with your diabetes team.
The main advantages of pump therapy are:
- Increased flexibility