Omnipod from a Teen's perspective
I am 18 years old with Type One Diabetes. I was diagnosed when I was sixteen years old, a little over two years ago. Six months into my diagnosis, I decided that it was time to choose which pump I wanted. I felt that getting a pump would make my managing easier and more efficient. Being an active and busy teen, I wanted a pump system that wouldn't get in the way of what I loved to do. Also, as a dancer, I needed something that would move with my body and that would last all my hours of practice. So, I decided that the Omnipod pump system was my best option, and it turns out I love it.
The best thing about the Omnipod is that it is tubeless, so it fits comfortably wherever I place it, and it is not too big on my body. It is also waterproof and can be easily worn in the shower or in the pool. Being a teenager in high school the Omnipod has worked best for me because I am able to discreetly bolus when I am out with my friends and the pod can easily go under my clothes so no one has to notice it is there. This way, managing diabetes during school or hanging out with my friends doesn’t have to be a big deal.
The Omnipod comes with a Personal Diabetes Manager (called the PDM) and this device is separate to the actual pod. This remote control allows boluses to be dosed, settings to be set or changed, and is also used as a blood sugar meter, which is very convenient. The PDM allows me to discreetly dose wherever I am, and it has lots of other controls like setting temporary basals or suspending the pump entirely if needed. Having all these options with a pump is amazing, and has significantly improved the way I manage my diabetes.
Pros:
Tubeless
Able to be placed in many spots
Waterproof
Lightweight and small
Able to discreetly wear it/and bolus
Don’t have to disconnect tubing
Blood glucose meter is integrated in the PDM
Cons:
Need the PDM to bolus or change settings, that is separate from the pod
No loop system (yet)
Units are only in .05 increments
Must be changed every three days
Lexi is our 18 year old babysitter who was diagnosed with T1D about two years ago. She is finishing up high school this year (we’re crossing our fingers that she stays local after grad!) and is an amazing dancer too. She is currently using the Dexcom G6 and Omnipod.