#omnipod – Diabetes Amigo

T1D Make OmniPod Stick for 3 Full Days

June 22, 2023June 23, 2023 Diabetes Amigo

Tips

The OmniPod Insulin Pump has an adhesive patch that adheres to the body and is expected to last 3 full days. Daily life (baths, swimming, heat, etc.) and your personal skin can cause the pod’s adhesive to fail. Add extra adhesive or utilize accessories to help keep the pod securely in place for 3 days.

Extra Adhesive / Accessories / Sunscreen

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Add Extra Adhesive

Overpatches – add an extra adhesive patch over OmniPod’s initial adhesive patch. Overpatches are typically precut to fit the pod (and available in various colors and designs).

Shield – Add a shield before applying an overpatch to your Pod to allow for easy removal of the overpatch. The shield protects the pod’s initial adhesive patch when applying/removing an overpatch. When the overpatch starts to peel at the edges, simply remove the extra overpatch without disturbing the pod’s initial adhesive patch.

Liquid Adhesive – Adding an adhesive barrier with liquid adhesive before applying a pod provides skin protection and extra adhesive to the pod’s initial adhesive patch. A second layer of liquid adhesive on top of the pod’s patch provides even more sticking power. Further, apply liquid adhesive to the edges of an adhesive patch that starts to peel-up from daily wear-and-tear. Purchase in economical bottle or in travel wipe size.

Accessories

Arm Bands – Arm bands can worn over a pod’s initial patch or be used in addition to overpatches. Adding an arm band over a pod initial adhesive patch can help during water activities (be sure to keep the arm band on until the adhesive patch dries to help keep the adhesive patch and cannula in place.

Compression Band – wear a compression band over a pod to protect a pod from being ripped off your body and during water activities (wear in water and then wear the compression band until the band dries to help keep the adhesive and cannula in place).

Adhesive Bandage Wrap (a.k.a. Vet Wrap) – comes in various colors and sizes to wrap over the pod. Vet wrap works like a compression band but is much easier to remove and dries faster. Also, allows for custom sizing of the wrap to cover pods on arms, legs and stomach. Tip – vet wrap can shrink when going from dry-wet-dry again. It is important to check the tightness of the wrap throughout the day on young kids.

Sunscreen

When applying sunscreen stay clear of the pod’s adhesive patches (sunscreen can make the adhesive malleable and device will just slide off). Also, avoid spray sunscreen because it causes pods to crack/leak. Consider using a sunscreen stick or solar buddy to apply sunscreen safely around adhesive patches and pods.

Decorating OmniPod Pods

April 3, 2021August 5, 2022 Diabetes Amigo

Day-to-Day T1D

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If you like to show off your OmniPod (or maybe would like to not hear “what is that on your arm?”), decorate your pod! Keep in mind that some decorating techniques also help reduce pod static failures.

Decorating Tips / Products / Storage

Decorating Techniques

Duct Tape – cover an entire pod (excluding the adhesive) with duct tape. Consider buying duct etape that has preprinted colors, designs and cartoon characters to decorate the pod.
- Duct Tape / Colored Duct Tape / Patterned Duct Tape
- Gorilla Tape
Nail Polish – cover an entire pod (excluding the adhesive) with nail polish for a solid color or create nail polish art with several colors. Finish the design with clear nail polish or mod podge to seal the design.
Stickers with a Clear Coat – find your favorite design in a sticker, adhere it to OmniPod and then apply clear nail polish or mod podge to seal the sticker.
Temporary Tattoos – apply a temporary tattoo (messages, art, cartoon characters and so on) according to the tattoo’s directions. Then apply clear nail polish or deco podge to seal the tattoo.
- Variety pack of tattoos
Glitter – cover a pod with clear nail polish or mod podge, before it dries sprinkle on glitter and then add another clear coat (clear nail polish or mod podge) to seal the glitter.
- Glitter
- Clear nail polish
- Mod podge

Pod Products

Preprinted pod shaped stickers and covers are sold by various vendors.

T1 Decals – vinyl stickers that are shaped perfectly to fit OmniPod.
Pump Pleelz – vinyl stickers that are shaped perfectly to fit OmniPod.
Shapeways – reusable OmniPod covers that cap on to the pod.
PumpSuitCover – German company offering reusable pod covers.
Mused Mediums – reusable OmniPod covers that cap on to the pod. The company has a Facebook group Diabetes Omnipod/Dexcom/Libre Water Marbling displaying many of their designs.
Just Fly Design – Type 1 Mom that designs custom and unique pod covers and stickers for OmniPod and Dexcom.
Sugar Fam Color Your Diabetes – Dutch company offering reusable OmniPod covers that cap on to the pod.
OmniPod Snaps – reusable OmniPod covers that cap on to the pod.

Storing Decorated Pods

Keep the pod’s packing (paper seal, syringe, and plastic) to store the decorated pods. Lift the pod’s paper seal just enough to remove the pod. Decorate the pod, place the dry decorated pod back into the original packaging and tape the paper seal with scotch tape. Pods can then be placed back in the original box and stored.

Try to keep the pod, its packaging and box together for lot tracking purposes in case of pod failures.

Avoiding OmniPod Static Failures

February 24, 2021January 5, 2022 Diabetes Amigo

Day-to-Day T1D

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Static interfering with the performance of medical devices is frustrating and annoying. If an OmniPod pod is zapped with static it may result in a pod failure and cause the pod to alarm (referred to as a “screaming pod”). Detailed are ideas to help eliminate static failures.

Detecting Static Failures / Avoiding Static Tips / Products

Detecting Static Failures

A pod that alarms and fails, keeps a reference of the failure in PDM settings. To determine if your pod failed due to static is achieved by calling OmniPod and providing the reference number of the failure to a Customer Care Representative. Keep in mind that OmniPod replaces failed pods free of charge (and will reimburse you for the cost of lost insulin).

To locate the reference code on the OmniPod Dash PDM, from the main menu choose the Notifications & Alarms menu option. Scroll to find the pod alarm notification with the reference code.

Avoiding Static Failures

Fabric Choices – Cotton clothes are a better choice to avoid static. Try to wear cotton closest to the device/skin and then layer with other fabrics. Fabrics like fleece, wool, nylon, synthetic and polyester attract static.
Static Guard Spray – Spray anti-static spray on clothing to help prevent static. Can also be sprayed on slides and other outdoor toys to eliminate static. You can make your own spray using equal parts liquid fabric softener and water in a spray bottle.
Duct Tape – Cover an entire pod with duct tape. Consider buying tape that has preprinted colors, designs and cartoon characters to decorate the pod.
- Duct Tape / Colored Duct Tape / Patterned Duct Tape
- Gorilla Tape
Nail Polish – Paint the entire pod (excluding the adhesive) with nail polish to help prevent static. Paint all one color or let your artistic side show.
- Nail polish art set
- Nail polish pens
Dryer Sheet – Rub or tape (cut to size) a dryer sheet directly on the pod to help prevent static. Consider keeping a dryer sheet inside the case of the OmniPod PDM or your diabetes kit.
Paper Clips – Wearing a paper clip close to the pod on your clothing helps to dissipate static. Some people prefer a safety pin to a paper clip.
Safety Pin – Wearing a safety pin on your clothes helps to dissipate static. Some people prefer wearing paper clip to a safety pin.
Lotion – Rubbing lotion on the OmniPod can help reduce static. Avoid lotion on the adhesive as it will act as an adhesive remover.
Humidifier – Adding a humidifier to your home lowers static electricity. If you don’t have a humidifier, you can boil water in a tea kettle or in a pot on the stove.

Products

Pump Pleelz – Vinyl stickers that are shaped perfectly to fit OmniPod.
Shapeways – Reusable OmniPod covers that cap on to the pod.
PumpSuitCover – German company offering reusable pod covers.