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Freestyle Libre and Omnipod

So I have now been a #podder for approximately 2ish-3 weeks (with a short 670g break in there, and when my Guardian failed early I went back to my Omnipod). In the meantime, I was lucky to get a sample of the Freestyle Libre (check with your local diabetes centres, they too might be having virtual webinars from Abbott on how to use the Libre and they send out a sample). The Libre IS.A.GAME.CHANGER. Sure it doesn’t push the data through to a receiver or cell phone, and it doesn’t communicate with a the pod, BUT it will hold up to 8hours worth of data in the tiny device on your arm and transmit the data when you scan with either your smart phone or reader.  Just say though you forgot to scan within the 8hour period, than the previous data is erased, so its super important to remember to scan. I’ve also been super lucky that the Libre sticks so well to me (it even survived that heat wave earlier in the week), I didn't need to use any adhesive wipes.  The sensor on my arm is about the size of quarter-maybe, it has adhesive on the underside and no need for overlay taps.  Allowing more of my skin to breath.

I’m loving being tube free, and having less tape on my skin. Heres to a tubefree 2020 Summer.

P.s. you CAN put your Pod and Libre on the same arm, as long as the actual injection site and the sensor filament are minimum 2inches apart, AND if you choose to apply the pod to the same arm avoid the previous injection site also by 2inches to prevent lipohypertrophy (the buildup of hardened tissue from repeated insulin injection).

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Where is the lie though

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wishing yall good blood sugar

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670g vs. Omnipod

So this week I gave my 670g + sensor a break and wore a pod w/no sensor, this was quite the thing for me, not wearing a sensor.  Like I always tell everyone when comparing two similar items; there are the good and there are the bad things with everything.  And if you are choosing to wear a pump either for the first time or trial a different one, you’ve got to weigh out the positives vs. negatives. ___________________________________________________

The good about Medtronic’s 670g.

AUTOMODE. Need I say more. I love automode.  The automode allows the insulin pump to base your basal rate (which they call microbolus) on your Guardian 3 sensor readings.  No need to figure out what basal rate you need for a certain time of day.

The option for auto mode (AM), if you're wearing the Guardian 3 sensor.  I can’t believe the "flat lines” my CGM data gives me, my time in target over a 24hour continuous period is remarkable.

The choice of two different reservoir sizes; 180units vs. 300units.

You can purchase everything you need to use your pump (excluding the sensors) from your local drug store.  This is something I LOVE, because if you plan it right, and purchase your supplies on SDM’s “20x The Points” day, you’ll feel like you won the lottery.

Dual and Square wave bolus options when in manual mode (MM).  I never realized how much I take advantage of this when I’m using my 670g in MM.

The good about Omnipod.

NO CORDs. None. Nothing. If you’re like me and so use to wearing a sensor on your arm, you are not even going to remember that you are a wearing a pod. Memories will come back from a time, before you had diabetes. It is almost as if Diabetes doesn’t exist (until you need to find the PDM and bolus for lunch).

NO BEEPING. Until you get to 20units of insulin, then its going to beep, and beep.

The bad about Medtronic 670g.

BEEPING, all the alarms, until you learn (or your diabetes pump team teaches you) how to manage your settings to reduce alarms.

The cord, and how just sometimes the belt clip won’t stay on your pants, and how easy I find the pump slips out of my pocket, creating an insulin pendulum. 

The pre-sets for AM; sensor target of 6.5mmol/L or the temp target of 8.5mmol/L.  I know there are more T1s who have the ability and the WANT to choose your own sensor target, 6.5mmol/L is a safe number yes, but I would choose one lower.

The length of time it takes for AM to bring you down, when you’re range is above target, I find this can take too long and I just want to “ghost carb” or jump out of AM into MM, do a correction bolus and jump back into AM (this messes with the AM algorithm and I don’t recommend either of these).

The bad about Omnipod.

200units is the max amount of insulin a pod will hold. Sure you can change your insulin strength, or inject a basal insulin and use the pod for bolus only (this sort of defeats the purpose though).

On me, the adhesive is way too sticky, its actually a pain trying to get the pod off.  I don’t need anything to reinforce the adhesives.

I don’t have (or can’t find) the volume of insulin is left in the pod until its close to nearing the end.

You can't just go to the local drug store and buy pods (at least not at the two chains I’ve tried; Shoppers Drug & IDA).  You need to buy them from online suppliers, which is a big pain, especially when some delivery truck drivers either leave packages with the dogs (who destroy everything) or leave notes saying they refuse to leave it because the dogs are too scary.

Similarities between 670g and a pod.

Neither of them hurt with insertion, yes you can feel it being inserted but it doesn’t hurt.

Both make you feel like some sort of super human robot.

I find that an insulin pump in general IMPROVES diabetes management, will provide more flexibility, and improve your control.

I’m sure my list will grow, the more I use the Omnipod system.  But today I’m changing back to my beloved 670g + sensor.

Next insulin pump trial; Ypsomed’s pump. 

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Welcome

So here you are, we may know each other and we may not, but here you are reading my thoughts and wondering what on earth am I up to now?

Some of you will know that I’m on my way to becoming a diabetes educator; meaning that I want to help those with diabetes learn how to manage the challenges associated with diabetes while living their life to the fullest.  However, the purpose of this blog is not only to talk about diabetes related issues but to share personal experience and to show others they are not alone in this daily challenge.

Diabetes can be hard, I get that a lot, “oh I couldn’t poke myself daily” or “counting carbs is so hard.”  But you probably know that those two challenges are nothing compared to what we deal with on a daily basis.

So for my disclaimer, even though I’m a registered health care provider in my country, I am not providing any information that will substitute for actual in class/office appointments with your own diabetes education team.  These thoughts are my own, the research I’ve done is correct to the best of my knowledge, and I highly recommend any of you with type 1 or 2 to read Diabetes Canada’s Clinical Practice Guidelines.

So why Sugarfree Spice? Why not? The Spice Girls promoted independence and taking control of your situation, that being strong can be feminine, and that you are responsible for your own happiness.   Diabetes is your responsibility, you need to take control and make decisions based on what is right for you in this moment of your life. And besides the world needs a little more Spice.