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Omnipod® System Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions about the Omnipod® Insulin Management System
There are many factors to consider when choosing an insulin management system. To help you understand how the Omnipod® System works, we’ve consolidated the list of questions that we often receive from prospective and current Podders™ about the Omnipod® System.
Please speak to your diabetes healthcare professional first to assess your suitability for the Omnipod® Insulin Management System.
Getting started on the Omnipod® Insulin Management System
The Omnipod® System features accurate, personalised, continuous insulin delivery with basal rate and bolus delivery options, safety checks and alarm. Its two parts communicate wirelessly*, eliminating the need for tubing. And, the Pod’s automated insertion is virtually pain-free. The PDM has a fully integrated FreeStyle® Lite blood glucose meter, so there is nothing extra to carry, and no manual entry is required. This makes the Omnipod® System simple to learn and live with.
Insulin pumps deliver a basal rate of insulin throughout the day. People who wear traditional insulin pumps often have to disconnect from them periodically throughout the day to bathe, swim2 and play contact sports, or during intimate moments. This can disrupt basal insulin delivery, and studies confirm that even a 30-minute interruption5 of basal insulin delivery can result in elevated glucose levels. With the Omnipod® System, there’s no need to disconnect.
Yes. The Omnipod® System can be used by people of all ages who require insulin to manage their diabetes – including children and teenagers. The Pod is especially convenient for children and teenagers who participate in sports and other active hobbies. The Pod is both durable and waterproof2, with nothing to tangle or get caught as you move around.
Please speak to your diabetes healthcare professional first to assess your child’s suitability for the Omnipod® Insulin Management System.
The Omnipod® System does not come with an integrated CGM system. However, the Omnipod® System is compatible with many continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMs) – allowing you to choose the CGM that best fits your health needs and lifestyle.
Designed so that it can be worn discreetly, the Pod is 3.9 cm x 5.2 cm x 1.45 cm (1.53 in x 2.05 in x 0.57 in), about half the width of a credit card. The Personal Diabetes Manager is 6.4 cm x 11.4 cm x 2.5 cm (2.5 in x 4.5 in x 1.0 in).
Using the Omnipod® System
The Pod has an IPX8 waterproof rating. Meeting this international standard means that the Pod has been tested and shown to function normally as deep as 7.6 metres below the water surface for up to 60 minutes. If you plan to be in water for a long time, we recommend as a precaution that you get out occasionally to make sure that the adhesive is still securely attached to your skin. Because insulin degrades at high temperatures, the temperature of most hot tubs can spoil insulin, making it ineffective, so we do not recommend wearing the Pod in a hot tub unless you keep it out of the water. In all cases be sure to follow your insulin manufacturer’s instructions for use.
The Personal Diabetes Manager is not waterproof. Do not place it in or near water.
Yes. If you are flying, we recommend that you contact your airline for information on current security requirements.
Of course. The Pod is ideal for sport because it is both durable and waterproof†, with nothing to tangle or get caught as you move around. Plus, there’s no need to disconnect the Pod while playing sport.
The Pod and Personal Diabetes Manager communicate using wireless1 technology.
- To activate, the Pod must be placed adjacent to and touching the Personal Diabetes Manager.
- To make changes in your basal programme, deliver a bolus or check Pod status, the Pod and Personal Diabetes Manager need to be within 1.5 metres of each other.
- Once a Pod is activated, the Pod and Personal Diabetes Manager do not need to be near each other for basal insulin delivery.
Each Pod establishes a unique, one-to-one relationship with your Personal Diabetes Manager during priming. As a result, there is no chance that someone else’s Personal Diabetes Manager will interfere with your Pod. The Personal Diabetes Manager also has an ID screen, allowing you to easily identify your Personal Diabetes Manager before using it.
Yes. If you’re new to the Omnipod® System, one of our Clinical Specialists will work with your diabetes healthcare professional to get you up and running.
How the Pod Works
The Pod does not come pre-filled with insulin; you use the syringe enclosed with each Pod to fill it with the brand and amount of insulin that you need. Please note that you will need to get a separate prescription for insulin from your diabetes healthcare professional.
The Pod is designed to be used with U-100 rapid-acting insulin. Before using a different insulin with the Omnipod® Insulin Management System, consult your diabetes healthcare professional.
The Pod can hold up to 200 units of insulin; it requires a minimum of 85 units of insulin to begin operation. Simply fill the Pod with the amount of insulin that you will need while wearing it, up to 200 units. Please contact your diabetes healthcare professional before filling the Omnipod® System up with insulin for the first time.
The Pod uses an adhesive that is latex-free, acrylic-based and ideal for keeping the Pod in place, even in the presence of moisture.
We recommend that you consult with your diabetes healthcare professional to determine the best location to use when starting on the Omnipod® System. However, once you have mastered using the Pod, you can wear it on your leg, upper thigh, lower back or the back of your upper arm – in fact, wherever you would give yourself an appropriate insulin injection. Of course, you should avoid wearing the Pod within 5 centimetres of your navel, and in other areas where belts, waistbands or tight clothing may rub against, disturb or dislodge it.
We do not recommend wearing the Pod over a tattoo, mole or scar due to possible issues with insulin absorption. We also recommend that you rotate the location of your Pod and do not use it consecutively in the same location on your body.
The Pod can be worn for three days (up to 72 hours)‡. Please follow your diabetes healthcare professional’s instructions concerning how frequently you should replace the Pod.
The Pod’s automated insertion system consistently inserts the soft cannula below the skin to a depth of 6.5 mm and at an angle of less than 50 degrees to the skin.
How the Personal Diabetes Manager Works
Yes. All of your insulin delivery, blood glucose and carbohydrate information can be downloaded directly from your Personal Diabetes Manager, as well as your fitness information and health data from your other devices. Available to Podders™, the diasend® gives you and your healthcare team access to reports, charts and graphs of your records on the go.
The Personal Diabetes Manager’s batteries last approximately three weeks, depending on individual usage. Extensive use of the bright mode option may shorten this timeframe. Please note that the Personal Diabetes Manager requires AAA alkaline batteries, and you should not use any other type of batteries to power it. Never use old or used batteries as this could prevent the Personal Diabetes Manager from working properly.
Ordering the Omnipod® System
The sample§ Pod contains a needle-free, non-functioning Pod designed to give you a sense of the Pod’s size, comfort and flexibility while on your body. The sample Pod does not insert and will not deliver insulin. Just apply the sample Pod anywhere you would normally give an injection and wear it for up to 3 days‡ to see how it feels. The sample Pod also has a brochure that helps you understand how the Omnipod® Insulin Management System works.
Discuss the suitability of the Omnipod® System with your diabetes healthcare professional. You can also contact the Insulet Customer Care team (contact us online) to learn more.
Customer Care and Common Questions
Your activated Pod will continue to deliver your current basal insulin, even if you do not have your Personal Diabetes Manager with you. However, you need your Personal Diabetes Manager to make changes to your basal delivery, deliver bolus doses, test your blood glucose or respond to alarms or alerts.
Should anything happen to your Personal Diabetes Manager, please call the UK Customer Care team on 0800 011 6132 (number when calling from outside the UK +44 20 3887 1709) immediately to purchase a replacement. Some users like to order a back-up Personal Diabetes Manager to have on hand just in case.
Yes, we offer toll-free Insulet Customer Care 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Call us on 0800 011 6132 (number when calling from outside the UK +44 20 3887 1709).
If you are an international customer, please refer to the Customer Care instructions on your country’s website.
To order new Pods, call our Insulet Customer Care Team on 0800 011 6132 (number when calling from outside the UK +44 20 3887 1709) and select the option to place an order from the menu prompts. You can also reorder online through this form.
* The Personal Diabetes Manager needs to be within 1.5 metres of the Personal Diabetes Manager to deliver a programmed bolus. It does not need to be in your proximity to deliver basal throughout the day.
The Pod has a waterproof IPX8 rating for up to 7.6 metres for 60 minutes. The PDM is not waterproof.
Up to 72 hours of insulin delivery.
The sample Pod is non-functioning, needle-free Pod that can be worn for up to 3 days.
Zisser H. Quantifying the impact of a short-term interval interruption of insulin pump therapy infusion sets on glycemic excursions. Diabetes Care. 2008 Feb;31(2)238-239