Living with Diabetes and Lapband

As I said in my reintroduction post, I’ve been through a bunch of pumps.

2 different Animas

3 different Medtronics

Omnipod Dash - using both their mode and PDM and looping using my iPhone.

now Omnipod 5

Yes, I’m probably Type 2, maybe with a bunded out panacreas, but I also have a binge eathing disorder.  I haven’t talked about it much, mostly because of the guilt associated it with it.

But I’ve had an A1C under 7:0 most of my diabetic life, and I attribute that to pumping.  There is no medication — except maybe the new GLP-1s that could handle that.

Nothing satisfies what cause me to binge than high carb items.  I try protein but at those quantities, I still needed insulin.

Pumping was the easiest solution.  The key is to get the ratios correct so you aren’t eating to the insulin.  it does result in weight gain.  But binging does.

I went to the Omnipod 5 back in March, even though it wasn’t approved by the FDA —most of my pumps have not been approved for Type 2.  It is approved though as of end of August 2024.  There were two reasons I went to the Omnipod 5 — nighttime lows and fights between the looping developers.  Both my endocrinologist and I more comfortable with an FDA approved solultion.  

I left Medtronic, as I got a pump that was advised to be the first artificial pancreas but they woudn’t give me the model I purchased because I was a Type 2.  Before that, I had an endo who would prescribe off label, but he retired.  He probably would have fough for it.  

I had been hesitant to go to the Omnipod Dash, even though it was approved for Type 2, because I had heard so many issues with the adhesive.  I really haven’t had issues though, and it is actually easier to do the Omnipod than an insertion set.  I have a severa needle phobia and a lot of the insertions sets triggered that.

I am in the process of transitition from the Dexcom G6 to the Dexcom G7 — I had worn that G7 for about a year without issues, but had to go back to the Dexcom G6 when I went to the Omnipod 5.  I’m on my third pod and I do have a Dexcom G6 sensor and transmitter just in case.  The transmitter expires in two week, so there is that.

I did have some issues with the first box and three of the pods had to be replaced.  They weren’t connecting to the system.

I have been able to get Omnipod 5 G6/G7 pods from Amazon Pharmacy. 

I’m using Lyumjev with the Omnipod, which burns the first three or four boluses, but gets better pretty quickly.  I don’t notice it with basal doses.  I had the same issue with Fiasp.  I haven’t noticed any burning with Novolog, but my insurance doesn’t cover it, and I haven’t wanted to go to Humalog.