# Omnipod pod failure - does it happen often?



## Pattidevans (Feb 4, 2022)

Hi - hope some other pod users can answer.

I've only been on the pod since 19 January, so rather new to me.  Yesterday morning I changed the pod.  It seemed fine... I went out for lunch in town and it worked just normally when I had lunch.  I spent the afternoon in town with my friend and didn't get home until 5:45.  At 6:30 a friend who lives abroad phoned on a video call and hubby and I chatted to him until about 8pm.  At that point I went into the kitchen to prepare dinner.  It took longer than expected as it was a mushroom risotto and with all the soaking of the dried  mushrooms, cleaning the fresh ones, chopping and stirring it was gone 9pm when I got it on the table.  I went to bolus and discovered that the PDM wouldn't connect to the pod.  After some switching on and off, and fiddling I rang the helpline who advised me to do this and that and eventually told me to change the pod.  The very helpful guy on the phone said he'd guide me through the process (though I can do it myself by now) but as I saidto him, the insulin was in the fridge and I'd need to get it up to room temp before attempting to fill the syringe or it'd be full of bubbles - I mention here that I find filling the syringe rather stressful as I don't seem to have enough hands or fingers!  So he said to ring back when the insulin was ready.

So I had about 3 or 4 forkfuls of risotto and no insulin.. and that was my dinner.  When I'd warmed the insulin up a bit under my arm and filled the syringe I rang back and a different guy guided me through the process successfully, or so I thought.  I didn't realise at the time that of course if the PDM wasn't talking to the pod, the pod was not deactivated.  By the time all was done it was nearly 11pm and I sat down to watch some TV and try to relax a bit.

At approx 1:30 just as we were about to turn the TV off and go to bed there was this god-awful LOUD alarm that terrified us.  We  ran round trying to switch off the wired in smoke  alarms, inspected the Carbon Monoxide monitor and racked our brains where this terrible screeching was coming from.  Eventually hubby realised it was the discarded pod which I'd put at the bottom of the stairs to take up and put into it's recycling box.  Barely able to think for the appalling racket  I rang tech support again.  Followed a somewhat  ludicrous conversation with a 3rd chap who was telling us to stick a paper-clip or earring back into a hole we couldn't find for the life of us.  It wasn't helping that I could hardly hear him.  Eventually we realised that we had to take the sticky adhesive  layer off and then find the hole - which was anything but obvious.  Finally we got the damn thing silenced.

I'm just wondering whether others have had this and how often do they find pods failing?  It occurred to me that had it happened at lunchtime I'd have been stuck and would have had to go home.... so yes, carry a spare pod, but that means also carrying an insulin vial.  What do others do?  It's made me rather apprehensive and nervous about going out.


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## helli (Feb 4, 2022)

@Pattidevans that all very stressful but I am glad you sorted it. 

I don't use OmniPod so I can't comment o the failure for the PDM to connect, frequency of failed pod s or the horrendous squealing (from the pod, not yourself or your husband).

However, I have _always _been advised to take a back up for insulin with me at all times because pumps can fail. The only time my last pump failed I had no back up and my in-laws thought I was inconsiderate and rude for leaving them mid meal to sort out the thing that was keeping me alive. 
Since then, I try to carry a syringe with me as a back up. I understand from other OmniPodders that you can extract insulin from a removed pod so you do not need to carry a vial with you.
If I am out for longer than a meal and am more than an hour from home, I take a spare pump patch (Medtrum equivalent of a Pod) and my vial of insulin.


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## Lucyr (Feb 4, 2022)

Blimey that all sounds a bit stressful Patti. Is it easier to carry a spare insulin pen when going a fair distance from home? I assume whatever type of pump you’re on you’d carry spare supplies if going more than say an hour from home just in case anything happens to the pump/site?


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## helli (Feb 4, 2022)

Lucyr said:


> Is it easier to carry a spare insulin pen when going a fair distance from home?


I avoid carrying a pen unless away over night as I would end up wasting so much insulin. 
Hence my comment regarding a small syringe which can be used to extract insulin from the pump.


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## Pattidevans (Feb 4, 2022)

Thank you @helli for the info that you can extract the insulin from the failed pod!  In future I'll have a syringe with me, unless I am going further.   In the event if I'd rung hubby he could have been there in 15 mins with supplies as town is quite close to our village.  My old pumps were very unsophisticated but absolutely reliable work horses.  

A pen is also a good idea @Lucyr, though I've not used one for over 8 years - hope I've not forgotten how to!  I always take them on holiday.

I think I was just taken by surprise as the whole thing was so new to me.


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## Lucyr (Feb 4, 2022)

It’s always more difficult when it’s a new situation, even if you are very knowledgeable about diabetes like yourself, the element of surprise / new situation can make it difficult to know what to do! At least it all happened at home and not somewhere unfamiliar or on holiday.


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## Pattidevans (Feb 4, 2022)

Yes, and I wasn't sitting in a cafe at the time!  Ah well... off to a party tonight, given by the local pub to thank it's regulars.  We eat there a fair bit, but it's  only 50 yards from home so I should be OK!


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## nonethewiser (Feb 4, 2022)

Been using Dash version for 3 months, only issue with device so far is battery life.  Used previous version & had sensor failures at start, just put it down to user error as not had many issues since, cant recall last time reported pod if honest.

Had alarm go off maybe twice, was taught how to use paper clip to disable pod when started on system, when changing to Dash rep on webcam mentioned it again but told her already knew technique.

Have pens in reserve so when pod does  fail just inject till its sorted.


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## Inka (Feb 4, 2022)

I don’t use the Omnipod but I often have a pen filled with Humalog in case of site/pump issues. These, of course, always happen at meal times  I try not to waste the insulin if I have a pen cartridge on the go and will just bolus with it occasionally. I then take that pen with me when I’m out and about for more than a couple of hours or so.

I rarely have any issues but once I somehow managed to rip my cannula out on a day’s hike. My Humalog pen kept my blood sugar fine as I injected a half unit or a unit every so often. If I hadn’t had that pen. I’d have been panicking a bit.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Feb 4, 2022)

Sounds like a complete nightmare @Pattidevans, though I confess to a tiny chuckle at the image of you and J running headlong around the house desperately checking *anything* that might be alarming. And then you being unable to hear the guy telling you how to tuen it off because it was too loud 

I‘ll tag-in a few other forum Omnipodders in case they can help?

@stephknits @mark king @m1dnc


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## RTI (Feb 4, 2022)

Pattidevans said:


> Thank you @helli for the info that you can extract the insulin from the failed pod!  In future I'll have a syringe with me, unless I am going further.   In the event if I'd rung hubby he could have been there in 15 mins with supplies as town is quite close to our village.  My old pumps were very unsophisticated but absolutely reliable work horses.
> 
> A pen is also a good idea @Lucyr, though I've not used one for over 8 years - hope I've not forgotten how to!  I always take them on holiday.
> 
> I think I was just taken by surprise as the whole thing was so new to me.


Hi, 
I think you don't need to worry to much about if your pump is going 'offline' for some time. 

You have to remember that the omnipod pump inject humalog-insulin (guess) continously and creating a kind of insulin-depot, which is continously refilled and absorbed by the body. This 'depot' will last ~3-4h before it's slowly going down (like a normal injection) and the glucose will start to rise. 

So for short breaks of 1-3 hours you should not worry to much about it if no exchange pump or pen is available. Except you just wanted to eat and wanted to take a dose for eating. You may have add 0-2u afterwards depending on the lacking basal insulin.  

PS: I am using OMNIPOD with Libre 2.
      My glucose is starting to rise slowly after 3-4h (have tested it for me). I cover the missed basal-insulin with an additional 0-3u depending on the time-gap, etc...

It also happened to me that the Alarm was going off in a restaurant but could switch it off fast with the PDM.


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## trophywench (Feb 4, 2022)

What a ruddy PITA.  You'd have thought they'd have covered that in the training videos you had to do?


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## RTI (Feb 4, 2022)

Not really....Have tested it multiple times by myself over time to look for my limits with a pump. Plus knowledge about fast insulin body absortion, etc....


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## Pattidevans (Feb 5, 2022)

RTI said:


> Not really....Have tested it multiple times by myself over time to look for my limits with a pump. Plus knowledge about fast insulin body absortion, etc....


I think @trophywench was referring to the method of deactivating that horrible loud alarm, not what to do in case of pump failure.  @trophywench I don't remember them covering deactivating the pump if it started that loud alarm - but there was so much to take in I may have forgotten.  J was with me when I did the video conference training with the rep and the nurse and he says he doesn't remember them covering it either.



RTI said:


> You have to remember that the omnipod pump inject humalog-insulin (guess) continously and creating a kind of insulin-depot, which is continously refilled and absorbed by the body. This 'depot' will last ~3-4h before it's slowly going down (like a normal injection) and the glucose will start to rise.



Thanks for that.  Actually I have been pumping for over 8 years, the Dash being my 3rd pump.  It's never been a problem with my previous pumps as they were so very reliable (barring the odd cannula problem).  Also I am on Apidra which doesn't last anywhere near as long as Humalog, which I have used in the past, though not in a pump.  So my calculations  would be different to yours, although I could work them out given the same formula, but I'd have much less than 3 hours of active insulin.  However, the pod was still giving me background insulin, I could see that from Libre 2.  It was just not talking to the PDM to give a mealtime dose, or deactivate.  

I really started the thread as the pump nurse had said to me that lots of people had complained about leakage and failed  pods.... so I wondered  how many others had experienced failures.


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## nonethewiser (Feb 5, 2022)

What did pump nurse mean by leakage, from where?


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## Pattidevans (Feb 5, 2022)

nonethewiser said:


> What did pump nurse mean by leakage, from where?


I didn't really go into it, but I think she meant insulin leaking  out of the pod around the cannula.  I know a member of DSF suffered from that, but it was the older Omnipod rather than the Dash.


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## nonethewiser (Feb 5, 2022)

Pattidevans said:


> I didn't really go into it, but I think she meant insulin leaking  out of the pod around the cannula.  I know a member of DSF suffered from that, but it was the older Omnipod rather than the Dash.



Right thanks, have had couple of leaky cannula's, mainly due to site location, it was on older pods & just knew they were leaking as bg went up for no reason. When it happens usually just check adhesive for wet patch & then rub finger along it & smell it, insulin has smell like no other.


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## Pattidevans (Feb 5, 2022)

nonethewiser said:


> Right thanks, have had couple of leaky cannula's, mainly due to site location, it was on older pods & just knew they were leaking as bg went up for reason. When it happens usually just check adhesive for wet patch & then rub finger along it & smell it, insulin has smell like no other.


Funny, I have completely stopped smelling it!


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## nonethewiser (Feb 5, 2022)

Pattidevans said:


> Funny, I have completely stopped smelling it!


 
Strange, it's not unpleasant smell just unusual. How you finding battery life?


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## m1dnc (Feb 5, 2022)

Ah yes, THAT alarm! It's only happened to me three times in the 18-months or so that I have been podding. The first time I was like you, searching the house from top to bottom for the source. When I realised it was from ME I didn't know how to shut the damn thing up. In the end I put it in a sink full of water while I calmed down and tried to find out how to do it. (BTW see page 123 of the manual for future ref.) And I could still hear it from the bottom of the sink.

The second time I was having supper with some friends in a restaurant, and the poor proprietor was searching his place from top to bottom before he came up and pointed out that it was coming from me. I just pulled it off and borrowed a paperclip from him. I just waited until I got home to replace it and took a correction dose. I kinda thought: think of all the times you've forgotten to bolus.

Oh, the joys of diabetes.


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## Pattidevans (Feb 5, 2022)

nonethewiser said:


> How you finding battery life?


I've been putting it on charge when I go to bed and I noticed that it has between 83% and 90% of it's charge still there.  I tend only to use it when I eat, which is twice a day - unless I put a temp basal on, but not done that since I'vebeen checking the battery life.


m1dnc said:


> Ah yes, THAT alarm! It's only happened to me three times in the 18-months or so that I have been podding. The first time I was like you, searching the house from top to bottom for the source. When I realised it was from ME I didn't know how to shut the damn thing up. In the end I put it in a sink full of water while I calmed down and tried to find out how to do it. (BTW see page 123 of the manual for future ref.) And I could still hear it from the bottom of the sink.
> 
> The second time I was having supper with some friends in a restaurant, and the poor proprietor was searching his place from top to bottom before he came up and pointed out that it was coming from me. I just pulled it off and borrowed a paperclip from him. I just waited until I got home to replace it and took a correction dose. I kinda thought: think of all the times you've forgotten to bolus.
> 
> Oh, the joys of diabetes.


Yes, THAT alarm.  Hubby was suggesting a bucket of water, but I remembered a post about someone putting it in water and that not doing the trick .  Must have been you   OMG! I can imagine the poor restaurateur running around looking for the alarm!

I was too panicked to think of looking in the User Guide DOH!

Yep, diabetes certainly dispenses it's servings of joy!


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## nonethewiser (Feb 5, 2022)

Pattidevans said:


> I've been putting it on charge when I go to bed and I noticed that it has between 83% and 90% of it's charge still there.  I tend only to use it when I eat, which is twice a day - unless I put a temp basal on, but not done that since I'vebeen checking the battery life.
> 
> Yes, THAT alarm.  Hubby was suggesting a bucket of water, but I remembered a post about someone putting it in water and that not doing the trick .  Must have been you   OMG! I can imagine the poor restaurateur running around looking for the alarm!
> 
> ...



Same here, charge at bedtime each night, otherwise device just goes blank when most needed, suppose good thing is you can still use whilst on charge.

Putting pod in water wont silence alarm as they are waterproof, with second alarm hit mine with hammer as couldn't find paperclip & thing was getting on me nerves.


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## RTI (Feb 5, 2022)

Still you should be able to see a message on your PDM and probably dactivate the POD and alarm with your PDM. The same as going to the final end of a pod (72+8h). With the OMNIPOD Dash I never had a leackage of the pod, only ones and it only happens that the pod was not fixed well on the skin and removed the syringe. Another time I got an alarm as the POD was not connected to the PDM (more then 4h, but I may mistaken about it) But I could get back the connection and switch off the alarm without deactivating the pod.
The following short video from OMNIPOD Uk may help for the different alarms on the OMNIPOD Dash system.


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## Bloden (Feb 5, 2022)

nonethewiser said:


> Strange, it's not unpleasant smell just unusual. How you finding battery life?


It smells like the water jars in my school art room, where we used to rinse our paintbrushes during a painting class. Exactly the same.

I hope this is a 1-off @Pattidevans - nightmare!


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## trophywench (Feb 5, 2022)

Curious - very distinctive pong - but I've never minded it.  It seems to dissipate fairly quickly to me.  Pete minds it.  Well tough, mate!


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## Pattidevans (Feb 6, 2022)

RTI said:


> Still you should be able to see a message on your PDM and probably dactivate the POD and alarm with your PDM. The same as going to the final end of a pod (72+8h). With the OMNIPOD Dash I never had a leackage of the pod, only ones and it only happens that the pod was not fixed well on the skin and removed the syringe. Another time I got an alarm as the POD was not connected to the PDM (more then 4h, but I may mistaken about it) But I could get back the connection and switch off the alarm without deactivating the pod.
> The following short video from OMNIPOD Uk may help for the different alarms on the OMNIPOD Dash system.


Sorry @RTI thank you for your post.  I have indeed watched those videos  several times as I did again  after reading your post.  It does not reflect what actually happened.  To be clear I had the message that the PDM was not connecting with the pod.  I followed  all the steps and went about deactivating the pod and then changing to new one... but if you take a pod off without deactivating it you get a totally hideous LOUD alarm. The PDM said it had deactivated the pod... but think about it... they weren't  communicating and therefore the PDM had not deactivated the pod.  As @nonethewiser also experienced it's very hard to silence that alarm.  If you have never experienced it you wouldn't understand.  P123 of the manual does explain.  I was too stressed and somewhat too new to the system to get the manual whilst this hideous noise persisted.


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## m1dnc (Feb 6, 2022)

Yes, @Pattidevans is right. THAT alarm cannot be turned off from the PDM. I don't think it's set-off only by taking the pod off without deactivating it, as it's happened to me when the pod is in situ and previously working normally. I think it's there to tell you that there is something seriously wrong with the pod and the pod and PDM cannot communicate with one another. That's why the alarm emanates from the pod itself and not the PDM. The only way to deactivate it is to remove the pod and initiate the autodestruct sequence with a pin or paperclip.

Thank goodness it only happens very rarely.


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## nonethewiser (Feb 6, 2022)

Bloden said:


> It smells like the water jars in my school art room, where we used to rinse our paintbrushes during a painting class. Exactly the same.
> 
> I hope this is a 1-off @Pattidevans - nightmare!



Your right it does.


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