Unpacking the Shipping Box

A few days ago, an Insulet representative contacted me and informed me that my insurance had approved my OmniPod. I received a box in the mail a few days later. I opened the box with excitement. Inside the box was the Omnipod Insulin Management system packed inside a large leather case. The leather case contained the PDM (Personal Diabetes Manager), 2 pods, a user manual, a quick start guide, and a CD with an interactive training program for the computer. Three boxes of pods (each containing a month supply of pods) an Abbott Freestyle blood glucose meter and a custom case for the PDM were also packaged inside the shipping box.

Leather Case

Inside the Leather Case

Box containing the PDM (Personal Diabetes Manager)

The PDM and 2 pods

One month supply of pods

I spent the evening watching the tutorials on the CD, reading the manual, and setting up the PDM with the settings I would use.  My appointment with Omnipod's CDE was scheduled for a day and half later.  It seemed easy enough that I considered started using it right then.  My common sense prevailed and I decided to wait.

YouTube user cyclicpitcher posted this video documenting his experience unpacking his Omnipod.

2,450 of us

As of June 2007, Insulet reported that there were 2,450 people using the OmniPod. I started using the OmniPod a week ago. I can't believe how the OmniPod has made diabetes a smaller part of my life. No more shots 4+ times a day. No more excusing myself to find a private place for a shot before or after a meal.

I was misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes in April 2005. I started my treatment with pills. Later we learned that I actually had LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults) and that I would eventually need to transition to insulin management. The idea of needles and shots made me cringe. I continued to try and manage blood glucose without insulin. My blood glucose levels became harder and harder to manage.

While on vacation in April 2007, we noticed that my nine-year-old daughter was experiencing familiar symptoms. A trip to the doctor confirmed our fears that she had type 1 diabetes. Our hearts ached as we thought about the challenges she would have to face for the rest of her life. Of all of our children (and we have a bunch!), our nine-year-old daughter is the most sensitive emotionally and physically. She has always abhorred needles and pain. We started on insulin together. I reasoned that if she could do it, I could do it.

My wife is a tremendous help to my daughter and me as she takes care of both of us as well as the rest of our family. She constantly worries about each of us. She learned about the OmniPod when she searched for articles about Nick Jonas (a teenage popstar) after she heard he had been diagnosed with diabetes. She called me very excited one day when she learned about the OmniPod. The past two months have been filled with web searches, email discussions, phone calls, doctor visits, and insurance forms. Last week, the OmniPod starter kit arrived. I met with a CDE for the setup and training a few days later.

We are absolutely impressed with the support and service that Insulet provided to set me up with the OmniPod. Over the next few months, we hope to be able to have my daughter start using the OmniPod as well.

During our research on the OmniPod, I noticed a need for a website that pulled OmniPod information from all over the internet into one place. Insulet has a good website for marketing the OmniPod but it lacks a community to support users of the OmniPod. This blog is intended to gather the experiences of OmniPod users into one place so that we can help each other 'make diabetes a smaller part of our lives.'

Insulet Adds Manufacturing Capacity

Outsourcing-Pharma.com reports that Insulet is increasing the manufacturing capacity by outsourcing the production of the Omnipod to Flextonics...

Recently Insulet announced a new arrangement to outsource the production of its insulin pump to contract engineering firm Flextronics International.

US-based Insulet called in for reinforcements after it was unable to make enough of the insulin devices, called Omnipod, to keep up with market demand.

There are only a few insulin pumps on the market, but the Omnipod device reportedly uses an advanced pump technology and is disposable and wireless, making it, according to some, cheaper and easier to use than competing products.