Arden's Day is the Wego Health 2011 Health Activist Award winner!

So excited... I'll post more later when my heart stops beating so fast.

What a wonderful surprise it was to be chosen from among so many deserving and wonderfully written health blogs. A day after learning that I won WEGO Health's 2011 Health Activist Award in the 'Advocating for Another' category, well,  I'm still a bit in shock. 

WEGO Health houses an amazing collection of communities and blogs about a sweeping range of medical issues. It's members offer advice and support to countless people that need it. If you or someone that you know is living with a medical condition and looking for community, I strongly suggest that you click on this link and see if there is a group tailored to your specific need - I bet that there is.

I want to thank WEGO, the independent judges and the type I diabetes community for embracing what I'm trying to do with this website. It was a genuine honor to be named as the winner in such a broad and powerful community of people. I'm proud of this site and the words that you'll find on it. Moreover, I'm happy beyond words that it helps people. Thank you all very much!

FDA clears Freestyle test strips for use with OmniPod

 

"The FDA has notified the company that the new Abbott Freestyle test strip has been cleared for use with the OmniPod," Insulet confirmed in an email to MassDevice. "The companies are in the midst of updating the product label and will be communicating with customers once that has been completed, hopefully next week."

It's official, after more then a year and I can only imagine how much cost to taxpayers, the FDA finally has said that we can use Abbott's butterfly test strips in our OmniPod PDMs.

I'm not all that excited and am about to be a bit snarky about this announcement because I figured this out over a year ago for free and it only took me two days.

I completely understand and support that medical devices, equipment and the like need to be safe, accurate and durable but come on - test strips? I asked myself last year, "why would Abbott develop and manufacture a test strip that wouldn't work with their business partner's testing devices". I found the common sense answer to simply be, "of course they wouldn't do that". Then I conducted my own test and began using the strips with Arden's PDM in December of 2010, we have never looked back.

I'd like to congratulate the FDA on once again turning something simple into a train wreck, you guys are nothing if not consistent. Maybe now they'll (FDA) have time to clear Insulet's latest OmniPod design, from what I understand it's being held up because the "documentation can be confusing". To be clear, I've seen the documentation, used the new pods and not only couldn't the documentation be any simpler but it's about 99% the same as the current generation's instructions. In my opinion the new OmniPod design is being held up because of bureaucratic and political BS.

Our representatives in D.C. love to say that business should allowed to thrive but they'll take any chance to stand in it's way. Insulet is not a huge or rich company. They make a wonderful product that every day helps countless people live easier and more healthy lives. I'd very much like to see the FDA give them a chance to make a profit so that their amazing insulin pump can be around until type I diabetes is cured. Hopefully that cure, when discovered, won't be held up by the FDA forever...

I assume that most of you, because of necessity, have already implemented the "new" strips but just in case you were waiting for official word, you can find it here it's entirety.

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Update on 2012-01-12 15:39 by Scott Benner

Insulet has posted a link to updated information.

OmniPod Rash?

If you've ever experienced a rash under your OmniPod, CGM or infusion set adhesive, read on.

Before I begin I need to say that I'm not a doctor and you should never confuse me sharing my experiences with health care advice. Never make adjustments to a care plan without first checking with your physician.

In the summer of 2010 Arden began to develop a rather severe rash under her OmniPod. I was confused because she had been wearing her OmniPod for a rather long time with no issues and it seemed random that she would suddenly have such a reaction. I turned to the internet, called Insulet and was presented with a number of "solutions". My problem with the answer that I was given was that it included buying more stuff and it complicated the pod application process. I really believe that the simple answer is often the best, so I held off on putting the conventional fix into practice and took another shot at diagnosing the issue myself.

Before I could put my thinking cap on I noticed that I was rubbing my finger tips against my thumb and that my finger tips were sore. I looked at them and saw that they were dry and begining to crack. I drifted away from Arden's issue momentarily to wonder about my own and then it hit me - I'm always touching alcohol swabs, that's probably why my fingers are so dry.

That realization led to an epiphany and suddenly I (thought) knew why Arden was developing rashes. At Arden's next pod change and every DexCom and OmniPod application since, I have cleaned Arden's sites with warm water and a clean towel - nothing else. Not only has she never had another rash but her pods don't stick to her like they've been cemented on when it's time for them to be changed (don't worry, they don't come off prematurely).

Turns out for Arden, chemically wiping away the oil that her skin makes naturally and then covering the area with an adhesive strip, wasn't a good idea.

I've shared our process with Arden's endo NP. She wasn't thrilled that I stopped disinfecting Arden's sites before poking a hole into her but she does acknowledge that we may have had to discontinue using Arden's pump without this adjustment. For us it's a calculated risk, you and your doctor can decide if it's the right thing for you to do. I wish you much luck!

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OmniPod Question

Thanks for taking the time to help!

This morning as we were bolusing Arden for breakfast she began to complain that the insulin delivery was painful. It got worse and worse, she was grabbing at her arm and I thought she was going to cry. She begged me to stop the delivery and I did. I immediately decided that I'd change the site right away.

When I removed the pod I saw this.. 

click photo for enlargement

Hopefully you can see in the photo that the pod was compressed too tightly on her arm and in created an impression. We quickly realized that her new pajama top had tighter sleeves then her other tops and that the squeezing caused the issue. I want to be clear that this isn't an OmniPod issue.

My question to the adults out there wearing an OmniPod is this...

Because Arden is seven, sometimes her descriptions of events aren't everything that a young Jessica Fletcher would hope for as she tries to figure out a mystery. If this has every happened to you, can you please try to describing the level of pain that would be associated with this incident. Also, I'm trying to figure out if removing the night shirt and waiting would have alleviated the issue and how accurate Arden's response was to the discomfort. Plus any thing else that your feedback can teach me.

Thank you in advance!

Update on 2011-10-14 19:22 by Scott Benner

via Twitter - from @ Diabeteen:

@ArdensDay hey I've had that problem a couple of times and I understand her pain. It really is a stinging so bad it forces me to change pods

@ArdensDay only happened a couple of times this summer and that's the first time I experienced it. Pushing down helps for insulin delivery,

@ArdensDay but afterwards I change it immediately.

Update on 2011-10-14 19:23 by Scott Benner

via Twitter - from @Sarah_IGTS:

@ArdensDay In essense, yes, it does hurt. The cannula gets pushed deeper and can irritate nerves or muscle tissue. If that happens,...

Update on 2011-10-14 19:24 by Scott Benner

via Twitter - from Sarah_IGTS:

@ArdensDay ... it can feel like you're getting a pretty bad intramuscular flu shot. :-( Hugs to Arden!!

Pictures: OBX 2011

Wild horses, dolphins, Arden's OmniPod, our dog Indy and look for the temporary tattoo that Arden wears when we travel.

Arden making her way into the surf with an OmniPod on her leg.

Visual Record