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Onto The Street Blog

Running On 5

David Kliff, co-founder and CEO of The Diabetes Way has been using Insulet's new Omnipod 5 insulin pump system. Read his candid review and the impact the system is having on his diabetes management. As they say, sometimes silence is golden! 
-Click on David's name at the top to read more of his posts-

Running on 5

Every once and awhile, a new piece of technology comes along that changes diabetes management. Yes, there are a plethora of diabetes "toys" we test out- while some remain "just toys", others like Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) for example become transformative.

For the past few weeks I have been using Insulet's new Omnipod 5 insulin pump system. This is the latest hybrid closed loop insulin delivery system to hit the market. The best and most simple way to describe hybrid closed loop, is that the system now does much of the diabetes work I used to do. 

OPTIONS

Now before I go any further let me state there are two other hybrid systems available on the market today,  the Control IQ from Tandem and the 780G developed by Medtronic. Although I have not used either system, word on the street is that Control IQ is getting rave reviews from users while the Medtronic system less so. Without an abundance of useless technical jargon, the biggest difference between the Omnipod 5 and the other two options is that the Omnipod system is tubeless.

SOUNDS OF SILENCE

The first and most noticeable difference between my new 5 system and my previous Omniod Dash version, is the lack of alarms. I became so used to my CGM alarming – telling me I was high or worse going low – they just became part of my daily life. This lack of noise was astonishing as I literally kept checking my phone to make sure I was in range. I wasn’t used to such silence.

Even better, since starting the 5, I have had just two- yes just TWO- treatable and mild hypoglycemic events. This for any person with Type 1 diabetes is pretty amazing- and for me in particular just crazy wonderful.

I have never been that worried about when I am high, as I can adjust for that as needed, lows however, are different, and in severe cases they can even be life threatening.

The fact that this system can detect and prevent lows has made me more aggressive in managing my diabetes. 

ALIEN OR INSULIN PUMP?

Want more good news, the system learns. Simply put, the longer I use it the better it gets to
know me and therefore adjusts how it doses insulin to meet my needs.  Again, without getting overly technical, the insulin dosing algorithm is somewhat like a supercomputer. This might date me a little but in the movie War Games, the supercomputer named Joshua uses its artificial intelligent to learn, this is what the Omnipod 5 does.

GRADING SCALE

Another neat feature, especially for me as I am now training for my 10th triathlon, is the activity feature which is designed to keep me in range while I exercise. Again while I never worried about highs while working out, lows are another story especially treatable lows. Thanks to this feature my blood sugar levels stay a little above normal while I train. It also helps avoid the post training low- which again is just super awesome.

Now, no system regardless of how advanced or sophisticated is perfect. I wasn’t
expecting perfection. Yet, it is difficult for me to find any major issue with the Omnipod 5 which would prevent me from recommending it to others.

On my grading scale the Omnipod 5 gets an A plus a gold star. 

click here to read more of David's posts



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