Comments on: Who is Diamesco? And Why Should We Care?

By: Melissa

Melissa — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:44:53 +0000

Kliff may be overly optimistic when he says, "With U500...maybe you could wear it for 5 or 7 days." Infection risk is why pumpers who have low insulin requirements must still change an infusion set after 3 days even if a full insulin cartridge lasts them longer. This infection risk is attributable to how insulin interacts with the body's immune system at the level of the skin. Studies in 1989 and 1990 showed that people using insulin containing the preservative m-cresol (aka metacresol) vs the preservative methyl p-hydroxybenzoate in their pumps had a higher risk for infection when all other variables were controlled for, but both preservatives reduced the body's ability to fight infection at infusion sites: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/12/2/153 http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/13/1/71 Leukocytes are the white blood cells that fight infection; when m-cresol interferes with them infection becomes a bigger risk. From my perspective, it would be fantastic if the insulin manufacturers were to consider reformulating the rapid-acting insulins to reduce their effect on the skin at the infusion site.

By: Dennis

Dennis — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 05:01:18 +0000

Big Question? Just need a Pump to deliver Novalog Over nite..to keep Levels Down.. Vs using Levemir and getting up 2 hrs after bed to test and take correction bolus..and yes, have tried various Doses, etc..to no avail.. daytime ave ? 90′s
any suggestions? Thanks

By: ewald christians

ewald christians — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 01:38:31 +0000

I spoke with an OmniPod rep recently about the size issue and she mentioned that one of the main obstacles to smaller pods is the fact that insulin delivery mechanism simply work best with cylindrical containers and that the ones being used in the device now where the smallest they could get to work at the time.

That said, this is one of the most common complaints and Insulet is — according to the rep — listening.

By: camille johnson

camille johnson — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:14:08 +0000

Bottom line: the MOST important “gadget” is the CGM, the Continuous Glucose Monitor — which, of course, most insurance companies won’t cover because they are “still in development” but they really just don’t want to pay for them. A CGM is ESSENTIAL to good control, then — and only then, should one consider a pump.

By: Andy

Andy — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 23:13:34 +0000

I think this is standard procedure. At first you make product and then you slowly make changes… smaller pods, higher concentractions of insulin… This pods seem, like they wouldn’t be good for me… I am on pen now, and I use total of 74 units of insulin a day… I know that with use of pump your total amount goes down, but it seems to me, that I couldn’t use it for 3 days… So I would need more higly concentrated insulin…
Andy

By: JasonJayhawk

JasonJayhawk — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 05:24:22 +0000

As U200 and U500 insulin concentrations become more popular, so will errors in overdosing by simple oversight. I doubt we’ll see anything higher than U100 insulin become mainstream for a very long time because of concerns of overdose.

By: hyip

hyip — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 04:50:16 +0000

I also agree with Michelle and Barbar

By: Doug

Doug — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 01:39:42 +0000

Perhaps what is required is a pump design that holds a small amount of insulin but somehow allows refilling. e.g. like replacing small little batteries, you pop out the near empty 20 unit “battery” and replace it with a new one. Perhaps an insulin manufacturer could premake these??

By: AmyT

AmyT — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:18:29 +0000

Elizabeth,
Who says they aren’t coming out with a smaller pod? That’s exactly what this post is getting at. I’m quite sure a smaller profile is on the short list.

By: elizabeth joy

elizabeth joy — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 19:46:07 +0000

I totally agree with Michelle. I’m on the OmniPod, and I take only about 20 units of Apidra/day. I always end up wasting insulin–Not much, because you only need to fill a pod with 75 units, but still, I’m a total cheapo, and that 15 wasted units gets to me. (I inevitably leave the pod on for more than 3 days, and after 3 days + 8 hours it ends up screaming at me in the middle of the night.) For people like me, the pod’s three times bigger than it needs to be. Why haven’t they come out with OmniPod for smaller adults or children?

Knock-knock, Insulet, you there??