Omnipod skin issues - solved!

We have struggled for almost two years now with skin issues with DD and the Omnipod, and we have tried everything we can think of to protect Jayden's skin underneath the pod.

Well...necessity is the mother of invention, so the saying goes. We ran out of tough pads, which were our latest attempt at skin protection. So, Jayden decided to try...wait for it, wait for it...

DUCT TAPE!!!

And funnier still? It worked!!! Her skin is beautiful underneath that pod!

Hundreds of dollars spent, when all the while, all we needed was a $4 of tape. :cwds:

 

Oh my gosh!
That is cool and you can get it in cool colors
How you punch a hole in it?

 

we will get our first pump-omnipod this summer...

so I have various questions as we near the date.
Do you mean that you cover the omnipod with tape so it will stay on better?

 

Oh my goodness, explain this! We just switched to the omnipod for the summer, and are ready to give up and go back to her regular MM (which means missed basal while in the water and wrecking havoc on her numbers and swimming time) because of adhesive allergies/sensitive skin. What a smart idea!

 

No, it means that her dd was having a reaction to the adhesive that sticks the pod on. So as a barrier she put duct tape on the skin then put the pod on top of that. Brilliant!

Duct tape is also good for when you get a blister from walking with sandals that rub. And it's holding my car together right now.

 

Okay when Ella and I change her pod tomorrow we are TOTALLY trying this! What a great idea. She'll be so excited

 

Does the canula pop through the duct tape or do you cut an opening? Can you look through the window and see the canula inserted?

 

I half wished that my dd was on the POD, she has been eyeing the leopard print duck tape forever, but have not had a use to buy it!

 

Oh, I'm so happy for you guys! I know how much you've struggled with this, and I'm glad to hear you found a (cheap, even!) solution.

 

pics

That's an awesome idea...
can you post pics so everyone can see how you did it?

 

Please be careful with it. I have psoriasis and have read about "the duct tape therapy", tried it and after 30 minutes developed fever. I repeated it in couple of days - the same. But must admitt - skin looked much better after .

 

To those who asked the questions...we have narrowed down the issue to the little "teeth" on the bottom of the pod that are underneath the adhesive. So Jayden takes a piece of duct tape, puts it on her skin, and then positions the pod over top of the tape, and hangs the end of the pod off the tape. That way, the part where the cannula inserts is not over top of anything but skin. So far, so good on no skin reactions with the tape. We are going to experiment with the different colors and designs of tape, LOL...just because she wants to!

 

I'm sure since you exhausted all possibilities that you tried the cavalon skin barrier wipes? I had the same problem with my daughter and I did try everything or so I thought. After putting a barrier of opsite between the pod and her skin I tried the cavalon and 3 years later it still works.

 

We have tried the OpSite, but she sweats it off! We have duct tape magic going on right now, though, so if it works, we're sticking with it. We were to the point of going back to shots, so this is huge for her!

 

I did stop using the opsite after I discovered the cavalon. It also leaves her skin a bit tacky so it's helps with keeping the pod on. It's a tacky skin barrier

 

My girl and I tried this yesterday with tie-die/splatter painted duct tape pattern. So far, so good. We'll see when we take it off, but no irritation so far.

 

:cwds:
The message must be 10 characters long to post.
Even though all I want to do is show support.

 

I'm happy you finally found something that works. Will you share this with Insulet?

 

Are you talking about the little oval shaped area, near where you fill the pod with insulin? That is the area that was causing the most problem for Melissa, it just really sticks too well to her skin. We put the adhesive remover on before we start to fill the new pod, but it still was a problem. What I have been doing for a while now is to cut an oval shape out of the paper backing that is on the pod, and sticking that back on over the area, so that the area doesn't come into contact with her skin at all. The pod stays on just as well. With her skin, I am afraid to try the duct tape, but I really should try a piece of it just on her arm for a day or so. She still gets irritation where the rest of the pod sits.

 

Please please please explain how you used the duct tape. I am desperate and I have very few places to place pods now. I have to change my pod every day. Please HELP!!!!