(BPT) – Hiking, swimming, traveling – the summer and fall seasons are all about adventure. But for the 7.4 million Americans who require insulin due to diabetes1, being on-the-go can be complicated.
There’s so much to think about when it comes to managing diabetes, from checking blood glucose, to tracking food intake and exercise. Whether traveling on a trip or simply enjoying some outdoor fun, planning around a chronic condition can start to make everything feel like a chore – but, there’s technology out there to simplify life with diabetes.
One example is a tubeless insulin pump, called the Omnipod DASH® System, which is an alternative to traditional insulin delivery methods (such as tubed insulin pumps or multiple daily injections known as MDI). It’s a compact, wearable Pod that’s disposable, discreet, waterproof2 and conveniently provides up to three days of nonstop insulin delivery. And, it’s controlled by a smartphone-like device, which comes with it at no additional cost with your first box of Pods and includes features like a built-in food library and mealtime insulin calculator to simplify mealtime math.
The main benefit of the Omnipod DASH is freedom. Multiple daily injections and tubed insulin pumps can often get in the way of activities. With tubed pumps, people with diabetes need to disconnect them to swim and they can be cumbersome to clip on shorts, a bathing suit or summer dress. Stopping activities to give an insulin injection can also be disruptive.
‘It was a game changer for me when I switched from injections to Omnipod – just having more freedom and flexibility allows me to be more spontaneous,’ said Meg Cremins, Omnipod DASH user, influencer and sponsored spokesperson.
Meg has lived with type 1 diabetes for 22 years. She’s an active runner, marketer, coach, influencer and is in school earning her master’s degree in nutrition. She didn’t always take diabetes that seriously and a health scare in college served as a wakeup call to take better control of her condition.
While Meg doesn’t let diabetes get in the way of her active lifestyle, it influences all aspects of her life and has inspired her to become a dietitian and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) so she can help other people with diabetes.
She says connecting with diabetes peers has really helped her manage the condition and it’s why she started her blog and social media pages. ‘It’s so important to me to be a role model to others with diabetes as I know how isolated I often felt.’
‘Managing diabetes doesn’t have to rule your life, and with technology like Omnipod, it definitely makes it easier,’ said Meg. ‘Tubeless technology allows me to lead my most active life and I wear my Pod proudly so I can educate people as well.’
The good news is people with type 1 and insulin-requiring type 2 diabetes can try Omnipod DASH for free for 30 days – with no commitment.3 It’s available via a pharmacy so there’s no hassle of being locked into long-term contracts like some tubed pumps – and you can pick up your supplies where you pick up your insulin.
The majority of Omnipod DASH users pay less than $50/mo. copay through the pharmacy.4
For more information, visit omnipod.com/FREETRIAL.
1 16. Cefalu WT, Dawes DE, Gavlak G, et al.; Insulin Access and Affordability Working Group. Erratum. Insulin Access and Affordability Working Group: Conclusions and Recommendations. Diabetes Care. 2018;41(8):1831
2 The Pod has a waterproof IP28 rating for up to 25 feet for 60 minutes. The PDM is not waterproof.
3 Terms and conditions available at Omnipod.com. Valid prescription required. For new Pod Therapy patients coming from MDI or tubed pumps only. Free Omnipod DASH trial program is not available to beneficiaries of Medicare, Medicaid or other federal health care programs, or to members of certain commercial health plans. Terms and conditions available at Omnipod.com. Valid prescription required. For new Pod Therapy patients coming from MDI or tubed pumps only. Free Omnipod DASH trial program is not available to beneficiaries of Medicare, Medicaid or other federal health care programs, or to members of certain commercial health plans. Other restrictions may apply.
4 Average calculated based on a consumption of ten (10) Pods per month. 131,049 paid claims between January 1st, 2020 and December 31st, 2020, both for commercial plans and Medicare, were analyzed Actual copay amount depends on patient’s health plan and coverage, they may fluctuate and be higher or lower than the advertised amount on a monthly basis. Source: Data on file.
