Even though the Omnipod 5 System is automating insulin delivery, there may still be times when your patient experiences high or low glucose levels. If glucose levels are higher than usual when starting Omnipod 5, remember these key practices:
Bolus for meals and snacks. If your patient misses bolusing for carbohydrates, Omnipod 5 will increase insulin delivery if it sees a rise in glucose levels, but it may take some time for it to bring glucose back towards Target Glucose.
Give correction boluses when needed. The SmartBolus Calculator suggests correction boluses if it determines that additional insulin (outside of the automated insulin delivery) is needed. Try not to override the suggestions given by the System.
Giving meal and correction boluses when needed will help the System understand your patient's total daily insulin needs and, in turn, update their Adaptive Basal Rate with each Pod change.
Discuss when to bolus for meals with your patient. Delivering insulin 15-20 minutes before eating may help if they are experiencing high glucose levels after meals or snacks.
If they’ve tried this and glucose levels continue to be elevated, consider adjusting your patient's bolus settings. For example, it's common to need changes to Insulin-to-Carb ratios, generally a lowering of the ratio to receive more insulin before meals. Other bolus settings include Target Glucose, Correction Factor, Duration of Insulin Action, and Reverse Correction.
Note: Patients should not change settings without adequate training and guidance from you. Initiating and adjusting settings incorrectly can result in over-delivery or under-delivery of insulin, which could lead to hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. They should always follow your advice and the User Guide provided with the Omnipod 5 System.