Nick Jonas may be a star in the music world (and a tween heartthrob), but he is also one of the most visible juvenile diabetics today. With a busy and never ending schedule, Nick always has to keep his diabetes in check. To do so, he uses the OmniPod.
Instead of doing shots or wearing a pump, the OmniPod is another alternative in diabetes care that uses the same continuous delivery technology as the pump.
The pump is connected to the body with a cannula that is connected to a tube. The tubing is connected to the actual pump. So, insulin is pumped through the tube, into the cannula and into the body.
The OmniPod, however, is wireless. Instead of insulin being pushed through tubing, there is a pod, with a cannula attached, full of insulin placed somewhere on the body that has fatty tissue (Nick has it under his shirt sleeve on his arm).
The Personal Diabetes Manager (PDM) is the second part of this technology controling how much and when insulin is delivered. It looks like a blackberry, so it is not very noticeable, which makes a lot of people less self-conscious. Another great thing about the OmniPod system is the pod itself is watertight, making it okay to wear in the shower. There is also a glucose meter integrated into the PDM, so your blood sugar readings can be done on the same machine.
The OmniPod seems like a great step forward in diabetes care, and the company, Insulet Corporation, is trying to make diabetes “a smaller part of life.” If Nick Jonas can perform on stage for 3 hours each night with this machine, just think of what you could do. Make sure you talk over the best options for your diabetes care with your doctor.
Check out www.myomnipod.com for information concerning this technology.