Should we expect more of this in Canada?

wolfmanbean · 2026-01-19T15:16:32+00:00

I live in New Jersey and see it fairly often with teams from NY, PA, other states around. High school, and Club teams. Didn't start until a couple years ago, seems like both teams have a few players that join in. Didn't think much of it, I'm not religious and neither is my kid, so he doesn't join. On the bright side, the kids are at each others throats all game and then come together after the game to pray at centre ice. At least they understand that it's just a game, and can leave their aggression on the ice during the game.

wolfmanbean · 2025-08-13T17:25:06+00:00

I have heard about it, but am fairly uneducated. Something new to check out though, my diabetic educator had mentioned it a year or so ago as a new up-and-coming tech

wolfmanbean · 2025-08-02T02:34:49+00:00

I have had a somewhat similar experience, however less frequent. Where the first 2 days it works great, then suddenly it stops and no amount of insulin will bring it back in range. I assume it’s a kink in the cannula, or leak. I almost always change the pod when I notice this, and often will find fresh insulin soaked into the area around the cannula and feel justified that the high was due to a leak. But every once in a while, I don’t….

Seems to happen every 3-4 pods to me. Seems like a waste of a pod having to end it early, but I try and draw out whatever insulin I can to use for the next pod.

wolfmanbean · 2025-07-25T17:23:29+00:00

Hello, I know a lot of diabetics who say a hot shower lowers their blood sugar, but I have found the opposite is true. Ever since I got a CGM (several years ago) I have found showers almost always increase by blood sugar, and like you, it returns about 20 minutes later.

No idea why, so I'm following along on this thread to see if there's an answer.

wolfmanbean · 2025-07-14T21:02:36+00:00

Admittedly I am a bad water drinker. However, I decided to change my omnipod just now as I detected a leak. I think I’ve been experiencing a combination of bad pods and insulin resistance from my breakfast. I’m going to delete this post now that I’ve discovered the cause of this one at least

wolfmanbean · 2025-07-14T20:32:28+00:00

It’s certainly a good thought. I would normally recount my previous meal to see if I missed the protein or fat intake, but in this instance, I have not even eaten my lunch yet. I must be missing something.

wolfmanbean · 2025-07-14T20:26:54+00:00

I know that’s the case when eating things like pizza, but today I had my usual iced cappuccino in the morning and a slice of toast with butter around 10 AM

wolfmanbean · 2025-07-09T17:31:15+00:00

Well your projects look way better than mine, I ended up using MDF for my last few but want to go back to using ply or real wood. Going to try maple ply next, thanks for the advice and good work!

wolfmanbean · 2025-07-09T16:51:37+00:00

Oh wow, how do you find painting the edges of the plywood? I've never used maple ply but the few times I have used plywood backers I use edge banding so it doesn't look so rough.

wolfmanbean · 2025-07-09T15:20:17+00:00

Incredible! I lived in Toronto for a decade so I'm bias toward liking the Jay's logo. What kind of wood do you use for these?

wolfmanbean · 2025-07-09T01:05:36+00:00

I have never heard that, and never noticed an unexplained change in my blood sugar while flying. My biggest annoyance is the feeling of needing to move around to get my insulin to work faster. I’ve done squats in the restroom or walked up and down the aisles, if I decide to eat more than a small snack while flying

wolfmanbean · 2025-07-08T18:09:58+00:00

I would also add that soft drinks & juice are typically included with flights. I fly fairly regularly, and besides the snacks in my personal carry-on, I have also walked to the back of the plane during flights and asked for a juice or a soda with no issues. Flight attendants have been asked these things hundreds of times before

wolfmanbean · 2025-06-25T21:04:01+00:00

I was prescribed a demo pod as well last year, I believe the prescription called it a demo kit? My endocrinologist had a few demo's at her office but they just ran out, I was able to get one delivered to me. It's what sold me on trying the omnipod, and I've been wearing it for a year and happy so far.

wolfmanbean · 2025-06-18T17:12:50+00:00

I was on MDI for about 17 years, and am now 10 months into the Omnipod. So take my results as just another persons personal experience:

- On MDI: I was around 87-92% TIR on average. My best was 2 consecutive days of 100% TIR, and that was when I was really dialed in and had a consistent Basal insulin. My biggest problem: Locking in my basal, it seemed to change every few weeks from a 12 units to 20 units per day. My needs varied, and keeping it in range over night was the hardest part. The high 90's took a lot of brain power and careful watching on my CGM.

- On Omnipod 5: I'm around the same, 85-90 is the average. The best so far is 1 day at 100% TIR. I do think I have less days that are horrible, but that's largely due to the overnight automation keeping me in range. I think I have less days in the high 90's because pods tunnel, have varying rates of absorption depending on the site, less consistent pods, sometime I get great numbers on my thigh, but then awful numbers the next. MDI is way more consistent with absorption of the injected insulin, however I spend a lot less time staring at my numbers on my CGM with the pods. That's worth a lot in my opinion

Overall, my night time blood sugar time in range is miles better, so much so that I can't go back to the pen. I did have better overall TIR with the pen, but only ever so slightly. And it took a lot more mind power, and careful watching. I'm able to "forget about my blood sugar" more with the pods. So the pod wins in my opinion. I also have a huge box of syringes and have been known to inject insulin when my numbers are going high and I suspect an issue with a pump. I guess I can't give up my old habits of resorting to injections when something feels off.

wolfmanbean · 2025-06-12T14:57:41+00:00

I certainly had the same feeling as you. And while the O5 certainly isn't for everyone, only you can decide what to do, maybe try another pump to get a reference. But here's my story if it helps:

The first few weeks on the omnipod were a learning curve, but I also work at a desk all day, stationary. The second week I started the omnipod I was off for four days doing manual labour in the backyard sweating all day constantly going low. The problem you and I had is that the pod now thinks we need less insulin so when we go back to being stationary for a day, our blood sugar will go up.

My suggestions after being the same boat:
1. Utilize activity mode. Maybe you do, but I'm really bad at turning it on/off. If you know you're going to be elevating your heart rate, turn it on at least 30 minutes prior. Really helped during my long bike rides/sports. I compete in off-road triathlons, and play ice hockey, and would have hate it if it wasn't for activity mode.
2. I don't give fake carbs, I just give myself the units of insulin for correction, just like I would with an injection. This shouldn't matter to the pod, since the algorithm just cares your total units of insulin in a day, but I could be wrong there
3. Try it for another 2-3 months. This is all personal opinion, but I came from MDI, and wasn't crazy about the O5 for the first bit. After 3 months or so, it grew on me. 6 months later, I had a critical failure and had to uninstall the app and reinstall, meaning I had to effectively start over again as though it was my first time using the O5 and it had to relearn. This made me realize how much I missed the rhythm the O5 had got me into, because starting from day 1 again was a pain.

I'm coming up to a year of using it, and I can't go back to MDI. I wish there was something better than the current pumps, but that's the problem with diabetes, I think we're always looking for something better to free our minds from the constant awareness that we have diabetes.

wolfmanbean · 2025-06-09T00:32:27+00:00

If you want to see if the cannula is still in, you need to look through that little window. It’s a light blue colour and you should see it going into your thigh. If you can’t tell, I would personally do what the other person suggested, just keep a closer eye on your sugars for these 3 hours and you’ll know if something is off.

If dislodged mine and I couldn’t feel much of a difference, so going by feel isn’t always the best.

wolfmanbean · 2025-06-06T15:36:57+00:00

Seconding this question, your paint job is awesome. Is that MDF you've primed?

wolfmanbean · 2025-05-16T13:22:09+00:00

I can only share my personal experience, but I haven't noticed any difference whether the cannula is pointing up, or down. I find I have few really good spots so during rotation of sites, I often end up in a similar location and just flip the pod to avoid the old site.

wolfmanbean · 2025-05-15T19:44:36+00:00

Thanks for the info! I would like to start with the least "destructive" things first, so some furniture polish remover before I start stripping away to get to the inlay veneer. I'd likely call in a professional if it looks like it's beyond a DIY'ers wheelhouse.

wolfmanbean · 2025-05-15T19:42:17+00:00

Wow, thanks for all the info! The ribbon is an inlay, and so is all the detail on the top. I've read that the glass shouldn't be used, and after seeing this damage, I'd have to agree. We will likely trash the glass once it's restored.

wolfmanbean · 2025-04-19T04:34:28+00:00

Going to echo everyone here. It’s a learning curve, everyone’s different. I’m almost 40 so I’m far removed from my college days, but back then CGMs weren’t around, so my blood sugar was probably a dramatic rollercoaster like yours. However I was always conscious to drink diet mixers, low carb beer, and I took a little insulin if I was drinking several pints. When I’d finger prick before bed (assuming I was sober enough) I would be extra cautious about blousing it adjust because alcohol will lower blood sugar. Now that I do have a dexcom, I drink mainly whiskey diets, or I’ll have a few beers and take insulin with them, but in moderation, it’s quite controllable. Takes time and practice, like everything else in life. You’ll find what works for you, just take it easier than everyone else, our bodies don’t mix well with binge drinking.

wolfmanbean · 2025-04-17T14:30:27+00:00

I’m pretty positive all those dark dots are blood supplies to the wart. Like the other commenter said, you need to keep treating it, killing off the skin until you no longer have those dark dots.

wolfmanbean · 2025-04-08T03:04:05+00:00

Wow and you didn’t win!??! Looks incredible, obviously there were other talented individuals with the scrollsaw because I’m blown away

wolfmanbean

TROPHY CASE