For most of my life with Type 1 diabetes, using an insulin pump wasn’t part of my everyday routine.
I started with insulin pens and stayed with them for many years. They became so familiar that I hardly thought about using a device to manage something my body couldn’t do on its own.
But over the years, diabetes technology changed, and eventually, so did the way I managed my diabetes.
In 2024, I started using a Medtronic pump. Then in 2025, I switched to Omnipod.
That transition changed more than how I took insulin. It changed how I experienced everyday life with Type 1 diabetes.
The Years With Insulin Pens
For many years, insulin pens were simply part of my normal routine.
I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 17, so I spent a huge part of my life using them. They were familiar, straightforward, and always part of the things I had to remember when I left the house.
Life had a certain rhythm with pens. I had to carry my insulin, think about meals, calculate doses, and make sure I had what I needed wherever I was going.
Over time, I became very comfortable managing diabetes this way. It wasn’t always easy, but it was what I knew.
Looking back, it’s interesting to think about how much technology has changed since those early years, and how different my daily routine would eventually become.
Switching From Insulin Pens to a Medtronic Pump
In 2024, I decided to switch from insulin pens to a Medtronic insulin pump.
The biggest reason was motherhood.
After having my baby, my days were no longer predictable. I was constantly taking care of him, and I couldn’t always sit down and eat right after taking my insulin.
With insulin pens, I was used to taking insulin around mealtimes. But with a baby to care for, there were plenty of moments when I would take my insulin and then suddenly have to stop because the baby needed me.
I needed something with a little more flexibility, and that was easier to manage while I was taking care of my baby.
That’s what made an insulin pump appealing to me. Medtronic gave me a different way to manage my insulin that felt more practical for the stage of life I was in.
It wasn’t about finding a perfect diabetes device. I was simply looking for something that could fit better into my life as a new mom.
After so many years of using insulin pens, switching to a pump was definitely an adjustment. But it also made me realize how much diabetes technology could change the everyday experience of living with Type 1 diabetes.
Why I Switched From Medtronic to Omnipod
By 2025, my son was getting older and much more active. He was moving around, exploring everything, and of course, my Medtronic tubing became something he wanted to pull and play with.
I quickly realized that having tubing attached to me wasn’t the easiest setup for life with an active toddler.
That’s when I decided to make another change and switch to Omnipod.
The biggest thing I liked about Omnipod was simple: it’s tubeless.
Another thing I really liked was being able to manage my Omnipod 5 using the app on my compatible smartphone. With my Medtronic pump, I was used to having a separate device with me to manage my insulin. With Omnipod 5, being able to use my phone made the setup feel more convenient and less like I had to carry another diabetes device around.
Between the tubeless design and being able to use my phone, Omnipod felt much better suited to my everyday life with a young child.
Not having tubing made a noticeable difference in my everyday life, especially while chasing after a little one. I didn’t have to worry about my son grabbing the tubing while I was carrying him or playing with him.
After years of insulin pens and then my experience with Medtronic, Omnipod felt like a much better fit for the stage of life I was in.
It wasn’t necessarily about finding the “best” diabetes technology. It was about finding what worked best for me at that particular point in my life.
If you’re curious about Omnipod 5, you can learn more about the system and how it works on the official Omnipod website.
Why I Stayed With Insulin Pens for So Long
One thing I don’t want to leave out is why I stayed with insulin pens for so many years.
It wasn’t because I didn’t know insulin pumps existed or didn’t want to try one. Insurance was a big factor.
For a long time, using insulin pens was simply the option that worked within my insurance coverage. So I continued with what I had and learned to manage my diabetes that way.
Looking back, it’s interesting to see how my diabetes technology journey wasn’t just about what was available. It was also about what was accessible to me at different points in my life.
Eventually, when circumstances changed, I was able to try an insulin pump, and that opened the door to a completely different experience.
What Changed for Me With Omnipod
Switching to Omnipod wasn’t just another change in the way I took insulin. It changed how I felt about wearing an insulin pump during everyday life.
The tubeless design was the biggest difference for me. With a young child, I appreciated not having tubing that could get pulled or caught while I was carrying him, playing with him, or simply moving around the house.
After spending so many years using insulin pens and then experiencing life with a tubed pump, I realized how much the little things matter when you’re managing Type 1 diabetes every day.
What works for one person may not work for another. For me, Omnipod happened to fit the life I was living at that time.
My diabetes technology journey has really been a process of figuring out what fits each chapter of my life.
Nearly Two Decades of Diabetes Technology
When I look back at my Type 1 diabetes journey, it’s interesting to see how much has changed.
I started with insulin pens and used them for many years, partly because of what my insurance allowed. Then motherhood gave me a reason to look for a different way of managing insulin, which led me to Medtronic in 2024.
A year later, life with an increasingly active toddler made me realize that tubing wasn’t working well for me anymore. That’s when I switched to Omnipod.
None of these changes happened because I suddenly had diabetes figured out. They happened because my life changed, and I needed my diabetes management to change with it.
After nearly two decades of living with Type 1 diabetes, that’s probably one of the biggest things I’ve learned: there isn’t necessarily one perfect way to manage diabetes for your entire life.
Different seasons can require different tools, routines, and approaches.
For me, the journey from insulin pens to Medtronic to Omnipod has been less about the devices themselves and more about finding ways to make diabetes fit into the life I’m actually living.
A Note from Lady Clay
Everything shared on Lady Clay is based on my personal experience and is intended for general informational purposes only. It is not medical advice or a recommendation for any specific diabetes device, insulin pump, or treatment. Diabetes technology and insurance coverage vary from person to person, so please speak with your healthcare team and insurance provider about what may be appropriate for you.