Dexcom G6 with Medtronic 630G

A little over a year ago I was using Medtronic 630G pump with their Guardian 3 system. I was unable to keep my insurance and had to come off all meds because I just couldn’t afford to keep them. In March I had blood work done for the first time since coming off of everything and my A1C was 11. I started back on Novolog and Lantus shots. I convinced my Dr. to do the InPen and put me on the Dexcom G6. That was working out great because I was working from home and didn’t have to worry much about shots because I wasn’t in the office. The time has come to go back to the office (TOMORROW) and last week we decided to put me back on my pump. Unfortunately I can’t have the T:slim because I’m still under warranty with Medtronic, and can’t afford Tandem’s upgrade program. $1000 is too much for me at this time. Maybe next year they’ll have something similar and I can look at finances again. Anyway, is anyone else using Dexcom with Medtronic? I just started back on my pump yesterday.

I have had the Medtronic 630 G for about 18 months. I have used a variety of Medtronic pumps for over 15 years and have been pleased with them. When I got the 630G I started with the Dexcom G5. This past January I transitioned to the Dexcom G6 Other than some occasional long waits for Dexcom delivery and tech call backs I have been very pleased with both. I have been Type 1 for 32 years and have only using Dexcom sensors for 18 months but I would be lost without my sensor.

Glad to know it’s working so well together! I wish they communicated with each other like the Tandem. But I was not happy with the Guardian 3. It seemed to be off a lot and needed calibrating more than I wanted to. I love my G6!

In the near future Medtronic will come out with a pump that will communicate with the G6 according to my Endo. Supposedly the end of the year but no guarantee.

I think new 780 pump is later this year, with a newer Medtronic sensor. After that will be the one with Dexcom/Tidepool integration.

DonR,
That would be AWESOME!!! However, I’m under warranty with this 630G until 2023, so won’t be able to upgrade until then. Which SUCKS!!

EGreen,

It is possible to use the two components separately. Medtronic’s announced plans are as MM1 described above. They are saying in general that it is likely that even with the announced Tidepool integration, it is unlikely that a third party application will be able to be integrated with the Medtronic pump so blood sugars will appear on the pump. I am afraid that to the best of my knowledge that is the official Medtronic thinking.

rick

I am a Medtronic ambassador. My opinions are my own. They did not pay me to say nice things. OK, they sent me a shirt and a cup but even I am more expensive than that.

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Yeesh, I’m kinda gobsmacked. You weren’t taking insulin for all that time??? Glad you’re somehow still here to talk about it :slight_smile:

Yup, me too. I had a brief sojourn with the 670G and the Guardian3 sensors but it about drove me nuts so I stopped trying to make auto mode work and after a while decided if I wasn’t going to use that feature I might as well go back to what I was doing before, since the Dexcom system was superior. I actually went back to using my funky but reliable old Paradigm pump. No integration but I’m currently running a 5.8 A1C.

I use the 630 by Medtronic and the dexcom g5. I have the g6 on order. I have been happy with this setup. I especially like to get continuous readings on my iwatch. I’m not really ready to jump to an integrated automated system. I’m kinda a control freak.

I got very excited by the Tidepool announcement but since then the whole picture keeps getting fuzzier as to what Tidepool integration exactly means to both parties.

Basically this sounds like the app would control the pump using data from the Dexcom sensor, but the sensor and the pump would have no direct communication. I actually think that makes sense anyway. One model for this whole kind of system is to keep the software on an independent platform–your phone–where you can design a much more user-friendly interface and it’s easy to update and install new features, while keeping the mechanical delivery system simple and robust. If I could get my good old Paradigm to work with Tidepool I’d be all set. Unfortunately it’s one firmware version too recent.

At first the idea of having some black box that just does everything and you can stop thinking about it is very attractive, and the big fans of these systems say that’s what they do. But the problem is that “you won’t have to think about it” translates as “you won’t be able to do anything about it anyway” because “automation” means “we locked up all the controls so you can’t touch anything.” Works best for people struggling to get down out of the 8s and 9s, not so much for those already getting low 6s or 5s.

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but have you checked into the Omnipod? I was a part of a study this past year for a DIY project known as LOOP where I used a G6 and an Omnipod and dosed through an iPhone. I liked it so much I am still doing it and recently upgraded to the iPhone SE 2020. I too had the 630 from Medtronic and hated it. Omnipod is seen differently though on insurance so they let me switch before my warranty was up. Great online community for loop. Check out http://wwww.loopdocs.com .

My A1C last time was 5.9. Been under 6 for a year. But this is due to learning so much from folks on this site. Thank you again everyone

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This link is best explanation i’ve found, referencing each component as iCGM, iPUMP and iALGORITHM.

ideally no matter the manufacturer, we could mix and match.

I started back on the 630G yesterday. I’m finding that I’m checking my BGS on my phone with the Dexcom about every 2 hours and having to bolus because evidently they don’t have me set up on the right basal. I’m sure that will be tweaked when they see how much insulin I really do use a day. It’s only been a full 24 hours off of the InPen and Lantus. I am still taking 1000mg of Metformin at night too. I’ll be anxious to see what my A1C is next month since I’ve started back on insulin. I’m going to try not to be disappointed if it’s still high. It’s going to take me a while to reign it back in. I’m just thankful this community exists because I’ve already learned so much more!! Previously I was told I was being referred to an Endo…after the first appointment a Pump and stuff arrived at my house. I had no idea how to go in and program it or anything because it was all done for me instead of teaching me. Now I’m a lot more comfortable!!

Yeagen,
I totally understand! I’m finding myself the same way to the point I’ve lowered the numbers for my alerts. 200 is too high to be getting an alert…and I’m changing my target numbers on there too. I’ve got to try to get this set up the way it used to be. I’m almost sure my trainer has it figured wrong. But, only time will tell with my numbers.

Brad,
I thought about Omnipod. I even reached out to them before agreeing to go back on my 630G, but no one got back to me about the system or if I even had pharmacy benefits for it. I was very disappointed about that too!

With everything that I’ve learned from this community before going back on the pump…I have learned to think for myself. Thankfully my Dr. listens to me, and will pretty much do what I ask for within reason. Although I’d asked to come off the Metformin and she wants me to stay on it. So, I’ll give her that one, since she has given in on so many other things here lately.
Automation was attractive to me when I first started out on the pump…however the Guardian 3 and I have a love/hate relationship. My insurance was already over by the time I ran out of sensors and definitely couldn’t afford to get them. Since I’ve started back on everything I’ve pretty much taken control of what I want to use and how I want to use it. I’m not seeing an endo. My trainer and my PCP work together on everything right now. I asked for a new order after talking with the trainer for Dexcom. I told him I had all the supplies (which I do) to get me started back up. He had me back on it within 48 hours of my request. I can’t complain. I just think they need to tweak my basal rate. But, I’ll convince them with numbers to back me up. I’ve given everyone access to my Clarity reports. We’ll see how they take the informtion and run with it.

They always start you off with very conservative rates because they’re much more apprehensive about lows than highs. I didn’t have a CGM when I transitioned, and the whole adjustable basal-rate thing was new to me, so I was much more dependent on my endo and DBE for setting rates, and they were very slow and incremental about it. I didn’t really get it dialed in until I felt comfortable enough to start tweaking my own settings, maybe a month after I started. Would have been a lot sooner if I’d had a CGM.

I’m still really curious about this. How did you manage to go totally off insulin for so long—close to a year?—and not go into DKA? Are you still producing some endogenous insulin? Hope you don’t mind my asking, it just goes against that “If you don’t have insulin you will DIE” instinct drilled into me after 37 yrs with this thing.

I was able to stay off insulin for so long because I’m not type 1. I’m LADA. By the time I got insurance back and went to a Dr. I feel I was very close to DKA. I had a LOT of the symptoms of it. I also had a very incompetent Dr. I went to at first who originally wasn’t going to prescribe anything to get my numbers back down. She wanted me to see an ENDO to do that. That’s all great, fine and dandy however I knew my body needed insulin. She put me on Metformin 1000mg at bedtime. Nothing else. The symptoms continued and were starting to get worse. When I bitched enough she put me on Lantus - a very SMALL dose compared to what I usually took. I finally got sick of dealing with her and called my old PCP up. They saw me immediately and put me back on Novolog. 10 units before every meal and sliding scale to bolus if needed. That has worked to start getting me much lower on my numbers but I still have a ways to go.
I’ve been having vertigo - thought maybe it was my sugar but my readings were normal. Checked my blood pressure it was normal too. Checked my O2, it was normal too. I waited like 3 days and stayed in the bed (I had fallen from the dizziness). Monday of last week I went to my Dr. and she said I had fluid behind my ears but she wanted me to be checked out and have a CT Scan and all that done so I was forced to go to the ER. I had avoided the ER all weekend only to end up there last Monday. Whatever! They gave me 2 bottles of saline (I was dehydrated) and some baby aspirin and meclazine and something for nausea in my IV. Originally the diagnosis was Peripheral Vertigo. He sent me home with an RX of Meclazine and wanted me to use a walker to help steady myself. Yesterday I went back to see my Dr. as a follow up. She no longer thinks it’s Peripheral Vertigo. She called it paraoxsymal and sent me for Physical Therapy and also referred me to a cardiologist. I went to PT yesterday afternoon at 4pm. At the time they were dong their testing (makiung my head move a lot at my neck) it was discovered that I might have Vertebral Artery Occlusion. I’ve put a message in to my Dr. because I want to discuss that and the treatmetn optons with her. I’m not on a short hiatus from work (she has me off for the next weeis and I didn’t work any last week. So all of this is interesting to say the least.