FWIW, I was against getting a 670, but I got one a week or two ago and I really, actually like it! No worries about occlusion alarms, same familiar and my favorite reservoir style. I can do site changes in 2-2.5 minutes. No exposed needles when filling the reservoir (Tandem, are u listening?). No goofy luer-lock style fitting on the tubing, not far from the pump. Also, I won’t trust a pump to deliver insulin based on sensor tech in it’s current form. I want even more dependability than my usually-dependable G5’s. Therefore, the fact that I use Dexcom CGM’s and a Medtronic pump I’m not put off by the need to have a receiver (or just use my phone). I actually use the receiver AND my phone, running xDrip. And a watch.
So I’m pleasantly surprised that I don’t want to return it within 30 days because it isn’t working out for me. It works great.
The only people having problems with occlusions with the Tabdem pump are the one’s who don’t follow the instructions correctly when filling the cartridge, and are using the cartridge past the 3 day limit Tandem has set. I’ve had the X2 for years now and have never had an occlusion alarm.
I went from 24 units a day to 27 now (which doesn’t sound like a ton, but for whatever reason felt like it! lol), and decreased my humalog life time from 3 hours to 2.5, because that seemed to work better for treating highs even if not accurate for how long they say humalog stays in you.
Anyway, I’ve been doing much much better with the tslim in the past 20 days since I wrote this post. I had increased basals during certain times a little more, and got a bit more careful with the fill process, choosing my site location, and changing it before it’s too late. Knock on wood, but I haven’t had any unexplained weirdness lately, and I’m glad I stuck through the initial pains.
The reservoir fill process is quite frankly stupid AF, and I think Medtronic’s plunge reservoir is better than the weird bag in Tandem. But I do like this pump now, and I absolutely love Basal IQ, integration with the Dexcom—G6 is the best thing ever for me—and I’m really looking forward to the control IQ hopefully at the end of the year.
I think the main reason for me wanting to go with the tslim was that it was a touchscreen and it is rechargable and it’s updatability. I have read that medtronic is going to design a new pump that can connect to other cgms, and it can be updated as well (If you search Tidepool Medtronic Loop it should have that information in there) so that the diabetic can choose the system that works best for them. I think I can wait if I have to. Medtronic being the insulin pump giant build robust pumps that the clip doesn’t break, no occlusion alarms, and cartridge fills take just minutes. The new pump is going to be a 780 that can connect to a dexcom g6. Very exciting news. I think that the tslim probably isn’t cracked up to what I thought it was and I am totally okay with it. I at first had my heart set on it, now I don’t think so.
I too was thinking of going a Tandem when I am eligible in 2021 but that is a year from now and alot can happen with medtronic the insulin pump giant. I think I will stay with what I am familiar with and see what happens. I have the 630g and I use a dexcom g5. When me dtronic designs their new pump it will connect to a dexcom g6 and it will also be able to be updated at home so users won’t have to purchase a new pump. If you search Tidepool and Medtronic inoperable system you can find that information in there. Very exciting news, we just have to wait until that happens.
If you mean the 780 then, NO. It has already been stated by Tidepool that the 780 is not going to integrate with Tidepool.
The Medtronic / Tidepool integratation is for a yet to be developed pump.
IMHO that is not a lot of time. Pumps take years to develop and bring to market.
But as far as I can see, no actual timeframes for a system that can be used including FDA approval estimates as I believe both Medtronic and Tidepool are talking about a completely FDA approved system as opposed to a DIY approach.
At the end of the day that is what is most important.
It is great that YOU have choices so YOU can decide what is most important for YOU.
Yeah, something like that. In development.
Thanks for the feedback, glad it is working better now.
I wonder if running a bit higher basal is good, with basal-iq, which can shut off basal when needed.
Two caveats:
First is people who are generally prone to the thinking that if a little is good than more is better. The reality is Basal-IQ can only handle so much. Somebody cranks their basal up and yeah - they are going low. Basal-IQ or no Basal-IQ.
Second is people who get confused and think Basal-IQ is some sort of artificial pancreas or closed loop or whatever. It is what it is. Basal-IQ requires a basal rate which is properly set for the individual in order to function optimally.
That being said, yeah, somebody might find a bit higher basal to really work well with Basal-IQ as @MM1 says.
I did not notice an increase in my basal rates when I switched from Minimed/Medtronic a few years back and everything stayed the same when I switched from the t:slim to the X2.
And while Medtronic talked long and hard to get me on board with the 670g, I went with the Tandem X2 IQ because I wanted easy. After all these years, I want to think less about my diabetes not more. And I have meet and talked with many using the new Medtronic pump and some are having great success. But everyone one of them said it was a lot of work. A lot! I don’t want more work. But that being said after a good 6 months or so, they had it working well and overnight numbers were great!
I just want easy. I just plugged in my current settings into the new pump and went about my life. It has been so darn easy! And when I think about how little I think about my diabetes, I break out in a huge smile. I completely trust the system and I did worry about how accurate the G6 was going to be, but I have had no problems. None! No scary lows out of no where. And my urgent lows are almost completely gone. They would be completely gone if I would pay attention sooner to an alarm.
I know everyone wants different things from their pumps and what pump I like might not work for you. But I will say I have called Tandem once with my new system and it was a sensor that lost connection. The pump told me to call Tandem, I did and had a new sensor the next day. So in almost a year now, that was my only “problem”. Love my pump and hope you can find the right on!
Jason- Just because you happen not to get occlusion alarms doesn’t mean that all of us who get them are doing things “wrong.”
I have had a few occlusions, and I would say that almost everyone was MY fault, or the 30 degree angled sets that do NOT work for me!
I have no problems with the pump giving occlusion alarms, and follow Tandem’s instructions. You admittedly use your cartridges past the 3 days limit that Tandem has put forth. You’re having issues with occlusions, I am not. Can’t really argue with facts, I’m sure you will.
Please be aware that using a sensor for the first time is often accompanied by frustration about BG control. This might be more about the sensor than the pump.
I am not going to get into an extended argument with you but I will clarify my history with occlusion alarms. Mine are not related to how long I have used a cartridge but rather to how much insulin is in the cartridge. I never have occlusion alarms with more than 120 units in the cartridge. If I filled a cartridge to 300 units and threw it away a week later at 150 units, I would never have an occlusion alarms. When I do the minimum fill of 100-120 units, I get occlusion alarms on Days 2 or 3 of the cartridge.
In my opinion there is some difference from pump to pump on sensitivity to occlusion alarms. Some people can carry case-less pumps in their pockets and never get occlusion alarms. I can’t and therefore don’t carry my pump in my pocket although that is my preference. Some people’s occlusion alarms are solved by switching to TruSteel sets. I get them at the same frequency with TruSteel as with VariSoft. Some people get a replacement pump and never have another occlusion alarm. Actually I had one pump that never had a single occlusion alarm despite being carried in my pocket with no case. Unfortunately it had a defective T-Button.
My TDD of insulin is quite low (<20) and that may also be a factor.
I am pleased that you do not get occlusion alarms, but your version of the “facts” may not be the whole story.
Why don’t you get Tandem to send you another pump?
I remember you going over this in the past, and it seems like you have the worst case I have seen about having issues when running low.
Btw, I will run mine down to ZERO without occlusions. Never had a real issue with the amount in there.
I did fast charge my pump with a low amount in it, and it got warm. That caused occlusions.
Same. I prefer to change in advance of zero. So we don’t hit zero. lol.
But sometimes we don’t get right to it and it hits zero insulin left.
And we do not have issues with occlusions.
Note that we use Fiasp but no idea if that matters or not in terms of occlusions.
Also we try VERY hard to not go past 3 days with an infusion set.
I am running Fiasp, Again. And still no issues. I ran it to zero just the other day.
I often run my below the low warning of 20 units. And do not have any issues. Either with Novolog or Fiasp.
I will let my infusion set go 3.5 days sometimes, depending on how it is going. Mainly because with Fiasp I am buying it out of pocket, and don’t want to waste any more than necessary.
Oh nice to hear about Fiasp! My doctor gave me a sample vial and I was looking up what others had to say about it in the x2, but several said their BG would run higher after a day like it stopped absorbing. This kind of scared me off trying.
Have used Fiasp in shots to bring down a stubborn high faster. It’s amazing.
Best control I ever had was many years ago with Apidra (and using very old version of Medtronic CGM lol). Then my insurance decided they’d only cover humalog. >:|
My suggestion is just try it.
If it works then great.
If it doesn’t work then you know and go back to whatever you are using now.
We find the Fiasp in conjunction with the Basal-IQ running on the X2 works really good for us.
Although if your insurance only covers Humalog than you may not be able to get easy approval on the Fiasp. Our insurance had already switched us over to Novolog and did not appear to care if we wanted Fiasp instead of the Novolog.