I am seriously thinking about upgrading to the 670g. Right now I have a 630g and found out that I must wait until 2023 for a new pump, not 2021 like I thought. What are other people’s feelings on the 670. I have heard that it wasn’t good so I am afraid to make the switch. Should I or shouldn’t I?
I am confused so perhaps I have completely misunderstood your situation. My perhaps mistaken understanding is that while you currently use Medtronic’s 630G pump you also use Dexcom’s G6 CGM.
What benefits are you hoping to reap from upgrading to a newer model of Medtronic pump?
The additional capabilities in Medtronic’s newer pumps are, I think, only available when you also use Medtronic’s CGM. If you use Dexcom’s CGM then I am not aware of any benefit to using the 630G, the 670G, or the recently approved (in the US) 770G. Whichever “smart” algorithm these pumps may be capable of implementing, they are all based on information about your blood glucose derived from a Medtronic CGM system.
It is not my intent to comment in any way on either Dexcom’s or Medtronic’s CGM systems. I am simply pointing out that Medtronic pumps will not natively support any CGM other than a Medtronic CGM.
I am vaguely aware that some folks have come up with open source experimental work-around software. However, I’m not sure if these home brew systems will work with the newer Medtronic pumps. My expectation is that Medtronic has been working very hard to prevent that.
I realize that but I was using the enlit sensor with my 630 and I didn’t like it so I switched back to dexcom as I was using dexcom with my animas vibe. I heard that medtronic has improved their sensor and was thinking of upgrading to the 670. I am getting good control with what I am doing but I was trying to reduce the mental burden of controlling my diabetes. I don’t think the 670 will do that.
I really like the closed loop think even though I can manage my sugars better than the loop can. However I love that I can fall back on it.
I work in a laboratory and often I can’t take out my pump or phone. The loop will correct for me and that’s worth a lot to me.
I gave up on medtronic with enlite sensors. It was too much of a headache. I have not tried the guardian ones though.
If you are using dexcom, the new pump won’t be any different than your current one because it won’t accept data from dexcom.
So if you want to use dexcom you will need to go with tandem or omnipod.
I think Medtronic pumps are really good. My old 523 still works.
However for me it’s all about the sensors and loop control.
You still have to calibrate guardian sensors twice a day. Ugh.
I had 2 a1 c since I got my tandem and dex. 5.9 and 6.0.
That’s something I was never able to get nwithout looping.
My nights are flat lines. My dawn phenomenon is handled awesomely.
It’s not a hands off system by any means but I really like it.
If I could I would use Medtronic pump and dexcom.
I once engineered a dex g4 to work w my 523. It wasn’t looping.
But it was possible to trick the system.
I am using the Guardian Link 3 transmitter/sensor CGM with my 630G. My impression from looking at Medtronic’s web site is that the 670G also uses Guardian Link 3. My feeling is that as a user you are unlikely to experience any difference between Guardian & Enlite.
The sensors are the same size. They insert and tape down pretty much the same way Enlite did. The transmitter is exactly the same in terms of size and usage.
The only ostensible difference that comes to mind is that Guardian is supposed to last for 7 days while Enlite was nominally 6 days. However, over the last several months after 5 days of use I’ve been getting the cryptic error message “SG Value Not Available”. After that the sensor had to be replaced. So I wasn’t always getting that 7’th day anyway. 
I think the 770G also still uses the Guardian 3 CGM if I’m reading the specs on the web site correctly. So I don’t think you’d be happy with either pump. If you weren’t happy with Enlite CGM I wouldn’t expect you to be any happier with Guardian Link 3.
But if you have doubts, talk to Medtronic about it. If my take on the CGM is correct you can ask to demo the CGM the 670G or 770G use with your 630G. Then you’d have a better idea whether or not you’d be happier with the supposedly improved CGM.
The more I read about the 670 the more I am thinking it would be more mental burden than what I am doing now. I have tried the tandem pump but some of my basals are lower than their minimum basal. I will have to wait and see if something better comes along.
670g is the closed loop system.
All I know is what people tell me. They do not like it.
I think closed loop has a tendency to really increase burden, which can come as an unexpected hit because its counter to the marketing. That was my experience.
I have used the 670g since 2017 and will soon be upgraded to the 770g. Upgrading to the 670g is not likely the best move. You better move would be to consider the current medtronic upgrade option to 770g. That costs $700 but you will be refunded $400 when you return you current in warranty pump.
At least that is how it works for the 670g to 770g. I think it is the same for the 630g.
If you can do this i believe the advantage is it will not lengthen you upgrade horizon. As far as insurance is concerned you should still be able to upgrade again on your normal schedule.
Please understand I am not a paid Medtronic representative so you will want to verify this with your Medtronic representative
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Note: 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.
I think Medtronic will call me as I emailed them to let them now that I was interested in upgrading. I will see what my options are but I don’t believe going to the 670 is a good idea.
I would seriously consider Tandem especially since your using Dexcom sensor. There Control IQ technology is really good and they have a proven ability to deliver new features at no cost to the user.
In 2021, they are set to deliver remote bolus from phone and improvements to their Control IQ algorithm.
I was a long time Medtronic user and switch a couple years ago. Very happy.
I need basal rates less than tandem’s minimum basal. I did try the tslim but it was more work than what I have now.
Sorry, I recall that now.
I looked hard at the 670g before I decided to go with Tandem X:2 t-slim & Dexcom g6. Here’s why:
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My 15 year track record with Medtronic is miserable. Their customer service is bad. They are extremely bureaucratic, somewhat onerous when I raised issues like their reservoir fill method being faulty, and they respond slowly to requests.
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Engineering. I think a 5th grader could engineer the pump better. If you compare their sensor installation process to that of Dexcom g6, it’s like night and day. It takes about 1 minute to completely change out the g6, with no fuss. The tape never folds on you like Medtronic does. The 670g is not a compact or light pump; Tandem’s t2:slim is very light and compact. Their pump accepts software upgrades; Medtronic doesn’t, on purpose. They want to sell the ever growing number of upgrades. Since I bought my t2:slim, they downloaded the high-glucose correction software into my pump; it is now almost closed loop. I don’t know how many times it brought my highs down into a decent range without me even knowing it. And it works really hard to keep you from dropping below 80. It’s behavior is as you would expect; you don’t have to go thru 5 steps to input a glucose reading.
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Accuracy and glucose tracking. This is the deal-breaker if what I said before doesn’t do it. I was trying to get Medicare to explain to me WHY they cover the Tandem-g6 combo as DME but not cover the 670g sensor. They couldn’t explain it till they got me to a guy who helped decide that policy. Here is the rationale in a nutshell: The 670g sensors have to be calibrated at least twice a day, else it won’t track. Moreover, Medtronic tells you to check your glucose before any meals and before shooting a bolus. So it doesn’t meet the Medicare standard for being an integral part of the pump. Therefore it’s not qualified as DME which automatically means Medicare doesn’t cover it under Original Medicare B.
The Dexcom g6 DOES qualify as an integral part of the Tandem pump for the same reasons the Medtronic DOES NOT. You don’t need to calibrate two times a day and the readings it gives you are reliable to use for bolusing. Therefore it is an integral part of the Tandem Pump system, which makes it DME.
The more I think about it, it makes me mad that me diabetes team didn’t really give me any options on making the tslim work for me. If medtronic never integrates with dexcom my chances of having a closed loop system is almost impossible. I heard that there are kids on this pump. Why didn’t it work for me! Sorry, just venting a little bit. I heard that they can dilute the insulin or they can give you a smaller concentration like u50.
You can also vary basal schedule. 0.1 for a half hour and 0.0 for a half hour ends up 0.05 for the hour.
I hear about this issue a lot on here. I’m just a little surprised so many have such low insulin needs.
If I only needed 2.4 units for an entire day or less, I would likely not bother with a pump at all.
I would think your prime uses more insulin that it delivers.
I guess I shouldn’t complain so much. I can get between 80-90% in range most days. I just have to do all the work to manage. I have 2 years to see what happens with insulin pumps. Alot can happen in 2 years.
I’m gonna strongly urge you to consider the dilluted insulin route again. Your needs are exceptionally and unusually small. Like, similar to what an infant weighing less than 10 lbs might need (and they’re not put on pumps). I’m afraid that no pump on the market is able to accurately deliver your doses… Not the Tandem, nor Medtronic’s 670, and I highly doubt the 770 or 780 will be different enough to be that accurate either.
I’ve always suspected that most of your confusion and problems you ask about stem from the fact that you’re not actually getting consistent insulin delivery, because the pumps just aren’t that capable. Its why people are so confused when you talk about your insulin being diluted by blood, when blood is the route in which insulin travels… It doesn’t dilute it. I suspect that’s you trying to rationalize poor pump behavior.
I think ANY pump you choose would behave better if you were delivering more volume at a time, because the errors would be less noticable. It will be more confusing at first and you’ll need some help with your pump settings, because you’ll have to learn to increase your dosages. But if you can stick it out for the few weeks it takes to develop a new habit, I really think you’ll appreciate the outcome. Right now, you’re operating the pump in extremes it’s not designed for.
@Timothy I’m pretty you’re just seeing multiple posts from the same person.
You have a 30-day right to refuse the pump. Just call your Endo and tell him/her you are done with the 670g. And put it in writing to Medtronic.
When I spoke with other people on this site everyone was annoyed with the 670. I guess I am getting fed up with my diabetes as most of us can get that way. My control is good but it can get annoying dealing with everything. I know that Medtronic will eventually connect with Dexcom so I just have to keep my sights on that. I think they know how bad their cgms suck. This is totally the right thing for them to do. Let’s just hope that that happens sooner than later.
I was able to use dexcom with my Medtronic pump.
I used a g4 but I think it could work if you know how to solder.
You need to simply solder the 2 connectors on the dexcom that you have put in your arm. To the Medtronic sensor that you have dismantled. Taken off the sensor portion to reveal the 2 wires. Then install the guardian transmitter.
You will need to calibrate every 12 hours though.
I’m not saying it isn’t a lot of work but it is possible to do.
I ran like this for a few months and I got good data.
Then I got very tired of the process.
I assume the g6 will work the same way, but I can’t be sure.
The signal coming off the sensor is just a number of micro amps.
It’s the receiver that translates it into a glucose concentration.
The calibration sets the norm baseline.
If you have patience, soldering skill and time, you can experiment.
Oh and it takes up more space on your arm and you need to tape it.
I used one uv3000 to cover the whole mess. It’s not waterproof on it’s own.
The same Medtronic sensor piece can be reused over and over.
The dex will work as long as it usually does. 20 days or so.