Upgrading to 770& Guardian sensors. Mistake?

I was thinking about upgrading my 630g that I use with a Dexcom g6 to the 770. Does anyone think it would be a step backwards if I did? I would have to calibrate the sensor, put overtape on it and trust it. I would love a system that integrates a cgm and can update its software and adjusts my basal but at the cost of accuracy it might not be worth it. Suggestions? The Tandem pump didn’t work for me, I tried it. Minimum basal is too high for me.I won’t be able to get a new pump until Feb. 2023.

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So if you’re not eligible for upgrade until 2023, you’d be switching to a 780G; the 770G is meant to be a transitional model that will be upgraded to 780 for free when the latter is released in the US. I don’t know what your problems were with the Tandem, or which model you had. But the 780G is supposed to fix the one thing that made the 670 a failure for me and many others, namely that the target BG for the algorithm was fixed at 120. This resulted in A1C’s in the neighborhood of 6.9 (per their own FAQ), which was no good for those of us with much tighter control than that (though people habitually running >7 generally liked it). The 780 by contrast will allow you to set the target as low as 100, which should make it much more responsive in correcting highs and allow you to achieve results more like those of us who are used to getting high-5/low-6 A1Cs.

Re the Guardian sensor system and all that annoying over-taping crap: that’s also supposed to be done away with in their next version. So yay. I think it’s supposed to also get rid of the 2x/day calibration requirement but don’t quote me on that.

Of course if they really had a sudden attack of sanity they could ditch their kludgy CGM system entirely and just open compatibility with Dexcom. Which they say they’re going to do but what it actually means—will the auto-mode delivery work off of a Dexcom or will you just be able to see your BG numbers but have to run in standard mode—is a question.

This may be another option to consider.

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The 780 isn’t in Canada. If I were to upgrade to the 770 when the 780 gets approved I would get updated to the 780. The tslim basal is too high and fiasp doesn’t work in it. I think I should probably stay with what I have for now.

Dee: I upgraded one week ago and love it. I have been in automode for 1.5 days. This was day one of automode.

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.

It is so strange that some people it works great and for others their control gets worse. I don’t want to jump into something that I might regret. I guess I could always return it but would I get my original pump back? I don’t know. Really scary as it has been since 2018 that I have been doing the same thing with my dexcom and 630 pump.

@Flynn_Simon is knowledgeable about this, Dee.

My personal opinion of the Medtronic CGM tech is that its WAY WORSE than the Dexcom. Accuracy, piston movement, crazy tape requirements… its a 1950s car compared to a Tesla.

When o switched to tandem from Medtronic my control went crazy for 2 or 3 weeks until I was able to change settings and all new basal rates.
Now it’s really good and my a1c is very good.
I assume you will have a similar experience going to Medtronic loop.
You need to stay with it a while till you find your zone.

Until Medtronic addresses that their crappy sensors aren’t working and become operable with other cgms I will probably just keep my 630 and my dexcom g6. Yes, I get woken up through the night and I have to correct highs on my own but it is probably less work as opposed to a guardian cgm. I can get in between 75 to 90% in range. I just really wish they would admit that their cgm isn’t reliable and causes more headaches for diabetics.

Making money!!!

@Dee_Meloche, I am using the 630g and the Dexcom G6, just like you. I have uses that combo for 3 years. In 2022 I intend to get a new 630g, if they are still available. I have good control, and I know that the Guardian CGM has a bad reputation with many users. I will not use the 670 or 770 models. My problem is with scar tissue that has formed with the 75 years I have been a T1D. I need to make my own decisions and not rely on a pump with an unreliable CGM to do it for me.
I have considered the Tandem pump integrated with the Dexcom G6, but I know people who are having trouble with that, too.

I am in Canada and the 780 isn’t here yet but the 770 is. Once the 780 is approved the pump will get updated.The tslim’s minimum basal is too high for me. That is the main reason why I couldn’t use it. I intend on upgrading some time in February 2021. Flynn has me convinced that the guardian sensor isway better than the Enlites . Difference between day and night. If worse comes to worse and the guardian doesn’t work out for me I can always go back to using my dexcom and wait for the improved sensors. As it is I would be waitinguntil 2023 for better software. My 630 g is basically like my Aimas vibe. Same basal pattern but I get different outcomes everyday. My a1cshave always been in the lower 6’s. I would probably use a higher target in the summer months as my sensitivity makes me prone to lows.

There have been a lot of discussions over Dexcom g6 and the Guardian, and by very large majority, people say the g6 is much more accurate. Here’s proof, which I got from a Medicare drug approval department:
To get a pump system covered under Medicare, the pump must NOT require daily calibrations for meals and other actions . Medicare qualified the Tandem with g6 sensor, but not the 770 with Guardian. Why? Because FDA never approved Medtronic’s pump for use without needing calibrations for routine daily activities. The bottom line is the g6 sensor by Dexcom is an integral, inseparable piece of the Tandem self-contained system, and the Guardian is not.

Yes, I realize that the Guardian is not as nice as the dexcom cgm but Medtronic is addressing the issues with calibrating and will update their sensors where they won’t need any calibrations except on the first day and no overtape. Let’s face, even dexcom needs a calibration on the first day. I am in Canada and the integration of the cgm in the pump makes it a more of an option for me. I can always try it and see how it goes. If worse comes to worse I can always go back to using dexcom until Medtronic updates their sensors. I have spoken with some people on this site and they say the difference between the guardian and the enlites that I used to use are night and day. I will take the differences in order to have an integrated system.

D’Etta Meloche

I normally don’t calibrate my dexcom not even when it is a new sensor.
I just put it on and wait.
However the code that you enter has calibration data in it.
You aren’t really calibrating it to a finger stick unless it’s giving bad numbers.

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I’ve been on Medtronic for years and just upgraded to the 770g from the 670g. My main motivation for the change was the smartphone integration and being able to dismiss alarms from my phone (which it turns out you can’t do, which I was told it can do by Medtronic). Next is section is my frustration release, continue at your own risk.

It seems to me that the people developing the software for these devices for sure are not diabetics on pumps. The alarm handling in my opinion makes this pump more dangerous at times in daily life than having a low (and I’ve never had a high situation on a pump that requires me to stop what I’m doing right then and there). You can’t silence it with a single button press. The unlock screen forces you to look at it as it has a random unlock button pattern that must be pressed (different every time, why? Not sure, is someone who can’t read going to over-bolus me in my sleep?). When driving a car, in a meeting, doing something that you cannot readily yank your pump off your hip or out of a pocket to see which button must be pressed to unlock it, then see which alarm it actually is and dismiss it as different alarms have different handling methods. Yeah, sometimes it’s a calibration reminder that can be snoozed by 1 button but the other half of the time it’s something else (and this is with the alarms set at a minimum). Guess what Medtronic, I’m not going to die in the next 60 minutes. Give us a single button to silence the alarms. And if it’s a low, give a different tone so we know it’s potentially serious. All other alarms can be put off for a half hour or so.

What’s frustrating about Medtronic is the lack of training and understanding their own employees have about the product. My endo had warned me about their customer service years back and he was right but since Animas bit the dust and they had the only CGM at the time, I thought I’d give them a shot.

There seems to be very little information about the US release of the 780 upgrade, I only pray it addresses some of my complaints, I’m out of pocket about $1100 to get exactly what I had in the 670G (I don’t need to see mg BG on my phone, I need my phone to be able to take action as a more convenient, and at time safer tool), and by the way Medtronic told us the 670G was upgradable when it came out, but nothing about it was ever upgraded.

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That sounds very frustrating. Did you consider other pumps outside of medtronic?

I remember my Medtronic alarms. They were persistent. I would reach in my pocket to cancel them and never look at it.
It became an automatic response.
Although I still have alarms on my tandem, they are fewer and if it’s because I’m out of range, it goes away when I’m back in range.

Pump alarms are the company’s way of covering their own asses.
Tandem let’s you silence all the alarms except the low alarm at55.

I also can’t cancel from my phone but at least there are fewer alarms to cancel

basal too high? I just tested my t:slim X2, was able to set the basal down to .1 per hour. That is amazingly low. What do you set yours to?

By comparison to Medtronic, I say the Tandem is far superior, but I’ve not read much about the Medtronic 780. The guy who posted with his 1.5 days experience looked amazing, no highs or lows. I wonder how accurate you have to be on inputting your carbs.

When I have to call for help, Tandem doesn’t ask all the questions that Medtronic asks, or have a long phone tree to work thru. I also believe the engineering of the pump and accessories is superior to that of Medtronic…