Point/Counterpoint: IDS Clinicians Offer Different Perspectives on the Medtronic 670G
Several months ago, Gary posted his thoughts after trying out the Medtronic 670G hybrid closed loop system.
Since then, two other IDS clinicians have given the system a try:
Jennifer Smith RD/LD/CDE
Alicia Downs RN/MSN/CDE
After several months of using the 670G in “auto-mode,” in which the pump self-adjusts basal insulin delivery based on input from Medtronic’s Guardian continuous glucose monitor, here’s what they had to say.
Q: What were your needs/expectations going into using 670G?
Jenny:
I was optimistic about trying the 670G. I wanted it to make life with diabetes easier as well as safer all around. Given it is the only FDA approved hybrid loop system on the market, it opens the doors for this type of technology to get approved from other pump companies as well. This is very exciting since we all need a “partner” so to speak in our self-management. Up to this point, all the pumps on the market have had smart features, but the PWD is the one who has to make use of the smart features by using their own brain to enable them. With the variables we each have in our day to day lives, this means constant interaction if we really want to avoid a roller coaster.
Having type 1 for almost 30 years now, I’ve managed to figure out adjustments to many of the variables that affect my management. But, I would really like a product that has my back – a partner in this 24/7 of management. Essentially, one that can fill in the gaps between the times that I’m not looking at my CGM screen or checking my BG. With 2 kids now (5 years old and 14 months old), that tends to be less often the “looking and evaluating for making changes now”, and more the “oh, I think I see a pattern here, but I’ll have to make an adjustment when my son doesn’t have glue all over the kitchen table, etc”. Anyone with a busy life, regardless of bambinos can understand the desire to have a system that not only tells you that BG is dropping or rising, but offsets that trend right away. That is what I expect(ed) from a system like 670G. I’d like a partner that sees what I don’t and doesn’t ask me to make an adjustment, it just does it based on a fancy algorithm that some wonderful mathematician figured out!
Alicia:
My expectations were pretty low. I was honestly expecting that the system would not keep up with my habits and my widely varied basal needs. My control on “Alicia mode” is where I want it to be, so I was going in a bit skeptical.
Did you find the system easy to learn?
Jenny:
3 user manuals – one for the pump, one for the CGM and one to learn how to use the Automode feature of the system. Lots of reading, but pretty easy to get set up and learn how to use if you have used an insulin pump before. There are a lot of menus to look through on the pump itself for using the sensor and the Automode feature and to customize them, and I feel navigating these took longer to actually get used to than the actual set up of the pump/sensor.
Alicia:
I found the principles of the system easy for me, but diabetes is my job and I’ve been pumping close to a decade. I found manuvering the menus of the system a real headache. To this day I keep a flow chart of all the menus taped to my computer monitor because navigating where things are is a headache. I also found it hard because, for me, diabetes is about learning to see things coming before they happen. Anticipation makes life move more smoothly. But as much as I learned about the system I was never able to learn to anticipate its demands.
Once you began using AutoMode, how did your life change?
Jenny:
I’d love to say that using Automode changed my life for the better – honestly, I would. However, for me, it actually made things more annoying and variable. I believe a major part of this is the fact that the Guardian Sensor was just not as accurate for me as the Dexcom that I’ve come to use and love in the past 7 years (prior to that I used the Abbott Freestyle Navigator, which was fantastic and I still miss it!). The Guardian sensor was accurate most often for me when I was literally sitting and not doing much – so office work time seemed to stay pretty on target with my fingersticks and with Dexcom (especially if I wasn’t eating anything). However, I’m not a sedentary person and I eat food!
** A side note here in that when I was in Manual mode using the Guardian CGM, it was more accurate for me than when I was in Automode. It seemed like all the request for confirmation of BG and calibrations in Automode made it less accurate and more variable.
I love exercise and with 2 little boys who are busy, I’m not sitting very much after I’m done with work. This is where things would get very off with the sensor. It lagged in noting a drop in my BG as well as a rise in my BG compared to my Dexcom – especially during exercise and after meals. I also found that overnight, while it kept things stable, I’d wake to find my straight line was not an accurate value – hovering at 122 all night via Medtronic would have been fine, but when I tested upon waking and found a fingerstick of 196 instead and then looked at my Dexcom (I turned alarms off on my Dexcom so as to not get so many notifications overnight) I saw I had a rise in my BG and then stabilized at 170-195 all night – bah!! Not where I want to start my morning.
The other parts of not loving the system are the alarms and requests for blood. Seriously, a nice flat line overnight should mean a system isn’t asking for more information to confirm it is doing what it is supposed to do. If I calibrate before bedtime that should suffice in my mind. It is great to have a nice flat line overnight – which should mean I sleep all night without waking up for alarms. Argh – I got alerts overnight for false low BG, then the system would tell me to add a BG to stay in Automode, or to calibrate again, etc, etc and on and on. The things it asked for and the alarms made me a bit crazy about where my BG was at any point in time. I had more roller coaster in BG as well as more low BG (and false low BG) then I had when I was doing all of this with my own mental power and self-adjustment on my own pump.
Alicia:
My first few days on auto mode were VERY frustrating as the post meal curve I have come to anticipate for years changed. I was going higher than I had anticipated later after meals. In my pre670 world that typically spells disaster! It means I’m going to be bolusing to bring blood sugars down for hours, so I was really upset to see that. I spent a number of afternoons and evenings griping to my husband and showing him sensor graphs that he pretended to care about.
But I forced myself to do what Medtronic tells patients and “Trust the system” And over the course of the week the numbers spoke. I was spending the same, if not a little bit more time in range over all, that time had just shifted from what I was used to seeing. And my average had remained the same. So I let it do its thing. I even pushed it into what I thought would break the system, a steak house dinner, and a trip to Disney World! But it handled both without kicking me out of automode! I was impressed. But I still had this constant nagging feeling of not knowing what was going on with my management. meal timing was off, reactions to exercise were off, the predictability I’d come to wrap up in like a blanket was gone, and it made me more tentative in my day to day living.
Is there anything you wish Medtronic did differently in designing this system?
Jenny:
A) The system needs to allow the target BG to be adjusted based on user preference. Honestly, I target a BG lower than the 120 preset value in this pump and my corrections target a lower BG than this system targets too. The current targets restrict use of this pump to those who are NOT considering pregnancy or are NOT pregnant, as the current default target is too high for pregnancy management. This is a fair percent of the population of women with type 1 diabetes.
B) The alarms, alerts and requests for information need to be changed. I know it is built in as a safety feature of checks and balances to ensure the system is working, but this was a big part of why it was annoying to me.
C) Allow the system to work with known advanced features on current pumps like extended bolus, temporary basal, and the ability to adjust the pump’s recommended bolus based on the need of the PWD (ie – if you know you are going for a run in an hour and you are eating/bolusing now, you should be able to adjust the suggested bolus down to avoid having so much IOB for the run –without having to exit Automode to adjust!)
D) Better menu system – there are too many steps and too many screens to look through to find what is needed quickly (or at 2am when it is requesting you do something to stay in Automode).
E) Better sensor accuracy with less interaction needed by the user to keep it accurate.
Alicia:
MENUS! Wow my thumbs were aching from that pump! Things that you interact with 5 times a day are buried 4 menus deep, and features I don’t think I ever used are right on the home screen! The buttons themselves are even tough to push and awkwardly placed. Nothing about the menu set up is in the least way intuitive. In a time where any 3 year old can pick up most any technology and maneuver the interface without any instruction; these menus feel like something out of the DOS prompt era of menus listed under sub menus that only make sense to the engineers who built them. (And were often the source of an inside joke rather than any kind of user driven logic) I found myself wondering if Medtronic ever put this system through any kind of user focus group during the design phase, because it sure doesn’t feel like it.
I also really wish they’d given me a way to temp basal for things that I know are coming rather than waiting for the fall out. I know I’m going to work out, so let me use what I know!! I’ve kept myself alive quite well for quite some time with my knowledge and skills. Eliminating them is tantamount to taking a bicycle away from a child because it is dangerous to ride in busy traffic. But i’m not a child, I’m a professional cyclist, let me use what I know to get where I want to be more effectively!! Let me keep the anticipatory skills that serve me so well rather than forcing me to be reactive, as if I had no idea a workout was coming. I never did get the chance to put this system through my personal workout challenge, summer heat! Advance temp basal and bolus adjustments literally save my life all summer long. The idea of going without those features through a Maryland summer is daunting at best, and may spur me to give the system a more high stakes trial in a few more months.
Do you plan to continue using 670? Why or why not?
Jenny:
I do not plan to continue wearing the system. For me it brought variables to my management and made me wary of where my BG was headed. I did not like to have to respond to so many requests through the day (and I’m one who tests via finger-stick a lot already even though I wear a CGM 24/7) and I felt like I had to keep wearing my Dexcom to stay on top of where 670 was saying I was.
I prefer lower targets than the system allows and my need to use features like extended bolus or temporary adjustments for exercise are not met by the Automode system.
In full disclosure I had been using a LOOP insulin pump prior to starting use of the 670G and I feel that the 670 was a step back from what the LOOP system was doing for me and my management.
Alicia:
The system did its job, but it’s not for me. My average and in-range time showed a statistically insignificant improvement over “Alicia mode” but took a LOT more effort to get there. “Alicia mode” does not wake me up at night to enter blood sugars, it does not require me to lie to the system to safely workout, or to get the corrections I want. I’m not an early adopter by nature. I don’t do an update on my phone until I notice performance issues from the outdated system, and I will drive a car until it costs more to repair it than to purchase another. I only update pumps every 4 years because my insurance will cover it and I want to get my money’s worth! I think that the next couple of years is going to bring us some great options in hybrid closed loop systems from other pump developers, so I will wait to see what they bring to the table before wading into the HCL life full time.
I FIND THAT THE ONLY THING THE 670 HAS DONE IN THE 26 YRS OF WEARING WAS TÖ MAKE LIFE CÖMLICATED .TO MANY SCREENS THAT YOU NEVER USE.__/UP DOWN. LEFT. RIGHT. YES. NO. THEN TO FIND. . BOLUS TIMED OUT. .THE ONLY GOOD THING IN 26 YRS MEDTRONIC HAS DONE GOOD WAS TO MAKE A BETTER BELT CLIP. IT FEELS LIKE YOU’RE PLAYING A VIDEO GAME
It’s a frustrating product with even more abhorrent customer service support. Terrible all the way around.
Wow that was strange. I just wrote an extremely long comment but after I clicked submit my comment
didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Regardless, just wanted to say fantastic blog!
comments do not show up immediately, they must be approved by page moderators before showing.
Thanks for your comment!
Wow. Reading the reviews I see I am not the only one putting up with this. Once I stuck an ice pic in a car alarm rendering it useless. Ant thoughts here? I like to sleep at night and not listen to this blasted thing. Neither does my wife. Calibration needed. Calibration not accepted. Calibrate, calibrate, calibrate. Have Mercy on us Medronics. Signal loss, signal loss, signal loss. How about losing your mind. One complaint I didn’t see was the freaking tape. Never stays without rolling off. You eventually run out replacing it and for $10. A PACK they are gouging and created a revenue stream while providing an inferior product. Im gonna check out the others. I’m tired of nonsense.
HI Pete,
there are some tips to reducing alerts on the Medtornic system. i recommend reaching out to our office for a consultations and we can look at your data and tailor some strategies to meet the challenges you’re facing.
Switch to Tandem and Dexcom – I did after 22 years on Medtronic / Minimed. No comparison on the technology.
Fortunately I still have my 530 and plan to switch back to it and off of the 670 just to be able to sleep. As many others have mentioned I too was excited about the AutoMode but have not used it for some time due to the CONSTANT alarms for no reason and the crazy menu. It would have been nice if Medtronic had a diabetic assist with the menu design or an experienced software engineer what ever happened to the user experience. Hope someone at Medtronic is listening as I am leaving once my insurance covers a new device and I am confident that I am not alone. Yes this means you will loose MONEY maybe that will get you to listen.
All – I was on Medtronic for 20 years – The technology of Dexcom and Tandem together blows away Medtronic. I don’t have to calibrate the sensor, this is a game changer. Medtronic doesn;t get that providing the user data is helpful, just look at carelink, been around for 20 years.
The sensors are complete shit. Don’t waste your time and don’t get your hopes up.
I can totally relate to many of the frustrations shared above, but having been on the 670G for over 2 years now, I have to admit my control is the best it’s ever been. If time-in-range is the new KPI for Diabetes management, I’ve never done better than the past 2 years. I am routinely in range at least 80% of the time.
Having been T1 for over 3 decades (and also having been incredibly fortunate regarding complications), I decided tighter control was paramount. The decision to go with the 670G was based on it being the only available closed loop system on the market. I had worn a Dexcom G4 for 4 years prior to getting the 670G, and all the sensor technology was doing for me was giving me information that was really hard to turn into results — so I needed something like this to get me the last mile in my diabetes control.
That said, having spent the years prior to the 670G wearing both a Dexcom CGM and a Tandem T:Slim (that Gary and the amazing folks at IDS helped me pick), I really wanted to hold out for the Tandem system, which seemed forever on the horizon in those days. When I finally gave up hope, I had a mixed reaction to the 670G.
I loved the results almost immediately. In terms of my control, it was wonderful.
In terms of other factors, it was a different story. I did not care for:
– the outdated user interface — after the Tandem T:Slim, it was like stepping back into the days of my first Minimed pump (507c). Going from a sleek touchscreen to the simplistic button controls on the 670G felt like traveling back in time, and nothing was easy or intuitive about it.
– the fragility of the pump in general — it sometimes fails or has a “pump error” when I thoughtlessly put it back into its case while a bolus is being delivered. I’ve called the helpline more than a few times to complain, and they generally tell me this happens when the pump is “dropped” or “banged” against something. Oddly, I’ve never dropped this pump, but I used to drop my Tandem pump on at least a monthly basis, and it never shutdown like this one does.
– the sensor technology — or more specifically, how inaccurate it can be compared to the Dexcom G4 I was using prior to Medtronic’s Guardian 3. And to think Dexcom is on its 6th generation sensor with even better accuracy and wear time.
– the alarms. Oh God, the alarms. They wake me up relentlessly at times, not to mention my wife and our dogs. Sometimes, given what I’ve learned about sleep science over the past year or so, I wonder if the years tighter control will add to my life are going to be taken back by 670G-induced sleep deprivation. I have gotten better at managing these, mostly by spending 12-15 hours a week out of auto mode while a new sensor gets up to speed. My doctor warned me it would be work, and that the “auto” nature of this pump would actually require me to develop better habits, and I can’t say she was wrong.
Given the state of closed-loop technology on the market when I got this pump, I can’t say it was the wrong decision. Like I said, I wanted to wait for Tandem’s version of a closed-loop, and if they hadn’t kept over-promising on the timeline for their FDA approval, I probably would have had more patience and waited for their system to be ready.
So I don’t regret the 670G decision. It was the right decision for me at the time. But when my insurance is ready to pay for another pump in less than 18 months, I’ll be giving the Tandem system a hard look.
Thanks so much for your in depth review Howard!
I switched to Tandem and Dexcom, changed my life. I am in range at worst 90% (80-180) every hour fo the day- It isn’t even a fair comparison because Medtronic hasn’t made any changes to their software that are relevant for years and a closed loop system where they work alone isn’t working. Tandem collaborates with Dexcom, in talks with Abbott. The activity feature for exercise and sleep are amazing. After visiting Cleveland Clinic earlier this year I was convinced to get off Medtronic and got to Dexcom, no regrets.
Auto mode is a joke, a bad one. constant alerts alarms pay attention to me bullshit, kicks one out of auto mode at every conceivable opportunity, wakes user up at might when Bg is at a stable safe level. When not in auto mode Just a standard bolus is a pain in the ass, too many button presses why did they introduce an extra step from the 500 series? P input my carbs hit next it should bolus, nope you have to verify again, and if you forget to hit the conformation step to bolus, does it remind you to finish the extraneous step? No you have to start over. God forbid if your Blood sugar is high, the pump inserts an additional “did you know the blood sugar YOU JUST ENTERED IS HIGH” step to actually get your bolus. Why would Medtronic put an additional step to achieve a bolus when the patient needs the bolus the most, is possibly not thinking the most clearly, and as in my case already angry because of elevated sugar level?. I mean “give me my insulin now and stop asking STUPID QUESTIONS”. Then a few minutes later The pump alarms again to to tell you your blood sugar is high, as if I forgot I am at 275 when I INPUT THE BLOOD SUGAR INTO THE PUMP 5 MINUTES AGO. Amateur at best software, too many steps to get a bolus, menu screens are not optimized or intuitive at all. No I am taking a shower mode, so I can take a shower with out multiple alarms. No “I am charging the sensor mode” so I don’t get alarms while the sensor is charging, on that note Why the hell is the sensor charger not USB powered? With a obvious battery charge level meter for the sensor, because I love guessing if the sensor is charged. My sons $30 Bluetooth headphones have a charge meter built into the case and use USB for power. Seriously a AA battery? WTF it’s not 1980, batteries can, do and have (on me) died half way through the sensors charge at the most in opportune time. Last but not least batteries are very very not green. I would like 5 minutes alone in a room with the decision maker on that shit call. I had to have my pump replaced because of the stupid hard plastic retaining ring, sometime before the recall. I was against the replacement. I said “just send me a new retainer ring and I’ll pop it on.” because that pump worked great and was dialed in. The replacement was faulty from day one, errors I had never seen slower than the already slow interface etc. I repeatedly called tech support, those A holes told me I was putting my sensor in wrong and to watch the best practices videos. A few months later the replacement pump white screens and i had to return it so they could investigate the error. My insurance and I had to buy a buy a new pump, because I paid out of pocket to upgrade my old 512 pump to a 670G and the warranty followed the 512’s; purchase date so the faulty replacement was out of warranty. I am so pissed at Medtronic I cant even write coherent paragraphs. as a side note customer service has yet to contact me after several attempts on my part to try and get to a point where i feel less screwed over. I am supposedly in line to get a free upgrade to the next generation pimp but I have only seen smoke and pillow talk on that.
Hey Chris, we definitely hear your frustrations and can identify. At IDS we work with a lot of Medtronic users to help them make the best of their technology, combine it with other more effective tech, or even get transitioned to another system. I don’t know that the next generation of medtronic’s pump is going to resolve many of the issues you’re having, at least not enough to restore your good opinion of their pumps or service.
The 670 is a nightmare. Once on it you will never sleep through the night, with constant Callibration requirements and alarms say good bye to a full night sleep. The product stops working when you need it most – when your blood sugar is high, it gives up and stops workings. When you insert a new sensor, it shuts off for two hours (atleast) and when it comes back on it says “your blood surar is hig” No shit.. This product is a nightmre and I do not recommend it for anyone.
I agree. This is the most frustrating insulin pump and I can’t get the sensors to work correctly half the time. Very upsetting and would like to try a different kind.
Hi Staci, we work with our clients to help them find the right technology for them to manage at their best.
Thank you both for such an honest review, I cannot tell you how relieved I am to read all of this. I really thought I was the only one to regret buying this product, but based on all these comments I feel so much better. Also, yours is the first review I have seen that targets the real pitfalls of exercising while using it. My doctors really pushed for me to get this device given that I have at times struggled with low blood sugars, they said that the automatic anticipatory suspension would really benefit me. However I purposefully shut off automode almost daily because of the constant alarms and requests for bg. I also shut it off overnight now because of the same reason. I have a son who is severely disabled and is medically fragile, so the brief times I can fully sleep at night in between his medicine doses I am often awakened by the damn automode going off requesting a bg because of some random variable! My exercise routine is also affected and although I do all my workouts at home it has not helped to avoid my lows, even with a temp basal at 150. I care for my little guy round the clock and homeschool him because of his illness, and all the buttons and verifications and supposed safety checks is just too much for me. The technology is simply not there yet. Anyway I babbled far too long, thank you so much for this review and I am also thankful to everyone who responded, I feel so much better!
You are definitely not alone Tracy, after a couple of years on the market studies are showing that most users do not use automode full time and many users have stopped using the feature all together. it is a TOOl, just like we wouldn’t use a hammer for everything (Wouldn’t computer repair be interesting if that were the case) we can’t just turn on automode and live our lives on its terms! Learning to use the system, but when NOT to use the system is probably equally important if not more important!
Thank you Alicia and Jenny for sharing your thoughts about the 670g system. I could identify with both of you and many other users here.
I’ve been a diabetic since November of 1966. I was a software engineer for twenty-five years and now I teach math and computer science at a high school. I have a Masters in CS and a Masters in math education.
I started using my first pump, the 530g, in May 2016. When the 670g came out, I was anxious to start using it as soon as I could. I couldn’t get in on the trial for it, but I did the offer to pay $800 for the 670g and then get $400 back when I returned the 530g. So, I paid $400 to get the 670g auto-mode. That was a lot of money for me, and insurance didn’t pay for any of it.
I can echo almost everything that’s been said about the 670g here. I have sleep apnea, and the 670g is waking me up multiple times at night for totally needless BGs. This week I got the BG required for auto mode, then calibration required, then calibration not accepted, then wait 15 minutes, then calibration required, then bg required for auto mode. And that’s with the 2.2A transmitter! Constantly and needlessly waking someone up that has sleep apnea isn’t cool Medtronic.
I had nine straight Guardian sensors crap out on me after less than 6 days, some with as few as four days. With the new transmitter. Every replacement sensor they sent me crapped out with the dreaded sensor updating/sensor bad sequence. I had to call Medtronic instead of using the web page replacement request because it stops replacing sensors after three requests within 90 days or whatever. I just had a sensor crap out after 5.5 days and requested a new one. I’m sure their replacement sensors are straight from the “bad batch of sensors” crate at Medtronic.
Who writes software to alert a device user that the sensor is being updated and it will take three hours, but we’re going to needlessly alert you every half hour or so to tell you it is updating? Who writes software like that?
The wait 15 minutes while you wash your hands (really?) before you do a new calibration? Who writes software that can’t tell time? It’s not 15 minutes. It’s 20, 23, 25 minutes. Next calibration time? That’s useless info since it’s never when it says it’s going to be, and often it’s hours before that time that it requires a calibration. Like in the middle of the night after hours of a flat line of SGs.
Who writes software to ask for a calbration, which I did, and then two minutes later ask for a BG to remain in auto mode? I just gave you a BG, why must I do another one?
Do the software “engineers” at Medtronic not know anything at all about user interface design? Dr. Shneiderman at the University of Maryland is an expert in UI design. Why didn’t Medtronic ask him and his Lab to look at this device and give recommendations on how its interface should be designed?
Who designs an auto mode that assumes every diabetic only needs one algorithm? My work week is very busy and involves lots of exercise. My weekends are not. So I set my carb ratios for the week and then I have to lie about my carbs on the weekend so that it gives me enough insulin for my meal boluses. What software engineers make assumptions like that about their users?
My insulin active time is 5.5 hours. It’s long. I am convinced that the math in the pump correctly uses that figure for some of its calculations, and other math calculations do NOT use that figure.
Why does Medtronic assume that every user is an idiot (sorry, beginner)?
Very frustrated,
Jack
Hi Jack,
thanks for sharing,
sorry to hear about your struggles. we work with a lot of medtronic users on ways to minimize the burden of system use and find the best way to tailor that use to fit your life and diabetes management goals.
The guadian sensor is the WORST diabetic product I have tried in my 35 years ad a type 1. 3 out of 5 sensor fail to calibrate due to ISIG issues. I have been given esoteric formula to use to figure out if I can even calibrate. I end up spending hours and hours waiting to get it working and then it just fails. Medtronic keeps sending out new sensors and those sometimes work. If I had not just gotten the 670G, I would have bolted for the Tandem pump and Dexcom CGMS combo. I have stopped using the guardian.
You can use the Dexcom for CGm data, You wont be able to link it with your pump, but you’ll get the data. Tandem is even offering some “buy out” programs for in warranty pump users. Or you can reach out to us, we work with patients to help them better use the system and fit it to their lives and needs, or even to help them with their management to get the results they want without automode. Also, did you get a new transmitter? the old transmitters caused a lot of their own prblems. If your transmitter was more than 6 months old you can request a new one.
I completely agree with you! Worst I have ever had! I am in the process of having my insurance approve me for another system and return this junk back!
Hi Judy,
How do you get to return the pump. I am being harassed by Medtronic s because I want to return their CGM system….the pump and the sensor. It is absolutely useless. All the stuff u guys say is true. I was told before ordering that I have a month to try it after I was trained and if unhappy, I can return it. But now I am being harassed. They will only accept the CGM system back and not the pump. I will have to pay for it…..I had been with Medtronics for 16 years. After this experience, never again.
Hi kavi,
sorry to hear about your difficulties, medtronic can be particularly hard on this point.
you do have 30 days to return a new pump if you are unsatisfied. (though sensors, and pump supplies are not returnable)
But they are very particular on the timing of this so people often get stuck because they did not get things back to medtronic in time.
if you called to start the return process within the 30 day window document the dates of all calls and call and ask for a supervisor to push your case forward. It often takes many calls.
However some people have thought that just boxing up the pump and sending it back qualified as a return but it does not. you have to get a return authorization which they try to work around and delay.
You can also ask your prescriber’s office to help advocate for you to get a return so you can get the best technology for you. And they can also put you in touch with your local Medtronic rep who you can call as a second point of contact on the issue.
unfortunately this is typically a case of “Squeaky wheel gets the grease” and needing persistence to get good service.
Hi all, Looks like my past comments from a few weeks ago were deleted? Alicia – I’m wondering after reading all of these comments (they go back pretty far!) if anyone is giving these notes to Medtronic directly so there can be some resolution? Not one comment here makes me feel good about my future with Medtronic. I’ve been on a pump for almost 20years (currently a Paradigm with my warranty running out next week), Type 1 diabetic since 1984. This is all very discouraging. Any fixes or new pump coming out soon that will solve so many issues??
HI Nancy, we VERY rarely delete a comment (it has to be pretty offensive, trying ot sell something unapproved, or just plain misleading)
Do you get our news letter? we keep everyone up to date on what’s coming and when the new things come out we give you the skinnny on what we think :) also our social media on facebook and twitter are good places to keep apace.
the only thing medtronic has improved is their transmitter is a bit less glitchy now. You can see more info there on our story on improved tramnsmitters and how to get one.
Tandem is coming out with a hybrid closed loop system in the next few months that is highly anticipated and reported to be far less burdensome in studies to the medtronic system.
medtripnic reports that its next generation pumps will be better, but that still a few years away for 670G users under warranty.
Hi Alicia! Thank you so much for sharing info. I have met with both Tandem and Medtronic sales reps to learn more about what each of their pumps provide since much has been updated in comparison to my Paradigm. I was most curious to know if Medtronic read these comments to make improvements because although I’d prefer to stay with that company and their devices, the more info. I learn about the 670G, the less impressed I am and quite discouraged. Their CGM is not something I’m interested in either – I am very happy with Dexcom’s CGM and the only reason I considered the Tandem pump. Thank you again.
Always my pleasure to be of assistance
I have had the 670G for a year and hate the thing. Even my dog shys away when it starts beeping. If you are good enough to get your carb to insulin ratio correct and flat line, the pump will pester you for a BG at all hours of the night. It was sold to me to help correct wrong guesses on insulin needs and fix them. BS It will not. Those micro boluses are like a sneeze in a wind storm, worthless. If you are working and your levels go low you get an alarm. You get a carb source and go on. Your BG goes up to a safe level but the pump keeps whining until you address it. You find you are at 97 yet the thing will not leave you alone. Yes my A1c is 6.3 and I am in range 82% of the time, but it is a full time job, filled with misery. I was told to try Fiasp in the pump. Don’t. The half -life is too short to be any good. The people that work for Medtronic and are ‘trained ‘ to offer advice on this thing are not diabetic and therefore do not have to live with it. If you need supplies, ie sensors, it will take you a month of Sundays to get all the paper work done to secure them. Medtronic knows your height, weight, eye color, if you wear boxes or briefs, and how often you change them, but it will not warn you when to get your paperwork completed in order to get your supplies on time. If it was not $8000 out of my pocket, I would have smashed it with a hammer. There must be a better way. The Medtronic people want me to be their poster child. It would be a poster with a parental warning . Coordination between sensor and glucose meter are horrible, often differ by 60 points. Keep your options open.
Hi Joe, your response is unfortunately quite common. We work with a lot of patients on making Automode work for them rather than burdening them. For some it’s about settings and use, for some it’s about turning it on and off judiciously to make it fit their lifestyle. Quality of life is too important to sacrifice it for a good BG.
Hi, I’ve been using the 670+Fiasp since 17-Aug-19 rather successfully and in many ways I appreciate the 670 especially when I recall where the treatment was when I became a diabetic in 1984.
Reading complaints from 2016, nothing seems to have changed. I have not slept a full night Since I got the pump and in the past 24 hours (spent entirely in the target range) I was requested for 10 BG measurements, two of which at 04:10, one at 05:15, one at 02:00. I feel like I am being punished for controlling to well!
On top of all the comments, four things that bother me are:
A. I wear the pump on my belt and every time I read the screen by rotating the pump towards me, the text is always upside down.
B. Although I set the maximum basal to 3 iu/h the graphs indicate that the 1 iu/h is never exceeded
C. I am a firm believer that any BG measurement can and should be used as a calibration. The pump should have sufficient inbuilt intelligence to reject a calibration if the rate of change of BG is excessive or too high or too low. Today, to calibrate (even when specifically asked to do so by the pump) requires 5 (additional) keypad interventions. And here I am not even considering that you have to hit 2 keys before and 2 keys after the measurement.
D. The pump should have sufficient basic built-in intelligence to know it is night time, that your curve is flat, that you just tested your blood 3 hours ago…
As an engineer who has worked in product development at all levels, I would love to help Medtronic engineer their product better, but I also know how business requirements can hamper engineering requirements
We agree with your concerns Pierre, and share them. We are hopeful that many of these restrictions are in place in the 670G to get FDA approval on the first HCL system to hit the market, and that future HCl models will allow more robust management and have more of the “intelligent” design features you have mentioned. Medtronic does have a lot of these issues planned to address in their future CGM and pump models, but making users wait 4 years for those improvements is a major hindrance.
We work with our patients to achieve their blood sugar goals with 670G, reduce burdens and work better with (And if applicable without) the system
How do you get in contact with the CEO of Medtronic? I’ve had mostly horrible service with Customer Service where one calls says one thing another one calls and says something different. I can’t seem to get my supplies as customer service folks don’t seem to know what to do. I have had maybe 2 people out of 50 I’ve talked to in the last year that knew what they were doing. I’m again in limbo because the CS person requested another test of C peptide which they tell me medicare doesn’t like that number. And at the same time I’m told that test should never have been requested again but once. Now they refuse to send me the supplies until I get the test done again. Give me back my dexcom and Animas….. this company is horrible to work with.
Hi Linda,
sorry to hear about your struggles,
When talking with CS you can always ask for a supervisor or management contact. I also recommend reaching out to your insurance company, most companies offer case management resources for chronic disease management (Like diabetes) and this person can help you sort out these kinds of issues. It’s a service of your insurance that many people do not make enough use of.
I am sitting here at my desk with my Below 40 screen coming up every 20 minutes. BG Check says 145 after eating. I have been on the 670G for almost a year. It is awful. Readings are not even close, constant alarms, not correct, and very annoying. This has been going on for the last 24 hours on this new sensor. I have HAD it! You will be so sorry with the constant aggravation and waste of money. I have been Medtronic customer for over 25 years, diabetic 50 years , but a Medtronic customer will end now! I thought this would improve my life, but I am sorry I tried this. I am agreeing with a lot of previous statements above. Stay away from the Medtronic 670G!
Really sorry to hear your frustration, and we wish it was less common! We work with many patients on fitting automode into their life and reducing the burdens.
I agree with most of these comments. I have experienced all of it. I’m tired of driving down the highway and the beeps that make me pull over, only to find I have risen to 137. Let me know if you want my 14 year old to write an app so I can see it on my phone. I put too much money in your CEO’s vacation funds to put up with this crap.
Just to clarify, here at IDS we review products but do not sell them. We work with a lot of patients ot help them manage their diabetes with less intrusion, whether that’s with the 670G system, or just their own manual management. Finding the right blend of management, technologies and medication is key to reducing the burden of diabetes management in life!
And your 14 year old might be interested to check out information on Looping, a lot of bright creative driven minds behind DIY technology in diabetes management today!
I’ve owned minimed pumps for over 20 years. The early blood glucose sensors were horrible so I stopped using them. The new sensors work great. Repeatable and accurate.
The software could not be worse. Comments to provide options improvements to software fall on deaf ears. Customer service is horrible.
More often then not they don’t even grasp the question. This morning I called pump was looping again with 5 day old sensor. Transmitter was recently upgraded. Representative was telling about initial start up. Asked 5 question that were specific about looping. Answers were to questions I did not ask and were not applicable. Pump asked for blood glucose five times thru the nite. Would not even try to calibrate with BG in range all nite. Easy to know since I was up. Great product for people who don’t require sleep and enjoy pointless conversions with poorly train techs. They are all talk no action.
Diabetic for 46 years. Not complications. Pumping for 30 years. I hate this thing. I’m bolusing about 3 times more than before. Constant demands from the pump. Saturday, I put in a new sensor. Requires calibration, 15 minutes later, need BG. Alert on low, low BG, BG at 40, on and on. An actual blood test showed me at 198. Constant alarms at night. I’ve been using the pump without the sensor for days, just to have a break from the demands of this system.
I also agree with all the button pushing required. I would say I have to re-enter half of my boluses because I forget to click it one more time. (My fault, but OMG.) I’ve had many pumps, Disetonic pumps (first and favorite), Paradigm (sold as waterproof, but not retracted that claim), Smith Medical Cozmo (bad), Animas (passable) and now this.
In a nutshell, I feel like my life is to support this system, rather than it supporting mine. Way too demanding.
Sorry for your experience Ruth,I wish it were less common, but a recent study of a clinic with 90+ patient using the 670G, more than 40% of patients stopped using Automode within a year due to the quality of life burdens.
FEel free to reach out to IDS for education and support on making the most of the system and reducing the stress of it. Or feel free to reach out for education on how to manage better without is or what other options there are.
I am a T1 patient since 1985, 1st time considering pump/CGM and have had two visits w/my endocrinologist group in the past month. Most of my learning about these systems has been on my own with little help from the health team, although it should be stated that a representative from Medtronic has been extremely helpful. Not being rude, just” real” about the learning is on my own. After spending hours researching, reading this blog and the responses, I am questioning if the 670G and their CGM is right for me right now. It sounds like there are numerous problems. I am very receptive to the technology and am motivated to start this system in the coming months. My conclusion at this point is 1. You had better have an excellent supportive medical team to help guide you, and 2. Hopefully, the “bugs” are being worked out because I cannot afford the wrong kind of bells & whistles going off in my work environment. They will think I am nuts and need help. ? Last, what is sad , is that I know that I am late to the table (pump/CGM), but this sounds like a mess. I will continue to read all the helpful comments and look for updates to the technology. I hope to learn more and make a wise choice in the near future.
Bravo on self education Rick! And you’re right, there is a LOT ot be learned with these new systems. it’s a new way of managing, and while these systems can make some pieces easier, they’re far form set it and forget it! We are awaiting the Tandem hybrid Closed loop system “Control IQ” due out this summer. I’d recommend keeping an eye on that technology and possibly even looking into looping if you’re keen on tech and then seeing which one would be a best fit for you!
Hearing all of the issues that everyone else has with the 670g and guardian sensors is reassuring, that I am not the only one that hates this device. I used the minimed paradigm 723 for over 6 years without cgm and was relatively stable with 7.2 A1c I have been on the 670g for just over a year and my last A1c was 8.7 and the doctor says welcome to the roller coaster of type 1, I go to the VA and have little choice on doctor or pump The sensors expire short of 7 days and require BG constantly. I love (sarcastically) it when you test and are in the middle of a calibration and it requires BG again before it even finishes. I asked Medtronics support about it after having several sensors fail and they said it was my fault that they failed, Never calibrate that often and just ignore the requests for BG. This seems so backwards.to effective treatment. I have heard rumor that there are new sensors coming, that Medtronics realizes there is a flaw in the current ones. I was advised to call weekly and be the squeaky wheel so that when they are released, I may be one that gets the newer sensors. It seems to me that when orders are placed and the new ones are available they should distributed equally without having to be the complainer.
Something else I just realized tonight and am going to test. I just put on a new sensor so it thinks I am at 330, so i dosed correction and for the 70 carbs for dinner. I have almost 14 units onboard and it it adjusting with an extra basal of max 2 units per hour to attempt to bring me down. I know that if I let the basal continue, I will be at 50 in a matter of about 4-5 hours. SO, following my original correction and dose for eating, I am suspending delivery so as to not get the extra basal that I know will drive me into the ground and start the ever predictable roller coaster I will update on my results, wish me luck.
For anyone considering this pump and CGM, WAIT until Medtronics fixes the problems, if you cant wait, then go with another brand, This is a living hell, riding the roller coaster and never getting a good night sleep because ot BG Required.
Hi C.
Thanks for sharing your experience, one bright spot is that Medtronic just announced their improved Guardian Transmitter that should fix the repeated BG request issue,
more info and request a new transmitter here:
www.medtronicdiabetes.com/bgcheck
and here at IDS we’ve had a lot of success helping 670G users get better performance out of their system with less hassle. Feel free to make a call to our office and set up a consultation!
I have the improved transmitter. Better but still not great.
Hi everybody!
I am SO ANGRY at myself for buying into the promotional ‘talk’ that this insulin pump system was going to smooth out the rough spots; for me – specifically – hypoglycemc awareness & resulting dangerous lows that would happen in the middle of the night. I’m 63 years old and have been a very healthy T1D for 62 years. VERY healthy/active/alert and fairly intelligent! Like so many other speaking here, I’ve been on a pump for YEARS…starting out with a Medtronic Minimed model retired long ago. I was later on an Animas (J&J Company) system that I loved! IT was so user-friendly, nicely designed (as pumps go) user-friendly; easy-to-use; great customer support. Alas, Animas was purchased by Medtronic and the switch to the promised benefits of the 670G was in my future. So I believed! AND TRULY hoped (THAT WAS MY MISTAKE) that this would be better. But the jury is still WAY OUT ON THAT. In terms of performance – according to the 1st month results – I look to be close to target range for alot of the time; yeah…that’s good; I guess. BUT IN TERMS OF TRYING TO BE MORE LIKE A NORMAL “non-diabetic person” NO WAY…!! I can’t believe this model was tested on target-type1D patients before it was released to for general sale. Everything said above it true…confusing screens, menu items buried and difficult to find; NOTHING is intuitive; It requires testing and care as much as a new born infant! There’s no freedom and no confidence from me that “it” knows what it’s doing. And let’s not forget about the cost! I’m going through at LEAST a tube of glucometer strips (50) per week with required testing. That’s 50/7 and sometimes more. I THOUGHT THIS WAS supposed to eliminate that NEED? Now I’m stuck with it and angry. Oh…and by the way, I have a younger sister, who also is a T1D, 58 years old, also pretty good control, and is a nurse who ALSO went on the system roughly the same time. Her feelings/opinions are much the same. I think if anything, Medtronic REALLY should take a good hard look at how they were pushing this to the primary influencial target (doctors). I believe our doctors are VERY committed to advising us for the best that is possible, and honestly – I think we all got suckered into believing this would work to make our lives/behaviours more “normal”. Maybe the next version/model will do that but for now…; if I could go back I would. thanks for listening to my rant!!
Hi Patricia, REALLY sorry for the delayed response, your message did not show as new like it was supposed to!
Thanks for sharing your experience and we WISH it were less common!
Meanwhile, please feel free to reach out to IDS for an appointment to see how we can help you live with your system.(your sister as well) We have been working with patients using this system for about a year and a half and have had great results(within system capabilities) helping people meet their goals with less hassle. Also keep an eye out for a coming blog on some tips for use of the 670G in automode.
670G Auto-mode == NO SLEEP….. If you value sleeping through the night, DO NOT USE THIS DEVICE. Using “Auto-mode”, you’re supposed to enter a BG and calibrate the pump to the sensor at least every 12 hours (twice per day). At the recommendation of Medtronic, I calibrate 3 – 4 times per day (about every 4 – 7 hours). I ALWAYS make sure to enter a calibration right before bed (11:00 – 12:00 PM) just to get though the night without having to calibrate again.
At least 5 days per week, this ridiculous piece of crap starts buzzing and beeping at me at around 3:00 AM with a “Calibration required” or “BG Required” warning. When I called Medtronic tech support about this, they had a list of excuses.
Excuse #1) “Well on the first couple days and the last couple days of replacing the sensor, the pump may require more calibration.”.
(My response) – THIS IS BS!! So you’re telling me that the device only works as expected for 3 days per week??
Excuse #2) “Your actual blood sugars must have been far off from what the sensor is reading”.
(My response) – First of all……If my actual blood sugar is “far off” from what the sensor is reading, then your crap is broken. If your sensor isn’t properly reading my BG,….then FIX YOUR SENSOR!! Secondly, (since this piece of crap wakes you up at 3:00 AM and won’t stop buzzing and beeping until you enter a new BG), I get out of bed, check my BG and it’s within a few units of what the sensor thinks it is.
Finally, the Medtronic tech support representative says “Why don’t you just disable “Auto-mode” before going to bed”?
(My response) Ok….this kind of defeats the whole purpose of the CGM, but alright….I’ll do it. So I disable Auto-mode to get my first good night’s sleep in days. 4:30 AM the next day….This piece of crap is buzzing at me to enter a BG. This happens on day 4 of the new sensor (so lame excuse #1 above is ruled out). So that night at around 11:30 PM, I disable Auto-mode again AND I turn off the sensor (essentially going back to the technology of my pump 15 years ago).
12:30 AM: I’m awakened by this thing buzzing at me telling me “Auto-mode Exit”. Gee thanks for waking me to let me know that you actually did what I told you to do… 5:00 AM It’s buzzing at me again to enter a BG.
If you value your sleep at all…..DO NOT USE THIS DEVICE!!!
HI Paul,
First, HUGE apologies on the lat reply, a tech glitch has prevented my reply.
Please feel free to reach out to IDS for an appointment to see how we can help you live with your system and help it perform better with less burden. We have been working with patients using this system for about a year and a half and have had great results(within system capabilities) helping people meet their goals with less hassle. Also keep an eye out for a coming blog on some tips for use of the 670G in automode.
also sorry this is a “canned” there are so many people struggling with the issue!
Paul, your post made me laugh so much especially after having a sleepless previous night. I wanted to pull off “this piece of crap” and throw it at my bedroom wall. Plus my husband was snoring all night. But the constant vibration-alarms for ” enter a BG,” enter another BG immediately for auto mode, calibration not accepted was nuts. Then waking up (finally) to the sensor result at 59, and actually BG at 110mg/dL A correction bolus of .1u to bring down a fasting BG of 169??
Lots of frustration esp at night until waking hours.
Some days are reasonable though. Hanging in there for the future, 50 more years of T1D maybe!!
Chris C, LaGrange GA
I just left it in manual mode. The suspend feature is why I needed this pump as I am so hypo unaware. The CGM seems be within 20 pts for me, but to be honest I have not tried auto mode and I may not. My trainer did not even use auto mode. It was frustrating trying to get training set up and the support really is not what it should be. I can only compare the support that I received with my previous pump, where Medtronic would call once a week and my trainer every two weeks to make sure I was doing ok with everything. No calls from either this time. Overall I am happy with the pump wish it came in other colors than black, hate the menus. Love the suspend before a low, (previously I would be in the 20’s before I would notice a low so pretty serious issue) I have not gone dangerously low since I have started this pump.
I’ve been pumping since 2012 and it does make my life better. When I went to the 670G I was hoping for some peace and balance. The Guardian sensor is a super improvement and is close enough to reality to use its reading to alleviate some finger sticking. The Auto Mode (AM) is an entirely different problem. I’m pretty experienced with computers and recognized that when you have 2 separate programs inside the same database, the pump must be primary and AM should work with it.. AM grossly overlooks the pump actions (by me). There is no question my sugars are far better, but AM kicks in and demands BGs/calibrations after I’ve just done it (up to 2-5 times) and sometimes in the middle of the night. I told Medtronic the same thing when I was taking their surveys. Anyway, I’ve kept trying AM and have stopped it altogether now. I can’t take the stress!
I was blessed with type 1 at age 23, and I’m now nearly 66. After years of using needles I felt blessed to get my first pump about 20 years ago, and have done my best to maintain control. I got a Medtronic 670 about a month ago, and I seem to become more one with it almost daily. It takes a lot of tweaking and learning, but my control is improving albeit slowly. I’m retired so have more time to fool with it I’ll admit but I’m optimistic about my future results. I encourage everyone to stop and take a breath, be patient and understand that this is a lifelong journey. Only by patiently working to master the system can you have a smoother ride.
My doctor swears by this system, but it has made my life so much more stressful and I really have not seen an improvement. It alerts me multiple times a night for no reasons and it is not very accurate. I had one incident recently where it said I was in the 40’s. After checking with my glucose monitor I found I was actually at 180. Who knows what would have happened if I had just trusted what my sensor said.
I worked so hard to get the new 670g system and paid for it myself. I was really excited to start . Now I have nicknamed it my torture device. The alarms, the calibrations , the Finger sticks , the lows everyday , the lack of sleep , the accusations that I am not doing it right, the weight gain , the inability to perform my job , all have me so stressed I came here to look for a better system , I found there are many others experiencing the same problems, now the question is what do I do about it ?
I’ve been a type 1 for 30 years with no complications. I was really looking forward to this new smart pump. I started in manual mode and now I have been in auto mode for four days.
The sensor has been very inaccurate. It ranges about 25 points higher than my meter.
I am also a low carb eater and I have found that I have been very high on glucose with this new pump. 12-15 grams of carbs brings a steady long climb uphill with a slow decent. It seems to always be chasing itself rather than maintaining.
My muscles hurt because of the radical change in glucose so I have decided to put my pump in manual mode except for at night. Maybe I will go back to Auto Mode during the day but not for now.
I just switched out of auto mode after 4 days of use. I wasn’t as concerned about alarms as I was the large rise in blood glucose levels and the large amount of time that the pump took to correct. I feel like I’m on a bad roller coaster ride and my muscles ache from all the fluctuation.
I am also a very low carb eater and feel bad for those who actually eat carbs!!!? the CGM that comes with the pump is also very inaccurate, usually around 25 points higher!!
I’m going to go in manual mode for now and maybe auto at bed time and see how that works for awhile.
I went from dexcom g5 and pens to the 670g. I love the way the auto adjustments work. Problem is when the cgm is t working correctly which seems to be a lot. It’s almost always off by at least 20. End up checking my blood sugar at least 5 times a day. I have had quite a few sensors that failed. Very disappointed. My dexcom was almost always with in 5-10. Almost never needed re-calibration and was just easier to use. I think I just want to send this back and get the tslim and dexcom combo.
I’m trying to return this unit as it has major software issues. The major one is falling off the auto mode and the start of basal when in low BG situations. I just wanted this system to stop pumping insulin when my BG was low. This is not happening. The lawyers have really screwed this system up. Can’t get a full nights sleep because it keeps alerting me. I’m 58 years into this game I don’t need this.
I have been diabetic for 34 years and on a Medtronic pump since 2001. (Currently a Paradigm). I have been using the recommended Dexcom CGM for a little over a year and like it. I am completely discouraged at what I’ve read here. I was looking forward to finding out about this new pump that can actually get wet at my next endo. appointment next week!
In addition to a pump that only communicates with the same brand CGM, I’ve heard nothing but bad things about Medtronic’s GGM – inaccurate readings/predictions and a HUGE amount of tape that leaves a residue along with damaged skin. What if the newest pump could work with whatever CGM the user desires? Really, how many are there to choose from anyway? I’d like to keep using Dexcom and fear that my Paradigm will fail and I’ll be forced to get a new pump… then have the bad experiences I am reading here with both pump and CGM. Very discouraging. I hope for changes in the Medtronic Pump and CGM future!!
Hey Nancy,
I too have been on a pump since about 2001. I’m on my 3rd Medtronic pump that is out of warrenty so I’m looking. I’ve done a great deal of reading and watching over the last couple of weeks. What you’re seeing here on the 670G is very common.
I haven’t made it to the bottom of these comments yet but I’m very surprised no one has mentioned the Tandem t:slim X2 (https://www.tandemdiabetes.com/) yet. I’ve seen a lot of great things on this pump. It integrates with the DexCom G6.
Hi, I also been T1D x30 yrs & pumping for almost 15yrs. I started on Metronic Ping with CGM, Animals – no CGM, and now I’m on Medtronic Minimed 630G with Enlite CGM. It says to use the sensor in the abdomen however because I had too many surgeries and scars, I now use it on my arms and the accuracy is great.
Due to recent severe hypo (I was not wearing my sensor), I now just ordered the 670G with great expectations. After reading all negative experiences,i’m Not sure I want it anymore.
I clicked on your Tanden Diabetes link however this pump is NOT available in Canada where I live and the link did not accept my query – Canada doesn’t use Zip code but rather a « postal code ( eg. L9C 6 G1).
Hi Lucie,
sorry for the delayed response, a tech glitch prevented me form seeing new messages.
The 670G system can be helpful for some, life changing for others, and a complete hassle for still others. It really depends on the person, and the support they have in using it.
Please feel free to reach out to IDS for an appointment to see how we can help you live with your system and help it perform better with less burden. We have been working with patients using this system for about a year and a half and have had great results(within system capabilities) helping people meet their goals with less hassle. Also keep an eye out for a coming blog on some tips for use of the 670G in automode.
I have been using a Tandem t:slim for 3 years and it drives me crazy. instead of a quick battery change It requires to be plugged in. Some may prefer this but it has died a few times and I have to waste a ton of insulin and wait another 3 hours to recalibrate my Dexcom. There are just too many alarms and they go off at the worst times and no way to turn them off. I often think I have given myself a bolus but am one confirmation too short. It was a lot easier and I never missed a bolus I tried to deliver on my old Medtronic pump. The screen also goes off while I am trying to input something and I have to log back in again to finish what I was doing. It sounds like the 670G still has some work to do but I am not a fan of the T:slim and am counting down my last year till I can trade off.
Thanks for sharing Phillip, Feel free to contact IDS for a consultation to help you make the best of a tough situation you seem to be in. It’s great to have different pump options, but none of them is right for everyone.
With as much money spent on the 670G pump itself, I would have thought Medtronics had a 24 hour hotline. This is the only major flaw I have had so far. 8am-6pm, I personally work longer than that. So checking the status or ordering more after 6pm is out of the question. Very disappointing. However, shipping is very fast.
Hi I have been using the 670 g for 1 year. I use all the features. First the guardian sensors are inaccurate. Usually 30 to 50 points off. So your target is way off. I have had the worst a1cs of my diabetic time. 7.3. Interestingly Medtronic said a1c is not a good measure anymore. Next the alarms. Even with all alarms silenced. Driving ,sleeping getting louder and louder until it’s an air raid siren. Eat the correct carbs for correction. Alarm going off every 3minutes far too long..Saying low 40 or whatever. Finger stick says 95. Alarm makes you want to eat and eat. I would not recommend this system. I think the future is going to provide great pumps. This is a step.
Bruce, your struggles are very common. We find that most of our patients on 670 are able to get better results with more in depeth education. Still, others find that they use automode in a modified way to improve their quality of life rather than the focus on continual use for A1C management.
The Medtronic systems have always been far more alert heavy than other systems. We are waiting to see how Dexcom based systems might differ.
I have had diabetes for 28 years. I purchases the 670G. I I am on an Animas currently. I picked up the pump. Several boxes and instruction manuels. Couldnot figure out any of it. I called the pharmacy, the diabetic educator to help me. They told me Medtronic would have to train me for this. I never got a follow up call on the pump after purchased. I called Medtronic to see if we could set up an appointment to have someone show me how to use. The associate I spoke to told me he would check to see if I have an endo appointment. Also, told me sometimes it can take up to 14 days for an appointment for someone from Medtronic to show me how to use the pump. Very disappointed how they are so quick to see. But after all is said and done. No one wants to help and the buck is always being passed. In the mean time I sit here with an Animas pump that I can barely read the screen and the attachment for it to stay on my pants falls off and pulls the tubing out.
Hi Jill,
We work with a lot of Medtronic patients whoa re unable to get their training needed in a timely way. if you have the ability to do remote education, reach out to our offices and we will work with our local reps to see if we can be a resource to get you the training you need.
It is really unfortunate that medtronic’s sales force so greatly outstripped their training force with this product launch.
Wow, I am shocked and completely discouraged. I came upon this website in my search to find professional help for my daughter, who is struggling with control and diabetes burnout. I am the mother of a 24 yr old, who was “gifted” with diabetes when she was three. She started pumping at age 8 and switched to the 670 about 9 mos. ago. All I’ve heard since then is problems: lack of options, wild alarms, false readings, etc. I thought it couldn’t be true; she must be overlooking proper protocols. So, it was all true…everything she expressed. I am so disturbed at this moment I cannot complete my thoughts.
Hi Eileen,
Sounds like you could definitely use some added support. We would love to work with you and your daughter to help you find some answers and encouragement. Feel free to reach out to our office for an appointment anytime. We work with patients across the country and around the world.
As a 670G user I just want to make sure that I commented regarding a couple of the issues that were stated above, 1st, at least on my 670G I am able to set the target range below 120 (located under Options, Delivery Settings, Bolus Estimate Setup, BG Target; 2nd) there is a temp basal mode that allows you to temporarily decrease your basal doses for workouts, you tell it how long to basal in this temporary mode (this function is located under the Basal Option on the first menu under Temp Basal and you always have the option to suspend delivery; and 3rd) the dual/wave option allows you to bolus for big meals that include fast and slow digesting carbs, it gives you your immediate normal bolus followed by a Square Wave bolus where the square wave portion is delayed evenly over a period of time so you can remain level. I have to agree that the menus are terrible and need to be fixed, if I didn’t have someone to help me I would be lost. I have been on this pump for a year and still have a hard time navigating them but lucky for me I have a great rep who is very knowledgeable. I also was having issues with sensors failing regularly but I was recently notified that the CGM has been approved for wear on your arms. Since I have moved the sensors I have experienced 6-7 day of use on each sensor where before I was only getting about 3 day average.
Just wanted to elaborate that the features listed above are not available in automode. In automode the only option available is to use a temp target set higher for exercise and other times of reducing hypo risk.
A savy user can bounce between manual mode and automode to make use of features, but it is time consuming.
After reviewing this article I finally feel redeemed! I feel a kinship with Jenny as my issues were exactly the same overnight. I have a straight line, it says (in automode) that my BG is 101 but in actuality on waking it’s > 170 very often! I have called Medtronic to see if others have said the same thing and was told no. It also will not calibrate unless the sensor is in the back of my arm! Nothing on my abdomen works, totally frustrating going into summer with a big old sensor in my arm with short sleeves on?! :(
I also can relate to Deb K in her response, I am ashamed it’s not working for me like I thought it would. I have been on it since December and feel like the sensor isn’t nearly as accurate as the Dexcom was for me. The ONLY positive I can say about the 670G is my hypoglycemia is almost non-existent now which is a plus. My A1C is almost one percentage point higher though. The alarm fatigue is over the top, most days I input more than 8-10 BG’s on top of calibration. Perhaps they rushed this device before allowing algorithms to be updated? Not sure but I want my Dexcom back!!!!
I just got the 670G about 3 mo ago and have pretty much hated it from the start. I want my old dex and omnipod back! But since I just got it…I will not be eligible to change. =( I randomly try going back into auto mode but my BG is under better control in manual honestly.
Also I am just now starting to delve into the pregnancy prep world (about 2 years out from actual pregnancy) but need to start practicing tighter control! I guess manual mode is the way to go. Too bad, such a great idea, I thought I’d get to float on a sort of cloud knowing it will help keep me in better control, but really things just got worse and now I’m bouncing back on my own.
Hi Kat,
Your experience is , unfortunately, not uncommon.
Feel free to give us a call for a consultation. We have been able to work with a number of 670G users to improve their manual management and settings and go into a 670G use with much better outcomes and much less stress. We also offer pregnancy preparation and pregnancy specific education and support.
I would not have expected the 670G to be as good as the LOOP or “Alicia Mode”. However, for me, someone who still works at Diabetes on a part time basis, instead of the full time job it always is, I like sharing the work load!!! That being said, I completely agree that the sensor needs to be more accurate with less input from the user, and that the menu is not user friendly.
I have been wearing the 670 since November.
I have been on the 670G since July 2017 and my experience is completely different than these 2 stories. I do not know how long these people were on the 670G to give their experience but I do not have all the alarms and alerts going off as they do. My in range time has gone from 53% of the time prior to the 670G to consistently 80% and above since on the 670G. My HbA1c has dropped a full percent. My correction boluses have gone from 83% of the time to only 30%. The 670G has been life changing for me.
Every user experiences is certainly different. There are candidates for whom the system is highly effective, and there are others for whom it is a step backward. Thanks for sharing your experience.
As a T1d for 52 years, pumper for nearly 20 years, I was SO looking forward to the wonderful 670g…. but like the ones at Gary’s business, it has frustrated me more than helped. My A1c went up. I’ve tried auto mode for months, quit, and keep trying again, but usually end up lasting less than 24 hrs in auto. I really dislike being woke at night. The 120 target might be ok if sensor was accurate, but sensor averages 20 below actual…. even on manual mode, carelink estimated my a1c at 6.3; it’s 6.9…. I cant see how it’s possible to get down to 6.0 or below…. I’m really disappointed, but feel ashamed to complain…
Thanks for sharing,
Mathematically it’s close to impossible to get an A1C that low on the 670G since it shoots for a target of 120 which means in a magical 670 dream world you’d have an A1C of 5.8, but since we eat, get sick, have stress, and move about, the more realistic outcome is a high 6 to low 7