Pros & Cons of the Medtronic 770G
Our review
Unique Advantages: Pros
- Large, secure, long-established company
- Industry leader in R & D
- Data from Medtronic Guardian CGM displayed on-screen
- Hybrid closed loop (Automode) basal adjustment based on CGM readings and predictive algorithms
- Bluetooth connectivity with phone app
- Others can view data via sharing app
- High-contrast full-color screen
- Slim attachable clip
- Integrated meter
- Generates insulin/carb/BG statistics
- Approved for ages 2 and up
Potential Drawbacks: CONS
- CGM and Automode require additional finger sticks for calibration and safety checks
- Maintaining Automode requires a higher level of technical acumen and interaction with the pump.
- Frequent system alerts in Automode may become intrusive
- Attached clip is upside-down
- Must pay for loaner/backup pumps
- Screen and text are relatively small
- Insulin-on-board only deducted from correction boluses
- Carelink download program is complex and lacks intuitive reports
- Multiple menus and programming can be complex to master
- No automatic angled infusion set option
- Many button-presses and confirmation steps in basic programming
- Requires multiple training sessions
- Company’s marketing can be overly aggressive
I have had the 770G for several years now! Although Medtronic has very good technical support, the 770G is not all that. To tolerate it, I turn off all alarms and alerts for 24 hours at a time (that’s the Max). This does not turn off the high or low alerts which are all I need. Also, getting around the multiple-finger stick requires keeping the system in auto mode; I check the glucose graph, and if it is a flat line, I use the last reading and key that in. I’m not advising anyone else to use my approach to getting around the 770G issues, but it is the only way I can live with this system! Also, the Accu-Chek meter is horrible. I’m on my third one because, after several months, the system starts to eat up batteries. Also, it takes too long to transmit the BG results to the pump, so I usually just key in the results. Because of the issues with the meter and the cost of their test strips, got a new Embrace Talk BG test kit. The cost of the test strips is significantly lower that the Accu-Chek. Today, I believe there are better systems out there, so when I do a replacement, I will do a lot of research and perhaps try another system.
Feel free to check out our system comparisons (We will be updating soon) and appointments are available to go over the different available systems and help you find the best fit for you.
Spot on… I have the same issues and have basically the same resolve. Hope Medtronic is listening.
We can report that the Medtronic 780 system is definitely an improvement over the 770 systems, with some improvements tot he CGM and HCL. However there is also a lot still left to be desired. You can read Gary’s review of the 780 here
https://integrateddiabetes.com/me-and-780g-an-in-depth-review-of-medtronics-latest-automated-insulin-delivery-system/
My app keeps alarming minimum delivery but the pump shows no alarm. It’s driving me crazy.
I recommend calling medtronic, their tech support can go over your pump history and figure out what’s going on there and how to stop the bbothersome issue
I have been on insulin pump therapy for over 20 years, I am in the last year with my 770G and all I can say is I can’t wait until I am due for a new pump. This pump is the worst product I have ever used and Medtronic minimed doesn’t care, the sensors do not last a week as described. They have changed the warranty for the transmitter to 1 Year, I think so they can blame the transmitter and make you purchase another one. Their call center has been outsourced and is terrible, they just want to to change the sensor and they will send you a new one which fails. Now the latest thing the are blaming acetaminophen as a cause for fault. Take my advice and go with another brand, it can’t be worse then the 770G.
My 770g is my third Medtronic pump. With the first two I did not use the CGM (with sensor) because it was NEVER consistent with my glucometer readings. When the 770g came out, I was reassured that the sensors were much more accurate. Not true, as I have noticed that the sensors are often dangerously way off from the blood measurements. These sensors never last the seven days they are supposed to and cause massive frustration with constant messages that you have to acknowledge over and over again. So every time the sensor is not consistent with real blood sugars, which is very often, it goes into upgrade mode for 3 hours with no display of blood sugar. More often than not, the pump then simply says replace sensor and I have to wait an additional 2 to 3 hours for the sensor to warm up. Repeating messages over and over again only adds to the building frustration for users. For this system to work, the sensors have to be accurate with much less down time (upgrading and warming up). The sensors have to be more rugged to last the full 7 days, otherwise I am tearing the hell out of my sites which have less time to heal. There is nothing more frustrating than getting a message to calibrate (early) and when you do, the pump says calibration not accepted. It seems the sensor shuts down when the numbers it displays are way off from actual blood sugar. Since the user has been using the totally inaccurate numbers provided by the sensor, chances are that the blood glucose is out of desired ranges. As diabetics, our numbers will not be the same as non-diabetics, and this is where the pump should be helping us deal with it, not shutting down and replacing sensor with no blood sugars for up to 6 hours. It all comes down to totally inaccurate sensors. That is why I will shut down the sensor option in my 770g pump, that I paid $1,000 out of pocket for, and direct my energies towards managing my own blood sugars using my glucometer reading. The 770g with CGM sensors are extremely high maintenance, with more disadvantages than advantages. My next pump will not be a Medtronic pump.
I hate to talk bad about Medtronic pumps because my first three pumps were Medtronic and they made a huge difference in my life. I recently switched to the Tandem tslim from the 670g and it has been a game changer. My Medtronic pump kept my blood sugar at a constant 150-170 during the day in Automode. It would alarm all night if I stayed around120, which it likes to do. My A1c was never below 6.9 in four years. After switching to the tslim, in less than 3 months my A1c is 6.4. My kidney function has increased by at least 11 GFR points. I’ve slept all night for the first time in four years. I don’t cry in frustration at the constant alarms to check my blood sugar. I don’t enter fake carbs to try to maintain control. My blood sugar readings are always close to my interstitial readings – was usually off dramatically on Gardian, especially overnight. Don’t use Medtronic if you don’t have to.
Regretfully the 778G has so many frequent alarms that I’ve come to the conclusion that I actually hate using it. I have had complications-free Type I diabetes now for over 53 years.
I try to be a good Christian but I don’t think I have sworn with more vulgar language more often every day at anything in my life like I cuss at this pump regularly every day when its infernal alarms go off as nauseum.
Many of the alarms are downright stupid, like telling me I have a high blood sugar level after I type in a higher than desired calibration value. I’ve actually worked in the diabetes industry in my career, and, on conversations with Medtronic‘s support team (who are, actually, superb) they have concurred that the reason for all the pump alarms is not to protect the patient as much it is to protect Medtronic, damn lawyers.
I’ve been using my 770G for 3 years and I am currently actively planning to get rid of it and get one of Medtronic’s competitors’ models after careful review of all model ratings.
Sadly, I can’t recommend this pump. It is too much of a pain in the derrière to live with and use.
Medtronic pups do have a lot of alarms by default. We are each different and unique. Managing diabetes is unique too. The good news is all the alarms can be personalized to your individual needs. Perhaps give Medtronic support a call and they can help?
Been a diabetic for over 51 years, on a Medtronic pump since 1998 A1C when started 8.7 after 3 months 7.5 I still hated then after 6 months it grew on me. updated new pumps every 4 years
but skipped 670 POS since my daughter got one before me what garbage 4 replacements in 1 year I then was up from 630 to new 770 after sales rep who was also diabetic said how wonderful
and much improved compared to the 670, also said free 1 yr software upgrade in a year had this piece of junk over 2 years no new software upgrade exist. Before Going to Auto-mode I had AIC of 6.7
finger sticks at least 5 times a day then after 2 months of automode and all sorts of high sugar readings and my insurance compant in order to pay for CGM a1c must below 7 mine crept up to 7.2
I hade 1 month to get back under 7 and sales rep told me stop using auto-mode That should tell all who read this everything Automode is garbage ..and just can’t keep up fast enough to how fast sugar levels can change. My Daughter ended up going to Tandem pump and Dexcom a zillon times better. I will be doing the same Always had great tech support with Medtronic but the a years behind the competition, used to be good and make stuff that worked now they make claims that are not true. 770 is still listed as newest model and been out 3-4 years not one software upgrade to fix the issues with Automode this feature does not work take it from a guy who has been a diabetic for 51 years and no complications I take care of myself and know 10 minutes by how I feel before the CGM and pump even get a hint i’m trending up or down, The calibration is the main issue I can stick at 200 and 10 minutes later the pump says i’m 170 and when stick test again its 220 , I key in that value into the pump
20 minutes later it says i’m 180 , I test again i’m 250 it only reads correctly within 30Mg 50 percent of the time. My Daughters Dexcom with 10Mg 80 percent of the time.
Wish you all fellow Diabetos best care.
Sincerely Tom B
I just started on the 770 and it’s a pain to deal with the constant calibrations (finger sticks. Like my other pump, it seems to make arbitrary decisions upon occasion. Se the comment about losing automode. I’ve had to correctit twice already. Confusing am and pm is not good. What a mess. Will ditch this pump as soon as possible even if I have to pay out of pocket. There was so much my sales rep didn’t say and I wish I had read this site!!
Elaine H.
OUCH, so sorry to hear about your struggle Elaine.
If you woul dlike to talk about how to reduce your burden while you’re working on the change over definitely give us a call for an appointment. We might be able to help with some pointers to help facilitate that change as well (Though it’s really hard, next to impossible on medicare and tough on insurance) if you can document any negative health or blood sugar impacts that could be the ticket. otherwise a cost effective option is usually the Omnipod system since medtronic is usually covered through Durable medical equipment but the Omnipod is covered under pharmacy benefits, for non medicare users the two arms don’t usually talk to one another so both can get covered in the same year.
So, today was my first day with the 770G replacing my old 670G. I was sent the complete kit including new pump, new transmitter, new meter, new case and enough reading material that my freshman physics courses seem paltry in comparison. I got through the first 50 pages and was amazed at the contradictions where almost every positive thing about the meter is immediately trashed by the legal requirement to tell you every conceivable reason why you don’t want to use those “wonderful” features. This book has so many repetitions of basic information that the rare nuggets of really useful data are buried and almost impossible to find without reading the dribble.
I give them credit that the marketing and packaging was very well made even the magnetic closures on the manual box…
However. My first very negative impression was the fact that I cannot use the meters I have, despite them being “Accuchek Meters,” This means that all of my supplies of test strips and lancets are essentially useless as this meter will not allow them to pair (there is no longer a manual entry option. Needless to say a great way for Medtronic to make more money, but a poor way to do so. The new meter is quite literally a pain to use and the lancet that comes with it is useless. My M4 Carbine is far easier to operate if I want to make holes in myself. It is overly complicated requiring multiple steps while the older meters could be used one handed.
Pairing of the new transmitter was very easy. However, starting a new sensor was interesting in that it buries the “Start New Sensor,” beneath other menus once you connect it (at least the first time), leaving you at a screen that doesn’t tell you you’re connected.
…and this is just the first four hours, still waiting for the sensor to “warm up.”
I have. Had the 770G for over 2 years and I feel your pain, wait until the sensors start giving you issues their support line, which used to be wonderful about 5 years ago is horrible, all they want you to do is tell them you blood sugar reading and what the pump says they ask if you want to troubleshoot more and that is when they troubleshoot the transmitter, which by the way is only warranted for a year, so they want you to purchase a new transmitter. And they will send you a free sensor. I highly recommend that if you have to call them do it between 9 and 5 eastern time because you will probably get they an American and at least you will understand them. I can’t wait for the time period is up and I get a new pump and a new cgm. But I can almost guarantee you it will not be a Medtronic device. They used to be the standard of care, to me they have become just a money making machine living on old triumphs. While I know I sound like a grumpy old man, that’s because that is what Medtronic has turned me into. I wish you nothing but success with you new meter. And I truly hope you have good results with it, but I for one am done with Medtronic. Best wishes Tom
wouldn’t want to be a parent of a youngster dealing with this.
Parenting a kiddo with T1D is definitely a struggle at times. but it can also be a rich and family strengthening journey. We value to privilege of coming along side care givers.
I’ve been had diebetes for 23 years – I got it from my little brother :)
He clued me into the pump and it’s been great! Yes it does take a little time to understand.
I’ve been on the 770g since Jan 2021
at first I did not like the sensor and all the calibrations.
but it got better.
1. I always put sensors in upper arms and I can trick them to go another 6 days if I disconnect and reconnect (I have the grif tape to keep them on)
2. When you calibrate – make sure you put in the number that is – not more or less 25 from what the pump shows – it should be but if you are off it could reject(maybe you just ate and should wait to calibrate
I sensor does help keep my blood in better range
I would like to see the new upgrade
I hope that helps-
As for tricking it to work for additional days. Can you give more details? I cant seem to get rhis to work with the guardian 3 sensors.
HI Sandy,
You can find lots of videos online of people demonstrating their restart techniques
it’s tricky because you have to be able to disconnect the transmitter entirely and recharge it then reconnect without pulling off the sensor itself, so it’s definitely problematic
It’s much harder to do when you use the two overlapped taping method Medtronic suggests that comes in the box of sensors.
I use the larger oval shaped bandages “Fixit” brand from Amazon. They hold everything in place and are a much simpler application while perfect for using this method to get extra days from your sensors too. When the sensor has expired, you just carefully lift the tape from the bottom while using your finger to hold in the sensor securely into your arm, peel of the white attached strip that folds up from the bottom of the sensor, (or better yet, don’t use that at all) and continue to peel the tape up from the bottom until you reach the top of the transmitter. Then squeeze both sides, at the top of the transmitter, simultaneously, to release it. Secure your sensor, so it doesn’t become loose while charging your transmitter. Once fully charged, reconnect the transmitter, tape up and select start NEW sensor. Sensor can start to be erratic and off after reusing 3 or 4 extra days so just pay attention. I’ve been without insurance for a couple years and been paying out of pocket for my sensors through a discounted program Medtronic offers. This has really worked well for me. Good Luck!
I changed to a 770G about 1 year ago and have had to replace my first 770G when I began experiencing ” Failure to Deliver Bolus” errors consistently after programing a bolus. I would have to add the Bolus a 2nd time for it to deliver. Medtronic sent me a replacement pump after I called Customer Service and now I am seeing the same error message with increasing frequency. Is there a known issue with the bolus delivery on this pump?
This is not a common error that we are aware of, but thanks for sharing and definitely continue to follow up with Medtronic.
I’ve been using Medtronic pumps for over 15years. I have had an older model that isn’t made anymore. After my pump alarmed me, code A17, a few times I was told that I need a replacement. So after four weeks of bullshit between my insurance company and CCS Medical my new pump arrived. It’s the 770G with CGM. After reading all the reviews I’m ready to return it!! It’s still in the box as I’m waiting for an appointment with my Diabetes educator to help me set it up. Hearing all the negative comments about alarms contently going of will drive me crazy! I currently use the Dexcom G6 CGM. It’s great, sensor replaced every 14 days, not 6 which my B.Educator didn’t mention. I have a receiver so that I don’t have keep my phone on 24/7 When an alarm goes off while I’m sleeping I’m ready to through the damm thing out the window because I can’t get back to sleep. My solution for this is to keep it near by under blankets or pillows so I can still be in range for readings but I don’t hear the alarm. Yes, I know what the alarm is there for. There is sooooo MUCH reading material that came with the 770G that goes way beyond my head …..does Medtronic think I’m a skilled mechanic that works on Tesla’s ??? I think NOT!! I already have a learning disability and this pump sounds to complicated. My only hope is that since I’m under 30days of receiving the pump I can return it. I’m going with the tandem Dexcom pump. This pump does not require finger sticks every day. Thank you everyone for all your candid comments !! Keeping my fingers crossed that my current pump doesn’t die before everything I need comes from Dexcom arrives. What do you think about that Alicia Downs? If my pump dies can I “rent one” and still go with a different pump company?? I’m saying rent because I’m on a payment plan with CCS Medical and that’s what they call “renting” until it’s paid off.
HI Amy, you can absolutely return your Medtronic system within 30 days of receiving it.
I recommend going on the Tandem website and reaching out to them to start on the Tandem pump asap. Meanwhile have long acting insulin on hand and be ready to swap over if/when your old medtronic pump fails.
Blessed with type 1 for 47 years now, 20 years on shots and 27 on minimed pumps. Pump would do better if the infusion sets werent total garbage, they work fairly well for 2 days then they decompose . Minimed has the seven day extended wear infusion sets which work much better and would lower everyones HA1C but of course Americans arent allowed access to this helpful advancment, we could move to the UK and get it. Im switching to the TSlim X2 .. its a true closed loop system and much more user friendly, The only reason Ive kept with minimed was the promise of a closed loop system and here we are 15 years later and minimed no closed loop system.
The Tandem system does require mealtime bolusing.
Glad it’s working well for you
Some people find that they get smoother blood sugar control with 2 day site changes. and make sure to rotate sites well and allow for each site to fully heal before reusing to avoid onset of site specific absorption problems.
I’ve Had my 670-G almost 4 years. I thought I was the only one who was missing sleep with this dang thing with constant alarms. My latest issue is a “change Sensor” 7 hours after I just changed it. I called customer support although friendly try and blamed it on the sensor. My response was three sensors in a row bad? but would get the same answer, it’s mot the pump but sensor. I told support send me a refurbished 670-G because I needed to use it in the manual mode. woke up last night with a room full of paramedics trying to get my blood sugars up. Same thing 3 days earlier…twice in one week. Finally got them to send me out another 670-G so I can get back to being regulated. I do have to say, if one puts up with all the please calibrate demands my sugars were stable but the jury is out if I keep the Medtronic or talked to into something else. I really enjoyed all the comments knowing I’m not the only one dealing with this condition.
I have the same problem with mine but I get high reading instead
I have been a user of Medtronic pumps for years. I wore the 770G for 4 years and was satisfied with the performance and function of the pump and CGM. It would have been nice to have a longer activation time for the CGM, however it wasn’t a total negative. They have a good product that worked well for me.
My only complaint is with the Company itself. Several times when ordering supplies through their online system, I was sent the wrong items, had to return them. I would call and they question why I need a return, I explained I have never used those infusion sets, Once they see that, then I would receive the ok and they would ship the correct ones. If this happened once I would chalk it up to honest mistakes, but multiple times, not impressed. I started to just call and place the order directly from a person. Multiple times after waiting for several minutes I would get a hold of someone that seemed to be half asleep. this corrected the problem sometimes. I still occasionally received the wrong infusion sets.
Customer service is horrible and I had to leave them. As I stated I had been a customer for years (20+) But the last 3 had been a nightmare and frankly too much for me to continue with them.
I am only in my first week of using the 770G and have a suggestion to help reduce the notification for calibrations, only perform the manual calibration and notice that it will take up to 2 minutes to complete. Not so with the auto-calibration mode. So I am know receiving only 2 request per day as stated in their documents. This would lead me to think that Medtronic’s needs to update their firmware very quickly to resolve this issue. So, feel free to try both modes while timing the event to verify if you see a similar occurrence with your machine. Have not notified Medtronic’s at this time as still learning and evaluating the pump and sensor, but the readings from my manual glucose meter and the GS3 are tracking very close at this time.
Calibration, do your first when you wake up, as your blood glucose should be more stable at this time and not ramping due to carb input, then your second before eating your dinner. Note, due to the limited strips that came with the Accu-Chek, I was forced to use my old Contour Next meter for calibration, this is not a problem as I have used this meter for the last 5 years and am very comfortable with the blood sugar readings. Note, I also crosschecked the two meters testing at the same time with similar blood glucose readings, plus or minus 10 with some spot on.
I am a 75 Years old T1 diabetic for 54 years with 5 years on the 670G, with a work history as a microwave and electronics technical specialist retired.
Note: before posting on this site use word to create your posting as there is no editing available to the users.
Forum Monitor please delete my 2 previous postings and use this updated edited version, thank you.
I started my pump therapy for the very first time last December (2021). The pump was the 770G and I have to say this thing has made my life miserable. I have not had one good nights sleep, because of the multitude of alerts and warnings and for some reason, as yet unexplained I have an ongoing problem with failing sensors, which are both annoying and time consuming. My impressions of my first experience of an insulin pump are pretty poor.I would hazard a guess and suggest that no-one was listening to any T1 pump users when they designed the software for this sucker, it is appalling.
HI Gordon,
Wow that’s really unfortunate that you were clearly not given good support on your first foray into pumping. We are often “sold” on an insulin pump and how much it’s going to improve our quality of life, but the wrong system, the wrong education, and the wrong support can make everything about management MORE burdensome.
We work with patients to help them build strong fundamental skills and advanced pumping skills to reduce the burden of management. Many find that with those skills they need for automation etc that can make the 770 system burdensome is reduced. We also train our clients on troubleshooting and strategies to reduce the burden inherent in the Medtronic sensor etc . Unfortunately i’m sure noone was in a rush to let you know that you had the option to return your pump back when you were in the 30 day window, but going forward you can switch to a dexcom CGM once your 12 month transmitter life is done with your Medtronic (Unless you want to pay out of pocket for the transmitters or your doctor can get you a “hello dexcom” kit as a free sample) the Dexcom is a far easier CGM to live with and with strong pump use skills yu may not even need the hybrid closed loop and can use your medtronic pump with more success in manual mode.
You can also look into switching to the Omnipod system which uses the Dexcom. Because the Omnipods are covered under pharmacy benefits not Durable medical you may not have to wait out the 4 year Medtronic Warranty period to make the switch. The omnipod system uses a similar Hybrid closed loop, but with the Dexcom it has far fewer alerts and alarms. The biggest draw back may be that the Omnipod can only hold 200 units of insulin so it is limiting for some users.
I agree. I will be leaving Medtronic after being with them for 20 years. At my next pump upgrade I will seek a new pump provider. I am open to suggestions and so far from reading I will look into the Tslim. I am so over Medtronic 77OG and the guardian sensor!!!
I’m with you Sandy, can’t wait for my next pump it won’t be a Medtronic device
I’ve got to say that after reading these comments I’m beginning to regret agreeing with my doctor to try the closed 770G system. I’ve been a Medtronic (MiniMed) pump user for about 20 years & appreciate the service I’ve received up to this point. I’ve had the 770G pump for 1-1/2 years and been using a Dexcom Sensor for a little over a year now. It’s been fine except for the occasional sensor that won’t cooperate no matter what. I don’t know if I should cancel the Medtronic sensor or go through with it.
Don’t do it! I want to run over it with my Jeep. Get a tslim and dexcom. My pump rep flat out lied to me and now I’m stuck with this worthless POS.
HI Lynn,
you may have other options.
you are only locked into the medtronic cgm for the 1 year life of the transmitter. and we work with patients to build pump use skills so good that many choose to use their Medtronic pump manually with a dexcom instead of the incessant alerts. You can also look into switching to omnipod Dash. Because the Dash pods are covered under pharmacy benefits instead of durable medical you may be able to get them without waiting out the 4 year warranty period. (depending on what insurance you have)
I got this Medtronic pump because I have autism. The finger pricks drove me nuts, the insulin injections not so much. I also have issues remembering when to meter & when to inject. This pump was supposed to be something of a life saver. Now I am ready to give up, prepare for the day they amputate my legs and welcome death from diabetes. My doctor told the people from Medtronic… he will do everything you tell him, he follows directions explicitly. I have 3 university degrees… brilliant… I know I am not doing this wrong… the pump is f–ked up. I can’t believe anyone designed this pile of garbage. I ripped everything off my body.
With this Medtronic junk I get so many false calibration alarms and it wakes me at night. That might be okay for some people, those of us with ASD, I can’t get back to sleep. I’m supposed to silence this hunk junk… but what if the alarm is critical? Some days it holds the calibration and some not so much. I get tangled in the damn thing in bed. I have noticed what other people say… the pump/sensor is off by 30-50 points… one moment I am working out/cardio & the meter is automatically around 100… I take a drink of water and I am at 300.
I’m done. Maybe go to the Freestyle Libre and needles again. I’ll hook a taster to my iPhone to zap me when I need a jab. This is friggin’ stupid.
Somebody here said there was a better meter/pump and that company went out of business. No joke, please tell me who they are and I will buy the patent and start manufacturing it again.
So sorry to hear about your struggles Carl, you are absolutely right! the Medtronic pump is entirely inappropriate for anyone on the autism spectrum. The alerts and alarms are even more problematic for those persons than the general public (And it is entirely problematic for the general public too!) the Tandem pump with the Dexcom has far fewer alerts and alarms and requires no calibration. BUt getting insurance to pay for that may be a problem. You may be able to get the Omnipod system since it is paid for by pharmacy benefits rather than durable medical benefits. It also does not have tubing so that is another struggle you’d eliminate. You could also really benefit from an InPen. it’s a blutooth pen that tracks your rapid acting bolus doses through the day and has a bolus calculator to recommend dose.
“Somebody here said there was a better meter/pump and that company went out of business.” That company was Animas, and yes it was a better pump with meter than anything on the market today. I owned their first through their last pump (Animas Vibe), and the company closed up in 2019. It made the best quality pumps with user friendly features and connectivity with Dexcom (through G4). Please buy that company or its IP and get it back on track and in business. Thank you in advance on behalf of all frustrated pump users.
unfortunately animas (Johnson and Johnson diabetes) was bought out by Medtronic. We hope to see new developers bringing exciting innovations and adopting the best of the past as well.
Not convinced the 770g and sensor has made my life much easier. It is so dang needy all of the dang time.
The 770G system is a nightmare! I’ve used it for a little over a year and turned off auto mode after about 3 months because I couldn’t get a whole nights sleep. It was waking me every night. Sensor is highly inaccurate. Readings between sensor and actual BG can be off as much as much as 40-50 points. Now the sensor is asking for BG and calibration every 6 hours even though the reading on the pump says it should not need another calibration until 12 hours. So once again I’m being awakened every night to calibrate. Tech support is useless. I have a new transmitter coming and if this doesn’t improve things I am going to pull the sensor too and just go back to doing it manually like I used to. I would not recommend this system to anyone. Do your homework first before you order a new pump. There are better systems out there.
Thanks for your Input Mike,
A lot of users elect to use their Medtronic pump with a libre or Dexcom CGM to alleviate the burden of calibrations. Once your 1 year warranty on the transmitter is up you’re free to use any CGM you’d like.
Talk more about the integration. I am new to the Insulin Pump game. Everything that I have read in reviews says that Medtronics wraps up the pump and CGM into one complete expensive package. I am a veteran and am on medicare part A & B. So I am limited as to what I can get through the VA. I am currently on the Libre 14 day and have submitted a prescription to the VA. Like anything else, I do not expect the VA to provide anything. I figure I will have to purchase out of pocket.
HI Stan,
The integration of the 770 system is pretty much the same as that of the 670 system. the only thing that’s actually new to the 770 is the phone app display.
your comment you’re free to use any CGM you’d like. how I currently use Dexcom it will not connect to the Medtronic pump..
that is true but many find that the benefits of living with the dexcom outweigh any benefits of the medtronic hybrid closed loop.
Try the Dexcom, it requires few calibrations and it maintains a close accuracy. I like the 770G Pump itself, but like you, I need to sleep at night.
Hi Mike
I’m in the same boat 2 1/2 year use my best nights sleep are when the sensor is turned off.
And Alicia no disrespect but reading this thread do you offer any real advice except apologizing for a persons difficulty and then saying how wonder Medtronic is?
You’ll never hear me say how wonderful the Medtronic is!! LOL I’ve lived with it too and also never got a good nights sleep. I literally never made it through a night with automode on! What I offer is to help people make the most of where they are and commiserate with their experience while offering hope. I can’t give individualized fixes because that requires seeing their data and going through how they’re using their system. We have articles in our resources section on reducing alert fatigue and how to use the Medtronic system in a way to minimize alerts but it’s definitely an innate problem with their system.
Users can also use their medtronic pump as a conventional pump and a Dexcom
They lose the automation, but gain sleep!
I have been using my 670G Insulin Pump along with my FreeStyle Libre cgm for almost 2 years. I am happy with it probably because I have ALWAYS used it full manual mode with no cgm integratione.
I am beyond frustrated with my 770G pump. I had an Animus pump until they went out of business and switched to the 670G Minimed, now have the 770G. I was hoping this was going to be a positive switch and with all the positive selling points from Medtronic I was very enthusiastic about it.
Auto mode has been a nightmare for me, especially the past 3 months. I am constantly over 170 and into the 200’s even doing sometimes hourly correction bolus’. I have had to change my insulin sensitivity factor to 12 and my insulin to carb ration down to 3.
Example: This morning when I got up my BG was 184 I had dinner the night before and nothing after that. After getting to work I had black coffee and always bolus 7 carbs for that. I had a few peanuts and 2 slices of cheese for breakfast and my BG went up to 224. WHY?????
I do 4 calibrations every day to try to get accurate readings and am very aggressive with my mealtime bolus’. I have tried moving my infusion sites every 2 days and will change it if my BG is constantly high even with correction bolus’. Medtronic help lines just tell me to talk to my Dr. I have an appointment with him in September ( best I could get).
Any suggestions would be extremely appreciated!!!
Hi David,
We would need to establish a clinical relationship to make any specific recommendations so feel free to call our office for an appointment. Meanwhile I can say that bolusing a lot with the 770 leads to the system getting extremely conservative and not delivering enough insulin to do much. Settings sound like they definitely need to eb dialed in. and you may benefit from using manual management like you did with your animus and only using automode when it is helpful like possibly over night.
Hi
One of all the tings that make my BG High is coffee. When you have coffee in fast that stress the body immediately and cortisol kicks in. Is better for us to eat something o drink water before el café.
For my experience Freestyle was more precisely. I have the Guardian 3 and its seems to be not that accrued.
Sounds like me. This is what has at least FINALLY helped me. I use the siloute,instead of all the other 90 degree inserts. I only do a shallow 12 degree angle and I place it as lateral as I can from y stomach and all the scar tissue , on either side. I still do change the site every 2 days but this has been INFINITELY better than the misery of going through what you and I have experienced. I’ve been T1 for 57 years and I really lack any “real estate” for a pump except for the sides I mentioned. And as I mentioned, aiming shallow helps immensely! Other wise it’s like drilling for oil but passing that layer. Ending in hyperglycemia.
I’m shaking my head at all the negative comments. I have used Medtronic pumps for 30 years. I’m on my 6th one. I just got the 770G which replaced my 670G that was 4 years old. My A1c’s have been 6.2, 6.2, 6.2 and 5.9 over the past year or so. My time in range is 85-95% and I rarely get pump alarms. My lows are less than 2%. Knowledge is power. I have not used Auto mode since I tried it with my 670G. Manual mode is the way to go. Forget what Medtronic and your Endo has to say. Medtronic will tell you that you can expect time in range at 73%. That is so poor. Try manual mode after you read these books and really understand them.
Read the following books and then tell me there is something wrong with the pump. I say…”user errors”.
Sugar Surfing by Dr. Stephen Ponder
Pumping Insulin by John Walsh.
Last note…if you think you can attach a sophisticated insulin pump to your body and put it in Auto Mode and “set it and forget it”, you can forget that now.
RTFM!!!
Good luck to all.
Medtronic and Endo’s will disagree with this. But they all want to know when they see my reports “how do you do that”?? What’s your secret?
Thanks for your input Jerry, we are really privileged to have a wealth of information and empowerment to handle our diabetes effectively manually, but not everyone has that. That’s why having as many system and treatment options as possible is so important so we can all get the level of management and quality of life we deserve.
It is not user error. The Medtronic system is garbage. Every week the reps from Medtronic have come out to my doctor and say I am doing everything right. You got the one good “Ford” in an entire 1000 assembly line of bad vehicles. Every item listed under the “CONS” section I have experienced. It’s not all of us, I guarantee it.
2nd!
I hate this pump more than words can express. It is literally consuming my life with constant false occlusion alarms.
HI Jay, you can definitely reach out to schedule with our team and we can help make life with your pump more livable.
770G really works well for me. It’s not autonomous, you have to work with it, but it’s made a real difference in my blood sugar control. I used a 670G for 4 years prior to the upgrade, and I can’t remember the last time I was awakened by an alarm in the night. I can’t remember that last time a sensor didn’t last 7 days. I use automode 100% of the time, never turn it off. I can’t remember the last timeI called tech support. Highly recommend.
Great to hear you’ve found a system that meets your needs so well! This is why we are always glad that we have multiple options out there!
670 g is a terrible pump. It is not accurate. It requires constant calibration. Automode is constantly turning off. It takes hours to have a sensor work, when it does, and the sensor works less than 7 days. The clip falls off constantly and is upside down. Lows are reported when I am not low. Highs can be hard to get out of. I really hate this pump.
The 770G is a total nightmare. I’ve had one for 6 months now and haven’t had one night of uninterrupted sleep and have been woke up as many as 22 times in an 8 hour span for useless alerts. Most BG request are made when my readings are in the perfect range. Been a diabetic since 1993 and I’ve never had to stick my finger more than I do now with multiple daily calibrations. Honestly never been more hassled than I am now. No more than ten minutes after a calibration, I’m asked for a required BG which then immediately follows with asking if I would like to calibrate. Seriously a joke for something that is supposed to make a diabetics life better.
I have to agree with your Scotty, I have not felt so victimized by diabetes since I was on injections. from being badgered by alerts to not being able to see how much insulin is delivering or has recently delivered, medtronic has a lot to change to give us back the feeling of empowerment in their automated systems that many of us first found from their basic pumps decades ago!
I have had Medtronic pumps for 20 years. The others all seemed like upgrades to each other, but the 770G has taken 10 steps back. The ridiculous amount of steps for basic programming is user hostile. The auto mode is a complete waste of my time- I have better control without it. After 47 complication-free years with this condition, I know my body better than any basic algorithm. The design of this pump is challenging to quality of life. The Bayer linking meter is crud tech compared to the Contour link. For me, I couldn’t care less about having a link to a phone and am adamant about having more charity on data privacy for people in non-public healthcare countries. Carelink I flat out refuse to use. This pump might be my exit from Medtronic next time around. As soon as I get my old prescriptions renewed I am going back to the 630G. It actually worked.
HI Helen, I have had a few clients who have done better with smart guard only than the full automated systems. The one good thing about the Medtronic pumps is the ability to go full automode – smart guard only – or fully manual with no cgm integration.
The Medtronic pump is an absolute joke. If you want something to buzz at you every 7 minutes with a CGM which is horribly inaccurate go ahead & buy it.
This is literally a garbage system which I have nothing positive to say about.
This pump is not worth it. I have used the 630G, 670G, and now the 770G. The alarms go off constantly and wake you up throughout the night for minimal things. Even if you JUST put in your BS and calibrated it, it will prompt you seconds later to enter a new BS for automode. They try to sell you on the new connectivity to the phone, but it’s useless. If you have a child/loved one that you’re checking on, sure it’s cool but for the person with diabetes, the app is useless. You can’t give yourself insulin using the app or turn off alarms using it. You still have to pull your pump out (even though they advertise it as letting you be more discreet about it). If you do get it, make sure you try returning it in the 30 day warranty period or else you’re stuck with the bill even though the pump sucks and their technical support team sucks. I’ve had diabetes for over 21 years and used almost every brand of pump out there, and this is one of the WORST experiences I’ve had with a pump.
Not exactly clear on how to get pump data sent to Endo , from the 770 ?
The companion app automatically uploads it to carelink and your endo can get the info on his clinical account. (You can reach out to them to get that info to them)
or you can upload the pump directly to a computer using a USB dongle.
i wish I could get the sensor, it’s not covered by insurance now. the cost of 680 dollars, 5 sensors which last 25 is prohibitive .
HI Fay,
the Guardian3 from Medtronic is not currently medicare approved, but the Libre and Dexcom G6 are. CGM use is becoming more and more the standard of care for anyone using insulin (And even persons with type 2 diabetes not on insulin) so I recommend reaching out to the manufacturers and submitting your info for insurance verification and a coverage estimate, if it’s still a “no” try again every 6 months or so and you can also write your insurance company, and speak to their diabetes care manager about the need for this system to be covered. When we raise our voices things do change.
same here! my A1c prior to using the 670g was in the 6.5 range plus I was using the Freestyle Libre as the CGM. Medtronic insists I use AutoMode , however, I feel your pain. My A1c went up in the 7s.. Yes I have less lows and you would think it’s suppose to give you micro boluses to offset the highs. You can’t use Easy Bolus in Auto Mode or any other correction bolus. I’m back on Manual Mode and don’t have lows, since I’ve set the pump correctly. Soon I’ll rip out the sensor and go back to the Libre CGM!!! Hate waking up 2 – 3 times a night to obey the alarms. :(
You’re definitely not alone Bruce, a lot of 670G users are now using their pump with another sensor. however while you’re on the medtronic sensor you can still use the Smartguard features to reduce lows, particularly in higher risk times like exercise or travel. We are finding that there are a select group who benefit hugely from the 670G, another group who are able to work it into their lives well, most people turn automode on when it helps and leave it off most the time, and another group who have ditched the guardian entirely. None of those groups is wrong, it’s all about what works best for each person. (unfortunately Medtronic and many providers ignored this individuality with blanket prescribing and sales)
WE look forward to a day when we can pick out pump, algorithm and sensors of choice and use them together to get our personal needs met more effectively.
Just going to vent here…been a Type 1 since Feb 14, 1990….on a Medtronic Pump since 1998…this particular pump is a personal nightmare. Constantly needs an calibration, eats batteries like no one’s business. All I am doing is lots of exercising to work off the highs and eating for the lows. The A1c better be worth all this work and I miss the quality of life, like sleeping in my own bed for longer than 3 hours because the vibrator goes off a lot and my husband likes to sleep. They will NEVER find a cure for this dreaded disease thanks to this cash cow technology.
I’ve just been upgraded to the Med 670G and after the initial transition that took 2 weeks, I’ve been to hell and back with sugar highs and lows. Since being allocated onto auto mode I actually think it’s a great little tool to use. My low is due to over counting carb ratio but the pump does work it’s socks off trying to irradiate my bodies natural high and lows. I’ve not gone as low as 3.5 on this pump where previously I’ve gone to 2.1
I was under a false illusion that I didn’t need to check blood monitoring but I do when the pump requests it….I am of course, a diabetic of 40 years and have been, and seen some horrific techniques over my time. This method is a god send considering, it just needs a little TLC and be used correctly.
Thanks for your feedback Jen,
670G is a great tool for the right patients and with the right education and support,
So glad it’s helped reduce those lows!
I really like my 670G. Works well but takes some attention. That’s the point really.
I agree with David. I calibrated at 10:30 pm and it woke me up at 3:48 am to enter blood glucose to stay in auto mode when there was no reason for pump to not stay in auto mode. Also you have to be precise to stay within range. Goo luck if you miscount carbs and you sugar goes high. While pump target is set to 120 for auto mode it will only correct for 150. If 120 is target the pump should correct for 120 not 150. It’s very frustrating. My guess is I will have to drop auto mode and go back to manual mode. Oh and the Medtronic sensor has a range of 33%. That’s right, it is allowed to be 33% off so you can’t really trust what you see on your screen. I tested 6 times a day before 670g and there are days I have to test more due to auto mode. Get ready to ration your test strips.
Hi Jeremy,
I remember seeing 33% for the 670G sensor and I’m thinking about upgrading to the 770G if the algorithm and measurements are more accurate. Have you or do you know where to find spec sheets for the 770G? I agree 33% is okay if your blood sugar never leaves 80, but that’s not the case so the percentage is just unacceptable if you have a high.
The pump loses its Automode connection constantly. It’s been a nightmare. Calling tech support constantly.