Living with a Medtronic Minimed 640g and sensors

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heasandford said:
Thanks for doing this one - fascinating!

I am a committed Libre user, although I have to say that even though it gives me the info I can't always do anything about it in the way I want, so the suspend sounds good (ie when I am going low I often miss it, and when I am going high it is too late and then takes at least 2 hours to come down)
I was also interested to hear about the Contour Meter, as I feel I would struggle if I had to keep hoiking the pump out from underneath clothes - my favourite thing about the Roche pump is the bluetooth meter (I have a Combo though, hopefully ! can refuse the Insight! Are you at the Bournemouth hospital like me?)

Food for thought about changing if ever given a chance!
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HI @heasandford - interesting to hear about the Libre, I had thought of it, but as it doesnt link to the pump I didnt think it added much extra value to be honest. The suspend option is good particularly for me at the moment where I am going low five or six times a day despite basal changes and adjustments, tricky days. The Contour Meter is linked directly to the Medtronic pump thankfully but you still have to do your bit of keying in and such like, weirdly thats the thing the thing I didnt like about the Roche one. I tried it as I used to be seen at Bournemouth hospital a few years back but I didnt find the wifi / bluetooth reliable enough, hey we're all different ... Bournemouth was a great place for treatment in my brief time there, but we now live in Norfolk, so go to Addenbrookes in Cambridge which is equally as good. What kind of pump do you have? Sallly
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Are you wearing the sensor/transmitter vertically @pottersusan? And have you been given guidance about when (and when not) to calibrate?

Sounds like the one you had was just a bad 'un though if Medtronic are replacing it. Did it just stop altogether? Or was it after calibration errors?
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Horizontally (though haven't been told any way is better). Have been told to calibrate twice a day, but no guidance as to when.
It just stopped in the middle of the night.
 
@pottersusan - if you're on a 640g it will tell you when to calibrate, you can check when the next time is by looking at the quick menu options, at least that way you know you wont be woken up at 3am asking you to calibrate. I tend to calibrate 3 or 4 times a day, so you may need to do it a bit more often? BTW, the sensor will stop if you dont calibrate when it wants you to do it unfortunately :(
 
pottersusan said:
Horizontally (though haven't been told any way is better). Have been told to calibrate twice a day, but no guidance as to when.
It just stopped in the middle of the night.
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My understanding is that there is some data that north-south is the better orientation with the transmitter at the bottom (they always used to suggest east-west). The insertion area should be one that does not bend/twist too much in general, so if using abdomen, upper abdomen is better than the really bendy/creasy bit in the middle. Arms seem to get a lot of positive murmurings online, but I've never tried there.

The other thing I've seen recommended is that calibrations are best done at a time when BGs are relatively stable and are likely to remain so for approx 30 minutes. So good to avoid calibrations where the sensor glucose shows lots of arrows. I think you only get a couple of failed calibrations before the sensor will be refused.

Also, users seem to recommend that if a sensor stops you can try to restart it as if it were a new one. You have to detach the transmitter from the sensor so have to be careful that you don't dislodge the whole thing. Can't say I have any experience of them failing and whether you can restart after multiple calibration fails, but I do stretch mine out with restarting at least once when they have run their 6 days and usually seem to get 12-16 days out of them.
 
Scrumpyjack65 said:
HI @heasandford - The Contour Meter is linked directly to the Medtronic pump thankfully but you still have to do your bit of keying in and such like, weirdly thats the thing the thing I didnt like about the Roche one. I tried it as I used to be seen at Bournemouth hospital a few years back but I didnt find the wifi / bluetooth reliable enough, hey we're all different ... Sallly
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Loving this thread, learning loads!
Not wishing to hijack the main theme, but Sally, I'm not sure exactly what you mean about keying in to the pump? I just use the Combo linked meter (very similar to the Expert one) and it reliably messages the pump with everything. I never need to touch my pump except to change the cannula etc. I just like the convenience. But I would like an alarm when I am going too low (or perhaps even too high - I really need to stop it happening at all!)
 
@heasandford - Hi ... so when I had the combo, just bear in mind it is thankfully a few years ago now, probably about 3 years ... but at the time it was the wireless connectivity between my blood tester and the pump that was just to unreliable so I had to key in the blood test each time and then it would keep error-ring as the remote wasnt working so you had to go through from memory a whole wizard thing about have you tested, etc etc ... it became rather a bind to say the least ! For me the smart guard on the Medtronic one is my saviour, as it just switches off, it does vibrate or whatever but Id rather try and sleep, and then it just keeps going after 2 hours and switches itself back on. Generally Im having two or three hypos a night so this is as I say my saviour. You're lucky your linked meter works as well as it does, perhaps I was just unlucky ....
 
I'm learning lots too🙂

The Medtronic was very determined to wake me up last night - it had lost connection with the sensor and please would I move away from any likely interference😱... I turned over and went back to sleep🙄. All seems well this morning.
 
@pottersusan - absolutely roll over and ignore it .... the alerts and alarms can be a pain but hey its worth it I think to get the data back .... but what I would say is to keep testing as much as you used to before having the CGM as sometimes what is showing on the sensor is way out from your good old finger prick option .... have a great day 🙂
 
Goodness Jack! Why on earth didn't Roche replace it? They did with my Combo meter/handset when it failed - no prob at all once I got through to someone sensible rather than being diverted to unhelpful people in the States! And later the pump when the piston motor went base over apex.
 
@trophywench - they did and the same thing, I was so relieved to be able to give it back, not like Medtronic ....glad I was able to switch back. For me Medtronic works, but appreciate each to their own.
 
Just been to see my DSN (after visiting Draculette earlier - two nurses in one day is a bit much!). She wanted to download the data from my pump, yet bizarrely nothing appeared. She's going to get on to Medtronic when theyre less busy.
it's strange that the pump is seeing the sensor data, but it's not downloading. Any ideas from Medtronic users? I wonder if I've got a dodgy transmitter, given the blips in connection I'm experiencing.
 
pottersusan said:
Just been to see my DSN (after visiting Draculette earlier - two nurses in one day is a bit much!). She wanted to download the data from my pump, yet bizarrely nothing appeared. She's going to get on to Medtronic when theyre less busy.
it's strange that the pump is seeing the sensor data, but it's not downloading. Any ideas from Medtronic users? I wonder if I've got a dodgy transmitter, given the blips in connection I'm experiencing.
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Oh , I hope it is something that can easily be solved.
 
Can you see the 'Sensor glucose review' @pottersusan?

Menu > History > Sensor Glucose Review

This should allow you to see sensor data stored in the pump (scroll back through previous days... view pie charts... average data over 7/14/30 days etc).

In any case there would have been bolus and settings info from the pump.

Carelink is notoriously twitchy for uploads though. Usually takes a lot of patience and often several tries. Added to that they have *just* changed Carelink so that patients now get access to what used to be HCP-only 'Pro' reports.

I suspect a problem with Carelink upload rather than your pump.
 
Am I right in thinking that if I have the 640g from my hospital then I can just buy the CGM sensors and tell them to talk to each other or do I have to buy other equipment to go with it?
 
@Ref (Andy) - sort of but not quite ... you need a transmitter, usually costs about £400, but this year my DSN gave it to me for free amazingly ... you then turn on the sensor settings on your pump and you have to manually input the transmitter number, shown on the back of the device, and yes they then as you put it, talk to each other. In case Medtronic have forgotten to tell you which they often do you can sign up to them for a year as long as you agree to buy one box a month £210, then you get a free transmitter at the end of the year but you also yet your sensors dramatically reduced from £275 to £210 .. worth thinking about but its a big financial commitment .. I see you have been or are a libre user, does that you've decided now to tray something new? BTW, impressive HBA1c results ...
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Can you see the 'Sensor glucose review' @pottersusan?

Menu > History > Sensor Glucose Review

This should allow you to see sensor data stored in the pump (scroll back through previous days... view pie charts... average data over 7/14/30 days etc).

In any case there would have been bolus and settings info from the pump.

Carelink is notoriously twitchy for uploads though. Usually takes a lot of patience and often several tries. Added to that they have *just* changed Carelink so that patients now get access to what used to be HCP-only 'Pro' reports.

I suspect a problem with Carelink upload rather than your pump.
Click to expand...
Hi, as you say, lots of issues with Carelink upload, shame it only works on certain browsers well from my experience anyway - Firefox seems to be the most reliable. If the DSN was using Internet Explorer or Chrome then yes lots of issues ... !!
 
Re my HbA1c - thanks @Scrumpyjack65, hard work though.

I've a few reasons for moving away from the libre.
Since i've started on the pump I'm finding the libre less useful. The pump has already enabled me to reduce the number of highs and lows I'm having but the downside of that is when I do have them then they hit me harder. When I was on MDI, if I hypo'd then all I needed was a couple of jelly babies and I was good to go in a couple of minutes. Now it takes much longer and I feel awful for ages which is affecting me at work and is noticeable to others. I'm thinking the smartguard feature would be able to help me out.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Can you see the 'Sensor glucose review' @pottersusan?

Menu > History > Sensor Glucose Review

This should allow you to see sensor data stored in the pump (scroll back through previous days... view pie charts... average data over 7/14/30 days etc).

In any case there would have been bolus and settings info from the pump.

Carelink is notoriously twitchy for uploads though. Usually takes a lot of patience and often several tries. Added to that they have *just* changed Carelink so that patients now get access to what used to be HCP-only 'Pro' reports.

I suspect a problem with Carelink upload rather than your pump.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that.

I'm the first patient my DSN has had with sensors - so she's learning too! and my brain is still fogged with cold bugs so cant think straight (amend that to 'cant think🙄)
 
After much cursing and swearing, finally succumbed to ringing Medtronic for help with registering with Carelink. Half an hour later, I've succeeded!
 
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