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Alert: Product and Recall NoticesMiniMed™ 780G system review: Jaime’s first 30 days
Three days I will never forget
I’m Jaime, a Medtronic Employee who’s been living with type 1 diabetes since I was three years old and wearing an insulin pump for the last 20+ years.
Over the years, it’s very easy to get lost in the countless blood sugar checks, numerous sensor changes, and daily management of a disease like type 1 diabetes. It’s a blur of juice boxes, juggling insurance claims, doctors’ appointments, pharmacy runs, tears, waking up in the middle of the night covered in sweat, laughter, mental math, pump alerts, triumph, calloused fingers, workouts, strength, and glucose tablets.
But in the last 20 years, three days stand out.
Three days I will never forget. Three days when I truly felt hopeful about my diabetes. And three days where I had a sense of relief that I now have something in my corner of the ring as I put on the gloves and fight this disease.
1. My very first day on my MiniMed™ Paradigm 512.
2. My very first day on the MiniMed™ 670G with Auto Mode™.
3. The day I did a remote software upgrade to the MiniMed™ 780G system.
So, I’m very excited to share my experiences with the MiniMed™ 780G system — the highs and the lows (see what I did there?)!
What I love about the MiniMed™ 780G system
The theme you will notice throughout my MiniMed™ 780G review is that I’m achieving the best control of my life with the least amount of brain power, effort, and exertion.
The software update was super easy to do.
I feel like if you can do an iOS update on your phone, you can do a software update for your pump. And that’s coming from someone who wouldn’t exactly classify herself as tech-savvy.
After I completed my online training, the software update process was really easy to follow. Medtronic even sent out a nice software update guide brochure to follow which came in so helpful (I’m a visual person). It took me about 2 hours to do and then I had my MiniMed™ 780G system up and running.
The results are amazing!
I typically achieve a good Time in Range (TIR), but I can only do that when I’m firing on all cylinders. This means accurately counting carbs, pre-bolusing, hitting my activity levels, doing countless fingersticks, and eating a fairly low-carb diet.
With my new system, I’m reading an increase in TIR! The best part is that it’s EASY for me to do it on a daily basis. I can consistently do it, and depending on the day, I might be knocking it out of the park. Then other days where life gets in the way, and my diabetes management takes a temporary backseat, I can still come in healthy for the day.
I got my sleep back.
Nighttime used to be a struggle for me. I would worry about going low or would struggle with extreme fatigue due to being woken up by pump alarms. I would also proactively eat a snack right before bed to avoid lows and then struggle to stay in range while I slept. And then in the mornings I would struggle with dawn phenomenon—skyrocketing to the mid-200s. Utterly exhausting.
My night times are much more peaceful now. SmartGuard™ technology has my back—dosing quietly in the background so I can get some sleep. I can confidently turn the reigns over at night and am so happy to wake up in the mornings in range! It’s an awesome feeling to look at my overnight graph now and see a fairly straight line—I used to be so jealous of people who could do that! The frequency of alerts/alarms has also dropped dramatically—I’m sleeping through the night and waking up rested and refreshed.
Another bonus: even my husband mentioned how much better he is sleeping now that I’m in range at night! #GetItBack
No calibrations when using the Guardian™ 4 sensor with SmartGuard™ technology.
My fingertips have never felt so good. Excluding the one fingerstick I have to do each week when I change my sensor to get into SmartGuard™ mode, I do not have to check my blood glucose nearly as often as I used to.**
Overall, I’ve found the Guardian™ 4 sensor to be accurate and I feel confident trusting it to do its thing. I will do an occasional finger check before I work out or before bed just to confirm, but that’s honestly more out of habit.
I feel stable.
I’m the type of person with diabetes who has a lot of blood sugar fluctuations based on stress, activity levels, and hormones. I would constantly be chasing a high spike right before I presented in a big meeting at work or chasing a low after a gym workout. The constant ups and downs were exhausting — mentally and physically.
On the MiniMed™ 780G system, I’m really only interacting with the pump when I’m setting a temp target for my workouts or I have to step in to fix an unexpected low. The pump is quietly giving me little tiny corrections in the background, bringing me gently back into range. It’s adjusting to cover me when I occasionally miscount carbs. It’s adapting for my weird slight spikes I get when I lift weights. I’m seeing more straight lines on my graph than I have in my life.
The mental load of diabetes has been lifted.
It’s definitely not gone—but it’s drastically lifted. The amount of time, energy, worry, stress, and attention I have to attribute to my diabetes is so minimal now. I used to say that diabetes is the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing I think about before I go to bed….and that’s not the case anymore. I’ve got the mental capacity, time, and energy to focus on other things—finally writing my book, running a 5k with my daughter, and planning our much-needed home renovation.
What I wish the MiniMed™ 780G system had
I’ll call these my “wish list” items. As I considered my MiniMed™ 780G system review, these are the things that I wish it had or had the capability to do.
Arm insertion is challenging if you are by yourself.
I need to have my husband on deck every Sunday to help me insert my sensor in my arm. I’m just not flexible enough to do it myself and lack the dexterity in my hands. That can cause a bit of a scheduling struggle when one of us goes out of town, so I’d love an easier insertion process.
Learning to manage exercise is a little tricky when you first start on the system.
Full transparency, I didn’t use the Temp Target feature consistently before for my workouts. I would normally just eat a snack to get me through the workout or pull back the amount of insulin I would take so I didn’t have too much insulin on board. With the MiniMed™ 780G system, I realized very quickly that I had to use the Temp Target, or I found myself going low during my workouts. It was a challenge some days to remember to do it in advance and to get the timing right depending on the type of workout I was going to do. I’m still in a trial-and-error phase right now, but I’m seeing a slightly better result this week than I did when I first started.
Deliver a bolus from the app.
I would absolutely love it if I could bolus from my phone app. Or clear alarms! This would amazing, especially when I’ve got my pump discreetly tucked away in my clothing. Anytime I do have to interact with my pump, I have to pull it out, so engaging with it via my MiniMed™ Mobile app would be much easier.
I’d love both the pump and the sensor to be smaller.
There was no design change with either component. They both can feel slightly bulky at times.
I hope this MiniMed™ 780G system review helps you, and if you have any questions about my experience on the system, drop them below!
** Fingersticks required in manual mode & to enter SmartGuard. If symptoms don’t match alerts & readings, use a fingerstick. Refer to user guide. Pivotal trial participants spend avg of > 93% in SmartGuard.
MiniMed™ 780G system with SmartGuard™ technology with Guardian™ 4 Sensor
The MiniMed™ 780G system is intended for continuous delivery of basal insulin at selectable rates, and the administration of insulin boluses at selectable amounts for the management of type 1 diabetes mellitus in persons seven years of age and older requiring insulin as well as for the continuous monitoring and trending of glucose levels in the fluid under the skin. The MiniMed™ 780G System includes SmartGuard™ technology, which can be programmed to automatically adjust insulin delivery based on the continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensor glucose values and can suspend delivery of insulin when the SG value falls below or is predicted to fall below predefined threshold values.
The Medtronic MiniMed™ 780G System consists of the following devices: MiniMed™ 780G Insulin Pump, the Guardian™ 4 Transmitter, the Guardian™ 4 Sensor, One-press serter, the Accu-Chek™ Guide Link blood glucose meter, and the Accu-Chek™ Guide Test Strips. The system requires a prescription from a healthcare professional.
The Guardian™ 4 Sensor is intended for use with the MiniMed™ 780G system and the Guardian 4 transmitter to monitor glucose levels for the management of diabetes. The sensor is intended for single use and requires a prescription. The Guardian™ (4) sensor is indicated for up to seven days of continuous use.
The Guardian™ 4 sensor is not intended to be used directly to make therapy adjustments while the MiniMed™ 780G is operating in manual mode. All therapy adjustments in manual mode should be based on measurements obtained using a blood glucose meter and not on values provided by the Guardian™ 4 sensor. The Guardian™ 4 sensor has been studied and is approved for use in patients ages 7 years and older and in the arm insertion site only. Do not use the Guardian™ 4 sensor in the abdomen or other body sites including the buttocks, due to unknown or different performance that could result in hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.
| WARNING: Do not use the SmartGuard™ feature for people who require less than 8 units or more than 250 units of total daily insulin per day. A total daily dose of at least 8 units, but no more than 250 units, is required to operate in the SmartGuard™ feature. |
WARNING: Do not use the MiniMed™ 780G system until appropriate training has been received from a healthcare professional. Training is essential to ensure the safe use of the MiniMed™ 780G system.
WARNING: Do not use SG values to make treatment decisions, including delivering a bolus, while the pump is in Manual Mode. When the SmartGuard™ feature is active and you are no longer in Manual Mode, the pump uses an SG value, when available, to calculate a bolus amount. However, if your symptoms do not match the SG value, use a BG meter to confirm the SG value. Failure to confirm glucose levels when your symptoms do not match the SG value can result in the infusion of too much or too little insulin, which may cause hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.
Pump therapy is not recommended for people whose vision or hearing does not allow for the recognition of pump signals, alerts, or alarms. The safety of the MiniMed™ 780G system has not been studied in pregnant women, persons with type 2 diabetes, or in persons using other anti-hyperglycemic therapies that do not include insulin. For complete details of the system, including product and important safety information such as indications, contraindications, warnings and precautions associated with system and its components, please consult https://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/important-safety-information#minimed-780g and the appropriate user guide at https://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/download-library.
US-IPT-2300588
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About Author
Jaime Cline
Blog writerJaime Cline is a Senior Product Support Supervisor at Medtronic. She uses her unique perspective as someone living with type 1 diabetes and using the MiniMed 770G system to motivate her work and connect with others who call in for support with their diabetes technologies.
I may be one of the few that actually liked my Revel pump a bit better. I’ve now have had my 780g pump for close to 2 months and I wish some of the features that were on my Revel pump were on this pump. For instance- the escape screen I miss being able to click once to be able to see the time, amount of bolus and remaining insulin in my system as well as seeing when by pump was changed out last and the amount of insulin left in my pump. Now it takes many clicks to find any of that information. Also, and this is a big issue for me-recently I’ve had some other serious medical issues I’ve had to deal with, so as a result, the total amount of insulin I’ve used on any given day can very a lot. I really miss being able to go to the utilities menu and pull up the total amount of insulin I’ve used on any given day. Because of of the medical issues I’ve been dealing with, that allowed me to see the totals for the last few days so that I could make an informed decision on how much insulin to load in my pump when I changed it out. That allowed me to decide if I needed to increase or decrease my insulin I can’t afford to be wasting or running short on insulin.Now I can no longer do that.
Hi, Jackie! Thanks for sharing. You can actually still see your total daily dose information in the 780G! Go to History and then Summary. Here you can see insulin delivery overview. I hope this helps!
Thank you so much for sharing your history and experience. I have been a diabetic for 31 yrs and on a Medtronic insulin pump for 26 yrs. I just upgraded to the 780G. The download was super easy. I do love your “wish list” because that has been my wish list for years, even emailing and suggesting to customer support the need for a slimmer pump (I’m 5’6 and slim build). Also would love to access alarms and bolus deliveries from the app. Through the year I have had to change what I wear so that I can always access my pump for bolus deliveries. The main thing I am dealing with after the new 780G upgrade is having lows during my exercise classes. I have been setting the Temp target 1 hour before but still trying to figure out if I need to set it more like 1 1/2 – 2 hrs before exercise. I do high intensity workouts and can’t figure out why I’m having so many workout lows now on the 780G. I’ve been working out for 30+years faithfully.
Thanks, Becky! It’s always nice to connect with another 780G user – welcome to the club! I hope that you are able to figure out the temp targets for your workouts. Your doctor might also be able to provide some insight here. Best of luck to you!
I am have a hard time find someone to help me to get my 780g Guardian 4.HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi, Howard. I would recommend giving Medtronic a call at 1-800-646-4633, option #2, to get more information on your order. Thanks!
I did my download 5 days ago & love the new 780. I am having a problem at night with lows. The alerts are waking me 3 times at night with lows. It is probably a wrong setting but I am out of state for the summer & have not been able to reach my endocrinologist. Also I play golf 5 times a week & the sensor & receiver comes off every time. I moved it to my abdomen. Were I have always wore the guardian 3 & it works fine. The night lows really concern me & support said they could not help. Loved your review!!
So glad that you loved my review, Betty! Thank you for reading along and sharing your experience. Welcome to the 780G club!
Hi Jamie. I have been using Medtronic insulin pumps since 2021 and have improved my control with each and have been looking forward to the 780 upgrade. Based on your review, I see the 780 still does not do everything I was hoping it would do. Most all of the reviews I have seen and read, including yours only talk about using 780 with the Guardian 4 sensor and nothing on how it would work with the Guardian 3 sensor. I have received my upgrade kit and am very frustrated with Medtronic because I have not received my Guardian 4 sensor upgrade items. I have called Medtronic numerous times trying to get a status, I get bounced from department to department and being told they can not get into my account and they will notify the appropriate department to contact me. But I have not been contacted. I have also received an email fro Medtronic congratulating me for completing the upgrade which I have not done yet. Plan to perform the upgrade this week and hoping it goes as described. Will have to do upgrade to continue using the Guardian 3 sensor which based on what I have read will not give any relief from finger sticks, calibrations and alarms
Hi, Jim. While I can’t help with your Guardian 4 sensor order, I will say that even using the 780G system with the Guardian 3 sensor will get you the advanced features, like Meal Detection Technology. The SmartGuard feature, too! I hope your upgrade goes well and that you love the 780G too.
Jamie, thank you for your heartfelt info on the new 780G system. I’ve had type 1 for 59 years & have been on pump therapy 22 years. Your insight is greatly appreciated & can hardly wait for the 780G system.
Alicia Byers-Smith
And thank you for reading and commenting! I am excited for you to try the 780G too!
Jamie,
Thanks for the great info on the 780 G, I ca n hardly wait. I’ve had type 1 for 59 years with no complications. I really appreciate you’re heartfelt message!!
God Bless,
Alicia Byers-Smith
Thank you so much, Alicia!
Hi Jaime, thank you for your review. I will be updating my pump to the 780G tomorrow, and after reading your review it helped me out, I was a little nerve. I have ups and downs and have trouble counting carbs at times. I am looking forward even more now to getting started. Thank you.
So glad that it helped you, Edna! Good luck with your upgrade tomorrow!
Hi Lamie, great article. I am on my fourth day with the 780 and have had the best nights sleep for these past days, hooray. As for the sensor in the arm I was always looking for help but have since figured it out. After insertion make sure all adhesive is firmly attached. Then don’t be timid and QUICKLy pull the cap off. It works like a charm. Then use one hand to put the tapes on. I do however wish they would give you a few extra tapes in the sensor box because if you mess one up you need to go into next box. I’m hoping my results get better than they had been and so far they are terrific as far as time in range.
Hi, Salvatore. I’m glad to hear that you are liking the 780G and got that sensor insertion figured out!
Hi Jamie
Your experience and comprehensive feedback are appreciated. I would agree with you on nearly all the points and definitely in line with your future upgrades too.
The older pumps always made its users to tweak it to work for them e.g. adding boluses without food etc. but this new pump is more trustworthy to allow it to learn and work for the user. This is absolutely a new generation of technology and who wouldn’t like the frequency of fingerpricks to almost negligible.
Yes, Pat! This pump takes a lot of the mental work off my plate!
I’ve been on Medtronic for quite awhile, and I’m not happy with the upgrade I got to 770g at all, I’ll change the sensor every 7days because it doesn’t last any longer than 7 days, , let it calibrate , test my blood after the 2 hours, and insert it into the pump, and then not even 10 minutes later it’s asking me to put my blood sugar in, why, because I just put it in. My blood sugar never agrees with my tester all week, always at least 20 points higher, so my A1C will not be correct, why? I’ll test my blood and my blood will be in range, but alarms go off all the time, why? And the sensor being inserted into your upper arm with the upgrade, I’d like Medtronic to do a video showing how this is done without help from another person. I am very hesitate to upgrade, thinking of switching to the tandem pump with dexcom.
Hi, Virginia! The 780G doesn’t need calibrations with the Guardian 4 sensor which is great! That might help with some of the issues you are having. Keep in mind that your blood glucose with a meter and your sensor glucose with a CGM are testing different types of fluid and some small difference is to be expected. I hope this helps!
I put in for the new 780 pump and haven’t received anything besides the upgrade on it. not wanting to up grade interst in get the pump itself and 4 sensor. still waiting or do I need to call medtronic directly.
Hi, Latoya. I’m not quite sure I understand what you mean but you can upgrade to the 780G before you upgrade to the Guardian 4 sensor. The Guardian 3 Sensor from the 770G system will still work with the 780G system, but it would still need calibrations. But if you still have questions, please do reach out to Medtronic directly at 1-800-646-4633.
Thanks for your review, Jaime! I’ve been using the 780G system since June and absolutely love it for all the reasons you mentioned, especially no finger pricks and no alarms in the middle of the night! After using the arm for the sensor as directed, I spoke with a trainer and my endo and decided to try it on my abdomen where I’ve always worn them. I checked my glucose readings a few times and saw the sensor was accurate so that’s where I’m wearing them! (I know Medtronic cannot officially approve that; just sharing my experience.)
I also have another “wish list” item to add to yours. I wish I would be alerted if I Suspend All Delivery (when I’m showering, for example) and forget to resume delivery when I reconnect my pump. I can’t tell you how many times I forget and then am high 30 mins later!
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing, Lizzie! The reminder after Suspend All Deliver should already be happening. (See page 95 of the user guide). The pump beeps, vibrates, or both 15 minutes after the pump display times out. If a button is pressed to wake up the pump, the pump beeps, vibrates, or both 15 minutes after the pump display times out again. If this isn’t happening for you, you should probably reach out to Medtronic Technical Support at 1-800-646-4633, option #1.
With the Minimed 670G, Dexcom7 and my iPhone 12, I have access on my iPhone to my blood sugar reading and can share that information with, e.g., my spouse and doctor.
With the Minimed 780G and Guardian 4, does the information appear on my iPhone or must I carry an additional reader?
I am really pleased that my 780G and Guardian 4 are newly on order .
Hi, Patricia. You can view your sensor glucose data with the MiniMed Mobile app on the iPhone and on the Apple Watch too!
Hi Jamie, thanks for the article, I appreciate seeing your feedback of the new system. I to had extremely high hopes the day of my upgrade to the 780g. I have had it for about a month now and I have to admit, I am a little disappointed. I am on my 5th sensor and each one of them have failed well before the week long period. The CGM has continued to be inconsistent, sometimes reading accurately and sometimes being dangerously inaccurate. As I’m typing this, my CGM reads below 50 and my glucometer reads 103. Surely as a diabetic you can see how such disparity is a serious issue. Medtronic continues to be the inferior product to the dexcom and does nothing to improve their product, instead putting out more of the same and “honest reviews” written by people who work at the company.
Sorry to hear about your sensor issues, Dylan. I hope that the Medtronic Technical Support team can help you figure this out.
Jaime,
Thanks you so much for your review. I appreciate your honesty in mentioning your issues with the sensor location. I have been using an insulin pump for 33 years and have been waiting for the 780g to come out for 3 years. I refused to use auto-mode on my 770g because it focused on a bg of 120 and that was too high for me. My A1c went up to 6.7 when using it in auto-mode when I consistently was at 6.2 or less when doing it manually. I have worn my sensor in my upper thigh for 10 years and have never had any issues or seen any differences between my sensor and my meter readings. I also wear them for two weeks and the second week is usually even more accurate than the first.
I have been using the 780 now for a week and can see great improvements over the 770. The Guardian 4 sensors and transmitter are being delivered tomorrow and I am looking forward to using those too. I am going to work with my Dr to see if we can do some trials with putting the sensor in my thigh as it will make life much easier. Right now the Medtronic sensor requires two hands to tape, and requiring it in the arm, will require two people insert and tape, which really isn’t practical.
Just being honest like you!
Thanks, Bud! I’m glad to hear that you are liking the 780G so far!
What is TIR? What is iOS? I find your report quite interesting, but unfortunately, I do NOT understand abbreviations (using the 1st letter of each word) I have been an insulin pump user for 25 years. I use the Libre 14 continuous sensor which must be used on the arm & have never had any problems applying it. Is the Guardian sensor more complicated?
Also, I would prefer to work w/ a sensor reader, rather than having my phone for all the info – I do NOT carry my phone everywhere I go, but the reader is much smaller & much easier to carry. I suppose that’s typical of us octogenarians!
Hi, Carol! TIR means “time in range” and iOS is the operating system for iPhones. The Guardian 4 sensor connects to the insulin pump, rather than a sensor reader. Since the pump is attached to you anyway, you always have it available!
Thank you for a very real review of the minimed 780g. I REALLY appreciate another type 1 diabetic also acknowledging the day to day struggles on a 24 hr basis. I am in my 35th year with diabetes and struggle with the constant decision making and shame of diabetes. this year I have finally decided to tackle this mentally and physically and now have had the best A1C in decades. I am no longer on the minimed system due to many of the issues you have mentioned, but I am glad to hear about the evolution of the technology. If the cgm and sensor system were improved, I would love to reconsider minimed once again. ty again.
Congrats on the A1c, Anne! I appreciate you taking the time to read my review and share your experience!
I am getting ready to move to the 780G pump and the Guardian 4 sensor. I was shocked to read that Medtronic only wants the insertion in the arm!!! I don’t have a problem with that, but I wonder why that is? Your review was excellent. I could see myself in every sentence I read. Thank you! Mary
That’s exciting! I can’t wait for you to try the 780G too! As for the sensor, The best performance was observed when the sensor is used in the arm. For safety reasons, therefore the system is indicated for use in the arm.
I am 81 years old and can not exercise because of back surgery that limits me.
I am also not computer savvy, and I have a hard time with counting carbs.
Are you sure this new system is something I can manage? I love my Deacon and it alerts my children when I get into trouble.
Hi, Clara. I would recommend having this conversation with your doctor. I will say that the Medtronic CareLink Connect app allows others to view your sensor glucose data – that might be a tool for your children to use if you went with 780G. Thanks!
I contacted Medtronic a number of times about inserting the Guardian 4 in the back of my upper arm! I was told that if I contact my physician and ask if I could still use my abdomen for insertion it would be OK. She said yes and also couldn’t understand what the difference would be! I watched a video (as you can also) on YouTube about Medtronics latest “Simplera Sensor”. After watching that it seemed to me that they, Medtronic, got the information mixed up with their information publishers between the Guardian 4 and the Simplera! The tissue in the back of my arm is the same as the tissue in my abdomen , wouldn’t you all agree!
Hi, Richard. With the Guardian 4, the best performance was observed when the sensor is used in the arm. For safety reasons, therefore the system is indicated for use in the arm.
I agree 100% on the improvements – especially being able to bolus from the app. I’m in work meetings most of the day and it be nice to easily bolus on the app vs pulling my pump out in front of colleagues.
Thank you for sharing you story!
You’re very welcome, Lyndsay! I agree – that would be so convenient and we wouldn’t have to untangle our pump from wherever we’ve stashed it away!
HAVE BEEN USING 670G WITH DEXCIM 6 SENSOR, RECEIVED NEW 780G WITH MEDTROBIC SENSOR. 1. IS THERE AN OFFICIAL MEDTRONIC PERSON WHO CAN WALK ME THROUGH SET UP, CONNECTING SENSOR TO PUMP AND MULTIPLE PHONES?
HOW ABOUT A GOOD TRAINING VIDEO OR TWO?
BTW, I AM VISION IMPAIRED. MY 780 AND ACCESSORIES ARE STILL IN THEIR BOZES
Hi, Bob. I would recommend giving the Medtronic Technical Support team a call at 1-800-646-4633, option #1. Thanks!
Jamie- I am struggling with single 780 issue!
When I need corrective carb, AM wizard calculates an additional insulin dose.
WHY would 780 algorithm add insulin when my BG is below 70?
David H
Hi, David. In general, it is important to log carbs into the SmartGuard Bolus feature in order to keep an accurate accounting of carbs, but in special cases of rescue or corrective carbs consumed, it is safer to not enter these carb and thereby reduce the risk of potentially delivering a bolus when it’s not needed. Only enter carbs that you need to bolus for. There is no guarantee that the safety features in the MiniMed 780G SmartGuard Bolus feature will reduce the bolus to zero. I hope this helps!
I totally agree with everything you said. I love the upgrade. exercise is still a moving target for me. I need to start using the temp. target feature. I tend to go low during the night sometimes but maybe my endo can help with that. Happy with the updates.
Yes, the temp target is a great tool to use. Your endo might have other suggestions, too. I’m glad that you are loving your upgrade!
May I ask if your A1c has improved? I have the upgrade ready to go but haven’t yet done the training. I’m a little nervous about it (probably because I don’t fully understand it) but your above review has made me feel more confident…thank you!
I’m glad that my review helped you feel more confident! While I don’t have new A1c data to share, I have noticed an increase in my time in range!
I agree on all topics. I have learned to use the MyFitnessPal app which seriously helps. No thinking about how many carbs I’m consuming. I can put my recipes in the app so I know exactly what I’m eating and how many carbs, calories sodium etc. etc. I’ve only had my update since yesterday but so far I’m loving it! 🙂
That’s a great suggestion, Cathy!
The sensor placement is concerning. What if you live alone and have no one to place/TAPE to the back of upper arm? Or, if a significant other is not always well enough to do that work? Makes one begin to rethink the 780.
That’s understandable, Wayne. I’m very lucky that my husband has been able to assist me but I do know others who are able to complete this without help.
Jamie, can’t wait will get my 780G this week. I’m operating at 95 % in auto and 75% in target. This should be fun can’t wait.
Richard
Great job, Richard! I hope you love the 780G!
Jamie, Thank you for a very thorough and honest review of the 780G system. My experience with it is very similar to yours. Overall I am very pleased with how well it is working. Yesterday I had some issues with the G4 sensors that resulted in wasting two and leaving me without any. Fortunately I still have my G3 transmitter and had one sensor, so I’m temporarily making do with that. I will call technical support today to try to resolve the issue. I know I’m not alone in running out of sensors when problems arise. The guidance that sensors last up to seven days leads doctors and insurers to prescribe it for seven days. Often the system directs me to change it on day five or six and I end up short. I wonder if it could be remedied by allowing for changes every five or six days.
Thanks again for your support and helpful comments.
Thanks for sharing, Catherine. I can share this feedback with our team!
Jaime,
Thank you for your review. I have been on insulin pump therapy for over 41 years of my 46 years on insulin. I have been blessed. When I went on the 770 two years ago I was told about the 780. On 5/15/2023 I signed up for the 780. Yesterday (9/6/2023) I got the “call” from Medtronic that my upgrade has been approved. I have read so much about it that I was already looking forward to and anticipating getting the upgrade but your review is wonderful for this longtime pumper. My wife has had less worries the last 2 years but I anticipate even less with the 780.
Thanks again for your review,
John C. Rich
So excited for you to experience the 780G soon, John! Happy upgrading!
Hi Jaime
Beautifully written and I’m sure that many of us can relate to the experiences you have undergone for the last 20 years.
One of the biggest changes and joys of the new 780 software is that the need for finger sticks so many times per day at the most inconvenient times (driving, sleeping, etc) is now a thing of the past. In addition, as you mentioned, waking up with good BG values I now just take for granted.
I do agree that our phones should be able to bonus, correct, or do other functions without having to go to the pump all of the time; I’m sure the FDA is most likely preventing that (my guess only)
Thanks for sharing.
Allan
Thanks, Allan! Having no calibrations with the Guardian 4 sensor made a big difference for me.
What a great story. I am 1 month on new pump 780g with sensors. I love it. My pump doing all the job, I am almost free of thinking of my diabetes. Thank you for sharing your story.
So happy to hear that, Margaret!
The 780g pump is very nice with built in features for ease of use.
I agree! Thanks for sharing!
If I am unable to manage the arm insertion‘s for the Sensors, what are my alternatives and using the 780 G system or will I have to go back to no Insulin Pump?
Hi, Chuck. I would recommend bringing this concern up with your doctor. They can assist you with options. Thanks!
All the information I have received so far will be very helpful in my making the decision to use the 780 G system. However, I am afraid I will have significant issues with using my arms as the insertion site for the sensors and all my past years, I have used my abdomen, and I may or may not be able to use my arm during each sensor usage.
My question is will it be imperative that I use my arms and not my abdomen for Sensor insertion? I am afraid this will be a dealbreaker, and I will have to wait another four years, for my ability to change systems to another manufacture.
The arm insertion can be tricky at first. But the best performance was observed when the sensor is used in the arm. For safety reasons, the system is indicated for use in the arm.
I feel Jamie hit the nail on the head. Her story is also my story. I have also been on a pump for 20+ years. I cannot believe the difference with the 780g. I will say I did have a habit of trying to do the pumps work at first. Hard to break old habits. once I let the pump do its job I have felt more relaxed.
Giving over control to the pump and the algorithm can be a challenge but worth it in the end!
Great review Jaimie
I upgraded from 670 to 780 three weeks ago and I agree with you.
Hope Medtronic is listening and they do something about the size and the app
Overall I love my new pump
Thank you! Happy to hear that you love it too!
Thank you Jaime for your review. I have been on the 780 for about 3 or 4 weeks now and I love it!! The issues you brought up were exactly the same ones I faced – a lot of alarms all night long. I agree with all of your suggestions about remote bolusing and different sites. I have an issue with the oval tape irritating my skin and this leaves ugly redness and bruising on my arms. Thanks for sharing it helps us feel “not so isolated”.
Luellen
Glad to hear that you love the 780G too!
Ok thank you
You’re welcome!
Thanks for your review. It is very helpful from someone who has been a diabetic for a long time like myself to hear their input. I like it because it is real life and not theoretical.
You’re welcome, Joseph!
I am using the 770g pump with Guardian 3sensor in manual mode and achieve great results with 98% in range. How would the upgraded 780g pump and guardian 4 sensor be different in manual mode?
Hi, Marc. There are a few differences, actually. The 780G system has Meal Detection technology that provides automatic adjustments and corrections to sugar levels every 5 minutes. When used with the Guardian 4 sensor, there are no fingersticks with SmartGuard technology. The new system also allows you and your healthcare provider to choose among 100, 110, and 120 mg/dL sugar targets to offer more flexibility in your diabetes management. Take a look at the 780G website and see if this might be a good option for you: https://bit.ly/3osnId4
Thanks!
Thank you Jaime! I have been using the 780g and the Guardian 4 for a little over a week now and can relate to your views. I also agree with your wish list. I was a little hesitant to start using a sensor again–I used the guardian a couple of years ago, but it became more frustrating than helpful. But, knock on wood, this system seems to be much improved and is working well for me. Fingers crossed it stays that way! 🙂 Best of luck to you and thanks again for sharing your story.
Best of luck to you, too, Bonnie!
Thank you for sharing! Exactly!! Totally agree with your opinion!
Happy to help and share, Terri! Thanks for reading.
Thank you so much , Jaime!
Reading your review and hearing you describe the daily “ups and downs” of T1D was moving. I felt seen. It is a rarity that I get to talk with another T1D, someone who walks what I walk.
I have struggled greatly with dawn phenomenon and harsh ups/downs when trying to workout. It truly is exhausting and discouraging.
So thank you for sharing and for the honest review of the 780g. I look forward to my upgrade Here’s to our healing journey!
And thank YOU so much, Shawnda! I am happy that this review helped you and I hope that you enjoy your upgrade!
Thanks for your review.
I too have found the upgrade incredibly helpful towards reaching an improved TIR. Love the lower target blood sugar! Definitely recommend for tighter control, lower A1c, and greater TIR with fewer highs and lows. Amazing upgrade!!
Thanks for sharing your experience, David!
Thank you Jaime, for sharing your challenges and experiences with diabetes and insulin pump therapy, and for being open about all your ups and downs. Your struggles sound very similar to mine! I’ve been somewhat hesitant to upgrade to the 780G system, but I may try it sooner rather than later based on what you’ve shared. Thank you!
So happy to have helped you, Jennifer!
I use the 670g with auto mode and maintain a TRI in the 90+ percentile. Woo-hoo! However, I would love the 780g to smooth out this scenario: The 670 always totally stops basal delivery for up to 4 hours after a meal bolus. I’m then functioning on bolus only, which leads to blood sugar rising from excellent to meh, or even a bit too high, especially at bed time.
Would you be willing to share whether you have your 780g settings at the recommended 2 hour active insulin time and target of 100? Also, what do you see as the amount of and duration of delivery of basal, (aka maximum basal limit), before auto corrections start delivering? I’m a bit concerned that I won’t get correction doses when I’m lacking hours of basal delivery.
Thanks
Hi, JoAnn! My doctor prescribed the recommended settings for me–2 hours for active insulin time, 100 for my target and auto corrections are on. I find if I pre bolus, the system is able to head off the bulk of my post meal highs and then make adjustments with the basal delivery and auto corrections (especially if I miscount carbs!)