Medtronic customer, Marley, reviews the MiniMed™ 780G system
My fourth Medtronic insulin pump: the MiniMed™ 780G system
I’m Marley, a #MedtronicChampion who’s been living with diabetes since I was 6 years old. For the last 16 years, I have been on an insulin pump. Personally, my experience being on an automated insulin pump system (AID) has been awesome! The Medtronic insulin pump system has continued to evolve over the years with every model, helping to make living with diabetes easier during each life event. Today, I’m so happy to be on the latest Medtronic pump. Check out my pros and cons list for the MiniMed™ 780G system below!
My history with Medtronic
I can remember getting my first insulin pump, the MiniMed™ 530G system, with excitement, hoping to get some more balance between life and diabetes. Surprisingly, the adjustment was very easy. In fact, the insulin pump system was my saving grace while I was in college. Not only did it give my family peace of mind knowing I was able to keep my sugar levels in control, but it allowed me to focus more on school. Later, I upgraded to the MiniMed™ 630G system and loved it! It was so user-friendly, and the Easy Bolus feature allowed me remote bolus only using the up button. Over the last few years, I enjoyed good control of my diabetes through the MiniMed™ 770G system. What more could I ask for? Or so I thought…
Pros and cons list
The fourth and most exciting pump I’ve used is the MiniMed™ 780G system. It had features I didn’t even realize I needed. Here is a list of the pros and cons I found within my first 60 days on the system.
Pros
- Upgrading was so easy. I completed the upgrade while at work. It was so simple! I could tell a difference in my sugar after I started on the new system.
- The Auto Correction feature is great. If I’m being honest, I sometimes don’t bolus enough. You know calculating carbs is hard! I love the fact that the system helps to correct my sugar levels if I miscalculate my carb count.
- No fingersticks with the Guardian™ 4 sensor and SmartGuard™ technology.** The first time I started the new transmitter and sensor and saw there was no fingersticks needed…that made my day.
- Enjoy better night’s sleep. I got a good night’s sleep back. I am finally able to get some solid rest due to the MiniMed™ 780G system.
Cons
- Transmitter and sensor are not as one. I would love for the transmitter and sensor to be a single unit.
That is the only con I can think of for the system! There are more pros than cons for the MiniMed™ 780G system. Overall, I’m so appreciative of how it helps me with daily living.
Guest author: Marley, Medtronic Champion
References
** 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™.
Important Safety Information: 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.
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About Author
Sabrina Huda Sanchez
Principal Website Marketing SpecialistSabrina has been with Medtronic since 2022 on the website marketing team to improve our information accessibility and knowledge database. She was inspired to help people find easier ways to manage their diabetes.
Blog comments
the only problem I am having at this moment is I had an Update to my samnsung galaxy 23 ultra so now my cell phone is no compatible with my mini mobile 780 and Guardian Sensor. it would be nice to have it back
Gayle McDonald
Hi, Gayle. Our teams are working on this, but we don't have a specific timeline to share. These apps are medical software, and as such they must go through a rigorous process of testing and verification, and therefore the apps may not be compatible with all devices in the market.
The access to Medtronic customer service is one of the worst customer services ever. When you select the keep your place call back feature, the return call has been some automated message telling me to call back and select option 1, which places back on hold for 42 mins on my last call back.
Medtronic must hire more individuals to handle all of the 780G calls for technical support and correct their telephone system for the keep your place in line bullshit.
Next, while the pump and software developers had their minds into what they were doing, the sensor team who developed the adhesive system must have worked until lunch on the first day of development and never came back. The adhesive system is virtually impossible to properly install on the back of the arm as the 78oG system was proposed and approved by the FDA.
Staff on calls acknowledged this and suggested either obtaining someone to assist or place the sensor on another body area where access could be achieved….but that’s not what any of the printed instructions say.
Perhaps the team(so need to purchase several of the Dexcom units and see what they have done, then try to adjust your half ass system to be even 50% as easy as Dexcom, which would be a 100% improvement over what has been produced.
Then, place functions such as 30 minute calibration times and 12-hour extended window for new sensor install in case you’re stuck on a plane or at work or someplace where trying to fumble thru the half ass current system of installing a new sensor takes place.
I’m still in the first 14-days of using the Medtronic 780G system, and the flaws at this point overpower the great work accomplished by the pump developer team.
Holding my breath, but after discovering a 14-year old Medtronic sensor still in its original package at our second home, and it appearing to be identical to todays sensors, there isn’t much hope Medtronic will ever address the improvements listed above, as Medtronic is content with the so so product their sensor team just forgot about improving.
Hi, Jim. Thank you for sharing your experience. We will make sure that our team gets this feedback.
I upgraded from 670g to 780g in August. The 780g is much better, Guardian 4 sensor is much better. BUT the pump does send me low at night. I almost always have to get up and drink orange juice to avoid going low, sometimes have to do this twice. Even if I purposely underestimate my carbs at supper. So the 780g has not improved my sleep at all.
Hi, Carole. We would recommend reaching out to your healthcare provider to see if adjustments can be made to assist you. Thanks!
I love how much less I have to manage my pump with the 780g. I have struggled with my pump losing the cgm signal or my phone losing connection, any ideas? When will you update the programming s so that I can program my pump with my phone? ie blousing, etc.
Hi, Darwin. Thank you for sharing! For the connectivity, we would recommend that you reach out to our Technical Support team at 1-800-646-4633, option #1. Thank you.
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