I am literally sitting in my Endo’s office waiting to see them as I read that. I’ll seeif they swing the same thing with my insurance that yours did. That’d be really good. I’d prefer to use the Contour meter since it has some integration with the pump (not nearly like my Animas Ping though). Thanks for the suggestion.
Good luck. I also had to have my doctor state the medical necessity of using the not-covered test strips for the meter that came with the pump that insurance approved.
My test strips aren’t covered by insurance either. I’ve started buying them on Amazon at a significantly lower price than in a store.
www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0106LF3MM/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1525275717&sr=2
As far as sensor calibration and auto mode issues, I’ve been off of auto mode for about 3 weeks and my sugars are much better. I believe auto mode can be helpful for active people with problems with hypoglycemia. I’m my case, my sugars tend to run high, which auto mode can’t keep up with without a frequent “maximum delivery” message, and I’m rarely active enough to cause a significant drop in bg. Saw my endo today and she agrees with my decision 100%. I’m just not looking forward to explaining my self to my Medtronic team, since I just uploaded to Carelink and that usually means a phone call within a few days lol.
@teeter979 Hi Tawnya - I saw that you are worried about explaining your decision to not use auto to your Medtronic team. You don’t have to do that. You and your Endo have made a decision on what is best for your health and well-being. Period. You don’t have to justify anything to Medtronic. They can be pushy and really want people using the automation. For many this is a good thing. For some, it’s not. You have to do what is best for you.
It is interesting observation. I don’t have any problem as such with my Openaps yahoosites com device so far.
Thanks for the Amazon tip. I’m in an insurance loop over the Contour Next strips. I just also experienced my first Calibrate/ Enter BG loop. I’m trying the wait and let it cool down approach. Never a dull day!
This forum has been a lifesaver! Just started on the 670G (hate the design and interface), and have been using auto mode the last 2.5 weeks. Just got into a loop of doom the other day and Medtronic was NO HELP. The tech just keep reading a script about calibration errors and sensor problems, no matter how many times I explained the sensor was working well. I followed some guidelines here and auto mode is working for now. I kinda hate the tech though and don’t know if I will keep it up. I call Medtronic every other day and as others have noted, I devote far more not less time and attention to my diabetes. That, the poor customer service, the problems with accuracy, the inability to dual/square or get tight control all are making me think I’ll drop it. I do love not crashing though! Thanks for the loop of doom advice!
It will hopefully get better! I was chatting with Medtronic almost every day a few months ago due to sensor failures (and the sensor shortage). Since I moved the sensors to my legs, things have improved. I think I have only had two tech support calls in the last month.
Thanks for posting the “wait 6 hours to go back into auto mode” suggestion. I’ve been out of auto mode for two days and unable to get back in as it’s not accepting the BGs it wants. I’ve known not to enter too many BGs as they just confuse the algorithm thus the being out of AM for so long. When the 670g is working it’s fabulous but when it gets stuck in one of these loops I want to throw it off the cliff like everyone else! It’s all about sharing the work around with each other and the issues with Medtronic so they can fix them. Hopefully this suggestion will work for me too. Cheers and thanks!
Hi Linda. Thanks for offering your suggestions. I am finding this thread very helpful. I’m interested in your taping tips but I’m not quite getting it. Wish we could add pics! After cutting the second pc of oval tap in half are you putting it on the rounded end of the transmitter and then sticking “the flap” pc of tape connected to the sensor over that? I’m lost as to how/where you are attaching the second half of the oval pc of tape. More help please! 
Thanks again!
Hope I can help. The second tape I put under both the flap and the transmitter. Just adds a bit more security to the already existing tape without gunking up the transmitter.
Started Auto mode yesterday after 1 week in manual mode. Changed sensor today for first time and am now stuck in the loop! Wish I had read these tips before wasting 6 strips. Will just wait it out.
I used the Accu check Spirt combo pump and meter for 4 years and loved it. Wish they had not discontinued making it. This system is a huge step backwards. No remote bolus or square wave/dual when in auto mode. This is huge for patients with gastroparesis. With Accu-check, everything was done from the meter. I never had to touch my pump. They made a great bra pouch/clip and it stayed discretely tucked away all day. This pump beeps all the time. My biggest regret is not reading reviews before I agreed to this brand. My doctor had pushed Medtronic for years and I thought I could trust her recommendation. So very unhappy and planning to just stay on manual mode so I can use the dual wave to control my gastroparesis.
Can confirm that the 670G is poorly programmed. Tryed to get into auto mode about 20 minutes ago, and checking the “Auto Mode Readiness” Page in the status menu, says that BG is is acceptable for Auto mode, but turning auto mode on it asks for a BG, completely ignoring that the sensor is live feeding BG data to it. First CGM experience, and I’m really not impressed with this. The programming and UI are awful. I’m willing to work with it, but this is rediculous. How in the world did this thing make it through QA testing? Did they just run preliminary tests on non-diabetics?
Zachary,
I also think it is ridiculous you have to manually confirm or even re-enter BG data from the sensor for auto-mode. I’m thinking this was something their legal team demanded. They want to force users to be “in the loop” so they don’t have to have the legal liability with selling a more automated system (easier to use) system. FDA requirements may have also weighed heavily on this decision. This illustrates how f*%$ed up the whole design process is. Instead of designing a system that is straightforward and easy to use, they deliberately make the system more convoluted and unnecessarily complicated so they can reduce their legal risk.
I seriously doubt Federal oversight had anything to do with the defective operation of the 670G. Like myself, I’m sure we have ALL experienced the 670G asking for a BG (which we have dutifully done) AND confirmed, to which the pump then asks seconds later for the very same thing. As I’ve stated in previous posts, the pump’s status history will show a BG reading from hours before, but NOT the one just entered. THIS, I believe, is the core of the problem.
I fully understand a desire for safety, but when traveling at 65 MPH (and nowhere to stop or exit) and your pump is asking for BG after BG, and then shutting down automatic operation regardless of what you do, THAT is far more dangerous.
On a related topic, it looks like Medtronic will NOT be fixing the 670G, but instead they will offer us an opportunity to BUY a new model for us to PURCHASE to solve the 670G problem. A number of months ago they filed for field-trials of a new “fuzzy-logic” model. Don’t get too excited, because they purposefully limited the “test” subjects to those people who have an A1c reading of 7.0 or higher. What this means is that once again they are essentially directing the outcome of the trial by limiting the test subjects to a narrower expected glucose range. Those of us who strive to maintain a BG target of 100 will get punished by this pump, just as we are experiencing now.
I laugh when I see the Medtronic advertising that says the 670G, “mimics some of the functions of a healthy pancreas”. Last time I checked, a “healthy” pancreas did NOT regularly shut down or fail to register glucose levels…
I stopped recommending Medtronic pumps to newly diagnosed diabetics months ago after experiencing the 670G disaster. I, and both of my diabetic children are eagerly waiting for the competitive pumps to appear so we can end the Medtronic nightmare.
Jess @MrEntropy, you got that correct.
Medtronic has not been able to create a glucose sensor that has met the FDA safety criteria for dosing without a fingerstick.
I have the same problem and find it very troublesome. I just put in a new sensor at 4pm and after warm-up it asked for calibration which I put in at 6:20pm. Then at 11pm just as I was trying to go to sleep, it notified me to calibrate again to continue on auto-mode. WHY??? I thought I was good for 12 hours!
This is just one instance. There have been many others. One thing I have learned is not to listen when the pump keeps saying “BG required” or to calibrate whenever you do a finger stick. You can get stuck in a loop where it asks for a BG repeatedly and if you do 3 in rapid succession it gets confused and will shut down for three hours. SO. If you feel you must enter a new BG, wait 30 minutes before you enter it (and calibrate) so it can catch up. This was finally explained to me by the third tech I tried after the first two techs said my sensor was off, so replace it. I did and the same thing kept happening. Anyway, I am not happy with this new system, but I remain hopeful. If I can get past the weight gain (11 pounds!), I will be even more hopeful, but that is another problem with this pump.
Hi Claire @Cdrozzy, I think I can see and feel your frustration. Please keep in mind that not all bits and pieces of technology work on everyone - remember that each body is ubique - I know people who live entirely in auto-mode with the 670G without complaints. Over the years there have been “diabetes management things” that failed me but worked on other people. Pictured below is an insulin pump that failed to meet my lifestyle.
Also keep in mind that what your sensor is reading is NOT BLOOD Glucose but rather interstil glucose - when directing you to recalibrate your technology is telling you that a significant difference exists between your BG and your BGL [body glucose level].
Hi Dennis,
While you are correct that Blood Glucose (BG) readings are not the same as Sensor Glucose (SG) readings, and it is entirely appropriate for the 670 to reject a BG reading when it is at variance with the SG reading, what we are complaining about is something else.
There exists in the 670 a fundamental software problem in which the pump, under a number of scenarios, simply does not record the BG readings sent to it.
In the first scenario, the pump receives the data transmitted from the Contour Next meter (as evidenced from the correct reading appearing on the home screen), and asks for the user to confirm the reading. After affirmatively confirming the reading, the pump will continue to ask that a reading be given, sometimes within seconds. The majority of times this occurs even when the BG and SG readings are almost identical, and stable. An examination of the sensor status shows that the pump failed to store the most recent BG reading, and instead still shows a reading from hours before as if an updated reading was never sent.
The second scenario concerns the pump asking for a BG entry, and then rejecting the reading and instead asking for a calibration. I realize that there are times when a reading is appropriate, and times when a calibration is appropriate, and obviously the pump can ask for either, so why in the heck does the pump not correctly ask for what it really needs? (again, this is NOT a matter of conflicting BG/SG readings, but when things are perfectly stable.
The third scenario involves the pump totally not recognizing that the meter has sent a reading to it. It does not display a just-sent reading, nor ask for confirmation. There are several screens which, if you are looking at them at the time the meter sends the data, will prevent the pump from receiving the data. This is a BIG problem with potentially severe health consequences, and should have been fixed BEFORE ever being sold to the public!
Thank you Arnold @arnoldchase for your very clear and concise explanation. I am now much better informed.
Now I very strongly agree with you last sentence.