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Medtronic 780g V Tandem tslim X2?

eventhorizon

eventhorizon

Well-Known Member
Messages
529
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
That's the choice I'm faced with next month to replace my 640g. Simple vote please. Which would you have?
 
Definitely pros and cons to both and depends overall what you are looking for in a pump.

I personally love my 780g, especially with the G4 sensor. I could sing it’s praises all day long and given that you’re already on the 640 it wouldn’t be that much of a change for you to go to the 780, I went from 640 to 780 and it was an easy process. Tubed pumps don’t seem an issue for you and there’s minimal difference in the size of 640 to 780. Smartguard is a brilliant feature and my last HbA1c was 40/5.8% with very minimal (1-2%) of highs and lows. My only issue with 780/G4 at the moment is they do keep having stock issues, I’ve never ran out of supplies but have gotten close and would have ran out if I didn’t chase them.

Tandem does seem like a good choice especially paired with the G6 sensor and can do something similar with automatic delivery like Smartguard although I’m unsure of it’s name. My only thing stopping me ever going to Tandem is that you have to charge it like a mobile phone, more inconvenient personally that just being able to throw a new battery in.

@Juicyj is on Tandem and can talk about benefits/drawbacks better than I can though!
 
Thanks for the info. Yes, I do like running on AA batteries. And it wouldn't be much of a change to go from 640 to 780.
My DNS is pushing the Tandem slightly more than Medtronic and if I have to self fund sensors I would rather buy Dexcom than Guardian, I think......
 
Having been a 640g Medtronic user and now Tandem the choice would be Tandem for me.

It's best if you work out what you want and see what's closely matching that, the Tandem is tubed sets, rechargeable batteries and G6, the G6 sensor is great, rarely have any issues and i get clarity data for adjustments, only downside is that exercise can be difficult to manage on the Tandem, but I turn Control IQ off an hour before hand and although I can go fairly low, I have a better chance of avoiding a hypo and taking evasive action this way.

I had cracked pumps with Medtronic and didn't have a 'closed loop' system so Tandem was my first encounter, but have loved it so far.
 
I’m in a bizarre situation. I received the M780 in April as a replacement for my M670 (reservoir design fault) which served me well.
It now seems that this is up for renewal in a month’s time as Medtronic has to honour the original M670 warranty expiry date.
My hospital team have offered me various options and for me it’s a close thing between Medtronic and TSlim in terms of their effective control.
I’m sticking with Medtronic, mainly because I’m used to it. However, it’s ability to give a micro bolus every 5 minutes, if needed and the 7 day Infusion Sets, if you can access them are game changers for me.
 
Thanks. Does the Tandem feel smaller in day to day usage than the Medtronic? I'm hearing good things about both. Is it true you can't alter the insulin effect duration on the tslim? Just feels like a big decision as you're stuck with it for 4 years.
 
eventhorizon said:
That's the choice I'm faced with next month to replace my 640g. Simple vote please. Which would you have?
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I wouldnt go with medtronic if i were you. Their pumps nowadays seem to be poorer quality. I have had 3 medtronic pumps develop unexplained cracks. I havent dropped the pumps, the cracks just appeared. My pump is in a silicoln case & when its not its in a running belt. My pump is now sadly out of warrantly. The bloke on customer support hung up on me when I called him to say that the pump they had sent me to replace the previous cracked pump had cracked in the exact same place after 6 weeks.
 
iantib said:
I wouldnt go with medtronic if i were you. Their pumps nowadays seem to be poorer quality. I have had 3 medtronic pumps develop unexplained cracks. I havent dropped the pumps, the cracks just appeared. My pump is in a silicoln case & when its not its in a running belt. My pump is now sadly out of warrantly. The bloke on customer support hung up on me when I called him to say that the pump they had sent me to replace the previous cracked pump had cracked in the exact same place after 6 weeks.
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I have been with Medtronic pumps for the last 19 years so I don't know any other pumps but I have always found it easier to upgrade to a new pump although the 780 is different in many ways I have found knowing the basics helps. I too have had cracks on the 640 but Medtronic have always changed the pump quickly although I would not totally blame the pump as I can be a bit clumsy, I have to say I love the 780
 
Peter03 said:
I have been with Medtronic pumps for the last 19 years so I don't know any other pumps but I have always found it easier to upgrade to a new pump
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One advantage of the Tandem t:slim is remote software updates. There's no need to upgrade the whole pump, just download the upgrade to your computer, sync the pump and you've got whatever new features they've released.
 
I've had a 640g for 4 years now. The first developed a fault within the first 3 months. Medtronic had a new pump in my hands in 24hrs. The second has worked perfectly for 3.5 years and no cracks despite the daily abuse it gets.

I like the Tandem as there's some info on the interweb it might go closed loop using the Libre 2.
 
I am in a similar boat though as my medtronic 640 is out of warranty, so for me its the newer medtronic, the t:slim or the ypsopump.
I like the t:slim, but its the old x2 model i have been offered & I believe for the past 2 years they have been saying the x3 is due out soon, but as yet no date. As the x2 is pretty old (think it came out in 2018) it charges really slow as its a 9w, whereas the x3 is 100w, so thats miles better. The ypsopump looks good & i believe they are a UK company, in York.
I cant make up my mind......
 
Peter03 said:
I have been with Medtronic pumps for the last 19 years so I don't know any other pumps but I have always found it easier to upgrade to a new pump although the 780 is different in many ways I have found knowing the basics helps. I too have had cracks on the 640 but Medtronic have always changed the pump quickly although I would not totally blame the pump as I can be a bit clumsy, I have to say I love the 780
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The Medtronic teccy i spoke to admited theres a know cracking issue with the 640, if the cracks are around the battery compartment & thats where all of mine have cracked, so its deffo a known fault.
 
I wanted to wait for the the tslim x3 being available @iantib but as my hospital team pointed out, there was no guarantee that it would be funded in my area, when it eventually is launched in the uk. The x2 doesn't take very long to charge.
 
Thanks, It has a lot of good points. the only thing that puts me off, as im a lowcarber i try stay at 5mmol, and the t:slim looks to allow you to go between 3.9mmol & 10mmol, which is too high for me. And its excercise mode is 7.8-8.9 which is much higher than i want to be when out running. its such a shame they dont allow you to set a much lower Time in Range of say 4-7 as thats where i would prefer to be when out running. I was hoping the x3 might allow this, but as you say, they dont seem to be very forward in their comms re its release date.
 
Hopeful34 said:
The x2 doesn't take very long to charge.
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I've found the same. The X2 doesn't take long to charge at all.

iantib said:
the only thing that puts me off, as im a lowcarber i try stay at 5mmol, and the t:slim looks to allow you to go between 3.9mmol & 10mmol, which is too high for me.
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I spend most of my time around 5.5mmol on the X2 by doing manual corrections and I rarely go up to 10. The quick bolus function is great for this, bolusing in fixed increments with a touch of a button (and without even looking at the screen if you make use of the vibration feedback).

The auto corrections kick in at a higher level (but you can always do manual corrections) and basal is only cut off if you're going to go low.
 
I've been on both - probably, at this point, the only person who has. I went on the Tandem when the closed loop system came out. It seems to satisfy many people. It is certainly not a stronger pump, I've seen SO many smashed screens. They seem to go wrong a lot. The customer service is not as good as Medtronic, if you are in the UK (I phoned with a user question when I first got it and was on manual - and the person on the phone answered questions by looking at his own pump - he could not answer any questions that did not pertain to the system he was using. He was useless. I was not impressed.) The filling process is absolutely insane. It takes three times as long as Medtronic. Every time you use it you have to do a three press button code to get in - even cancelling an alarm. If you forget to shut the screen off after doing this in a hurry, the pump remains open and active and as it is a touch screen you can inadvertently bolus. I did this twice. I don't think it is safe. The sets are not as good and there are loads of bent cannula problems. It did not keep me that well controlled - it cannot divert too much from the entered basals to which it refers - and it does not lower blood sugar very quickly at all. MUCH slower than Medtronic and does not read your BS as often. But the last straw for me was the fact I was so allergic to the Dexcom adhesive on the sensors. (By the way, the pump does not yet work well with the G7 sensors.) I was changed back to the 780 by my tam and what a relief! Familiar, easy menus. No work - literally, you have to input into the Tandem a lot but with the Medtronic 780 - nothing, you just bolus for meals. Changing sets - quick and easy. Control? Brilliant. Sensors? As good as Dexcom. Any bad things? It's slightly heavier and bigger. The sensor has to charge for 40 mins and then there is the two hour wait for it so wet before it is in use. That's it. I absolutely love it.
 
Thanks everyone. Decision made. Bye bye 640g and hello Tslim. New pump start 2 or 3 weeks away. Mainly because they tango with Dexcom and maybe Libre 2 and/or 3 in the not-to-distant future. And I just fancied a change, a new diabetes gadget can really help with general diabetes enthusiasm.
 
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