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Medtronic 670g and lows

M

MStreet89

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi, could do with some help. I’m on a Medtronic 670g and spend 99% of the time in auto mode.

I have a fairly active job as a gardener and spend all my working hours in temp target, if I don’t, I have hypos.

I’m finding still that my blood sugars are going low throughout the day with temp target so I’m obviously correcting with cereal bars of 10g carbs.

Something I’ve never been sure on is, do I still bolus/enter the carbs? I just know from what I’ve read that you have to enter every carb I eat, otherwise it can effect auto mode’s algorithm. The issue I have with this is it still delivers insulin for the carbs I’ve had to correct the low, unless it’s below 4 mmol/L and this seems backwards to me

thanks
 
If you are treating a hypo then don't enter the carbs as that is counter intuitive
It sounds as though your basal rates need adjusting, you can set them up for working and non-working days
 
Laura58 said:
If you are treating a hypo then don't enter the carbs as that is counter intuitive
It sounds as though your basal rates need adjusting, you can set them up for working and non-working days
Click to expand...
I am not familiar with the 670g but assume the “auto mode” uses CGM readings to calculate basal.
 
The 670g pump does not have to be used with a CGM. I use mine with a Libre - they don't "talk" to each other
My pump is set for background basal and then you enter blood result and carbs which then calculates the bolus
 
Ignore me, mine is a 640 but I've seen that medtronic have discontinued the 670. Perhaps you should get the upgrade to the 770, maybe the automated will better adjust the basal rates.
 
Apologies, I didn't know about the automode feature. It must be tough when you have such a physical job. Perhaps it doesn't take into account the delay in blood readings and the time it takes to adjust the base rate. It is still true that you shouldn't enter the extra carbs you take for lows though?
 
Laura58 said:
Ignore me, mine is a 640 but I've seen that medtronic have discontinued the 670. Perhaps you should get the upgrade to the 770, maybe the automated will better adjust the basal rates.
Click to expand...
If its in the UK through the NHS then no upgrades are offered until the warranty is up
 
As an experienced M670G user I’m also 99% in Auto Mode.
I find that if you’re showing a reasonable amount of Active Insulin then the Temp Target function cannot work.
I can understand your active gardening challenge as after many years of light office work I’ve just started very active work on a film set.
If your CGM indicates a level or rising glucose level then I would enter the appropriate number of carbs and let the pump calculate the Bolus.
However, as has already been suggested I wouldn’t bolus when on a downward glucose trend as the bolus would probably cancel the carb intake.
I found this very challenging at the beginning of my new work and I was eating many jelly babies!
After a few days I realised by reducing my overall carb intake during the day my control has really improved as there is less Active Insulin.
In fairness to my M670G I would certainly be unable to do my new work without it.
I hope my experience will help.
 
Dexta said:
As an experienced M670G user I’m also 99% in Auto Mode.
I find that if you’re showing a reasonable amount of Active Insulin then the Temp Target function cannot work.
I can understand your active gardening challenge as after many years of light office work I’ve just started very active work on a film set.
If your CGM indicates a level or rising glucose level then I would enter the appropriate number of carbs and let the pump calculate the Bolus.
However, as has already been suggested I wouldn’t bolus when on a downward glucose trend as the bolus would probably cancel the carb intake.
I found this very challenging at the beginning of my new work and I was eating many jelly babies!
After a few days I realised by reducing my overall carb intake during the day my control has really improved as there is less Active Insulin.
In fairness to my M670G I would certainly be unable to do my new work without it.
I hope my experience will help.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this. I appreciate all the responses but this is one I relate to.

It’s difficult because the carbs to correct the low isn’t being taken into account by the algorithm that auto mode uses which obviously affects what the pump is “thinking”

I did once read on another forum that you can add event markers but I feel like that’s one of the pumps many hangovers from manual mode that it doesn’t really take into account when calculating auto mode. I could be wrong but there’s no definitive info online and I don’t trust Medtronic’s reps
 
Rokaab said:
If its in the UK through the NHS then no upgrades are offered until the warranty is up
Click to expand...

Worked out last night I have another year and a half with it

Positives though are looking forward to the technology that will come along by then (and not paying thousands for my current pump )
 
MStreet89 said:
Thanks for this. I appreciate all the responses but this is one I relate to.

It’s difficult because the carbs to correct the low isn’t being taken into account by the algorithm that auto mode uses which obviously affects what the pump is “thinking”

I did once read on another forum that you can add event markers but I feel like that’s one of the pumps many hangovers from manual mode that it doesn’t really take into account when calculating auto mode. I could be wrong but there’s no definitive info online and I don’t trust Medtronic’s reps
Click to expand...

I have great respect for Medtronic but I dismissed the algorithm concept long ago and prefer to do the ‘thinking’ myself based on my experience with the M670G.
I’m certainly no expert but I believe in Auto Mode the pump is programmed to aim for 6.7mmols within your target range and can only relate to the carbs, cgm data and delivery settings it’s presented with.
Any variables or ‘icebergs’ as I call them e.g sudden exercise have to be considered by the user. This is why this pump is so good at maintaining target levels during sleep times.
I’m looking forward to having the latest M780G very soon which I understand can address the ‘icebergs’ more effectively.
 
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