Posted by on Wednesday 12 October 2016

64 Days with the Minimed 640G - A year on

Someone at Medtronic expressed an interest in some of us who video-blogged as part in their '64 days with the MM640G' trial to post a follow-up after a year to say how we were getting on. Well I slightly missed the deadline, but such is life at the moment. I still have a post waiting in the wings that I've been wanting to write since March. Somewhat unexpectedly I have managed to get it put together this week - partly because the battery state on my pump was right for something I wanted to share.

I still really like the MM640G. It's a bit big, it's a bit clunky, and it's a bit of an ugly-duckling in the looks department, but it still works well for me. And if I were choosing this week from the current crop of available devices, I would opt for it again. So much of it does exactly what I want... rock solid dose reliability, great handling of temporary basal rates and basal patterns, handy home screen showing most of what I want instantly. And if I could afford the wizardy of sensors I know from experience that I would love it even more.

Unfortunately, what tends to happen with me, the longer I live with a piece of diabetes technology, is that I find more gripes and niggles with it. So fair warning, this is a bit nit-picky.

So here you go... some moaning about repeat button presses, slightly over-cautious menu-language, that darned screen unlock thing, the flippy-floppy belt clip and, perhaps most importantly the battery check that will reject a battery if it has anything less than absolutely full charge.

Enjoy!

Watch the video

6 comments:

  1. This is really a great experience. I just hope that they continue is this way, especially with the new 670G MiniMed. The automation should, according to the trials, decrease the A1c for 0.5%. Finally a way for me to get under 7%!

    Hope everything goes as great with you as it had thus far.

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  2. Hi Mike, we corresponded last month. I was due for an upgrade to my 7.5 year old 722 Paradigm and received my new pump & CGM 14 days ago. The fact that I really like the feel & durability of the older style Medtronic pumps, I decided to go with the 530G. After watching your "year on the 670G". I'm glad I did. I too would hate pressing all of those buttons. In fact the 530G has many more required pushed than did my 722. It is quite frustrating and Medtronic makes me feel like I am using the pump for the first time...everytime! Take care, Mark

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  3. I think you've hit the nail on the head there Mark. The language and layout of the screens is ideal for the first week - but there are not enough ways to shortcut the extra confirmations once you know what you are doing. Even double clicks need to be carefully spaced so that they are properly understood.

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  4. Thanks for this timely update Mike, it was your original blog along with Laura & John Pemberton's that swung me to 640G when its release coincided with my replacement date from Animas. Really glad I did, and equally glad I avoided the Insight which seems to have caused a world of issues for many users despite its temptingly bijou profile. And my gripes are identical to yours, to the point where I entreated Medtronic to issue a firmware update disabling the lock (device mmmanufacturers can do that, right?), but oh no not medical devices too much regulatory shenanigans...Anyway along with my Libre pal i still think this is the best set up currently available. Which may be why Mtrnic are in no hurry to update it ...! Best, Will W

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  5. Thanks for that Mike. I'm gonna start by saying I'm not a pumper, it's never appealed. Not because I have a problem with something being attached to me, (I've got a Libre patch stuck to me right now) but because of some of the very reasons you've listed here. I'd like to think of myself as tech savvy. I like good intuitive design and I don't think it too much to ask that multi-million dollar pharma companies put a bit of effort in. Technology moves so quickly. It's a shame most medical device R&D is based somewhere just outside the late 90's. I do hope they listen to your update and the comments below. They could have one of many converts, if only they thought like a mobile phone company.

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  6. Can I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what they’re talking about on the internet? You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of the story. I can’t believe you’re not more popular because you definitely have the gift.

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