Hey, @PerfectHorse, sorry not to respond—I don’t check in here as often since I’ve been made an admin on TuD. I actually went off automode after trying it for about 4 months, but I do have a couple of things that I’d tell everyone just starting out that I wish I had understood more clearly.
In auto, there are only two parameters you can adjust that have any real effect on the behavior of the algorithm:
-AIT (Active Insulin Time) which is the single most powerful one: dialing it down to a shorter period makes the delivery more aggressive in correcting highs, dialing it up to a longer period makes it ease off if it’s causing you to have lows.
-Insulin/Carb Ratio. There continues to be some controversy about this, but I was told with great authority and in no uncertain terms that it applies to Wizard Boluses ONLY, and not to the microbolus basal. Other opinions clam differently, so I experimented with it a bit (you can set different I:Cs for different times of day). Results were ambiguous at best.
On the FB 670 groups there are a few people who sing the praises of using the back of the calf. There are videos of how to do it. I tried it 3 times; the first two were great, and the third was fine for the first couple of days but then the filament started impinging on my calf muscle and it was so painful I had to find a public restroom so I could yank it out. But a lot of people love it.
Yes, it’s a little more involved but definitely doable. Pretty sure I’ve put a description up here and on TUD about how to do it, but there are lots of them out there if you search a bit.
Best of luck to you with the 670–hope you’re one of the people who end up loving it (yes, they exist!)
@LarissaW — re placement and the problems of being single: I think the hardest problem is the dratted taping, which is just about impossible to do single-handed, that is to say, with only one hand, which is necessarily the case with back-of-the-upper-arm. Which raises the question of whether it’s strictly necessary to go with that finicky two-piece oval-shaped Official Medtronic tape.My MedT trainer made a a point about how you had to use the official stuff in exactly the official way in order to prevent the connection between the battery and transmitter from flexing and throwing things off, so I stuck to it. But it was elaborate and fussy and I can’t help wondering if GrifGrips or some other non-official tape would work as well. Seems like it might be worth trying anyway. I can usually get those over my Dexcom in shoulder placement without spousal assistance.
I totally agree that tape placement is difficult with one hand. But I’ve certainly pulled out a sensor when attempting to insert a guardian sensor on back of the arm when attempting to pull the needle out And this is a nonissue for dexcom g6 insertion which is why I thought the above video would be helpful
I personally used the oval tape for most of my guardian sensors. But I also used pump peelz adhesives and never had any connectivity issues (I mean to say no more than the normal amount of signal loss issues) with the pump peelz as compared to the oval tape. I think any adhesive placement on the back of the arm is tricky for me (oval, pump peelz, sim patch) Which is why I opted for thighs mainly for guardian sensors.
Also thighs would probably be ideal for attempting restarts since you get two hands with thigh placement
Thank you so much for your answers. A little disappointed to find out I can’t get three weeks out of a sensor, but I can live with it. It will only be about another six weeks before I hit my out-of-pocket maximum anyway and then everything is 100% covered.
My Dexcom sensors were pretty accurate, although every so often I’d get a reading and think, “what?!?” So far though, the Guardian has been pretty spot on.
I think I’ll give it a couple of change outs and then definitely will try a different part of my upper arm. I did put my Dexcom in the back of my arm a couple of times and that wasn’t easy either, but you didn’t need two hands…LoL. I will watch that video though. Will also use thighs as that works well for me too.
On a mission to find that clip…will let everyone know if I come across one or manage to bully Medtronic into producinig one.
It may totally be possible but I haven’t heard of it.
Glad to hear that the Guardian accuracy has been working out for you! That will be super important when you get into Automode
Like I said above, don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns ! Getting guardian sensors and automode to play nice can definitely be tricky so don’t feel alone in navigating it
Agree about the tapes. I’m concerned when I take this first tape off that it’s going to take chunks off skin. The clear tapes and my skin do not like each other. I pre-purchased some Rockadex patches in anticipation, but was told the same thing you said. But they have an “overpiece” that should accomplish the same thing. When I change it this Sunday, if I lose skin, I’m going with my Rockadex patches and will see what happens.
Hmmm, someone around here has used something to help with removing adhesives more gently - @TiaG or @ClaudnDaye ? (Sorry if I totally recalled this wrong)
Unisolve or Detachol. Put on, around the edges, leave 5 to 10 minutes, then put a bit more UNDER the tape after the edges have lifted, wait another 5 to 10 minutes and it’s usually FALLING OFF.
There seems to be a lot of variability—some people can’t even get the full 7 days. For me 10 was about the limit because I never mastered the trick of removing and recharging the battery without detaching the sensor. So it was really the battery charge that limited it for me, although that’s again something that seems to vary a lot. For whatever reason my battery always seemed to be good for that long on a single charge whereas for others, not even close.
The new transmitter, in my case, has meant a drastic cut in how long the battery is good. I used to be good for about 8 or 9 days. The new transmitter wants me to charge 4 days in. Every single sensor. Have heard others reporting similar, so maybe you start working on a good tape solution, @PerfectHorse.
That’s awesome. I used to not believe in people like you, but I’ve heard it from enough to know you likely aren’t coordinating falsehoods. Which version transmitter are you using?
I’ve used both and I can say without hesitation that they’re basically the same thing…they both get sticky stuff loose. The key for both (to avoid the skin pulling that Liam screams about) is to apply it early enough and just let it set for 5 - 10 minutes. But both Detachol and Unisolve do the same thing and I’ve observed no difference between the two.
I think I said up in the OP that I wore Guardian 3 and G5 at the same time for my first week or so, and they were pretty much neck and neck most of the time. That said, the big issue that finally put me off system in the end was that the Guardian ran low in the early a.m., which meant the pump just couldn’t account for Dawn Phenom. which in my case is significant.
I’d add that I don’t think the Guardian would pass the same test with a G6. I upgraded to it 3 months ago and it is very noticeably more accurate than the G5 for me, to the extent that I’m down to testing once or twice a day, mainly just to amuse myself at how amazingly accurate it is.
No need, @PerfectHorse. On your pump menu, you can go to Status: Sensor… and scroll down to Version. This is pretty important information, so you might want to check it out when you get a chance.
I use Tac-Away and Unisolve. It’s a particular type of tape that no matter how careful I am, I lose literally lose small chunks. I don’t have any sensitivity to the tape (itchiness, etc.) or other issues, just removing it. I don’t have any removal issues with the Rocktape at all, I also use kinesio tape for various reasons and I never have an issue no matter where it is on me.
Sooooo…crossing my fingers that I get a full 7 days out of my sensor charge and that despite the stupid double oval tape I don’t lose any skin, and waiting until after my second training before I change to an “unapproved” spot.
And this is a nonissue for dexcom g6 insertion which is why I thought the above video would be helpful 
Which is why I opted for thighs mainly for guardian sensors.
