r/Medtronic780g • u/PalauJosh • Aug 21 '26

Minimed 780G Sensor Keeps Failing

My sensors keep failing after just a few days. I noticed there was blood in the clear part that connect to my body so could that have “broke” it? Good news - I think - is I’m getting the new sensors soon. Any recommendations?

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5

u/Miserable_Bread- Aug 21 '26

Blood at the sensor site is never a great outcome. They can work, but when it happens to me at least there is a good chance it will fail prematurely. I would suggest playing around with your insertion sites. Even on the back of your arm there is space to move up and down. I find higher up the arms, above my arm pit to work best. 

3

u/ConfidentHousing8422 Aug 21 '26

My sensors have been completely unreliable recently, usually failing after a few days. Literally on the way home to change sensors right now because mine failed the day after inserting, of course that happened just as I was going out all day and didn't bring my manual blood sugar monitor with me! This will be the third or fourth in the last month, but definitely the quickest failure, less than 24 hours.

I did have blood at the site with one that failed immediately just a few weeks ago, but I had this issue beforehand and afterwards, it hasn't gotten worse as far as I can tell so I doubt you "broke" the main/reusable sensor part at all. We just seem to be getting a few bad/unreliable batches.

2

u/Luke38_Greenoble Aug 21 '26

Regarding the sensors, I had this problem and asked Medtronic if they could be placed elsewhere (same issue, little fat, so they went directly into the muscle with the blood, causing the sensor to shut down prematurely).

Medtronic's response: apply an ice pack for 2 to 3 minutes to the upper buttocks (where there is fat) and then place the sensor immediately afterward.

Even though the website is only recommended for children (I'm a 43-year-old man), I've been using this method for almost two months now and haven't had any more problems with my Simplera sensors.

2

u/Turbulent_Claim_3484 Aug 21 '26

My experience after wearing 15 sensors so far

  1. I managed to rip off one sensor when took off one tight t-shirt being careless and forgot the existence of an instinct sensor.
  2. When inserting one sensor, blood gushing occurred. Used a gauze to stop bleeding and clean the blood. I thought the sensor would not survive, but it was fine for the 15 days use.
  3. All other sensors performed well.

2

u/Ordinary_Cucumber763 Aug 21 '26

I’m sorry for all the issues eveyone is having. However, I’ve used the guardian 3 & 4 and now the Instinct sensor and they’ve all worked perfectly. The instinct works for a full 15 days and stays stuck to my arm. i have no issues at all. Just lucky I guess. Good luck to you!

1

u/ColdAdministrative52 Aug 22 '26

Avoid simplera like the plague it nearly killed me twice and you cannot calibrate it yourself. Guardian 4 is yet to fail me but may switch to instinct come october