Health

The MiniMed Flex Insulin Pump by Medtronic

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MiniMed Flex™ Insulin Pump/System by Medtronic (Image From & Copyright © Medtronic, 2026)

In the USA, Medtronic recently released a press release about their new insulin pump called the MiniMed Flex.

I currently use Medtronic’s MiniMed 780G insulin pump, which has been nothing short of transformational, reducing my HbA1c from 99 to 52.

You can learn more about my experiences using this pump on these blog posts:

So you’d think I would be excited by this announcement, but I’m not. Instead of being excited, I’m very concerned. I’m concerned about:

1. Smartphone Control

The new MiniMed Flex pump will be controlled by smartphone. This means if my battery dies on my smartphone and I’m out, I’ll have no way of knowing my current blood sugar, no way of delivering insulin, no way of adjusting settings for exercise and no telling my pump what I need it to do. Bluetooth could also fail on my smartphone or the pump itself.

Currently on the MiniMed 780G insulin pump, I can control the pump through use of the screen and buttons on the actual device.

2. The Update Cycle of Medtronic’s App

Historically Medtronic’s update cycle of the App has been painfully slow. Everytime I have an Android software update on my phone it can take Medtronic a month or longer to update their App.

This has meant on some occasions in the past, I have been unable to get my phone to pair with my pump, sometimes for a number of weeks. Imagine if this happened with the MiniMed Flex, it would literally be unusable until Medtronic updated their App.

3. Lack of a Screen

Lack of a screen = lack of information. Especially if the bluetooth connection or pairing to a smartphone failed for some reason. My blood sugars could be going high or low without my knowledge. This could lead to a failure or delay in me taking appropriate actions.

4. No Information about Sound / Vibration / Flashing Light Notifications

There is currently no information about the MiniMed Flex pump’s ability to deliver sound, vibration or flashing light notifications. The MiniMed 780G insulin pump does all these and to different volume, intensity and number of repeats (depending on settings). I find these are extremely useful, especially when I am asleep at night.

4. A New Algorithm

The press release mentions a new algorithm for SmartGuard. This could lead to better or worse blood sugar control for me. I know the algorithm on my current MiniMed 780G insulin pump works for me. It helps me to spend much more time in range and is proven to lower my HbA1c. I have a real fear that this new algorithm might not be as effective for me.

5. How it is Powered

There is no information currently available on how the new pump is powered. Some people have suggested a button battery, others that it could be rechargeable and others have suggested it could be powered by an AA battery, like my current pump. Rechargeable would be a nightmare and I would definitely prefer a battery that can be replaced.

But again, I would be reliant on it being connected to a smartphone (and the smartphone being operational) to know the charge of the battery.

6. Whether I’ll be Forced to Upgrade

I get my current insulin pump from my local Diabetes Centre, provided by the NHS. This is the only way to get any sort of insulin pump in the UK. Privately funded or funding through an insurance model isn’t even an option.

It is likely that my local NHS Trust has an agreement with Medtronic for the latest tech and for free upgrades. According to the press release, users of the MiniMed 780G insulin pump in the USA will get a free upgrade to the MiniMed Flex.

But what if I don’t want the free upgrade and would rather stay on the MiniMed 780G insulin pump, will that be an option?

Conclusion

I am not alone in having concerns. There is a reddit post about it here. With the information I’ve currently got available and what I’ve learned from past experiences, I would 100% choose not to upgrade at this time. I only hope that I am given that option.

Blog soon,

Antony

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The BIG 4-0

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Last week was my 40th birthday. Just before my birthday, I’d had some good news about my vasculitis. My birthday celebrations were low-key this year, mum, papa and I went out for a meal, followed by unicorn cake.

I’m going to be honest, I never thought I’d make it to the BIG 4-0. But I am pleased that I have. I am as healthy as I can be (given my type 1 diabetes and vasculitis) and the happiest I have ever been.

In April (2026) I published my latest book FINDING YOUR HAPPINESS, which covers:

  • My Journey to Happiness.
  • The Secret to Happiness.
  • Understanding You.
  • Where You Are Right Now.
  • Planning For Happiness.
  • Taking Action For Happiness.
  • Maintaining Happiness.
  • Dealing with Challenges to Happiness.
  • Your Happy Life.

My hope is that FINDING YOUR HAPPINESS leads readers to transform their lives, giving readers the knowledge and skills to lead a life filled with happiness and joy. The 167 page, full-colour book will take an average reader 5.5-7.5 hours to read.

Write soon,

Antony

More Content From Antony

Here are the books that Antony has published, click any cover to learn more:

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Health Update: Vasculitis Remission, Blood Sugar Reduction (Type 1 Diabetes) and the Hole in the Roof of My Mouth

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I am pleased to announce that my vasculitis is in remission (see this page on Vasculitis UK for more information). This means that there are no active signs of the disease and my blood results show no signs of inflammation.

This is thanks to the excellent care of the Specialist Doctors in the NHS and the Rituximab infusions provided by the NHS.

All of the care I have received from NHS Staff has been nothing short of exceptional. Staff have been kind and compassionate. They have delivered safe, high quality and evidenced-based care.

The care has been driven by clinical need, without staff having to worry about the cost and without me having to worry about my ability to pay. I am beyond grateful.

My blood sugars have continued to reduce with my Hba1C currently being 52. My Hba1C was 58 in February 2025 and 99 before that. My Medtronic insulin pump (the MiniMed 780G) has played a massive role in this reduction, but so have better diet, increased exercise and loss of a bit of weight.

I have come off all medications, apart from insulin. This includes medications for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and mental health medications. I have made a number of changes to my life to become the happiest that I have ever been.

The hole in the roof of my mouth has gotten slightly bigger, now being about 1cm in size. However given the improvements to my overall health and the fact that the vasculitis is now in remission, the surgeon is keen to repair the hole in the roof of my mouth in the coming months.

That’s about it for my health update. Write soon,

Antony

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Feeling Devastated. Plenty of Questions & Worries, But Not Many Answers

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I’ve had time to reflect on my recent health consultations (see The ENT Specialists) and I can honestly say that I’m feeling devastated.

I knew the hole in my septum had gotten bigger, but seeing the state of the inside of my nose on a monitor attached to a camera on a flexible cable really traumatised me. I have plenty of health-related worries right now including:

  • Do I have vasculitis and if so, what does this mean for me in the long term? Vasculitis is a very rare condition.
  • If its not vasculitis, then what is the cause of this extensive nasal destruction?
  • What will the biopsies show? Could it be Cancer?
  • They want to operate urgently in the next two weeks. What is going through the mind of my ENT Consultant?
  • What has caused a small hole in my septum to lead to complete septum destruction in around 4 months?
  • Will the pain ever be resolved? Or is this it now? Chronic long term pain.
  • Could other symptoms such as fatigue, a psoriasis-like rash on my elbows, difficulty standing for short periods, right hip/knee pain and difficulty sleeping through the night (insomnia) be related to my nasal passage problems?
  • How will they decide to fix the problem? Is it even fixable?
  • How will all this impact on the management of my type 1 diabetes?
  • What other autoimmune diseases does this increase my risk of getting?
  • Is this related to that time I got pneumonia?
  • How will any or all of the above affect my life expectancy?
  • What does all this mean for returning to work and life?
  • Will I ever feel normal again, or is this the new normal?
  • Why did nobody ever tell me to go and get my constant blocked nose checked out? Would it have made any difference?
  • Why didn’t I get any ENT experience as a Student Nurse or in A&E. This would have at least given me some clinical experience in the area?
  • Why did I decide that my constant blocked nose was because of developing an allergy to my two gorgeous cats?
  • Will I ever be able to smell normally again? At the moment, I can’t usually smell anything, unless I try and it is particularly strong. Sometimes, I smell what smells like rotting flesh.
  • Why is the waiting list so long to seen ENT? Ear, nose and throat systems are vital to health and wellbeing.
  • And more questions continue to fill my head on an hourly basis.

I have plenty of questions right now, but not a lot of answers. It’s the not knowing that causes the most anxiety.

Best Wishes,

Antony

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