How-to guide for self-insertion of the Guardian 4 sensor

A visual resource to help guide you through the self-insertion of the Guardian 4 sensor.

This video covers 3 important parts of the process:
• Prepping your site
• Inserting the sensor
• Securing the site

Tip: Using a mirror can also be helpful during this process!

For additional support, visit our website:

[david.scripcaru]

I am a swimmer and those sensors just fall of after the 4th day. In comparison, Dexcom’s sensors held all 10 days without falling off or the sticker detaching. Dexcom’s sensors were easy and fast to apply while Medtronic’s sensors required a team of engineers to apply this on my arm. I am not saying that Medtronic is a bad organization, I am just saying that they should redesign their sensor. Keep improving Medtronic!❤

[stinkymushroom]

im veri grateful to have a pump. this is mt first one. its helped me a lot. the sensor is very difficult to put on by myself. already sticking myself is very daunting. im 23 but very lucky to have a beautiful and loving mother to help me apply my sensor

[johnraspen]

Sorry. But I’d need a third arm to do this myself. Can I get the sensor inserted? Yes. Pull the pin? No. Remove the sensor tape? No. Position the oval tape without ruining it? No. I think the Medtronics engineers have a sick sense of humor designing something like this.

[FulanitoGucumatz]

Incredibly complicated and a two-person job. I could easily insert Dexcom sensor myself

[adamlong]

Glad I'm not the only one who sees how shitty these sensors are. I don't know why I allowed my doctor to talk me into upgrading my pump so I could use these sensors. I loved the Libre 3. 14 day sensor. No need to charge a transmitter. No annoying pump notifications that I can't turn off. No wasting sensors because they pull out while trying to attach them. No need for a million pieces of tape to hold it in place. Just a quick insertion. Why is Medtronic 20 years behind everyone else with this technology? Make it make sense people.

[youthsonyeondan]

Idk, i think its too easy to insert you guys should redesign it to make it so i can only apply it with a team of engineers

[jenniferadedeji]

I live alone and i am sick and tired to be dependent on people every six days just to get my sensor at the back of my arm. i cant do all this steps by myself without pulling the just inserted out by accident again. its extremely frustrating!

[monya]

Been with Medtronic for over 20 years now. Medtronic invented the CGM, and yet have the worst hardware for patients??
30 minutes to charge the transmitter..2 hours for sensor warmup and the occasional system upload 2-4hrs.
Can't apply this on my arm by myself. Only 7 days per sensor.
Dexcom G7- no charging, 26 minutes for warmup, 10 days+12hrs of the most accurate readings I've ever had.
Unfortunately G7 works with every pump except Medtronic.
I'll be switching off Medtronic asap.

[toyalarrymore]

I have a question about the guardian 4 sensor : being put on my stomach instead of my arms because it's hard to put it on by myself, and it doesn't seem to stay on my arms 😢? Not very happy with the guardian 4 system 😢

[bigal]

I just put mine on my thigh specifically so i have 2 hands to do this. Still works fine. Maybe not if you are real overweight though idk if that affects it. But I cant see why the sensor would be less accurate down there vs my arm.

[csaey]

So as much as I believe insulin pump therapy works amazingly, having an insulin pump is a hassle and incovient in many ways. That being said you guys decide to make it even more inconvenient for people to use🤔🤨

[blastabowl]

I’ve become so frustrated with these sensors. When they work they work great and the pump does its job. However when the sensors fail it’s totally different story and the sensors fail frequently. 4 out of 5 of my recent sensors failed after 2-3 days of use with an error message “sensor not working properly” “replace sensor”. After I spoke with technical support I attempted to insert the 5th sensor from the box and as I was pulling the “shooter” the whole sensor pulled away from my skin even though it was completely adhered. These sensors are poorly engineered and I just expect a lot more from Medtronic.

[thekryptyk]

Tip for anyone struggling doing this themselves: it’s 100x easier with a mirror. Maybe I’m an outlier but I’ve not had any problem with inserting the sensors myself

One thing I would say though - the oval tape, really sticky, painful to remove, and the residue it leaves is really hard to clean off

[esd]

Using a mirror in this example is helpful!

[Joy-ujhh]

What brand of over tape should I buy? Does Medtronic make one? I can’t find anything big enough for this sensor

[LarryMartin]

Find someone off the street to help. I've been single for all my life and I'm healthy and 68 and the developers of this sensor say you are less a human and require me to "have" someone to use it. At least they finally developed a brain and came up with the Simplera Sync which the FDA may approve this century!

[BEEFSUPREME]

I’m a big fan of my 780 pump but these guardian 4 sensors, what are we doing Medtronic? I cant install these on my own and once you do get them going, after a 2 hour warmup, they only last seven days. The pump has made my life easier but please do something about these sensors.

[jurgenrath]

Ich benutze auch dieses System. Es nicht Patientenfreundlich und aus der Zeit gefallen. Ich hoffe das der neue Sensor von der" Handhabung " deutlich besser ist. Zu so einer guten Pumpe gehört die Messtechnik und Handhabung genau so gut wie Pumpe selber.

[ndlsumr]

I've only used Medtronic pumps for the last 25 years but will not be upgrading to this system. The sensor application / insertion is unnecessarily complicated, unlike the Libre 3 and Dexcom G6 and G7. They should have maintained / developed their relationship with Abbott's Libre CGM system.

[johnraspen]

I’ve read in the ether that the G4 transmitter works perfectly fine attached to leftover G3 sensors. That fundamentally the G3 and G4 sensors are functionally identical. Again, this rumor and innuendo from the internet.