Sarah Howard
Sarah Howard has worked in the diabetes research field ever since she was diagnosed with T1D while in college in May 2013. Since then, she has worked for various diabetes organizations, focusing on research, advocacy, and community-building efforts for people with T1D and their loved ones. Sarah is currently the Senior Marketing Manager at T1D Exchange.
Related Stories
42 Comments
If you use a device, how satisfied are you with the process of ordering replacement supplies for your sensors/sites that do not last their full standard duration? Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I have never called for replacement infusion sets because I get 4 boxes every 90 days and have enough for when a site is not good. I also have very good luck with the Medtronic Guardian sensors and don’t often need a replacement. When I do, I can request it online and it’s very fast & easy. It can take several weeks before the replacement arrives but since I get 3 boxes/15 sensors every 90 days I have built up a supply of extras so I can wait.
(~‾⌣‾)~ A rare, but gladly willingly acceptable, success story in the myriad maze and miasma of the multiple moving parts of the American medical system. This part actually works.
The vendors, insurance, the medical establishment: they all seem to replace sensors reliably and responsibly. Or am I overlooking some obtuse vendor or bureaucrat here?
Tandem and Dexcom have good replacement sites. Simple and Fast.
I totally agree
I haven’t used the web sites for replacement, I always call. Omnipod is great. Dexcom, I will give a good. They replace sensors reliably, but last time I called, they asked lots of questions. I thought it would be a five-minute call, it was closer to 15.
I am satisfied, but I would rather they went the full duration and I didn’t have to deal with those issues. I have more issues getting supplies reordered than I do when they fail.
Wish Omnipod had a replacement site vs. having to call (which generally takes about 20 mins) Dexcom sensors I don’t worry about since I have a bit of a cushion with them, but they were good with replacing the transmitter the one time it failed early. (though that was a couple years ago, in the before times)
My biggest problem over the years has been with sensors and transmitters. Sometimes I get confused whether to go to Dexcom or Tandem for replacements, and am still not sure. I sometimes get into one company transferring me to the other. Once, both companies transferred me to the other. The other issue is the length of time it takes. It seems that the questions go on and on for lengthy periods. I keep myself very busy and don’t have time for long phone calls (especially when my cell phone drops calls mid-phone call, and I have to start all over). I never tried to replace supplies online. I’ll have to try it sometime.
For my dexcom very satisfied with U S Med. With infusion sets for my Tandem t slim VERY DISSATISFIED!
I have occasionally needed replacement sensors for my Dexcom but have had others on hand that I could use while I waited for the replacement. The BIG issue was when my transmitter died 6 weeks early and I had to order a replacement. It took repeated phone calls, I had to ask to get expedited shipping, and I was without a CGM for almost a week. Since I wear my CGM 24/7, this was a very frustrating experience. I was very surprised by the lack of urgency from customer support!
Dexcom’s online form to report sensor problems makes it very easy!
Dexcom is always very responsive whenever a sensor needs replacement for whatever reason because they don’t deal with Medicare — they simply send a replacement free of charge, while the suppliers go strictly by the expiration dates and all the paperwork that Medicare requires.
Deacom replacements are quick and easy, great customer support
I have found that too. DexCom has good customer service and has replaced a couple of sensors and a transmitter that stopped working.
Abbott was not helpful at all in replacing freestyle libre monitors that didn’t last their stated duration.
Ordering replacement sensors is easy on Medtronic’s Diabetes store. Open the app on the computer, click replacement, click where it was positioned and provide lot number. I usually get the replacement(s) in a week. Now about the need for replacements, at one point I was having a sensor fail one per box of 5. Thats 20%.
Lately it has been like 1 per 2 or 3 boxes.
Admittedly I’m truly impressed with both Tandem and dexcom to resolve issues in a manner that’s somewhat stress free. The key to these positive experiences is two fold, be properly prepared with backup and provide as much information as possible.
I have issues with Medtronic sensors. Blood at site, and complete fails, Medtronic has throttled their on-line replacements to 3 for 90 days. This makes me dissatisfied as their product quality sucks. I answered “a little dissatisfied”
I got exhausted from calling the customer service at Abbott, so just change the sensor as needed from the supplies that come by mail from US Medical Supply.
I would prefer to order directly from the manufacturer and have them fill the after-market role. I do not like having to order CGM and pump supplies from third parties that really do not understand living with diabetes and the fact that their late shipments are life threatening.
I am using the Freestyle Libre 2 and the OmniPod DASH and although I usually have to specify that they need to send it priority, I have gotten them right away. However, when my Omnipod insurance claim was denied because of a mix up, they could not send me a couple of extras because I am on Medicare.
Medicare regulations are a nightmare for those of us just trying to stay healthy!
I answered “Neither” because, although I have been very SATISFIED with Dexcom replacing any sensor if it hasn’t lasted the full ten days, I am extremely DISSATISFIED with my ability to obtain a sufficient number of insulin pump supplies (infusion sets and cartridges) to manage my diabetes properly. I have been Type 1 since 1976 and am on Medicare. Last June, I began to have site absorption issues on day 3 of each site and approached my endo in July to change my RX to 40 infusion sets and 40 cartridges each 90 days rather than the 30 of each I had been receiving. Over 6 months later, I still am only getting 30 of each and have prolonged each site beyond its efficiently controlling my glucose levels so that I do not run out. That has meant supplementing my pumped basal and bolus insulin with insulin administered on Day 3 via syringe to keep my glucose in range. The Day 3 absorption issue doesn’t happen with every site but it is not related to any specific site location. I have always used multiple body sites (thighs, abdomen, hip/butt) and rotated them to avoid the development of scar tissue but 46 years with diabetes takes it’s toll. My endo’s case notes of 2 office visits haven’t been sufficient to obtain Medicare approval. I am in the process of changing endo in the hope of finding a practice with more expertise in dealing with Medicare. It’s very frustrating being held hostage by Medicare bureaucrats and bean-counters. I’m only trying to stay “healthy”.
Very satisfied, as of late, it took changing DME providers. Previously, vendors would routinely delay renewing authorization until the last minute resulting in my running out of supplies. Very frustrating and unnecessary and relative to CGM supplies potentially dangerous and patently reckless.
This is a complex question that asks two things that may not have the same answer. Ordering CGM replacement supplies from the. Insurance-required distributor is automated, but wasn’t easy to set up. I had to have a sensor replaced twice because they got knocked off. The company took care of both fails immediately. Skin-tac does a good job of adherence, but the Libre 2 sensors can only be placed in a limited area in the back of the upper arm. This is un comfortable to sleep in and often in the way.
That’s a mixed bag!
Medtronic – Very Satisfied
Byram – Satisfied
Edgepark – Very Dissatisfied
It rarely happens with my libe, unless I ram my shoulder into a doorway. Replacement has always been quick and pleasant
Can’t remember the last Dexcom Sensor, sometime between 2009 and now but more than 2 years ago. To those having issues with Medicare, it’s probably the DME supplier (Edgypark or other)
Reading the comments… I had no idea I could get the sensors that fall off prematurely replaced! I recently had one that had the craziest readings, and after 5 days of hoping it would fix itself, gave up and took it off. When I called Freestyle Libre they said they’d send a replacement and that I needed to send them back all parts of the packaging (sensor, cartridge, etc.). The replacement came fairly quickly, but the return envelope didn’t arrive until over 3 weeks later – Packaged the few parts I had kept to send back, only to receive that same day a nagging email message to send back the items. If they’d sent the return envelope with the new sensor, they would have had it 3 weeks ago. Just annoying to be nagged unnecessarily!
Medtronic, over the years, has been good about replacing items, the few times it has been necessary, without the complications of ‘returning all parts’.
Dexcom Reps. are always helpful and fast.
Calling Dexcom to replace a transmitter that quit two weeks early resulted in a long phone call, answering many questions and eventually being told that there would be no replacement. Over the past year I’ve called both Tandem tech support and Dexcom for sensor replacement. Tandem support has been a better experience with Dexcom really depending on the knowledge of the tech answering my call.
I have found the same. After arguing with a few bad reps, I now know to hang up and speak with someone else.
In last year CCS has repeatedly confused reorder dates for G6 Sensors & reorder dates for Tandem infusion sets. They apply Medicare rules to the wrong dates. Creates hell for me. Even though I keep enclosed paperwork from all supplies received it has done little good until recently. Before that it didn’t seem that Type of supply, dates of shipping & logic applied. My medical provider states that she hears complaints & frustrations of others using other mail order/online med supply providers.
See of you can switch to Byram as your supplier. I “fired” CCS as my supplier after I had similar issues of disorganized and inconvenient incompetence with CCS. I have not had any negative issues with Byram delivering supplies on a Medicare schedule since I switched.
Medtronic is good but after 3 online requests you have to talk to someone and they will grant it, but sometimes the wait is hours. Also the online requests take 6 weeks to be receive whereas it you talk to a rep on the phone it is frequently next day if you live near a UPS warehouse where they store them.
I deal directly with Dexcom as CCS medical supply does not do replacements Dexcom always right on nice people and fast
Although I have found companies to be mostly reasonable about replacing supplies, the wait times on phone calls to initiate replacement can be extremely time consuming.
I am satisfied with getting replacements. I only wish I could get my regular supplies it has been since January that I have been trying to get my Dexcom and my omnipod pod. They cost me $2200 with insurance and it is a huge undertaking. I wish the companies still sold them directly they were a little cheaper and it was one phone call not hours and hours on the phone with one person after another taking two months to get them.
Very satisfied with Dexcom, whenever I’ve called them with problems they’ve had me talk to the “tech” department who each and every time have ended up sending me a replacement sensor.
I was supposed to get 3 replacement sensors from Dexcom, but only received 2. Still, I rate them good and Byram Healthcare excellent. I’m on cheapest KP Medicare Advantage plan so I think I must co-pay additional $30 to $50 per month for Dexcom 6 supplies. But it’s worth it.
Very satisfied. Dexcom Live Chat Support is FANTASTIC, so sensor replacement is quick and reliable. I seldom have issues with infusion sets or cartridges, so I’ve only experienced Tandem’s replacement process a couple of times over the past 2 years. Still it was not time-consuming nor frustrating.
I don’t run into this w pump, because a failure for me has been rare, and a have a little extra on those. For Dexcom, I now use the online replacement if they don’t last and the need is not urgent, because I don’t have to wait on the call line. They should replace anything that does not last at least 90% of the advertised time, because otherwise the person is off the device, which is dangerous and irritating. I have rarely gotten problems if I go through the process, but the phone is time consuming. Important to understand that the supplier generally will not replace defective products, because that should be the manufacturer, because it is a product defect, and not the fault of the supplier (Edgepark, CCS, Walgreens, ETC)