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If you wear a CGM, how many times in the past month have you had to change your sensor more than 24 hours before its session expired?
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It is so disappointing when it happens and for me it is often. Is it because I am skinny? 5’6 100 lbs. Dexcom is so good at replacing which I am thankful for because I am addicted to my Dexcom!!
I have noticed this happening more often since Dexcom decided to circumvent its users from rebooting the sensor.
Same height, only a couple more pounds, and I rarely have a problem with the G6. When I do, it’s on day 10.
Usually at day 9 my CGM transmits only intermittently.
Why would have to do this?
I think I’ve had two G6 sensors last the full 10 days in the 9+ months I’ve been using it. It’s a huge pain, but Dexcom is good about replacing them and they usually last 7ish days which is what I got out of the G5 so I’m not planning to switch any time soon
Often, on day 8 or 9, it starts giving me sensor error messages. Some times I just wait and see, but, when I call them, Dexcom always sends another.
I use Medtronic and is long as u update it annually that puppy stays filly charged like a champ. Now let the transmitter get to say month 20 or so. Yeah that I can issue m but never at 12 months or less.
I wear the Abbott Freestyle Libre 14 day, but usually have to change before the 14 days. The reason is about days 10-13, I start seeing lower readings which are not accurate. When I look at the sensor coming off the arm, often blood is on the sensor. So I just change and readings become more accurate. I have quit calling for Abbott to send a replacement because they often send me a return box that I have to arrange for pick up by fed ex and all of that takes a lot of time. So I just change and forget the call into Abbott.
The first time was for a brain MRI/MRA, so I didn’t have a chose; the second time was when my replacement pump arrived and the sensor I had in wouldn’t work with the new pump and the new one I put on, had a failure. smh
The Libre 2 might not be the fanciest but it is reliable.
I have been having transmitter loss issue for 1 1/2 to two months now. I lose my transmitter signal anywhere between 8 and 30 times each day, every day. I’ve had to change my sensors and transmitters numerous times. I’ve also spent many hours, many days on the telephone trying to get it corrected. Tandem replaced my sensors, transmitters and now insulin pump. I’m still having transmitter problems, and suspect that my G6 app on my telephone may be causing the problem.
Otherwise, most of my sensors last 10 days, but on occasion, they last 8 or 9 days.
Do you have to use your phone to view your BG and info? The Tandem pump is all you really need – it is always with you when attached to your body and you can look at it at any time.
Your phone will still store and download pump and BG data that is transmitted from your CGM and the full picture can always be retrieved for viewing and analysis later on.
I apologize for my loquaciousness, but I want to mention that when I wear my sensor on my abdomen, it either doesn’t work, or my work sporadically for only a few days. When I wear the sensor on my side, I get horrible rashes. The only place I have found the sensor to work, long term, on me is my buttocks.
Try your arm. Works great for me.
Try placing on your lower abdomen below the belt line.
I used to have issues during the summer because the glue would not hold the sensor in when I sweated a lot. I have had very good luck with “Skin Tac” liquid adhesive. It makes a mess with little dirty circles on your arms but it beats the alternative!
I was working outside in low 90 degree weather. It came right off because I was sweating so much. I always use Skin Tac, but it didn’t help this time.
Mary, I restarted my G6 sensor on day 8 of my previous session because it kept losing readings. It worked for 3 more days.
I have restarted them several times in the last year to get a few extra in my stash. In the 20 months since i began the G6, several have failed (twice were bloody) and dexcom has always replaced them.
Not all during the past month. Generally for the most part, mine last for a full 10 days. Very rarely with G6 I have had a sensor that goes through a period of “wobbly” transmission on day 8 or 9. When that happens, I wait for it to correct itself – which it usually does by itself – and then it lasts for the full ten days. Only once did I have one that failed to correct itself within a short time frame and I called Dexcom to trouble shoot, which we did by phone, and they sent me a replacement.
I selected twice. I had one sensor quit a day early, and a second the would not start no matter what I tried. I am *VERY* dissatisfied with Minimed sensors.
Since moving from Dex 4 to G5 and G6 – NEVER
Libre Freestyle 2 lasts the full two weeks and is accurate up to the moment of removal. I’ve checked with a meter and strips. I use Skin Tac and a clean “bandaid” on the four days I have workout classes in a warm pool. Without those addition though, it will come right off.
I’ve been using Dexcom sensors for years. The G6 occasionally fails on the 8th day for me but because I’m in the Tandem Control IQ the company replaces them with a new sensor every time I report a failure. Before having my sensor connected to my tandem pump, Dexcom replaces them for me. It’s a small inconvenience but accuracy of the Dexcom sensors makes it worthwhile.
I also use the Dexcom Overlay Patches provided free by Dexcom and my sensors always stay in place.
since being on the dexcom 6 this is a common event, typically one day before. (At day 9 of 10) It happened twice by chance in the last month but typically that would mean once a month if at all.
I normally have about 50% fail on me at about day 7 or 8. These last two months, though, it’s been 100% haven’t lasted the full time. They seem to always flat out fail (not just errors and times of not working but then starting up again) at 2am.
I use Medtronic and my sensors always last the full week. It’s been a long time since I had to change one early. I sometimes extend them and get an additional 2-5 days. Since I can never get another full week I stopped trying, but for the week a sensor is in it has generally been great.
LizB, how can you get 2-3 extra days out of your sensor? I would love this!
Medtronic sensors. Often fail early or fail to start at all. It’s beyond frustrating and getting them replaced has always been a hassle. In the process of switching to Dexcom, 🙏.
Every sensor. Freestyle Libre lasts 9 – 11 days when it’s supposed to last 14. And every sensor reads 25 – 40 % low when compared with finger sticks. I have talked with their tech staff and informed them of these problems and they have sent replacements that didn’t do any better.
The sensors that failed did not seem to have lost their ability to stick or have any visible problem – the reader just displayed the message to replace.
I am sending back the sensors to Freestyle for evaluation [they sent me a box to send back for free].
The only thing that I can think of that may be causing a systemic problem is heat [I live in Las Vegas] since the instruction book advises keeping in temperatures below 77F.
Twice in the past month, from the same box of three. Both sensors gave very low readings that didn’t correspond with finger sticks and by the second day led to many extreme low alarms. After speaking with Tandem tech with the first sensor I knew what was happening with the repeat performance of the second sensor. Both sensors were replaced by Dexcom. This is the first time since starting with Dexcom, almost 5 years ago, that I’ve had this experience.
I rarely find that Guardian 3 Sensors (Medtronic/MiniMed) last the full 7 days that they’re supposed to last. (They get around this by advertising that each sensor last “upto 7 days”.)
Often, the sensors indicate wildly differing glucose levels to what a fingerstick test will show, but this is due to the sensors taking their readings from interstitial fluid, rather than directly from blood.
Once only because I ripped it out on day 5! 😭
Have done that, too. Thankfully Dexcom replaces it. I always save the paper cause when I call with a problem they want the lot number.
I usually change at 27-29 days as it starts to fluctuate a good bit then.
I don’t know I just started the dexcom cgm Colorado Medicaid just started covering certain cgms with dexcom being one of them yaaa!
Use Dexcom G6. Seems like I have problems once or twice a month then sometimes all OK. Sometimes No Readings, then comes on then No readings again. Dexcom replaces. I save the paper with the lot number to tell them so they can track.
It’s rare for that to happen with my daughter. It almost always lasts the full 10 days.
99% of the time, my Dexcom G6 sensor last the entire 10 days. I had one completely fail a couple of months ago due to sensor errors, but this is very rare. On “Sensor Error” message, if you test and calibrate the BG number and wait it out, the sensor comes back online. I’ve learned to NOT calibrate again if the sensor error reappears. Then the sensor fails.
A. I’m getting a real education from reading all the comments to every question. This is one site I visit with gratitude every day. B. How long are sensors supposed to last? I thought Dexcom G6 sensors were to last a month. And the reusable transmitters at least 90 days which I note on calenda. C. I could use my iPhone but prefer the Dexcom G6 receiver to save time. Just press the button & there’s the data. Using the iPhone I’d have to turn it on, then enter my passcode, then download the Dexcom app and then probably have to choose from a menu what info I wanted. D. I’ve now internalized “Do not exceed 20 feet between sensor/transmitter and receiver.” E. I recently went thru 2 sensors in just 24 hours because I misunderstood the receiver’s setup directions for new transmitter. I complained directly to Dexcom & was promised 3 free replacement sensors. I rec’d only one and got charged for it. F. Sometimes after I calibrate, the receiver ignores my input or only partially adjusts, so I must calibrate a second time.
I had so many problems with the Libre falling off my arm during exercise. No issues with the Dexcom.