I have a MM Guardian now but am thinking of switching to the Dexcom. I am hesitant because the information says it only has a 5 ft range. I that REALLY all the farther you can get from it? My medtronic one says 10 ft but I can be twice that far from it and not loose the signal. Also, how is the Dexcom at detecting lows? The medtronic often doesn’t track low blood sugars for me. It doesn’t like to go below 80.
My MM would barely hold a signal past about 3 feet. I could sleep on my back my sensor on my right and my pump on the left, and it would complain. The Dex will float in and out, but usually picks it back up quickly. I’ve never had it alarm for being out of range. And the graph just picks up where your current levels are at. It is deffinitely more accurate, and catches lows pretty quickly. I can remember the MM saying I’m 120, when I tested at nearly half that. Last night I dipped down into the 50’s, and it tracked it all the way into a little dawn phenomenon that raised me go the mid 80’s. I’m really waiting for the Animas pump integration. I’ve not had any issues with my MM pump, but it is sometimes difficult carrying two devices around. Dexcom is running a promo right now to get the starter kit at a reduced price. I think it was $999. The email said that it was a 40% discount. It runs through the end of the year. Good luck with what ever you decide!
The range is better described as line-of-sight. I lose readings when something that absorbs RF is between transmitter and receiver. The worst offender is my body. I have lost readings when the sensor was on my left side and the receiver in my right pocket. I adopted the practice to keep the receiver in the pocket closest to the sensor.
My 7+ is so accurate that I only prick my fingers twice a day for the purpose of calibration. During the day I see lows coming based on the trend arrows. I am always able to stay out of the too low zone. At night I use the 55 alarm. When it goes off I drink half a glass of orange juice and go back to sleep. I don’t even bother to prick my finger.
I’d agree with Helmut… I frequently am more than 10 ft. away, but if there’s nothing in between me and the sensor, it works fine.
True story: I left mine in the upstairs bathroom sink and came in the downstairs door after a run – a good 25 feet away on another floor. My wife calls down from the bathroom, “Hey, do you know you’re low?” That only happened once, but it was pretty cool.
One trick: When you’re recharging it, the wireless doesn’t seem to work as well. Keep it closer to you.
I find the Dex to be very good at picking up lows. It missed one last week for me and that stood out as I think that’s the first time (in eight months) that’s happened.
I’ve had it work through the floor, where it’s upstairs in my bedroom recharging and I’m doing something downstairs. Like others I have had it lose the signal when it’s lying in bed beside me, though that’s a rare occurrence. The Dexcom does a good job with lows. My main complaint is that it will alarm saying my bg is below 80 (my current setting) when the meter says it’s 90 mg/dL. If I correct with that value it doesn’t always cause the alarms to go away.
Like Helmut, I generally test twice a day. On days where it’s giving me a lot of alarms I’ll calibrate more often. I’m also waiting for an integrated system. It’s annoying to carry round an insulin pump, Dexcom receiver and cell phone. I really need three hips!