With the 7+ I would get at least 2 weeks from most sensors, but since switching to the new system I haven't been able to get more than 10 days before getting ???'s and hourglasses...Interestingly these are intermittent, will last for a couple of hours, and then come back for a few minutes with a reading that's pretty accurate, but then will kick off again. I also am getting very accurate readings starting only a few hours after activation, which I didn't for the 7+.
Am I doing something wrong? I'm using flexifix, the sensor is perfectly adhered, it just seems like the site starts acting up. Why would that happen with the G4 when it didn't for the 7+? Could it be that my belly is no longer able to support a sensor?
I have actually been able to get my sensors to last anywhere from 20-30 days consistently for the past 7 months with the G4. But not until I stopped using any kind of skintac (iv prep) before applying. Apparantly, the sensor is pretty sensitive to anything on the surface of the skin. So try going bare...I have not had any issues with using tape to hold down the edges of the sticky patch when it starts to lose it's stickiness either. Maybe the success I've found is a solo affair? Anyone else?
I'm on about 7 weeks on one right now. It does give me ??? once in a while, but keeps on ticking. I've heard a few others getting 8 weeks out of them before, I'm going to try to keep this one going as long as possible. So far it's doing good, but the variance from the twice a day test does seem to be growing a bit.
I just got 3 weeks out of one of mine. I’m allergic to the Dex adhesive, and use an adhesive by Hollinger over it (being careful to keep away from where the sensor goes) with no problems.
I wonder what's going on with me then. I have to pay 50% for sensors, and now I'm changing every week it's getting to be too expensive to keep up. :( I thought it might be a bad batch, but I've switched to a new batch and am having the same issue.
I don't think it's anything with you. I too cannot get much more than 2 weeks out of G4. In fact, my 7+ lasted longer once I learned a few tricks. Now I have to learn new tricks, I guess, and it's hard for an old dog :)
Mine reads very LOW once it's past 2 weeks, even by one day. It's reading like 45 when the FS is 75. A strange behaviour.
Same here, within the last month or so I have had the same intermittent ??? right around day 10 with the G4. Not so when I first started my new G4, and not so with the 7+. I have two theories on this matter... 1> The board of directors at Dexcom (stock ticker symbol, DXCM) called a shareholder meeting and decided that 2 weeks on one sensor wasn't profitable, and changed the composition of the sensor wire to expire more quickly....or 2> It may just be that my G4 transmitter is now in its 10th month off the box magnet, and maybe on its last legs....Hmmmm???
Probably theory 1--it's not profitable for them to get more than a week off these sensors. I've been on their conference calls and they know full well that a lot of us try to extend the life as much possible.
I am only on my second sensor. Got 17 days out of first sensor and then started getting ???'s and hourglass with more frequency and then it wouldn't go at all. But at about almost two weeks, the edges of the dex adhesive started to fray. I used bandaids to hold it down. By the end of day 17, I developed a nasty rash - which I still have. I am not sure what is the cause because it is not on the skin under where the dex adhesive was. It seems to be where I put a tegaderm transparent film -1626W in the morning before showering. I put that over the unit when I shower to keep it nice and dry and take I off right away. I use a prep wipe before adhereing it over the unit and it is supposed to be latex free, so I don't know why it would give me such a bad rash? I have never even seen a rash like this. It looks like blisters or welts with occasional itchiness. I may have to go see a dermatologist now. Ugh. I am think that maybe I just need to change to a new sensor and new site every 7 days just to stop the nasty rashes?
Before taking off the sensor take the transmitter off and wipe it with alcohol or something let it try by swinging it in the air, don't throw it. Sometimes I even wipe the two black dots on the sensor. Doing this sometime give me extra days!
I think the G4 is not much tight compared to the 7+, I always find water or so under it!
On my first receiver/transmitter, which I had for a 12 and 1/2 months I could almost always get 2-3 weeks out of a sensor. Since I got my new receiver and transmitter this January to replace the ones that died I can get at most 10 days if I am lucky (and sometimes not even 7), I do nothing different.
In fact with the first set of replacement transmitter & receiver dex sent me I got only got 3 days from each sensor. Dex sent me replacements for both receiver/transmitter (ie replacement of replacement).
Since I know I am not doing anything different (same spot, same flexi tape- no extra adhesive on the skin - same range of blood sugars and actually less swimming then I was doing before, same alcohol prep before insertion) I believe that they have changed something with either the new batches of sensors, transmitters, or receivers. there really is no other explanation.
Ahmad, you mean when you are at the end of day 7, you take the transmitter out of the sensor holder and wipe it with alcohol. Then you place it back dry and turn it back on. Right? Or do you do that just when it starts giving you the errors?
While were on this subject, some of us on here had a discussion on Dexcom "alarm issues", and come to think of it dexcom did send me a replacement Reciever some time ago... others who had been sent a replacement receiver also had noticed, as I did at the time that there was a new software revision number in the "settings, device info" menu. My new SW rev # is now "2.0.1.104"...This number had changed/progressed since my original G4, I wonder if everyone who is getting just 10 days from one sensor has this same revision # or later? Maybe we can figure out what they have changed...
