So I got my G5 transmitters last night but having some “buyers remorse”. It didn’t come with any instructions but I went to their website to try and figure out what I need to do. I’m not thrilled with the idea that the new transmitters shut down after 3 months, my current G4 transmitter is going on 8 months. What I’m wondering is updating the receiver, do I have to do that first before pairing the G5 transmitter and when I do does it erase everything on the receiver including all my BG data? My impression is that it does which would be a bummer and another reason I’m thinking maybe I should have stuck with the G4 system for now. Oh well, I’m grateful insurance pays part of my cost and I have access to a cgm, technology marches on and it’s always a little frustrating for some of us non techies to make these changes. 
Lilli - It’s funny, sometimes, how things work out. I was disappointed this week when Dexcom told me I couldn’t get my G5 transmitter until late November. Now that I read about your “buyers remorse,” it makes me think that perhaps waiting is not so bad.
If I were you, I would try to learn as much as you can about the new G5 system. Have you seen this page on the Dexcom site?
It contains links to a User Guide (both pdf and e-book) as well as a Quick Start Guide, tutorial, and a request for a hard copy user guide. Perhaps the answers to some of your questions may be found there.
It’s natural, I think, to try and wing it with new technology. As a man, I’m apt to only look at instructions when I can’t intuitively figure it out. (Why does this damn thing have to be so complicated??!)
It’ll probably be easier for you in the long run to just try and do the homework of looking at these materials. If we are lucky, we will be faced with a continuous stream of new D-tech going forward. As disconcerting as it feels to leave the old and familiar, new diabetes technology hopefully makes our life a little easier and healthier.
Now that I’ve discovered this list of resources, I know I’ll need to jump in to figure out how this stuff works before the end of next month. I trust that a few others that have the new G5, like @anon85331563 and @mikep might be able to help you. Good luck with your new system!
Hey Lilli. Sorry to hear you are having some buyers remorse. @anon85331563 should be able to answer any G4 Receiver questions as I haven’t used a receiver since I got my G5. Also, I’m hoping that the 3 month shelf life they are talking about on the G5 is more like 5 or 6 months. My G4 always last longer than the 6 months is was “supposed” to last. I would think you could download all of the your historical G4 data before updating the receiver, but again @anon85331563 is the one to ask on that.
Good luck!!
I’ve sent an email to support to help answer a few questions @Terry4 and did put one of the ebooks on my iPad to read, thanks Terry. I will definitely download my data before upgrading the software @mikep. I’m guessing when you started using your phone you were starting fresh with no historical data? I want to use both the receiver and my phone since my phone is the 6+ and it’s so big, there are times I just want the receiver in a pocket. I also don’t take my phone in my bedroom at night.
correct no historical data As a matter of fact I don’t even have my G4 receiver anymore as I donated it to a fellow T1 who was in desperate need of a CGM.
I may donate one of mine to a relative, question about that…Can you wipe out the old data?
yes you can do it with the Studio software.
Don’t quote me here but I talked with a rep at TCOYD about the G5 and was told the 3 month is a given as they had problems with the maybe 6 months with the 4. Guess people didn’t like the vagueness of the maybe 6 months. So they now hard code the 3 months but that is also why you get two with each order. Not sure on pricing as I don’t want to move forward with the 5. Still trying to get the work around to get the 4 to work with my t:Slim.
yes I received two G5 transmitters.
I have a question about the apple watch. I just received my G5 setup yesterday. I am using it for my 3 year old. I have it paired to the receiver and an iPad (using g5 app)–and my wife and I are using the follow app on our phones. She has an iphone with an apple watch and I use android with pebble “simple cgm” app.
My question is this: With the apple watch, she is able to get notifications okay, but does not pull up the graph reliably (it just spins). Has anyone else had this issue?
mine may spin for a couple seconds while it is loading but does not spin indefinitely. Maybe try to power cycle both the watch and iPhone.
You’ve probably reconciled this issue, but in case people are reading this discussion and wondering for themselves -
We updated our Share receiver when Caleb got his G5 transmitter and, yes, it did wipe out all memory in the receiver. However, I uploaded the receiver data to Clarity before updating the software. After updating the software, Clarity is being updated automatically for new data so all information has been retained and is continuous in Clarity reporting.
Yes I have this issue daily. The Follow app on the watch is IMO horrible. The delay is too long, and sometimes it doesn’t update at all if you are not connected to the internet. It’s just a workaround until the G5 is fully-truly watch capable.
Thanks Lorraine I actually didn’t realize until reading these threads that our uploaded data was saved in the programs when we used studio or clarity, duh. I thought the historical data I was getting if, say I went back 3 months, was from the receiver. Good to know!
In the UK, Dexcom pricing means the cost of ownership for the Gen 5 is double that of the G4. We only get one transmitter instead of two- so cost is double that of the US.
It seems odd that Dexcom would charge twice as much in the UK as in the US. Do you think it’s because UK payers are individuals using self-pay while most US payers are insurance companies? I don’t see the marginal benefits of the G5 as being worth twice the cost of the transmitters.
Profit is usually the motivator
i just hooked up my new G5 this afternoon. so far, so good. it looks and feels basically like the G4, but it is much more sensitive to recalibrations and direction arrows. i set it all up and it only took me five minutes, if that. using the same sensors, so no big deal. everything is the same size. the receiver screen is easier to read, but that is basically the same as well.
it is supposed to be more accurate, but time will tell. i prefer the old transmitter w/ the 6 month battery as opposed to this new one that bums out after only 3 months. but they did send me 2 of them w/ the G5 kit.
one major difference is that when i called tech support for help and answering questions, they did not seem as knowledgable regarding this upgrade. they weren’t their usual cheerful, knowledgable selves. this frustrated me very much. i have relied upon their customer support tremendously and they have always been reliable in the past.
I just tried to get my upgrade and was told it wouldn’t be worth it right now. Mainly because I would be forced to purchase a receiver as well as the upgrade cost. Apparently they are required to send you a second method to view your readings “in case your phone breaks”. Now I must wait until December to get started with this. I am trying to get it sooner so I don’t have to fight with CoPays after the new year.
When supplied as a stand-alone system in the UK, Dexcom are marketed by a third party agent, Advanced Therapeutics. For use with a Vibe, the G4 sensors and transmitter are supplied by Animas. Advanced Therapeutics’ prices for sensors and for transmitters are around 25% more expensive than Animas’. They also charge more than £500 (US$800) for the standalone receiver, which is (I think) way higher than the price in the US.
It is correct that few people in the UK get NHS-funding for CGM. Of those that are NHS-funded, the great majority are probably using the Enlite + 640G (or Veo) system with a minority using Dexcom in conjuntion with a Vibe. I suspect that Advanced Therapeutics have seen themselves as marketing very much a niche product to a few self funders willing to pay outrageously inflated prices.
Speaking personally as a G4 self-funder using a Vibe, the extra cost of the G5 is a deal breaker. I have been averaging around 10 months out of a G4 transmitter. Also, I can’t use the G5 with my Vibe, and I have misgivings about relying solely on my iPhone (which spends several hours a day on charge) to act as the receiver. My pump doesn’t need charging and is attached to me 24/7 so I won’t miss an alarm).