I put on a new sensor 24 days ago (20-July-2019 at 7:35 AM) and am using XDrip on my Samsung Galaxy G7 Android phone. The only extra adhesive that I used was SkinTac underneath the sensor and the sensor still seems to be securely fastened to me. So far, for these past 24 days, I have not had any inaccuracies with my readings (they agree perfectly with my Walmart ReliOn Blood Glucose Meter) and I have not gotten any “Sensor Errors” from XDrip…
My question for the group is… Is there any danger in leaving the sensor in for 24 days? I don’t have any particular skin irritation around the sensor (I have it horizontally mounted on my belly just as Dexcom’s G6 User’s Guide recommends) and as I said, it’s still performing perfectly. Can I just keep going until I start getting “sensor error” warnings or should I replace the 24 day old sensor, just for the heck of it or to prevent infections or some other bad results?
The sensors are of minimal cost to me with my Platinum ObamaCare insurance plan ($935 a month for just me but insulin is only $20 a month and sensors are only $25 for a pack of 3).
I leave them on an average of 26 days, I have had some go 32-36 ? days. When they are starting to go for me, it usually gives me a warning of dropping the signal a few short times or it starts getting wonky a little on the readings and I usually switch it out then.
I have found out the hard way though a couple of times that it needed switching by dropping to low and it not reading it accurately. Nothing horrible as I feel it happening. But physically nothing has happened from keeping it on except having to keep adding some Skin Tac to keep it attached to me1
I don’t use the G6 but have been using Dexcom sensors for 10 years now (7+, G4, G5). I see no danger in your running your sensors long past the Dexcom rated time as long as your fingerstick meter and your physical symptoms agree.
When my G4 sensors start to fail, I see a jumpy noisy line and then values that sink well below or above fingerstick readings.
I don’t see your current CGM sensor management as dangerous. I hope it’s allowed you to build up a nice supply buffer.
So, in order to get the G6 to extended wear/usability time, you need to have at least two things, a cell phone and the app, x-drip. If you have these then you can get, as @Fred_E is saying he’s had 24 days of wear on one sensor.
I don’t want to have to rely on the phone piece of this equation. Is there any other alternative to extended G6 wear without a phone? Or, does the app, x-drip, need to go on a phone to make it all work properly.
Edited to add: I see you’re worried about the number of days @Fred_E. I’ve worn my Dex G4 for 28+ days without a problem. This is my typical wear time for the G4, 28+ days, for several years (G4 through the G5).
I’ve used the G4 / G5 sensors for the past 4 years and will normally run the same sensor for 5-7 weeks. My experience is the sensors are far more accurate the 3rd to 5th week than they are the 1st.
I apply SkinTac then a layer of Opsite prior to applying G5 sensor. Even after 5 or 6 weeks the skin underneath the Opsite is perfect and shows no sign of being covered for extended periods.
I have no insurance coverage for the CGM supplies. Dexcom sensors are $85 each, so I save about $3600 a year by extending for weeks.
I used to run my G5 from 2 to 4 weeks consistently.
I have worn the G6 21 days. I could have made it last longer, but I like to change my sensors on Sundays.
I find that skintac before aplpying the sensor, then the dexcom overtape after I see the edges of the sensor start to peel.
I am still running some older G6 sensors, so I haven’t seen any improvement for the new adhesives yet.
Oh yeah, I have the X2 for a pump that is always connected to the G6. I use Xdrip on my phone, and I just let it restart my sensors. I don’t have any problems, and never have to think about it.
We have extended the G6 sensor using the Dex G6 Mobile App from the iPhone as well as from the Tandem t:slim X2 pump.
Both seemed to work well.
That was with G6 sensors against transmitters with serial number 80xxxx
Probably switching to a newer transmitter 81xxxx next time so that will be interesting to try out. But I think other people have said the sensor extend process seems to still work with the 81xxxx transmitters.
Leaving sensors in for a few weeks is not a bad idea like it is for insulin infusion sites. Sites can scar your tissue whereas sensors are fairly innocuous.
Normally we use the iPhone to control and restart the G6. And the pump just follows along without having to actually do anything on the pump. But we have tried performing the restart actions from the pump and saw no difference.
At this point for us the overwhelmingly huge advantage we get from the X2 pump is being able to run the Basal-IQ algorithm. The algorithm runs on the X2 and requires the G6 for data input.
It is unbelievable how good the algorithm is. At least for us.
I believe “Loop” is intended to control both high and low BG.
The Tandem Basal-IQ algorithm is only intended to address low BG.
However it gives us the ability to work on the high BG ourselves with outstanding results. And when the Basal-IQ activates to prevent or reduce the severity of a low, it is able to do it without causing a subsequent high BG.
