Does anyone know if there is a faster way to start/ a new session, whether it is for a new sensor, or re starting an existing sensor? Is there a way to skip the two hour?
Can we simply take off the sensor and insert and not bother with the 2 hour wait?
No, you need to insert and wait the 2 hours as far as I know.
The only “trick” I’ve seen (thanks, Clare!), is possible once you have two receivers (after 1 year warranty ends, get the second one, but save the still-working first one). In that case, keep the startup-time on each on a different day. Even if you actually change sensors (rather than just stop/start one), most of the time the receiver that overlaps the start time will continue to report fairly accurate numbers, while the other one starts up.
Note, this is not recommended by Dexcom, and the accuracy is certainly not guaranteed, but I usually see good trend information and most of the time, I see accurate results – and have a bit more peace of mind during the startup time.
I kinda figure that’s there for a reason, at least when you’re initializing a new sensor. It’s more annoying to me when I’m “cheating”–like most of us do–and rolling over an existing one, because I figure whatever it’s doing to recalibrate itself isn’t really necessary if you haven’t moved it. But it doesn’t seem like there’s any easy way to dodge it (Dexcom probably wouldn’t have been able to get FDA approval if there were). First you get the “change sensor soon” warning, which you can bypass, but that’s followed by a “change sensor” requirement, which you can’t.
Thas’s trick (via Clare) doesn’t really get around this requirement–your “primary” receiver is still going through its 2-hour initialization; you’re just using another one to view your data while that’s going on. No way to implement that hack if you don’t have a secondary receiver you can use.
I’m trying to figure this out now too. I can’t wait the 2 hours of no data safely anymore. Dexcom told me it is only there because medical professionals wanted a 2 hour warmup for your body to get used to the sensor. There is no technical reason.
But you can just put a new sensor in and let it soak before the old one stops. I’m changing them every 7 days now. Then you still have to go through the 2 hour wait. How about what we want? The ones who have to live with this? That never seems to matter. I only have one g5 receiver so I’ll have to wait till I get another one I guess. Now I’m wondering if it’s ok to shower without the transmitter on the new sensor I put in or should I just put the transmitter on right away and start the 2 hour wait?
I would suggest to NOT shower with an “open” sensor that does not have the transmitter attached.
If you hit the start button before you remove the old one and apply the new one, whatever time it takes you to remove and apply - you’ve cheated those minutes. Not much, but a little. I always remove before a shower, so that adds a few extra minutes to my cheat.
That’s what I did.
So it will just reattach to the new one when you insert it? I was worried it will get confused and try to shut it off early or just get confused.
You can use xDrip instead of the Dexcom app. It allows you to set your own sensor start time, which you can push back two hours and it will start the session immediately.
Dr BB has the best solution for G5 users IMHO. I also use XDrip to “cheat” the 2 hour window. A major problem with the G5 is the Bluetooth “Handshake” authentication that happens with the Dexcom receiver. If another receiver is introduced as a primary receiver, they don’t play nice together. Using XDrip as a secondary receiver works because XDrip does not need the same authentication protocol, and acts as a secondary display like an iPhone. No jealous Dexcom turf war. For people who use the Tandem 2, they are forced to choose between the Dexcom receiver and the pump as a receiver. If both are operational, neither will work. Choose one or the other and it works great. XDrip gets around all that equipment jealousy and plays well with others.
I used to use two Dex receivers set up with non-overlapping warm up periods to display blood glucose data but I got tired of having to answer alarms/alerts on both receivers. Now I usually do three or four fongersticks to bridge the gap.
What does that mean? I love having a CGM, but I don’t feel that it’s “unsafe” to go 120 minutes during the day w/o CGM data. What did we all do for the last many decades w/o CGM?
I tried doing a “hot swap” a few weeks ago. I restarted the old sensor after 7 days, then on the 8th had to change it out, so I applied the new sensor a few hours before and I waited until it gave me a reading, then quickly changed the transmitter to the new sensor. The sensor didn’t read well the entire time it was on, so I don’t think that works so well.
confused. how did you get a reading from the new sensor if you hadn’t yet put the xmitter on it?
I waited until the OLD sensor gave me a reading, then I quickly took the transmitter out of the old sensor and put it in the newly applied one.
@Terry4 - I am assuming you did that with the G4? I am not sure if that would still work with the current version of the G5. I tend to think NOT.
And of course the other nice thing about xDrip is that it completely ignores the 3-month transmitter time limit. I started using it specifically to get past that forced expiration. Turns out those batteries still have plenty of juice left. I went for at least two weeks and it was still registering as strong (xDrip gives you the actual charge data). The developer told me he has gone as long as six months. Makes you kinda wonder about that limit.
I do not use xdrip however it is my understanding from listening to people who currently use the xdrip with the G5 that the xdrip actually does NOT play nice with the Dexcom Receiver and the best results are obtained when the Dexcom Receiver is NOT used at the same time as the xdrip.
The only major thing with xdrip is it is simply not as “Plug and Play” as the Dexcom provided solution so may take somebody who is more willing to tinker with the technology in order to get if functioning properly.
The G5 transmitter will run down its battery life quicker when there are more devices connected to it. Typically with xdrip, there is only a single device connected to the transmitter such that the battery life is maximized. And of course the xdrip bypasses the software cut-off such that it continues to run until the physical battery in the G5 is actually drained.
Six months for a G5 using a single xdrip receiver seems consistent with what I have heard other people getting.