So everybody who has a Dexcom CGM knows that the occasional ??? (question mark) or SENSOR FAILURE message is not to be unexpected...but why should Dexcom users have to be so....accustom to dealing with question marks or a sensor failure? I don't think that we, as Dexcom users, who expect to have a machine that is either 30 points above or below what our real sugar is should have to deal with constant sensor failures and ???, when we should just be able to look at the receiver and trust it. Then, I don't know about anyone else, but I also don't like the fact that when I call to get my replacement sensor I get asked all theses questions of "Have you done this to the sensor mama? or "Did you take this acetaminophen mama?" or, my personal favorite, "Did you expose the sensor to any other substance than water?" All they want to know is what WE did wrong, not what THEY manufactured wrong. Now, I'm not one to yell at someone or a company because I experienced ONE problem-- that's not a continuous problem, that is a mistake. Dexcom's sensor failures and ???'s are no longer a mistake--they are a reoccurring problem that is not needed and should not be something that is normal for regular Dexcom users to experience. I would like to hear thoughts on this topic and see if it is just me who sees Dexcoms service and sensors this way...thanks for reading tudiabetes memebers!!:)
Sammy S.
My biggest issue with ??? is if I sit my laptop on my lap. Seems like that will always mess with the signal, but it will usually start reading again in 2 or 3 hours. Other than that I really don't have an issue until I get to day 10 or 11 with the sensor. I wish the signal was stronger and didn't require you to be with in 5ft of the receiver.
In Europe we have Animas Vibe for few weeks, and people report the transmitter is stronger and ??? less frequent.
It uses Dexcom Gen 4, latest "version" of sensor.
Its wire is thinner, made differently, other features are similar to Seven Plus.
Pumps and CGM are nice pieces of technology, but I think the long FDA-CE mark approval process inhibits feedback from everyday user's experiences and continuous innovation back into the product.
In order to make the signal stronger, the receiver would have to be bigger. Most of it's bulk is antenna.
You can have a stronger signal (transmitter, its antenna and (shorter) battery life) or an antenna receiver with higher gain.
Better to have them both, as many things in life ;-)
Thanks to everyone for the feedback on Dexcom's Ridiculousness...from what I read from these comments, you all have some good ideas on helping the sensor issue, now if only Dexcom could get on here and take these suggestions from the very wise people of tudiabetes!!:) You guys are awesome and I wish all of you AWESOME sugars for this new year!!:)