Had a new first last night. I pressed the button on the Dexcom applicator and I felt it insert but when I tried to remove the applicator, it wouldn’t come off. I just had this big applicator hanging onto my arm. I eventually had to rip the whole thing off and start with a new sensor. The needle didn’t retract as intended.
Yeah, same thing happened to me about 18 days ago.
According to an article I found (linked below), Dexcom claims this problem is fixed. You should report this to Dexcom so that they realize it is still showing up.
They’ll replace the sensor and ask you to return the jammed applicator. Hope you still have the sensor lot number and didn’t throw the jammed applicator away.
What irrational_John said. Happened to me once. Lucky for me I had read about the possibility here, so I didn’t panic.
I have had to have 4 sensors replaced and 1 transmitter that failed and they didn’t require me to send anything back. They usually just ask me for the lot number.
They only ask for it back when the inserter fails. This happened to me one time.
Dexcom is sending me a replacement. The customer service rep I spoke with tried to shame me for inserting the sensor on my arm rather than my abdomen, since the arm is not an officially “Approved” spot for insertion. I find the arm to be a more comfortable location and it is just as accurate in my experience.
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This has been going on for a few years now. If you do a site search here using the search term, “Dexcom wooden spoon,” you’ll bring up a few posts about people who had this happen to them. Many released the mechanism by whacking the G6 applicator with a wooden spoon.
Here’s a JDRF forum thread about this.
I think the worst situation for this occurring is when applying a sensor on a child who is already anxious about the process. I’ve been using the G6 for about nine months now and have not had this happen.
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Yeah, my wife beat the hell out of it with a wooden spoon, but to no avail. I could see how it would freak a kid out.
I had it happen once, too. It wasn’t just stuck, though. The needle was bent as heck. I had a terrible time pulling the sensor and all off cause it was sorta hooked in me. Really hurt! I love G6, but was NOT pleased that day.
@Chris3 I sleep alternately on each side putting pressure on the upper arm. So I avoid the arm location to prevent compression lows.
It’s happened to me a couple times. I have to admit that sometimes I may press the applicator too hard onto my body when inserting a sensor. But I have had great luck with the wooden spoon whack procedure. I whack on the side - may 2x - and voila the applicator disengages and the sensor works fine. It’s worth a try
I’ve had it happen once, and I whacked the damned thing with the back of a hairbrush. Unfortunately, I was so shaky with adrenaline that I whacked the hand that was holding the applicator first. Hard. Second try released the applicator, and I watched the blossoming bruise on my hand for quite some time.
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