Yes, I'm pissed right now...
With no proper way to attach a lanyard to the G4, and with the work I do, I was forced to use the included case. When I got up today, the case was fine, put it on my belt. Four hours later as I got out of my car, the leather strip over the metal clip had fully pulled out of its stitches, resulting in the case not being secure, allowing the case and G4 receiver to fall into a puddle at my feet. The receiver was dead, instantly. A couple hours later, the display did show "Call Tech Support Error: HWRF"
I relied on the case provided as a means of protection and retention, and in the high stress, uncommon action of getting out of a car, it failed, resulting in the loss of my CGM.
As I had appointments, I chose the call back option when calling Dexcom's technical support, supposedly retaining my place in the queue, and left a message as to the nature of my situation. More than four hours later, as I was sitting down to call them, I received a reply call from Dexcom.
The man I spoke with seemed at a loss for what had happened to my case, nearly to the point of dis-belief, repeatedly stating that "it is pretty tough". After explaining it further, he reluctantly agreed to replace the G4, "...but only this once, as this is not covered by the warranty." I said that it was the failure of the case, provided by Dexcom, that resulted in the failure/destruction of my meter. Again I was told how it was "tough", at which point I said that the leather is cheap, not at all resilient, the stitching in question was on a unreinforced edge of the leather flap, and that it would pull out with very little force, which it had.
He kept restating how they would replace it "only this once", and that as it was "a medical device, it needed taking care of". I said I understood that, but that I could not simply change my life to where I could dress in a suit and sit in an office, so as to protect my CCG, and that I had had no issue with my Seven Plus, once I opened it, drilled the case, and put my own lanyard on it. "This is new technology...", I cut him off saying that was utterly meaningless, and asking if that meant it was engineered to be less resilient than the Seven Plus? Also, the issue was not with the G4, but the case, and had not been under any strain greater than riding in a car, occasionally getting out, and back in, so was I to plan on such failure given how torturous the conditions it was under? He suggested I look for something else to protect/carry it.
I asked if I might talk to a designer, to see if I could find where I might attach a lanyard to the unit; "No one will tell you where to drill a hole, and any modification of the device violates the warranty." This was brusk and absolute. I asked what it mattered, since Dexcom wasn't going to replace it regardless, and I'd rather have it for 6 months after attaching my own retainer, than be told after the first week that a failure of their equipment is not covered.
I was extremely irritated by the run around, by feeling I needed prove what I was saying, and then being condescended to with patronizing rhetoric and inferences that I'd done something wrong.
It disappoints and frustrates me greatly after being a Dexcom customer for years that I get treated like I'm trying to deceive them, trying to get away with something.
I will now actively pursue other CGM systems, as I feel insulted, and do not feel I should need plead for their mercy, especially while paying them for the privilege.
2224-G4casefailure.jpg (386 KB)