I’ve been getting frequent out of range signals (Antenna symbol with black circle around it where the bs reading should be) on my seven plus, and wondering if this is truly normal as the Dexcom techs say. I’m suspicious because it seems like it started happening recently as opposed to when I first started using the cgm.
I get the signals anywhere from 2-3 times and hour each lasting 10-20 minutes throughout most of the day and night. My sensor is on my upper ab and the receiver is either in my front pocket, back pocket, or on my waist just to the side of the sensor. It seems like the location of the receiver doesn’t really matter in terms of frequency of the signal.
These time-outs don’t seem to affect the accuracy of the readings. When a number reappears, it’s in line with the current trend. Anyone else experience these frequent out of range signals?
I have only noticed the out of range symbols when she goes out of range. My niece has not been on Dexcom long, started last Monday afternoon. However, when blood sugars are rising rapidly or crazily overnight, Dex has, at some point, not been able to figure her BS out, and we do get ??? for a good three-hour period. This has happened around 3am past two nights. Kind of bad, because when her BS rises, we increase insulin greatly, and we would like the Dex to track BS in case she drops, which, at some point, she will. We still love Dex though
What is the range? I am considering the dexcom, but don’t want to have the receiver on my person at all times. I use the omnipod and love that I can be away from the pdm when ever. Is this possible?
Thanks for any experience you have!!!
You can go out of range (and that’s not too far) when ever you want, Dex simply won’t read your sensor at those times. I’m not crazy about the case they gave me with the receiver unit so i use an old cell phone case with a good belt hook and hang it on my Medic Alert necklace when I dont have any pants on. I’ve also just been letting it float around the bed at night rather than keeping in on the night stand. If I lay on the side where i have the sensor, sometimes the unit won’t pick up. Having it in bed with me assures I get good readings at night. When i got up this morning, my wife tossed Dex my way saying, “here, you forgot your new best friend.” I haven’t dropped Dex in the toilet yet, but that’s bound to occur sooner or later.
I don’t have too many issues with out of range BUT I did…and it was the transmitter that was the issue.
I called Dex and explained what was going on - frequent drops and for extended periods of time.
They asked me to download my info and send it off to them - I did so and within 24 hours received a phone call telling me that they were going to replace my transmitter.
But, as far as issues with signal when there is nothing wrong with the transmitter- Dex will transmit though my bedroom/bathroom wall while Im in the shower but has a difficult time if the sensor is in my left leg and I’ve got the receiver in my right pocket. Bottom line - it doesn’t transmit well though our bodies. If I’ve got it sitting in the living room and I’m moving all around doing things, it will stay in contact just fine but not when I put my body DIRECTLY in the way. Strange I know, and sometimes it works, but generally speaking it does go though us well.
Just an update about my frequent out of range signals.
I was getting more and more out of range signals so I got the support people at Dexcom to look at my data. During a twelve hour period, I only had 2 hours worth of readings. The rest was the yellow lines indicating that no data was received. They sent me a replacement transmitter and receiver. After some experimenting, I determined that I had a bad transmitter.
Now, I receive readings without a problem as long as I’m in the same room with it.
