Of my last 12 G6 sessions, 7 have required calibration. What happens is that after the warmup the G6 requests two calibrations, then it requests 1 calibration after the first 12 hours and then 1 calibration every 24 hours for the rest of the 10 days.
In the 5 other sessions, it never requests a calibration for the whole 10 days. As far as I can tell, my “manual” (requiring calibration) sessions and my “automatic” sessions are both quite accurate.
I always use my iPhone to start the sessions and I always enter the code by taking a photo.
Does anyone have any tips for reducing the number of “manual” sessions? I’m thinking of entering the codes by hand rather than taking a photo although I can’t imagine why that would make any difference.
I’m afraid I don’t have any data, and I could be misremembering, but my sense is that when I first got the G6, it truly was calibration free but that there have been more calibration sessions in the past 6 or 8 months or so.
My sensors have come from different boxes and shipments over the past 144 days so I don’t think there has been a single “bad” box.
Wow, there are two threads running on the same exact topic at the same time. I’ll repeat most of what I said in the other, excluding the t:slim stuff.
The scanner function has sucked the a long time, and I would have offered that as a “possible” solution. But since you said you do use that, I’m going to upgrade the scanner to being your “most probable” issue. Ditch the scanner, type in the 4 digits.
Unfortunately, there seem to be loads of complaints about the last Dexcom app update. I don’t know if this is possible problem for you or not, since you seem to be having this problem for a while. If you have the receiver or a paired pump, consider removing the app from the equation all together and start your session via the medical device.
Good luck!
Thank you. I’ll enter in the numbers on my T-Slim next time and see if that works better.
You’re sure that it’s fine to enter on the pump instead of the app? I’ve never done that.
Most definitely. It’s actually my preferred method. I figure it’s best to start on a medical device specifically intended to be used with the G6, than some random phone with uncontrollable software and quirks. I use a 3rd party app, though, called Xdrip+. I can and have successfully started sensors with it, but I also prefer starting on the pump instead because it’s an “official source”, if I require troubleshooting.
I don’t use the G6 app, so someone will have to confirm, but if you start with your pump then you shouldn’t have to do anything at all within the app . Give it a little time and it should just join your new session and start receiving the data after the warmup.
When I got my Dexcom G6 transmitters and sensors, I was not provided with a Dexcom receiver. I cannot use the Dexcom app since I don’t have a device which supports it.
The only method I have for starting a Dexcom sensor is the t:slim x2 pump. It works for me.
If you have android phone, you can use a patched G6 app, or xDrip. I prefer xDrip, even if I had a supported phone.
Since I haven’t looked into these options and don’t feel I understand (or trust) them at the moment, I am unlikely to install them on my (only) phone. Probably that makes no sense to you. No reason it should make sense to you. It’s just how I feel at the moment.
Totally understand. It took me a while to use it.
I bought a cheap android (or tablet), no phone plan, and used with only wifi at home. Once I got used to it, I missed seeing many of its features on standard devices. I also have a fitbit watch, that is updated from xDrip, one of my key favorite features. XDrip gets the same info from transmitter that receiver/G6 app gets. Just presented in a better way.
I used to have to do gobs of calibrations but that was before I presoaked each new sensor.
Without a presoak, the first 2-12 hours after the 2-hour warmup, were often completely wonky and calibrating while wonky I have found, just requires more calibrations later after things settle down.
I do a 12-24 hour presoak on each new sensor (by inserting the new sensor 12+ hours before the old one expires - so for 12 hours or so I am wearing two sensors, the old one with the transmitter and the new one without a transmitter yet) and find they are right on the money after I switch the transmitter to the presoaked sensor and do the 2-hour warmup.
So, I used my t-slim to initiate my latest session today and it’s running without calibrations. Too soon to know for sure, but, hopefully, this is the solution. Thank you, Robyn, for the excellent suggestion.
If I end up having any more sessions requiring regular calibration, I will report back here. Otherwise, no news is good news.