I have a Tandem X2 and Decom G6. I’m still on Basal IQ not on CIQ yet. When your G6 starts getting flaky how long do you wait till you replace it? Most of my sensors last around 8-9 days. If I get to 10 days I play the lottery. Doesn’t matter where I place it (recommended location or not). I usually let it go through 2 or 3 sensor losses before giving up. One thing I have noticed is that they seem to come back and remain ok while sleeping. Could be flaky the entire night before, but laying down to sleep it works fine till the next morning when I get up. Thanks.
Thats odd. Seems kinda like an BT connection thing. Mine used to get flaky overnight, but it would be fine when I woke up. BT to blame. Your running off the cell phone? Any other devices running bluetooth in your house?
When the sensor sucks, I change rapidly. Especially now. We wanna be extra careful now. Call Dex and ask for a replacement if you gotta pull it out early.
Thanks for the info. It does seem like at BT issue and at first I thought it was wireless signals and I have a ton of wireless in my home. Tablets, thermostats, lights, computers, you name it, a good number using BT. But it would only start nearer the end of the 10 days and putting a new one in it came back to normal. If it were BT signal interference it shouldn’t matter when. I run off phone and pump.
I do think it has more to do with body fluid/circulation/sensor degradation. Lying down better circulation but that’s just a wild guess. I did call and they’re sending a replacement. I usually call on every 2nd or 3rd failure. If not I’d have a stock pile of the sensors that I don’t need. If one replacement can give me about 8-9 additional days then I only need one every so often to tide me over. But I think I will start removing them sooner and calling.
Personally, I don’t change my sensor until the pump displays “—” where the glucose value should be. That means it’s receiving erratic data that it can’t process. I’ve been lucky that every sensor thus far has lasted 17-42 days, though. I do notice more dropped signal before a sensor finally dies.
I don’t know if it applies to you or not, but I’ve noticed that the flatter I can maintain my glucose levels, the longer my sensors last. I suspect the big swings use up more reagent, but don’t have any way of knowing for sure.
@Rick Have you ever tried restarting a “bad” one to see if it improves how it does?
It’s always been strange how long they work for some of us and not others. BT has possibly been one of the causes in the past some people have thought if they have a lot of it around them.
But I get around 25 days per sensor on mine give or take and I usually don’t lose a signal until it is actually going around day 25. That is usually the first sign mine is going and then it starts with erratic numbers. So I’m not sure it will help you but it might. But if it works it might allow you to build up a back up supply.
I get no signals, lines or lots of numbers with no arrows. I haven’t noticed how well it lasts relative to how much variability there is to my numbers. I’ll have to keep an eye on that.
@Marie20 Haven’t tried restarting yet. Tried it once about a year ago when the process was more complex due to the new transmitter designs. Just looked up the current process and might try that to see how well it does and if the numbers stabilize after a restart.
@Rick
It’s really easy. A great way to build a back up supply. Plus if you can get them to work again, it’s just easier than starting a new one, at least for me it is. They are wonky when you first restart them like a new sensor, but usually with one calibration, maybe two, they are more stable for me.
- Let sensor expire or stop sensor.
(In your case when one is “bad” stop it) - Remove transmitter while sensor is still on your arm, you can use
a test strip or thin card, but a guitar pick works really good… - there
is a hidden clip in middle of sensor - try to get it to raise up slightly
on both sides and the transmitter will come out. - Wait at least 15 minutes
longer is okay - Snap Transmitter back into the sensor
- Start new sensor session using your original code
Video that helps
Thanks I’ll try that. I usually set a 15’ timer between sensor changes and don’t activate till the timer is up. Learned that the hard way. Called after and was told best to wait at least 15’. One other question. The sensor I inserted the other day after the previous one failed. I inserted it, pulled the inserter away cleanly and the plastic bed that the transmitter sits on and where the contacts meet with the sensor fiber was sticking up out of the sensor at a 60 degree angle. I still inserted the transmitter and it took fine but it was weird. Have you ever seen that?
@Rick No, I haven’t. That is odd. But I know others have seemed to be having more issues lately with insertion of their sensors.
I have had this happen once. I didn’t notice any erratic numbers or anything else odd with it once I put the transmitter in though.
I had a new sensor fail the insertion cycle and fail to release from the insertion tool. I had not pulled off the current sensor I was replacing. I carefully removed the transmitter, waited something over 30 minutes, and re-inserted it. Started the sensor, and everything worked fine until I was able to get a replacement sensor.
On the failure to complete the insertion cycle, the new sensor did the same thing. I rapped it with a screwdriver handle, pretty good whack, and the cycle finished, leaving a proper sensor ready for the transmitter. Worked fine.
John