I am at one year one month no problems. But I have a question for anyone who might have Blue cross Anthem..How is your experience with replacements?
OK it finally happened. Exactly 1 full year after getting the G4 my transmitter gave me the "low battery replace transmitter soon". I am happy I ordered one last month when I started getting the ???. I don't relish changing the sensor because it is really comfortable where it is. I think I'll actually wait until the transmitter officially dies before starting the new one.
Noted above, my Tx stared warning me ten days ago. It is still going.
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Clare - I recommend changing the transmitter when you do a sensor change. I did mine without changing the sensor. It all worked in the end but I really had to manhandle the sensor cradle/transmitter to push it into place. That lever that Dex supplies with each new sensor is a great little tool. Placing a new transmitter without it is tricky! Especially if your site is not comfortable.
Thanks Terry,
I will be changing them simultaneously to avoid any painful repercussions.
Funny you should mention this, Terry. It didn't even occur to me to try swapping the new one in on an existing sensor. That could be really hard to do (not to mention, PAINFUL!). Ouch. *_*
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My first transmitter just gave me the LOW alert yesterday, so it lasted just under 12 months. I know it might have worked a few more days or weeks, but didn't want to be caught off-guard.
Today I was on day 7 of the sensor, so when it ended, I flipped out the old transmitter, while keeping the sensor inserted. Then entered new transmitter id on receiver. I noted that the option to enter transmitter id is only visible when the sensor is stopped.
I was able to remove the old transmitter by using my fingers to gently pry/lift the corners (on the sensor plastic 'bed'), and then snapped the new transmitter in, also gently prying/lifting the corners. Didn't hurt a bit, and was glad I had the sensor on my thigh, and not arm, so I could reach it.
I did the start sensor, and in 2 hours was back in business.
I never saw a low battery indication. After 11 months the receiver all of a sudden showed out-of-range for hours even that the transmitter was within one foot. I am glad that I had ordered the replacement ahead of time.
So, my Tx finally gave up the ghost two Fridays ago (sorry I haven't written in since then). That would have been Friday, November 15th. I got over a year, but I have to say, from my experience, I would swap the thing out AS SOON AS you start getting the low battery warnings. In my case, while the Tx was still 'working' I started getting really erratic behavior from it. I'd thought this was maybe just the coattails of the ESI I had done (epidural steroid injection), but as soon as I swapped in my new unit, that all went away. I should have swapped it way earlier than I did.
My readings woul dbe going along pretty nicely and then all of a sudden (after eating, let's say), I would get two arrows up... and then a it would hold. An hour later I would all of a sudden get two arrows down. It was really weird: instead of nice curves I was getting all cliffs. It was very frustrating, and I thought it was me, but as stated above, that all went away when I got the new one rolling.
Makes me wonder if some of the issues I had with the ESI were actually the old Tx battery giving it up as it died out.
YMMV, but if I had it to do over a gain, I don't think I would have attempted to stretch it out once it warned me it was dying.
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My receiver just displayed that the transmitter has a low battery early this morning (11/26/13). I had started using it 11/17/12. So it lasted just over a year.
Now, with the bad weather throughout the eastern US, plus the TG holiday, I hope the replacement will arrive before the present one's battery sputters out (the Dexcom rep I spoke with said they'll ship it today, and that my present transmitter should last a week).
Bill - Did you use your G4 system every day during that interval? Mine only lasted 9 months and I’m wondering if there’s anything about it’s service life that influenced that difference or is it just chance?
Hi, Terry. Yup, used it every day. I can't think of any reason why the difference in service life. Anyone have any ideas?
Given your experience, maybe the most rational thing will be to replace the transmitter at the six-month warranty expiration and then again at the 12-month receiver warranty expiration.
Yep. My wife said the same thing... *_*
My transmitter lasted 12 months and 3 weeks. I got the "low battery - order new transmitter soon" message this evening. I am not a happy Dexcom owner at present because I have no insurance since Medicare will not pay a dime on it, and secondary insurance does not pay if Medicare doesn't pay. So I have 4 boxes of sensors and a transmitter that is all but dead. Guess I was lucky it lasted this long. :(
my idea is...if the distance between receiver and transmitter is too high...i wear my both close together, and the transmitter worked 1 year
wf
maybe i am wrong?
Mayumi:
I too am on Medicare and paying out of pocket. If you haven't done so, call Dexcom customer support and see if they will make you a deal -- they probably will.
our first one crappped out at 4 months, was replaced free of charge, now our new one we have had probably six months so far and it is fine!