It’s time for me to get a new Dexcom transmitter. I’ve been using G4 and like it, but I’d appreciate your collective knowledge and wisdom about the G5.
One of the things I like about my G4 is that I use both a Dexcom receiver and an Animas Vibe to receive the signal. I have these two devices off-cycle, so when my receiver gets to the end of its seven-day session my Vibe still has a day left. This way, I can restart the session without having a couple hours of data blackout when I’m restarting with the same sensor in place.
Would I be able to do the same thing with the G5 receiver plus a smartphone? That is, can two devices receive the same data at the same time on a different startup schedule or are the receiver and a smartphone tied together in some way?
Last, I’ve kind of resisted getting a smartphone, but I think I’m ready to take the plunge. Any opinions about whether I’m best off with an iPhone and the possibility of using an Apple Watch in the near future to receive Dexcom signals without a smartphone nearby (as promised, I think, by Apple and Dexcom last fall) or if I should get an Android phone and install xDrip – which possibly has better ways of showing Dexcom data…? I’m not that into tech DIY as you can tell from my making it to 2018 without a smartphone.
If you get an Android phone and use xDrip you will have no blackout - it keeps working until you manually stop the sensor, so no more need for a receiver! You can easily pair it with a Pebble watch which, while discontinued, are cheap on Amazon and have an always-on display and great battery life!
I had G4 for several years and enjoyed the colored screen which made it easier to read at night even without my eyeglasses. Then my G4 receiver and transmitter died so I had to get the G5. Because I am on Medicare I got the old style receiver, not the new touchscreen receiver. In my opinion the new G5 is not anywhere near as good as the G4 was. I have had the G5 since Dec 2017 and this is my second receiver in two months already. I never had that kind of problem with the G4. Please recognize these are just my opinions and no one else’s. Others may have totally different views about the G5 system.
Been doing the same thing(s) as you. @Tnyc, and have, therefore, resisted getting the G5. Add another item to the pot - Unless you use xDrip, the G5 has a hard 112 day end of life. I’ve used a G4 transmitter for as long as a full year…
I’m still on G4 and am resisting any change until its necessary.
Don’t let your new fanged smart phone turn you into a zombie, Thomas, LOL. It happens sometimes. An elderly friend of mine constantly complained about cell phones. Now, he never puts it down and has become one of the most annoying people I know. hehehehe
I’m another CGM user holding back with the G4 system. I don’t use more than one receiver to connect with the G4 transmitter but I know it can successfully transmit to more than one receiver.
Like others, I enjoy the longer life of the G4 transmitter versus the fixed 112 day life of the G5 transmitter. My current transmitter is within days of its final service. It’s lasted nine months and two weeks. Since I order a new transmitter every six months, I’ve been able to build up a small reserve that can buffer me against any supply interruption.
I also like the G4’s darker screen for night-time viewing and its longer range operation.
Thanks for all this input.
One other question. Does the G5 have about the same range as the G4. That is, if I am in the same room as or even an adjacent room to my G4 receiver it usually picks up the signal from the transmitter. In another thread, I read about someone who couldn’t pick up their G5 signal from across a tennis court. I don’t know what the wireless connection between the G4 transmitter and receiver is, but is it a more robust connection than you get with the bluetooth on the G5 or about the same in terms of connectivity?
The better range of the G4 versus G5 is helpful when I roll over on top of the transmitter while sleeping. The better range G4 seems to handle that adversity better than the G5. While I still sometimes see errant G4 readings in this situation due to “compression lows,” I don’t often see complete data dropout.
The other day, I had connectivity with my G5 xmitter having to radiate its signal through 3 walls, and roughly 20 feet of distance, because I forgot I left the receiver in our bedroom while showering in a bathroom I don’t normally use. As soon as I realized I’d forgotten to take the receiver with me, I expected to see 15 minutes of no data. Boy, was I surprised that there was no missing data.
Question for @Terry4. Are you still using Dex? I assumed that you switched to the medtronic closed loop pump (and, that has its own sensor?). Can you catch me up? I might have some questions for you.
I use the do-it-youself automated insulin dosing system, Loop. The Dex G4 + Share is the CGM component of my system. Here are my initial notes when I started in November 2016.
This is a follow-up post one year later.
I love this system and wouldn’t choose to return to my former pump/CGM use. It’s not perfect and not quite as automatic as this tech promises to become. The system looks at my blood glucose level every five minutes and calculates whether to add, subtract, or stand pat with my pump’s programmed basal delivery. It then tells the pump what temporary basal rate or it remains on the pump’s programmed basal rate.
