This is sort of what I do. I wear the sensor until the Dexcom tape itself starts to peel up (usually around the end of the first week), then I cut off the peeled-up areas and put a big piece of Hypafix tape over it (with a hole cut out for the transmitter). Sometimes I need to do this again at the end of the second week. I do notice that when I finally rmove it, often the Dexcom adhesive has dissolved completely (which I think allows the sensor to move around a bit, and might be why it fails) while the tape that Iāve put down is still sticking. I tried SkinTac, but my skin hates that stuffāit made the site almost unbearably itchy and created a rash that itched for two weeks after removal. For me, sensors usually die at about the three-week mark, sometimes shorter, sometimes longer. I basically keep it in until I get hours without readings, consistently inaccurate readings, and/or a āSensor Failedā alert and then have tried restarting two or three times without successā¦ I pay for these things out of pocket, so every extra weeks is like $85 saved.
I have a g4 and the longest I have gotten was 2 weeks,but only once.I just got my dexcom in February.The rest of the time I have gotten 11days.
The way I look at it, anything longer than 7 days is frosting on the cake (OK, a poor analogy considering we are discussing diabetesā¦ 
). Whenever it is time to change my daughterās sensor, I look at days 8 and beyond as āfreeā (woo-hoo!) and if I am feeling especially money-conscious, Iāll mentally divide my co-payment cost of one sensor by the number of days it did its job and think, for example āOK, this last sensor cost me only $1.97 per day. Could be worseā¦ā
If I look at it that way, then each extra day I can get out of a sensor is $12 savedā¦
I just had a rep at my supplier say that they did design the G5 to only last a week or two, and they also designed it to not have a long āendingā time for the battery. She said they did this to be in compliance with the FDA and so that we don;t go too long with incorrect readings. Cānon. They did it only to be in compliance with the FDA and to make more MONEY. It STINKS that I got a G4 to last for 7 weeks and I can only get the G5s to last for two (maybe). . .
Yes, my g5 sensors almost never last a full 14 days. Last one lasted 13 days but with very inconsistent data hence I replaced it.
The last box of sensors I got said āG4/G5ā, so I assume they are the same for both, itās just the transmitter that is different. But my last sensor (1st from the new batch) did last less than the 14 days or more I used to get. I started getting 1-2 hour periods of the dreaded ā???ā at day 13. So maybe they have changed them.
Thatās what they told me at Dexcom when I called inquiring about a system. That it would use the same sensors, but different transmitters and receivers. Iād be able to upgrade to the G5 system w/out a receiver if they ever get Android support just by getting a new transmitter.
Iād probably want a new receiver though. Iām not sure i trust my phoneās battery life for something this important. I seem to be wearing it down 3/4ths of the way through the day just pairing my G4 w/ share up with xDrip.
Yes, Iām using xdrip with the g5 now and my battery is now lasting only about 6 hours versus all day with xdrip on g4. You definitely have to have your phone charger or extra battery with you when traveling.
Good thing we bought a plug for the car! Now I just need to keep a spare cord in there!
Another benefit of xdrip for g5 is that the 3 month flag for transmitter is gone. The app will warn you when battery is low. So it will last longer than 3 months.
@borijess, oh, I didnāt realize that! Thanks! Do you still calibrate twice a day? xdrip only prompts for the initial double calibration after a new sensor is started, unlike the receiver which prompts daily. Iām wondering now that maybe I am calibrating too much which is causing the meter/xdrip BG discrepancies. I normally calibrate pre-breakfast and pre-dinner, as well as when I see > 20 point difference with the meter, which as I mentioned earlier has be occurring the last couple of days.
Yes i only calibrate twice a day. Unless i think something is way off. Other than that its very accurate.
Okay, thanks, same as me! 
New user here. I started my first sensor in late December, but it started to bleed within a week. So, I replaced with a new sensor, and it has remained accurate for 28 days. Iām going to replace it today, just as a matter of good hygiene.
I prepare skin with Smith & Nephew IV Prep, then Skin-Tac. After insertion, I cut a hole in a piece of Kendall Polyskin II transparent IV dressing, and completely cover the Dexcom tape. It was still secure after a month.
28 days is very good. Glad to hear!!!