On March 5, I changed my G6 sensor as I normally do. No problem. The sensor inserted just fine, and the two-hour countdown started. At the end of the two hours, instead of the sensor just starting, I received a message across the receiver screen that said, “Calibration Alert!” Then it told me to take two blood glucose readings to calibrate my new sensor so that it would accurately reflect my blood glucose. I did as I was told, recalibrating both the Dexcom receiver and the Dexcom app on my iPhone.
All was fine until three hours later, when I received a message across both devices saying, “Calibration Alert!” with the same instructions to take two more blood tests to calibrate my sensor so that it would accurately reflect my blood glucose. Hah! So much for the G6’s “never needs calibrating” advertising ploy. Once again, I tested and recalibrated both the receiver and phone.
Today, at 12:02 a.m., I was awakened by a beep that told me “Calibration Alert” with the same spiel. OK. Now I was irritated. I hate to be woken from a sound sleep, so getting that failure in the middle of the night did not make me happy.
I called Dexcom this morning, and the Technician told me that the sensor was getting an interrupted signal. (No kidding.) He then said that I should remove the sensor and start a new one. He said that he would send me a replacement sensor, which I graciously accepted.
What did I learn? First, I should have called immediately when this happened right after the warm-up phase. I could have saved a few blood sticks by not having to recalibrate multiple times. Secondly, the old adage, "Never say ‘never’ " certainly applies to the G6’s “never needs calibration” claim. And finally, I am glad that I had extra sensors available so this did not become a hardship.
As a Medicare patient, I am out five blood sticks for the recalibration tests I had to take, but I know getting Dexcom to send me strips is not a fight I will win. Thus, I post this topic just to warn others that if you are on a G6 and get the Calibration Alert, perhaps recalibrate once. If it happens again, just call Dexcom and change the sensor. It will save you time, frustration, (perhaps sleep,) and a couple of blood sticks.