New to Dexcom CGM - could use some advice!

Thanks yoga, but what I know is that the receiver either the G4 or the G5 is what has Bluetooth which enables the sharing, but the transmitter? I don’t know!! I know for sure that the G4 transmitter works with both G4 basic and G4 with share and the only thing that do the share is the receiver.
Unless you did try what you had mentioned and it is 100% confirmed…
Thanks a lot

The G5 transmitter is bluetooth-enabled. You don’t need a receiver at all with the G5.

If you don’t have the most recent Dexcom app you could try to updating to see if that improves the connection.

I had the latest version… to my surprise, my next sensor (which only lasted 5 days before it got so uncomfortable I yanked it) seemed to transmit much better to my phone. I’m not sure if that’s because it was on my stomach instead of the back of my arm (such that my arm frequently blocked the signal) or if the transmitting function can vary a lot from one sensor to the next… I would have assumed it had more to do with the transmitter than the sensor, but I don’t really know how it all works

I do not think this is the case. G5 transmitter is bluetooth only, and it does not have the radio used in G4 transmitters (I am 100% sure about that). I am not 100% sure, but I believe G5 receiver is also bluetooth only and, if so, it is not capable of working with G4 transmitters. A G4+share receiver can be software-upgraded to work with G5 transmitters because a G4+share receiver includes both a G4 radio and a bluetooth radio. However, once the update is done, the G4+share receiver becomes effectively a G5 receiver, the G4 radio is turned off, and the updated receiver is no longer able to work with G4 transmitters. Please correct me if I am wrong in any of the above statements.

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My son is 3. He was diagnosed a full year ago on Feb 28th, when he was 2. Here are the steps we follow for our son and we get 2 weeks out of his CGM each use (sometimes less, but we always know when to change it out when it begins “skipping” readings on the CGM.)

You won’t have this problem, but I typically apply the new CGM on my son when he’s sleeping. :stuck_out_tongue: Anytime I have to change his pump and/or CGM when he’s awake it’s literally like bloody murder…not something I’d wish on my worst enemy.

As far as protocol. Here are the items I have out and ready:

  1. The CGM needle apparatus (straighten out the tape on the bottom)
  2. 2 cotton balls
  3. Uni-solve (to remove the old tape/sensor)
  4. Skin-tac (to make the surface sticky)
  5. 6 alcohol wipes.
  6. Tegaderm film
  7. Spot band-aid
  8. Neosporin

Here are the steps I follow for removing the old CGM (for 2nd and future changes)

  1. I pour “uni-solve” on a cotton ball until it’s saturated thoroughly…if you use tegaderm, or other sticky tape to hold the device in place longer, use the saturated cotton balls to make the underside lose it’s adhesiveness. Continue saturating your cotton ball and sliding it under the tape until the old CGM comes off the body.

  2. The 2nd cotton ball, I put more uni-solve on it to “clean” off the remaining amount of sticky substance from the skin. If you don’t clean the skin well, you’ll notice “sticky residue” on the body once the body part dries.

  3. Take alcohol wipes, 2 at a time and do one pass over to clean the area, then another 2 wipes to verify it’s cleaned really well.

  4. Wait for the body part to dry, then apply a tiny amount of Neosporin to the spot band-aid and place that band-aid over the spot where the cannula was inserted into the skin.

  5. Using the “handle” from the new CGM, pop it on top of the old CGM and you can pop off/pull out the transmitter.

  6. Use your 5th alcohol wipe to clean the underside of the transmitter and put the transmitter aside.

  7. Discard the trash from the old CGM.

Installing the new CGM.

Whatever your new location is, perform the following steps (this is what we do, anyway).

  1. Clean the body part with an alcohol wipe (or more if you need).

  2. Once the alcohol dries, apply “Skin-Tac” to the entire area (the area large enough for the CGM tape + any Tegaderm or other tape you’ll apply on top.

  3. WHILE THE SKIN-TAC IS STILL WET (but not immediately after applying it), remove the tape from the underside of the CGM needle device (remember to have straightened out that tape so that it lies nicely against the skin.)

  4. I use old alcohol wipe packs to “press” the tape against the skin so that my fingers don’t become sticky from the skin-tac.

NOTE: HOLD that against the skin until it’s stuck well…I ensure the tape/skin-tac have fully stuck to the skin before inserting the needle into the skin, or anything else. This will ensure it doesn’t “move around” if your child flinches or jumps when you insert the sensor under the skin.

  1. After it’s stuck well, fold the skin around the CGM and…
    a) Press the needle downward, then
    b) Pull up the plunger device immediately after the needle has penetrated the skin all the way through.

  2. Holding the front of the CGM device (the part sitting on top of the sticker), push your finger and thumb together to and fold the needle part over such that it comes off. If you do it correctly, this part takes only a second…push, and remove.

  3. Take the transmitter and place it into the area slotted for it (there’s only one way it goes in.)

  4. Push “UP” on the lever device at the back of the CGM device to push down and seat the transmitter, then TWIST the lever device 90 degrees, to remove it all together.

  5. I cut a hole in my Tegaderm with a scapel such that the CGM device is not covered, but the tape on the outside is covered. And my tape goes 1 to 2 inches in all directions around the CGM device to ensure it remains stuck for 2 weeks or so.

  6. Discard the needle part of the CGM into a sharps container and everything else can go in the regular trash.

Good luck! I’m sure a Youtube video will help connect a lot of the dots you may not be certain about!

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