Spoke with Dexcom Tech Rep

After the problems that I have been having with my G4 recently and especially after my horrible first sensor after the update, I have had a couple of conversations with Dex Techs in the last couple of days. I called them Saturday and they are replacing a couple of sensors. They had me send in data and the Tech Rep for my case called me yesterday and today.

I am now using a sensor from a different lot number and my results are more in line with what I expect. So I think that my problems have been sensor-related, not equipment or software-update related.

Tonight the Tech Rep told me a few things that I have never been told before about calibration. He suggested that when I do my two start-up calibrations that I separate the BG tests by a couple of minutes. I have always done them one right after another.

He also indicated that if I get a prompt for a calibration and my Dexcom is very close to my meter that I don’t need to enter a calibration. I’ve read of people who have ignored calibration prompts as long as their Dex is tracking well, but I have never had a Dex Rep tell me that.

So two new calibration hints for you guys.

I always found that fewest necessary calibrations is best. I only enter a calibration number if I am level too, since putting in a moving number to a device that we know is ~15 minutes delayed just ruins the accuracy. I'm guessing that the rep's suggestion to do finger sticks apart is to make sure that you notice if your BGs are moving too much for the calibration to be accurate, so you know to put in a better one later.

I've had very few sensors that seem to really be off. I think sometimes a bad calibration prompts people to get too anxious and forget all the tips learned over time and start over-calibrating, and being too sensitive about a device we know isn't instant or 100% accurate anyway.

I have also had a Dex rep tell me to separate the sensor start calibrations by up to 5 minutes.

My impression is the new update was WAY off during the first 24 hours. It seems to be much closer now, but I am not feeling a dramatic difference, except ...

I am seeing some radical changes from one 5-minute reading to the next, all with the arrow pointing to the right. For example, I went from a reading of 89 (and feeling a bit low) to a reading of 71.

Very interesting. Really.

That makes me a little concerned...It's reading 18 points difference within 3 minutes? I really hate that they pushed this update without telling us what's changed and what differences to expect. It's like they're saying, "Just trust us! We know better than you, so don't bother your silly little heads..."

Sorry, that's not good enough. I've grown to rely on Dex and understand its quirks, and seeing such huge changes without any understanding of them really makes me uncomfortable.