I am new to using the DexCom but got it because I have been having way too many dangerous lows especially at night while I am trying to sleep. I am also on an Animas insulin pump, have been a type 1 for 48 years and pumping for 14 years. Has anyone else had issues with the DexCom and how easy it is to silence or reset the alarms? I’ve had it alarm in the middle of the night when I am low ( in the 30’s) and have hit a button to reset it without even realizing what I am doing and have gone even lower and gotten into trouble where my husband has had to bring me back around. If the step were a two or three step process it might make me get up out of bed, put my glasses on and actually check my blood sugar and do something about it but hitting a button is so simple you do it and don’t think about it. Has anyone else experienced this same issue?
I too have had the problem. I had to set one alarm at 60 and use the FDA “fail safe” at 55. I had to turn off the vibrate so it would beep x3 for 60 and x4 at 55. Also try mounting the receiver on your headboard so it will sound for one and all in the area.
I like the idea about having to enter a BG to stop the alarm. Maybe, Dex will see this and make it happen. “To silence an every 5 minute ‘fail safe’ low, a BG must be entered to confirm it is low and you know it is really low not a false alarm.” might be a good build in to the next dex software.
It is easy to turn off…which on the opposite end is nice when it keeps having false readings. I’ve had a few nights where it kept thinking it was hovering between 55 and 60 (and vibrating each time it crosses) and each time I checked it was in the 80s…so I ended up placing it in another room.
Is your low alarm set too low perhaps? I’ve read that a numbe of people set their low alarm in the 80/90 range because their numbers drop faster than the CGM picks up so you’ll catch your low in the 60-70 where they tend to be more alert…
I think having the option (rather than mandatory) of having to enter a number for a low would be nice though.
Hi Suzannah,
I do have my fall rate at 2mg already and I seem to go low at the same time every night. I make sure I have a good snack before my bedtime which is usually around 2-3am, I"m a night owl and have a step down basel going into that time frame 3-4am when I go low. My doctor and I are working on it together and the DexCom has helped. I have even set my bedside alarm clock for 4am to make sure I get up, it has a loud buzzer and it’s across the room so I have to get up to turn it off, that might be my best option for now. I even have my husband calling me from work about 3:30am or so to check on me, just wantd to vent on the DexCom I guess, I like it but it is too easy to turn off the alarms. Thanks for your suggestions and reply!
Thanks for your reply. I have my low alarm set at 90 because once I get below 100 I drop quickly but you are right, it will alarm for a low and it has been reading lower than my meter has so I may change it back to 100 instead so not to get so many alarms Together we will make it!
How did you turn off the vibrate? I have the new “seven” and the only options are vibrate then beep and vibrate or disable! Yes, lets hope our suggestions make for improvements but it’s still a good product.