My husband is new to the G4, on his 3rd session. What a difference it has made on our lives! The readings have been near perfect 95% of the time. I am sure he has his own opinion of how it helps, but for me,as the spouse, it’s a blessing to just look at the receiver in the middle of night instead of waking him up to check on him. And as most of us know, being aware of a rise or fall makes the greatest difference. Diabetics are not a number in a moment of time! No more “what’s your BS” but rather “how’s it trending”. Because of his hypoglycemic unawareness, the stress of lows was about to get the best of me. So thankful for this great tool. Question: how do you extend the session and wear past 7 days (like so many of you are reporting). I am assuming you stop the session prematurely, charge the transmitter and replace, and restart without reinserting but using same site?
Yes! You don’t even have to stop the sensor early if you don’t want to. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. Just push ‘start sensor’ if it has run out of time, or otherwise push ‘stop sensor’, then ‘start sensor’ and the 2 hour calibration window starts up again. You will be ready to go again. Don’t even take the transmitter out. The most I have gotten from my sensor is two weeks, but with my current one, I am on day 16 still getting great results! (I just did the same stop/start at the end of week two.) isn’t it wonderful? I have only had my Dex for about 10 weeks but now I can’t imagine being without it!
Extending the sensors is great, but do take a look at the expiration on your stock of sensors if you decide to extend every one of them. Conserving the sensors works really well, but they do have a live enzyme in them and so the expiration dates are kind of important. Without that enzyme you will not get good readings.
That said, if you are only getting new sensors when you run out, then you should be okay. In my case, I am sent a package of new sensors every month, so I have to be careful to not extend them too much. Right now, in fact, I am going only a week even though I know I could extend them as I have a couple of backup sensors in queue because I extended a few while back.
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Not that I am correct and not that you should do it, but being in IT I always like to experiment with all "computerized" gadgets. Also I have been type 1 since 1959 so I know many of the ends and outs of "D" and wear it much longer that recommended by Dexcom.
The longest I have used the same sensor is 6 weeks; however, my standard is 4 weeks. I do it mainly due to the cost. I have had no failures, bad tests, etc. They main thing I worried about at first was a possible infection but the sites always look very clear and clean when I remove them. I also use my infusion sets longer than suggested. When I started on the Cozmore pump and now on the Ping I change the sets approximately every 4-5 days refilling the cartridges as needed.
Again this is me and everyone's mileage may vary.
Six weeks is remarkable. The longest I've been able to get is about 3 1/2 weeks before it craps out.
I totally get the cost issue -- they ARE expensive. However, if you have insurance covering it (as I do) and they regularly send them out to you, there's no reason to extend unless you are trying to 'bank' a few of them on the off-chance you get either a bad one, or a bad site injection of the sensor.
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Hi Dee, I just went into my 2nd week with my Dexcom, and although I am not sure that I am doing it correct;y, it works, and that's the key.
So, when I got a warning that the sensor was going to done with his 7 day duty, I simply stopped it, and 5 minutes later I restarted it. On the Vibe insulin pump, it is tough to know if the sensor connects, at least I haven't found it yet (no antenna icon as with medtronic), but after 2 hours I was asked for the 2 BG calibration values.
I do notice a difference in accuracy, and in order to return to an acceptable precision I simply use more calibrations.
I've just started my second box of sensors, having used the first box through June and July. I find that I can use the sensor anywhere from 13-19 days, so far. I change it when it feels "uncomfortable" for any reason, or if I start getting bad readings of a lot of ???s. So far, so good.
And yes, I love the Dexcom. I feel more in control than I did even with a large number of daily tests. I feel 'blind' without it when it's waiting on calibrations!
Hey George, I did read a while ago (I think in the Dexcom materials or in here on a thread somewhere when someone said they'd spoken to Dexcom on the phone about it), and it was stated that giving it MORE calibrations is actually a bad thing to do. Messes it up somehow. Obviously your mileage has varied from this, but just be aware in case you see erratic numbers -- might be due to over-calibration.
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Nice! So what is your tape system? What extra measures do you take to stick it on, and where do you place it? Oh and ditto on how absolutely awesome this device is. It's a total game changer.
I spoke to Dexcom about this once. They told me that if the unit is far off and you want to "override" the algorithm, doing three calibrations 10-15 minutes apart will correct the problem. I have done this, and it worked -- after which, I was able to go back to my usual calibration schedule.
Dee - Great post. Out of all the non-D members of the general population, you, as a spouse, and T1D parents really do "get" the tensions that we operate under.
I love the CGM. It's been a real game changer for me. I live alone and depend on the CGM night-time alarms to keep me safe. And you rightfully take relief in knowing your husband's BG status at a glance. You don't even have to "bother" him. When I was married, I remember some of the irritation that I felt when my spouse asked if I was low. Especially if I was low!
Your husband's a lucky man. Good luck to both of you!
Hi Mike,
Medtronics gives the same warning, but, if you know a little bit about the linear regression that is used to determine the calibration factor for converting ISIG numbers to mg/dl values, then there is no doubt that the higher the number of calibrations done, the more accurate your values will be. I have no idea why Medtronics and Dexcom are spreading this message, but is wrong. And, I was confirmed the same by the guy at Medtronics, responsible for optimizing their calibration system.. So, Thas is completely right.
And, another Dexcom things that I don't agree with is that you can do calibration whenever. I have tried it, and when doing a calibration at times that the mg/dl changes fast, you loose your accuracy. So, I keep up with a modified Medtronic rule, I calibrate when my BG values are stable, and not the possible wrong numbers from the CGM. For me this is a marketing thing, added by Dexcom, in order to tell buyers that they better get Decom than Medtronics. This is a fact, but why not simply sticking to facts.
Hey! Good to know. Thanks for the info.
Regarding using a sensor for more than 7 days: "in order to return to an acceptable precision I simply use more calibrations." That is a really good tip. Thank you for posting it.
I don't want to go into details, but just a brief reply to Terry and Dee, and I keep my fingers crossed for you guys.
Personally, similar situation. Wife, now ex was surgical nurse, but continuous accusations that my sugar was low, almost insulting. One time when I had a severe hypo and was almost unconscious, I told her to give me the glucagen shot in the fridge. Next day, big lump on my belly, legs hurting like hell, and I find out that she gave me the tetanus shot for a 1600 lb horse which I had in the fridger, 18 gage needle. I called the lab manufacturing the vaccine immediately but they had no answer to the consequences for a human. Anyway, the shot did a job, I was fine, but I couldn't walk for 2 days. Now, I am protected for life against tetanus, as a blood analysis has shown.
Later, son was born and she didn't cook for me anymore when I came home from work (she quit her job). And hell broke loose if I wanted to cook myself. So, started taking only one meal a day at work. The result, many severe hypos every day. At home, she refused to help me, give me sugar or a glucagen shot, and she waited till I was unconscious, then called the emergency. A few times I was able to give me the shot myself, but I don't want to describe the hell I went through in getting it out of the fridge, getting it ready and injecting it, and from a needle was not much left.
Each time after these severe hypos, I looked like coming out of a concentration camp. Back fully bruised and black, head with injuries, eye bruised, floor and walls covered in blood and furniture broken.
Then, I went for the insulin pump with CGM (Medtronics), and although we are in a divorce and I live alone (with my Lab which I have trained to give me sugar when needed), I cannot live anymore without the CGM. I still check my BG around 20 times a day, to be sure that the CGM is telling me the truth, but it is mainly at night when I have to fully trust on the CGM, and avoid that I get into a severe hypo again. And here the Dexcom is doing wonders compared with the Enlite from Medtronics.
So Terry, Dee, hang in there, and I hope that the CGM can convince your partner that life can return to normal.
Hi Dee,
Interesting. I dislocated my shoulder too in the past, never gave up the heavy duty work, and 10 years later my shoulder was gone, cartilage gone, tendon ripped off, bone 50% worn away. Had a shoulder reconstruction done, problem resolved. This doesn't fit under this topic, so will send you a pm, and hopefully we can share some info.
Went into my 3rd week today, and had to do 3 calibrations to get reasonable numbers, but seems to do great now.
I have a feeling that my sensor has had it. Am at about 6-7 calibrations a day, but the results keep coming off track. But the positive news is that even when off track, the accuracy is better than Medtronic.
I am on my second sensor and I am still learning how it reacts.I have hypo unawareness and I have been type 1 for 30years.My husband would always wake up when I would go low in the night.I am extremely lucky to have a man like him.He has saved me several times.When I showed interest in a cgm,he sneakingly ordered a cgm for me for Valentines day.What a tearjerker.I was so happy as I was going to wait until I got the Vibe in 2017.I got it earlier!We don’t think our private insurance will cover the sensors ,so if my current sensor doesn’t bother me or my numbers aren’t off I will continue wearing it.This could be a money saver.