For me, this was the biggest unforeseen benefit going on the G6. My G5 always had a tendency to read 15-20 points below fingerstick down to about 80 and then got worse from there so low alarms were a daily event. My G6 reads 15-20 points above finger sticks in the low ranges and bigger delta as the number increases. By 200, my finger stick is around 150, so it has been much easier to control all alarms, especially low alarm.
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Sounds like you figured out something that works for you. I have my receiver in a case clipped on my pump belt. But it does not really mute anything and it would not fit wrapped. Hopefully I can figure something out. Maybe the watch and phone with new sounds and ditch the receiver for a bit. I think you need the receiver for the phone to work though maybe. I can’t remember now. I almost never wake up from dexcom, if I do I am not really aware of it and it does not bother me as much. It does bother me when trying to fall asleep though.
That is good, all of the dexcoms have been very inaccurate for me, often off by 50-100 or more points which is a big deal for me and often not catching that my bg is 40 and not 100 etc. or whatever. Then other times it is dead on and warns me etc. The trends are usually right but can also be really off at times. So I am not expecting any improvement. But I will be amazed if there is.
Are you all okay with 55? While I’m not so thrilled about alarms I have no control over, I WANT that particular one. 55 is the one that tells me and my husband to be on alert because 
is going BAD.
If I hit 55, it’s because I’m dropping hard and fast, and there’s a good chance it’s not stopping anytime soon. If Control-IQ and I haven’t been able to stop the plummet before then, I’m getting nervous and my husband has his hands on the glucagon… Just in case. Had to use it a little while back thanks to a nasty fever burning up all my glucose, and it’s made us both a lot more nervous about the lows.
I have all alarms disabled on the pump, so only get the vibration at 55.
On my phone, I actually enjoy most of the alerts. If I hit 250, it will play “Baby did a bad, bad thing”, because I certainly did something bad if I got there. At 140, it plays a little rising trill, which we’ve dubbed “the Jetson”, because it sounds like the first few notes of the theme song. That’s just there so I can evaluate post-prandial insulin on board. It’s a very mild tone that comes with zero stress. Given a recent thread, I REALLY want to change it to “highway to the danger zone” but I can’t, because my pilot husband uses it for a work ringtone for flight ops. At 70, it plays “sugar, sugar”. At 55, though, a siren goes off that tells us both to be proactive and on alert.
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I am not on the pump, so with MDI always easy to adjust mentally and physically once I learn the algorithm as the delta is never linear, more logarithmic, but the algorithm never changes unless I calibrate so I never calibrate. If I calibrate then the algorithm changes and I am always “chasing” the newly calibrated algorithm and have to learn that newly calibrated algorithm. That is just too much work so Dexcom sets the rules of the game with their algorithm, and I play by their rules to beat it and that works for me so I can always flatline for weeks unless I overindulge on carbs at an event.
Lol, I like you choice of phone alarms. I have not tried the pump for dex at all yet, maybe I will. I don’t like changing to new stuff and having to get used to it all over again. I go low all the time, the only time it is really bad for me is during meals with iob and other stuff going on. When I am asleep, it can be very low, I never feel nervous, I wake up and treat it and often go back to sleep.
This is beyond me, lol, I am not even sure what those are. But if I don’t calibrate it will be hopeless and may as well not have a cgm at all. Mdi nearly killed me a few times so never again except for emergencies.
I think about how lucky we are to have these devices that, with our participation, can extend our lives and quality of life considerably. I have been a T1D for 55 years and my first home-test tool was a strip of Tes-Tape. Only signaled when your BG was so high it was spilling into urine.
Meters were much better, but insurance would only pay for a few tests per day. A lot of bad stuff can happen in between those tests.
I am super-happy with my CGM now. It can warn me in time to correct much earlier than ever before, whether going too high or going too low.
Yes, the beeping can be frustrating at times. I am into dog shows, and I once had my receiver start beeping just as the judge walked the line and got to my dog. I now check before I go in ring, and if it might go off soon, I just shut off the receiver (and of course, take action as needed).
As others have said, there is a lot of control over all alerts in terms of type and loudness except when going very low, in which case that really does mean you should take action immediately.
Mainly, though, alerts are good things. If you have seriously decided to manage your diabetes, they can help you live longer and hold off side-effects.
That is great you are happy with it. The post is about the extreme stress the constant alerts are causing me on all of my devices. I know about all the settings etc. as I explained here, it is still alerting me way too much. I can’t turn it off completely because I can get into trouble fast. Unfortunately dexcom is the only option for me but there are lots of issues with it and lots of areas to improve. Who knows if they will do it.
I think the Dexcom G6 transmitter alarms are terrifying, personally. Too alarming. So now I have G6 linked to the Dexcom ap on an iPhone, which also sends my numbers to my clinic team with (i think) the Clarity ap. I also have the t:connect ap on the phone and Carbs & Cals. I had to have a lot of help setting up all that Bluetooth. Anyway, now that the pump itself is set to vibrate only, except for under 55, I am at peace with the devices. Vibrate is enough to let me know if I’m going high, and I know the thing will start howling if I go low.
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There is a simple solution to shutting off all G5 and G6 iPhone app alarms. Unfortunately this won’t work for a Dex receiver
Cut the wire off of an old set of ear buds, so it’s just the plug. The alarm is bypassed during the day and you just get a vibration.
Posted Jan 2019 by @drrps3
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That is good, I can’t stand even the vibration anymore. It sounds like a noise to me on the receiver. Maybe when I start G 6 I will switch to my phone and a watch and stop the receiver for a while.
The problem then is I have to have my phone and my watch close to each other and I do not carry my phone on me- right now I wear the receiver on a belt on my waist next to my pump so I can easily see it.
I don’t understand why somebody doesn’t make a watch that just connects directly to the transmitter. Are you saying the G6 55 alert is even worse than the G5?
You would think with all of this technology they could come up with something better than what they have.
I have to check my iphone 8, I thought they had gotten rid of the headphone thing completely now. I just got air pods for my laptop but have not used them with my phone, it is all blue tooth now.
I think the more stable your BG is, the beeps get a lot less. Lol
Make sure your BG windows are large as acceptable by you and your doc. Use vibrate for less important alarms. All of those things can help.
I find that the more my BG is under control, changing the needed stuff on time, having highs on the upper level like mine is at 245 so it takes awhile to start beeping!! I don’t Jane anything set for reminders like a bolus reminder or whatever it’s called. Accurately entering carbs before meals/snacks etc help to eliminate alarms from getting non or not enough insulin to cover food.
I don’t know if you already do these things but those are my suggestions.
Hey… I did see a ‘artificial pancreas’ device under FDA evaluation or somewhere significant. Your weight is programmed in, it’s implanted and the amazing Artificial intelligence algorithms LEARNS according to your daily functions/averages etc and adjusts to your needs accordingly.
So that might be mostly beepless…
Gosh, when I first got my g6 and worse, my pump… I got into awkward kinda embarrassing situations with the pump beeps and lighting my bra up!!! I didn’t have a ideal location for it yet… the beeping out places and me checking it to see what the problem is NOW!! After a couple of months, I learned to ignore the sounds and it’s funny when you are talking to someone and it’s beeping and they are looking around like huhhhh… and you get to chuckle inside lolol
I rarely hear it now because my numbers are much more stable.
Happy pumping 
This is what I do now (learned from you in another post!). Works great. Except on my new SE phone, it uses the USB C port for the wired headset which came with the phone. The C port is also used dor charging the phone so I can’t charge the phone while using the ear buds. Not really a problem because once my BG goes back in range I usually remove the ear buds. @meee, maybe the wired ear buds will work for you on your iPhone 8.
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I checked and it only has the lightening cable now, maybe there is an earbud with that, I will have to look.
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I already do all of this. I have been doing it for many years, the problem is there are way too many alarms and It is causing a lot of unneeded stress. My bg often goes all over and sometimes fast, no matter what I do, so I can’t do without or shut off dexcom. If I could I would, lol.
I have to read more about artificial P. I do not want a device controlling my insulin etc too much though. They keep bg way to high. Unless there is one that gives me glucagon as well maybe and lets me take care of the rest. I don’t use any of the t slim dex connections yet still on g5 soon to be on g6. And I most likely won’t anyway because dex is often very inaccurate for me.
I am hoping for cell implantation without anti rejection meds that gets me off insulin, or maybe bcg vaccine to reduce the need. And an improved cgm which is less intrusive and which does not cause constant inflammations/itching, reactions etc.
I’m sorry to hear it’s crap for you.
I would be frustrated too!!
Have you discussed any other options with your endo?
I wonder why The Dexcom CGM isn’t accurate with you!? That would be disconcerting and maybe contributing to your problems.
I’ve had mostly positive experiences with my g6 and tandem pump.
Stem cell transplant has a lot of amazing results for many diseases but not sure it’s yet possible to do any transplant without anti-rejection drugs.
I have a few other autoimmune rheumatic diseases (juvenile onset rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthrothapy) and I’m on a IV chemo med. fortunately it’s only needed every 6mo but it’s 2 cycles 2 weeks apart so I’m LOADED with a couple hundred mg of steroids (oral and mostly IV). Fun times!! Add infusion is 7 hours but the every 6mo thing creates greater acceptance lolol. I have to get steroid injections at times and short dose steroids so my BG goes crazy. Fortunately my Endocronologist helped me to create a few different profiles to cover steroids when I get them. My BGs are loads better!
Anyways, perhaps another system will be more stable for you??
I’m biased lol bx I love my g6 and t-slim. I’ve only started using them just under 2 years now.
The artificial pancreas thing sounds really awesome. Tech is pretty amazing when it works!!!
Im too scared to seek out stem cell transplant although I think it’s incredible and so flexible. I majored in human development (over lifespan) and neuroscience. I love the mind and body… so beautiful… I learned quite a bit about stem cells and why they more often than not work on many types of diseases/issues. Fascinating!!!
Take care… wish I had something more useful or helpful to suggest!!
Sorry, I meant lightning cable!!! Yes, my phone came with lightning cable ear buds!!
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Mine did not but maybe I can get one.
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