Dexcom - sensor replacement

PaulinaB

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594
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Hi all!

Quick question... I'm just making sure. I just got a "replace sensor soon" message for the first time (yeey! 7 days with dexcom already!) and I wanted to make sure I'm getting this right - to get "more time" from my sensor, all I do is just stop and start (without actually replacing the sensor) and then go through the 2-hour startup again? There's no way to get around the 2-hour startup is there? I was hoping maybe you can just ignore the "replace sensor" message, just like you can ignore the calibration prompts, etc.

Thanks!
 

Ambersilva

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From the Main Menu you can stop sensor at any time then start sensor. It still goes through the 2 hour startup. You cannot ignore the replace sensor alert in the hope that the sensor will continue.
 
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Engineer88

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itll stop itsself at the 7 day exactly mark if you let it - you then only have to restart. but yes otherwise stop and restart as @Ambersilva says. No you cant not do the 2 hour start up :)

How are you finding it?
 
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PaulinaB

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594
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Thanks for replying! I was hoping I can get around the 2-hour thing, but well... I can live with it, I guess :)

So far, it's awesome! :D I had to get used to it being delayed when I'm going up or down and I do re-check my levels when it seems weird - but so far it's been really accurate! I basically only do a BG test when it asks for a calibration or when I'm not sure about the number, which is almost never! :D So my fingers are having a break :)

The only annoying thing I found is that the alerts do not take the direction into account - so when I'm low and going up I get an alert when I reach the 4.4 mark, which is kind of useless because I'm going up not down! :eek: But now I know about it, so I even expect the buzz and use it as a confirmation that I'm going up from the hypo :)

Though one night it was buzzing constantly because I was around 9.. and I have my high alert set to 9. But I was too tired to think of a correction and just wanted to sleep... It even fell down from the nightstand to the floor because of the vibrations! Hahaha :)

It woke me up the first night when going hypo and saved me from being too low, so I feel in love with it then. I'm still loving it :angelic:
Waiting for my opsite flexifit to arrive to keep the sensor in place... Amazon messed up my order and they don't know where it is :wideyed::banghead:

How are you doing? Do you still use the skintac for the sensor?
 
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iHs

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I havent got the Dexcom sensors yet but will be probably next week. When you start off for the first time after inserting the sensor, do you calibrate against a bg reading, when bg is even or do you do it when it is starting to rise?
 

Engineer88

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yep I use skintac but after a few days I also add an opsite flex sheet with a hole cut for the transmitter. I found this stuff is awesome and prevents the corners curling up. I would suggest seeing if your dr will prescribe them?

@iHs I cal whatever it is doing when it asks. I have had very few problems apart from 2 bad sensors (went down after 13 days - no revival)

I still test @PaulinaB you need to be careful giving insulin without doing so.... Though i cant say i havent been guilty myself.
 

PaulinaB

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yep I use skintac but after a few days I also add an opsite flex sheet with a hole cut for the transmitter. I found this stuff is awesome and prevents the corners curling up. I would suggest seeing if your dr will prescribe them?


I still test @PaulinaB you need to be careful giving insulin without doing so.... Though i cant say i havent been guilty myself.

Are you able to get it from your doc? I'm seeing my gp next week, so might as well ask.

I tested my dexcom a lot at first and it seemed to be right on target all the time, so I tend to trust it now. If I don't test before injecting its only when I'm pretty sure dex is right - if it's consistent with how I feel and what I was expecting. And if I know I'll be able to quickly test at any time after injecting if I feel off (like I'm sitting at work, not wandering around somewhere) :)
 
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Engineer88

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Yes i got a box (10) but he refused a repeat because they 'were frightfully expensive.' I didnt tell him the cost of my sensors. Maybe i should have but I figured 10 would last a long time anyway. I'll just ask again then.
 

PaulinaB

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594
Type of diabetes
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Yes i got a box (10) but he refused a repeat because they 'were frightfully expensive.' I didnt tell him the cost of my sensors. Maybe i should have but I figured 10 would last a long time anyway. I'll just ask again then.

"frightfully"?! It's like the cheapest thing that you have to pay for... ok, maybe the alcohol wipes are cheaper :)
 

PaulinaB

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Ha! I knew I wanted to ask about something else... what do you do with USED sensors? :D
 

Engineer88

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Ha! I knew I wanted to ask about something else... what do you do with USED sensors? :D

Chuck them in the bin. Or a sharps box if you really feel like it but there isnt anthing sharp on there. I do put the inserter in the sharps though. Does that help?


Also i meant th opsite flex was the expensive bit!! animas will give you skintac and remover wipes (you might have to see a rep!)
 

PaulinaB

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594
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Chuck them in the bin. Or a sharps box if you really feel like it but there isnt anthing sharp on there. I do put the inserter in the sharps though. Does that help?


Also i meant th opsite flex was the expensive bit!! animas will give you skintac and remover wipes (you might have to see a rep!)

Ahh, cause the guide says to "contact your local waste management service" or whatever to deal with the sensors :)

I didn't mean that the opsite is cheap (sorry, bad wording!), it's just that it's the least pricey thing from all those things you need (dex itself, transmitter, sensors, etc.) :)
 
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PaulinaB

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594
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@Engineer88 - did you ever see the Opsite tape anywhere locally (at the pharmacy or somewhere) instead of online? Is it even possible to buy in in store?
 

Engineer88

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Yep in my local chemist I also get my hypertape from them. Popsons pharmacy they sell online too :)
 
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DunePlodder

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Thanks for replying! I was hoping I can get around the 2-hour thing, but well... I can live with it, I guess :)

The only annoying thing I found is that the alerts do not take the direction into account - so when I'm low and going up I get an alert when I reach the 4.4 mark, which is kind of useless because I'm going up not down! :eek: But now I know about it, so I even expect the buzz and use it as a confirmation that I'm going up from the hypo :)

I agree. I don't need a warning if the reading is going up from a low, especially at 2 o'clock in the morning.
Similarly if it's dropping from a high.

Also the "Snooze Alerts" should operate based on the last time I looked at the screen. I find that the 15 minutes (or whatever) always starts from the automatic alert even if I've viewed it 10 minutes later.
 

PaulinaB

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Messages
594
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Also the "Snooze Alerts" should operate based on the last time I looked at the screen. I find that the 15 minutes (or whatever) always starts from the automatic alert even if I've viewed it 10 minutes later.

Ha! I didn't know that! I thought it's like a snooze in an alarm clock or something - from when you basically press the button. Pfff!