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Dexcom - sensor replacement

PaulinaB

PaulinaB

Well-Known Member
Messages
594
Location
London, UK
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
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!
 
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.
 
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?
 
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?
 
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?
 
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.
 
Engineer88 said:
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.
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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) :)
 
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.
 
Engineer88 said:
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.
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"frightfully"?! It's like the cheapest thing that you have to pay for... ok, maybe the alcohol wipes are cheaper :)
 
PaulinaB said:
Ha! I knew I wanted to ask about something else... what do you do with USED sensors? :D
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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!)
 
Engineer88 said:
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!)
Click to expand...

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.) :)
 
@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?
 
PaulinaB said:
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 :)
Click to expand...

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.
 
DunePlodder said:
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.
Click to expand...

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!
 
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