onto my third dexcom 6 sensor in 3 days and its still not working!

[KC49]

Hi, Ive been using dexcom 6 since I was diagnosed in April, and mostly it has been fine. Sometimes the first 6 hours the readings are a bit jumpy but it usually settles fine. On Weds I changed to a new sensor, and overnight it gave me crazy readings, that didn't settle the next day. (I usually change my sensor in the evening around 10pm) I tried calibrating it off finger sticks but it just wouldn't stop giving me jumpy readings and false low alerts. I changed it on Thursday evening, for a new sensor (same box of sensors) and the same thing happened, but with the added bonus of my finger stick readings all of today being weird and inconsistent, leaving me feeling like I don't know where my sugar is at.

I took the second sensor out, went off finger sticks only for a few hours, then opened a new box of sensors and put a new one in, on my other arm. I checked with a finger stab after it was up and running for a while, and the sensor was giving a lower value than my finger stick so I calibrated it. Just checked it again a while after dinner, and my dexcom said I was at 5.5 but my blood says I was at 3.4.

I don't know what's going wrong or what to do. I live in Norway and here there's no one to call after 3pm on a Friday, and if the whole weekend is like this it's gonna feel like a long time.

Is it the transmitter itself? That's the only thing I haven't changed yet but wouldn't it know if it was faulty? My app thinks its all OK, but the readings are too far out for me to just go off what the sensor is saying and the false alarms OR lack of alarms when needed is stressing me the hell out.

Any advice?

 

[Jaylee]

Hi, Ive been using dexcom 6 since I was diagnosed in April, and mostly it has been fine. Sometimes the first 6 hours the readings are a bit jumpy but it usually settles fine. On Weds I changed to a new sensor, and overnight it gave me crazy readings, that didn't settle the next day. (I usually change my sensor in the evening around 10pm) I tried calibrating it off finger sticks but it just wouldn't stop giving me jumpy readings and false low alerts. I changed it on Thursday evening, for a new sensor (same box of sensors) and the same thing happened, but with the added bonus of my finger stick readings all of today being weird and inconsistent, leaving me feeling like I don't know where my sugar is at.

I took the second sensor out, went off finger sticks only for a few hours, then opened a new box of sensors and put a new one in, on my other arm. I checked with a finger stab after it was up and running for a while, and the sensor was giving a lower value than my finger stick so I calibrated it. Just checked it again a while after dinner, and my dexcom said I was at 5.5 but my blood says I was at 3.4.

I don't know what's going wrong or what to do. I live in Norway and here there's no one to call after 3pm on a Friday, and if the whole weekend is like this it's gonna feel like a long time.

Is it the transmitter itself? That's the only thing I haven't changed yet but wouldn't it know if it was faulty? My app thinks its all OK, but the readings are too far out for me to just go off what the sensor is saying and the false alarms OR lack of alarms when needed is stressing me the hell out.

Any advice?

Hi,

I'm not a Dexcom user. (Libre.) you mentioned your arm as placement? Could you have put it near or in muscle tissue? Which can make my sensor readings scatty, especially with movement.
Being suitably hydrated helps too. (With accurate readings.)

Can you clarify, are you using the Dexcom app as a reader or a third party app like Xdrip?

 

[ert]

I'm a Dexcom G6 user. You have to leave the sensor alone for 24 hours and let it settle by itself. Rely on your finger pricker during this period. I add one calibration the following day. It doesn't react well to multiple calibrations. Most times it settles very quickly but other odd times it has been erratic. It always settles eventually.
Your finger pricker also has an accuracy range so your readings (5.5 but my blood says I was at 3.4) could well be within the overlap accuracy of both your Dexcom 6 and finger pricker meters (if your finger pricker was over reading and your Dexcom 6 was under reading.)

 

[KC49]

Hi,

I'm not a Dexcom user. (Libre.) you mentioned your arm as placement? Could you have put it near or in muscle tissue? Which can make my sensor readings scatty, especially with movement.
Being suitably hydrated helps too. (With accurate readings.)

Can you clarify, are you using the Dexcom app as a reader or a third party app like Xdrip?

I use the dexcom app as the reader- I’ve heard xdrip mentioned but not googled what it actually is.

And I have had them too close to muscle before (I think) but now I kinda pull back a little with the applicator, I have a helpful layer of fat over the muscles so I think it’s ok on that front.

 

[KC49]

I'm a Dexcom G6 user. You have to leave the sensor alone for 24 hours and let it settle by itself. Rely on your finger pricker during this period. I add one calibration the following day. It doesn't react well to multiple calibrations. Most times it settles very quickly but other odd times it has been erratic. It always settles eventually.
Your finger pricker also has an accuracy range so your readings (5.5 but my blood says I was at 3.4) could well be within the overlap accuracy of both your Dexcom 6 and finger pricker meters (if your finger pricker was over reading and your Dexcom 6 was under reading.)

24 hours!! I usually put it in the evening and let it do it’s jumpy business overnight (I’m always high at night so not worried about lows) and then take it as sorted in the morning. I don’t usually finger prick at all. Maybe I’ll try that thing about putting the new sensor in before removing the old one.

but this time it’s my third sensor that isn’t settling. Though this one is a bit jumpy but not so completely off the mark, and less than 24 hours so I’m giving it a bit longer.

The last two were just all over the place, and kept buzzing alarms for urgent lows, even if my finger stick said I was at 7.5. I didn’t know finger prick readers were also not that accurate.
I have calmed down a bit since yesterday at least, the dexcom is now roughly within 1.0 mmol of the finger stick so it feels like I at least have an idea what’s going on inside me!

 

[Jaylee]

I use the dexcom app as the reader- I’ve heard xdrip mentioned but not googled what it actually is.

And I have had them too close to muscle before (I think) but now I kinda pull back a little with the applicator, I have a helpful layer of fat over the muscles so I think it’s ok on that front.

XDrip was devolved to enable Libres (the MK1s) to be used as a CGM with the use of a Bluetooth bridge?
Though they since found a work around for the L2 algorithm & built in BT.
It also works with Dexcom too.

Could you explain a little on what you mean by "pull back on the applicator?"
You may well still be hitting muscle tissue? I try to avoid placment on anywhere that flexes too much with my sensor.
The principle with the buried filliment are pretty much the same..

 

[KC49]

XDrip was devolved to enable Libres (the MK1s) to be used as a CGM with the use of a Bluetooth bridge?
Though they since found a work around for the L2 algorithm & built in BT.
It also works with Dexcom too.

Could you explain a little on what you mean by "pull back on the applicator?"
You may well still be hitting muscle tissue? I try to avoid placment on anywhere that flexes too much with my sensor.
The principle with the buried filliment are pretty much the same..

Like I put the adhesive on and then instead of pushing down when I press the button I pull back a bit. I guess the same effect as some people say about pinching the fat a bit, but cz I do it on my arm I don’t have a spare hand for pinching.
I feel like my arms are the only feasible place bc the dogs jump up and will drag at it on my thighs, and I worry about knocking it at work (I’m a chippie) and I’m a front sleeper so my tummy is out, if I sleep on it it stops working or thinks I’m low when I’m not. I’m starting on omnipod soon and think I’m gonna put that on back upper arm too. My arms are quite muscly but I do have fat as well, I’m not just skin n muscle. I think it feels sore if it’s too close to a flexing muscle.

does anyone know why we don’t use our boobs? They’re lots of squishy fat haha.