My question has to do with the lifespan of a Dexcom G4 Receiver. I purchased my receiver in early 2017 and it is still working fine, though the volume may have diminished a bit. I’m presently traveling in locations where I can resupply the things that I need. Should I try to replace my receiver? Or would you expect it to continue working well for a few more years? Just wondering if anyone has any experiences or knowledge that would help me make a better decision. Thanks!
In our experience the Dexcom receivers work great until they suddenly don’t work anymore with no warning. This happened to us on the G5 a few times. I don’t have enough G4 experience to offer a more learned opinion. My personal experience is to have a backup to everything that we can if possible and within reason. i.e. we aren’t keeping a backup pump around at the moment.
2 Likes
I got a G4 receiver in mid-2016 that is still working.
1 Like
Thanks, @Chris. I appreciate your answer.
Thanks, @Jen! That is encouraging to hear. Are you keeping a backup for it when it “dies?” Or will you just wait until it happens?
I do keep extra test strips available in case of an emergency, and have a plan for getting a new receiver to me. 
But it would be unsettling for my receiver to suddenly quit on me. 
At the same time, I’m concerned that if I purchase a backup too soon, then it will not last as long - i.e. a recently purchased receiver vs. one that has been sitting on the shelf for a year. I don’t know enough to know if that is a reasonable and realistic concern.
I appreciate any education and experience I can gain. 
2 Likes
I’d just wait till it happens. I’m not fussy on using the G4 versus G5, except that the G4 is significantly cheaper. Once I’ve used up the G4 sensors I have, I’ll probably just move to the G6.
I’m currently not using a CGM because I react so badly to the Libre and don’t have any G4 transmitters. I’m quite surprised at how much I don’t miss using a CGM. I was sure I’d hate not having one. I’ll go back to one eventually, because it’s what lets me get an A1c below 7%, but this break I’m having is quite nice. I have plenty of test strips so am able to test whenever I want to.
2 Likes
Hi @Carol!
When I travel, my phone is a backup for both my Dex receiver and also for my pump. This is convenient, since I am going to bring my phone with me anyway!
Since the G4 does not work with the native Dexcom mobile app, you would need to setup xDrip on your phone. And then you could use this as a backup.
The good thing about using xDrip is that they can’t track you for medicare/medicaid compliance (that stupid thing where they do not allow you to use the phone app if you get your Dex through medicare/medicaid).
Another good thing about xDrip is that we have some resident in-house experts on it, who can help you set it up.
1 Like
The G4 does not support Bluetooth. The receiver in the US converts the RF signal from the transmitter to Bluetooth to send to the phone, but if the G4 receiver broke, the G4 transmitter and phone would not be able to communicate. There may be a way to connect it with some sort of hardware device like a RileyLink, but I’m not sure these are easily available or whether you’d have to build your own.
2 Likes
Oh, thanks for the clarification!
Bluetooth compatibility is the reason why the G5 transmitters begin to degrade while they are boxed, but not the G4.
1 Like
As a side-note, on a call with Dex support I heard about the impeding phase-out of everything but G6 and above.
No timeline, but it’s in the works now.
3 Likes
Did you mean the G5 transmitter (battery) degrades, not G5 sensors. The G4 and G5 use same sensors.
The G4 transmitter, when boxed, has additional packing that somehow helps reduce battery loss before use. This is main reason I stayed with G4 transmitter and often got 9-12 months per transmitter.
2 Likes
Yes, transmitter. (I’ve edited.) But the battery loss on the G5 is mostly because of it’s Bluetooth compatibility which is active.
2 Likes
“Active” is the reason. It’s not a matter of bluetooth vs the older radio in the G4. It’s that the G4 transmitter contained a magnetic switch, and the plastic transmitter holder in the box had a magnet that kept the transmitter completely turned off until it was removed from the box. The G5 and G6 do not have this feature, they start running down the battery as soon as they are manufactured. Dexcom thinks that’s not a problem because they theoretically can only be used for 3 months anyway.
2 Likes
They changed that. You are allowed to use the phone app almost all the time. The restriction now is that you have to use the receiver some of the time. They were persuaded that other durable medical equipment isn’t required to be used continuously or exclusively to be covered, and there’s no justification for applying that exceptional rule to the CGM receiver. Since they don’t state any lower limit, if you just use the receiver occasionally, such as when performing a sensor restart, that’s enough for medicare coverage.
3 Likes
Thanks, had been explained to me before that it was due to blue tooth pulses. Key item, I guess, is that G5 and G6 transmitters do begin to degrade before you insert them
3 Likes
Thank you, @Jen, @Eric, @RCA221, @MM2, and @bkh! You have made clear to me the information that has been very nebulous to me in the past. 
I am truly grateful. 
You have also made clear why the G4 better suits my needs. So I’m sorry to hear that it will go away in the future. Hopefully not too quickly.
The people on this forum are impressive with all they know. And I love how everyone’s contribution worked together to give the most comprehensive answer.
4 Likes