Note: editing this post as I was angry when I initially wrote it.
Let me tell you 2 failed sensors in one day has put me over the edge. I’m very sick of submitting replacement forms. G6 was 1000% better than G7.
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I have had better luck with the G7 than the G6. The G6 would routinely begin failing on day 7 of 10. The G7 sometimes loses data and reconnects in 30 minutes starting on day 9 or 10. I have had 2 sensors fail on day 10. The last was this morning.
I put a new sensor in lot # 1824091003 Ser # 312063867457. It would not pair with pump or all. I checked my Bluetooth setting on my iPhone and it wasn’t syncing, so could not pair. I reported this to Dexcom and suscefully started and new sensor.
It would be helpful if you told us just how your sensors are failing.
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My experience with the G7 has been the opposite. In the 1-1/2 years of using it I have had two go wonky. By that I mean erratic readings that would not improve after calibrating. When I have a loss of signal I reboot the phone, and that always works. I tried the guardian 4, and 3/4 sensors stopped working after a few days.
Mike
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Yesterday, first failure it wouldn’t pair to my phone or tandemn pump. After trying to pair for some time both the phone and pump return an error message. I was not 20 feet close to another active dexcom sensor. So I know it isn’t a phone issue since it wouldn’t pair with the pump either. 4th time Ive had that issue. Based on a reddit post people suspect it has to do with the magnet in the inserter not triggering the sensor to start. I played with the magnet but couldn’t get the sensor to start.
The second failure the sensor paired with both pump and tandemn, but the sensor failed after 2 hours. I gave up and was angry and went to bed without a sensor.
My third sensor worked.
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Glad it works for you.
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This would not be a phone issue if it’s like my failure. Did you check your Bluetooth connection? I always write down the old sensor Bluetooth so I can delete it after the new one syncs to Bluetooth.
My guess is this is a dead battery, first rule of troubleshooting- is there power. If not that the transmitter is dead.
Or the unit is not connecting to the battery on insertion.
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I don’t think it was bluetooth issue because my pump was having the same issue. Tandem pump connects to the sensor not to my phone to get BG readings.
Could be the battery, but that would mean Dexcom is sending out sensors with batteries with experations less than the experation date of the sensors.
I personally believe it is a mechanical issue with the inserter and how it turns on the sensor.
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Your pump connects to the sensor with Bluetooth so if the sensor is not transmitting Bluetooth there will be no connection to the phone or pump. This is exactly what I had this morning.
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Sorry, I missunderstood. Yes, if the sensor isn’t communicating correctly through bluetooth that would be a problem.
How do you know it is a bluetooth issue vs a battery issue or as I’m suggesting the sensor isn’t being activated when inserting?
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maybe the next batch will be better
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I started the g7 in 5/23, and discovered that I had many issues if I didn’t put the old ones in a radio frequency blocking bag (faraday bag?) I guess you could use a microwave temporarily(similar to restarting g6), I also always edit or rename my sensors with the 4 digit code at the end and unpair/forget the old ones. these tricks seem to help, and I have noticed placement is very important…seems like non muscular area or bloody failed sensors…and solely use xdrip latest nightly versions, although there are a few odd settings you have to modify for the g7…
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I don’t know, just my guesses as a former troubleshooter of electronics. 1st is there power and gg from there.
It could be the switch that connects the battery to activate, the battery could be dead, both could be okay but the Bluetooth circuitry could be faulty.
No way to actual know. I’m sure the engineers at Dexcom know but they will never be talk to us users. The people you get on the phone really don’t know.
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Thanks to all for sharing the issues you’ve reported here on FUD, it helps understand what has and hasn’t worked for people on G7; also thanks to those that have had good results!
While I know it takes time and the results may not be direct, I ask everyone that has issues to report every instance of actual failure, prolonged outage, or relatively unique situations to the FDA Medeical Device Reporting System (check out Medical Device Reporting (MDR): How to Report Medical Device Problems | FDA and MedWatch Online Voluntary Reporting Form). It’s easier to do if you put a quick link to the form on your browser.
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Feel free to vent. It helps sometimes!
There are definitely certain things that tick me off.
One of the frustrating things about dealing with healthcare companies is the irony when you feel that they don’t actually care. It feels like they are “health-don’t-care” companies instead.
And the frustration of the checkbox mentality when you call. I am sure you had to go through this when you called.
Did you take any products that contain acetaminophen?
Yes, you figured it out, genius! I drank an acetaminophen milkshake after my acetaminophen sandwich. That must be why the sensor failed!
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I am flabbergasted! After having problems with almost each and every Dexcom7 for my first 18 months, I am now having none. Nothing changed on my end. Maybe on the production end
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@LADALady You’ve been on it far longer than I have and may know this already, but I’ve learned Dexcom is now on about Revision 12 of the G7 (don’t know if there’s a 13…anyone superstitious?) and has multiple manufacturers around the world. So it may pay to watch the Rev #s (listed on one of the green flaps of each box) as well as to any markings indicating manufacture location. I read a post from one guy that his boxes marked “Made in Malaysia” were the most trouble free; the boxes I receive don’t an obvious manufacturer location, though it may be hidden (like the S/N) in one of the line numbers on the package. It would be good if the FDA or authority required common information markings like S/N, manufacture location, etc., and then enforced it.
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@TomH My out of box failures with no Bluetooth are Rev 006 made in Malaysia, so is the current one that is working OK.
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I hope you are right. I’m slogging my way through my stock now. I hope it gets better.
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Well this gets confusing. I have been watching the serial numbers on the green tab of the box but the vast improvement happened whilst on 009’s. Even more confusing is that there is another Rev number on the box Rev 004!
I just checked and my new batch is 006 (going backwards?) and again there is Rev 4 on another part of this box. Hard to understand.
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forgot to say, no sign of manufacturer location. Just Dexcom San Diego address on the box
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