Fried G5 sensor?

Tips, Tech & Gear C/GM
1

I started a Dex G5 sensor last week and only got 2 days out of it before it went haywire and had to be replaced. Called Dexcom and they will replace it, even though it expired 2 months ago. (Long story…thanks Edgepark !!). I have a theory about this sensor that I wanted to throw out there and see if anybody else had a similar experience.

This sensor was my travel spare, carried it around in a hard case (so the tabs would not get broken off) for about 5 weeks while travelling. The other spare I used on this trip worked fine and was also expired but was not exposed to any serious heat. However, the last week of travel was in New Jersey during a heat wave in the 90’s. I was able to take care of my insulin but frankly I forgot about this spare sensor and left it in an overheated van several times. I was busy with other things and became oblivious to Dexcom’s warnings to not expose the spare sensors to excessive heat (the label on the packaging says 77 degrees F max).

This particular sensor hurt (kind of a dull ache like a nail was stuck in my arm) for about 1 day after I inserted it. When I pulled off the fried sensor, there was blood on the base and my arm had a faint bruise about 2 inches in diameter.

So the possible reasons the sensor failed are (1) sensor was expired; (2) insertion site hit something weird inside my arm causing blood and bruising or (3) sensor was baked while travelling. What does everybody think based on your experience?

2

I don’t use my arm, but whenever I hit a blood vessel I usually end up with wonky behavior. So I’d vote for the blood and bruising.

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3

I’ve used some that were over 1 year past expiration without any problems.

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4

I’m inclined to agree with vanc. According to rumor, age alone doesn’t particularly hurt a sensor (maybe the useful lifetime is shortened a little, but not to 2 days.) I haven’t seen an experimental result about the performance of a sensor after baking. I suppose it could degrade the enzyme, but I’m still inclined to go with the damaged tissue interfering with the CGM.

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5

I hope my stockpile of sensors due to expire next month performs flawlessly. Hoping to make it into 2019 before I have to restock.

I’m still concerned about the baking this sensor experienced and will be more cautious the rest of summer.

6

Well, my expired ones were not baked…

So you are breaking new ground there.

7

I vote for the heat because I have used expired sensors with no problem, and I also find that when I happen to hit a blood vessel that the sensor tends to be more accurate.

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8

I would vote for this:

When EH hits a blood vessel or a muscle it’s spotty at best and dies sooner. Our house gets pretty hot lately (indoors probably at 90° F), and we’ve yet to have an issue. But a car is much hotter.

I now feel like we’ve got another challenge. :wink: @Eric what do you think?

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9

I tried putting a sensor in a vein. It doesn’t work.

But I learned a new word when I did it - “hematoma”!

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10

I know you’re into veins and such, but really @Eric sensors are not for veins! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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