I went to replace my sensor last month and had the strangest thing happen. The applicator would NOT release once I pushed the button and the sensor was supposedly embedded in my abdomen. So I am sitting on my bed, trying to wiggle this thing to get it off, knowing that it is too late to call Dexcom so I finally just stand up, and think, well, I will just leave it in place until tomorrow morning and call them… Well, no. There is no way I will sleep with this thing hanging on my belly. LOLOL Of course my boyfriend walks in, looks at me, has a WTH expression but says nothing and walks out…LOLOL SO I decide to take it off. Now mind you, I have prepped my skin with alcohol, skin tac, and then stuck this thing on my belly. It took my hide off… ANYWAY. I call Dexcom the next morning. I am pissed. I tell them what happened and that apparently the dang needle was partially still in my abdomen the whole time I am trying to wiggle this thing off… Anyway she apologizes and will send me a replacement and a kit to send the defective one back. Fast forward a few days. I receive FOUR replacement sensors and two return kits. I pack up the defective thingy but there is no return label! SO I call Dexcom the next day and ask them for a return label. They send me TWO MORE KITS but neither one has a return label…LOLOLOL I have boxes and crap all over my living room and cannot get through to them ( I hang up after 5 min on hold, no one has time for that crap…LOLOL) Anyway, between the look on my boyfriend’s face and the huge boxes from Dexcom and no return labels we have been laughing a lot at my house. Does anyone need any Fed Ex envelopes?? LOL
Most of the time, incompetence is a nuisance to customers, but this time it seems an advantage. 
No need for your supplies, but great story! Love your attitude when Dex throws you lemons. Also, if that happens again, there is one thing you can try. Some report success by smacking the applicator with a wooden spoon a few times on the side.
I will and I will also have my daughter video that maneuver…LOLOL I hope it does not ever happen again though… WOW that skin tac works really really well…LOL
We don’t use it anymore unless my son is going swimming a lot. Otherwise an overpatch seems to be enough to keep it on for the required 10 days. Skin-Tac is amazingly sticky stuff.
Same thing happened to me recently. I only got two replacement sensors. I was apparently also supposed to send back the sensor; but they didn’t include a label. I should’ve called again, maybe I would’ve gotten more sensors.
Hasn’t happened to me (yet), but have seen this as possible fix.
I have heard 2 issues. One where needle doesn’t retract, and another where needle retracts, but inserter won’t come off.
Or others mention giving the inserter a whack !
Welcome @drphil, glad you started posting. Hope to see you around the boards.
I’ve only had the applicator malfunction twice (both times in the last 3 months). The first time I whacked it with a wooden spoon and it released (but it wasn’t accurate so by day 3 called in a replacement). The second one never released.