# Is this what a slowly failing sensor looks like? **URL:** \ **Category:** C/GM\ **Tags:** dexcom\ **Created:** [March 29, 2023, 6:28pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-this-what-a-slowly-failing-sensor-looks-like/13725 "2023-03-29T18:28:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CarlosLuis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/carlosluis/32/11389_2.png) [@CarlosLuis](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/CarlosLuis)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 12:19am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-this-what-a-slowly-failing-sensor-looks-like/13725/22 "2023-09-27T00:19:46Z")
> [@TomH](#): > > “ahhh, you see that’s the problem, its not made for the arm, it will only work accurately on the stomach.” I had much worse results on the abdomen, failing every time and earlier. I get better results on the triceps, not perfect but better. I always lie when reporting, “It’s on the abdomen.” ---
**Author:** ![JessicaD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6f9a4e/32.png) [@JessicaD](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/JessicaD)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 1:40am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-this-what-a-slowly-failing-sensor-looks-like/13725/23 "2023-09-27T01:40:21Z")
@TomH @Trying @CarlosLuis this is funny – Dexcom guided me (without directly telling me – in kind of mafioso-speak) to “talk with my endo about other suitable locations to try placing sensors (like my upper arm)” when I had failure after failure after failure on my stomach. Maybe they are not specifically approved for anywhere but stomach in their filings, but they certainly recommend it over the phone and I’m interested to hear that it’s even on their website. I’m so sorry @TomH that you’re having these challenges. It is INFURIATING to be woken up with crazy alarms. Hoping you’re able to get to the bottom of it. (@CarlosLuis when I call in a sensor failure I do let them know it was on my arm, positioned in a spot that was sanctioned by my endo and they have never questioned it.) ---
**Author:** ![TomH](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/tomh/32/9063_2.png) [@TomH](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/TomH)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 1:14pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-this-what-a-slowly-failing-sensor-looks-like/13725/24 "2023-09-27T13:14:39Z")
@Trying I rotate sites around to different body parts. I’ve tried the thigh, abdomen, and upper arm. Thigh worked ok, but tends to be slower to absorb with more tendency to bleed; But I have 2 cats and using the thigh means no lap time for them (cats apparently block the signal, who knew…). The abdomen is fastest to absorb and provides a bit more “real estate” for the pods (larger than G6’s). The upper arm (left side only so far, I tend to sleep on my right side and placement is important to prevent compression lows). I move the location up, down, a bit forward and backward…to change the location a bit…it’s worked well the past couple of months. I tend to reserve the abdomen for my Dash pods, and rotate them to the inner-upper left arm and back of the left upper arm (yes, even with the G6 on the outside). It’s a habit I’ve developed trying to give areas a rest from being an infusion site for about a month between uses. I don’t care much if others can see either one, I’m fortunate to be retired and too old to care what others think, I gladly answer any questions as an opportunity to educate people on what we T1s deal with! “Math!!! Nobody told me there’d be math!!!” ---
**Author:** ![TomH](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/tomh/32/9063_2.png) [@TomH](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/TomH)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 1:21pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-this-what-a-slowly-failing-sensor-looks-like/13725/25 "2023-09-27T13:21:56Z")
@CarlosLuis It’s interesting how different body parts work for different people. I imagine it’s part “body make-up” (fat deposits, etc.), part exercise type driven (if any), even how/who educates us initially on “how to use” products. I’m sure its been done, but I haven’t read any studies that show the specific areas used for injections, pods, pumps, infusion sets, CGMs, etc….might make informative and educational reading if anyone has seen such! ---
**Author:** ![TomH](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/tomh/32/9063_2.png) [@TomH](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/TomH)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 1:38pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-this-what-a-slowly-failing-sensor-looks-like/13725/26 "2023-09-27T13:38:21Z")
@JessicaD Thanks for the comments…despite my “grumpiness,” if not depression, during the event, and, yes, there’s a lot of frustration (my wife can attest to the raised vocal levels) with the lack of knowledge by a few of Dexcom’s folks. But I find it both serious and comical that a guy would take the time to call, very seriously relate he’s been working with Dexcom products for 17 years (think I left that out before), and then try to peddle some “garbage” (being polite here, there might be children reading this…) that’s in direct conflict with Dexcom’s own advertisements and educational material. Takes a certain amount of “chutzpah” (had to look up that spelling!)….or brass cajones! (Hey kids, look up that last word, if you don’t know it already, and have your grandpa or great-grandpa explain the “brass” part!) ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/eric/32/9209_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 1:47pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-this-what-a-slowly-failing-sensor-looks-like/13725/27 "2023-09-27T13:47:33Z")
> [@TomH](#): > > the video below the quote shows an adult women inserting the sensor on their upper-left arm @TomH, I think I see the problem. You were using your _right_ arm. > [@TomH](#): > > “I’ll have to talk with the website people about this error!” ![200w](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/fudiabetes/original/2X/4/4ae44ce26e1bbc13f4a120eb6b810b73d3495db0.gif) ---
**Author:** ![ClaudnDaye](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/claudndaye/32/5_2.png) [@ClaudnDaye](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/ClaudnDaye)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 7:43pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-this-what-a-slowly-failing-sensor-looks-like/13725/28 "2023-09-27T19:43:58Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/zIYhVdSnBJg/hqdefault.jpg "Jim Carrey In Bad Karate Class") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIYhVdSnBJg) ---
**Author:** ![TomH](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/tomh/32/9063_2.png) [@TomH](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/TomH)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 11:45am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-this-what-a-slowly-failing-sensor-looks-like/13725/29 "2023-09-28T11:45:08Z")
@ClaudnDaye Never saw that one! ---
**Author:** ![bostrav59](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/bostrav59/32/7281_2.png) [@bostrav59](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/bostrav59)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 9:55pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-this-what-a-slowly-failing-sensor-looks-like/13725/30 "2023-10-31T21:55:28Z")
Here’s another example of a failing sensor - this is on day 14. You can see some blank spaces and some wobbliness as well. FYI ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/fudiabetes/original/2X/4/4997d7c4e32942054309b73bf0a8e7ac27bee0da.png) [Previous page](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-this-what-a-slowly-failing-sensor-looks-like/13725.md?page=1)