We have had a bad series. We get the 3 ??? within 12 to 24 hours of insertion. Dexcom tells me that this has nothing to do with lot numbers because each sensor is manufactured as a lot of one.
I am guessing that my son is getting to be even thinner than he was (in a growth period), and we are inserting into the muscle. One sensor was quite bloody, and other had traces of blood.
So, our next insertion, beyond pinching the superficial layer, we will also tilt the sensor inserter to try and get a more shallow insertion.
Put it on the upper buttocks? Lots of fatty tissue there.
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@Michel That’s a real bummer 
About a year ago I had three in a row immediate failures due to the dreaded blood poisoning. I’m sure I have significantly more fat than @Kaelan, but I still managed to hit blood vessels.
I started to ice the insertion site for about 30 seconds prior to inserting the sensor and haven’t had a problem since. Except the current sensor I’m using I didn’t ice the site and I got some blood. I was able to wick it out with a qtip and the sensor is on on day 8 and very accurate.
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Doc, two quick clarification questions:
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Do you use SkinTac? If so, how does the ice do w the adhesive? Do you dry?
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When you wick, do you mean you take the transmitter out and wick the blood in the sensor well?
@Michel No, I’ve never used skintac, or any other adhesive. I generally never go beyond 10-12 days. But, yes, I alcohol wipe and dry immediately before insertion.
When I wick the blood, I gently lift the contact pad and place the qtip under it, and then gently put it back down. Then I wick the area just to the end of the contact pad through a very small opening in the plastic housing for about 30 seconds until the bleeding has stopped.
I’ve actually never tried to take the transmitter off the sensor while attached to me. The bleeding always occurs on me immediately after the sensor had been inserted.
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