@docslotnick
@Nickyghaleb
Here’s a dumb question from a newbie to CGM. I started my first transmitter 8/22. My transmitter is supposed to “be up” 11/22. That’s the 90 days it’s supposed to last. Will it stop working on 11/22 like the sensors do? And I’m due to start a new sensor (or restart my current sensor) on 11/19. How do I do this? Put on a new sensor and 2 days later have to put on another new sensor with the new transmitter? I’m confused about this.
I believe it will actually work until 112 days, similar to G5, but have not heard confirmation that G6 works the same.
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I believe it does work the same way. I’ve messed with it some and can confirm at least that 112 days is the duration of you time starting the last sensor correctly.
I think.
@Jan, I’ll share what I know but hope someone will chime in if anything needs to be corrected. If your transmitter is due to end on the 22nd, you won’t be able to start/restart a sensor on the 19th. Have you received any messages warning you that time’s almost up? Also, do you have the date you started it? I can share some information with you about how to get as close to the 112 days as possible if you’d like, which I can do in PM or in the other group, but for now, it would be helpful to try to find out what date you started.
As far as having to swap out a brand new sensor because of a transmitter change, someone in the other group tried just restarting their current sensor once the new transmitter was in. They reported success with it, so I’m guessing that’s always a possibility. I can’t vouch for it though as I haven’t had the chance to do it myself. The way I see it though is if I know I’m going to lose the sensor anyway, I see no harm in going for the restart. Nothing to lose. 
@Nickyghaleb
The transmitter was originally activated on 8/22. Yes, I got a warning a couple of days ago that said the transmitter would end within the next 2 weeks. I don’t remember the exact wording.
I take pictures of these things, so I’ll go back and see if they’re of any help. Be back in a little bit hopefully with some info…
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Nicky, have you noticed the 8G transmitter not going the entire 90 days? My last one didn’t last a week after I got the 3 week notice of expiration.
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Jumping in. (Sorry @Nicky - lol).
If the transmitter fails prior to hitting the 90 days then it may be under warranty (depending on how long it sat on your shelf prior to first use) and able to be replaced by Dexcom. The wording of the warranty is actually different in the USA vs outside the USA.
This is the USA version of the G6 transmitter warranty:
Dexcom, Inc. (“Dexcom”) provides a limited warranty to the original purchaser (“you” or “Purchaser”) that the Dexcom G6 transmitter (the “transmitter”) is free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use (“Limited Warranty”) for the period commencing on the date of first use by the original purchaser (the “Date of First Use”) and expiring three (3) months thereafter; provided, that, the Date of First use occurs within five (5) months of the date of shipment (or disbursement) of the transmitter to you (“Warranty Period”).
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Thanks Thomas. I get a two pack of transmitters every 90 days. It was no big deal, just surprising it didn’t last until the programmed death date.
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I would suggest that you start a new session on Nov 20th and then another new session on Nov 30th. That should enable you to almost maximize the transmitter lifetime (not taking into account 3rd party transmitter resets) of the 112 days. I usually target 110 days to give myself a little cushion in terms of how the dates are counted.
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That is surprising. Typically the G6 transmitters are shipped one every 90 days or two every 180 days. You definitely are in an unusual situation in terms of the transmitters.
We previously would get a two-pack of G6 transmitters every 180 days from DME supplier. We have switched to pharmacy for Dexcom supplies and now get one G6 transmitter every 90 days.
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It’s always been like this with Dexcom. For a while this year they were sending a 90 day supply every month. I finally got that sorted out. I don’t call Dexcom unless I absolutely have to now. The experience is never pleasant and seems to take three times as long as it should. I can’t get the supplies from a distributor, only directly from the manufacturer. I have no issues with Tandem, just Dexcom.
That is a riot.
That was my motivation to switch over to pharmacy for the Dexcom supplies.
I wish I could use CCS or pharmacy but Kaiser forces me to get my supplies directly from Dexcom and Tandem. Before Dex/Tandem I had to get my supplies directly from Medtronic. Dexcom has been the worst experience out of all of them.
@Thomas
Thanks for your help.
If I start a new session (sensor) on the 20th, I’ll have a day (the 19th) without a sensor as the current sensor ends on the 19th. I’m thinking I’ll try to restart the current sensor on the 19th when it expires, and see if it will run to the 30th or as close to that as I can get, when I’ll start a new sensor and new transmitter. Does that make sense to you?
My main concern was did the transmitter end at 90 days, and from the answers I’ve gotten, it doesn’t, so I have those extra days to work in another session or two. Thanks so much, your info was really helpful.
@Jan - The transmitter will go to 112 days when counted to the hour. But in order to reach that you have to be sure all your date calculations are proper to the hour. So I just try and hit 110 days and then do not have to worry about being off a few hours.
I am a little sketchy on the exact rules as we only get to try this once per transmitter and if we get it wrong we can not try again until the next transmitter. But I am fairly sure the rules to hit 112 days have changed slightly from the G5 to the G6 (other than the obvious 10 day sensor life vs 7 day sensor life).
What I think are the rules (assuming 110 days to avoid calculation issues) is the LAST session must be started no later than day #100 AS WELL AS the SECOND TO LAST session must be started no later than day #90.
You can go earlier but not later. Later (by a day) if you want to push for 112 days instead of 100 days.
So anyhow. In your situation if you start a new session on Nov 19th (and run a full 10-day session) then you should be able to start another new session on Nov 29th which would then get you to Dec 9th for a total transmitter life of 109 days.
Barring any 3rd party reset apps, the transmitter would not allow you to then start a new session.
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@Thomas
Thanks, that makes perfect sense. 
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So I was way off in my answer… but how? It’s because her transmitter was due to expire on the 22nd, which was actually day 90, right? Meaning the 19th should still be fine for a restart?
Thank you, @Thomas, for fixing my very bad information. 
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I haven’t had anything of the sort happen, @Jason99. That’s pretty crazy. Did you happen to call for an explanation?
Not at all. Thank you for bringing all the good info. 
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I have the G6 and my feeling is that once the transmitter hits the 90 day mark, it won’t let me use it for the next sensor, but doesn’t stop the current sensor from working. It also gives me plenty of warning. (I haven’t counted the days or anything.)
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Right. The transmitter does not actually expire in 90 days but rather the warranty runs out in 90 days. Dexcom gives a three week grace period so as to allow the transmitter to possibly run for a max of 112 days although to hit that depends on when the last two sessions are started.
The grace period is not warrantied so if the battery really does run out after 90 days but prior to 112 days then it is not covered under the warranty.
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