DexCom... i want it so bad. [Archive] - Children with Diabetes Forums

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:26 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; 1ST DAY ISSUES ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;

My experience has been that my first 12 hours or so with a new sensor aren't that good, but it settles in well after that. I'm just starting day 4 on my currrent sensor.

Jack put in his 3rd sensor on Saturday. Two hours later he calibrated it (one finger stick from each hand), and started getting readings. But a short while later, he said that he felt low. The Dex showed 146. A finger stick showed 46 - ouch. The rest of the evening didn't fare much better, with huge discrepancies between The Dex and Jack's meter. We have a couple of hypotheses for this: (1) It takes a while after a new sensor is inserted for the readings to stabilize. Jack's heard that it sometimes takes a sensor a day to get the most accurate readings. (2) His BG was wildly fluctuating (most plummeting down) during the period after the calibration. But increased finger sticks & inputting that data into The Dex drastically improved readings.

The first day, they are not particularly accurate, but they are extremely accurate after that.

We usually insert the sensor right before bed (around 8 pm) and then I do the two blood drops for calibration at 10 pm after he is asleep.

On the first night of a sensor, it seems to help if I do at least two more calibrations, one in the middle of the night and one right before I wake him up.

I do calibrate any time I take a reading and his numbers seem steady.

After having the Dexcom, I now know the optimal times to calibrate (when bs is not changing quickly).

The 1st day, the sensor was little off until I put in a few calibration readings from my OneTouch Ultra.

They say the accuracy of the device will improve with the more fingersticks you feed it

One thing that helps accuracy is to do a bunch of finger stick tests early on and callibrate every single one.

I do find the first day of the DexCom usually is its worst - sometimes I just give up and restart it the next day if it's still off. But I wore my last one for 12 days and for the most part it was within 5 points of a fingerstick except on day 1.

I get through the first day with a new sensor by doing some extra calibration and expecting the unit to be off somewhat. On the second day, I do a restart - that way you lose all the noisy values and bad calibration of the first day, and can start fresh. After that, it is usually smooth sailing for somewhere from four to ten days.

I used the hip area, aka: upper butt cheek ;-), for my last sensor insertion. Got the usual "out-of-wack" sensor results the 1st 24hrs, but since then I've gotten the best results of any sensor to date...and the sensor's still in on day 9+!

The first day, they are not particularly accurate, but they are extremely accurate after that.

It takes a while after a new sensor is inserted for the readings to stabilize. Jack's heard that it sometimes takes a sensor a day to get the most accurate readings.

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:27 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; DONT LAY ON THE SENSOR ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
I had my sensor inserted into the side of my abdomen (ie. love handle). If I would lay on the side with the sensor, I would get a false low reading. This

happened once on the couch and when I turned the other way, the readings went back to normal. Last night it happened again and I got a low glucose alarm

with a reading of around 50. When I checked my bloodsugar, it was actually 140.

We just put one on our son yesterday in his upper outer butt cheek. This is new territory in that we have not used this area for infusion site for almost 3

years. It’s been working well. This morning DexCom said 121, fingerstick said 118. (DexCom,Fingerstick): (297,311), (102,108), (175,160), (298,173),

(121,118). I believe the 298/173 was due to Anthony laying on the sensor as you pointed out. Within an hour, DexCom was back on track without any

calibration needed.

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:28 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; BATTERY ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
the transmitter has to be replaced every 6-12 months because of battery life, and that's a $250 replacement. Then the receiver has to be replaced every 12-

18 months for the same reason

Dexcom Receiver estimated lifespan is only 12 months, and it costs $550. It's rechargeable, but the rechargeable batteries wear out.

You can improve your battery life, VERY DRAMATICALLY, by keeping the battery ABOVE 80% charge state all the time. That's just the way these rechargeable

batteries work-- if you run them down too far, they'll die a lot faster. So, if you see the "battery needs charging indicator" on the Dexcom, you should

plug it in IMMEDIATELY.

Dexcom has told me that the batteries can't be over-charged. (I assume that either the charger module, or a circuit within the Receiver, checks for the

output voltage of the batteries and stops pushing in the DC when the batteries have reached "full" voltage--- just like your NiMH or NiCad charger turning

on its green "fully charged" indicator). So, the best thing to do is to plug it in for an hour or so every day-- and if you get a lot of alarms, which use a

lot of "juice", leave it plugged in for even longer. Don't even wait for the "needs charging" indicator to appear.

My DexCom rep told me initially that her batteries lasted five days between charges, but my batteries seem to last a paltry day-and-a-half, MAX. Seems like

I'm charging it too much.

DexCom needs to be recharged every 3-4 days.

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:29 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; FACTS (WHY IT HASNT WON THE HEARTS EVEN FASTER) ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;

Yes, it is a buggy, first generation product and it takes a lot of work. It is sometimes inaccurate, as are blood testers

While the more negative writers are correct that the Dexcom is far from perfect, the information that it provides is incredibly useful.

for gadget geeks and those who can deal with the bleeding edge (meaning great new features, but some hiccups that are still being worked out), the Dexcom

Continuous Glucose Monitor is the only option right now. ...It is far from a perfect product, but it is way better than the others on the market (more

accurate as well as cheaper).

While the more negative writers are correct that the Dexcom is far from perfect, the information that it provides is incredibly useful.

As the US Marines are taught, "don't let the great be the enemy of the good." I would say that the negative views regarding the Dexcom on this board are

people seeking product greatness rather than benefiting from a product that is a quantum leap ahead of prior treatment options. It could also be that their

diabetes is not as brittle as mine, so the benefit is not as great.

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:30 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; ACCURACY ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
W/r/t accuracy, the trends are very accurate, and I already have a finger stick for accurate point in time measures when I need them.
My more specific observation regarding the device's accuracy is that it is not randomly inaccurate. Generally, it is either accurate for a period of time,

say 12 or 24 hours, or it is very inaccurate for that period of time, jumping around. It seems to have to do with the placement of the sensor, and whether

it has been knocked around once on my body. When I get it in smoothly and don't disturb the placement, I get very accurate readings....really surprisingly

accurate readings in fact. After twelve hours, I have done finger stick tests and found that the two meters were 3 or 5 units apart. There are other times,

when it is quite a bit off for a period, and sometimes it seems to "settle down". Again, I can only attribute this to a fortuitous change in the way the

sensor filament is placed within me. Just a guess.

On accuracy: Some of the accuracy differences are explained by the blood/interstitial fluid differences, but the Dex is also prone to inaccuracies, so you

do need to watch it. The first month I had the Dex, I logged my OneTouch values against my Dex values for a couple of hundred measurements. Generally, they

were within 20%, but sometimes not. Out of that month, I had 3 values that were so different that I would have taken the wrong action had I not questioned

the value. The good news is that you can usually tell by looking at the trend when you have unreliable values.

Even when it is off and we have to recalibrate, the trends are. still right so we know if his blood sugar is rising, falling, or staying steady. Today it

was off about 30 points but the trends matched up with the readings from the OneTouch.

I've found Dexcom's readings to be accurate most of the time, but not when my glucose values are changing rapidly, during exercise for instance

If it gets off, calibration helps get back within 30 points. when its calibrated, the readings are anywhere from 2 to 30 points different than the one

touch, but the trends always seem to be right on.

When I'm on the higher end, it can be up to 100 points off. When I'm between 80 and 200, it's pretty close (20 points either way -- which the research MD

Said was true of most meters).

Despite gaps between the CGM and traditional meter, the DexCom still gives me the line, which means a lot. I'm constantly reminded that no matter what

number I get with a fingerstick, I never have any idea which direction I'm going.

For me, it's been more accurate, more durable and much more usefull than I expected.

My results are so good that I've basically given up on finger-stick tests, and hardly ever do a "confirmation check" when the Dexcom makes a buzz. It's

ALWAYS been a correct indicator, except for once when I got it wet.

The first day, they are not particularly accurate, but they are extremely accurate after that.

Even when it is off and we have to recalibrate, the trends are. still right so we know if his blood sugar is rising, falling, or staying steady. Today it

was off about 30 points but the trends matched up with the readings from the OneTouch.

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:30 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; CALIBRATING ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
Mistakes I've made:
-calibrating when not stable
-failing to take a confirmation fingerstick test

We have only had 1 false alarm at night, and after I recalibrated, it was spot on again.

to not calibrate right after a meal or shot or something,

The rep from Dexcom had said not to calibrate during fluctuations in your sugars because the dexcom would sense a problem and temporarily shut down

monitoring altogether.

We usually insert the sensor right before bed (around 8 pm) and then I do the two blood drops for calibration at 10 pm after he is asleep.

On the first night of a sensor, it seems to help if I do at least two more calibrations, one in the middle of the night and one right before I wake him up.

I do calibrate any time I take a reading and his numbers seem steady.

After having the Dexcom, I now know the optimal times to calibrate (when bs is not changing quickly).

- Calibration every 12 hours has to be done a certain way, or it wont calibrate properly (also time change gave us a problem). Would be nice for the

receiver and the BG meter to talk wireless or be less "sensitive". Also, the use of a non-proprietary meter with the device would be nice (not just One

Touch)

Calibration Must calibrate with One Touch Ultra -- cannot be entered manually. Calibrate every 12 hours,

They say the accuracy of the device will improve with the more fingersticks you feed it

One thing that helps accuracy is to do a bunch of finger stick tests early on and callibrate every single one.

to not calibrate right after a meal or shot or something,

The rep from Dexcom had said not to calibrate during fluctuations in your sugars because the dexcom would sense a problem and temporarily shut down

monitoring altogether.

Dexcom, however has to learn each meter that it connects to, and that it uses as much data as you want to give it in it's algorithm to get good agreement

between the Dexcom and the meter.

increased finger sticks & inputting that data into The Dex drastically improved readings.

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:31 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; COST ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
For me, the cost of my Dex is going to be about $2000 a year (I'm getting 7-10 days per sensor, despite running and biking in 100 degree heat, and my

OneTouch strips are paid for by insurance.) If I were paying full price for either 10 strips a day, or 3-4 per day plus Dex, I think I'd break even.

Believe it or not, our monthly expenses have decreased since Jack's been on The Dex. He was able to use his first sensor for 6 days (the insertion site hurt

by then) and his second for 10 days (probably could have gone longer, but the tape holding the sensor came off). Even if we had bought the system at full

price, we would have recouped the money in about 4 months. So all in all, a savings!
The Dex (not including transmitter/receiver):
- $35/sensor, 1 sensor/8 days (average) = $131.25/30 days
- $0.90/strip, 2 strips/day = $54.00/30 days
- Total for 30 days: $185.25
Without The Dex:
- $0.90/strips,14 strips/day = $378/30 days
- Total for 30 days: $378

On cost: the Dex starter kit is $500, which includes 3 sensors. The FDA approves the sensors for 3 days, but most users use them longer. I use mine for 7-10

days, running and swimming in the Alabama summer heat, with no problem. The sensors are $35 each. I've gone from using 6-10 strips a day to using 2-3. If I

were paying for it all out of pocket (I'm not, insurance covers strips but not Dex) I would about break even. As it is, it's going to cost me $1,000 - $2000

a year.

Many users, however are already using it longer, saving them money at the expense of accuracy.

The STS starter kit, which includes a receiver, a transmitter, two sensors and applicators, a carry case for the receiver, and a charger, lists for $800.

Additional sensors cost $35 each.

$800 for receiver, transmitter and 2 sensors. $175 per 5 sensors.

$500 plus $35/sensor

transmitter ($250 to replace) and 12 months for the receiver ($500 to replace)

Dexcom Receiver estimated lifespan is only 12 months, and it costs $550. It's rechargeable, but the rechargeable batteries wear out.

started June 5, ended June 22, just over SEVENTEEN DAYS! That's a Sensor cost of only $752 per year, barely $2 per day.

I have reduced by "traditional" bG testing from about 12x per day to about 5x per day, because I don't need it anymore. So, although Dexcom costs almost $5

per day, it saves $5.60 just on the strips (7 @ $.80 each). I have also been using Glucagons at the rate of 5-8 per year. My crappy insurance only pays for

one, the rest cost real money. That's another $300-500 per year (Canadian import pricing).

Dexcom does have spectacular Sensor life, at least for me: I almost always get 17-19 days from each "72-hour" Sensor. So the cost for Sensors is very low.

You'll see that the cost doesn't have to be almost $5000 per year-- I'm expecting to spend about $1700, because I don't have to replace the $35 "Sensor"

every 72 hours. I get about 18-19 DAYS from each one.

With Dexcom, you do the 3 clicks, hold for 7 seconds, confirm "OK" New Sensor procedure, and it happily uses the same one for the next 72 hours.
I get about 18 days per Sensor (Dexcom). I don't know of anyone else who gets so long, most seem to be running in the range of 6-12 days with both brands.

The Minimed "record holder", Nikos from Greece, gets about 15 days with his. My Sensor cost is running at less than $700 per year, not the $4200 PER YEAR

which this woman thinks she will have to pay.

Anyway, took a chance this past weekend and didn't bring an extra sensor. The sensor lasted the whole long weekend in addition to a week before that, for a

total of 11 days inserted in my stomach. After removing the sensor, I saw only a tiny red bump, the same size and shape that I've seen after leaving the

sensor in for 3 days. There was only a very mild pink area where the adhesive was; very encouraging; averaging that sensor cost over 11 days, that's less

than $3.50 a day, very reasonable, at least for my pocketbook.

the charger costs $25, plus $5 for shipping

Item Annual Cost
DexCom STS Receiver $550
DexCom Transmitter, 2/yr$500
Sensors, 1/wk $1976
Shower Covers, 1/day $225
Total Annual Costs $3001

Three 100-count vials of test strips for the OneTouch meter (necessary for using the DexCom), purchased on eBay for an average of .57 cents each = $171

you can buy test strips for cheap(er) at places like Costco, eBay and supply websites like DiabetesMall.net without a prescription! So you don't have to

rely on your insurance to cough up coverage for more of these essential supplies.

On cost: the Dex starter kit is $500, which includes 3 sensors. The FDA approves the sensors for 3 days, but most users use them longer. I use mine for 7-10

days, running and swimming in the Alabama summer heat, with no problem. The sensors are $35 each. I've gone from using 6-10 strips a day to using 2-3. If I

were paying for it all out of pocket (I'm not, insurance covers strips but not Dex) I would about break even. As it is, it's going to cost me $1,000 - $2000

a year.

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:32 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; DESPITE FDA'S 18+, IT CAN ACTUALLY BE USED FOR KIDS ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
Doctors can prescribe the device/drug off-label and ours did.

They told me a prescription is all they need. Is not recommended for kids but if the doctor gives prescription they will sell it.

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:32 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; BAD SENSOR ISSUE ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
By 11pm that evening, he wasn't getting any readings at all. Nada for 3 hours. So he restarted his session and the calibration process (yeah, it woke me up

at 1am to demand those 2 finger sticks). Since then, it looks like it's been ok.

If it says the sensor is bad, leave the sensor in, and tell the pump you’ve just put in a new sensor. Nine times out of ten that works and the sensor

initializes happily and has no problems.

I also agree with the poster who said to just keep reinitiating sensors that seem to fail - they generally work after the 2 hour wait unless they've fallen

out.

If your sensor is acting really flaky, try restarting rather than just chasing the bad calibration with more fingersticks. If it doesn't work well after a

restart (and the requisite few new calibration points), and it's been in more than a day, then pull it and start a new one. If it's been less than three

days on that sensor, then call Dexcom and tell them to replace the sensor for free. We can put up with some flakiness, but there's a limit!

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:33 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; INSTANCES OF INACCURACY [REPORTS] ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
I've woken to find high mis-readings (ie: STS says 198, glucose test shows 92). Recalibration eventually brings the STS and glucose tests into alignment, but it may take a few hours. Also, it seems that these mis-readings usually happen overnight and during the 3rd day of use.

Yesterday it fritzed out on him again by showing him at 384 (yikes). He did a fingerstick to check and that came in at 38 (ouch).

I find that it is least accurate when I am already in the low area. So if I have a downward trend and drink some juice at, say, 90, the meter still might show me going hypo even though the hypo is avoided. I assume this is because of the device's trending software. The actual number provided by the number is based on a calculation of readings over the last five minutes, adjusted for some type of algorithm. The algorith seems to place a higher priority on the "trend" rather than than the spot metric.

- Sensor simply has not been very accurate for us, esp mid/high numbers. Also, once a low is detected (<90), Mia is usually way lower than indicated as her BGs tend to drop quickly.

Jack put in his 3rd sensor on Saturday. Two hours later he calibrated it (one finger stick from each hand), and started getting readings. But a short while later, he said that he felt low. The Dex showed 146. A finger stick showed 46 - ouch. The rest of the evening didn't fare much better, with huge discrepancies between The Dex and Jack's meter. We have a couple of hypotheses for this: (1) It takes a while after a new sensor is inserted for the readings to stabilize. Jack's heard that it sometimes takes a sensor a day to get the most accurate readings. (2) His BG was wildly fluctuating (most plummeting down) during the period after the calibration. But increased finger sticks & inputting that data into The Dex drastically improved readings.

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:35 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; INTERSTITIAL FLUID LAG TIME ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
On interstitial fluid: the Dex measures glucose in the interstitial fluid, not blood, which does lag (generally) blood glucose. There is a healthy debate in the medical community now as to which is more meaningful. Essentially, we're really interested in the glucose level within the cells, interstitial fluid is closer to the cells (which is why there's a variable lag, since cells pull in glucose as they need it), but blood glucose is more consistent.

On blood glucose vs interstitial fluid testing: This is going to be a interesting area for debate for a while to come. Blood glucose testing has been available to us for years, so we're used to thinking it's important. It's not. Blood is just the transport mechanism. What matters is glucose in the cells, particularly the brain cells (if you had a magic method to keep glucose in all your cells, you wouldn't care if your blood even had any glucose.) The blood dumps glucose into the interstitial fluid, and the cells pull it out of there as they see fit. That means they pull it out quickly when they've been starved (glucose rising) and slower when they're sated (falling). This causes the difference - and the variability - of interstitial fluid vs blood testing. Of course, it's also true that - for now, at least - blood testing is more reliable and has a lot longer history, so we have to treat the BG values as gospel. However, it's important to understand the difference, both in interpreting what the numbers you get from your CGM and blood tester , and in evalutating the accuracy of the devices.

This morning, we have found that the lag time between blood sugars and interstitial fluid numbers are about 15 minutes behind, which can be significant: Mia had Daddy's famous homemade whole-wheat pancakes which are known to cause an after-meal spike in Mia - we just didn't know how much!! Well, 1.5 hours into it, Mia sported a 300 on her Dexcom, which prompted me to test her finger. The result: 373. WOW. And this after starting the day off with a perfect 112!

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:36 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; KIDS ISSUES ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
Plus someone mentioned that with kids, you have to use a more acute insertion angle to get the sensor in the right layer of tissue. We tried this and it seemed to work.

the sensor is "hidden" in a plunger-like self-insertion device which looks scary at the beginning. The needle which deploys the sensor under the skin (45 degree angle, into interstitial fluid) is a 28 gauge fine needle that retracts after you are done. We are used to using numbing cream for new set insertion, so Mia felt it a little bit going in but it wasnt bad. Basically, you tape the new sensor onto the site (abdomen or buttock for us), away at least 3 inches from any current infusion set. The plunger is attached to the tape, so you deploy that at a 45 degree angle (or shallower for skinny kids) then you can snap the entire disposable plunger off, leaving you with a new sensor and a small space on top of the tape to clip in the transmitter (not disposable). Then, you are done, and after the 2 hour warm up period, your new BGs appear magically on the receiver :-)

We usually insert the sensor right before bed (around 8 pm) and then I do the two blood drops for calibration at 10 pm after he is asleep.

On the first night of a sensor, it seems to help if I do at least two more calibrations, one in the middle of the night and one right before I wake him up.

This morning, we have found that the lag time between blood sugars and interstitial fluid numbers are about 15 minutes behind, which can be significant: Mia had Daddy's famous homemade whole-wheat pancakes which are known to cause an after-meal spike in Mia - we just didn't know how much!! Well, 1.5 hours into it, Mia sported a 300 on her Dexcom, which prompted me to test her finger. The result: 373. WOW. And this after starting the day off with a perfect 112!

just yesterday, we talked to a member of the clinical research team at dexcom. he had a couple items of advice for us regarding use of the device in a small child...
1) insert sensor at more acute angle than 45 degrees, while pinching up. the idea being to keep the sensor in the subcutaneous tissue, away from the fascia layer surrounding muscle. he said if the sensor is touching the fascia, you will get tons of skips and erratic readings.
2) do sensor insertion in the morning, this will decrease skips and erratic readings. we don't understand at all his explanation of why this would be helpful. but he advised we do this.

They told me a prescription is all they need. Is not recommended for kids but if the doctor gives prescription they will sell it.

He had interference sleeping the first night but we now place a bandaid on the transmittor to keep it from popping off. We haven't had any trouble with noise while sleeping since then, and his sensor is more on the side.

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:37 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; LESS TESTS ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
I've gone from using 6-10 strips a day to using 2-3.

I have reduced by "traditional" bG testing from about 12x per day to about 5x per day, because I don't need it anymore.

For ME, Dexcom is so accurate that I've basically given up traditional testing: I only test when it demands a "calibration" measurement, or (once in a real long while) when I'm suspicious of the reading.

My results are so good that I've basically given up on finger-stick tests, and hardly ever do a "confirmation check" when the Dexcom makes a buzz. It's ALWAYS been a correct indicator, except for once when I got it wet.

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:39 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
;MANY DIFFERENT PARENTS TALK ABOUT IT, SO IT IS NOT ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ONE FOR A CHILD;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;

Same thing goes for CGMS. Doctors can prescribe the device/drug off-label and ours did.

We've had our 6 year old son on it for two weeks now. There are annoyances and it's not perfect, but I LOVE THIS THING!!! Being able to watch the trends and prevent lows has been the best thing to happen to us since diagnosis 1 year ago.

our son is 4. we put the dexcom on his buttock.

We just put one on our son yesterday in his upper outer butt cheek. This is new territory in that we have not used this area for infusion site for almost 3 years. It’s been working well. This morning DexCom said 121, fingerstick said 118. (DexCom,Fingerstick): (297,311), (102,108), (175,160), (298,173), (121,118). I believe the 298/173 was due to Anthony laying on the sensor as you pointed out. Within an hour, DexCom was back on track without any calibration needed.

Yesterday, we gave a correction when Anthony was 311 (and climbing). After playing around for a while (an hour?), I checked is “guy” (the DexCom) and it said 137. The 1-hour graph told me everything I needed to know. A few minutes later we did a fingerstick and we had the 102/108 paired reading. We gave him a snack and avoided a severe low. That makes it worth the effort.

It pinches a little at insertion but it doesn't bother him once its on. He has only worn it on the tummy so far and he is on MDI so we don't have to worry about staying away from old sites as pumpers do.

They told me a prescription is all they need. Is not recommended for kids but if the doctor gives prescription they will sell it.

I'm back to inserting the sensor near his belly button. We don't put infusion sets there, and he has a little cushion at that location. I pinch the skin just as I would when inserting a Silhouette in order to keep the sensor in the subcutaneous tissue.

We purchased one for our 5 year boy back in May.

I recently bought this STS system for my 6 year old Emma.

I have a friend who's daughter is on this and she loves it. She is able to go 6 days before changing her sensor with no problems.

My six year old son started the Dexcom last Friday and it has truly been life changing for us as well. The first sensor lasted 6 days with a few minor problems but this was the best money I have every spent!

It's a teeny tiny sensor in his belly and he showed no signs of site infection.

just yesterday, we talked to a member of the clinical research team at dexcom. he had a couple items of advice for us regarding use of the device in a small child... insert sensor at more acute angle than 45 degrees, while pinching up. the idea being to keep the sensor in the subcutaneous tissue, away from the fascia layer surrounding muscle. he said if the sensor is touching the fascia, you will get tons of skips and erratic readings.

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:40 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; MISC NOTES/TIPS/HINTS/HOW-TOS ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
We had interference sleeping the first night but we now place a bandaid on the transmittor to keep it from popping off. We haven't had any trouble with noise while sleeping since then, and his sensor is more on the side. Glad you found a solution also.

We usually insert the sensor right before bed (around 8 pm) and then I do the two blood drops for calibration at 10 pm after he is asleep.

On the first night of a sensor, it seems to help if I do at least two more calibrations, one in the middle of the night and one right before I wake him up.

I do calibrate any time I take a reading and his numbers seem steady.

After having the Dexcom, I now know the optimal times to calibrate (when bs is not changing quickly).

Use of acetaminophen-containing medications when the STS Sensor is inserted may affect the performance of the device.

I've found that the adhesive on the sensor pad can be a pain to remove. The pad peels off, but can leave a bit of sticky residue behind. I took the last sensor off by wetting the area with warm water, which helped a lot.

The minor problems have been shower patches give him a rash (trying a tegaderm patch tomorrow) and the transmitter popped off in bed (we now keep a bandaid on it so it won't get lost).

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:40 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; NEEDLE GAUGE, LENGHT AND PAIN FACTOR ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;

The sensor and transmitter were very comfortable to wear and weren't much bigger than a Comfort/Tender/Silhouette infusion set.

a tiny platinum electrode (about the size of a human hair) under the skin.

Length of sensor probe 13 mm

Gauge of sensor probe 25 (Both CWD and FDA say it's 25G)

It's a teeny tiny sensor in his belly and he showed no signs of site infection.

I felt a little poke at the insertion site, but it was relatively pain free. Next, I attached the transmitter on top of the sensor with a small breakaway lever. The sensor and transmitter were very comfortable to wear and weren't much bigger than a Comfort/Tender/Silhouette infusion set.

I ***PROMISE*** it's less painful than his current infusion set. Yeah, the gadget looks like a County Medical Examiner's most horrible tool... But the Sensor is, I guess, about 33 gauge: thinner than the thinnest needle you can buy, MUCH thinner than his infusion set.

the Dexcom Sensor is ABSOLUTELY painless

(and frankly, my Sensor is a lot less bother than my Infuser is)

It pinches a little at insertion but it doesn't bother him once its on. He has only worn it on the tummy so far and he is on MDI so we don't have to worry about staying away from old sites as pumpers do.

And I was really surprised- it didn't really hurt at all- much less than my insertion sets, in fact. What a HUGE relief :)

the sensor is "hidden" in a plunger-like self-insertion device which looks scary at the beginning. The needle which deploys the sensor under the skin (45 degree angle, into interstitial fluid) is a 28 gauge fine needle that retracts after you are done. We are used to using numbing cream for new set insertion, so Mia felt it a little bit going in but it wasnt bad.

The catheter is a tiny platinum wire half an inch long, and has the diameter of a human hair!

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:41 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; NOISY SITE ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
The graph looked like a random array of dots ranging from 120 to 250. I must have had a "noisy" site,

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:41 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; NOT ACCURATE WHEN FAST DROP/RAISE IN BG ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
Jack put in his 3rd sensor on Saturday. Two hours later he calibrated it (one finger stick from each hand), and started getting readings. But a short while later, he said that he felt low. The Dex showed 146. A finger stick showed 46 - ouch. The rest of the evening didn't fare much better, with huge discrepancies between The Dex and Jack's meter. We have a couple of hypotheses for this: (1) It takes a while after a new sensor is inserted for the readings to stabilize. Jack's heard that it sometimes takes a sensor a day to get the most accurate readings. (2) His BG was wildly fluctuating (most plummeting down) during the period after the calibration. But increased finger sticks & inputting that data into The Dex drastically improved readings.

I do calibrate any time I take a reading and his numbers seem steady.

After having the Dexcom, I now know the optimal times to calibrate (when bs is not changing quickly).

I've found Dexcom's readings to be accurate most of the time, but not when my glucose values are changing rapidly, during exercise for instance

So, even though the ISF numbers are 20 minutes old, the "trend" of the graph is spot on, nearly every time. (Except when you've just gobbled a big pile of sugar tabs: obviously, that 'leap' isn't predicted by the previous trend.)

this sensor has been right on target, except of course, for rapidly changing BGs.

Yeah the numbers don't match up exactly but they have been between 2 and 40 points different. It really is the direction and rate of change that are so helpful.

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:42 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; SENSOR LIFE EXTENSION ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;

I'm getting 7-10 days per sensor, despite running and biking in 100 degree heat

Now I average 17-18, very consistently. (Personal record is 20.)

You're correct in saying that the receiver will shut down in 3 days when it thinks the sensor has expired. You tell the receiver that you've put in a new sensor, without putting a new one in, recalibrate and roll on. Some folks use theirs for a couple of weeks this way, I usually change mine out after 7-10 days.

Many users, however are already using it longer, saving them money at the expense of accuracy.

...during my sixth day of wearing the same sensor

Dexcom seems to last even longer. I pushed my last one to 12 days, the numbers were as good on the 11th day as they were on the 2nd! (Morning of the 12th was about 20% off, so I replaced it).That means:
* 1/4 as much expense ($3 per day for sensors, instead of $12 per day as prescribed).
* Far less spares to carry around on trips.
* Much less site rotation required... I'm now planning on using basically FOUR places, because it's over a month and a half before I re-use a spot!
* Fewer stabbings, fewer re-orders.

I just last night replaced the Sensor which I'd been using since before the last post... started June 5, ended June 22, just over SEVENTEEN DAYS!
That's a Sensor cost of only $752 per year, barely $2 per day.
Unlike the previous "12-day" sensor, this one genuinely died... during the last few hours, it skipped several readings, and then just gave up the ghost. I intentionally ran it all the way into the ground.

When the 3-day timer is up, unclip the Transmitter from the Sensor... leave the Sensor right were it is, undisturbed. Wait a couple of minutes.
Then run the "New Sensor" procedure (get to the 9-hour screen, hold the down button for 7 seconds). When the "Transmitter Inserted, OK?" screen comes up, plug the transmitter right back into the same sensor and clip it down. Confirm "OK" and wait for the double-calibration indicator to come up (after about two hours).
3 more days Repeat as Directed (3x, 4x, whatever)
Understand, of course, that the FDA DOES NOT approve, and also that I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE for any problems which may develop if you use this device in unapproved ways.

You don't have to remove the Transmitter. Last time, after the 3 days expired I thought to myself, "If I leave the Receiver on the other side of the house, 3 walls and 40 feet away (out of range), how's it gonna know that I didn't pull the Sensor"?

Answer: It doesn't. I Left the Transmitter in, left the Receiver on the other side of the house for 10 minutes, ran the "new Sensor" Procedure, and it again gave me "3 more days".
Next time, I'm gonna try it without even moving the Receiver from my pocket. Maybe, as long as the current session is ended (72 hours has passed or you stopped it early on purpose), it'll accept the "new Sensor" right away?

Heck, you don't even have to take the Receiver out of range at all. When the "Sensor Session is Expired" timer goes off, just press the buttons for "new Sensor, OK?", and "OK!", and you're all done. 3 more days!
My last two Sensors worked for 17 and 19 days respectively. No skin irritation at all, just 1/6 as many little holes. And 1/6 as many $$$$.
Now starting day 11 on this one.

Dexcom does have spectacular Sensor life, at least for me: I almost always get 17-19 days from each "72-hour" Sensor. So the cost for Sensors is very low.

You'll see that the cost doesn't have to be almost $5000 per year-- I'm expecting to spend about $1700, because I don't have to replace the $35 "Sensor" every 72 hours. I get about 18-19 DAYS from each one.

With Dexcom, you do the 3 clicks, hold for 7 seconds, confirm "OK" New Sensor procedure, and it happily uses the same one for the next 72 hours.
I get about 18 days per Sensor (Dexcom). I don't know of anyone else who gets so long, most seem to be running in the range of 6-12 days with both brands. The Minimed "record holder", Nikos from Greece, gets about 15 days with his. My Sensor cost is running at less than $700 per year, not the $4200 PER YEAR which this woman thinks she will have to pay.

The "record holder" guy on Insulin Pumpers gets about 14 days on Minimed, I always get 18 or 19 on Dexcom. I seem to be the "record holder" for Dexcom, but some others also get more than two weeks, and most of the MM folk are down in the range of 7-10 days.)

Some adult users have been using them 6 days or more by leaving the sensor in and just telling the receiver you just installed a new one.

Anyway, took a chance this past weekend and didn't bring an extra sensor. The sensor lasted the whole long weekend in addition to a week before that, for a total of 11 days inserted in my stomach. After removing the sensor, I saw only a tiny red bump, the same size and shape that I've seen after leaving the sensor in for 3 days. There was only a very mild pink area where the adhesive was; very encouraging; averaging that sensor cost over 11 days, that's less than $3.50 a day, very reasonable, at least for my pocketbook.

I used the hip area, aka: upper butt cheek ;-), for my last sensor insertion. Got the usual "out-of-wack" sensor results the 1st 24hrs, but since then I've gotten the best results of any sensor to date...and the sensor's still in on day 9+!

You're correct in saying that the receiver will shut down in 3 days when it thinks the sensor has expired. You tell the receiver that you've put in a new sensor, without putting a new one in, recalibrate and roll on. Some folks use theirs for a couple of weeks this way, I usually change mine out after 7-10 days.

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:43 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; THE LONGER THE MORE ACCURATE! ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
It also seems to get smarter, the longer you leave the sensor in.

Like Caro, CGMS vs. blood glucose results are definitely correlating better the longer I keep the sensor in.

interestingly the accuracy actually seems to be its best on days 7+ of the sensor.

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:44 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; THE TREND ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
I can now TREAT THE TREND, instead of waiting for trouble.

TREATING THE TREND is the fundamental change which you can make when you have a CGM.

Despite gaps between the CGM and traditional meter, the DexCom still gives me the line, which means a lot. I'm constantly reminded that no matter what number I get with a fingerstick, I never have any idea which direction I'm going.

So, even though the ISF numbers are 20 minutes old, the "trend" of the graph is spot on, nearly every time. (Except when you've just gobbled a big pile of sugar tabs: obviously, that 'leap' isn't predicted by the previous trend.)

The ability to see a trend and act in advance is huge.

The 1-hour graph told me everything I needed to know. A few minutes later we did a fingerstick and we had the 102/108 paired reading. We gave him a snack and avoided a severe low. That makes it worth the effort.

"TREATING THE TREND is the fundamental change which you can make when you have a CGM.

Despite gaps between the CGM and traditional meter, the DexCom still gives me the line, which means a lot. I'm constantly reminded that no matter what number I get with a fingerstick, I never have any idea which direction I'm going.

It really is the direction and rate of change that are so helpful.

One of the most powerful benefits is seeing the trend. If you check your BG and see that it's 180, you don't know if that's 180 and constant, 180 and falling 5 points per minute (I've seen it do this), or rising 5 points per minute (this too). Without knowing the trend, 180 is a meaningless number. Knowing that your glucose has been rising, and appears to be topping out, is much more valueable than knowing the raw number.

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:44 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; USER SATISFACTION ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
“My experience has been fantastic,” Aaron told me recently. “Today I hit eight weeks of use. After only six weeks my A1C came down from 7.2 to 6.5, and I have no doubt that it can go even lower. The beauty of it is that it was so easy to get there.”

my A1C has gone from 7.5 - 8.0 to 6.5, my energy's up, and I can do things I could never do before.

I've had my Dex for 3 months now. IMHO, it is a buggy, first-gen product that takes a lot of work and is often inaccurate.
Having said that, I've only had two reactions in three months (as opposed to 1-2 per week). My A1C has gone from 7.5 to 6.5. I can do many things now that I could not do before. I would rather go back to 18th century bloodletting than try to treat my diabetes without my Dex. I've also found the cost to be much less than I expected.

I've had my Dex for a little over a month. For me, it's been a life-changing device. My average BS have gone from about 180 to 130. I can run for hours in the Alabama heat, and see what my BS is doing. I've learned more about what really affects my control in a month than I've learned in years of testing 10 times a day and reading everything I can get my hands on. This is clearly a first gen product, with a lot of room for improvement, but, even with the warts, this is the best thing to come along since home BS testing.

I WASN'T disappointed when my first Dexcom-using A1c came back almost .5 higher than the previous. And neither was my endo. We both recognized it for what it was: a huge reduction in catastrophic LOWS. Spending half the night below 40 mg/dL makes your A1c LOOK great, but it's not really a good thing at all.

I have seen numerous Cyborg comments about the Dexcom not being worth the money, and, as they say in the Senate, I would like to humbly disagree with my honored colleague.
I owned a Glucowatch and I used the Minimed CGMS. The Glucowatch was sometimes accurate, but HIGHLY sporadic. The CGMS didn't provide real time monitoring.
The Dexcom, on the other hand, has been lifechanging. I have had my Dex for four weeks, and I have had a small handful of hypo incidents, like two or three, and even those weren't bad. I used to have hypo incidents pretty well every day, and sometimes several times a day. When I see a steep downward trend, I know I have to take glucose...BEFORE I go hypo. In the past, I would find out with that wonderful hypoglycemic 20/20 hindsite.

Anyway, I have no doubt that my life is better today than before I had the Dex. Far fewer hyper and hypo incidents, and I am sure my HBA1Cs will come down.

Thank goodness because this thing is AWESOME!!

It has greatly improved my HBA1Cs and reduced hypoglycemic incidents to almost zero. It is far from a perfect product, but it is way better than the others on the market (more accurate as well as cheaper).

I have used all of the Dex's available competitors and i highly recommend this product.

I've had a Dexcom CGM for 3 months. For me, it's been a life-changing experience.

I can go for an hour run with my glucose at 120 and not worry about going unexpectedly low. I can sit through 3 hour meetings or 3 hour movies without worrying about my glucose.

I have had HBA1Cs as high as 9.5, and with the Dex and Symlin, I fully expect them to drop below 7.

This morning, we have found that the lag time between blood sugars and interstitial fluid numbers are about 15 minutes behind, which can be significant: Mia had Daddy's famous homemade whole-wheat pancakes which are known to cause an after-meal spike in Mia - we just didn't know how much!! Well, 1.5 hours into it, Mia sported a 300 on her Dexcom, which prompted me to test her finger. The result: 373. WOW. And this after starting the day off with a perfect 112!

Dexcom helped me discover a post breakfast BG spike.

This thing is amazing! It's like the switch from urine testing to blood testing...

Irom my readings, including Dexcom and One-Touch (calibrations and "just-checking" comparisons), I expect that my next A1c will probably be 6.3 or less.

Dexcom does have spectacular Sensor life, at least for me: I almost always get 17-19 days from each "72-hour" Sensor. So the cost for Sensors is very low.

Being able to watch the trends and prevent lows has been the best thing to happen to us since diagnosis 1 year ago.

Despite gaps between the CGM and traditional meter, the DexCom still gives me the line, which means a lot. I'm constantly reminded that no matter what number I get with a fingerstick, I never have any idea which direction I'm going.

My results are so good that I've basically given up on finger-stick tests, and hardly ever do a "confirmation check" when the Dexcom makes a buzz. It's ALWAYS been a correct indicator, except for once when I got it wet.

My six year old son started the Dexcom last Friday and it has truly been life changing for us as well. The first sensor lasted 6 days with a few minor problems but this was the best money I have every spent!

You will seriously regret ignoring your bgs if you do it for long!

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:45 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; WET SENSOR ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
As I've been told, Dex transmitter does NOT like to get wet!

After speaking with customer service, it turns out that getting it wet doesn't ruin the sensor, like I thought. You just have to let it dry out completely and then recalibrate.

- Sensor is very moisture sensitive and will skip the minute it gets wet/moist. Not great for use in Florida. Also, the shower patch is a pain in the butt to have to use every day. Mia hates tape removal of any sorts!

The sensor is not waterproof. For showering, they recommend covering the sensor with a "Shower Patch" (sold separately, $6 for 10 patches) which sounds like a large piece of IV3000. The patch shouldn't be worn for extended periods of time because the humidity/moisture will interfere with the sensor.

And you must absolutely NEVER let the Sensor get wet, it'll show crazy readings (200, 300 points too high) until it dries out. Many people have this "wetness" problem just from sweating.

In the studies, Dexcom is a little more accurate than Minimed. But in the real world, Dexcom also seems to be a lot more flakey if you get it wet or sweat around the Sensor.

It doesn't get ruined if it gets wet, you just have to let it dry before getting accurate readings again.

Didn't use it much over the summer because the STS is not waterproof, and our boy does a lot of pool activities.

I've jumped in the shower forgetting the waterproof cover patch. Oops! Gets you a "shower spike" reading of 380 and above. Sometimes the unit recovers on its own. Sometimes you have to re-initiate it, as if you were starting up with a new sensor.

The fact that the transmitter isn't waterproof really sucks. You're left with the choice of: 1) wear the shower patch and potentially fritz the $250 transmitter, or 2) unhook the transmitter and have to restart the 2-hour calibration process.

I also agree with the poster who said to just keep reinitiating sensors that seem to fail - they generally work after the 2 hour wait unless they've fallen out.

It's ALWAYS been a correct indicator, except for once when I got it wet.

I asked DexCom, and they said getting the transmitter wet in the shower will not harm it, but may make the readings off until it dries out. I have seldom noticed this being an issue, and when it is off it's for less than an hour.

Though, as you probably know, once you start to sweat a lot the accuracy of the Dexcom readings goes out the window anyway - hopefully they'll fix that in the next round.

After speaking with customer service, it turns out that getting it wet doesn't ruin the sensor, like I thought. You just have to let it dry out completely and then recalibrate.

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:46 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; WARNINGS ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
Symptoms releated to low or high blood glucose levels should not
be ignored. If you have symptoms of low or high glucose, use your blood glucose meter to sheck the STS System results.

The sensor is inserted in the abdomen. After a 2 hour start-up period, the STS System is calibrated with 2 fingerstick measurements taken by a traditional glucose meter. After calibration, the STS System provides a glucose reading and updated glucose trend information for viewing every 5 minutes. The STS System also contains a built-in alarm that can be programmed to alert the user when results fall below pre-set low and pre-set high levels.
FDA: When should it not be used?
* This device is not designed to replace a blood glucose meter. The DexCom STS System must be used with a blood glucose meter.
* Treatment decisions should not be based solely on results from the DexCom STS System. You must confirm with a blood glucose meter before making therapeutic adjustments.
* Symptoms related to low or high blood glucose levels should not be ignored. If you have symptoms of low or high glucose, use your blood glucose meter to check the STS System results.
* You should update the STS System’s calibration every 12 hours at a minimum to ensure device performance. The performance of the STS System when calibrated less frequently than the recommended minimum of every 12 hours, has not been studied.

Adults, but not children, at home or in healthcare facilities can use the DexCom STS to detect trends and to track patterns. Approval is for the DexCom STS to complement—not replace—regular blood glucose meters.

The DexCom™ STS® Continuous Glucose Monitoring System is indicated for use as an adjunctive device to complement, not replace, information obtained from standard home glucose monitoring devices.

WARNINGS

* This device is not designed to replace a blood glucose meter. The DexCom™ STS® System must be used with a blood glucose meter.
* Treatment decisions should not be based solely on results from the DexCom™ STS® System. You must confirm with a blood glucose meter before making therapeutic adjustments.
* Symptoms related to low or high blood glucose levels should not be ignored. If you have symptoms of low or high glucose, use your blood glucose meter to check the STS System results.
* You should update the STS System's calibration every 12 hours at a minimum to ensure device performance. The performance of the STS System when calibrated less frequently than the recommendation to calibrate a minimum of every 12 hours has not been studied.

The STS System has currently only been tested in adult persons with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The device has not been tested in children, adolescents or pregnant women.

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:47 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; WHAT CGM-O-PHILIC USERS SAY ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
I have had my Dexcom for five days now. I have "brittle" diabetes; as we all have, I've been waiting for years for a useful CGMS. I used the Glucowatch for a while, and it was useless -- might as well have just taken the cash and burnt it -- and I had a few go-rounds with Minimeds CGMS (the one that doesn't provide real time readings...the meter is downloaded to a computer by a doc).
While the more negative writers are correct that the Dexcom is far from perfect, the information that it provides is incredibly useful.
First off, the trend data seems to be quite accurate as is the spot data in more "normal" ranges. So if I am going from 200 to 50 over the course of an hour, I can see the trend when I am at 150 and 100, act on it, and avoid the hypo incident. In my experience, these data points will be close, sometimes less that five points apart, from a fingerstick measurement.
I find that it is least accurate when I am already in the low area. So if I have a downward trend and drink some juice at, say, 90, the meter still might show me going hypo even though the hypo is avoided. I assume this is because of the device's trending software. The actual number provided by the number is based on a calculation of readings over the last five minutes, adjusted for some type of algorithm. The algorith seems to place a higher priority on the "trend" rather than than the spot metric.
In any event, the important thing, with respect to day-to-day living, is to catch the trend that will result in hypo or hyper-glycemia so it can be acted on before BGs get to an abnormal level, and I have done a much better job of that with the meter than without.
I am not on Symlin because my diabetes was not controlled well enough and my doc was concerned about hypo's, but with the Dex in hand, I will go on it shortly.
Everyone has to make their own decisions, but to me, this the Dex is useful and will allow significantly better control of both highs and lows.
I have had HBA1Cs as high as 9.5, and with the Dex and Symlin, I fully expect them to drop below 7.

I should be more clear...for gadget geeks and those who can deal with the bleeding edge (meaning great new features, but some hiccups that are still being worked out), the Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitor is the only option right now. It has greatly improved my HBA1Cs and reduced hypoglycemic incidents to almost zero. It is far from a perfect product, but it is way better than the others on the market (more accurate as well as cheaper). The Abbott Navigator is another continuous glucose monitor that is supposed to hit the market within the next month or so. The early word is that it will be more accurate and cheaper than the Dex, but it has been plagued by delays. It was supposed to be in the market two years ago. If you want one of these, it is probably better to wait for the Navigator at this point, unless it looks like it will be delayed again.
Bottom line: I have used all of the Dex's available competitors and i highly recommend this product.

I owned a Glucowatch and I used the Minimed CGMS. The Glucowatch was sometimes accurate, but HIGHLY sporadic. The CGMS didn't provide real time monitoring.
The Dexcom, on the other hand, has been lifechanging.

payam7777777

11-05-2006, 03:47 AM

;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
; WHERE TO PUT IT ;
;---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------;
there's a woman on Insulin Pumpers who uses her thigh, but she's only getting about 6 days per Sensor.

Abdomen is IMO a bad site, because (in my and several other peoples' experience) you really need to keep it a BIG distance from your infusion site rotation pattern to get good results.

on ... side, which is MY favorite place

our son is 4. we put the dexcom on his buttock.

Are you using good Sensor locations, or just whacking your belly (to close to insulin infusion sites)? Their instructions that you can be just an inch away from visible old infusion site scars, and even right on top of invisible ones, were BAD for me. I never got more than 5 days until I switched to my sides, and they were failing even before 3 days until I moved. Now I average 17-18, very consistently. (Personal record is 20.)

manual's recommendation to stay at least 3 inches away from the CURRENT infusion site.

I definitely could not get by with just an inch from older visible infusion sites... in fact, I couldn't get by with placing the Sensor anywhere in my infusion site pattern, even when the vicinity hadn't been used for several weeks and showed no visible scars on the surface of my skin.

We just put one on our son yesterday in his upper outer butt cheek. This is new territory in that we have not used this area for infusion site for almost 3 years. It’s been working well. This morning DexCom said 121, fingerstick said 118. (DexCom,Fingerstick): (297,311), (102,108), (175,160), (298,173), (121,118). I believe the 298/173 was due to Anthony laying on the sensor as you pointed out. Within an hour, DexCom was back on track without any calibration needed.

It pinches a little at insertion but it doesn't bother him once its on. He has only worn it on the tummy so far and he is on MDI so we don't have to worry about staying away from old sites as pumpers do.

I had my sensor inserted into the side of my abdomen (ie. love handle). If I would lay on the side with the sensor, I would get a false low reading. This happened once on the couch and when I turned the other way, the readings went back to normal. Last night it happened again and I got a low glucose alarm with a reading of around 50. When I checked my bloodsugar, it was actually 140.

For many people, if you put your Pump Infusers in your belly, you WON'T get good Dexcom Sensor performance there. I say that you should FORGET what the manual says ("as long as you're at least 1 inch away from VISIBLE old scars, at least 3 inches from your current Infuser"). Rather, you should be at least 2 inches away from ANYWHERE you've put an Infusion Set during the last year.
The two places I recommend are: Love Handles-- straight down from the armpit, and above the belt, NOT too high and close to the lowest rib. I know there's not a lot of area there on shorter women, only room for about 4 "sites" on each side, but since I get 18-19 good days from every Sensor, I don't have to go near an old location for about 5 months.
And Upper Butt Cheeks: Well above what you sit on, but be sure to be well below the "thin, bony" parts where there's ligaments into your hip joint.

I used the hip area, aka: upper butt cheek ;-), for my last sensor insertion. Got the usual "out-of-wack" sensor results the 1st 24hrs, but since then I've gotten the best results of any sensor to date...and the sensor's still in on day 9+!

Ky son is MDI and we don't ever use his tummy for shots, so maybe "virgin" skin doesn't offer as much interference. It was just a thought, but a couple of parents had terrible luck anywhere near old infusion sites.

after 2 weeks of frustration I was gonna send it back-- then I tried my "love handles", it's been incredible.