CGM Nightmare

M

Miggs

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi All
New person here. anyone on the newish CGM system? I was put onto it, nearly 6 months ago..sorry to say, it's been horrific.
unsure where to start..failed G7 sensors, soo many probs with G7 app. sensors dont pair with Tandem pump. G7 call centre, only open during office hours, Have received conflicting advice from call centre, they speak to you , working from a script, often, we don't understand each other..gosh, I'm at my wits end. Struggling with it, and the negative impact it's had on my every day life. Even Tandem helpline, unable to solve G7 probs. the G7 delivery, has also failed. I feel as if my T1 has been taken over by a highly inefficient corporate company and it's frightening. has anyone else, lost the plot, with cgm/control iQ??:(
 
Sorry to hear that @Miggs I have a Dexcom G7 and had had the complete opposite experience. I love it! I’ve been using it for a while now and have only had a couple of failed sensors in all that time. I’ve also found the Customer Service excellent.

I use the G7 Receiver, which is brilliant. I do have a pump (Dana i) but I don’t loop with it so I don’t need to pair my sensors with a pump.

Do you log in to your Dexcom account to check when your next lot of sensors are being sent out? Perhaps this is something gone wrong the hospital end? I’ve always got my sensors on time and notifications about the delivery day.
 
Thank you for your reply, I'm using the dexcom app on my mob..again, it requires you to carry your mob , within 6metres of u at all times? Swimming, sports, dancing, etc? I have public facing role, jobwise, n its being annoying/embarrassing, re talks, when various apps /alarms, despite, me setting to vibrate only, suddenly go off!... I'm confused. You mention a receiver, not app? Maybe, I need to switch, honestly, my life is spent talking to call centres re this newish system...its reduced me to tears..despite being t1 for 40plus yrs. I am glad, you find it helpful..bit of a light to me..unsure how long, I can cope with it. Currently have no pump/ mob info, despite being on phone for hours this eve..unsure what to do..re work tomorrow..n not able to contact G7 ...till tomorrow morning. Can't wait to get rid of it.
 
No, I don’t use my phone. I only use the receiver. It’s much smaller, lighter and simpler IMO. I only lose connection when I leave it in the house and go to the bottom of the garden.

To me, it sounds like the issue is your phone and/or the app and the loop. My alarms don’t bother me and they don’t ‘contradict’ what I’ve set them to do.

As the G7 is new to being linked to pumps, then perhaps there are teething problems. I don’t loop with my pump. You might find it less stressful not to loop and to control things yourself, just like you’ve been doing for all those years. Your G7 can then be a helpful aide and you wouldn’t have to worry about the whole loop thing.

I’d be hard-pressed to choose between my pump and my G7 if I had to. I love the G7 and it’s honestly changed my life for the better. It sounds like you’ve got too much going on - too much tech, too many connections. That can be stressful.
 
Sorry to hear you are having such problems- are you running your loop through the phone so both dexcom and pump are connected to it? Which phone are you using?
 
Sorry you’re having problems. My kid uses G7 and loops with the tandem and it works well for him. We have had odd problems here and there and I know other people have had trouble with G7 so maybe it depends on your phone.

If your Dexcom and pump aren’t linked you can just put in finger prick readings. It will depend how accurate your basal is on the pump as to how much you need to think about maybe running a bit high if the control iq cuts out insulin a lot to stop hypos.

You can take a break from either or both. If you’re finding it frustrating then drop one or both for a week or two (obviously if you take a break from the pump you need to go back to basal injections and that can be a little bit tricky but it’s totally doable) and regain your equilibrium.
 
I use the G7 to support my MDI. It has been a huge improvement for me from Libre 2.

I have both the receiver and my android phone and each works independently of each other (unlike the messy system with Abbott's readers and phone apps). I probably look at my phone more frequently than the receiver, but for those times when it is inconvenient to have my phone on display the receiver is discrete, small, neat and extremely reliable. The phone catches up with several hours of missed readings automatically and the phone automatically sends all data back to Clarity (the web based analytic software that my Consultant can also see) by WiFi. The receiver needs a cable connection to a laptop or PC for pushing data to Clarity.

My phone can be "glitchy" sometimes. Dexcom have more limited choices of which phones their apps work with. My Samsung A52S phone seems to be one of the models that is borderline for compatibility. Whenever there are android updates I have to wait until Dexcom confirm those updates remain compatible with their app.

I have found Dexcom extremely efficient with their administration. My Hospital funds my G7 and I get quarterly re-supplies of 9 x 10 day sensors well in advance. I would suspect, @Miggs, your Hospital contract is the weak link for your re-supplies. My few G7 sensor failures have been replaced very quickly after a phone call; yes - that phone call can be a bit tedious.

Overall I would fight tooth and nail to stay with what I've got, G7. I had over 50% failures with Libre 2 sensors; at first I thought the Abbott Freestyle Libre tech was badly flawed, but I've mellowed and reckon my body was simply not compatible with Libre 2.
 
Miggs said:
Hi All
New person here. anyone on the newish CGM system? I was put onto it, nearly 6 months ago..sorry to say, it's been horrific.
unsure where to start..failed G7 sensors, soo many probs with G7 app. sensors dont pair with Tandem pump. G7 call centre, only open during office hours, Have received conflicting advice from call centre, they speak to you , working from a script, often, we don't understand each other..gosh, I'm at my wits end. Struggling with it, and the negative impact it's had on my every day life. Even Tandem helpline, unable to solve G7 probs. the G7 delivery, has also failed. I feel as if my T1 has been taken over by a highly inefficient corporate company and it's frightening. has anyone else, lost the plot, with cgm/control iQ??:(
Click to expand...

Would suggest you contact your pump clinic to speak with them about these issues, don't have any experience of Tandem or G7 sensors but do use G6 looping with Omnipod 5 & don't have these problems.

Think sometimes some systems just don't work for some people, we see this here on this forum where some have issues with various cgms, insulin pumps even insulins where others don't, why this is it's hard to fathom out sometimes & its just one of life's many annoyances.
 
Saoirse said:
Sorry to hear you are having such problems- are you running your loop through the phone so both dexcom and pump are connected to it? Which phone are you using?
Click to expand...
My mob is a Samsung, it is on the ok list for G7.
 
Miggs said:
My mob is a Samsung, it is on the ok list for G7.
Click to expand...
One thing I have done, from advice about 3 yrs ago; I've ruthlessly stopped most apps from sending me notifications. The suggestion was that by giving the sensor app a clear(ish) path to passing on BG readings it has a better chance of working well. I try to keep most apps routinely closed, but not formally stopped and I don't allow any apps to track my location, except when I permit this for my purposes. Also I have the battery saver function disabled, which can interfere with CGM when I don't need such "help". But I do limit battery charging to 80% which apparently improves the phone battery life; not sure that actually works since my battery seems to have burnt out afer 2 yrs!

I think the "OK" list is a challenge for app developers, with so many new models of phones, routine upgrades to phone and Android software thanks to malicious hacking so keeping an app compatible can't be easy. A receiver or reader is at least bespoke to the sensor and should remain very compatible. That said I found the Libre Reader dated, clumsy and an opportunity to improve it when the basic Libre became Libre 2, was ducked. Meanwhile Abbott made vast profits from selling PPE to the NHS as Covid revealed that inadequacy. Such is business.
 
Miggs said:
My mob is a Samsung, it is on the ok list for G7.
Click to expand...
Hi which model of Samsung do you have? The reason I ask is that pairing two devices via Bluetooth can mean some phones struggle if your phone is older or has a weak Bluetooth. This means the connection can drop constantly and it may be this rather than the pump/cgm that is the problem. This happened to me, I had a cheaper phone and I had to change it to make the loop connection steady. I would second the advice to speak to your team and/or consider a break from looping if you need it.
 
I think it may also be important to have the sensor and pump on the same side of your body.
 
Samsungs have a reputation for having a poor Bluetooth.
I am not sure if that reputation is justified or whether it is because Samsung is the most common phone manufacturer in the UK. But, since using my phone for diabetes, I have avoided Samsung phones for this reason.
 
helli said:
I am not sure if that reputation is justified or whether it is because Samsung is the most common phone manufacturer in the UK.
Click to expand...
My guess is that that's the case. The phone market in the US is mostly iPhones with some Samsung, and Samsung is the major manufacturer elsewhere (iPhones are a bit less dominant outside the US). Because they're so big, I imagine they use quite a few different Bluetooth chips (just because they need so many) so even different phones of the same model might behave differently.
 
helli said:
Samsungs have a reputation for having a poor Bluetooth.
I am not sure if that reputation is justified or whether it is because Samsung is the most common phone manufacturer in the UK. But, since using my phone for diabetes, I have avoided Samsung phones for this reason.
Click to expand...

Can only speak from own experience but not had any issues with Bluetooth on samsung phones.

Along with Dex app have other devices connected such as smartspeaker & car audio, had fair few samsung phones since making switch from Motorola many years back & can't fault phones.
 
helli said:
Samsungs have a reputation for having a poor Bluetooth.
I am not sure if that reputation is justified or whether it is because Samsung is the most common phone manufacturer in the UK. But, since using my phone for diabetes, I have avoided Samsung phones for this reason.
Click to expand...

As said, I use the Dexcom receiver for my G7, but I do use my Samsung phone to control my pump via bluetooth and have never had any issues with it, even using my old Samsung, which was an ancient and very basic model.
 
helli said:
Samsungs have a reputation for having a poor Bluetooth.
I am not sure if that reputation is justified or whether it is because Samsung is the most common phone manufacturer in the UK. But, since using my phone for diabetes, I have avoided Samsung phones for this reason.
Click to expand...
My Samsung S20 is fine with BT
 
Saoirse said:
Hi which model of Samsung do you have? The reason I ask is that pairing two devices via Bluetooth can mean some phones struggle if your phone is older or has a weak Bluetooth. This means the connection can drop constantly and it may be this rather than the pump/cgm that is the problem. This happened to me, I had a cheaper phone and I had to change it to make the loop connection steady. I would second the advice to speak to your team and/or consider a break from looping if you need it.
Click to expand...
I do have a mob that is listed as compatible re G7 app.
 
Big thank you, for helpful advice, re the fab folk on this forum. X The many awful events re cgm, G7, DPD delivery to another town! , which unfortunately occurred, within first few months of cgm, had left me , for first time in decades, as T1, losing confidence in my ability, to control. Managed to speak to nurse at hosp. Seems, as sev of you suggested, that , I needed a break from the tech. Which had taken over my concern, rather than blood sugars. Had lot's of conflicting advice , previous from G7 tech support..thankfully, have deleted the mob app..n CGM , appears straightforward on my pump....oh my, wish, this had been made clear, sev months ago.
Still don't like idea that a white van, company, n a scripted, non medical, call centre, seem to have so much power, re the system..but have agreed to grit my teeth, n give it another go...
Bless you all, for your support xx
 
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