MM CGMS lasting 14 days!

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Permalink Reply by Geoffrey Steinman on June 11, 2009 at 5:49pm

(sorry, a quick nitpick, mostly because things become very confusing otherwise: the piece that goes under the skin (purple piece for minimed) is the sensor, the piece that clips on to that is the transmitter (white clamshell looking piece), the reciever is the piece that displays numbers, for some people the reciever is the same as the pumo, and CGMS refers to the whole system)

why are you starting a new sensor after only 36 hours? your pump/CGM should display readouts for for 72 hours (3 days) before asking you to replace the sensor. I've found that you can tell it to start new sensor without unclipping it, and it will tell you to wait 2 hours, but it beeps and asks for the first BG within 2 minutes or so. I've been able to go 12 days without charging my transmitter, with only minimal range issues.

I also have a hard time getting my sensors to stay in for more than 6 days, and even if i do, i get cal errors on day 6

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Permalink Reply by Angi on June 12, 2009 at 9:13am

That's my problem, too. I get cal errors on Day 6. My Minimed rep just gives me the line that "they're only FDA approved for 3 days, so if you get 6 out of it you're lucky."

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Permalink Reply by KiwiRox on August 31, 2009 at 2:32pm

You can restart your MM CGMS after 6 days, but only after the MANDATORY recharge. Both transmitter and sensor have built in timers that end each cycle. The transmitter must be recharged at the end of day 6. Once it recharges, just do a reconnect and Start as a new sensor, but it will take about 2 hours, vs the 5-10 minutes on the restart at the end of day 3.

I generally get about 3 - 4 cycles (or more!) out of my sensors).

Kiwi

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Permalink Reply by Margaret on August 31, 2009 at 5:06pm

I must have been lucky the first time because now after I reach Day 7, I get the Weak Signal then Lost Sensor report. I recharge it a couple of days then put a new one on for the next seven days, Starting "New Sensor" after it times out on the third day. I can't get but one box of 10 sensors at a time so I try to space them out.

Goeffrey, thanks for the clarification on the terms and addition!!

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Permalink Reply by KiwiRox on September 1, 2009 at 11:54am

To recharge, it should only take about 20 minutes. Watch for the green light to stop blinking and you are ready to go.

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Permalink Reply by bob maloney on November 3, 2009 at 2:52pm

Minimed told me that I needed to recharge the battery for 7 hours for best results after I had some problems with weak signals. Is this anyone's experience?

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Permalink Reply by Margaret on November 3, 2009 at 4:58pm

Well ya'll, I must have been smoking something when I fired off that message that my sensor had lasted 14 days! I can only get 7 days before it alarms with weak signal, then lost sensor. But by the 7th day, the insertion site is itchy and irritated anyway.

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Permalink Reply by Mick on June 23, 2009 at 8:11am

my minilink does not last more than 6 days it just says lost sensor.Any tips on extending sensor life?

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Permalink Reply by Dave S on September 2, 2009 at 9:04pm

Hi, Mick. You may already have your answer, but if not, I'd suggest that the problem may be the transmitter battery, not the sensor. I've had a MM paradigm sensor in for 6 days now, got "weak signal" followed by "lost sensor", so I took the transmitter off the sensor (carefully, so as not to disturb the sensor), tested the transmitter to confirm it wasn't sending a signal, and recharged it (took about 20 min). I then reattached it to the sensor. So now I'm off and running with the same sensor and a recharged transmitter. This seems similar to what others have experienced. From those other posts I get the impression that repeated "Cal Error" alarms may signal the end of sensor life (but before you pull it, make sure the cause of that alarm isn't that you tried to calibrate when your blood glucose was changing rapidly, or tried to enter an old or incorrect meter reading, or you have a new sensor that's still getting used to you).

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Permalink Reply by JiMMy on June 11, 2009 at 6:18pm

I'm new to this. I just got my Dexcom 7+ yesterday. They state that the sensor should last for 7 days. I'm hoping to stretch that to 10 to 12 days. I would love to have a 3 month supply of theses to last closer to 5 months.

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Permalink Reply by Mommy of Three on June 11, 2009 at 8:08pm

The above posters use a Minimed CGMS which have a 3 day life with a 2 hour initialization (kinda like our start up process with Dexcom).

I also have a Dexcom Seven Plus and I'm currently on day 11 with my sensor (just 3 days away from a full 2 week period). I've read some Dexcom users getting 21 days on one sensor! (that kinda blows my mind!) Good luck getting your sensor to last longer. Oh! Another thing, my Dexcom trainer warned me to make sure I use the sensors before the expiration due date as the stuff inside the needle or something (? can't remember her exact words) breaks down over time. You might want to call your Dexcom trainer who can explain it better.

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Permalink Reply by Geoffrey Steinman on June 14, 2009 at 8:20pm

when i trialed the Dexcom 7 (right after it came out) it lasted nearly 2 weeks for me before failing

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