Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by SusanT on June 11, 2012 at 9:25pm

I would add my most important issues so far:
1. ACCURACY-ACCURACY-ACCURACY (so trends are based on facts and variances from meter are not so great)
2. Allow the alarms to go off more than every 30 minutes, if desired (e.g. every 3 mins for the low blood sugars - super important to be addressed and shouldn't be sitting unnoticed for any amount of time, if you have your low alarms down at 70, considering the 10-minute lag time, too)
3. Volume control on the alert sound (I slept through the low blood sugar alarm sound, it was too quiet for me to wake up)
4. Have charger bars show progress until battery is full
5. Better clip (this straight non-clip one is ridiculous, can't hang on anything without falling and that means can fall easily even in toilet hence get wet and be ruined)
6. As far as I am concerned the Events option could be eliminated in favor of some of these other suggested features, as I never use and do not find it useful, since it doesn't connect with my pump and I'm not going to punch in all my pump stuff into the Dexcom AND my pump. This just FYI if that helps in any way for memory space, etc.
7. Shorten the lag time of the Dexcom value to the meter, if possible.
8. Shorten the 2-hour initial adjustment time of new sensor to transmitter.
9. Increase the number of days' graphs I can see. If I changed my basal/bolus from yesterday's problems, I'd like to see it the exact graph again to compare with today's experience without having to find my computer.

I hope someone from Dexcom watches posts like this and reports back to the company. Thanks for starting this discussion, Alan. There may be others, but I haven't found them yet.

Permalink Reply by Dave on June 12, 2012 at 6:28am

The new Dexcom is already being sold in the U.K. It's a combination CGM and Insulin Pump. You can find out more about it by just googling it. You can see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgtuoFVKFds The sensor looks bigger than the current sensor and is only guaranteed for 6 months.

Permalink Reply by KevinMR on June 12, 2012 at 4:52pm

I spoke to technical support about a bad sensor the other day, and I asked about the status of an updated receiver. The rep told me that she had seen a prototype. Not much beyond that (despite my prodding) except that it was smaller than the current receiver (that's great...the current sensor I agree is like a pager from the 80's).

To add to the above, I would like the update to be able to tell me exactly when the 7 day period is up....I sometimes forget when I inserted a sensor and I don't like guessing until I get the "sensor ending soon" message.

Permalink Reply by SusanT on June 12, 2012 at 5:04pm

One more to the wish list:

Find a solution to the Tylenol/acetemenophin problem, since many of us are allowed only Tylenol for pain and that renders the sensor useless for those hours---sometimes days.

Permalink Reply by Brad Ringer on June 13, 2012 at 7:19am

Color screens are cool, but I don't like the one on my OmniPod because I cannot read it in full sunlight. I have never had a problem being able to read the Dexcom screen, no matter how bright the sun is.

Permalink Reply by Kimberly on June 13, 2012 at 8:23am

Amy Tenderich has a preview of the new Dex reciever.

http://tinyurl.com/blnejf7

Permalink Reply by ATRannals on June 13, 2012 at 7:58pm

Thanks for the link. Looks pretty nice and addresses some of the issues everyone has been bringing up.

Now I just want to know when I can get one! Why does the FDA have to hold everything up so long? :-(

Permalink Reply by Isaac on June 13, 2012 at 11:03am

A lot of great suggestions.
Some are technical and might not be possible at this time.
But most are so simple, I don't understand why they have not done it yet.

A lot of the information that I get once I connect to my computer should be available on the receiver.
I enter the units of insulin each time I inject. Why can't I see my last entry time and units? This is so simple.

Longer range might or might not be possible, but as you said with the size of memory chips these days, having the transmitter be able to store a few hours of data should be so simple.

I was invited to a forum gathering by Dexcom about 8 months ago. i went hoping to make some suggestions, but it was just a selling pitch. They were hoping the users would convince the prospective customers how great it is.

Having said all this, I have to admit that Dexcom probably saved my life, and I will always be grateful that it exists.

I am on my second receiver and fifth belt clip. They are just bad quality.
The new one I received is different, it has a clip, and a lock flap to secure the clip. I have not yet been able to use it, because the clip is so tight, I can not get it into my belt without a tool.

Permalink Reply by Don on June 13, 2012 at 11:38am

Hi Isaac,
have you considered cutting off the clip from the Sport case? This leaves a loop for my belt and I orient the receiver screen upside down so I can quick glance at the latest reading.

The upcoming G4 has much greater wireless range of up to 20 feet.

Permalink Reply by Mom 2 Kyle on June 23, 2012 at 8:28pm

We are debating on what CGM to get for my son (Type 1 for 1 1/2 years now). Think we are leaning towards the Dexcom. Should we wait until the "G4" comes out? Do you think it will be by the end of this year? Also, he uses Accu-Check Aviva meter & test strips ... do we still use the same meter/strips or will we have to switch to match the CGM that we get??

Permalink Reply by savage810 on June 24, 2012 at 9:18am

Mom 2 Kyle,

I was having this hesitance as well. "Maybe I should wait for the next generation to come out before I start CGM." But I did a lot of Internet reading of not only the Dexcom but on other diabetes devices, and the conclusion I came to was that its nearly impossible to tell when a new device will come. Even if the manufacturer is ready, they still have to jump through substantial FDA hurdles. To my knowledge, there is no pending release of the next generation Dexcom, so I made the decision to start with the current Dexcom. My reasoning was this: I would prefer to have a modern unit over an older one, but I would much rather start having better control now than a year from now. (And CGM is even better than I hoped).

And the meter is independent of the CGM, so no need to change.

Just my two cents.

Permalink Reply by Mom 2 Kyle on June 30, 2012 at 7:33am

Thanks for your reply. His A1c is good for only having/living with this for 1 1/2 years (6.2) so I'm not sure we're going for better control (of course it wouldn't hurt). We are up most nights worried about hypo's. He is very active in the evenings & usually his blood sugar crashes about 2 hours after ... which is @ night. So, I'm up ALL night worried & I have to wake him up to check his blood sugar. It would be nice (better quality of life) if we could both get a good nights sleep & let the sensor alert us. UGH! So much to worry/think about. :(

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