Same thing happened to me, twice in a row. It was stuck inside me.
The first one I panicked and pulled it off, bleeding and all.
The second one was the last one I had and so I had no other choice to try something to save it. I knocked the inserter on the edge of a table and that poped it out.
Now it is in and the transmitter in connected, but I have no idea if the sensor is functioning…
Sorry just had to vent. This is very frustrating.
Same thing has happened to my daughter. Had four in a row and each time she was in tears and bleeding it was awful! Then she had one that was fine so she was happy and then she has just had two more get stuck this week! We must have 3 faulty boxes. Dexcom have apologised and are really sympathetic and send out replacements but she just can’t do it any more. Even I was in tears yesterday when she tried the last one. This is so unlucky to get 5 bad ones! I will be ringing Dexcom on Monday and Diabetes team but I can’t get her to use it again. It was such a wonderful thing when it was working!
Oh wow, I’m so sorry to hear this! I love my Dexcom and it seems to be the best one on the market from what I’ve read. But if you can’t insert it that nixes any value. This may come too late - and I do understand and respect the fact that you are more than fed up - but there was an issue with a particular lot number a while back. I’ll see if I can find it or perhaps another forum member will share it if they have it available.
Forum user @Clbazala posted this info on removing a stuck sensor: “there’s a little hole on the bottom of the applicator that releases the sensor in case it jams. You use the end of the orange G6 tab that you break off to push in the hole.” I hope she doesn’t mind my sharing her findings. I thought there was a link to a video somewhere - if I can find one I’ll post in case others are interested.
Another CGM option is the Freestyle Libre, and I understand they have released or soon will release one that gives alerts. That’s a deal breaker for many so it might be with looking into if your daughter is willing to give something else a try at some point. The applicator is adjusting much less scary to look at.
Finally, while some people wouldn’t go without our CGM now, some of us on the forum went (get this) decades before even just plain old BG meters came along. If she finds the CGM too traumatic - which is understandable - fingersticks are still an option.
Hi Dorie
Thank you for your kind words. She wants a break from Dexcom for now don’t blame her. I will speak to Diabetes Team on Monday and perhaps they may have more luck persuading her to try again because Dexcom is good when everything is running smoothly.
I can’t blame her. If you don’t mind my asking, how old is your daughter? I understand if you prefer not to answer.
@evansdebbie2 Hi Debbie, and welcome to the JDRF TypeOneNation Forum! I invite you to look through information freshly posted here and also to use the search feature to find topics relevant to your daughter and to you.
I feel your daughter’s frustration with the failure of the failure of so many of her otherwise trustworthy DexCom G6 sensor placement failures - I’ve “only” had two such failures. I do not know your daughter’s history with diabetes, but never-the-less, I suggest that she may want to try some other devices and methods for diabetes management during her “vacation” from DexCom. There are several effective management techniques.
That said, during the past seven decades trying to manage my diabetes, the single most effective tool I’ve found is a reliable continuous monitor.
Hi Dennis. Thank you for your reply. I am hoping after a few weeks she might be ready to try again with Dexcom G6. At moment she seems happy doing more finger prick tests.
I have been using Dexcom CGM for 2.5 years, first the G5 and now the G6. In the past I have had nothing but supportive help from the customer service team when I call, however recently I became very frustrated with the tech support. I received my subscription boxes, 3 boxes of 3 sensors each, and went to change out my sensor as the last one had ended. When I pushed the orange button I heard a quieter click than normal and when I tried to remove the applicator it was stuck and I could feel that the needle was still in my skin. I called tech services and they told me to remove the sensor/applicator and try another. Quite painful as the hard needle doesn’t come back out in a straight line. Tried another with tech person on phone, it didn’t work either. Tech asked me to try another, so I got the 3rd one from a different box, same lot number. It didn’t work either. I told the tech that this seems to be a lot number issue and could I please send the 3 sensors that I tried (with the needle still sticking out) and the 6 unopened of that same lot number back for warranty and replacement. He asked his supervisor but I was told that they couldn’t replace sensors that I hadn’t tried to use. They actually suggested that I prick myself with all 9 sensors to prove that there is a problem with that lot number! Meanwhile my stomach is bleeding and beginning to bruise. I asked for a call back from his supervisor but have still to hear back from Dexcom, 48 hours later.
I did a bit of searching online and found many other instances of this issue. One person suggested the applicator needed a “whack” to release the needle. So I tried another sensor/applicator and when it didn’t release I smacked it across the area of the orange button with the flat back of a wooden spoon and the needle retracted and the applicator could be removed!! Sensor worked perfectly normally after that. Not the greatest solution for a high tech medical device but for anyone who has one stuck on their body it’s way less painful than pulling off the sensor with the needle still sticking out.
I just had this happen to me. 2/3 got stuck and Dexcom has requested I send them back. Someone posted earlier that they’ve identified the problem… not sure I believe tha.
The lot # was 7273122 Dexcom G6
They told me they will overnight (Ha) it and said it would be here Dec 10th (today is the 5th). Not sure why they use FedEx if they don’t pick up on Sundays.
Apparently “overnight” isn’t meant to be taken literally anymore. Maybe it means “you’ll get it the next business day after we put it in the shipper’s hands” rather than “you’ll have it tomorrow”.
It’s annoying but I try to make the best of things and find a positive (I can be very annoying that way): in this case I tell myself it’s an opportunity to keep practice doing things manually. It can be good to remember how to go “old school” in case of emergency, and now and then even if I’m not having issues I switch to a Freestyle Libre/fingersticks to save a sensor and get some manual practice time in.
This is not a “rare” event as Dexcom suggests. It has happened to me three times out of roughly 30 applications (near 10% fail rate in my hands; small trial size).
My suggestion (and Caitlin’s earlier): You can get the needle to retract if you hit the applicator hard. Try hitting it several times before giving up. Use force - this is a mechanical problem and the lever that retracts the needle gets wedged in the device. I hold the button down while I hit the applicator, but I don’t know if holding the button down is necessary. This has worked twice for me, and it is better than ripping the needle out.
Another thing: The Dexcom reps will send you replacements, but give you the third degree before acting like they are providing charity. I suggest making them send you two sensors for every one applicator given the stress and pain this causes and the cost of sensors!!!
This just happened to me for the first time…well 4 times to be exact by this point. 3 days ago I tried to replace my sensor and it didn’t pop off like it usually does. So of course I panic. After trying everything I come to my conclusion of ripping it out (I will post a picture at the end of what it looked like). This happened 3 more times over the next 2 days of me trying to replace my sensor each time the needle was stuck in the out position sticking into my body. I accidentally dropped one and the needle retracted. So I thought hmmm…maybe if I have a heavy object (like a wrench) I could hit it and it will retract and sure enough it did. So I called tech support and just basically said that’s weird and we will send you 3 replacements. And if the one that worked when hit with a wrench doesn’t end up working to call back for replacement. So I guess I just need to have a wrench on stand by when replacing my sensors 
