Saturday, December 11, 2010

Data on Sensors

I spent a long time trying to stylize and post Dexcom data, and that failed. I had it all colored and commented on- it seems to have posted without my revisions. The point I wanted to make was actually about sensors. I have now finished two boxes of sensors and am on my 9th sensor. Here's what happened to the first 8:

Sensor 1: Sept 1-Sept 17, approximately 16 days. I wore it in my left arm, and pulled it partly because it was getting itchy, partly 'cause it was erev Yom Kippur. Its performance was getting worse but it was still functioning well at that point.
Total number of readings it gave: 4384

Sensor 2: Sept 19- Oct 2, approximately 14 days. Wore it on left side of abdomen. Its performance wasn't ever great though after the first couple of days it was pretty good, and I believe it actually failed before I pulled it.
Total number of readings it gave: 3343

Sensor 3: Oct 2- Oct 4, less than two days. Put it in my left leg and it ripped out. It hadn't been performing that well, but then, it was still early days.
Total readings it gave: between 198 and 213

Sensor 4: Oct 4- Oct 14, ten days. Another one in left leg. Pulled it 'cause it failed. Functioned well for one week, but really didn't rally for a restart.
Total readings it gave: 1650 give or take 20.

Sensor 5: Oct 14- Nov 4, twenty one days. Wore it in left arm. Was still functioning really well when I pulled it.
Total readings it gave: 5700 give or take 20.

Sensor 6: Nov 4- Nov 20, about 16 days. Wore it in left side of abdomen. I don't remember why I pulled it.
Total readings: 4236 give or take 50.

Sensor 7: Nov 20- Nov 22, a little over 2 days. Wore it right leg. Was working excellently when I ripped it out. I had way too much hair under the adhesive and it didn't really stick well.
Total readings: 455, give or take 10.

Sensor 8: Nov 23- December 10, about 17 days in right arm. Was working okay but kinda itching when I pulled it. Skin underneath really looks beat up.
Total readings: at least 3500- don't have full data for this sensor.

Number of readings from a sensor if you it for the 1 week it is approved for and got 285 readings per day, minus 2 hours warm up: 1971.
I beat that 1971 on 5 out of 8 sensors- all the ones worn in either the abdomen or arm- and doubled that number for at least 3 (probably sensor 8 as well) out of 8 sensors. I came close to trebling that on sensor 5.

Sensor 9 is in my right leg as of yesterday and is doing fine. If this one doesn't do well, then it will be the last sensor I wear on my legs.

Another data set:
41 days had 280 or more readings, of which two had no missed readings- 288 in a day.
12 days had 272-279 readings.
17 days had 252-269 readings. So a total of 70/96 days had 252 or more readings.
8 days had 201- 246 readings. So 78 days had at least 201 readings.
11 days had 124-198 readings. So 89 days had at least 124 readings.
5 days had 15-98 readings. So 94 days had readings.
2 days had no readings. On one of them, I wasn't wearing a sensor. On another day, I was wearing a sensor that I would have pulled, only my next box was still in the mail. Oddly enough, it restarted the next day and worked.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

AH this must be where the Math Wizard in you comes out! I just scoped out the table below too. I am impressed at the length of time you can get out of them. I left one in Joe for 10 days and the sensor wires did not come out! I couldn't even find them anywhere sticking just a little bit out of his arm to tweeze and pull out. That being said, I do usually leave them in for 10 days. We have just taken a 4 day break from Dexter...but he is going back in today.

I loved seeing that your days look a lot like ours with your minimums and max's...I know they may be off a bit... just nice to know we are not alone.

Good luck with your leg site! And thank you for the helpful infomation on the other glucometer on my post about managing d in the cold weather.

Have a great day Jonah.