Shoutout to xDrip+

Just a little story about dealing with diabetes while traveling, and how xDrip+ saved my (overreliant-on-CGM) butt over Christmas...

I was out of town for Christmas visiting my parents for a week using Dexcom G5, Dexcom app, & MDI. I was aware I'd need to restart my Dexcom sensor during the trip, and that it was likely I'd need to replace the transmitter as it was at the end of it's battery period. The time comes, restart Dexcom, switch to new transmitter as prompted. Startup process took the full 2 hours then failed. Hmm. Of course, I only packed the 1 new transmitter. Do a couple Bluetooth troubleshooting things then wait another 2 hours for it to fail again. Now I'm fairly certain that the new transmitter is a dud.

I call Dexcom tech support while the startup process is running a third time and they go through their troubleshooting with me to no avail. They offer to ship a replacement to me at my parent's address. It should arrive before my flight home, but I'll be out a CGM for 2 days. Honestly, at this point I really dread going back to regular fingerpricks, and eating low-carb over Christmas seems impossible.

Remembering xDrip+ as an option, I install the app and get it running just to see if perhaps there's a problem with the Dexcom app. xDrip also won't pair with the new transmitter HOWEVER I then also remember (reading on this sub) one of the big perks is that it doesn't have a calendar-based battery end-date like the Dexcom app does! Pair it with the old transmitter & we're back online! Yay!

Another hitch in the story is of course related to Dexcom customer service. After 2 days I still haven't received a tracking number for the transmitter (or the package), so I call again. It seems the US-based tech support entered my Canadian postal code in a bizarre way that prevented it from shipping. Now I have to have it directed to my home address since I'd be leaving around the same time it would be delivered to my parents. So really, xDrip saved me from 5 days total without a CGM.

I've been using xDrip+ since with no plans to return to the official app. I love the alert customization, snooze options, not having to restart the sensor weekly, and it's way way more accurate. I set up a Nightscout site today so that I can have reports to share with my d-care team.