Hi, I would say that most of the time I check when I feel fine and my CGM says I am really low. For example, last night it said I was at 53 and my finger stick said 84 (and I felt fine). Also, I don’t check when there is an arrow in either direction. That said, I think sometimes it is going up or down, but slowly enough that there is no arrow.
Dennis, the Dexcom cover finally arrived, and I have used it for three nights. I really wanted to love this thing, but I am just not sure if it is going to help me much. The first night I think I had it on too loose. If it’s not super tight, it could slide into the the dexcom and interfere with readings. The second night I had it too tight, and while I did not get any alarms, I woke up a few times because it was pinching my arm. Last night I thought I had it just perfect, but that was when my low alarm went off with the 30+ point discrepancy. I was just reading in bed and there was no pressure it. Which is kind of where I started with this thread. I think I get funky night time readings that have nothing to do with compression lows. At any rate, after the alarm went off I turned the alarms (alerts) off on my phone (just wanted to sleep!), and took the cover off my arm. I will try again tonight. The other thing I would say about it is that is it hard to put on your arm and button with one hand. It’s such a great idea, I just wish there was a better design. I did see one online somewhere that used an adhesive, and you would just wear it all the time. I’m not thrilled with the idea of more adhesive on my body (it was quite large), but might consider trying it!
Thank you Jess @Jsich for sharing your impression about the G7 Cover. I’m thinking now that “less” may be better (for me). One observation I have, is that after the G7 has been in place for 24 - 30 hours, I very rarely have a compression low that awakens me; possibly something about the thing settling in.
I’m sorry to hear the cover isn’t what you had hoped. Maybe you’ll be able to find the “sweet spot” but either way do post a detailed review on Etsy - it may be helpful to others.
Maybe someone with a 3d printer will come up with a “bubble” to wear (hope springs eternal).
Okay @Jsich and @wadawabbit well I have a 3D printer, and I am a design engineer, so you have my full attention but I’m not sure what kind of design you are looking for? Is it something that keeps the g7 from compression by distributing the weight of your arm? I looked at the thing online and that certainly doesn’t distribute weight. Do you need me to come up with a concept and post it?
Actually I was just throwing that suggestion out into the wind - I don’t need one myself. But since you ask😊 I picture a dome attached to a base to which you would attach a ring to hold it in place - two-sided tape or a band of some type. @Jsich might have some suggestions based on her experience with the one she tried.
@wadawabbit@Jsich I moved this to a new topic because the other thread was for G7 questions. I am struggling with the concept of a dome, only because no matter what kind of truss or support I could use, the result is that it still compresses the back of the arm. There are a couple of key blood vessels back there as well I looked up a 3D model of the blood vessels so it is complicated any support that cuts across the short dimension of the back of your arm will cut off blood flow. Perhaps there is a way to distribute the weight of the arm around the sides of the arm but it would look like an upper arm cast. I’m not opposed to playing with the idea
now if at all possible, please consider going to Amazon or similar shopping site and do a search for an “Arm Elevation Pillow” if you look at the picture below, the shoulder is supported by the regular pillow and then from the elbow down, the rest of your arm can be supported by this Arm Elevation pillow. My unqualified guess is that by raising your whole arm you won’t compress the back of that arm.
below is a concept for a distribution “spreader” which if you try to press directly on the G7, will redistribute the force over a large area on the back of your arm. I used 30 mmhg as the forced needed to compress an arm over the area of the G7, then created a large area to reduce the point force to reduce that force to less than 0.3 mmhg over the larger area. The “hole” in the concept is where the CGM would fit (it is open for clarity) and there would need to be loops on the edge for a velcro or elastic lace to hold it in place. just a concept.
Ideas like this make me wish I had worked harder in science and math. They were my weak subjects but in later years I really started to take an interest in the mechanics and design of how things work.
Thank you for sharing your expertise.
This is so cool! So, a couple things… Would the ridge on that hole be slightly higher than the “depth” of the dexcom? And the problem with the one I tried that has a “dome”, is that the band that is supposed to hold it in place is this thin elastic band with a button and several buttonholes for different sized arms. If it is not very tight, it slides around and pushes the dexcom, if too tight, feels like a tourniquet. Also, it is very hard to button with one hand. If the band were much wider, and maybe used velcro, that might work better. The arm pillow must be for corpses. Who sleeps like that? I toss and turn 50 times during the night!
I did great in math and science but went into psychology because people told me I should. I think I would have been much happier as an engineer! Like you, Dorie, I am also interested in how things work!
The short answer is yes! The dex would be covered by the shield it’s not a hole really there is to be a solid cap I just rendered it this way so you can see it better.
Yes I can put loops in the edge so it can be fastened by Velcro or like a spandex sock or elastic band. I’ll do that part last.
If you want me to develop the concept I need the dimensions of your arm. You’ll need help getting an estimate of the circumference at about where you put your dexcom.
@joe an alternative to an armband - I use a shield for my G7 ( it fits snuggly around the sensor so doesn’t help with compression) and apply a Simpatch over that to hold it in place.
Maybe your device could be designed to work with existing shields and patches that are die cut?
If you want to send your address via PM
I’d be happy to send a patch for you to check out. They’re a little wider than the Dexcom patches.
Sorry, I only have one shield.
Thank you but I don’t think I need an over patch sample, the dexcom dimensions are available I throw one away every 10 days, and my thought is to not let a force applied to the sensor push it into your skin. So the shield will be a rigid top hat with a wide brim and that brim is how I take a large point force and make it a small distributed force. At this point I’d rather not glue it to an arm I think I’d like to hold it with a lace, sock, or elastic so it won’t stick to the sensor or the tape.
The circumference of my arm where i put the Dexcom is roughly 11 1/8 inch. It gets a little bigger when i bend my arm but that’s a pretty close I think.
So I used a “rivet” post allowing you to use rubber bands to hold it in place. Kids use those "“lock Laces” instead of tying sneaker laces you may have some luck there too. I didn’t print this yet because I want to check 2 things:
I can print in red, black, or white you have to pick one
if you HATE the rivets, I can print it with “holes” allowing you to use laces or “Lock Laces” you have to tell me which way
The “long” dimension is 4" so 2" above and 2" below the CGM up and down your arm.
You put it on like a “Cuff bracelet” my hope here is that once it is on, you can’t push the G7 directly. OK let me know or feel free to critique
Cool design! One thing I’ve found a little frustrating about the G7 is, it’s not perfectly round; so when I go to apply the shield I have to finagle it a bit to get it to fit.
Will the sensor need to be applied “just right” for the indent to fit, or is there enough room around the edges so the direction of placement doesn’t matter?
This is awesome. My only concern is whether or not it will slide on my arm, pushing the Dexcom as it moves. I can see how it will prevent compression, but if it is not super tight, won’t it slide? It seems like the fit will be tricky.
I am fine with the posts. I was thinking strong velcro, but maybe this is fine. I could try using hair bands (my girls left bunch when they left for college!) to loop around the posts, or get those lock laces you mentioned. Regarding color, black is good. Let me know what you think about the slippage issue.
I feel as though you are putting a lot of time and energy into this, and I am sure the 3D printer isn’t cheap! Let me know what I can reimburse you.
This is interesting feedback @Jsich I’m thinking maybe to alter the button shape over to a more fluid shape given the shield may slide or rotate a little. I would not recommend making it tight enough to not slip but rather making the part that covers the sensor a little bigger. Also the rivets may break so I might play with that detail a little too perhaps a combination might be more universal.
the “bulge” is supposed to cover the G7 in a way that keeps you from pressing directly on it while not providing a discrete “bump” where it could actually catch the G7
but either way do post a detailed review on Etsy - it may be helpful to others.
