Hi @Spooky, I recently went from G7 (been using it since Feb) to G6 as I got on the iLet pump. A while ago I had a conversation with Dexcom support and the conversation lead to how I was able to overlap sensor readings from an about to expire G7 to a new G7 I put on a handful of hours earlier. Told them that I can see the readings from the new sensor overlap the previous sensor once I synced with the new sensor. From this data I was able to see how accurate the new sensor was as I was on MDI. At first they didn’t believe me as it didn’t fit in their usability documents, however once I verified it with them, from my data which they could also see, they said they needed to update their usability guide for customer tech support.
The G6 feels like a frankenstein sensor compared to the G7 (although the readings from my first G6 sensor seems just as accurate as what I got with the G7). To me the G7 is far superior due to the size, 50% less parts needed, speedy warm-up, 12hr grace period, can overlap sensors for no missed readings, and the app is better as well. I miss the ability to click on the graph to see reading changes without it going into horizontal view, seeing my averages/in-range & hi-low %, quick access to 3/7/14/30/90 day views, ability to add a note to a day (I would add a daily metformin note for when I took it), and it had more settings that integrated better with the iphone OS. Can’t wait till iLet announces support for the G7 as I’ll hop back over to it as soon as I can.
Here are some tips I learned from using the G7 (some are repetitive from others, but some are not!)… Try to max out the time on the 12hr grace period as after about 20 sensors you earned yourself a spare one (which can come in handy if your third sensor of the month fails and it takes 4-5 days to receive a replacement). I typically found that a 2 hour overlap from one sensor to another is all you really need. Some sensors take a while to become accurate. Don’t calibrate a sensor until it settles down (usually within 24 hours). Calibrating it when the readings are wonky will continue to give you wonky results. After doing calibrations on my first two sensors I later found that fewer to no calibrations got better results (can’t recall the last time I calibrated a sensor). Some of my more accurate sensors started off jumping around.
I can’t wait for the G7. I am so tired of how clunky the G6 is. Have you had issues with compression lows? I am trying to get this all straight in my mind. You have a sensor on and it expires but there is still a 12 hour grace period where it works? This is different than the G6. During that 12 hours you put on the new sensor without activating it? I don’t know why it’s so difficult for me to understand this all. Have you started using the iLet?
Hi @Spooky. The G5 version of Dexcom had instructions not to use acetaminophen pain relievers as they could affect the readings. The G6 did not have that limitation, but when I did have to call for replacement, tech support asked me if had used any (they did eventually stop asking.
I’m no scientist (trust me on that!) but a thought that comes to mind is that something you’re using - even herbal supplements or teas perhaps - could be causing an issue that hasn’t yet been documented and it might be worth mentioning if they don’t specifically ask.
I hope the G7 works better for you - time will tell. In the meantime, it’s not a bad idea (it’s actually a very good one) to know how to live in manual mode - adjusting settings on your own.
@Spooky, keep in mind that there isn’t any diabetes tool, other than needle and syringe, that works in everybody the same way and I haven’t seen any mention in Dexcom literature that its devices are “perfect” for everyone. When requesting a replacement G6m Dexcom will ask, both on the phone and electronically, about the use of acetaminophen pain relievers which can interfere with reading accuracy - as do other consumables that Dori mentioned. The G7 has been available for a while - I haven’t yet tried it.
Recently I was at a group discussion, about 2 dozen people affected by T1 gathered in a circle, and there were some very distinct differences expressed about the G7. Most thought the change to G7 from G6 was an improvement but a few didn’t; two people mentioned that they experienced more compression lows while sleeping - it depends on body positions while sleeping.
And yes, during the grace period, glucose readings are available for up to 12 hours. A new G7 can be applied and activated before the old G7 stops working and readings will begin from the new G7 once the short warm-up period is finished - and when warmed up somehow unpairs the old sensor/transmitter.
The iLet is a pump, not a sensor so please don’t bring that discussion into this Topic. There are other Topics already on that device.
The new G7 has its own transmitter and automatically activates when you apply it and does not need to be started by an external device. So when you tell the reader (or your phone if you are using it as your reader) you started a new sensor, it stops reading the old sensor. When the reader or phone pairs with the new sensor, it updates all of the data from the new sensors memory. So if you applied the new sensor and 4 hours later you switched to the new sensor, you get 3-1/2 hours of overlapped data and zero gap. My clarity shows 105% data because of my overlap. I have a picture of the “dual lines” but I can’t upload it from my phone.
No issues with compression lows on the G6 or G7, however note that I found I get better reading from sensors when installed on the back of my arm and not the side. I’m also a side sleeper so having the device on the back of my arm minimizes compression.
Think of the G7 as having a 10day 12hour life expectancy. However the G7 will warn you about expiring at the 10 day mark. Once you get these warnings you have 12 hours before inserting a new sensor. It’s an awesome feature that I miss as I downgraded to the G6 as G7 is not supported on my pump. Oh, and yes I got on the iLet pump last Tuesday. It’s wonderful not needing to count carbs or be responsible for managing BG food spikes. The pump does it all for me. Has also dropped the number of low’s I’d typically get in a week. I only had one low last week while the pump was in training mode to learn about me.
Had an interesting G6 issue last night and learned the G6 2-hr warm up time is not really needed, but enforced by Dexcom. I accidentally found it as I treated it similar to the G7 I’ve been using since mid Feb. I took off my G6 for an MRI and afterwards I put on a new G6 sensor at 6:30pm (first time I’ve transitioned from one G6 sensor to a new one). After inserting the transmitter I got readings from the new sensor 2 min later on both the G6 app and my pump. Was thinking to myself that the 2 hour warm up must have been about setting a low expectation… And then at 11:30pm my phone beeped and said my G6 has expired and all reading stopped. So I restarted the sensor, put in the sensor code and started a 2 hr warm clock. Ugh… the new sensor had been working for 5 hours and now needed a 2 hour time out to “warmup”. 45 minutes later the warmup screen went away and I now got a warning saying I can’t restart a sensor and must insert a new one. Dexcom support kept saying that I didn’t give the new sensor 2 hours to warm up and I said it started working on its own 2 minutes after installing it and the readings were 98% accurate to a blood test I did. They didn’t believe me, I told them to look at my chart readings, they saw it but wouldn’t veer from the script of what they are supposed to say. Ultimately I had to put in my last sensor and start a new 2hr warmup at midnight… I’m 11 days on the G6 and I can’t wait to get back to the G7.
@gmershon and @Dennis@Spooky Here is an example of the “double lines” you see when you start a new sensor a few hours into your “grace period” and then tell the app to switch. I applied the new sensor at 9, it started gathering data at 9:30 and I switched at noonish. there are 2 traces (not exact numbers by the way) and there are zero gaps .
@Spooky the G7 lasts 10 days plus 12 hours. At the 10 day mark, it will complain that it is expired, but it continues to read for the next full 12 hours. at the 10 day plus 12 hour mark, it dies. and there is no way to restart it.
You do NOT have to “start” the new sensor. the new sensor starts on it’s own when you click tha applicator into your arm. there is a button on the underside and when you unscrew the applicator cap, it automatically starts the G7. You do not have to push this button, it is built in to the packaging and is completely automatic. Pro tip: DO NOT unscrew the applicator to look at the G7 before you are ready to apply the sensor to your arm.
the G7 starts to read blood sugar, by itself, 30 minutes after you unscrew the bottom of the applicator.
so what i do is simple. once the G7 “expires” (I have 12 hours left) I put a new G7 in and leave it for a few hours. Then when I feel like it, I tell the app to stop the current sensor, and I tell it to start a new sensor with the QR code from the new sensor.
After a few minutes, the new G7 displays on my phone… The G7 stores data for hours locally, so if it has been in my arm a few hours, it “backfills” the old data right up to the current time to about the last minutes.
G7 is new and the thing that is really new is that each sensor is completely sefl-contained and each one has a transmitter.
This feature is awesome! I told the Dexcom tech support team about this a long time ago and they didn’t believe me. Had them pull up my profile information and I walked them through it. Surprised them that their product worked like this.
A couple days ago I found that G6 works in a somewhat similar way but with one BIG caveat. When you install a new sensor before the previous one ends (and put the already registered transmitter in) you get readings immediately. Their app doesn’t seem to require the 4 digit sensor code to work a new sensor as it defaults to any time left on the previous sensor - basically overriding the two hour warm up. However, this is the caveat…. When the 10day usability period from the previous sensor ends it will end the new sensor readings. When you click the “start sensor” button it will start the 2 hour warmup clock and after a while it will stop the warmup and claim you can’t restart the new sensor and must enter a new sensor. Basically, DON’T do this even if though their own app seems to support it at first. I will say that the instantaneous readings I got with zero warmup were 98% accurate as I did a blood test to check it.
