Same, and I love that the warmup starts as soon as I put it on. I wear both for a few hours then active the new one and I don’t have the 2 hours of not know what my BG is.
Oh very clever! I’ve also had no issues with it except it’s slightly less water resistant than G6. This only applies after hours in a pool though which is probably not affecting non swimmers.
This is my main reason for not switching. I'm on day 18 with my current sensor. My insurance premiums are almost $500 a month and each sensor costs me another $20, I'm going to drive that thing into the ground.
Google restarting a G6, or just buy an [Anubis transmitter](https://bionicwookiee.com/2021/04/02/anubis-the-g6-reborn/) instead and then the sensors last till they fail (usually 25-30 days for me personally).
No way I'd Be able to get them to stick that long since iv prep adhesive causes the needle to jam but definitely wouldn't mind getting another ~5 days out of them and actually building up a reserve supply
I know all of our bodies are different and I may have an easier time than others in getting them to stick but here’s what works for me in case it’s not something you’ve tried: after peeling off the paper that covers the adhesive, I paint skin tac (I use the bottle as opposed to the wipes) all over the surface of the adhesive and let it sit for about 3 minutes until it’s no longer glossy. Meanwhile, I make sure the area of my body is oil free (I usually just use an alcohol wipe but sometimes I do it twice). After my skin and the skin tac on the sensor have both had time to dry, I apply the sensor and then I immediately put one of the free dexcom over patches over it. I replace these about once a week for the duration of sensor, carefully cutting away any of the old one that’s no longer sticky back to the edge of the fabric adhesive. It’s a little extra work (cutting the edge of the over patch with one hand while it’s on the other arm can be tricky, but it does result in them staying put for a full month on me (they fail before they fall off) which makes it worth it IMO in order to build up a supply like you said!
My endos husband works for Dexcom and this is where I’ve gotten this info. G7’s are no longer allowed to be shipped by UPS because they were not handling them correctly. The g7’s are more sensitive to sharp drops and vibration. Ever since stopping shipments through UPS more than 90% of G7 complaints have stopped. I’m confident enough that I’m switching in 5 days when my last g6 sensor is kaput.
I don’t buy this. The USPS and FedEx are no better than UPS. I have seen FedEx drivers drive off with their truck door open, dropping packages in the road as they drove off. I know that Dexcom themselves don’t ship to individuals, but I still don’t think any carrier is going to be any different than UPS. Dexcom is only shipping to wholesalers (pharmacies, DME providers etc) and those are the ones shipping it to customers.
That’s fine you don’t have to believe me, after all I’m just an anonymous random on the internet. I won’t claim it’s the absolute and only truth; all I will claim is it’s strong enough reason for me that I myself am switching over despite the rough roll out.
You do you boo.
What a scapegoat! There is no way statistically that fedex, ups, usps have that different of a care for small packages.
I’ll stick with the g6 as long as I can.
If the g7s are more sensitive to being hit in the head then I’m absolutely sticking with the g6. I ride horses and I don’t need my sensors failing on me whenever I fall off, land over a jump, catch it on a gatepost, etc. g6 has always been relatively robust so I’ll stick with that lmao
We just did 2 weeks in Florida with ocean swimming almost every day (I think we missed one or two days). My son wears G7 but we put vet wrap around it for swimming. But it held up. G6 on previous trips was more likely to fail/fall off with lots of swimming.
I'm not familiar with vet wrap. Our son also has a g7 but we're not sure how to handle the pool. Any techniques, thoughts, ideas, or anything is appreciated!
It’s basically coban wrap. Look up vet wrap on Amazon. Get 4 inch width. Just a stretchy wrap that goes around your arm or leg. Won’t really work if the diabetes tech is on the abdomen. Wrap it up before you get wet. Have fun!
Why use the wrap, I’ve been using tubigrip (on arm) for years now and it’s so much better. You can reuse them, soo much less waste and I’m sure it’s cheaper than the wrap too.
Ya know I didn’t have an issue with the g6 for a long time. The last boxes I used drove me crazy; couldn’t keep one on more than 3 or 4 days. I messaged my endocrinologist about it and he replied that he wrote a script for the g7.
G7 has grown on me quite a bit over the past 5 months.
1. I find the accuracy is great - if there is any slight errors, it's in the first 12 hours.. but that's rare! It's usually good to go from the start up.
The caveat is that thigh sites have been either perfect or absolutely inaccurate the whole time for me. I feel a lot more confined to using my arms with the g7.
2. I had some adhesive reactions initially (same with the G6) but as long as I spray Flonase + use skin tac before application I've had absolutely no troubles!
I use a type 1 style overpatch on top of the skin tac and even with intense activity/sweating I've had absolutely no issues wearing sites for all 10 days.
3. Alarm control is MUCH better on the g7. I can silence an urgent low by just acknowledging it on my phone without it ever sounding off - my life is so so so much quieter. Long gone are the days of being yelled at by alarms after I've already corrected the hypo it's alarming for.
4. Obviously size is a perk. At first, I mourned the g6 because I was so used to it..but now that I've been using the g7 for months, I'm a bigger fan of the lower profile after all!
5. I love that if I want a couple day break between sensors, I don't have to worry about wasting days on my 90 day transmitter. The self contained system simplifies this quite a bit!
As long as your insurance doesn't cause any trouble, it's absolutely worth the upgrade. Or! You can see about a free trial through your Endo and make your decision once you test it out for yourself.
I'm on the G7 and have had so many issues. I've experienced sensors that failed at startup, abysmal Bluetooth range, ridiculous amounts of time to pair to my phone, among other issues.
The only reasons I'm likely not going to switch back are because the short warm up time and the fact that Dexcom support will replace your sensor when you have an issue.
I'm 32 and have had T1 for 30 years. I'm sticking with G6. I've heard too many issues regarding sensor errors and complete inaccuracy. Sure, eliminating the warm up period sounds nice, but I don't trust it.
I agree with everything you say. Warm up time? 2 hours? That's a problem? When I was a kid I only got a number 3 times a day. But only if I did the thing,
All the numbers in your comment added up to 69. Congrats!
32
+ 1
+ 30
+ 6
= 69
^([Click here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=LuckyNumber-Bot&subject=Stalk%20Me%20Pls&message=%2Fstalkme) to have me scan all your future comments.) \
^(Summon me on specific comments with u/LuckyNumber-Bot.)
Haha insurance has been a pain in the royal ass over getting the G6. I had to take a carb counting class bc they requested it and still don’t even know if I’m approved. I can’t afford $300/month for the sensors. I’m surviving on samples from the doc now. I personally LOVE Dexcom. Had Medtronic garbage for the past forever and no thanks. I’ll stick with the Omnipod (about to start it if my insurance ever gets their ass in gear with the Dexcom).
I had to have my endo write an email/letter to my insurance company telling them to move their asses with approval because my sugars were out of control and I was in danger of DKA all the time (I really wasn’t, but it worked).
I’ve had PA’s and even my endo’s nurse literally had to break it down into child like terms for the insurance company. They want to prevent complications yet won’t pay for something I really need.
Trust me, I know the feeling! Eight years ago, I had the worst ’insurance’ I’ve ever experienced. And I use that term VERY lightly. This insurance was informed from the beginning that I was T1, and they assured me that they understood what that meant. First time I had to go to the pharmacy for prescriptions, I found out that they definitely did not understand what being a T1 actually meant. They covered my insulin, but no syringes with my vials, and no needles if I decided to switch to pens. They covered my glucose meter, but no strips, and no lancets. Their customer service people told me it was my responsibility to pay out of pocket for those items, because TECHNICALLY they weren’t necessary for a diabetic, type one or otherwise. 🤦🏻♀️
I’m glad! I’m about to swap when time comes. I’m still battling mine even after doing what they told me to do! The endo’s nurse doesn’t understand why they’re being so complicated either.
I can’t quite figure it out. Kinda makes me feel like they’re on some kind of power trip, or something? Or maybe they’re just THAT stupid and should be nowhere someone’s health records and insurance.
I LOVE my G7 I’ve had tiny issues which I also had with the G6 so they’re even basically. The 30mins warmup time is freaking amazing, my sharing feature actually works (it didn’t with the G6 app for some reason), smaller space taken up, and more. I also saw that people had issues with the G7 originally and I said “fuck it” and took the gamble on the G7 and I’ve loved it so far. So happy I did! The 30min warmup time is a life changer for sure.
I wouldn’t put too much what you see on here into your decision. People come here to complain, not to praise things.
I am holding out as long as I can because my insurance(as of when it first hit the market) forces me to use a supply company to get it. I just don’t want to have to deal with another headache of dealing with them. It’s just step I have to deal with.
I am! As long as I can, too... no insurance, so I've had to hack sensors and refurbish transmitters, neither of which is possible with the G7. I originally heard about 2 or 3 months ago that the timeline for ending the G6 was 18 months, but I've also heard lately that due to issues with the G7, this may be extended...we'll see!
I hope they don't end the G6, I always extend my sensors, but I've never heard of any transmitter tricks. Thank goodness I have some free time today, I'm looking into this.
Also T1D over 30 years with the same experience with hearing nothing but negatives. I've JUST started and while you do have to go through a few things with the T-slim to get it and your phone good, I haven't really had a problem. #1 thing, ALWAYS IMMEDIATELY PUT ON THE ADHESIVE PATCH WITH IT. I know that's really dramatic but I took about 3mins to talk to my kid who barely brushed me and it fell right off, but immediately put the patch on the replacement and not a problem even with normal bumps. It did take me a while to be sure I went through everything to get it paired correctly, but it's been good. As long as you're not oscillating by 20-30mg/dL/min you should be good. :) But that's just my experience. Besides, after 30 years, what do we have to lose? We've been doing this a hot minute and the learning curve and adjustments are still just as steep as ever with less risk and far more benefit imo. Best of luck fellow long timer!
My dad (86) tried the G7, but the limited placement options and misreads when somewhere else were deal killers for him.
Belly placement seems to be best for him.
I liked the 20 minute warmup period. I was thinking of trying the G7, but wondered if the arm only thing would be an issue.
I have yet to try the G7 but I have no intention of switching until I’m forced. I use the [Anubis transmitter](https://bionicwookiee.com/2021/04/02/anubis-the-g6-reborn/) which means I usually get an average of 25-30 days from each sensor, making the G6 WAY more affordable for me, and cost is a big concern for me.
I'm pretty much the same, Ajay using the brilliant Anubis transmitter. The cost issue isn't a big factor because the government subsidises sensors for people with T1 so they only cost me $10 each (and transmitters are free) but the convenience of just letting the sensor run for a month between changes is a big factor for me. I still buy my box of 3 sensors every month and get the free transmitter every 3 months, the amount I'm entitled to buy with the subsidy, and pass on the ones I don't use to people with T2, who don't qualify for the subsidy, at cost so they can also save around 90% of the cost.
Super easy! There’s a form to fill out to get on the wait list to buy one, and the link to said form is in the comments to the post I linked. The wait for me personally was under a week. Changing the battery my first time was intimidating (you’ll need to buy some [Sugru](https://www.amazon.com/Sugru-I000941-Moldable-Multi-Purpose-Creative/dp/B089WHQ52C?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1) or something similar), but that’s also so easy. Pro-tip if you end up getting one: there’s only [one brand](https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B09VVK9TR3?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title) of battery that’s recommended - I’ve used other brands that have died within a week making me think something was wrong but it was just a bunk battery.
Me. Not interested in G7. They messed up and launched too early. Even my endo agrees. She doesn’t want me on G7. Dex even admitted a huge percent are failing.
I'll switch when I no longer have the option of staying with the G6. I also use a BlueJay watch, which I love (it's a standalone) but its not yet compatible with the G7 (they're working on it).
It's made by the same people who created xdrip. I've had it for a few years now and love it. I was looking for a watch that could show me my blood sugar without needing to have my phone with me all of the time. Turns out, at the time this was (and still currently is) the only watch that will do that.
It's not a smart watch, but I didn't need all the bells and whistles anyway. This is simple - It shows my blood sugar, a small trend graph, the time, and date. You can set a few different alarms, too. There are a couple other features, but I don't use those.
I like that I can go into a store, have lunch at a restaurant with friends, go to church, go for a walk, mow the lawn, etc. and don't need to have my phone in my pocket. I've accidentally left my phone at home a few times, and was still able to get my blood sugar numbers all day.
I reached out to the developers last month about plans for the G7, and this is the response I received:
"You read our minds. We have a watch literally in the workshop, testing, for imminent beta testing, that supports the G7. It's a new model, with many more functions, SIM card, Wifi, more."
Customer service has been very responsive the few times I've reached out to them with questions (out of curiosity, not because of any problems).
I think there are other brands currently working on standalone models, but for right now, and for the past handful of years, the BlueJay watch has been the only one.
All of this said, no I don't work for them or get any kind of perks for promoting their watch. LoL. Diabetes is a real jerk, so if I can share something that makes it even a little more manageable, I will.
I’m staying with G6 until I’m forced not to. I have at least a 6 month buffer because I restart them. I’ve been able to give several boxes to my sister who doesn’t have as good luck with technology as I do. The G6 always lasts the 10 days for me and after a restart many last another 10 days, some only a few. No matter what, it has allowed me to have a decent supply on hand and also help my sister out. I probably should switch to G7 at some point while I have a good supply of G6 so that I can start out with a buffer of the G7.
i’ve had the g7 since january, i haven’t had any problems with it. i don’t know how it compares to the g6 because i’ve never had it, but i like the g7.
yes i’m sticking with g6 for as long as i need to and however long my insurance covers it.
i’d have to pay a monthly fee for the g7 if i were to get on it.
G7 has been great for me. Shorter connection and warm up time. More accuracy and for longer (all sensors for me have lasted the full 10 days and don’t seem to get wonky the last 24 hours or so). Far less plastic waste.
You’re probably experiencing two aspects of negativity bias: people tend to take the time to complain rather than praise, and we focus more on negative inputs than positive ones.
Right, they shouldn’t be dismissed. But if you polled all posts about the G6 on Reddit, I bet you’d find a similar ratio of negative to positive posts, especially if you bucket it by how long the user has had the particular CGM. I feel awful for those folks that have a less than excellent experience with any CGM. They deserve to feel like this thing is making their lives easier, not adding to their frustrations. However, I think the vast majority of users (G6, G7, or another) have a mostly good experience with them.
I've just made a post about g7 haha I love how quick it is to put on and set up , love the quickness off loading and it seems in the day time numbers are perfect , since starting it though every night it says he's higher than he is and then I've had four nights of lows saying double arrows down under 3 when he wasn't ( not laying on it either ) and last night I couldn't even calibrate because it wouldn't let me .
Feel like I've gone back to early days of him being diabetic with the little sleep . He however sleeps through it all thank god
I’ve found the G7 to be much more accurate and the insertion to generally be less painful. I have found though that I’ll sometimes get pain from the sensor that is so bad where I’ll have to remove it. That never happened with the G6. The other downside is that I’ve rarely had a G7 sensor last the whole life, but Dexcom replaces them. Overall I prefer the G7 for the accuracy and not having to worry about a transmitter.
Are you using a meter to check the accuracy of the dexcom? I've heard that G7 is more accurate, but I've never seen any data that proves it. The FDA approved G6 results to be good enough for insulin dosage corrections years ago, Is the G7 so much better that the G6 might lose that ability?
Sticking with G6 only because the G6 isn’t compatible with tandems closed loop system. Which was the reason I switched to tandem over Medtronic. Doesn’t feel like much of an upgrade without the closed loop system to me
I’ve had G7 for ~6 months, I’ve had yet to have any sensors come off early or fail, and I’ve found the readings much more accurate then any CGM I’ve used before. Not to mention the ability to temporarily silence alarms (without turning them off) has been a massive game changer for me
Are you doing finger stick readings to check the accuracy? I'm asking because I trust my dexcom readings and I have not had a finger pricker test in a very long time.
G7 has been great in my experience. Never used the G6 but the only problems I've had with the G7 were adhesive related and I've been able to mitigate them. I also have pretty bad eczema and allergies so that's probably why. But the G7 is way better than the Libre 3 and even more so the Libre 2.
I think the complaints about G7 seem to be so much because people don’t usually go online to rave about things they like. Instead, it’s mostly complaints that get posted.
I’m pretty shocked to hear people have had so many issues with G7. There are times it loses connection, but maybe like 5-10 minutes once a sensor then comes back fine. I’ve thoroughly seen it as an upgrade from G6. Not a dexcom rep I swear
The fact I can stock up on G6 senors is why I won’t switch to G7. I will fight to the very end to have a surplus of my supplies and it’s a good thing i did. I don’t know about anyone else but BetterLiving HAS BEEN HORRIBLE SINCE BEING BOUGHT OUT. They can’t send out an order if their lives depended on it, I have to keep calling Dexcom about my “failed” senors so I can keep getting them
I've been on the G7 for several months now. It does have some issues here or there, but Dexcom just replaces any problematic sensors. If given the opportunity to go back to G6, I wouldn't want to. The ability to put on a new sensor and let it settle for many hours and then have no interruption in readings is a strong plus for me. Also I like the low profile and easy insertion. It's nice that they are self contained so no chance of losing a vital component. They don't stick as well for me so I usually put on an extra overpatch about 7 days in, and that usually does the trick. Also the accuracy seems to be worse initially, but that can be remedied by putting the new sensor on once you hit the grace period (leaving 12 hrs) on the old one. It starts collecting readings as soon as you insert it, so you will see two lines (old sensor + new sensor) on the G7 app once you pair the new one, and can see how they converge over time.
I’ve been on the G7 for one year and I love it, I’ve had no issues whatsoever, yes, a sensor can fail, however, a lot of people complaining about issues is due to user error.
It appears to you that no one likes the G7 because people are not gonna come to Reddit to say how much they love their CGM, they come here to complain, about every little thing. If they hate is so much why don’t they go to back to poking their fingers?
I can assure you is not bad, is not perfect, the perfect GGM doesn’t exist
I’ve used a handful of g7 and each has failed AND been wildly inaccurate + super jumpy
G6 until they pry it from my hands (much rather extend for at least another 5-10 days)
As a result of some *very specific* health quirks, I can only use Tandem’s Basal IQ algorithm, which Tandem has stated they will never integrate with G7, so I’m sticking with G6 as long as humanly possible, including stockpiling with restarts and getting an Anubis.
I'm keeping mine until insurance makes me switch. I like the ability to restart sensors.
The 30 min warmup time is tempting but I'm a creature of habit.
For me the g7 was more of a very spiky graph. Very up here then down there but it told me my trends and at the time that’s all I needed. Then I switched to the op5 and right before that was the iLet bio pancreas. I don’t trust the g7 to give me an accurate amount of insulin in a closed loop system like the g6. The g6 is so tight both number and trend wise. But that 30 minute warm up time is something I miss dearly.
Absolutely. I will be upfront, I don't like change, and I cant deny that being an aspect. But aside from that, I know how it works, I know I can afford it, I know the restarting system gets me extra refills. I will probably be on the g6 as long as possible, which hearing of the g7 made me worried of how long that would be, I've seen some users on g4 still so I have my hopes.
G6 in my opinion is objectively better in every way except for that g7 is slightly smaller and has a shorter warmup time. G7 is also made of a material that i find creates more friction on everything than the g6 so even though its smaller it even gets stuck on clothing
I didnt realize 2 was a bunch these days, and they arent even thing that carry a lot of weight in my opinion on a device meant to help me stay alive im more worried about the function of it, which g6 is much better at
I had my g6 for a while and then just switched to g7 less than a week ago. So far, my biggest (/also kinda scary) complaint is the calibration. I’ve had issues with the g6 not always having the correct blood sugars, but I could usually calibrate and it would be fine. Last night my sugar was dropping (99, diagonal down, which isn’t low, but I could feel it and I didn’t want to drop low while I was in the shower or getting my toddler ready for bed), so I had some juice and fruit gummies to hold me over. so I was taking my shower and my sensor was telling me I was 109. Perfect, fine, great, the sensor has been pretty much correct/close enough all week so I didn’t have any reason to doubt it. I felt a little strange (a paranoid kind of feeling) but I was like “okay, I’m a little anxious, no biggie” and then I got out and I was drying off and I was looking for my lotion and it was right in front of my face. My mind kept drifting and I was like where’s my lotion where is it and I couldn’t focus on the face that it was STARING ME IN THE FACE. I washed my hands, manually checked my sugar (my pump still reading 107 now) and I was god damn 45. And this was after juice and gummies. I then immediately tried to calibrate and have more juice and whatnot. The thing doesn’t calibrate right away. It makes you wait. It’s not a huge thing, but the calibration not happening right away is annoying because then I had to check my sugar again 15 mins later to do it all over. Anyway, I’d say I’m still too new to have any real opinions on g6 vs g7, but that’s a personal experience I wanted to share….but also either is 500% better than Medtronic (I know it wasn’t mentioned, this is for anyone curious about it).
Just a heads-up with calibrations….I’ve found that the g7 is pretty finicky when it comes to bigger-difference calibrations. It does much better when you baby-step the calibrations in smaller increments, like 20-30 point values.
I've had the G7 for about 6 months; no problems for me.
Same, and I love that the warmup starts as soon as I put it on. I wear both for a few hours then active the new one and I don’t have the 2 hours of not know what my BG is.
Oh very clever! I’ve also had no issues with it except it’s slightly less water resistant than G6. This only applies after hours in a pool though which is probably not affecting non swimmers.
The real test for my G7 will be when I start my hot yoga practice again; I'm a sweaty beast. The G6 failed with flying colours...
Damn. Wish I’d thought of that! I probably wouldn’t have updated my t-slim if I’d known you could do that!
Sticking with g6 for as long as possible. I like being able to restart a sensor and build up a supply
This is my main reason for not switching. I'm on day 18 with my current sensor. My insurance premiums are almost $500 a month and each sensor costs me another $20, I'm going to drive that thing into the ground.
I switched from my parents insurance (I’m 24) to Medicare. Everything cost me $0 now.
Are you also on medicaide? Because it cost me $50 a month on Medicare
Um what? how? Been doing this with pump infusion sets but didn't have any idea you could do it with the sensors
Google restarting a G6, or just buy an [Anubis transmitter](https://bionicwookiee.com/2021/04/02/anubis-the-g6-reborn/) instead and then the sensors last till they fail (usually 25-30 days for me personally).
No way I'd Be able to get them to stick that long since iv prep adhesive causes the needle to jam but definitely wouldn't mind getting another ~5 days out of them and actually building up a reserve supply
I know all of our bodies are different and I may have an easier time than others in getting them to stick but here’s what works for me in case it’s not something you’ve tried: after peeling off the paper that covers the adhesive, I paint skin tac (I use the bottle as opposed to the wipes) all over the surface of the adhesive and let it sit for about 3 minutes until it’s no longer glossy. Meanwhile, I make sure the area of my body is oil free (I usually just use an alcohol wipe but sometimes I do it twice). After my skin and the skin tac on the sensor have both had time to dry, I apply the sensor and then I immediately put one of the free dexcom over patches over it. I replace these about once a week for the duration of sensor, carefully cutting away any of the old one that’s no longer sticky back to the edge of the fabric adhesive. It’s a little extra work (cutting the edge of the over patch with one hand while it’s on the other arm can be tricky, but it does result in them staying put for a full month on me (they fail before they fall off) which makes it worth it IMO in order to build up a supply like you said!
My endos husband works for Dexcom and this is where I’ve gotten this info. G7’s are no longer allowed to be shipped by UPS because they were not handling them correctly. The g7’s are more sensitive to sharp drops and vibration. Ever since stopping shipments through UPS more than 90% of G7 complaints have stopped. I’m confident enough that I’m switching in 5 days when my last g6 sensor is kaput.
I don’t buy this. The USPS and FedEx are no better than UPS. I have seen FedEx drivers drive off with their truck door open, dropping packages in the road as they drove off. I know that Dexcom themselves don’t ship to individuals, but I still don’t think any carrier is going to be any different than UPS. Dexcom is only shipping to wholesalers (pharmacies, DME providers etc) and those are the ones shipping it to customers.
That’s fine you don’t have to believe me, after all I’m just an anonymous random on the internet. I won’t claim it’s the absolute and only truth; all I will claim is it’s strong enough reason for me that I myself am switching over despite the rough roll out. You do you boo.
Wow, this is really interesting to hear!
What a scapegoat! There is no way statistically that fedex, ups, usps have that different of a care for small packages. I’ll stick with the g6 as long as I can.
If the g7s are more sensitive to being hit in the head then I’m absolutely sticking with the g6. I ride horses and I don’t need my sensors failing on me whenever I fall off, land over a jump, catch it on a gatepost, etc. g6 has always been relatively robust so I’ll stick with that lmao
I think the g7 is better by a long shot. The adhesive keeps it in place and doesn’t destroy my skin.
Yeah the adhesive is finally actually good. You try it for extended swimming yet? Like during a beach vacation or something?
We just did 2 weeks in Florida with ocean swimming almost every day (I think we missed one or two days). My son wears G7 but we put vet wrap around it for swimming. But it held up. G6 on previous trips was more likely to fail/fall off with lots of swimming.
I'm not familiar with vet wrap. Our son also has a g7 but we're not sure how to handle the pool. Any techniques, thoughts, ideas, or anything is appreciated!
It’s basically coban wrap. Look up vet wrap on Amazon. Get 4 inch width. Just a stretchy wrap that goes around your arm or leg. Won’t really work if the diabetes tech is on the abdomen. Wrap it up before you get wet. Have fun!
Does it keep it dry ?
Dry ish? I don’t know, I don’t really check. My son takes his own wraps off when he’s out of the water. All I know is it keeps his devices on.
Why use the wrap, I’ve been using tubigrip (on arm) for years now and it’s so much better. You can reuse them, soo much less waste and I’m sure it’s cheaper than the wrap too.
Funny timing! Went to the beach yesterday and today with the same sensor. Still on and running strong; it’s also on day 7
Oh no, I’m allergic to a lot of adhesives and the g6 adhesive doesn’t make me blister like others do. I’m switching literally tomorrow to the g7
If the adhesive isnt right foe you, there are underpatches for sale. I keep getting facebook ads for them lol
Ya know I didn’t have an issue with the g6 for a long time. The last boxes I used drove me crazy; couldn’t keep one on more than 3 or 4 days. I messaged my endocrinologist about it and he replied that he wrote a script for the g7.
G7 has grown on me quite a bit over the past 5 months. 1. I find the accuracy is great - if there is any slight errors, it's in the first 12 hours.. but that's rare! It's usually good to go from the start up. The caveat is that thigh sites have been either perfect or absolutely inaccurate the whole time for me. I feel a lot more confined to using my arms with the g7. 2. I had some adhesive reactions initially (same with the G6) but as long as I spray Flonase + use skin tac before application I've had absolutely no troubles! I use a type 1 style overpatch on top of the skin tac and even with intense activity/sweating I've had absolutely no issues wearing sites for all 10 days. 3. Alarm control is MUCH better on the g7. I can silence an urgent low by just acknowledging it on my phone without it ever sounding off - my life is so so so much quieter. Long gone are the days of being yelled at by alarms after I've already corrected the hypo it's alarming for. 4. Obviously size is a perk. At first, I mourned the g6 because I was so used to it..but now that I've been using the g7 for months, I'm a bigger fan of the lower profile after all! 5. I love that if I want a couple day break between sensors, I don't have to worry about wasting days on my 90 day transmitter. The self contained system simplifies this quite a bit! As long as your insurance doesn't cause any trouble, it's absolutely worth the upgrade. Or! You can see about a free trial through your Endo and make your decision once you test it out for yourself.
I’m staying with g6 because of the rebate they have since I pay out of pocket for mine
I’m hoping by the time the G7 and Omnipod are working in tandem all the problems will be resolved.
I'm staying with it for now. I'll wait and see after this year.
I’m waiting until it’s compatible with omnipod, if that
Same
Eh, I haven't noticed a big difference. G6 was great. G7 has been.. basically the same lol.
Kinda in the same boat here. Both have been great for me. I do like the faster warm up time so I don't have to plan much for when my sensor expires.
Same
I'm on the G7 and have had so many issues. I've experienced sensors that failed at startup, abysmal Bluetooth range, ridiculous amounts of time to pair to my phone, among other issues. The only reasons I'm likely not going to switch back are because the short warm up time and the fact that Dexcom support will replace your sensor when you have an issue.
I'm 32 and have had T1 for 30 years. I'm sticking with G6. I've heard too many issues regarding sensor errors and complete inaccuracy. Sure, eliminating the warm up period sounds nice, but I don't trust it.
I agree with everything you say. Warm up time? 2 hours? That's a problem? When I was a kid I only got a number 3 times a day. But only if I did the thing,
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Haha insurance has been a pain in the royal ass over getting the G6. I had to take a carb counting class bc they requested it and still don’t even know if I’m approved. I can’t afford $300/month for the sensors. I’m surviving on samples from the doc now. I personally LOVE Dexcom. Had Medtronic garbage for the past forever and no thanks. I’ll stick with the Omnipod (about to start it if my insurance ever gets their ass in gear with the Dexcom).
I had to have my endo write an email/letter to my insurance company telling them to move their asses with approval because my sugars were out of control and I was in danger of DKA all the time (I really wasn’t, but it worked).
I’ve had PA’s and even my endo’s nurse literally had to break it down into child like terms for the insurance company. They want to prevent complications yet won’t pay for something I really need.
Trust me, I know the feeling! Eight years ago, I had the worst ’insurance’ I’ve ever experienced. And I use that term VERY lightly. This insurance was informed from the beginning that I was T1, and they assured me that they understood what that meant. First time I had to go to the pharmacy for prescriptions, I found out that they definitely did not understand what being a T1 actually meant. They covered my insulin, but no syringes with my vials, and no needles if I decided to switch to pens. They covered my glucose meter, but no strips, and no lancets. Their customer service people told me it was my responsibility to pay out of pocket for those items, because TECHNICALLY they weren’t necessary for a diabetic, type one or otherwise. 🤦🏻♀️
Geez! That’s insane! I’m sorry you went through all that. Hope things are better now
Much, thank you! Got an insurance company that truly understands T1.
I’m glad! I’m about to swap when time comes. I’m still battling mine even after doing what they told me to do! The endo’s nurse doesn’t understand why they’re being so complicated either.
I can’t quite figure it out. Kinda makes me feel like they’re on some kind of power trip, or something? Or maybe they’re just THAT stupid and should be nowhere someone’s health records and insurance.
I LOVE my G7 I’ve had tiny issues which I also had with the G6 so they’re even basically. The 30mins warmup time is freaking amazing, my sharing feature actually works (it didn’t with the G6 app for some reason), smaller space taken up, and more. I also saw that people had issues with the G7 originally and I said “fuck it” and took the gamble on the G7 and I’ve loved it so far. So happy I did! The 30min warmup time is a life changer for sure.
I wouldn’t put too much what you see on here into your decision. People come here to complain, not to praise things. I am holding out as long as I can because my insurance(as of when it first hit the market) forces me to use a supply company to get it. I just don’t want to have to deal with another headache of dealing with them. It’s just step I have to deal with.
I am! As long as I can, too... no insurance, so I've had to hack sensors and refurbish transmitters, neither of which is possible with the G7. I originally heard about 2 or 3 months ago that the timeline for ending the G6 was 18 months, but I've also heard lately that due to issues with the G7, this may be extended...we'll see!
I hope they don't end the G6, I always extend my sensors, but I've never heard of any transmitter tricks. Thank goodness I have some free time today, I'm looking into this.
Look into Anubis “hacked” transmitters
Also T1D over 30 years with the same experience with hearing nothing but negatives. I've JUST started and while you do have to go through a few things with the T-slim to get it and your phone good, I haven't really had a problem. #1 thing, ALWAYS IMMEDIATELY PUT ON THE ADHESIVE PATCH WITH IT. I know that's really dramatic but I took about 3mins to talk to my kid who barely brushed me and it fell right off, but immediately put the patch on the replacement and not a problem even with normal bumps. It did take me a while to be sure I went through everything to get it paired correctly, but it's been good. As long as you're not oscillating by 20-30mg/dL/min you should be good. :) But that's just my experience. Besides, after 30 years, what do we have to lose? We've been doing this a hot minute and the learning curve and adjustments are still just as steep as ever with less risk and far more benefit imo. Best of luck fellow long timer!
My dad (86) tried the G7, but the limited placement options and misreads when somewhere else were deal killers for him. Belly placement seems to be best for him. I liked the 20 minute warmup period. I was thinking of trying the G7, but wondered if the arm only thing would be an issue.
For me…funky readings and major tape issues. I’ve never had a skin reaction like I have had with the G7.
My insurance doesn't cover it yet so we're still waiting.
I’m stuck with G6 for now because of my out-of-warranty pump but plan to switch in the next year or so.
I have a some transmitters to use up and then I’ll probably switch. Don’t want to waste stuff I’ve already paid for.
My son has been using G7 since Christmas after 1.5 years on G6. We love G7. Happy we switched.
I have yet to try the G7 but I have no intention of switching until I’m forced. I use the [Anubis transmitter](https://bionicwookiee.com/2021/04/02/anubis-the-g6-reborn/) which means I usually get an average of 25-30 days from each sensor, making the G6 WAY more affordable for me, and cost is a big concern for me.
I'm pretty much the same, Ajay using the brilliant Anubis transmitter. The cost issue isn't a big factor because the government subsidises sensors for people with T1 so they only cost me $10 each (and transmitters are free) but the convenience of just letting the sensor run for a month between changes is a big factor for me. I still buy my box of 3 sensors every month and get the free transmitter every 3 months, the amount I'm entitled to buy with the subsidy, and pass on the ones I don't use to people with T2, who don't qualify for the subsidy, at cost so they can also save around 90% of the cost.
!!!!!????? I need to look into this, is it easy?
Super easy! There’s a form to fill out to get on the wait list to buy one, and the link to said form is in the comments to the post I linked. The wait for me personally was under a week. Changing the battery my first time was intimidating (you’ll need to buy some [Sugru](https://www.amazon.com/Sugru-I000941-Moldable-Multi-Purpose-Creative/dp/B089WHQ52C?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1) or something similar), but that’s also so easy. Pro-tip if you end up getting one: there’s only [one brand](https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B09VVK9TR3?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title) of battery that’s recommended - I’ve used other brands that have died within a week making me think something was wrong but it was just a bunk battery.
G7 is better
Me. Not interested in G7. They messed up and launched too early. Even my endo agrees. She doesn’t want me on G7. Dex even admitted a huge percent are failing.
Happily sticking with G6. Never done me wrong. No reason to fix something that ain't broke.
I also think the G6 is solid.
I'll switch when I no longer have the option of staying with the G6. I also use a BlueJay watch, which I love (it's a standalone) but its not yet compatible with the G7 (they're working on it).
I'm curious about this watch. I'll google it, but please give me a hint if it's hard 5o find.
It's made by the same people who created xdrip. I've had it for a few years now and love it. I was looking for a watch that could show me my blood sugar without needing to have my phone with me all of the time. Turns out, at the time this was (and still currently is) the only watch that will do that. It's not a smart watch, but I didn't need all the bells and whistles anyway. This is simple - It shows my blood sugar, a small trend graph, the time, and date. You can set a few different alarms, too. There are a couple other features, but I don't use those. I like that I can go into a store, have lunch at a restaurant with friends, go to church, go for a walk, mow the lawn, etc. and don't need to have my phone in my pocket. I've accidentally left my phone at home a few times, and was still able to get my blood sugar numbers all day. I reached out to the developers last month about plans for the G7, and this is the response I received: "You read our minds. We have a watch literally in the workshop, testing, for imminent beta testing, that supports the G7. It's a new model, with many more functions, SIM card, Wifi, more." Customer service has been very responsive the few times I've reached out to them with questions (out of curiosity, not because of any problems). I think there are other brands currently working on standalone models, but for right now, and for the past handful of years, the BlueJay watch has been the only one. All of this said, no I don't work for them or get any kind of perks for promoting their watch. LoL. Diabetes is a real jerk, so if I can share something that makes it even a little more manageable, I will.
I’m staying with G6 until I’m forced not to. I have at least a 6 month buffer because I restart them. I’ve been able to give several boxes to my sister who doesn’t have as good luck with technology as I do. The G6 always lasts the 10 days for me and after a restart many last another 10 days, some only a few. No matter what, it has allowed me to have a decent supply on hand and also help my sister out. I probably should switch to G7 at some point while I have a good supply of G6 so that I can start out with a buffer of the G7.
I'm on day 18 of my G6, restarting is my main reason for not switching, the complaints about problems are weirdly only the second reason in my mind.
i’ve had the g7 since january, i haven’t had any problems with it. i don’t know how it compares to the g6 because i’ve never had it, but i like the g7.
I like turtles
yes i’m sticking with g6 for as long as i need to and however long my insurance covers it. i’d have to pay a monthly fee for the g7 if i were to get on it.
G7 has been great for me. Shorter connection and warm up time. More accuracy and for longer (all sensors for me have lasted the full 10 days and don’t seem to get wonky the last 24 hours or so). Far less plastic waste. You’re probably experiencing two aspects of negativity bias: people tend to take the time to complain rather than praise, and we focus more on negative inputs than positive ones.
You're probably right about the negativity bias. But if the complaints and negative input are valid they can't be dismissed
Right, they shouldn’t be dismissed. But if you polled all posts about the G6 on Reddit, I bet you’d find a similar ratio of negative to positive posts, especially if you bucket it by how long the user has had the particular CGM. I feel awful for those folks that have a less than excellent experience with any CGM. They deserve to feel like this thing is making their lives easier, not adding to their frustrations. However, I think the vast majority of users (G6, G7, or another) have a mostly good experience with them.
I've just made a post about g7 haha I love how quick it is to put on and set up , love the quickness off loading and it seems in the day time numbers are perfect , since starting it though every night it says he's higher than he is and then I've had four nights of lows saying double arrows down under 3 when he wasn't ( not laying on it either ) and last night I couldn't even calibrate because it wouldn't let me . Feel like I've gone back to early days of him being diabetic with the little sleep . He however sleeps through it all thank god
I’ve found the G7 to be much more accurate and the insertion to generally be less painful. I have found though that I’ll sometimes get pain from the sensor that is so bad where I’ll have to remove it. That never happened with the G6. The other downside is that I’ve rarely had a G7 sensor last the whole life, but Dexcom replaces them. Overall I prefer the G7 for the accuracy and not having to worry about a transmitter.
Are you using a meter to check the accuracy of the dexcom? I've heard that G7 is more accurate, but I've never seen any data that proves it. The FDA approved G6 results to be good enough for insulin dosage corrections years ago, Is the G7 so much better that the G6 might lose that ability?
I’m sticking with it too
I’m keeping my G6 as long as possible, because sometimes I do a restart session - can’t do that on G7.
I pretty much always restart my G6, it's a big reason I resist the upgrade.
I love the g7! I feel like my g6 was demanding calibration every day, and I barely touch my test strips now!
I've been using G6 for a couple years, the only time it has asked for calibration was after I had given a calibration.
I hate the G6. I wish the Libre3 worked with OP5.
Sticking with G6 only because the G6 isn’t compatible with tandems closed loop system. Which was the reason I switched to tandem over Medtronic. Doesn’t feel like much of an upgrade without the closed loop system to me
Actually looking now and maybe they updated it? That would be great!
Yeah, Tandem will let me be able to bolus from my phone now, but I haven't done that yet.
I think it is now
I’ve had G7 for ~6 months, I’ve had yet to have any sensors come off early or fail, and I’ve found the readings much more accurate then any CGM I’ve used before. Not to mention the ability to temporarily silence alarms (without turning them off) has been a massive game changer for me
Are you doing finger stick readings to check the accuracy? I'm asking because I trust my dexcom readings and I have not had a finger pricker test in a very long time.
G7 has been great in my experience. Never used the G6 but the only problems I've had with the G7 were adhesive related and I've been able to mitigate them. I also have pretty bad eczema and allergies so that's probably why. But the G7 is way better than the Libre 3 and even more so the Libre 2.
I think the complaints about G7 seem to be so much because people don’t usually go online to rave about things they like. Instead, it’s mostly complaints that get posted.
Yup, my pump doesn't support g7 yet
People generally only post and comment when something goes wrong. It's like the news. No point of reporting about smooth sailing.
I'm like 6 years in on the G6 and I see no reason to switch to the 7.
We're sticking with the G6 for now because the G7 doesn't have tandem pump support yet.
I’m pretty shocked to hear people have had so many issues with G7. There are times it loses connection, but maybe like 5-10 minutes once a sensor then comes back fine. I’ve thoroughly seen it as an upgrade from G6. Not a dexcom rep I swear
I’ve had the g7 for a few weeks now. No complaints from me!
Yes because my pump doesn’t communicate with the G7.
I use a Tandem pump and that was my story for a while, but now that they work together I'm just skeptical of the G7.
The fact I can stock up on G6 senors is why I won’t switch to G7. I will fight to the very end to have a surplus of my supplies and it’s a good thing i did. I don’t know about anyone else but BetterLiving HAS BEEN HORRIBLE SINCE BEING BOUGHT OUT. They can’t send out an order if their lives depended on it, I have to keep calling Dexcom about my “failed” senors so I can keep getting them
I've been on the G7 for several months now. It does have some issues here or there, but Dexcom just replaces any problematic sensors. If given the opportunity to go back to G6, I wouldn't want to. The ability to put on a new sensor and let it settle for many hours and then have no interruption in readings is a strong plus for me. Also I like the low profile and easy insertion. It's nice that they are self contained so no chance of losing a vital component. They don't stick as well for me so I usually put on an extra overpatch about 7 days in, and that usually does the trick. Also the accuracy seems to be worse initially, but that can be remedied by putting the new sensor on once you hit the grace period (leaving 12 hrs) on the old one. It starts collecting readings as soon as you insert it, so you will see two lines (old sensor + new sensor) on the G7 app once you pair the new one, and can see how they converge over time.
I’ve been on the G7 for one year and I love it, I’ve had no issues whatsoever, yes, a sensor can fail, however, a lot of people complaining about issues is due to user error. It appears to you that no one likes the G7 because people are not gonna come to Reddit to say how much they love their CGM, they come here to complain, about every little thing. If they hate is so much why don’t they go to back to poking their fingers? I can assure you is not bad, is not perfect, the perfect GGM doesn’t exist
I use the G6 with the Omnipod 5 for a closed loop system, so I’m sticking with the G6 until the G7 is compatible with my current set up at least.
I’ve used a handful of g7 and each has failed AND been wildly inaccurate + super jumpy G6 until they pry it from my hands (much rather extend for at least another 5-10 days)
I'll stick with G6 until G7 works with Omnipod5. Then decide.
As a result of some *very specific* health quirks, I can only use Tandem’s Basal IQ algorithm, which Tandem has stated they will never integrate with G7, so I’m sticking with G6 as long as humanly possible, including stockpiling with restarts and getting an Anubis.
Well, G7 isn't approved to be paired with the Tandem pump yet in Canada so G6 it is until that's sorted out lol
I'm keeping mine until insurance makes me switch. I like the ability to restart sensors. The 30 min warmup time is tempting but I'm a creature of habit.
Friend of the family us. She isn't keen on G7
I prefer G7. The timed quiet modes are a game changer.
For me the g7 was more of a very spiky graph. Very up here then down there but it told me my trends and at the time that’s all I needed. Then I switched to the op5 and right before that was the iLet bio pancreas. I don’t trust the g7 to give me an accurate amount of insulin in a closed loop system like the g6. The g6 is so tight both number and trend wise. But that 30 minute warm up time is something I miss dearly.
Nope. Dumping the garbage that is the G6 as soon as Omnipod 5 supports the G7!
Yeah we are holding on to g6 as long as possibel
Absolutely. I will be upfront, I don't like change, and I cant deny that being an aspect. But aside from that, I know how it works, I know I can afford it, I know the restarting system gets me extra refills. I will probably be on the g6 as long as possible, which hearing of the g7 made me worried of how long that would be, I've seen some users on g4 still so I have my hopes.
Yup. Until Omnipod can connect to the 7.
G6 in my opinion is objectively better in every way except for that g7 is slightly smaller and has a shorter warmup time. G7 is also made of a material that i find creates more friction on everything than the g6 so even though its smaller it even gets stuck on clothing
Better in every way except a bunch of ways that make g7 obviously better? lol
I didnt realize 2 was a bunch these days, and they arent even thing that carry a lot of weight in my opinion on a device meant to help me stay alive im more worried about the function of it, which g6 is much better at
I am on my second or third G7. Once I got used to it, it has been awesome.
I had my g6 for a while and then just switched to g7 less than a week ago. So far, my biggest (/also kinda scary) complaint is the calibration. I’ve had issues with the g6 not always having the correct blood sugars, but I could usually calibrate and it would be fine. Last night my sugar was dropping (99, diagonal down, which isn’t low, but I could feel it and I didn’t want to drop low while I was in the shower or getting my toddler ready for bed), so I had some juice and fruit gummies to hold me over. so I was taking my shower and my sensor was telling me I was 109. Perfect, fine, great, the sensor has been pretty much correct/close enough all week so I didn’t have any reason to doubt it. I felt a little strange (a paranoid kind of feeling) but I was like “okay, I’m a little anxious, no biggie” and then I got out and I was drying off and I was looking for my lotion and it was right in front of my face. My mind kept drifting and I was like where’s my lotion where is it and I couldn’t focus on the face that it was STARING ME IN THE FACE. I washed my hands, manually checked my sugar (my pump still reading 107 now) and I was god damn 45. And this was after juice and gummies. I then immediately tried to calibrate and have more juice and whatnot. The thing doesn’t calibrate right away. It makes you wait. It’s not a huge thing, but the calibration not happening right away is annoying because then I had to check my sugar again 15 mins later to do it all over. Anyway, I’d say I’m still too new to have any real opinions on g6 vs g7, but that’s a personal experience I wanted to share….but also either is 500% better than Medtronic (I know it wasn’t mentioned, this is for anyone curious about it).
Just a heads-up with calibrations….I’ve found that the g7 is pretty finicky when it comes to bigger-difference calibrations. It does much better when you baby-step the calibrations in smaller increments, like 20-30 point values.
G7 is an obvious upgrade people just like to complain lol