Calibrating a new Dexcom sensor

Tips, Tech & Gear C/GM
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Good morning!

Wondering what kind of approach others take to Dexcom calibrations for new sensors. It sounds like some of you have great luck with accuracy off the bat, and others have a bit of a breaking in period. For those who don’t get great accuracy in the first 12-24 hours, do you leave it alone and assume it’ll get on track over time, or do you calibrate the heck out of it? (Or perhaps something in between?)

I usually have decent readings in the first 24 hours but may calibrate a couple times to get it on track. This morning it was unusually far off and I think I basically calibrated it to death. I finally got out of an endless loop of calibration errors by doing two identical entries in a row, but it got me to wondering what others do in the first day or so? I’m starting to think I’d be better off ignoring the initial inaccuracy and let it work itself out.

Note I use the G6 which I know most of you don’t. So mine doesn’t usually require calibrations at all unless things have really gone awry. But I’m guessing it’s response to calibrations is similar enough to previous versions that your feedback may still apply to me! Maybe?!

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we just let things run their course. If it’s way off we’ll calibrate but honestly we try to minimize the number of finger checks.

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Yes. I find more than two calibrations a day just further confuses the thing. (G4)

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I don’t know about the Dexcom algorithm, but the xDrip+ algorithm reacts very positively to calibrations on the first day. I seem to have wild numbers the first hour and I probably do six or so finger sticks. Then in the next four or so hours I’ll do three or four more, until accuracy is established.

Then it’s once or twice a day for the next ten days.

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Thanks for the feedback! I think next time I’ll try to just let it go, no matter how crazy, and see if it comes into focus on its own, with maybe just 1 or 2 calibrations that first 24 hours.

That’s interesting that with xDrip+ the calibrations work so well for you. The Dexcom app honestly seems to get puzzled by too many (at least for me).

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@kpanda01, we use the G5, and our sessions can go 2 ways:

  • some of them are right on the money, almost all the way till the end

  • some start about 15 to 20 off after the first day, and remain that way unless we go through one or more double calibrations, as follows. At the end of the first day, we are 15-20 lower than reality. We calibrate, after which we are half that off, i.e. 7-10 down from reality. The next calibration we are 15-20 off. We can get out of that cycle by double calibrating once or twice, but, most of the time, it is not worth it and we simply adjust our alarm levels.