Dexcom sent me a notice about coming new features, including direct linkage to the apple watch which would be very handy.
On the other hand, it is the G7, which is not so great.
Should I switch? Here’s the email I got …
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I switched earlier this year and don’t regret it. The G7 has its quirks but overall (for me) the improvements outweigh the negatives. The biggest negative is the jumpy BG graph, making it tougher to spot a peak or valley in the BG rise or fall. The positives are the quicker warmup and the 12 hour “extra time” grace period. Direct to watch is very handy for me, being a person who occasionally enjoys leaving my phone behind or turned off.
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Nothing wrong with the G7, better accuracy, less failures than the G6, short warm up, extended ending time, better bluetooth, stays connected to the apple watch w/o a phone, quicker response to bg changes. It is different than the G6 and needs to be learned as a new product, not as an update to the G6.
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Only thing I’d note is the recommended placement of the G7 is on the arm but I had trouble establishing and maintaining direct to watch with that placement. Now I put the G7 on my stomach and the watch connection is very good.
Other connections — pump and phone — are fine on either arm or stomach.
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The Apple Watch integration is super tempting, finally, no phone needed! But yeah, I get your hesitation about the G7. Some people love it, others still prefer the G6 for reliability. If you do switch, I’d recommend using Not Just a Patch which helps keep the G7 in place better, especially since it’s smaller and can get knocked loose more easily.
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I have a G7 and find the Apple Watch integration is possibly better than nothing, but not good for me. The difficulty is that it’s not reliably current. I also have Lada on my watch, and while it is more likely to have the current number than Dexcom, it’s far from perfect, too. This morning, for example, I checked my watch and there were about 20 pts difference between Lada and the Dexcom app, but neither matched what was on my phone. In time, I think that one was probably 10 minutes off and the other 5. For me to use it, I’d want the phone and the watch to always be in sync.
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Could be something with software or the model of Apple Watch, but my guess is that when the watch fails to “catch” a 5-minute reading from the sensor it leaves the old reading up on the watchface until it catches the next reading or until maybe 15 minutes passes and it shows no reading. That’s where I think it’s important to put the sensor where it communicates well with your wrist. Not infallible, but stomach placement is good.
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I had way more sensor failures at insertion with G7. I’ve had 10 this year. I rarely had issues with G6.
Other than that, it is ok.
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I’m following this. I’m curious as well.
For anyone on Omnipod 5, word is “line of sight” is a real problem with G7, but not a problem with G6. My clinic recommends staying on G6 as long as possible, or until the G7-pod connection issue is sorted out.
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The complication that shows on the Apple watch is only BG, not IOB. You will need your phone to see IOB. It’s better than nothing, but I’m waiting for Tandem to come out with an Apple watch complication that shows BG along with IOB.
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@Cevans54 You may be referring to the Dexcom app regarding IOB being shown, and that makes sense since it is just communicating with the CGM. I use Trio and have access via my watch to IOB, COB, BG, dosing, and setting various modes.
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I’ve never heard of Trio! I’ll look for it in the App store. Thanks!
You won’t find it in the app store. It’s one of those do-it-yourself closed-loop insulin dosing software packages that you build onto your phone from open-source software.
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Sadly, I was just coming to that conclusion after looking into it. So, back to waiting for Tandem to come up with a companion app for the Apple watch that shows IOB as well as BG.
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@bkh is right, Trio is a DIY AID program to combine info from the CGM to tell my Dash pod pumps what to dose me for. I’ve been using it for over a year, it works well for me. You have to build it yourself by using Apple Xcode on a Mac or via any web browser to access and build it for use on an iPhone. It’s not for everyone, but it works great for me.
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I’ve also had more problems with my Omnipod 5 losing connection to the sensor with the G7 than I did with the G6. I place the Omnipod on the front of my thighs, and with the G7 on the back of my arm, the Omnipod would frequently lose connection for an extended period of time. It’s definitely no fun be awakened in the middle of the night with an alert from the Omnipod app telling me that it has had no readings for an hour. Fortunately placing the G7 sensor on the front of my arm resolved that issue for me.
The best thing about the G7 for Omnipod 5 users is that it pretty much eliminates the reading outage window when you replace the sensor. Because of the 12 hour grace period, you can leave the old sensor in and connected to the Omnipod while you add the new sensor in the G7 app and allow it to warm up (also with the reduced 30 minute warmup period). Once the new sensor is warmed up in the G7 app, you can compare the reading from the new sensor in the G7 app with the reading from the old sensor in the Omnipod app. (If there’s a discrepancy that’s a good sign that you need to do a fingerstick to calibrate the G7.) Once you’re getting readings in the G7 app, you can then switch the Omnipod to the new sensor with little downtime.
Anyhow, I know there are pros and cons with switching to the G7. I don’t even use a watch, but for me it has absolutely been the right decision, primarily because of two major pros:
- No 2 hour outage of readings in the Omnipod every time I replace a sensor.
- 12 hour grace period means you have flexibility in the timing of replacing the sensor. With the G6, I had to plan my calendar around replacing the sensor. Every 10 days I had to be ready to replace the sensor at the time it expired. Now that is just a day when at some point I will need to replace the sensor. This is one of those “now I can care for my diabetes around my life rather than living my life around caring for my diabetes” situations.
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Thanks to everyone for responses. I thought I’d ask AI (the Google Gemini version). In case you’re interested, here’s what it told me. I thought it was a pretty good response. What do you think?
Here was the prompt: I am happy with the Dexcom g6; should I upgrade to the G7?
Whether you should upgrade from the G6 to the G7 depends on your priorities, as users report a mix of pros and cons for the G7. If you value a smaller, transmitter-free sensor and a quicker warm-up, the G7 might be a good choice. However, if you are satisfied with the G6 and are experiencing issues with the G7’s reliability, adhesive, or connection stability, it may be best to wait or stick with the G6 for now.
Reasons to consider upgrading to the G7
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Smaller size:
The G7 is significantly smaller and has a transmitter integrated into the sensor, eliminating a separate component to lose or replace.
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30-minute warm-up:
The G7 has a shorter warm-up time, which can be reduced to zero if you put the new sensor on before the old one dies.
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Improved device integration:
Some users report better integration with their Apple Watch and other devices.
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Better for certain users:
The G7 may be better for those who don’t want to manage a separate transmitter or prefer a smaller sensor.
Reasons to stick with the G6
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Reliability:
Many users find the G6 to be more reliable and less prone to the connection errors and inaccurate readings that some experience with the G7.
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Adhesive:
The G7’s adhesive can be a problem for some, requiring additional patches to stay on, especially in certain climates.
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Calibration and data smoothing:
The G6 provides more stable readings due to data smoothing, while the G7’s lack of smoothing can lead to overcorrection from outlier readings.
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No restarts:
Unlike the G6, the G7 cannot be restarted, so once it reaches its end of life, a new sensor is required.
What to do now
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Try the G7 first: You could get a new G7 prescription and try it to see if it works for you.
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Consider waiting: If you are concerned about reliability issues, you could wait for Dexcom to address them and stick with the G6 as long as it is available.
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Talk to your doctor: Consult with your doctor to discuss which option is best for your individual needs and medical history.
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The AI response seemed pretty good to me. Interestingly, it doesn’t seem to get direct to watch. I guess it’s very generally “better integration” but it’s more specific than that. It’s right in the name, but AI misses it. Maybe that’s a characteristic of AI; it wants to hedge a little.
AI is right about that. You can always go back to G6 after trying G7 — though you’re potentially stuck for 90 days. Unless you want to pay out of pocket. Using GoodRx it would run you about $75 for one sensor.
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@bostrav59, as @TTnyc said, it’s a good idea to try it.
But I always find it a huge hassle to get prescription changes processed correctly. The doctor messes things up. The pharmacy messes things up. Then insurance company starts screwing around.
If you have some spare money, I suggest just buying a few from “websites”. 
You can get them at a decent price without doctors or insurance or anyone knowing.
I bought some when working on my Loop G7 integration.
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