Hi - does anyone have any advice on how to deal with compression lows with the Dexcom G7?
I wear the g7 on the back of my arm. Unfortunately, this site results in many compression lows, to the point that it’s really starting to affect my sleep. I cannot wear the sensor on my abdomen, because that site just does not work for me, accuracy wise.
I really try to avoid sleeping on the side that my sensor is on, but inevitably I will roll on to that side at some point (and, the side switches every 10 days or so!)
I don’t have a definite solution, but a few thoughts
I put my sensors in at night but don’t connect to them until the morning. I find compression lows are worst on the first night and become less of an issue after I’ve slept on a sensor for a full night (though the issue doesn’t disappear entirely)
Use a towel under the arm to push the flesh forward so that the sensor is more toward the back of the arm rather than the side.
Try the abdomen again. It’s more of a vibe than an evidence based certainty, but I feel like G7s are better now than they were a year ago.
Something like this may help. It helps with Liam’s Dexcom G6. Still compression lows happen but not as frequently while wearing this around his arm during sleep.
I wear my Dexcom on the front of my arm. I have difficulty with it losing contact with the Omnipod and IPhone if i wear it on the back. On the front of my arm, I also have very few compression lows, but I also have been using sensors on my arm for over 20 years, so I have an almost sixth sense about not rolling on that side. In fact I remind myself each night which side i have it on and tend to stay off that side.
I have been thinking about trying other locations, but I just wasn’t sure where. I’m hesitant to try my abdomen again, because that is where I usually put my infusion set.
The front of the arm is an idea. Also, when I was scrolling through old posts, before I started this thread, I read somewhere that someone wore their sensor on the upper, inner thigh. I never thought to try that location- has anyone tried that?
@Brianna1 Interesting you bring this up as I was just thinking I haven’t had what I consider compression lows much with the G7, perhaps once or twice over a year +. I use primarily my left arm, but instead of putting it on the back of the arm, I usually use the outside between the bicep and tricep (I have a small depression about there, probably differs a bit person-to-person). I use pretty much the upper half of that arm moving a new sensor about a sensor’s width each time. I’m pretty much a side sleeper, probably about 60-40 (right-side and left). Of course it probably depends on your body type and whether you roll slightly forward or backward. It doesn’t take much to make a big difference on compression impacts.
I’ve read here on FUD about people having good luck with their thigh as well, mostly the front/top, though some use the sides. It may be impacted by what clothes you wear (pants, shorts, dresses, skirts; whether the hem is long, medium, or short; plus your sensitivity to whether it shows or not. It also depends on how adventurous you are in “non-standard or approved” locations and how comfortable you are in what you tell Dexcom if you need to have sensor replaced.
All that said, let’s hear from Eric and others! I’m sure there are all sorts of interesting locations…neck, back, ankle, etc.
On Etsy or the useless pancreas sites, you can buy a little plastic device that goes over the G7 sensor and is attached to an elastic adjustable band to hold it in place. It works perfectly. I don’t get any more compression lows.
Hi @Brianna1 , have you ever considered using your thigh for your sensor? I place mine there most of the time and get very free compression lows or lost sensor “blackout” on my pump. I’ve been placing sensors there for roughly 10 years now. It works better than my arms or my abdomen for me.
I have not ever placed my sensor there, but I am going to give it a try. I’ve seen a few people on this forum say that this is a good location! I’m just not entirely sure of the placement- is this upper, inner thigh?
I’m new to the G7 (just changed it for the 3rd time a few days ago), but I’m a pro on the G6. So far, the upper thigh has been wonderful for me. It’s been pretty accurate, too. I know Dexcom wants people to put it on the back of the arm, but I sleep on my back (so it would be a stupid move for me). My only issue with the G7 is that if the sensor & pump are on opposite sides & far apart (example, right leg & left arm), they won’t talk, so I have to put the Omnipod on manual mode.
I happily put mine all over (I did with the G6 as well)! Currently mine is on my lower thigh about a hand-width above my knee and just a smidge to the outside of the ‘center line’. (For reasons I don’t know, I think placing it directly on what feels like the ‘center line’ of my thigh seems awkward, so I’m always a smidge to one side or another depending on which side of me my pump might be on.)
I frequently put them on my upper thighs as well, placed so that they land behind my front pockets. And on my upper bum between the back pocket and outside of my leg. So far that’s the one I’m most likely to catch and rip off, but it takes a LOT of force and distractedness to accomplish such a dumb feat.
I had really good readings when I put one on my upper chest, just about where the bra strap transitions from bra to strap, and it was surprisingly easy to forget it was there and somehow no compression lows despite being a sometimes-stomach-sleeper. I thought it looked extra medical there though, so that’s not part of my usual placement games despite working well and being comfortable. Maybe I should try again and put some pretty tape on it, stars or hearts or something especially friendly looking.
I’ve also seem them on forearms and calves although I haven’t tried either yet.
For what its worth- I have pretty good connection still with pump on back of right arm + sensor right leg ( on the outside a smidge); with pump on back of right arm + sensor on left leg (on the inside a smidge). I thought the pump on the back of my arm would mean my sensor would also have to be on the back of me, but that’s not been the case at all.
I get it—compression lows on the back of the arm are so frustrating! Some people find using a thin foam patch, propping the arm with a pillow, or slightly adjusting sensor placement helps reduce false lows at night.
