I started using the G7 last week, and just replaced the first one. I placed it on my abdomen, rather than the back of my arm, which would be difficult to do without my wife helping me.
In Europe it is approved for placement on the abdomen as well as the back of the arm. And there was a study demonstrating little difference in accuracy: abdominal as accurate as arm
The first few days of the first G7 were pretty accurate, but the last 3 days it required calibration several times a day, and there were frequent dropped readings. I am now on my second G7 (on abdomen), and I had to calibrate it 12 hrs. in. So far no dropped readings.
Incidentally, I am getting my readings on my phone, which I carry on my belt 4-5 inches from the G7. There have been no drops when in bed with my phone a couple feet away. My G6 rarely dropped readings, and had a range of 10 feet or greater.
By the way, the over patch has been great keeping it on - no more skin-tac and pain when removing! I also like the reduction in packaging, it will make it easier when flying.
What have others experienced with accuracy, site variation, and dropped readings?
I’ve had a similar experience. I wear it on my arm, as my abdomen is for pump sites. Pros: shorter warm up, smaller form, better adhesion, doesn’t completely lose the plot in the last few days. Cons: shorter range and more likely to drop out throughout sensor life. Cal hasn’t been as big an issue for me (but I’m not as vigorous as others about matching a finger stick).
Insertion is tricky for me. With the G6 I would apply light pressure while inserting and get better results, because the filament wouldn’t go too deep. Now the G7 has a spring loaded inserter that prevents accidental triggering, but also makes it impossible apply light pressure. No matter how much skin I bunch up the needle usually goes too deep into the muscle and the readings get more “noisy”. My best practice is to hold the inserter in place and press the spring back manually, then have my wife trigger insertion. But its annoying to wait for her to be around so I may come up with some sort of cover to hold the spring back for me.
I have not used the G7 yet, but certainly it must be the same as far as location, right? I can’t imagine there is anything different about the sensor where it does not work in the same general manner as the G6 did.
It’s all about interstitial fluid and where can we get to it. And that certainly depends on the person wearing it. Some people have easier access to their interstitial fluid in different locations.
But Dexcom’s website certainly seems to think the G6 and the G7 are different! It’s kinda crazy.
It’s probably something like - Well, it costs us $12 million dollars for every location we want to test and get approved for, so we are only gonna test it for one place…
For each of us, I think it comes down to - try it in all places and see what works best for you. And don’t be too worried about what they say it’s approved for.
I am new to Lada at 75 which appears to have been triggered by my first and only case of Covid. I have become very allergic to the G7 - probably the tape and am trying various different resolutions. The sensor has been leaving really nasty scarring on my arms so I have switched to wearing it on my abdomen. I am a Brit so taking the liberty of doing so as it is approved over there! I seem to have been getting some variable readings (and I am still allergic in that spot) but this is my first try on the abdomen. Discarding this first one after only 5 days. I will try again.
There is a liquid product called Skin-Tac that is supposed to be a barrier after it dries. Then the sensor adhesive first contacts that instead of skin.
Hi Mike. I wear G7 on kind of the side of arm. It’s where is used to wear G6. Never used abdomen for either. G7 takes at least 24 hours to stop erratic readings for me. Also have compression lows. Never did with the G6. Easier to knock off. I put SkinTac on patch part before I insert. Then the over patch. Dexcom adhesive is just no very good. Also the arrows up or down are never accurate. If I covered for every time arrow says rising fast I would be in a coma. I ignore until arrow is level. Not extremely satisfied with the G7
If you haven’t already, search on this web site for “barrier” and you’ll see several suggestions on how to solve this. The solutions include various protective tapes that you put on the skin and then put the sensor on top of the tape, and also some folks use flonase or other liquid preparations to reduce the adhesive allergic response.
That’s interesting- I’ve had the opposite experience. For me, the G6 would always give crazy readings for the first 12-24 hours before it calmed down, but the G7 has always been accurate from startup. Also, the standard adhesive on the G7 has been great for me where I always needed Skin Tac on the G6 (of course, I also restarted my G6 to get 2 sessions out of them). But I wear my G7 on the abdomen and use Xdrip+, so YMMV.
Hello. I guess everyone is different. Never knocked of a G6 but have done it to three G7. Never wore an over patch on the 6 and always do on G7. So what’s the point of being smaller lol. Changed yesterday and it was pretty accurate. So maybe placement. But still on arm. I use abdomen for MDI. Take care.
sorry I missed this reply. No not latex. I tried Flunose spray as a skin barrier and it works like a charm. I only insert the Dexcom 7 on my abdomen now.
thanks for this info. I thought I had found a solution with Flonase but it has stopped working Nasty red pustules that replicate the size of the removed patch.
Sounds like they have not changed the adhesive on the G7, although in some forum they said they had deleted one unspecified ingredient. It’s still just try it and see what happens.
Nasty red pustules that replicate the size of the removed patch.