I vote for the Contour Next meters, also. And that’s coming from a long-time user of various LifeScan meters.
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I’m glad you are having an improved experience. I found using dexcom instead of just finger sticks to be a form of management I had to learn and feel out and not just plug and play. The calibration suggestions others have provided are great, as is the idea that blood sugars that are rapidly changing can be tricky to manage with Dexcom particularly if you are starting a new sensor.
At this point, my son inserts a sensor and we don’t think too much about it, but we’ve adapted to its use and also learned much about his bg BECAUSE of Dexcom which leads to more stable blood sugars, which leads to ease of use of Dexcom and on and on goes that circular reference.
I remember wanting to throw Dexcom out the window in the beginning - that was with the seven plus, which was less accurate, so that was part of the reason, but it also has to do with learning curve and understanding what to expect. I understand expecting glorious things based upon what other users say. I think though, that you will find yourself saying the same things not too long from now.
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I’d keep trying different things. Sometimes if you just leave it alone for a while it goes back to normal. Maybe less calibration. My doc said calibrate more to make it more accurate for me.
I still have a huge amount of crazy stuff and inaccuracy with dex but it’s still a life saver for me. The trends are usually right for me but not always. I hope you end up being one of those people who has mostly great accuracy in time.
Don’t give up. The first old dexcom I had was so bad I sent it back. But after nearly 3-4 years of the newer versions Ill be sticking with it for sure unless something better comes along. I never bolus off dexcom or take sugar unless I have 2-3 close finger sticks, unless I’m sure I’m really low and dropping. Hopefully you can do less finger sticks in time.
After 6 months of experimentation ( a lot of it, and a lot of reading on calibration), we were able to get fully dialed in, despite my son’s lean body type. Now, 18 months into using our dexcom, we almost always bolus off of the CGM, with no fingersticks (unless stacking).
We only fingerstick when we deal with lows.
Lucky you! I wish I could do that. I’ll never do it without a finger stick, I always need to check against fs even just to be sure it’s right because it can be 40 points or more off at times.
that’s sad, because I’ve been able to trust my G5 enough to bolus for food, correction bolus, and eat, based on it’s readings. It rarely gives goofy numbers. Boy, if I could have said that about the Sof Sensors and Enlites, I’d have been a happy camper. 
Caleb definitely relies on dexcom and most days will only fingerstick for calibrations and do so well beyond when he’s prompted. He’ll also correct off of it. Using Loop, all correction insulin is based off of dexcom and it never came back to bite us.
There is another possibility. You have a bad sensor. It doesn’t happen a lot (in my experience), but if you see your sensor smoking with the tough guys out back and/or sporting a tattoo, you may need to put in a new sensor.
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First signs are often “drop outs”. Sensor dots will be following some sort of trend (flat, rising falling) and you will start to get a few readings that are obviously below the trend. Sensor will then recover and go back to following the trend line
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With time and experience, it is possible that it will work better for you and be a useful tool. It is also possible that it will never match up to expectations that have been created by discussions about how great it is.
I followed all the rules and have done everything possible to make it better. But after 2 years, what I am left with - it wakes me up if I have a low, which is nice. But that’s about it.
When I am awake I almost always know my BG closer than what the Dexcom says. My guess about my BG is almost always closer to the BG test than Dexcom.
So just set your expectations appropriately. For some people it is not as accurate. It may not be the life-changing tool for you that it is for a lot of people. If that’s the case, you don’t have to feel like you are doing anything wrong.
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It seems like you are getting great advice, Suzanne. I would add that your CGM may not do two things you want it to right away: reduce the number of times you fingerstick test and give you readings the same as your meter. (I’m not saying it can’t do those things, but it may take a long time before you are confident with it.)
One thing I think it will do is give you information about where your BG is heading and that can be very useful. Those two down arrows (or even one down arrow) have averted a lot of hypoglycemic episodes for me and the up arrows have alerted me to start extra boluses before my blood sugar got really high. I definitely check against a fingerstick before treating a fast dropping blood sugar and I double check a fast rising blood sugar that makes no sense to me, but I think it’s useful to know what direction things are headed. Especially when I’m going down, it avoids the discomfort of an actual low.
Anyway, I love my Dexcom CGM even though I personally still like to double check with a finger stick quite often.
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I think I will switch meters after I use my current boxes of text strips just because of the great things you all are saying about the Contour Next. 
UPDATE: So when I got up Tuesday morning, my CGM and my meter were right on the nose. I couldn’t believe it! I started back to work for the week feeling so confident in my CGM. Of course, I watched it all day and I felt great all day with steady numbers. I did not use my meter again until it was time to calibrate in the evening and they were only 10 points off. What I am finding most helpful (now that I am starting to understand) is: THE ARROWS. I love that it is telling me where I am headed. I am used to not knowing until I felt bad…or stuck my finger. Today so far, one extra stick (in addition to morning calibration) just to make sure, and they were still only about 10 points off. THAT I can live with! But I may change meters based on what a few others have said, once I get through this huge stock of test strips I just had refilled. I am very pleased at the turn of events over the last 48 hours and thank you all for your words of wisdom. I am hoping with experience, this will turn out to be the tool I was praying it would be
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I have used both the One Touch and Contour Next test strips. I think my One touch strips were pretty accurate but I haven’t used them in a while because of my insurance. It definitely helps to have stable blood sugar when calibrating. I definitely have to go a while without eating or bolusing to get an accurate calibration. I try to before dinner and first thing in the morning. I skip doing the calibration if I have eaten or taken insulin close to dinner. Then I do it later that night when stable.
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Thank you, Lorraine. I am already feeling much better about this whole process.
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If I get — or ??? I will replace. I usually get 10-14 days from a sensor. I have never gone over 14. If I make it to day 14 I just change it.
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Dang; I get 14 days, at best. Usually I get the jumpy line with drop-outs and “???” around day 12, and I have some nasty insertion site reactions despite acute attention to site preparation. How does your wife do it?! Does she place it on her abdomen?
I read one post where somebody said they tested it up to 42 days.
lol
Everybody is different.
All of hers are placed by me, onto her arm. Must be the body chemistry, as I couldn’t get Sof Sensors to work for me, but she did. I also had about a 80-90% failure with Enlites. I bet MM is glad I quit using them, as they replaced more than 22 of them.
Well done!! Good on both of you. 
Also, glad you found one that finally works.