Since you are reviewing the G7, I recommend you read a post that refers to one person’s month-long comparison of G6 vs G7 and how management of his T1D was affected by each model.
While just one case study, it is quite eye-opening and I hope Dexcom management has read his post and the two articles he has written about what he found.
(Spoiler alert: he found that the G7’s test by test improved accuracy actually led him to worse overall management and time-in-range than the G6’s data smoothing approach.)
Like him, I have decided to wait as long as I can to switch to G7, and I hope Dexcom ends up offering smartphone software and receiver firmware options to use the G6 data smoothing method instead of the G7 single-test-accuracy method that results in extreme variations and can cause bad treatment decisions.
This would be a great option if Dexcom had a switch where either option could be chosen. I much prefer the current G7 option because I establish the algorithm based on me, not based on a smoothed curve with backfilled datapoints of the average diabetic population. Both systems are using the same initial data, so I prefer to control the algorithm than to depend on Dexcom using a generic algorithm. The G7 has given me better control than the G6 once I mastered the G7 and I was able to master the G7 quite quickly after running the G6 and the G7 parallel for a few weeks.
Dexcom replaced a G7 sensor for me yesterday that had come off after I had used it for less than a day. It didn’t actually “fall” off. The customer service agent didn’t ask for an explanation of how it had come off although she did ask if I’d been using the overpatch. In fact, I’d accidentally ripped the sensor off while dressing. The adhesive part of the sensor and the overpatch were still attached to me. It seems that the adhesive patch attached better to me than the sensor attached to its own adhesive.
Do these rules apply to G6 as well or are they “grandfathered”? I’ve got a scan coming up, and you’re right, you don’t get to schedule these things according to your Dexcom sessions though I usually try to do that if I can. Sure adds to the reasons I’m not super eager to upgrade. Also suggests that they expect these guys to fall out more often, not surprising given the adhesive patch is so much smaller.
I haven’t been able to find anything in print on the website, other than the page describing the warranty specifically says the words “sensors are not covered by warranty.” Leaving it open for them to choose whether to replace or not.
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It appears there was a recent policy change for support staff and how they handle replacement requests, but it wasn’t made public. There’s just been a lot of chatter recently with people telling stories of being over some mysterious limit and needing supervisor approval. I also saw an image/screen shot shared that specifically called out sensors that fell off or were removed for medical procedures, and that medical procedures should be scheduled appropriately, but I’ve not been able to locate it again amongst all the chatter.
Let your endo know you are having a procedure that requires removing the sensor and ask them to prescribe a replacement?
In the other thread I referenced @Terry4 said he was actually asking for a G6 replacement so yes call center reps sometimes have to get approvals for replacements. I have to wonder if Dexcom yelled at their call center contractor about replacement volume and this is the result.
