What kind of Dexcom?

I’m thinking I will ask my Endo for a Dexcom prescription during my next visit. I’ve been using Libre’s and I’m not happy with the poorly-engineered, cheaply-made reader that is required in order to use the alarm-enable version of the sensor.

I believe I’ve read people discussing pro’s and con’s of the Dexcom models but I cannot find it again. What is the prevailing feeling of “best model”, assuming alarms are important to me? I can do without the alarms, I guess, if a no-alarm model has better usability, features, etc.

The current model of Dexcom is the G6. You can get it with its own hand-held unit to read your numbers/alarms or use an Android or iPhone. What’s nice is the software will still allow it to alarm even if you have sound turned off. It truly is the gold standard. Later this year at some point will be a new G7 model.

There is also a trial Dexcom G6 called G6 HELLO where you can try it out for 30 days. it is sold through your doctor who helps with the first insertion and reads it 30 days later to see how you are doing. Then if you like it, you can get it depending on your insurance coverage. Check both sides. Some cover it cheaply under your prescription coverage. Others make you use your Durable Medical (DME) benefit.

From what I remember, if cost is an issue, SAMS had the best price if you have a membership with them.

Let us know how it goes.

They stopped manufacturing the G4. No one likes G5. So, your gonna get G6. But I think there’s a new model coming out soon. Covid made everything slow.

Didn’t they stop making G5, too? I thought they were phasing everyone onto G6.

Some people have accuracy issues and there’s a lot of debate about whether one should calibrate or not. Everyone gets the occasional terrible sensor that needs replaced. Sometimes we even see glitches where the applicator gets stuck. But all that aside, G6 is still generally considered by far the best.

I think there’s going to be a lot more debate about what’s “best” when the G7 comes out, since it is so incredibly different. I’m personally afraid of it. I think it’s going to hit me hard in the pocketbook because they’re going to make it impossible to extend the life.

For US yes, but think other countries can still get them.

I loved my G4 for years especially the small, simple receiver (never a fan of using my iphone), long 1 year battery life and range of the transmitter, and easy sensor resets. I was really hoping to wait until the G7 or Libre 3 as both the G6 and Libre 2 had some serious shortcomings, but unfortunately Dexcom stopped making receivers/transmitters and soon sensors and so I had no choice but to get a G6. All I can say is what a disappointing step backwards! The only thing I like better on the G6 over the G4 is the slightly easier sensor insertion. Having to press the 1-2 to get into receiver and then also the settings menu drives me crazy. I also really dislike the touch screen vs. 4-way key pad and much larger size. Makes you wonder how the Dexcom design team developed the product as I can’t imagine people liked it better than the G4, especially the receiver?
Sounds like the G7 and Libre 3 will both support direct to smartwatch continuous readings and a very small 14 day sensor with integrated transmitter and battery, which would be great! It seems there isn’t an official date of when either will be released other than sometime 2021, but for me it can happen soon enough!

My off the cuff speculative predication is the release date will be December 7’th, 2021. (Or maybe later :thinking: )

Although most of the information I’ve seen says the G7 availability at end of 2021 this recent March 25th article says the G7 was moved up to Fall 2021. I think there is huge pressure to release it sooner because Libre 3 is released in Europe and should be here in the US soon. Time to market is a big issue for these competing products!

About the Dexcom G7:
“The sensor itself is much smaller than the G6 and is completely disposable for easy transition from one to another. While the company was originally planning to release this at the end of 2020 but has moved the release date to sometime in the fall of 2021. They’ve also been pushing to keep the price down and production high so anyone who wants to take part in this new stage of tech can get it for a small cost.”

About the Libre 3:
“The Freestyle Libre 3 has been released in markets around Europe and is much smaller and thinner and automatically updates blood glucose values without the need to scan before updating. The newest version will also allow users to integrate with insulin pumps and closed-loop systems for ease of access. There’s no hard date for a US debut but with good reviews around Europe, the drop should be coming soon.”

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What about the one that asks you to test your speaker regularly to make sure it is working properly. First of all if you try to hit skip, it is almost impossible to make that option work. Second, it is so aggravating as there are many of us that just wish the alarm would break so we are not disturbed so often, especially when we are 1 BG point off from where our alarm is set. Up a point alarm, down a point, up a point again alarm ad nauseam. We survived decades on fingersticks and BG meters without any alarms. Many of us long for those days and it is now such a pain to have to bury the receiver down far enough under the covers to sleep through the alarms each night. Slightly high or low BG I can live with, lack of sleep really ticks me off.

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Competition is good :+1:for us as users.

I think we are a very, very long way from seeing competition in this field act as a motivator that will benefit the consumer. In round numbers, there are about 1/2 Billion diabetics in the world and Dexcom has just under 1 million users. So even if over the next few years, Dexcom grew more than 5 fold to 5 million users, they would still only be serving 1% of the worldwide diabetic community. There is plenty of room for far more players to enter this market before competition is really a consideration.

Sounds good, the more the merrier. Like I said competition is good.

Even in the current environment you see this.

By all acount Medtronic initial sensors sucked. Dexcom success pushed Medtronic to improve the product.

Libre scan feature is being replaced with automatic transmission to a device like Dexcom.

Libre pricing is pushing Dexcom on their pricing.

All companies are trying to increase wear time of the sensors.

Automated pumps are pushing all the companies integrate with many pumps.

So all wins for the consumer because of competition.

Lots of new updates coming soon. Nice summary here.

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