Just started using My Dexcom G6 today!

[8amoreno]

After being off the Medtronic 630 insulin pump and CGM for over 2 years I've finally gotten back on a CGM and decided to go with Dexcom G6. One of my biggest issues I've always had managing or at least to hold myself accountable was checking my sugar levels and haven't gotten so lazy. I'm at my point in my life where I am starting to want to take better care of myself and my diabetes and I believe this is going to be a game changer. I am starting as a new patient for my new endo tomorrow and hopefully I can get back on a pump as well. I've heard the Tandem X2 Slim is better with the Dexcom. One of the reasons why I stopped using Medtronic was the supplies were expensive and I had constant bad experiences with the sensors and supplies going bad or not working out the box and the process of getting it replaced was just a Time Hassel. Is there any cool tricks for advice for the Dexcom beginner?

 

[EllieM]

Hi, I have a G6 and have a smartwatch linked to my phone so I get my bg on my watch face. (I believe it may be easier if you are on the apple ecosystem but if you're got the wear IOS you can link with your phone and your dexcom reading via a clockface called glance).

Just be aware when hypo that you may need to use your glucometer to tell when you are going back up, becasue the sensor both lags a bit compared to blood glucose but also only gives you a reading every 5 minutes.

I love my dexcom, it is a gamechanger, though very occasionally the sensor does read off, so it may be worth double checking unexpectedly high or low readings.

In my experience (albeit in New Zealand where you speak to customer support based in Australia) dexcom are extremely good at helping with any issues (including technical ones) if you phone them, and are willing to replace sensors etc even if it's your mistake that they don't work.

I hope you like yours as much as I like mine,

 

[ert]

I found it was important not to calibrate it in the first 24 hours and let it settle. I rely on finger pricks during that time.

 

[Juicyj]

Good news @8amoreno

I use mine with the Tandem Slim and Control IQ and my sleep quality has improved massively because of this as it holds me steady during the night, I am slightly cautious of using the G6 around exercise and rely more on finger pricks then due to the speed of the readings and wanting more of a real time view, otherwise it's spot on and when used with the clarity app it can help with minor tweaks, it is a massive game changer tho using the system, i've not looked back since.

 

[8amoreno]

Awesome I was actually curious about the wearOS because I have a fossil watch and was going to ask about this. My numbers and control has been way better since using dexcomg6.

 

[oldgreymare]

Awesome I was actually curious about the wearOS because I have a fossil watch and was going to ask about this. My numbers and control has been way better since using dexcomg6.

I now feel naked without my (self funded) G6 and it has made MDI much more effective for me.

BUT I found the transmitter stopped talking to my iPhone 8 when I updated to iOS 15 last November. Talking to Dexcom tech support, I was told that as the software is very different to iOS 14 and earlier, it may take quite a lot of time before Dexcom can confirm it will be supported. I then mentioned that I was about to upgrade to an iPhone 13. Again it will take a long time before Dexcom can confirm it will be supported...
'For Dexcom CLARITY app, any device is compatible as long as it meets the following:
iOS 11.4 - 14.4.
Android OS 7.0 and up'.
https://www.dexcom.com/en-GB/compatibility/device

So I reluctantly purchased the dedicated Dexcom G6 receiver which is expensive and annoyingly much more clumsy to use compared to the phone/watch Apps. Now waiting for rollout of G7 before trying to go back to the phone App.

 

[MDJ]

Hi, I have a G6 and have a smartwatch linked to my phone so I get my bg on my watch face. (I believe it may be easier if you are on the apple ecosystem but if you're got the wear IOS you can link with your phone and your dexcom reading via a clockface called glance).

Hi, Do you mind me asking which watch you are using to do this? I am a Garmin user and I know that there is a Garmin app that links to the Dexcom G6 but it only seems to be available in the US - it's certainly not available in the UK!

 

[NicoleC1971]

My control is way better with Dexcom talking to my tandem basal iq pump.
May I ask why you are ditching the medtronic pump and medtronic cgm? Asking for a friend who is having to choose between these options though in the UK she has to apply for special funding for both.
You can wear it on your stomach near to the pump but you don't have to.
The pump is easy to programme and filling the cartridge is easier than my first Roche pump with no occlusions that I can recall (if you did decide to go for this pump)>
My smart phone app (Clarify) did not like the pump though (I use a Galaxy Note 20) and caused the transmitter to stop working. So rather than endlessly looking at my phone to see what I am doing I check at key times and then only if the pump vibrates to warm me that I am going out of range.
Sleep is better as I ask the pump not to wake me up with beeping.
I find that if the basal is correct then my pump can cope with low carb meals without much bolus from me. High carb still involves a time lagged chasing down of the carb high but my profile is generally a lot flatter.
The Dexcom team are useful and will send out replacement sensors when they fail before 10 days. I have had a couple of fails where the sensor suddenly read as a double dip hypo and alarmed when I wasn't low and then died.
I think there a few ways to extend your sensor life so if you are paying for it yourself check out YouTUbe.

 

[EllieM]

Hi, Do you mind me asking which watch you are using to do this? I am a Garmin user and I know that there is a Garmin app that links to the Dexcom G6 but it only seems to be available in the US - it's certainly not available in the UK!

I'm using a fitbit versa 2, but the glance watchface just needs the WEAR OS. I'm actually surprised that the US watchface for the garmin doesn't work in the UK, the only difference is the bg units (mmol/L vs mg/dL) and the glance app just has a toggle to choose whichever you want.

Note that it isn't getting the data direct from the transmitter, it's actually accessing it via the cloud and the dexcom follow app, so if your phone goes out of internet range you'll find the data stops appearing on the watch. (Annoying for me because I have a phone blank spot at the bottom of my lane.)

 

[8amoreno]

I can't find the glance face watch on my fossil

 

[EllieM]

I can't find the glance face watch on my fossil

Hmm, I don't know what operating system the fossil has, but here's a link to the glance
Glance Watchface

 

[ElenaP]

So I reluctantly purchased the dedicated Dexcom G6 receiver which is expensive and annoyingly much more clumsy to use compared to the phone/watch Apps. Now waiting for rollout of G7 before trying to go back to the phone App.

Do you know if your G6 receiver will continue to work with G7? I am asking because I'm considering self-funding Dexcom. A few years ago I used to self-fund Dexcom (before getting Libre on NHS) and I liked it because it was fairly accurate. However, the alarm kept going off needlessly if I left the phone upstairs. I now use Libre 2, but I actually requested a reader because I'm so clumsy that I often drop my phone, sometimes breaking it. However, I do scan the Libre with both so that the hospital DSNs get the readings from the mobile.

 

[8amoreno]

Hmm, I don't know what operating system the fossil has, but here's a link to the glance
Glance Watchface

It uses wearOS but still cannot find it even thou people say they have on Google.

 

[EllieM]

It uses wearOS but still cannot find it even thou people say they have on Google.

It may be that things have changed since I put it in my phone (over a year ago).
How do I get my Fossil 5e to work with my Dexcom app? - Wear OS by Google Community

It may be worth asking your dexcom rep for help...?

 

[oldgreymare]

Do you know if your G6 receiver will continue to work with G7? I am asking because I'm considering self-funding Dexcom. A few years ago I used to self-fund Dexcom (before getting Libre on NHS) and I liked it because it was fairly accurate. However, the alarm kept going off needlessly if I left the phone upstairs. I now use Libre 2, but I actually requested a reader because I'm so clumsy that I often drop my phone, sometimes breaking it. However, I do scan the Libre with both so that the hospital DSNs get the readings from the mobile.

Good question! I would hope so, or at least get a free exchange one when I upgrade to a G7. But not holding my breath on the G7 UK rollout...will be ecstatic if it is within 2022. BTW the current reader does come with a silicon rubber case.

 

[AngelinaJ]

Hi, I have a G6 and have a smartwatch linked to my phone so I get my bg on my watch face. (I believe it may be easier if you are on the apple ecosystem but if you're got the wear IOS you can link with your phone and your dexcom reading via a clockface called glance).

Just be aware when hypo that you may need to use your glucometer to tell when you are going back up, becasue the sensor both lags a bit compared to blood glucose but also only gives you a reading every 5 minutes.

I love my dexcom, it is a gamechanger, though very occasionally the sensor does read off, so it may be worth double checking unexpectedly high or low readings.

In my experience (albeit in New Zealand where you speak to customer support based in Australia) dexcom are extremely good at helping with any issues (including technical ones) if you phone them, and are willing to replace sensors etc even if it's your mistake that they don't work.

I hope you like yours as much as I like mine,

I have been using a Medtronic pump for 10 years and paid for the CGM sensor when it first appeared on the market and have since tried it again as it is now available from my hospital, I find it unreliable and high maintenance and it didn’t help improve my HbA1c.
I have been using the LibreLink 2 sensor with my Medtronic pump for the past 14 months and bingo, improved my HbA1c by 1% to 6.8% and the best control I have had in decades.

I would like to change to a Dexcom pump and CGM system, mainly to help my low sugars while sleeping and in general. Hypos become a problem to tighter your control, it can slip into the red zone so quickly in my experience.
It’s a game changer you say and I am hoping so.
It’s about finding the right combination of the technology we have available and it is out there. Just have to convince my doctor!

 

[8amoreno]

I have been using a Medtronic pump for 10 years and paid for the CGM sensor when it first appeared on the market and have since tried it again as it is now available from my hospital, I find it unreliable and high maintenance and it didn’t help improve my HbA1c.
I have been using the LibreLink 2 sensor with my Medtronic pump for the past 14 months and bingo, improved my HbA1c by 1% to 6.8% and the best control I have had in decades.

I would like to change to a Dexcom pump and CGM system, mainly to help my low sugars while sleeping and in general. Hypos become a problem to tighter your control, it can slip into the red zone so quickly in my experience.
It’s a game changer you say and I am hoping so.
It’s about finding the right combination of the technology we have available and it is out there. Just have to convince my doctor!

I believe that Dexcom G6 is absolutely 100 times better than the Medtronic CGM. And you are correct it was a lot high maintenance and the sensors always felt on day one. I use the tandem Slim X2 pump which integrates with Dexcom G6 and my experience after a month has been outstanding I am waiting to get my a1c checked again as before I started using the pump it was at 13.1. also tandem pump has the control IQ which automatically adjust your basal rate based off your predicted blood sugar levels it will increase or decrease and has a sleep schedule you can program so when you're sleeping it will lower the basil to go to better control going low at night which I absolutely hated having to walk to get some sugar in the middle of the night.

 

[Braye]

Good question! I would hope so, or at least get a free exchange one when I upgrade to a G7. But not holding my breath on the G7 UK rollout...will be ecstatic if it is within 2022. BTW the current reader does come with a silicon rubber case.

it is going to take the US a couple years to get the G7

 

[Braye]

But I can't get any of them unless I self fund here in the US