Yes, that's right folks, I have spent the last ten days connected to the Dexcom G7 sensor. As ever, the Dia-boss is willing to put his body on the line to bring you the scoop on the latest technology. Yes, it was a great hardship to get early access to this anticipated piece of technology ;)
And boy, do I have opinions...
Before we get started, it's worth noting that Dexcom did not sponsor this field test, and my opinions are my own. That will become all too apparent shortly, as while there is lots to love, my journey wasn't all smooth sailing...
The Good
My first impressions of this little cutie were great. It's hard to describe how small the G7 is. And no more fiddling with transmitters as the device is all in one (WOO!).
But even more exciting than that was the shrinking of the packaging! Those who use the G6 know how much plastic is involved, with a massive insertion device going into landfill every time you insert a new sensor. I'm pleased to say that the G7 inserter is much smaller... and easier to use. The insertion was literally painless - seriously, I was not convinced anything had happened when I pressed the button. The safety device is also pretty ingenious - no more accidental firing of the sensor (I accidentally fired a G6 into my finger once; not recommended...).
The overall wear experience was pretty great. It's tiny, unobtrusive and with such a small profile that it didn't seem to catch on things like the G6 occasionally does. Even through martial arts classes, the G7 stayed stuck down and rock solid.
For those who prefer not to be loud and proud with their tech, the G7 is unobtrusive and easy to hide away. I wore mine on my stomach and promptly forgot about it.
Plus, only 30 minutes of warm-up time - yes please!
First impressions - pretty great.
The Bad
Keep in mind this was one person's experience with one sensor... but man, I had a rocky road the first 24 hours. Readings were consistently WAY off (at least 1-2mmol) and I had a lot of temporary dropouts. Some of this may be related to the early release, but it annoyed me no end. I was wearing a G6 at the same time and that was rock solid. I didn't start trusting the G7 until midway through day 2.
Also, again maybe because it was the early days of release, but my phone kept dropping connection with the G7 for the first couple of days. They'd be literally on top of each other and dropping connection while my G6 never skipped a beat.
But it all seemed to settle down by about day 3, so... yay?
Accuracy and reliability: starting form 'meh' improving to 'great' over the lifespan of the sensor.
The Ugly
I do not know what Dexcom is using for the adhesive on the G7 overpatch but I HATE it. I love that it is included in the package (hooray for no more ordering of overpatches) but whatever they are using does not get on with my body at all!
The patch wouldn't stick, and when it finally did, it got this really strange crinkly appearance (see gross pic below). P.S. Yes, those are my stretch marks. #nofilter
And let me tell you, peeling off the overpatch was GROSS. It peeled off in little flakes and resisted removal like nobody's business. Honestly Dexcom, how did you design a patch that both doesn't stick and then sticks worse than any other patch??
The over-patches definitely get an ick/10
Overall
I am not as in love with the Dexcom G7 as I thought I'd be. But if your primary concern is sensor size, it is amazing.
I rely on my sensor to drive my beloved insulin pump. Accuracy and reliability are everything. Connection issues ruin my day. I want diabetes to be smaller in my life, and I can't do that when I'm worried about whether my CGM is working...
And that adhesive... BLERGH.
Still - it's exciting to see sensors getting smaller, packaging getting less wasteful and that 30-minute warmup is pretty sweet.
We'll provide more updates on the G7 as we get closer to consumer launch - stay tuned!
Benjamin
The Dia-boss
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