Dexcom...not impressed

[Tdm]

I got a dexcom 30 day starter kit to see of it would help me get some desparatly needed sleep. Wasn't cheap, but i was getting desparate.
The 1st sensor was fine. I slept! Great! The second had a wildly wrong first day (which I expected) but last night it woke me up with a low alert when bs at 7, then alerted during the day whilst i was working and also about 7 (embarrasing) and just now has told me i am low when i am 5.8. The worst is this last one is gradual, and looks plausable.
You can see this on the graph attached
And to cap it all they just sent an unsolicited document for me to sign up to an ongoing subscription! Not an offer, you understand, not an advert or a promotional info etc but the actual legal agreement. Out of nowhere.
Not impressed.
Will probably go back to libre.

 

[rebrascora]

Out of curiosity, where are you wearing the Dexcom? Just wondering if any of these dips could be compression lows (maybe a belt or waistband pressing on it if sited on abdomen) or could you be getting a bit dehydrated and that is affecting your interstitial fluid composition.

 

[Tdm]

I'm wearing it on my tummy as the consultant suggested it may stop compression lows, but swapping false nighttime lows for both day and night lows is no improvement. The dexcom stays on for now but applied a libre...was going to go dexcom only but now i trust libre more, better the devil you know.
Yes, i did wonder if it may be my jeans, but i'm not changing what i wear for my bl@! ×!**^ diabetes.
Plus, the libre has averages etc up front, so you can see your scores etc, you get used to swiping, and dexcom looks like a wee coffin. They are both wonky on first day but a least libre only has a wonky day every 14
Plus, i think i have a cunning idea to stop my libre waking me up..
.

 

[Thebearcametoo]

You can calibrate the dexcom if you get one that’s reading badly btw.

 

[rebrascora]

Yeah, It could be that maybe sitting down for lunch or whatever, is causing the sensor to get compressed if it is on your tummy. Do you apply your Libre a day early normally before you activate it to give it time to bed in? I imagine you can do the same with Dexcom. Some people's bodies respond more strongly than others to having a foreign body fired into their tissue and need longer to settle down than others. I find about 12 hours gives me better results from day one, but some people apply it a full 24 hours in advance or even longer.

Really disappointing to hear that you are finding the Dexcom less impressive than Libre, especially when you are self funding. Have you spoken to the customer services about it? I believe that Dexcom are very good at dealing with any customer issues.

 

[Tdm]

I know. But its generally fine then dips for no reason. And it stays down, too. Well, this sensor. Prev sensor was fine.
At least libre 2 realises its wrong pretty quickly.
Quite disappointed, actually. I thought dexcom g6 would be a big step up, and solve a lot of problems.
Perhaps the g7 and libre 3 will be lots better but seriously, the last 24 hrs have really changed my mind about dexcom g6.
At least the dsn hasn't switched me over yet.

 

[Tdm]

Yeah, It could be that maybe sitting down for lunch or whatever, is causing the sensor to get compressed if it is on your tummy. Do you apply your Libre a day early normally before you activate it to give it time to bed in? I imagine you can do the same with Dexcom. Some people's bodies respond more strongly than others to having a foreign body fired into their tissue and need longer to settle down than others. I find about 12 hours gives me better results from day one, but some people apply it a full 24 hours in advance or even longer.

Really disappointing to hear that you are finding the Dexcom less impressive than Libre, especially when you are self funding. Have you spoken to the customer services about it? I believe that Dexcom are very good at dealing with any customer issues.

I have libre on px but was so desperate for good sleep i forked out £160 plus for the dexcom. I had high hopes! The sensor went in 10am on 9th jan so should have been well bedded in and be at full accuacy today.
Yes, i put libre in a day before i start it usually, but libre normally is okish from day 1. This dexcom was rubbish day one, but still had libre then, so all ok, just relied on libre.
Not sure about putting dexcom in and starting it on day 2 as i understand they can also be rubbish on last day so wonder is you are just shifting the rubbishness to the end. Libres tend to be fine to the last day in my experience, and at least they last 2 week so can always change at weekend.
Not phoned cust service, because i suppose dexcom is just doing what sensors do...

 

[rebrascora]

You are a customer and you are clearly disappointed with the product and it isn't a cheap product by any means and I don't think you had particularly false expectations of it, having been a user of a similar product. It appears that you had to do 3 unnecessary finger pricks today with those false dips. Just my thoughts but perhaps give it longer and see how it goes.

 

[RichardS]

Have you been calibrating it with your finger prick readings? I typically find I will do several on the first day following insertion to arrive at stable (ie accurate) readings. Best to do several finger pricks for calibration across the blood glucose spectrum (and not just when low readings are reported) - well, this is my experience with the G6 anyhow.

 

[nonethewiser]

Hoping to switch to Dexcom G6 very soon before starting on Omnipod 5 later in year , although don't have any issues with libre 2 I was told Dexcom is more accurate as it has to be, reason being it can be integrated with some pumps to adjust insulin delivery.

Don't seem to get compression lows with libre 2 so hoping same goes for Dexcom.

 

[Tdm]

Actually, i had a dip out of nowhere at 2 this morning, which seems to be confirmed by both libre on arm and dexcom on tummy...they can't both be compression lows, so perhaps domething else is going on. A fp showed normal blood sugars though. Idk.
May be horizontal on tummy is better than verticle?

 

[nonethewiser]

Suppose good thing about Dexcom is your not just limited to arms by manufacturer, if in doubt about compression lows best to follow up with bg test.

 

[Tdm]

Well, they just replied re the cantract- they always follow up the 'starter pack' with the subscription contract...though a covering letter would have been nice. I was alarmed

 

[littlevoice359]

Actually, i had a dip out of nowhere at 2 this morning, which seems to be confirmed by both libre on arm and dexcom on tummy...they can't both be compression lows, so perhaps domething else is going on. A fp showed normal blood sugars though. Idk.
May be horizontal on tummy is better than verticle?

False lows can be caused by even mild dehydration. I keep a bottle of water on my bedside table. Just a thought…

 

[Tdm]

I think you've cracked it!
It can't be compression as happens same time on libre on arm and dexcom on tummy on otherside of my body, but (bs is ok) so it must be a real, non localised phenomonon....and that would deffo fit the facts
Thank you so much! You have made me happy. I shall try hydrating more. May not get more sleep as my bladder will wake me, but its better than alarms!
Cheers!

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Hope that helps @Tdm

Back of arm has been my go-to for sensors since my Enlites had a torrid time on my abdomen and gave patchy performance.

Fingers crossed the hydration works out. Dex seems quite sensitive to low-liquid days for me!

 

[Tdm]

Another thing that suggests it may be correct. When i used my first dexcom i has good sleep. I also had a bad cough...and was probably drinking more to stop the coughing. Well, its a hypothesis.
We'll see how it goes tonight

 

[Tdm]

Well, looks like i owe dexcom an apology. Had a good night sleep last night. Had my dexcom alarms on, my libre alarms on mute. According to libre I had 2 lows, but not according to dexcom. I think this shows there are 2 things going on, false libre alerts, and a situation that affects both sensors (probably mild dehydration)

 

[rebrascora]

The Libre dips during the night look like pretty obvious compression lows because they dip quite suddenly and then just as suddenly return to their previous level. Pleased to hear that you are feeling a little less suspicious of the Dexcom's reliability.

 

[Tdm]

The Libre dips during the night look like pretty obvious compression lows because they dip quite suddenly and then just as suddenly return to their previous level. Pleased to hear that you are feeling a little less suspicious of the Dexcom's reliability.

Now all i have to do is get it funded. It amazing how much better you feel whn you get a good nights sleep