I would say I’m late to the game but honestly I haven’t seen much discussion about Dexcom’s relatively new G7 CGM. I actually received my initial order back in mid-March, but waited til a week ago to try on my first, as I wanted to use up my G6 sensors and transmitter first.
Given the title here you know I’m not loving this new version, but before I get to my negatives, I’ll tell you what I do like based on just a week of wear.
What I like
Half hour or less to warm up. Yup, it’s fast and that feels terrific, no more endless two hour wait. The reason it’s typically less than even 30 minutes is by time you’ve gone through the few insertion steps, you’ve shaved a few minutes off.
Sensor and transmitter in one piece. Yes, I do like this. No more extra step to stick the transmitter into the sensor cradle or worry I’ll lose it somehow.
12 hour grace period. I haven’t used this feature but I know you get 10 days and 12 hours out of the G7. Presumably the extra 12 hours is to make it convenient for you whenever you change your sensor.
What I don’t like
The signal gets dropped multiple times a day. The G7 has the same range as the G6, 20 feet. Yet half the time I look for my number (I use it on my iPhone, I didn’t get a receiver through Medicare, and wouldn’t use it anyway), there’s no signal and I have to wait a few minutes for it to show up. And I know I’m never out of range, I can’t be further away from my phone than 20 feet in my small apartment. This lost signal ‘feature’ is as annoying as the 30 minute warm up time is great.
No widget. With the G6 I never had to open my iPhone to see my numbers. No such luck with the G7, I have to go into my phone, what a pain, to pull it up.
First day numbers. Terrible, inaccurate. With the G6, half the time the sensor worked right out of the box, the other half my first 6-8 hours were spot on with the next 16 wonky. With the G7, the first 24 hours are wonky.
The interface. The G6 range graph was relatively attractive, as attractive as one of these can be. The zones were demarcated in pink, grey and yellow. This face is simply black, white and grey. Devoid of color I find it more clinical and less friendly.
The inserter. No I don’t like it any better than the G6 inserter. In fact, the very first sensor I inserted caused me to bleed and I wore it for two painful days and it never got accurate so, of course, I changed it out. While my second insertion went fine, I experience the insertion as a bullet’s impact (not that I’d know) but definitely too powerful.
The overpatch. Each sensor comes with its own overpatch. There’s so little adhesive around the sensor Dexcom gives you an overpatch, which they instruct you to put on immediately. For me, the smaller size of the sensor is all but ruined by this big piece of white tape running around it. I hate it. I ruined the second overpatch as it stuck to my fingers, so I hauled out the old sheer tape I used to tape the G5 down with, which made me wonder: why couldn’t they at least have made the overpatch clear?
The app. It’s spared down, nothing seems to be shelved where I’d expect to find it, and not user friendly.
In conclusion, the smaller size and rounder shape don’t mean enough to me to compensate for the things I don’t like. The MARD, which means how accurate it is, is slightly better than G6 but, for me, unnoticeable. There’s a feeling Dexcom rushed this one out of the gate and I wonder how many PWDs they consulted with. I can’t imagine a lot of these hiccups would exist if they’d listened to users.
Compared to the Freestyle Libre 3, I think Dexcom has reason to worry. When Libre finishes jumping through the FDA’s hoops, which will likely be this year, and is Medicare covered, I’d absolutely consider switching. Libre is still smaller and thinner than the G7, yes it has one hour warm up time but 14 day wear as compared to Dexcom’s 10, I find it a better inserter, I didn’t experience a dropped signal when I wore the Libre 3 as a courtesy for six weeks, and its accuracy is just about the same.
If you’ve tried the G7, I’d be curious what you think. If you want to see the G7 in action, have a look.
Diabetes Stories 
Riva, I completely agree with your likes and disliked. I called Dexcom to complain and they have been receiving many similar calls. Lots of negative comments on FB too. Dexcom said they are working on improvements.
Thanks Merle, I’m glad to know, you wonder what they were thinking
I just got my G7 about a month ago. I love the G6 because I didn’t have to expose my sensor and transmitter.
On my arm being around dogs, the Y etc, the patch gets disgusting like dirty and will come off early. My readings are totally different than G6. I’m constantly showing low 2-3 times or more per night. I haven’t had an A1C yet but I’ll bet it’s higher than before. I prefer the Dexcom6.
I think Dexcom will have to issue an upgrade for as you say they are getting lots of complaints. I switched to try the Libre 3 and I have no complaints. It’s now covered by Medicare, I’m not sure about other insurance, it’s tiny, the adhesive stays on and is barely bigger than the sensor and it doesn’t lose the signal the way the G7 does. You may want to think about it.
and you my fellow rocker!
I agree with you completely! I’m so disappointed. It constantly goes off line, it’s not as accurate., etc! What were they thinking?
Thank you so much for writing this!
I wanted to wait til I’d worn it longer, but it didn’t look like I was going to like it any better 😉
I hear ya! I thought it was me at first too. Did I not update something? Did I insert it on my arm wrong?
I finally turned the alarm off that alerts me when it was disconnected. It was waking me up constantly and not just the first night that sensor was new. Every night! My phone would be 2 feet away from me and it didn’t matter. 😫I was a frazzled wreck for the first few days. I wanted my G-6 back!
Oh, and inserting it-so awkward! Who designed that part? Crazy!
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The stories I have read on it mirror what your observations are: repeated “Signal Loss” errors and also very questionable accuracy for the first day (considering the wear-time is only 10 days, the company COULD (theoretically) extend the official wear-time to 11 days to get around the MARD curve and still give patients a full 10 days of wear-time. Interesting about the adhesive (or lack thereof); that does make the overpatches a weird design choice. The one observation I am noticing is because both Dexcom G7 and Abbott Freestyle Libre 3 are inserted at a 90-degree angle, the length of the sensors themselves are quite short. It seems including a little extra adhesive around the sides might be an inexpensive work-around.
The patches are a joke!! Not one survived to fully put on They just shrivel up like Saran Wrap. Plus they are needed bc the sensor patch itself so small! Plus why white??
I’m not a Dexcom girl and never will be. I’m a Libra girl through and through. I’ve had both and absolutely do NOT know what the fuss is about Dexcom. I also call BULLS— on that fact that’s it’s more accurate. It is NOT. I wore both and trust me they were almost identical. I LOVE the Libra 3. It’s AWESOME! It lasts 14 days and it’s TINY!! It also stays on very well ( I work in a very hot, humid warehouse) I don’t wear any patches over it and it takes my sugar EVERY MINUTE. I absolutely have no problems except when I have the alarms on high they almost break my eardrums.
I have tried Libre 3 and like it very much. It’s going through approval now with the FDA. Once it’s cleared and covered by Medicare I think Dexcom is going to see a good portion of its wearers switch teams.
I agree with you on many things. I compare the applicator to a nail gun shooting into a block of wood. I am not a block of wood (the Tandem auto-inserters are just as bad.) Many times the force of the insertion causes bleeding which causes inaccuracies and even failed sensors.
The half-hour warmup doesn’t really matter much to me since my first 24-hours can be iffy (the G6 was the same for me).
As far as inserting on the bottom/back of my arm, I’m 70+ years old, I have flabby bat-wing arms and the whole thing fails quickly if I try to insert there, so I go more toward the side of my arm, same as I did the G6 (yes I wore the G6 on my arms as well.)
Dexcom’s adhesive is awful. I started with the G4 back in 2012 and never had any issue with the adhesive until later in the G6 when Dexcom changed the adhesive because “some” people complained about them falling off. They made free overpatches, but then also changed the adhesive to super-glue that leaves a very red burn looking mark on my skin. It doesn’t itch or burn, but it peels and just looks unsightly for weeks. I used underpatches with the G6 and now I’m experimenting with different overpatches for the G7.
I love the 12-hour grace period. If I have a good sensor going I don’t have to can it especially if I have a big event that day and don’t want to be subject to a poor performing new sensor.
The G7, once it gets going good, is so much more accurate for me than the G6. Many times only one or two points different from my Contour Next Meter.
I have few issues with lost signal. I mostly use the receiver when my DME provider offered me one for $85 since Medicare wouldn’t provide me with a new one. I dislike having my phone glued to me around the house. My phone is used very little, and it’s older and the battery doesn’t last as long. I can leave the receiver in the house when I go outside and sit on the deck for a bit and come back in, and my readings are there.
All in all, there’s things to love about the G7 and things to dislike. Just like the G6 and the G5 before it (the G5 inserter was awful.)
Love the nail gun comparison, couldn’t be truer. And I do like the 12 hour grace period not so much as making it more convenient to change sensors, but allowing me to warm up the next sensor for half a day. Then I only have 12 more hours of wonkiness.
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I love the g7. Smaller than g6. All in one, less warm up time, and 12 hr grace period. Loving it
I am delighted you are enjoying G7 Jeff. Yes, all the reasons you list are superb. I think what many people have experienced, including myself, is a very frequent lost signal message. If you are not, fantastic.
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There are thousands of type 1 children who will never be able to access these technologies. I think one should be grateful for even having access and also having the privilege to be able to choose which product your best prefer. Be grateful for what you have. I understand that incorrect date can mean the difference between a medical emergency or not. Hypo unawareness is another danger and here with our kids in South-Africa, thousands suffer because they hardly receive the correct insulin, never mind enough to last them for a month. See the bright and the good fortune everyday.
You are right. And I am absolutely grateful for the use of a CGM. For those of us who have been fortunate enough to have access, the Dexcom G7 compared to the G6 was a disappointment. That doesn’t dismiss the miracle of these devices, just that they can be improved. I have also been informed often the insulin available in South Africa is not premium which causes problems with how long it lasts. It’s a very difficult situation.
My experience has been terrible as well. The first sensor stopped communicating after about 2 1/2 days and the second one must not have installed right. I had pain from the sensor immediately – it felt as if I was getting a shot and the needle was being tugged to the side. When I removed it after about 3 hours, the bottom of the sensor had blood all over it. Needless to say, my other 7 remaining sensors went strait to the garbage. What a terrible product.
I’m sorry that was your first experience. Actually, I think it was mine too. But I did not have that problem with subsequent sensors. I think it had to do with too forceful an insertion on my part. You may want to try the Freestyle Libre 3. I am very much enjoying it
I hate the g7 sensor it will not stay on I pay 12.00 per sensor and they fall off in 3 days. 
I wish i could go back to my libre sensor.
Is there a reason why you can’t go back to your libre CGM? I switched from Dexcom 7 to Libre 3.
my insurance won’t cover it
sometimes if your doctor writes a note †hat you need Libre over Dexcom it gets approved. Today everything is requiring such things