FAQ: I got a Critical Low Alarm from Dexcom. What should I do?
FAQ:
I got a Critical Low Alarm from Dexcom. What should I do?
Answer:
Dexcom has a feature to warn you when your glucose falls below 55 mg/dL. This alarm goes off even if your phone is set to Silent, and there’s no way to disable it from the Dexcom app. While the majority of users don’t experience this, some people experience nighttime or pressure-induced lows, which can cause the alarm to sound.
You have two options for halting these alarms. Note that it is only appropriate to halt these alarms if you are using the CGM for general wellness purposes through the Levels program. Anyone using the Dexcom for any medical purpose must not attempt to disable the alarms.
1. Turn off alarms in your phone’s Notification Settings.
For iOS:
- Navigate to iPhone Settings
- In the top search bar, type Dexcom G6 or Dexcom G7
- Select Notifications
- Toggle off Critical Alerts
For Android:
- Navigate to the App Drawer
- Open the Dexcom G6 or G7 app
- Select Profile
- Select Alarms
- Go through each alarm and turn them off
- Change Technical Alerts from "sound" to "vibrate"
- Lower Low Alert from 70mg/dL to 60mg/dL
- Disable High Alert
- Change any sounds to "soft"
2. Turn off your phone’s Bluetooth to prevent alerts.
Please note that there is an increased likelihood of the Critical Alarm during the first 24 hours of wearing the sensor.