What CGMS system to get? I know this has been asked before just not for awhile....

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Permalink Reply by Karen Doering on March 21, 2009 at 6:32pm

I have only used the MM CGM and I was not a fan.

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Permalink Reply by Rick Phillips on March 21, 2009 at 6:53pm

I have a MM and really it does not catch lows. the rest of it is fine, but I blow right threw lows and the sensor never catches it. Recharges are fine, the insertion is pretty easy, wearing it lasts three days and that is enough. But It will not routinely catch lows, and if it wont catch lows, well what good is it? Not much.

Rick

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Permalink Reply by Jason on March 22, 2009 at 1:06am

It is often a few minutes behind your actual blood glucose and I have found it is sometimes not so good at catching "extremes"- that is, numbers over 270 and under 45. But it has woken me up with a 33 via the vibrating alarm, which possibly saved me from some bad sh*t. It actually can last 8-10 days in my experience, before it stops giving good readings or becomes impossible to calibrate.

My sensor is quite good at telling me when my numbers are heading low.

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Permalink Reply by Suzanne on March 22, 2009 at 6:56am

So do you have the Minimed system?

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Permalink Reply by Suzanne on March 22, 2009 at 7:00am

Just knowing that I am starting to drop would be helpful since I only sometimes start to sense a low until I am in the 50s or lower. It is scary to test and see my sugar is 43 and I don't even feel low. Are you on the minimed system?

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Permalink Reply by Jason on March 22, 2009 at 10:07am

Yes, I am.

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Permalink Reply by Doretta Reily on March 22, 2009 at 10:58am

Hi Rick,

Are you certain that you've calibrated correctly? My Minimed CGM catches all of my low blood sugars. Fact is, the CGM is very new technology, but it's a whole lot better than relying on multiple blood glucose checks. When I started with the CGM, I was already testing anywhere from 10 to 12 times per day. And that still wasn't enough to make sure that I didn't have a severe low, while driving, exercising or doing anything else that I usually do.

Now that I use a CGM, I don't have those kinds of problems anymore. So how good is it? When it means the difference between life and death, as it has for me, then just like the credit card commercial, I'd say it's priceless.

Doretta
Fit4D Fitness Coach

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Permalink Reply by Rick Phillips on March 22, 2009 at 3:50pm

Doretta:

Yeah I keep it pretty well calibrated, I have been in twice for instructions, I will say MM has worked at it. I think it could be the way my body works. I don't know, I really want the thing to work. I am in school (doing an online PhD) in FL and I have to go for a summer session in July. the wife will not let me travel because of the bottom out lows with no recognition. I cannot blame her, if she had not been with me, I woudl not have survived several in the last month. The Gastroperasis is just killing me. I mean who knows when dinner will digest? bedtime, next day right away, no rhyme or reason. It is really an awful issue.

I can give an example, yesterday, Saturday, I had breakfast corrected like normal wen on about my business. I am out driving around happy as a clam no issues, and the ever vigilant wife, wants to take a BS not because she saw anything, just what she does. Boom, I was 49, so OK she drives, we get lunch no movement, i do what I hate, I get a sugary beverage (HI C) I suck it down, and wait. Two hours later my BS slams. In those intervening tow hours, my BS never got above 60. Up and down it was a mess. Well the sensor is set at 80 and all the while, it never went off once. It did hover around 80, I could see it but never crossed the line.

the sensor is working fine, when things escalated, the darn thing would not shut up, telling me of my high. On and on, well darn, I drank HI C, ooh in case you have not had that stuff recently, it is nasty, anyway I mean I don't know what to do. Apparently what the sensor is measuring is not dropping. Because i know the sensor works.

Like you this is about to ruin my life. I already cannot work, RA and I am scared to death my licenses will be revoked, with good reason. I also really really want ot to attend this summer session so I can complete my EdD someday.

Rick

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Permalink Reply by Karen Doering on March 22, 2009 at 4:48pm

Rick,

I had the same experience with the CGM, that is why I am not using it anymore, it just was not accurate enough and would not catch everything. If it did catch a low, it would stay there and then I would over treat. I felt like I was testing my bgs to see if the CGM was working, it was all too much.

I wish it worked better, as I suffer bigtime from hypoglycemic unawareness and I have severe lows with exercise or really with any movement.

I also was in a lot of pain at the sensor site. With the pump I do not feel the site at all.

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Permalink Reply by Rick Phillips on March 22, 2009 at 7:32pm

Well the pain is ok, really no problem but the lack of sensing the low is really frustrating..

Rick

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Permalink Reply by Doretta Reily on March 23, 2009 at 10:24am

Hi Karen,

The CGM isn't meant to replace BG checks with a meter. Minimed and its reps are all very clear that you should always back up any sensor alarms for low or high blood sugars with a BG meter test. Before I started with the CGM, I probably tested anywhere from 12 to 15 times per day. Now it's probably closer to 15 to 18. But I'm still very pleased to have the benefit of all the extra sensor data. It's been very helpful to me in adjusting my insulin.

As for the low blood sugars during and after exercise, I've had some problems with that as well. But again, the CGM gives a very clear picture of what's happening, while I exercise. My exercise is mostly strength training. And the sensor data during that time, along with BG checks about every 15 to 20 minutes, has worked extremely well for me. I had many more problems with low blood glucose levels during exercise, before I started with the CGM.

If low blood sugars are always a problem for you during exercise, there are several options, including lowering your basal insulin a few hours before exercise, and/or disconnecting your pump during the exercise.

Doretta
Fit4D Fitness Coach

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Permalink Reply by Doretta Reily on March 23, 2009 at 10:46am

Hi Rick,

It sounds like it could still be a calibration issue. I'm sure that the reps at Minimed have told you about this, but if you calibrate using a BG that's rising or falling, then the sensor information that you get afterwards might be "bad data". If so, then the sensor values won't necessarily be accurate.

The calibration must be done using a "stable" BG, which is why they recommend calibrating on a blood test just before a meal and/or when you wake up in the morning. And I know these won't always be *ideal* numbers, but sometimes they're actually pretty good, at least from what I've found.

I would recommend that you keep using the sensor and maybe add in more frequent BG tests, at least for a while, to see whether that helps. For instance, if you had breakfast at 7 am, then you might try running a BG test at 8 am and then again at 9 am. I don't do this every single day, of course. But last month, I was at a conference for a couple of days, and I wanted to see whether I could get more blood glucose readings in my target range. So I kind of set a goal for myself. Every half hour, I would check the sensor screen and compared that with how I actually felt, and then if needed, I followed it up with a BG meter check. And the results were pretty amazing!

Before the conference, my number of blood glucose levels in the target range was running about 50 or 60%. But at the conference, with me checking the sensor screen about every half hour or so, I ended up with between 83 and 85% in the target range! And many would consider that micro-management, but I really wanted to prove a point to myself. I was away from home and I wanted to see whether I could really work on controlling my blood glucose levels. That convinced me that it really is possible to make a huge difference on my blood glucose control.

Doretta
Fit4D Fitness Coach

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