Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by David C Weisberg on November 15, 2012 at 9:22pm

You test often enough that the pump will never have to tell you to test. MIssing meals is a lot easier with the sensor because you don't just have a reading to go by, you can see what your sugars have been trending since your last test. I find the sensors very inaccurate when compared to finger stick testing, but I love the ability to see the trends. More importantly, despite many false alarms in the middle of the night, I have been awakened quite a few times by the pump signalling me (accurately) that I am having a hypoglycemic episode. Those occasions, where the pump and sensor have saved me from some very dire consequences, make me very happy to be using the cgm indeed.

Permalink Reply by Kate's Mom on November 16, 2012 at 4:45am

Our experience exactly!

Permalink Reply by Unicornzzz on November 15, 2012 at 11:39pm

The paperwork they send out just covers the very basics. it is not until you actually use the CGM till you figure out if it is for you. How about seeing if your doctor may have a CGM loaner for you to try out. I know some doctors use loaners to see if their patient have drastic glucose swings.

Once you have done the two initial calibrations you only have to calibrate it every twelve hours. I was having issues calibrating my CGM (I was calibrating to often) and the rep told me to do wake up, lunch, dinner and bedtime. The problem has been solved. If the alarm does sound it will be because you need to take care of something. You can program your high and low notifications so that your alarms are not going off all the time.

I love my CGM it has helped me drop my A1C by .8% in a little over a month. I am hypo and hyper unaware. The CGM has been able to predict my highs and lows before they get too bad. The CGM can be programmed to alarm if your glucose is rising or falling to quickly. My A1C looks great but if you look it my finger picks my numbers are all over the charts.

I will say that the CGM is just like a pump. It is either a love or hate relationship. It either works for you and you love it or it does not work for you and you hate it. You may also love one brand and hate the other brands. All brands are basically supposed to do the same thing but each one of us prefers one brand over another

Permalink Reply by Natalie ._c- on November 17, 2012 at 12:33pm

Agreed. I'm hypo and hyper unaware, too, and I NEED that CGM to tell me when I'm in trouble. And you're right about brand preferences too -- the Medtronic works better for some, and the Dexcom for others. Which is why I would advise anyone considering a CGM to see if they can get a loaner first, to see how it works for them. The Medtronic's information is better, in the sense that you can backtrack to see what your numbers were, and the sensor information on the pump is good, but if it's not accurate for you, then it's not an important factor. The Dex doesn't tell you anything except what your current BG is, and where you're trending, but those are the most important things to have accuracy on. So I'm hoping that Matchmo gets a chance to make the decision based on info from both sides.

Permalink Reply by Kate's Mom on November 16, 2012 at 4:44am

My 12 year old daughter uses it and I don't know what we'd do without it! I'd give up the pump before I'd give up the cgm. We rarely have "meter bg now" alarms because she does test frequently and generally you just need to calibrate every 12 hours...so breakfast and dinner...but she tests for snacks, lunch etc. except occasionally on a weekend when she had a snack at 8:30 pm, didn't need testing the rest of the night and is sleeping in past 8:30 am. Not often! We set her low prediction at 90 which means it does go off when her numbers are good, but she doesn't always feel the lows coming on so this forces her to check. The cgm isn't perfect, but if you give it a chance it is a valuable tool. It sounds like you do a great job without it--and you are used to living without it which I think makes it harder to adapt to the cgm. I wish people could get it close to when they start pumping--adjusting to both at the same time is easier. Good luck!

Permalink Reply by ruizst on November 16, 2012 at 7:58am

I got my pump and cgm about 3 months ago and at first I loved my pump but hated the cgm. The alarms were going off so often. I was so fed up and I talked with my rep and she suggested adjust the threshold for my highs and low and calibrating when I wake up, dinner and bed (so it doesn't wake me up). I have to say after doing that, it has been smooth sailing.

The cgm has prevented a lot of lows and it has helped drop my A1C by 1.5% in about 2 months.

Like others have said, it is not completely accurate, but what I look at is not really if the number on my meter and the number that the sensor match up, but where my glucose is going.

I think you should give it another shot. It does take some time, but I think it is a very valuable tool.

Good luck!

Permalink Reply by Kate's Mom on November 16, 2012 at 8:26am

So glad you stuck with it!

Permalink Reply by john on November 16, 2012 at 4:38pm

looks like most issues have been covered here. I often set the alarms to "vibrate" so I don't create a disturbance when they go off. Go to main menu>utilites>alarm>alert type; then set it to whatever choice suits you. It's really quick & easy.
I've cut my finger sticks down to about 3 to 4 per day and am getting used to watching the trends more so than the actual numbers.
In the 9 months I've had it, it has kept me out of the emergency room!
Once the FDA gets thru dragging their heels, the new style sensor should improve things, a lot. That new sensor has been available overseas, for about 3 years already, and users seem to love it.

Permalink Reply by hfw on November 16, 2012 at 5:48pm

Argh! I am so frustrated with it! I've been using it a year and it just keeps getting worse. Last night it said my sugar was at 179 and I tested at 96. The day before it was the other way. I tested at 132 and it was saying I was at 207. I've called them so many times about this and they say if it's within 20% it's within spec. When I point out that numbers like those are NOT within 20%, they tell me it's best used for trends. I'm not seeing trends. I'm grateful I'm still hypo aware, because it's never warned me, even when I've tested at 70. Mind you, my limits are set at 90 and 150.

I've got a fortune in sensors, so I keep trying.

I'm very happy with the pump, though. Last A1c was 5.7!

Permalink Reply by Hope on November 16, 2012 at 7:26pm

I used it, also got "CGM burnout" and then stopped for quite a while. Now, I have turned the high setting off completely, as I do not find it useful. I insert the night before, and the calibrate in the AM, and this way I skip the two hour waiting time, which seems to make it more accurate. I only calibrate in the AM, before lunch, and before bed. I also takes some time to get used to not freaking out about the differences between the meter and CGM.....If I give it time, the numbers on the CGM usually catch up, it is just slower to respond. Also, I used to try to get 6 days out of it, and now I give up usually at 5, which is usually when I start to get calculation error readings. Means the sensor is just kaput. Once I get one calculation error reading , I do not try again, as it just continues to give CE readings, no matter what.

Now, I am almost rarelu bother by the alarms. If I am doing something really important, I just turn the alarm settings off.

I find it useful, but also really look forward to the new sensor in the future.

Permalink Reply by hfw on November 16, 2012 at 7:48pm

well, I'd be delighted if it were just a matter of "catching up." I'm calibrating at the same times you are, and I do the overnight thing as well. And I'm changing sensors no less than every four days. Tech support says I'm doing everything right, so I can't figure out what the problem is if it's not the device :-(

Do you know anything about new models coming out?

Permalink Reply by matchmo1 on November 17, 2012 at 1:41pm

Hope (& everyone else), your comments have really helped me relax about using the CGM. I really like the idea of putting in the sensor before bed then calibrating in the morning. I'm sure I'll also mak use of the vibration alert or simply turning off the high alert. I think I understand the idea of watching it for "trends" rather than comparing the actual readings. Fortunately, I'm still pretty aware of highs and lows, and my husband helps me catch the ones that I don't see right away. Once I start actually using this (December 13), I'll look for more help too, I'm sure. Thank you all. Isn't it fun living with diabetes?! All these new gadgets and gizmos? I just try to keep up so that I can live ANOTHER 40 years with this fun condition! Happy Turkey Day, ya'll.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next ›
• Page