Best Wishes on your Special Day Mike!
How's it all going?

Hey Mike. Sorry it has taken me so long to respond to your comments. Yes, I dabble in photography as well. I actually too classes when I was an undergrad.

Hello Mike,
Just wondering what kind of bike you ride. I have a Cannondale that's been hanging up for about the last year now, when I really need to have it out. I've been so busy, and so stressed. I know that's a lousy excuse. I've even talked about selling it, but I know I won't. I just have to get back into the frame of mind. Since I moved to south Georgia, I haven't got to know any of the folks out here that ride. When I ride by myself, it seems some of these loggers take sport in seeing how close they can push me to bar ditch. Well have a Merry Christmas!
Bobby

Hi Mike,
Somehow I didn't see your friend request until now. Glad to have your invite. It sounds like you have lots of good experience with the pump and CGM. I'm hoping to investigate the pump more after Christmas. So if you have any advice I'm wide open.
Best wishes,
Maria

Mike,
I tried a number of options and the the Mastisol/Tegaderm combo was pretty effective but an awful lot of work and expense. What I have found effective and simple is prepping my skin with Skin-Prep protective wipes (by Smith & Nephew). It helps adhesion and prevents skin irritation which I was also having a problem with. Then I cover the transmitter & sensor with Hypafix dressing retention tape, the 2 inch wide version. I use two pieces, each cut about 4" long, one placed vertically and one place horizontially. It's comfortable, flexes with my body and dries easily. I've started putting a small piece of tape against the sticky side of the first piece I put on, so the tape does not actually stick to the transmitter itself. That helps avoid having to clean off all the tape residue from the transmitter later. A couple time, the tape did not quite last 6 days, and it was easy enough to replace one or both pieces of tape, but most of the time it is lasting. Hope this helps. If you find something else works better for you, I'd love to hear.
Charlie

Hi Mike thanks for the response. I still have not used the rest of my CGM sensors and I think they expire this month and also I just found out yesterday that my current insurance denied payment. I will appeal, because I want my money. I feel like I have to use the rest of these sensors out of guilt. ;)

I am doing well and hope you are the same. :)

If you don't mind, could you tell me what it took for you to get CIGNA to cover your CGM? My company uses privately funded insurance, but CIGNA is our stop-loss carrier and would be who I'll be appealing to. The chances for approval look really bleak for me because I am a well controlled T2 on diet & exercise, but I'm hoping...

Hi Mike,

I am frustrated with both accuracy, comparing to my meter and with the delay, but mostly accuracy.

I don't have children, I chose not to have any. That is one of my lovely nieces Avery and the newborn is her sister Calin. My husband and I just spent a few days with them in Lake Geneva, WI they are a blast. I chose not to have children, because I did not want to possibly pass on diabetes to them. I sometimes regret my decision but I saw Steel Magnolia's during the time when I should be having kids and that just sealed my decision. I guess I was meant to be a wonderful Aunt, but I love kids.

Okay back to sensor, so you put the sensor in and wait before you attach the transmitter? I have a few sensors left I have to use before they expire and want to make sure they work well for me. ;)

hey mike, thanks for the advice! i already wear my pump on my front pocket....it just gets annoying because sometimes i forget im attached and i go to change and take off my pants and i nearly yank the tubing right out of me. i figure after i do this a couple of more times then maybe i will finally remember to unclip the pump from my pocket. lol

do you find that you absorption rate is different or that you have to change your numbers since your infusion site is in ur bum, versus your stomach or somewhere else?

HEY MIKE.How are you doing?

Hi Mike!!

AWESOME that the CGMS is working well for you now!! I would love to hear more about your experiences with it as you continue...

Nope... no CGMS for me :(.... yet! Actually I'm going to look into how to get one. I'm not even sure if they are available in Hungary (where I'm living and where I have insurance).... I'm thinking of starting on the Minimed pump next year. So I will look into getting the CGMS that goes with that. If it's not possible, I may try to find a way to buy the Dexcom. We are thinking about pregnancy in about two years... so it will be really important for me to get tighter control... so I hope that I can get a CGMS!

Hi Mike,
Yeah Walnut Creek is a fun place to live. We have been here for a little over a year. But I commute to your neck of the woods...I work at the UCD Med Center in Sacramento...i really hope gas prices go down soon!!!!

Mike,
Thank you for sharing your biking plan and experience. When I get to ride it is usually 20-35 miles so a good ride but not overly long. I would ride longer if I could ride more often. I think setting my temp basal rate down sooner may help. I use 25% but usually don't set it until right before the ride. I also try to bolus less for the pre-ride meal but drop the first 1/2 hour. I check BGs every 1/2 hour if I feel good and more often if not. I also use the cliff shots and cliff bars. Thanks again. Your experience is very helpful.

Hi Mike! How have you been? I was meaning to ask you... where is the bridge that is on your profile??

Hi Mike,
I cant say that I have done anything major to change the meter VS CGMS correlation. I have done a few though. I have been more conscientious about always washing my hands prior to testing. ( I think some of the previous meter reading were inaccurate due to glucose possibly on my finger at time I tested.... with 5 children there is always the chance of that)
I also have to do two finger sticks to calibrate my dexcom
so i have been waiting 15min between calibration finger sticks
and that seems to have helped. I am happy with the devices ability to show me trends and give me some time to react to a low or high that's coming my way. It for me is not even close to replacing my meter but is a useful tool. I just have to keep my expectations realistic and factor in what is now at worst a 30 to 40 point differential between it and my meter when it is off.

Hope that helps . I'm sure I will learn a lot more as I spend more time with it so far it has only been about weeks

Best

Hi! Good luck on cgms. yes i did sign hope to be on them soon. my brothers been on cgms for awhile .He loves it. Well take care diabeticidol94

Hey Mike,

I don't use the Dexcom, but I do use the CGM medtronics and I still have issues with it. I tried it again a week ago and it was a bust. I feel that it works best when my numbers don't fluctuate much and then it matches my meter, but if I am having extreme highs and lows that is when it goes zonkers, then WHAT IS THE POINT!!! I wanted it soooo to work for exercise to catch my lows, which it has from time to time, but then the delay makes me over eat and then the high numbers staring me in the face all on a bad day made me stress more and then I think that fed to more high numbers. I am off it again and not a fan. I need something more real time. I am back to testing every two hours and testing every 1/2 hour if I am having lows or highs. :( Sorry I am no help.

hey man:) just wanted to say hi and was wondering if you had any advice for a young make diabetic?

Hello! Just wanted to say HI! and see how you were doing? Take care. diabeticidol94