On our recent blog post sharing data from the hypoglycemia survey, we noticed a number of comments about problems with continuous glucose monitors and wanted to share some data on the subject that we have collected through the TuAnalyze device surveys. These surveys were launched in collaboration with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and allow you to anonymously report on which devices you use to manage your diabetes, and any problems/malfunctions you have had using these devices.
So far, over 350 TuDiabetes members have shared their experiences with devices through these surveys. 36% report using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and of these, 16% have had a serious health problem related to their CGM. 60% of these problems were related to the CGM giving incorrect readings; 25% were related to a problem with the sensor or transmitter. The most common outcome of a CGM problem was hypoglycemia (reported by 75% of those experiencing a problem).
The frequency of health problems related to insulin pump use is higher, at 21%. 40% of the problems related to an insulin pump involved an issue with the tubing or insertion site, with 28% related to an inaccurate delivery of insulin.
There is much more data to be analyzed from these two surveys, and every response adds to our understanding of device use and related problems among the TuDiabetes community. If you have not completed them yet, please take 10 minutes to complete the Insulin Devices Survey and Blood Glucose Monitor Survey in TuAnalyze. We would like to get a full picture of device use, so even if you have not had any device problems (or if you do not use an insulin pump or CGM), your participation is valuable.
Thank you to everyone who has participated in TuAnalyze for their continued support of the project!