I find it tough to get my blood sugars stable for two hours to get a good calibration; usually doing so would mean inserting a new sensor in the middle of the morning or afternoon, which can be really difficult given my work. I’ve started putting in a new sensor while leaving the old one in and transmitting. After a few hours to let it wet, I remove the old sensor, charge the transmitter, and plug into the new sensor. Seems to work and cut the calibration time down a bit, but I worry about having an unconnected sensor open to the air.
Anyone else doing anything like this? Seem like a disaster waiting to happen?
I do this too but I usually let is “soak” for a whole night. Then the pump will ask for the calibration within 15 minutes and I do not have to play the stable blood sugar game unless it is something I want (which is almost always). I just like to know that it is there and working if I need it. However, my problem is I do not want to leave it open to air for that long so I usually just spend a night sensorless. I would be nice to have an extra transmitter for just such a purpose.
I insert new sensors afterwork and let it wet for 20 minutes while I charge the transmitter. seems to work OK, assuming I get it calibrated by the time I hit the hay.
My CGM trainer said some people installed it the sensor and kept it in overnight. I always thought that was way too long for my impatientness to wait and was likely “code” for you can restart an old sensor in 15 minutes after the 3 days timer has expired.
waiting overnight just seems like a waste to me of good sensor time and data, but if it works for you that is what is important. Also, the CGM only holds the last 4 calibrations, so if you get a poor calibration you can “kick” it out of the memory if you do 4 more calibrations (but I think they have to be 15 minutes apart).
I do not see it as a waste of time or data as if you let it “soak” it really does ask for the calibration within 15 minutes so there is no 3 hour start up time and the readings are pretty spot on right away (at least for me).
I find it increadibly frustrating to get through that 3 hour window (what is the isig now…why does it have a poor signal…on no, now it says bad sensor…darn it I am not ready to calibrate the sucker yet etc…). Soaking allows me to take all of those frustrations straight off the table and I have not noticed a big difference in the length of time the sensor last one way or another. After all it is only a difference of about net 5 hours of readings (no 3 hour start up and I only let mine soak overnight which is at most 8 hours).
No problem! Of course, cheese, spinach, bacon, garlic, etc. are sort of BG neutral and can be tossed in with the eggs! It’s a good way to clean out the fridge! We have some green tomato salsa we made with the last of this year’s tomato crop that is really good but probably has a few carbs in it. Still less problematic with the %$%^#$! CGM than cereal, bagels, etc. though?
