Continuing the discussion from How do you know what to believe:
A follow up. I have finally learned that when I go low and the waveforms looks like the attached. Not to jump on the Carbs right away. USE YOUR METER. I now check three times and average.the readings. In this pic the low was 52. Finger sticks averaged 120. Also note I have also noted that this waveform in the past “The sudden drop “ in the past has lead to a Sensor Failure.
This is exactly why docs need to do a better job educating their patients when prescribing CGMs. The FDA requires a prescription because education is required to use the devices to self manage blood glucose levels. Unless you are doing something requiring heavy exertion a ~40mg/dL drop in 5 minutes after a steady state is very unusual and should be treated as suspicious.
Do we get to guess what you were doing? Spin class? Walking up the Washington Monument stairs? I’m guessing your macaw decided to perch on your G6 causing a compression low?
Hey. Wrong guess. I was trying to pick up my neighbors elephant. No just setting watching TV. However don’t get me started on compression lows. If anybody should have them , it would be me as I wear a sciatica belt.
I was recently told by Abbot that if you’re using an iPhone, there are problems with the app. It is an iPhone issue iOS. So it gets tricky when it says you’re low and you have no symptoms or you need to test. Nancy50
Nancy 50
Curious is this for the Lingo or Libre Or both
With the Libre 3 and 3+, I had constant false readings, low alarms going off nightly, etc. The term “compression low” implies laying on the sensor…never made a difference, but the sensor gave a low alarm and read incorectly most of the time. I called Abbott a few times, but ultimatley gave up on that as they always round a reason to try to blame the user for their product. They’d tell me to regress to an earlier operating system on my phone, and so forth. I tried using their dedicated reader, but with the same results. The notion that it’s a phone issue is false and spin-doctoring by the manufacturer.
I just had a low on a Dexcom G7. I did a finger stick; normal. I had a high on the G7. Fingerstick. Normal. I’ve just had multiple G7 failures; ran out of them while abroad and had to fall back on finger sticks, as all the sensors failed.
To date, I’m entirely unimpressed with both the Dexcom and Libre sensors. I use my phone for the data, as I’m not going to carry the dedicated reader everywhere with me. I use an iwatch and the Dexcom sends information to the phone and watch. I’ll continue to use it, but with the understanding that it’s a general trend suggestion, almost certainly always false information, and should always be verified.
The Dexcom sensors seem to become a little more accurate with use and frequent “calibrations” by inputting fingerstick glucometer data, but at the end of ten days, they expire and it starts over afresh, with the new sensor. I seem to be burning through a lot more test strips with the Dexcom installed, than without a CGM, as I’m constantly having to verify or “recalibrate” what’s given me from the Dexcom G7. That said, last night I checked against four glucometers; Dexcom G7 160, ReliOn Platinum 151, TrueMetrix 177, Trueness 183, Contour Next One 184. Based on a history of comparisons and checking against lab blood work, the ReliOn Platinum has consistently been closest. I don’t do insulin, but I’d be very hesitant to regulate insulin using either the Libre or Dexcom sensors…and there’s no way I’d ever trust the Libre for any decision-making.
If either sensor says you’re low or high, you should test; don’t take the CGM data for face value. Don’t trust, and verify.
