Questions: 1. How many of you all insert at night and wait to start until the am? I began the first one in the evening, no trouble with insertion by the way, calibrated when I was told to, and had those triple arrows, weird readings, no readings throughout the night. (Prior minimed user, found if inserted at night and started in am sensor may do better.)
2. After weird first night readings, entire first day readings really good. Not to off as per glucometer (I am checking like crazy). Second night readings pretty good also (again compared to glucometer during night two times). Started morning, was WAY off. (Glucometer 130, Dex 150, 40 minutes later gluc 134, Dex 184, now gluc 154, Dex 243 and rising). I know now I am rising (normal for me some days secondary to morning exercise activities, additional bolus not yet hit), but to be off almost 100 between meter and dex? Comments please.
3. It's also time to calibrate. I am going to hold off until things stabalize, is this what you do also when readings swinging wildly?
(1) I start my dexcom in the morning and start doing the initial BG tests when they ask.
(2) Occasionally the dexcom is way off. But I’ve found the more I wear it continuously the more accurate it is.
(3) I always do the calibration even if I’m swinging wildly.
Korrie, remember that there is a lag time with the Dex reading. The trend will be accurate, however. I often notice when there is a rising arrow, it appears to overcompensate—almost like it’s reading the number it thinks you’ll eventually hit. Enter readings only when your bG is stable.
I’m in the habit of inserting the sensor 2 hours before I start it up. I plan it so the start up occurs while I’m relatively stable.
Yeah, those readings the first 8 hours or so after insertion seem pretty meaningless. I’ll either insert the night before and start it when I wake up, or insert it midday and start it before I go to bed.
I always insert after I shower. I prefer the skin to be super clean because I don’t use alcohol. The first day is hit or miss. Today I inserted a new sensor and the readings were right on. Each sensor has to earn my trust. I test more frequently until there are no more surprises. I don’t add a voluntary wait period.
I always calibrate when I am stable. I push calibration out as long as necessary if my BG is not stable. Most of the time the meter reading only confirms the dex readout. There is no rush in telling the dex something that it already knows.
I too switched from Minimed to Dex. My first 12 to 24 hours are a little off with the Dex but nothing like the settling in period I needed with Minimed. I insert anytime although I try to do so after bathing if possible. I do my first calibration 2 hours after insertion on Dex whereas with Minimed I too would insert at night and turn it on the next morning.
You don’t have to be as careful with calibrations on Dex like you do Minimed. I tend not to calibrate when things are rapidly changing like after a meal but will calibrate when called for and try to calibrate at a variety of blood sugars in all ranges (ie some low, some normal, and some high). I usually calibrate am, before dinner, and bedtime if needed to avoid a middle of night alarm.
I have found Dex to be more accurate for me and accuracy improves the longer I wear each sensor.
