I am new to this site and the MM CGM and have every trouble you can think of painful insertions, inaccurate numbers, adhesive is worthless, lots of bleeding. I wish I had been smart enough to look through these type of sites before paying for a new pump and CGM. My older version of MM pump worked fine, I only got the new one so it would work with the CGM. Well almost 2 months into the new CGM and I wish I had never bought it. I wish they had a 90 day return policy (maybe they do and I just need to ask). For me my BS go up and down so fast by the time it says I am low (at 85) I am already down in the 50’s. I am very active with almost daily workouts or runs and find it hard to find good places to put both the pump and CGM sites. I can only use my lower stomach (spare tire) other than that I have nothing to pinch. I read on here people putting it in places I can not even imagine, such as the inner thigh does that not rip out with your first step and I don’t have anything to pinch on my legs. Does anyone have some helpful hints to help my rant.
I use the MMCGM and it works well for. Consider that the CGM is lagging behind real numbers - the MM about 20 mins or so , so especially when you are exercising and your sugar may be dropping fast, it takes some time to cath up and may not be accurate. I have had success with the MM CGM. As far as CGM sites, I mainly use the top of my things, becasue I get great correlation there and it is not painful for me during the insertions. I also have less bleeding there. I do use a Tegaderm transparant dressing to secure the sensor/transmitter to the skin, and this works very well for me. As far as insertion, I insert at night, and attach the charged transmitter. I turn off the sensor feature that night on the pump so I do miss data for that night. I turn on the sensor feature on the pump the next morning, and start the sensor. It will ask for a calibration within abotu 5 mins, but I don’t enter it in at that time. I get up and about for a couple of hours, and when I see that the Isig numebr is steady, I will calibrate only then for the first time (you have to ignore the calibration warnings until then). I have tried several different ways to get a sensor up and running accurately, butfor me this is the way. It is also importnat to always calibrate your CGM when your BG is steady - very important for the MM CGM. There is a big learning curve…it took me a few months to be very comfortable with it, and now I don’t know what I would do without it. I understand people also use their buttocks to insert the sensors as well and have luck there. I am not flexible enough even to try this.I would never place the sensor on my inner thigs…never. Too painful there.
Sorry you are having difficulties. We used Minimed cgms for 3 years (522 and Revel) for our daughter and there is definitely a learning curve to the MM. We experienced the same frustrations as you. At one point early on I threw it in a drawer for a month because it ticked me off daily. We needed the cgms (kids are so up and down) so we made the MM work. The Revel is an excellent pump, even if you decide the cgms isn’t right for you, the Revel pump is still an excellent purchase.
Do call MM and ask about their return policy. I’m not sure what it is anymore (we are using other products now). If you can’t return it, I would try to work one on one with a trainer to get the most out of the system. Minimed also offers a group training class for their cgms - I think the classes are listed on the website.
The exercise example you gave is not all that unusual. The sensor uses interstitial fluid, and the reading will lag behind the meter readings a bit, especially if your blood sugar is dropping rapidly. If you are exercising you kinda have to assume a drop on the cgms means a big drop on the meter. Maybe you want to start testing when your sensor hits 95 instead of waiting for the cgms to alarm for example.
Thank you for your input - I dont think i could use the tops of my thighs I have nothing down there to pinch (i am a runner) I use the transparnt dressing as well but i sweat so much it come off often my CMG trainer sugessted glue that needs solvent to come off- I dont feel like bonding that much- and I never thought of waiting on the Isig number I will try that thank you- I hope i learn fast so my curve is not so long
thankx I did have a trainer for one on one and she kinda helpped a bit - but overal she helped me find a way to stablize my BS- and yah the revel is nice it is pretty much like my old one only it links to the CGM and I have been on a MM pump for 11yrs so I like than i can work it with my eyes closed they are good pumps
I started with MM, have since switched to Dexcom (which also has trouble with rapid sugar changes, esp w/heavy exercise) However, regarding tape - I hated the Tegaderm, just sweated the stuff right off, and the CGM with it. Try Opsite - Flexifix (is clear like tegaderm, I buy in a roll and would just cut the size I wanted) or Hypafix (is white, stretches more, again can buy in a roll and cut to fit). I started with Flexifix - would sometimes sweat so much, would pool under the tape and CGMS - tape did not come off though! I would poke “drain holes” in it until I was done! LOL!
Like Jennifer’s reply regarding beginning sensor with MM. I would get better results when inserting at night and starting in morning, but I never waited for ISIG to stabalize. That makes sense though. With the Dex I also get a better start if i insert at night and begin in morning, but it doesn’t show ISIG like numbers so I have no clue what it is “reading” until I calibrate.
Try icing the area before you insert. It helped with the pain and the bleeding for me.
Good luck!
I tried the MM CGM in 2008 and gave up in frustration. Then in 2010, I got a new endo (long story, won’t go into it here), and there was a CGM training class, and I tried again, and have found more success.
My insertion sites almost always bleed, but only once have I had one bleed so much I had to take it out. You are sort of in a bind because you aren’t fat enough! LOL! I can see the blue veins in my lower stomach, and wonder whether that’s an area that simply has a lot of blood vessels. I use my upper abdomen, including right under my breasts, and it works fine for me, but I’m sure I’m fatter than you! 
As far as lows, set your bottom line to where you know it will alarm appropriately. If your BG runs lower than the CGM, set the line higher accordingly. You have to find the place where you aren’t getting a lot of false alarms but where it catches lows before they get severe. If, for you, that’s 100, then set it there. I have the opposite problem – my BG is always about 20-30 mg/dl higher than the CGM reads, so I have my bottom line set to 50, because when it’s there, I’m always 70-80 by fingerstick. And I have my top line set at 120, because when it’s there, I’m around 140-150. You have to figure out your own patterns, because I’m sure they’re different from mine!
I would say it took me about 4 or 5 months before I really figured this gadget out, and I’ve made my peace with it, but have no idea if you will see the consistency that I see. I ignore the numbers and watch the trends, and it works for me.
thankx the humor of poking drain holes helps me know you understand my issue - i have poked holes for draining as well
thank you the words of ignore the numbers and watch the trends is helpful - I will try that - thankx
One more thought. You may want to use the MM cgm until you have used up the transmitter (whatever the most expensive part is) and then switch to dexcom. If you can tolerate it that long. Some parents put Emia on their kids skin before inserting a new MM sensor. You must clean the Emia off before inserting but it apparently has done its work of numbing the skin by then. And you can use the dex with your MM pump. It just doesn’t communicate with it. Plus use all the other tips given here.
Thanks for all the tips here! My dex is coming tomorrow, and I still don’t have an appointment for training so probably won’t wait. (Shhhhhhhh don’t tell!).
Once you see it and skim the book that comes with it its not to hard to use ( I used mine 2 wks before training and the only thing I learned different from the trainer was she said the book told the wrong incertion angle) good luck
I wanted to come on here and say that since this rant I have used some of the tips and am doing better!!! no more bleeders, and I and getting somewhat accurate numbers (sometimes only 2-3 pts off) the biggest tip for getting good numbers i now use is wait until my numbers are 140-80 to calib. even if that means i go half a day with no readings - also I plan when to put on my dressing ( at least 6-8 hrs before workout) and it has helped a lil (and the weather has been better lately)