Brian, I don’t know whether you are using the G5 and own an iPhone. So this solution may not work for you.
My husband is an intermittent snorer. When is snoring annoys me, I use a random noise generator on my phone with ear buds. That also allows me to get the Dex alarms through the ear buds.
I occasionally get tangled in the ear buds, but not too often.
I rarely miss the vibration alert when using the receiver, but often do with the phone. But in general I keep my phone under my pillow and miss few alarms. I suspect the cpap might also be a distraction that makes you more prone to missing alarms.
I actually use a series of alarms. Using nightscout, actually have a pre-recorded voice that goes off when under 100, 90, 70, ect. I seem to awake easier to the voice alarms and since I wear glasses, I can get an instant sense of what the numbers are without looking at anything.
My wife uses a noise machine in the room which doesn’t help. I’ve never found any earbuds that are comfortable. And you are right, the CPAP makes for additional background nose which all combined with my being somewhat deaf and sleeping like a log make it all difficult. But I do have an iPhone and perhaps there would be more suitable alert options on the phone, I’ll have to look at it.
I am not a fan of the alarms on the phone, mostly because I have to silence the whole phone in order to use the vibrate function of the phone. I find the other noises extremely loud and am frustrated not to be able to lower the volume on them. That being said, I still use the phone. I tried using the receiver at night and the phone in the day, but for me it was a klutzy solution.
When my current G5 transmitter goes dead, I will use my last remaining G4 transmitter and go back to using the receiver. I hope that I get a long life out of it so that I go into Medicare with a stockpile of transmitters.
Off topic- but I hated reading yesterday at Diabetes Mine that Dexcom is considering finding a way to stop the extended use of sensors. Not a good thing for those who have to self-fund a CGM.
[quote=“Laddie, post:25, topic:55401”]
Off topic- but I hated reading yesterday at Diabetes Mine that Dexcom is considering finding a way to stop the extended use of sensors. Not a good thing for those who have to self-fund a CGM.
I have a suggestion for them: Test and make it official that sensors can be used for an extended time! That would be a lot cheaper than developing some sort of new technology and getting that approved…
Based on the Dexcom conference call, I took that as the FDA may force Dexcoms hand at having an automatic shutdown once they get the approval to allow dosing decisions off the Dexcom. If someone is at day 20 on the sensor and they make a dosing decision off a bad reading on the Dexcom whos at fault? Dexcom, FDA, or the patient. In today’s legal environment, I’m sure they will force a shutdown.
If they find a way to stop extending sensors, I will be forced to quit using the Dexcom as I am self funding. I guess that won’t really hurt their bottom line much.
I agree completely, but I still suspect their hand will be forced to do it. Why you and I (and probably everyone on TuD)know not to trust the sensor on day one or day 20, it the other 95% of the population they have to worry about.
Perhaps, but ALL medications and devices are approved “when used as directed.” Any use outside the guidelines is always, theoretically, dangerous and never FDA approved. Otherwise, they would have forced insulin manufacturers to somehow develop a delivery system that would disallow incorrect dosing – which is virtually impossible.
I don’t think the FDA is forcing anything; however, I don’t doubt that they’ll say it is.
I feel that if my basal is set right and I don’t eat/nibble before bed it stays pretty straight. I do put it under my pillow. I wake at night to use the bathroom and look at it. When we do eat out late at night I just put it on the floor so I won’t wake up and wake my husband. So I have a few nights of high, but most are normal with my Dexcom under my pillow.
Me, too. The only way I can afford the Dexcom is by stretching supplies. Here’s hoping that this won’t affect Canada. Here almost everyone self-funds their system (insurance coverage is rare), and so I think it would have a huge impact on most customers in Canada.
My husband comes to bed a few hours after I go to sleep and he checks my CGM and wakes me if I need to correct. He is a 2nd CGM since I also will sleep through the alarms.
I agree with you 100%. I am also on Medicare. I have been pumping for over 24 years and using CGM for 6 years. It has saved my life many times. I also pay out of pocket for CGM. Well worth it! I have fought with Media=care through the appeals process and won many fully favorable ALJ decisions only to be over turned at the 4th level of appeal by the Medicare Appeals Council. I am hoping that HR 1427 and S 804 come to their respective floors for votes because both bills have much support. Don;t think it will happen because this session is almost over. Very disappointing! I am T1D for 46 years.
Well, I apparently did it again. This time I know I missed my evening basal shot. And again I went to bed but by 10pm was above 200 mg/dl with the CGM alerting and me not hearing it. My wife came to bed and tried to ignore it finally kicking me about 1:30am. And I tested and corrected and came down to reasonable levels by 4am.
This morning I had a talk with my wife and told her that any alert that I don’t get up and do anything for is grounds for her to wake me. And I made it clear to her that I set the alerts so that they mean something, any alert means I have to get up and deal with it. She admitted that she thought I was just dismissing alerts like the aren’t serious and I hope I dissuaded her.
I always thought the social aspect of diabetes more difficult to deal with that the clinical side. Trying to find words lost in a fog of hypoglycemia to convey to a stranger that I need help and the nature of my predicament. I’ve found it’s best when I can simply rely on my own resources but the reality of diabetes is that sometimes you need someone else to help.
I think coming to terms with that and persisting with patient communication is a smart thing to do. Getting the CGM and weaving your close personal network of people into it is not a simple matter. Like learning to deal with a new diagnosis, it requires cooperation, communication, knowledge, motivation, and persistence. These things do not gel overnight.
You’re headed in the right direction. Once your wife learns how to calibrate her response then you both will benefit. I know this is not easy.
