Minimed sensor useless on an airplane

Diabetes Technology Glucose Monitoring
#1

I have been traveling extensively the last couple of weeks and have noticed something peculiar about the sensors when I am on an airplane that I don’t notice in any other situation. The sensors hardly pick up any rise in blood glucose and will often show extremely low levels even when blood glucose levels are high. They are practically useless for me and I end up just turning the sensor off completely. I suspect this has something to do with sitting in one place for a long period of time because as soon as I get off the plane and start walking around, the sensor quickly begins to work normally again

Does anyone else experience this? What about you Dexcom users?

#2

Hi Jason,

I am a very recent Dexcom Seven Plus user, about two weeks, and I love it!

Just flew a long way from California to Milan, Italy, and during the 10 hours flight from San Francisco to Frankfurt I noticed no difference whatsoever in behaviour of my sensor. It was a new sensor, worn just for a few hours before boarding.

Wondering if there is any radio frequency interference happening between the Minimed sensor and receiver while in a commercial airplane… I know Dexcom uses a frequency in the 402 MHz range, not sure what Medtronics is using. Could that be the case?

Ciao, Luca

#3

My minimed sensor really does not work when I am in a sitting position for a few hours. It is really bothersome. i sit in the evenings for about three hours and sure enough ever single time I do that my sensor goes off track. It is annoying.

rick phillips

#4

Never noticed …will be more attentive , thanks Jason .
I do put my MM pump on a temp basal of 165 percent , if very inactive for more than 1 hour ( plane , car rides )

#5

Ah, that sounds like the same problem. Funny how it is accurate when I go to sleep and lie down for hours at a time but not if I am sitting up.

#6

I use a temp basal of 170 percent for those same situations. Funny how that matches up!

#7

Hi Jason it may be an issue because of other wireless communication on the airplane. I don’t have an issue with my sensor readings being off when I am sitting for a while like you do I am not sure why but my sensor is in one of my arms at a very shallow angle almost always. I am going to try the Abbott soon around Sept because of the smaller sensor and see what it does compared. I get awesome CGM readings though almost match perfect, I wonder if this is why they are suppose to be turned off on airplanes?

I know my cell phone will mess with my CGM if it is close to it. I hope you get it worked out and be safe.

Be well and be loved

#8

Sitting down in a chair does not seem to affect the CGM accuracy for me. It is only plane rides and it begins about 45 minutes to 1 hour into the flight. I don’t think it is anything to do with the communication between the transmitter and the pump because it has no problem getting the readings. They are just horribly inaccurate.

#9

Sorry I read it wrong about sitting around.
With my cell phone close to my sensor I get either wrong readings or a lost sensor. I am not sure why the wrong reading I understand the lost sensor error and why that happens but not the other. So that is why I thought the issue may be communication related.

I turn mine off for planes so I don’t know what it would do

Be well and be loved

#10

Hello, there…
My daughter just started the MM CGMS and I read in the manual that you’re supposed to take the transmitter completely off during airplane flights due to the frequency and being on the airplane. Perhaps that’s why you’re not having accurate readings? I would ask someone at Medtronic about this…

Hope this helps,
Jessica

#11

I read in the book to stop sensor before boarding plane anyway. All those electrical systems going at once. You don’t want to re route the plane by misake !