New way to cause a compression low

My BG dropped to 59 mg/dl 5 minutes into a group bike ride. I had 9g carb before the start and consumed another 8 g on the bike. I didn’t feel low and was strong on the bike.

I stopped, did a finger stick, 150. Calibrated both Dexcom and pump. Did this 3 times total. The display still showing low, but meter 145-150.

Mid ride we always take a short break at a covered pavilion for gossip. Dexcom low meter high, then I thought to check my heart rate strap. Lo and behold it was over the sensor pad. I shifted it up and after about 10 minutes readings were correct.

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Hi @Luis3
Two comments to make on this.

  1. A BG check will always be better than a CGM reading while riding.

  2. You can check your BG while riding. You don’t need to stop, ever. If you want, I can hook you up with this. Lemme know.

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I would like to know how you do that while riding.

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I don’t ride, but I have setup some stuff that lets me test while running.

But I think it would be even easier when riding because you can mount the meter on the handlebars.

Strip management is a problem, but I have made something that handles that. I have given a bunch of these away on FUD. These things hold 10 strips very securely. They won’t fall out no matter what. But they are easy to pull out.

So you would mount one of these on the handlebars too.

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Here is the meter holder. In this FUD post it’s shown on a sweatband. In the case of riding, you would put it somewhere on the handlebars.




The last thing is the lancing. It’s much easier to use a push-button style lancing device. The kind that does not require you to pull it back to “prime” it first. They have some where all you need to do is push the button. That is the one to use.

It would be best to mount it on a retractable pull-cord device. Like what they have for keychains. Something like this.

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The process would be like this. (Let’s suppose it is a right-handed rider. Switch it for left-handed.)

The meter, strip holder, and lancing device keychain holder are attached on the right side of the handle bars.

Using your right hand, take a strip out of the holder and put it in the meter. Left hand stays on the bars steering while doing this.

Using your right hand, take the lancing device, pull it over to your left hand, and lance a finger on your left hand. Left hand stays on the bars steering while doing this.

Last step is putting the blood on the strip. The right hand is back on the bar steering, and the left hand reaches over and puts the blood on the strip.

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Lol. I can’t even ride my bicycle anymore due to instability and severe osteoporosis now. I’m sure I could never do any of that without injuring myself- that’s great you can do it! Very inventive.

When I walk if I have to test I just stop… I’m usually walking at night so I have to find somewhere where it’s light enough to see or use my phone flashlight etc.

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@Luis3 I thought of you today as I had a false nosedive 55-low at the end of a very strenuous cardio step class. I felt fine but popped a glucose tab. Got to the car five minutes later and meter tested at 94. The sensor fairly quickly returned to the 90’s. A false low is really rare for me with hard exercise. Usually it is a real low!

The sensor is on the front of my shoulder so no way was it a compression low.

I keep reminding myself that I appreciate my diabetes tech. Unfortunately lately I have had so many false lows with Dexcom (always on Day 1 of sensors and lately randomly through the sensor life) that I envision quitting Dexcom. But I know I won’t and it would be a terrible decision to do so.

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This happens to me too. I think sweat gets in the tissue somehow and dilutes the signal. I can’t prove that, but it’s the only thing that makes sense.

For me my dex goes low for an hour after strenuous exercise. Then it recovers.

But when I’m hiking or doing moderate stuff, it isn’t effected.

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This diabetes is a constant learning experience. Whenever you think you figured something out - it changes. :roll_eyes:

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