Hi everyone!
I just got my first sensor on Monday afternoon. So far, my only complaint is the discomfort from the tape since it so much bigger than my actual sensor. I find myself obsessed with checking my pump graph every 30 minutes just to see where I am at, but it is making me slightly depressed to see I run higher than I thought when just doing my finger sticks.
Does anyone have any tips, trick or favorite places to keep their sensor?
Any suggestions and advice are welcome.
Hi Becks and congratulations on the CGM. I have had mine for 4 months now and I really think they are a great tool. There is also a decent sized learning curve to use the device effectively. I would recomend that you try not to get depressed when your numbers are higher than expected, but to use it as a learning tool to gain better control.
Tips and tricks: I was amazed at how much of a difference I could make in my PP spike by varying my pre-meal bolus by 5 minutes (i.e. bolusing 15 minutes instead of 10 minutes before a meal may change my PP spike from 160 to 120). I re-learned the glycemic index of foods when I started my CGM. Bananas started raising my SG a little more than 30 minutes after ingestion. I have determined bananas are too slow for hypo correction and too fast acting for my humalog to keep up with. So I dont eat bananas any more. I would also recomend that as you get more used to the CGM that you lower your upper limit. My CGM instructor had me set the upper limit at 240 and I have gradually lowerd the upper limit to 140 (with a 25 minute predictive alert). The lower limit allows me to attack a high much earlier and limit the time that I spend higher than I want to be and I find this invaluable. If your stomach needs a break, try putting the sensor in your thigh. I have been doing this for 2-3 months and find it just as reliable.
Good luck with your new toy and experiment and enjoy.
Thanks!
I have a phone conference with my NP scheduled for tomorrow morning to go over my graphs from this week. I can already see how the CGM provides better control with the frequency of readings.
I am really looking forward to learning more about it and getting more comfortable with it.
I just started on a CGM about 3 weeks ago, and I do find it very helpful… particularly in catching highs before they really get high. Not so much for lows… when I get a “Low BG predicted”, usually I’m already low based on a fingerstick. But there’s a learning curve, and what I’m learning is that good calibrations are SO, SO, SO IMPORTANT!! Unfortunately that means everything needs to be timed just right, and last night I ran into trouble when I had to calibrate at dinnertime, but my sugar was low after playing soccer with my son out in the front yard.
As far as adhesive, I don’t use the gigantic tapes. So far, I’ve been using Nexcare 3M Flexible Clear First Aid Tape (http://www.nexcare.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/NANexcare/Nexcare/Produc…). It’s 3/4" wide and comes in a roll. You can get it anywhere: CVS, Wal-Mart, etc… I use two strips of tape; one over the transmitter to hold it in place, and one over the sensor itself. So far, it seems to work. When it begins to peel up at the ends, I’ll trim those parts off and keep on going. Good luck!
Scott, I would suggest raising your lower limit. I have found I start to drop somewhat quickly on my CGM when I am going hypo. I believe the lag time between SG and BG made the low limit unreliable before. I used to have my low limit at 80 for the CGM and was finding my BGs at 60-66 when I hit the low limit. I have recently raised my low limit to 81 and have found that I test at 66-72 when I hit that limit. I am much happier with the alert here. I am surprised that 1 point change made that much difference, but I would suggest that you experiment with your limits as well.
I may give that a shot. Right now my limit is at 80. I think it’s because of bad calibrations though. Thanks.