If you could only choose 1 of these medical devices, which would it be and why?
- Insulin Pump
- CGM
0 voters
Are you allowed to use a BG meter? Or is it only pump or only CGM, no BG meter allowed?
@Eric2 Good question. I always want the most bg data, and to me that seems a different topic from what mechanism I choose for insulin delivery.
I went from
MDI with BG strips
to
MDI with CGM
to
Pump with CGM.
The big gains came from the CGM. Having a pump is nice. Knowing what BG is at all times is life-changing.
6 Likes
In a future poll, yes! 
I would not like to give up the pump but I really like knowing my bg levels and trends. So the CGM wins for me.
Don’t make me choose. Both of them improve my quality of life
Hypothetical questions–grr.
I voted pump assuming you can use a meter. It’s a tough question, though.
I wasn’t sure if the question was if you could only choose one of the two items listed, either a pump OR a CGM, not both, but any other device was allowed.
Or, you can have only one device, no other devices, and the only device you were allowed to have was either a pump or a CGM.
It makes a difference.
If I could not have a BG meter, then of course a CGM is more valuable.
But if I could have a both a pump and a BG meter, but not a CGM, then the pump and BG meter would be my choice.
1 Like
Ok pump of CGM? And you want me to make a decision? Wow!
Kidding aside, I have said this many, many times. I love my pump! Been pumping for around 27 years and love the flexibility it gives me.
Been on a CGM on and off throughout the years but it wasn’t until Dexcom did I stick with it. Been using it since 2014 everyday. It is the game changer for me. Even with pump still struggled with higher A1C’s. But since the Dexcom never higher than 7.0. It gives me knowledge. It shows me what happens for whatever situation I find myself in. I know what to do for exercise now, what to do for Mexican food, what to do when having a medical procedure, or having to fasting, or basal testing. It is the best tool since insulin.
So pump would go before my CGM but wow giving up my pump would be oh so tough!
1 Like
Thanks so very much - well said and tells me many things I want to know.
I’m on both but if I have to choose only one it would be the CGM. If I had to revert to MDI, I would demand Tresiba and Afrezza.
Choice is a no brainer…As a T2, my insurance currently doesn’t cover either device so to pick one is not giving up something I already have.
I would definately chose CGM because with the extra data you can get a better handle on trends and make appropriate adjustments to your insulin injections. I currently use both a fixed dose of Lantus (split between morning and evening injections) and a sliding scale for NovoLog. My NovoLog requirements are currently too irratic to really make using a pump practical.
I just rec’d my new FreeStyle Libre glucose wireless reader + disc and am LOVING IT :-)))
NO MORE blood test req’d = only to double check my bg results when “LO or HI”.
Simple disk insertion into the back of your arm and voila - the reader will “read” your bg levels as often or as little as u want!! The disc will last for 2 wks.
My fingerprints have been destroyed by blood testing over long time type D1.
I’d avoid making blood tests just due 2 the inconvenience of it. Now I can test as often as I like!
So far my insurance is not covering this reader + discs, but is reviewing it. I’m sure they’ll cover it in the future tho - as the disc will just replace your need for test strips.
I paid $227 Canadian for a starter kit = 1 reader + 2 discs.
What an easy technology and I’m SOLD 
Sue from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
I have just started using the FreeStyle Libre and have found it great. I can now make decisions on trend graph readings and able to better stabilize BGL.
On the subject of comparable readings with my two meters (Performa & Optium), I have found it is more bias towards alpha Glucose, meaning, if I have IOB and active with a falling BGL the Libre will always read lower. I suppose Abbott has to be very conservative when people with T1D are making decisions on how to treat because YOUR Diabetes MUST VARY (YDMV) because you are an individual with completely different genetics than another person with T1D.
That kind of depends. For those of us with T2, choosing an insulin pump suggests that one’s diabetes has progressed far enough to need exogenous insulin. Having a CGM means we can do as much as possible to prevent it from progressing that far – and if we do need insulin, having the information we need to dose appropriately.
I have been using the Freestyle Libra for 8 weeks now and as well am loving it, saving the finger tips.
The only thing I am not happy with is the “Software” on the device:
The Logbook only allows you to enter whole numbers for “Fast Acting Insulin” being on an insulin pump this makes logging the units useless as say I am needing 3.5 units I can only enter in 3 or 4.
Other than that I think the device is fabulous and hopefully they will come out with an update of some sort in the near future.
CGM. I’m not sure I would ever give up my BG meter even with a CGM approved for insulin decisions. I’m on tight control and need the BG meter to get a current BG and direction. CGM has too much lag and is too dampened. When increasing rapidly, my BG can be 30-40 or more above CGM. The difference between CGM and BG gives the current BG for dosing and tells me whether my BG has peaked.
So surprised that so many people would rather stab themselves with a needle each time they wanted a cookie, just to have a cgm.
Never again, syringe! Never again!
Ah, but it isn’t necessary to stab myself with a needle to have that between meal “cookie” or other snack. I plan ahead and add an extra unit or two to the pre-meal stab almost every time. Then I can have my snack several hours later after my BG has returned close to baseline. Since a typical mealtime bolus lasts between five and six hours in my body, I’d be stacking insulin most of the time if I, instead, gave a separate bolus for each snack.
I’m chomping at the bit to get my hands on a Freestyle Libre. I strongly suspect that that will allow me to time my morning and afternoon snacks and evening beer better without having to jab my finger to see if BG has dropped enough yet.