I was so glad to find this group as I'm T1 for over 13 years and 28 years old. While we aren't trying to get pregnant right now, I know we will want to in the next few years. It seems like baby-fever all around me--relatives, friends, boss--so I've been doing a lot more research about what to expect.
Has anyone used the Dexcom to manage their bs through pregnancy AND labor? Where did you stick your sensor before labor?
Im currently fighting with my insurance to get one (apparently I don't have enough lows at night--which, why would I WANT lows just to prove I need a machine?) and would love to hear from anyone who has used one successfully through pregnancy and labor, or even got one because they were pregnant.
I got a Dexcom and a pump before TTC because that was what my doctor recommended. The pump has me totally sold now-- I'll never go back, I see the benefits. Dexcom on the other hand is an excellent concept but for me it has been a waste of money. **I would guess (and I hope!) that it works great for some but it just is very very rarely accurate with me. I am pregnant now (only 14 weeks so not a huge belly yet)and I would say the pros are that in my first trimester and still now, my BG has been really hard to keep up...LOTS of lows and it wakes me up which is nice. The down side is that it has woken me up many countless times warning me of lows or highs that have not been there and due to pregnancy insomnia I have not been able to get back to sleep for 3 or so hrs after that (if at all)...last night I woke up at 3 due to dexcom reading/alerting at 41...blood sugar was actually 72...and I was never able to go back to sleep before my alarm went off :/ I brainstormed many times with the educator at my doctor's office and they told me that since I was more lean to put it on my hip or butt since there would be more fluid under my skin for the sensor to sit in (which is where it gets it's readings). The Dexcom reps will only advise putting it on your abdomen though-- they are awesome to work with and have numerous times sent more sensors for free assuming it was a sensor issue. I saw no difference in readings from my abdomen to my butt...it just hurt a lot less where I had more padding :) The only real benefit to me is that it tells you the trend...if my BG is rising fast, dropping, etc. That is useful even if the numbers are totally off. In labor I had planned to just have it on my hip...I do finger sticks just about on the hour because I just can't trust it and can't risk it with a little one growing in me now...so in all honesty I may not even wear it in labor because I know I'll be checking my BG (or having my husband check it) frequently anyway. I am bummed because I feel it was a big waste of money for me BUT I hope you get some positive replies to this too because the idea of it is just great and it must be working for some people out there! My doctor wrote a letter or called my insurance company explaining that since I don't have symptoms for extreme lows/highs then it was necessary for me to have this device when trying to conceive and when pregnant not to mention the pregnancy hormones and the energy spent by growing a baby your BG is just way less predictable. I hope this was a little helpful but that you have much better luck with Dexcom :) Good luck to you with your future pregnancy!! :)
Thanks! Yes, I wore a Dexcom for a week in a trial and I found it to be pretty accurate after the initial calibration period. I didn't want to take it off! I did my usual fingersticks and just entered that into Dex every time. My husband and I even got to the point where we could guess what my meter would read because of what Dex said--and were were usually within just a couple points. But then, I seem to have much more "padding" than you and don't have any pain with either the one Dex sensor I wore or my omnipods. :)
I just worry about my high blood sugar and the effect it would have on any baby. I know there might a couple extra things I can do to keep it more in range, but I'm not sure that nightly lows are a decent trade off. In the end, if every diabetic was perfect and had perfect control all the time, do you think there would be much need for any CGM's?? I don't.
I've disputed my insurance company's decision NOT to cover a CGM for me twice now. I considered holding off fighting them again until next year, but figured if I start up again now, I may be able to get the CGM by early next year. My doc has been great at helping me with all the paperwork and they can't understand why I'm being denied. It should be no big deal to cover and anything that helps a diabetic get and maintain better control should be covered!
So glad it worked well for you in the trial!! The reps said some people's bodies can try to reject the sensor so that was their only guess as to why it isn't great for me-- but what a relif to have that work for you though!
If it works so well for you then I would for sure keep up the fight. My friend fought and fought for her little girl to get one (she had no high/low awarness at all) yet the insurance stood strong that it was more vanity than need...can you believe that!?! She finally won them over so keep it up! I wonder if you could present them with research (and/or horror stories) of the effects of poor control on birth defects and miscarriage rates?? Can your doctor write a letter describing this as a necessity?? I also wonder if you could call Dexcom and see if they had a rep who could speak to your insurance or at least give you some tips?? So frustrating to deal with people who are unsympathetic and do not understand that this isn't some fun recreational drug you're trying to get them to pay for-- no one would choose to wear this stuff for fun.
According to my endo, most insurance companies will cover a CGM if you are pregnant or say that you are TTC. You probably don't want to wait till then, but at least there's that, maybe. Good luck.
I wore my omnipod and dexcom through my entire pregnancy last year. I am so glad that I had both! I was able to use the trending of the cgm to catch highs and lows before they became an issue. I was able to tighten my A1C to the mid 5’s for the majority of my pregnancy - I don’t think I could have done that with fingersticks alone.
After my belly started getting bigger, I could no longer wear the sensor in my abdomen comfortably. I started using my inner thigh (totally gave me the heeby-jeebies the first time, but it gave me more accurate trends and was WAY less painful to insert).
I wore the pump and cgm during labor and delivery as well. The nurses liked it because they could just peek at it. We would always double check with the meter, but it gave a good idea what ball park I was in.
Side note: I remained between 65 and 90 throughout my 6 hour labor and delivery. I have the trend graph to prove it!
Best of luck to you in trying to secure one from your insurance company!
Man, I'm jealous! Between 65 and 90 for 6 hours straight? That'd be an excellent day for me, much less if I was in labor!
It would give me the heeby-jeebies too on my thigh. Glad to know it might hurt LESS. I have never done shots or anything on my thigh. Up until I started my pod, everything was belly only. I had a dumb doctor though. Had.
Doc wrote a letter of necessity (which was required) and I have a great rep at Dexcom that I'd been working with.
I'm planning on writing a research paper if necessary to get them to realize that I'm not just trying to take advantage of the system. I take care of my health and I want THIS tool to help me do it better.
I think part of the problem is that my case with the insurance company was reviewed by a 3rd party doctor, who I have no idea who she is or where she works. She's basically right, but is apparently NOT diabetic and has no idea how hard the control can be sometimes!
