So I’ve been on the sensor for about two months and haven’t been too impressed so far. I’m meeting with my MiniMed rep next week to look over data and make sense of it. I was pumped because I really wanted it for exercise since I’m a big athlete and it doesn’t even alarm when I’m low, because of the lag time. The gist of it is that I feel like I’m not getting any additional data and feel that effort I put into the sensor could be used to fine tune basal rates/analyze exercise instead. The thing is waking me up at night with alarms, lost sensors, and meter bg now. I got a super shoty night of sleep last night, only to still have to teach my 25 2nd graders today. I was exhausted. Then to top it all off, I was running late and forgot to grab an extra bottle of insulin out of the fridge this morning. I had all of the other supplies to fill up my pump, minus the most impt. So I grabbed all of the insulin out of my almost empty bottle, only to have the reservoir act up. I then drew shots out of the reservoir and felt like crap the rest of today. I’m thinking about taking a week off of the sensor and hope to be excited when I come back. My other thought is to take a “pump vacation”, with help from my doctor. My fricken stomach looks like a dart board and I’m feeling like I need to be free from the technology for a little while. Who knows, maybe my diabetes management will get better without relying on as much technology. I feel like I was on such a roll with my diabetes until the sensor came into my life, and now it’s just another thing sucking time and alarming. Anyone feel in the same boat or have advice that might help. Check out my blog for more about me, www.thirstylikethetree.blogspot.com
I had the minimed and the sensor, actually the first generation sensor (read much bigger and bulkier). I liked having it on to help me watch trends so i could make better sense of my glucose reading, i.e. i’m at a blood glucose of 75 but the cgms would indicate i was having an upward trend so I would correct with less sugar. It helped stabilize me. But it was such a pain. I think it’s great technology every once in a while or if you have issues getting good control. I feel your pain though.
Recently I took a week and half vacation from my minimed pump. It was fantastic. No cord no being tied down. Then I realized that I wanted the pump technology with a simple interface, so I looked into the omnipod by insulet. CHANGED MY LIFE! I put in my insulin, put the pod on click start and it does everything. I can put it up on my arms/shoulders, which makes my tummy happy. I have lots of scar tissue there and it’s like a mine field of potential pain when using the blue inserter from minimed. The omnipod is so small and out of the way i forget it’s there. I don’t know about you but going to the bathroom was always awful, trying to figure out what to do with the pump and doing my best not to let it fall and hit the dirty floor.
What i find is that when I get burned out I try to find something new out there whether technology or ideas to help me take a new stab at the disease. But remember you can take time off as long as you keep it under control.
I can appreciate what you are going through. I’ve said this many times that managing diabetes is a full time job. I have been using the Dexcom CGMS for over a year now, and I have to say for the most part it has been an extremely positive experience…long sensor time, accuracy while exercising and ability to treat trends (up or down) that single finger sticks just don’t allow. The result was a nice drop in A1c. However, with all the postitive experiences, the 2 negative ones are that you are constantly reminded of diabetes, and it is a piece (while small) of equipment attached to you. That is why I could never see myself on a pump. My suggestion is to take that break. Try the shots for a while in pens, which are easier, and see how you do. If you don’t like it, you can go back. Maybe it will make you appreciate “the technology” better. I am contemplating something similar this summer. I am thinking of taking a break from Dexcom in warm weather and then see how my A1c does in the fall. I don’t care what people say about this being waterproof. I think my longer wear times and accuracy is due to the fact that I keep this thing as dry as possible. It’s hard to do that in summer with swimming and beach that I enjoy. I hope things work out for you.