Thanks for everyone's help with my shower question! I have a new one. Since starting on the dex, my daily average has gone up. Not anything too crazy, but I keep sitting in the 140s-150s except when I am sleeping (when everything is mainly around 100). Extremely annoying. I am fairly certain this is happening b/c I keep checking the receiver, being stressed about the number and correcting. The correcting is not working when I keep stressing myself out (it's an endless cycle). Like many of us, I am very sensitive to stress in that it spikes my blood sugar.
Anyway, just wondering if anyone had an experience like this at the begining of having the dexcom. Even if you didn't, how did you learn not to check the receiver constantly (or do you check constantly)?
I realize I sound obsessed with my bs. I definitely am. I check it around 15 times a day and now can't stop checking the dexcom! Not sure if it is entirely a bad thing, but it definitely raises my stress level at times!
Coming from a guy who has NOT figured out his own diabetes ( ) I would say to try and change your mindset about this new tool you have. Collect broad strokes of data and use that information to refine strategies.
I think I’d go nuts if I was chasing my Dexcom line all day long. That being said, a lot of living with diabetes is reacting to what happens, which can be frustrating in and of itself.
I hear you, Esjay and I agree 100%! When I first went on the dex…i was drinving myself crazy checking every 5 minutes or so! Was really irritating…especially for my wife, who would constantly say “its no different then 5 minutes ago, leave it alone!” After wearing it for about 3 or 4 months, I managed to train myself to not look at it constantly. i have a friend here and he was suffering the same provlem, so we were buds at keeping each other from the constant checking…so i guess what i am saying is “its certainly not unusual” You just have to keep yourself in check! (and hopefully that wont raise your stress level). Jusrt control yourself, man!
At least during the day, set the alarms very tight so you’ll be notified if you drift out of range. Maybe that will help you stop checking Dex so often because you know that Dex will tell you if you are higher or lower than you want to be (rather than your Doctor or CDE).
I’ve had my dex since February, and I still check it very frequently during the day and whenever I wake up at night. What has helped me to avoid getting too stressed out is the realization that, most of the time, the dex number is not that accurate. If it seems way out of range, I’ll do a fingerstick to confirm, but most of the time, I remind myself that it’s not the actual number that matters, it’s the trend line. That said, I would never do any correction just based on the trend line – but if you focus on that, rather than on the number that dex is displaying, it might help to calm you down.
This is so funny to me, or tragic! I do the same thing, that is checking about 15+ times per day, and I am new on Dex too, though a while now (since about April?).
I double check bg so often. I am trying to get a pump prescrip and so all of the food/bg/insulin logs I need to keep have me checking almost constantly. A doc recently told me I am “reactive instead of proactive,” possibly due to so much bg checking.
I actually noticed going lower when I first got the Dexcom, because I’d freak out and over correct, basically. I’ve gotten used to that, mostly. But it makes me check more often for sure, and when I’m higher, I think I do feel and see stress, also, as you are seeing.
I’m not sure I’m exactly tied to your stress/checking situation, but I feel empathy to what you’re going through for sure!
You must be on a pump, when sleeping you’re in the 100s, I am guessing. Lucky duck! I’m still not avec prescription; still struggling to get one.
I know about this cycle, and the CGM only perpetuates it:
Stress causes my bg to rise
A rising bg causes stress
repeat, endlessly
But eventually I break out of the cycle, or manage to stop looking at the CGM every few minutes. I think back to the days before bg tests and all I had were clinitest strips, which I used once per day.
I check it constantly, and test constantly. I wake up in the middle of the night and the first thing I do is check my Dex. Luckily, it doesn’t stress me out. I think it would stress me out more if I didn’t have my Dex to check.
I think I’ve found a new blankie, except this time it’s not covered in polar bears.
I read your reply to my boyfriend b/c it was helpful to hear I am not totally crazy with all the checking (he by the way has amazingly endured YEARS of me telling him about my blood sugars and carb guesses, etc on a daily basis). His response was “it took 3 or 4 months?! OMG.” I laughed so hard!
I just started last Wed! Despite all the stress, seeing the trends is AMAZINGLY helpful. Someone said on here at one point that a CGM should be standard issue with a diagnosis of diabetes; I totally agree. If only insurance companies would agree. I am in fact on the pump - the omnipod - which has been great for me. I feel really fortunate to have these two “gold standard” diabetes care devices. And thankful for this website! The combination of the three is amazing!!
I know! I feel like a kid carrying around a favorite toy since it goes with me everywhere and I constantly have my eye on it. I even show people at work. They are not nearly as impressed as I am!
I am sure he will be supportive, though. My wife is incredible, as she has endured so much throughout our relationship re: the big D. Check out our story at http://www.supporterrsofsurvivors.com and leave a post, if you wish. There is a short book there, that your boyfriend should read as well! It is a testament to what loved ones can do to support T1’s, and all the crap we have to deal with on a daily basis!
I started on my Dex in June, and was a constant “Checker”. I wore the batteries out in a day and a half! I had set pretty tight range alerts and they drove me crazy especially at night, so I disabled them and kept checking (yes it drove my wife insane too). I started the Pod a week ago and OMG I love it! I am staying much more stable, so I enabled the alerts 70/160 and let them do their job. I think the Dex/Pod combo is a lifesaver.
I have to say, Winsor, I have had the same issues in the past. Sounds to me like you have it all under control! (AT least you seem to know exactly what is going on and you are proactively taking care of it)
) I would say to try and change your mindset about this new tool you have. Collect broad strokes of data and use that information to refine strategies.