What CGMS system to get? I know this has been asked before just not for awhile

Diabetes Technology Glucose Monitoring
1

Hello everyone!

I am considering getting a CGMS as I have terrible hypo unawareness. I recently contacted Dexcom since I have an Animas Ping and I know they are moving towards pump integration soon and I want this feature badly. Believe it or not, my BCBS of GA approved it with no fighting this week, first try at it! Right now we are working on getting the deductible stuff straightened out since there was some issues with this. They did say that they would cover 100% of the supply costs once I met the deductible, which is awesome!

So I go to the diabetes expo today here in Atlanta and now I am not sure I made the right choice going with the Dexcom. Of course all the reps from the competing companies said their CGMS was best. There is so much conflicting data on which CGMS is “best” so I would appreciate your feedback. What is the most important to me is life of the sensor, the ability to catch lows, time to calibrate, and time to charge the transmitter. Of course since I have never used a CGMS I am sure there are other things that are important too that I just don’t realize at this point, so feel free to enlighten me on what I have missed.

Thanks for the help!

2

I have only used the MM CGM and I was not a fan.

3

I have a MM and really it does not catch lows. the rest of it is fine, but I blow right threw lows and the sensor never catches it. Recharges are fine, the insertion is pretty easy, wearing it lasts three days and that is enough. But It will not routinely catch lows, and if it wont catch lows, well what good is it? Not much.

Rick

4

I have been researching the different manufacturers, and I am leaning towards the Abbott Freestyle system. The reason being is that it gives you results every minute, The other ones are 5 minutes.

5

I just talked to Cozmo about my pump and they had a Navigator an im not going to lie the sensor looked a bit bitg but it looks amazing too. and the fact is that it will still be some time before pump and cbgm will be one in the same. this is because dr.s will not sighn off on it because the blood a cbgm recieves is not the same as a finger prick. so with that they dont want to sign in the dotted line because it will make people stop pricking them selves and thats not what they want … personally after i start on my pump in may im I hope to get a nav. by the start of the school year. … any questions you know how to get a hold of me

your friend
Michael :slight_smile:

6

It is often a few minutes behind your actual blood glucose and I have found it is sometimes not so good at catching “extremes”- that is, numbers over 270 and under 45. But it has woken me up with a 33 via the vibrating alarm, which possibly saved me from some bad sh*t. It actually can last 8-10 days in my experience, before it stops giving good readings or becomes impossible to calibrate.

My sensor is quite good at telling me when my numbers are heading low.

7

So you are going with the navigator because of your pump choice? Your doc won’t let you get both at the same time? I think that is smart. My doc wanted me to get both at the same time and I refused at the time because I wanted to figure out the pump first. Also at the time I didn’t want the CGMS because I was mad that it didn’t replace finger sticks. Now I get that it is about the trends so you can tweak your control even better. It would be nice if one day it could all be integrated and do away with finger sticking!

8

So do you have the Minimed system?

9

Just knowing that I am starting to drop would be helpful since I only sometimes start to sense a low until I am in the 50s or lower. It is scary to test and see my sugar is 43 and I don’t even feel low. Are you on the minimed system?

10

Yes, I am.

11

Well I really like my pump, MM, the CGM is just not a good indicator of where things are going. Its the nighttime lows it will not catch. I have the low alert on 80 and really I dropped to 33, sleeping, no alarm. i understand the lag, but, when the wife wakes me up covered in sweat, and no CGM alarm, well now things are not working so well. Has anyone heard of or dealt with a diabetic service dog ?

rick

12

Hi Suzanne,

Nice to meet someone else who lives in Atlanta! I use the Minimed Real-Time CGM and I absolutely love it! With any CGM system, there’s a learning curve. It’s going to take some time to figure out how to use it and exactly what methods work best for you. But by far, I’ve found that Minimed is always there 24/7, if I need to call them. And I’ve sometimes done so, even in the middle of the night.

Like you, I’ve had a lot of problems with hypoglycemic unawareness over the years. I’ve used the Minimed CGM for almost 2 1/2 years now, and I’m amazed how much of a difference wearing a CGM has made for me. It’s all but cancelled out the severe lows that I used to have. Now the only time that I don’t know my blood sugar is low is when I’m not wearing the sensor. That’s how good they are! And even 2 years later, I’m still using the original transmitter. If you’re interested, I would be very happy to talk with you about the CGM and answer any questions you might have.

Doretta
Fit4D Fitness Coach

13

Hi Rick,

Are you certain that you’ve calibrated correctly? My Minimed CGM catches all of my low blood sugars. Fact is, the CGM is very new technology, but it’s a whole lot better than relying on multiple blood glucose checks. When I started with the CGM, I was already testing anywhere from 10 to 12 times per day. And that still wasn’t enough to make sure that I didn’t have a severe low, while driving, exercising or doing anything else that I usually do.

Now that I use a CGM, I don’t have those kinds of problems anymore. So how good is it? When it means the difference between life and death, as it has for me, then just like the credit card commercial, I’d say it’s priceless.

Doretta
Fit4D Fitness Coach

14

I may have to take you up on your offer once I decide which CGMS to go with…I am glad to hear it has helped you with the lows as much as it has. The lows are the only reason I am willing to consider another piece of equipment on me :slight_smile:

15

Doretta:

Yeah I keep it pretty well calibrated, I have been in twice for instructions, I will say MM has worked at it. I think it could be the way my body works. I don’t know, I really want the thing to work. I am in school (doing an online PhD) in FL and I have to go for a summer session in July. the wife will not let me travel because of the bottom out lows with no recognition. I cannot blame her, if she had not been with me, I woudl not have survived several in the last month. The Gastroperasis is just killing me. I mean who knows when dinner will digest? bedtime, next day right away, no rhyme or reason. It is really an awful issue.

I can give an example, yesterday, Saturday, I had breakfast corrected like normal wen on about my business. I am out driving around happy as a clam no issues, and the ever vigilant wife, wants to take a BS not because she saw anything, just what she does. Boom, I was 49, so OK she drives, we get lunch no movement, i do what I hate, I get a sugary beverage (HI C) I suck it down, and wait. Two hours later my BS slams. In those intervening tow hours, my BS never got above 60. Up and down it was a mess. Well the sensor is set at 80 and all the while, it never went off once. It did hover around 80, I could see it but never crossed the line.

the sensor is working fine, when things escalated, the darn thing would not shut up, telling me of my high. On and on, well darn, I drank HI C, ooh in case you have not had that stuff recently, it is nasty, anyway I mean I don’t know what to do. Apparently what the sensor is measuring is not dropping. Because i know the sensor works.

Like you this is about to ruin my life. I already cannot work, RA and I am scared to death my licenses will be revoked, with good reason. I also really really want ot to attend this summer session so I can complete my EdD someday.

Rick

16

Rick,

I had the same experience with the CGM, that is why I am not using it anymore, it just was not accurate enough and would not catch everything. If it did catch a low, it would stay there and then I would over treat. I felt like I was testing my bgs to see if the CGM was working, it was all too much.

I wish it worked better, as I suffer bigtime from hypoglycemic unawareness and I have severe lows with exercise or really with any movement.

I also was in a lot of pain at the sensor site. With the pump I do not feel the site at all.

17

Doretta,

How often are you recharging your transmitter. I managed to only get 7 months out of mine before it died. I was changing site roughly every five to six days. It was great when I had it though…

18

I have been wearing sensors …with maybe some times a day off for about 21/2 years . Warnings set for low at 4.0 ( x 18 ) , highs 10( x 18 ) …the first day result of finger poke and interstitional fluid may be off a bit , then again by day 8 or 9 : time to change .My A1C had gone up , when I started to use more regularly …HOWEVER many fewer lows . I will be curious to learn what the result is in April : have made some changes …different infusion set and I was NOT using a serter ( ie manually insertion, results questionable , presently using serter for paradigm silhouette…) also NOT in hard training for a 1/2 marathon this time .The sensor was very helpful for me , while I did my last 1/2 M in Jan . 2009 .
I am feeling confident enough now to when I see my sensor result at 7.7 ( x18 ) and watchig the ISIG after a snack of cappucino 2 hours prior, to give a correction of .1u WITHOUT finger poking ( very sensitive to insulin …total approx 23 u daily ) …hope I made sense …This is not what the book suggests . For my meals I always finger poke .I use 2 Bayer glucometers : one for calibrating ONLY , when the pump suggests to calibrate …I use Bayer Link in Canada for MiniMed .
Am I addicted to CGMS ??..probably :slight_smile: Never had to replace transmitter yet.

19

my sensors are expired since 9/08, sometimes I want to try again, do you think they would still be good?

20

Karen , I was offered 14 out dated sensors ( the gal just did not wanted to use sensors ) and I found 2 people, that wanted to use them . I have not heard any bad/good comments from either ; they were aware, that they were outdated .
My sensors are covered by Extended Health , reason for wanting to give them to people without coverage .
Most likely after day 2 you would observe , that the numbers of finger poke and interstitional fluid do not compare favourably …why not try and let us know, how you make out ??