This is my 2nd week on a Loop App Omnipod. This weeks numbers show 80% between 70 and 180. This is probably among the best stdev I have ever had.
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I am so excited for you! I knew this system would help get things moving in the right direction! It must feel great seeing things level out and not see so much up and down! Yeah for you! Keep it up!
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Ok, I am again going to say, what works for you is the best target to have! I mean, there are so many things that go into these numbers that should be discussed with each persons medical team. Do you live alone, are you hypo unaware, pump, injections, pills, diet, what kind of exercise and when, do you eat low carb. Oh so many reasons to have different numbers and targets versus the next person.
I am proud to say, my numbers work very well for me and my life, work and family situation. And I am not nearly as “in range” as many of you who have posted. I have come down from 80-240 when I first got a CGM to my current 70-180. I was also looking at 70% in range.Standard deviations were not discussed when I first started. Other things to focus on. But over time we would keep reducing the number. At first anything under 70 was workable. I leveled out at 50 for a long time but now with my new pump system, we have drop it to under 40 as the goal.
Yes, I am in range most of the time at better than my 70% goal but have learned I need to cut myself so slack and a 6.0 vs a 6.7 gives me no great return on investment. So I don’t sweat the small stuff. I figure I have gotten through almost 50 years with pretty poor control early on and am still here and doing very well. So, I feel I have found a good range and goals that work well for me and have also come to realize that when I read about people having 4.6 a1c’s, I am super impressed but not something I worry about. For me lower is not always better and I have much more to do with my brain power than working the numbers 24/7.
So my suggestion here is, find a goal and range that works for you and run with it.
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That is all that really counts!!! - Congratulations on your successes and attitude. Someone(s) will always be better and someone(s) will always be worse and who cares. We are all here to learn and contribute so that we can optimize whatever works best for each of us individually.
Thank you for your thoughtful posts.
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For stats, I use a target range of 70-170. But for alarms on the Dexcom, I use a range of 75-150 so I have a little more buffer to correct trends.
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PreLoop I was 60 - 70% in range. So, pretty similar. A1c = 6.1. On syringe insulin, I was high 6’s.
Wise advice, Sally. We can sometimes be hard on ourselves and sharing numbers online can be corrosive. I’ve gone back and forth on my thinking about this and worry about disclosing my numbers for fear of discouraging others.
While I know this risk, I also think many can benefit from knowing what others experience. It’s one of the strong benefits of peer support. I can only hope that others who know they are susceptible to this will choose to avoid threads that contain this info.
Your ability to calibrate your own expectations is smart. We are not in a competition here and playing the game of who’s better is unhealthy. The only competition we should utilize is the one we see with ourselves.
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I try for a range of 60-140. Most of the time I am in range but not 100%. Plant based low fat diet. I exercise daily if possible. A1c 5.4
I eat about 275 carbs daily and and have a very low level of insulin resistance.
Type 1 dx 1959. No pump and no CGM. I don’t feel like a pump is necessary for me, and every time I think about ordering a CGM, I read all the complaints. I don’t want that frustration, although I realize a CGM would be handy.
I feel very well and this routine works for me.
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my target range is 80-220. anything under 150 to 120 is good enough for me. i have my dexcom to beep at me when my level is 220 or higher so i know. and anything under 80 is when i know im low.
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Do you follow the Mastering Diabetes program? I know some folks who have had success with the HCLF diet.
I also was very reluctant to get on a CGM, only because I already had an infusion set attached to me. Now that I’m back on MDI, I really don’t mind the device at all. Actually (and this may sound silly), I prefer the Dexcom CGM to my pump. I feel like the CGM has help my control tremendously. My wife has also noticed fewer lows, which is always a good thing.
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Yes, started with Cyrus and Robby 3 yrs ago. Great program.
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I will get a CGM once all the kinks are out and everything is shipped on time. I have to balance the convience with the frustration. I contacted Dexcom once and they didn’t get back to me. Planning a European trip in the next year or two and it sure would be nice to have.
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Whoa. Marilyn, you have read my posts, have you not, about my wife’s and my experiences with Dexcom over the last 2 years?? I’m referring to both the product and the service. I feel bad that you are missing out.
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My target range is 60-120. I am in range about 80% of the time. I try to be between 80 and 100 as often as possible. SD is 25 mg/dL. I started looping 4 weeks ago. So far my numbers have not improved significantly. I aspire to get SD down to 20 mg/dL.
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Hey Dave, you always seem to be in the minority for having good luck dealing with Dexcom. Now, if I could get the service that you do then I would not be hesitant. I will probably just go ahead and try it. I will try calling Dexcom again. I have both Medicare and private insurance, so am not quite sure which one will pay for it. Also with my low A1c will they cover it? Not sure.
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Actually I should probably get the newer CGM now while Medicare isn’t covering it. Less hassle between the two providers.
@Marilyn I’ve had good luck with Dexcom too, I just haven’t had that much interaction with them. But they had to try extra hard because my old insurance was a HMO and we had moved so it took extra follow up and work and they stayed on top of it. But because of where I’m at my supplies are through someone else. But they have also been really nice when I’ve needed replacements or had questions.
As for qualifying, it’s pretty easy if you have any issue with ever getting lows. Like when you work out and you have dropped too low etc…I was approved because I was having several drops at the time after I had hurt my back again. I just don’t know much about Medi Care.
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I believe having a low A1c is even more of a reason for insurance to cover because of potential hypo unawareness.
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Thanks Adam. I do have some hypo unawareness. When I get down into the 50’s I usually know it, but not always.