Dexcom G5 and driving

[Chas C]

For those without an intelligent car interface like Car Play etc and using an iPhone for the receiver.

Set up your iPhone so Siri is voice activated. For and iphone 6 or earlier plug it into the car audio, if its a 7 or later then this is not needed as Siri via voice is pre activated.

Turn on via settings - general - accessibility - speech - speak screen (seems this came in IOS 8).

Then you can via Siri ask the phone to turn on the "DEXCOM Application" (I have to spell out D E X C O M) then ask SIRI to "speak screen" (you can adjust the speed at which it reads - mine was too fast to start with so press the tortoise to slow it down - it remembers the setting so only need to do this once).

Hey presto hands free blood glucose readings whilst driving.

I guess younger IDD's already knew this but as an old one this was great for me.

I've not tried it with the follow app, but it should work the same.

 

[phdiabetic]

That's great! Unfortunately I haven't graduated to my full license yet so I can't have my phone turned on in the car But it's a really good idea!

 

[Deleted Account]

Sounds interesting but I find my radio sat nav, phone (I have hand free) are more than enough distraction when I am driving and I would be concerned about adding something else to stop me concentrating on the road.
As the Dexcom is a CGM, I assume you already have it set up to alert when your BG is not in range.

Or perhaps that's the voice of an "oldie".

 

[Chas C]

Sounds interesting but I find my radio sat nav, phone (I have hand free) are more than enough distraction when I am driving and I would be concerned about adding something else to stop me concentrating on the road.
As the Dexcom is a CGM, I assume you already have it set up to alert when your BG is not in range.

Or perhaps that's the voice of an "oldie".

Hi Helen

To be honest as an oldie I don't use all the other car voice controls, but do use the G5. Yes the alerts are very handy but too late when driving, as its better to see I'm dropping and need to take action earlier rather than when I'm at 4.1 and its getting too late.

The reason I wanted this is with the G5 linked to an iPhone then by using hands free your not having to pick up your phone to read your BG then getting it trouble for using your phone. It could be in a clamp on your dashboard and you could ask it via Siri to open the app too.

BR

Chas

 

[Deleted Account]

Yes the alerts are very handy but too late when driving, as its better to see I'm dropping and need to take action earlier rather than when I'm at 4.1 and its getting too late.

I use the G4 rather than the G5 but I get around this problem by
- configuring the alerts to go at a higher value than 4.1 when I am driving. Annoyingly, this means I have to change it back to 4.1 at night, for example.
- configuring to alert when my BG is dropping fast.

I agree the hand free option is very useful and usually have my phone clamped to my dashboard to use Waze. But, personally, I want to cut down the distractions and find the appropriately configured Dexcom alerts supplemented by finger pricks every 2 hours (as, I think, DVLA require) sufficient.

Cool technology nevertheless.

 

[iHs]

I found that to give myself time to eat something whilst using the G4 with my Vibe, I set my low alert to 5.5mmol and my high to 10.0mmol. It takes me about 30mins to digest food so if I set the low alert to 4.4mmol, I would be approaching hypo before the glucose sweets had time to work

 

[Chas C]

My control levels are 4.1 to 7.0, I manage to mostly remain stable is this range, setting higher levels for driving would annoy me . So I like to keep an eye on it every 15 mins or so just to see where I am then supplementing if needed. But I can see some might set higher controls for driving and maintain a higher level.

I did not post this with the intention of creating a debate on the rights and wrongs of BG control whilst driving and the means to manage it.

My own concern after moving from a G4 to a G5 was that using an iPhone to read my BG when driving would cause issues where in the past I could read my Dexcom receiver. I was looking for a way to receive the data should I choose to not lift my phone.

I found this knowledge to be helpful - if by sharing it helps others then great, if not then please continue using your own systems that work for you.

 

[ringi]

Remember if you every need to prove in court that you checked your BG, only a "normal" meter with memory is allowed by DVLA.......

 

[Chas C]

Remember if you every need to prove in court that you checked your BG, only a "normal" meter with memory is allowed by DVLA.......

and you need to do this every two hours as every driver with diabetes in the UK should already know - again my post was not placed here to start any debates on driving with diabetes but to help those using iPhones and dexcom G5's.