Blood Glucose Monitoring.

[Big_Brother]

There is now a wrist monitor that will alert you and/or your family/carer to the fact that you are having a low blood sugar episode.
My question is with technology as it is, is there a watch that can monitor our blood sugar levels continuously and tell you if they are heading up or down? If not why not? Imagine just being able to look at your wrist watch and see what your blood sugar levels are minute by minute without painful finger pricking.

When you are sleeping and your partner, carer, family member is worried about you, all they need to do is glance at your watch without disturbing you and see what your reading is and which way it's going, up or down. Imagine the health benefits and the improved control that you will have and in turn the reduced cost to the NHS because patients will have better control and less complications.

Most people wear a watch, if this product isn't available yet, let's push the monitor making companies to make it a reality.

 

[catapillar]

The wristband works by picking up cold sweats - it doesn't actually monitor blood sugar.

There is however a continuous glucose monitor that works by inserting a sensor under the skin and sending readings to an Apple Watch - have a look at dexcom G5. The product you are imagining is already available

 

[GrantGam]

There is now a wrist monitor that will alert you and/or your family/carer to the fact that you are having a low blood sugar episode.
My question is with technology as it is, is there a watch that can monitor our blood sugar levels continuously and tell you if they are heading up or down? If not why not? Imagine just being able to look at your wrist watch and see what your blood sugar levels are minute by minute without painful finger pricking.

When you are sleeping and your partner, carer, family member is worried about you, all they need to do is glance at your watch without disturbing you and see what your reading is and which way it's going, up or down. Imagine the health benefits and the improved control that you will have and in turn the reduced cost to the NHS because patients will have better control and less complications.

Most people wear a watch, if this product isn't available yet, let's push the monitor making companies to make it a reality.

As @catapillar has said, these watches do exist. Some even as a DIY project through some nifty electronics building projects coupled with a pebble watch.

One thing to note is that you still need to carry out the finger pricking. These devices require calibration (once or twice a day) and you also need to finger prick test before considering driving any vehicle in the UK, and every two hours therein.

As much as I'm in full support of making diabetes management easier and helping our struggling NHS, it's not as simple as just giving these out I'm afraid...

Diabetes can be managed through the current systems available. Although not easy, it's achievable - with hard work and determination. Merely giving everyone and anyone expensive gadgets won't independently reduce complications and make the NHS thrive. I can imagine there would be a good proportion of persons who would see improvement with control, but equally - there would be still be those who simply don't care about diabetes management. With expensive tech or not.

A prime example of this is wrt pump therapy. There is still a disturbingly high amount of pump users not achieving a respectable HbA1c <53mmol/L even with the best possible tech available to them. It's a shame, but it is reality.

Wearable tech is the absolute bomb, not only is it cool - it helps. But bear in mind that it only helps those who wish to help themselves. And statistically, there is unfortunately too many people who aren't trying hard enough...

Cheers
Grant

 

[endocrinegremlin]

As @catapillar has said, these watches do exist. Some even as a DIY project through some nifty electronics building projects coupled with a pebble watch.

One thing to note is that you still need to carry out the finger pricking. These devices require calibration (once or twice a day) and you also need to finger prick test before considering driving any vehicle in the UK, and every two hours therein.

As much as I'm in full support of making diabetes management easier and helping our struggling NHS, it's not as simple as just giving these out I'm afraid...

Diabetes can be managed through the current systems available. Although not easy, it's achievable - with hard work and determination. Merely giving everyone and anyone expensive gadgets won't independently reduce complications and make the NHS thrive. I can imagine there would be a good proportion of persons who would see improvement with control, but equally - there would be still be those who simply don't care about diabetes management. With expensive tech or not.

A prime example of this is wrt pump therapy. There is still a disturbingly high amount of pump users not achieving a respectable HbA1c <53mmol/L even with the best possible tech available to them. It's a shame, but it is reality.

Wearable tech is the absolute bomb, not only is it cool - it helps. But bear in mind that it only helps those who wish to help themselves. And statistically, there is unfortunately too many people who aren't trying hard enough...

Cheers
Grant

Well this is highly insulting. Yes many with a pump fail to get your numbers but for many that is why they are on the pump in the first place. Brittle diabetes does not instantly get better with a machine. For some doing everything by the book and testing every time required and carb counting to perfection or even cutting out carbs just doesn't work. Diabetes is a strange disease that we don't fully understand. The way you worded your words against insulin pump therapy feels like an attack, as if we just don't try hard enough. Or as you say 'there would still be those who simply don't care about diabetes management'.

Do you have any idea what we go through to get that pump? How many times we are rejected? How we are scrutinized and humiliated and called a whole host of names because of our pumps? Do you have any idea how many Doctors would rather a stable 7.5 than 6.0 achieved by swings and roundabouts? My best hba1c came when I was signed unfit to work, sleeping 12 hours a day with chronic fatigue and spend half of my day in technical DKA because MDI couldn't control my dawn phenomenon.

How dare you suggest I don't do everything I can to help myself. I had to drop out of my degree for 3 years on the hba1c you want. I came back and finished it with a pump and a higher number.

 

[GrantGam]

Well this is highly insulting. Yes many with a pump fail to get your numbers but for many that is why they are on the pump in the first place. Brittle diabetes does not instantly get better with a machine. For some doing everything by the book and testing every time required and carb counting to perfection or even cutting out carbs just doesn't work. Diabetes is a strange disease that we don't fully understand. The way you worded your words against insulin pump therapy feels like an attack, as if we just don't try hard enough. Or as you say 'there would still be those who simply don't care about diabetes management'.

Do you have any idea what we go through to get that pump? How many times we are rejected? How we are scrutinized and humiliated and called a whole host of names because of our pumps? Do you have any idea how many Doctors would rather a stable 7.5 than 6.0 achieved by swings and roundabouts? My best hba1c came when I was signed unfit to work, sleeping 12 hours a day with chronic fatigue and spend half of my day in technical DKA because MDI couldn't control my dawn phenomenon.

How dare you suggest I don't do everything I can to help myself. I had to drop out of my degree for 3 years on the hba1c you want. I came back and finished it with a pump and a higher number.

There's no offence intended by anything mentioned in my post.

I'm sorry to hear that you struggle with diabetes, we all do - some more than others.

My post was with reference to those who don't care enough, and if you read back through it you will see that. Not once did I suggest that you don't care for your diabetes management.

Apologies for making you feel insulted but I can assure you that my time spent on this forum is definitely not for that purpose!

There is strong evidence to suggest that issuing pumps does not immediately fix high A1c's or consistent hypos/hypers. I am not attacking pump therapy, merely associating that technology with your suggested introduction to CGM on the NHS.

Apologies once again for striking a nerve, I do sympathise with those having difficulties as I've endured them myself.

Regards,
Grant

 

[GrantGam]

Reading back on my post I think I can see the paragraph that has struck a nerve, and it's poor grammar and use of words that has caused your unrest:

"A prime example of this is wrt pump therapy. There is still a disturbingly high amount of pump users not achieving a respectable HbA1c <53mmol/L even with the best possible tech available to them. It's a shame, but it is reality."

I never once intended to imply that those on pump therapy don't care. But what I am still implying is that regardless of the technology, it does not fix issues independently. It still requires work and input from the wearer/user. And going by statistics, it's not working for everybody. All I mean to say is that introducing tech is not the hard and fast solution on its own. Sure it might help, but not for all and certainly not by itself.

Grant

 

[CapnGrumpy]

Dexcom G5 + NightScout site + URCHIN Pebble watch face.



and, erm, went a bit low earlier...