CGM usage with insulin pens

jackois

Well-Known Member
Messages
391
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Yes... my control is too good to be funded for a pump, mainly due to the dexcom g6. It isn't the end oof the world, though, as many others I know, spend a lot more time adjusting, changing cannulas due to blockage and so on...
 
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Jayden2407

Well-Known Member
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199
I used the G4 with pens.
Why are you asking?

Because we are looking to get the G6 this week and my son uses the pens...
so currently he’s using the expert meter finger prick system & pens. The expert meter has all his I:C ratio, correction doses etc...
I’m wondering, if we switch to the G6 how on earth does the calculations work - do we enter the readings manually on the expert meter?
Hope that makes sense?
 

Jayden2407

Well-Known Member
Messages
199
Yes I use G6 with pens. Works well. Never had a pump - can't afford to self fund that as well !

Expensive self funded, I believe..
how do you calculate your I:C ratio or do correction doses, do you manually enter them on the expert meter still?
I’m confused how I will get the info if just on the g6 and pens
 

Jayden2407

Well-Known Member
Messages
199
Yes... my control is too good to be funded for a pump, mainly due to the dexcom g6. It isn't the end oof the world, though, as many others I know, spend a lot more time adjusting, changing cannulas due to blockage and so on...

My son is currently using the expert meter but hooping to get the g6, he won’t entertain a pump and is happy with injections. I’m just confused how the I:C ratio and correction doses etc will be calculated - I’m assuming you put your reading in to the expert meter manually??
 

gillianoleary

Member
Messages
22
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
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Baby corns. Wrong, wrong, wrong in so many ways!!
You will I think still have to use the meter to test pre meals so that it can work out the amount of insulin required.
I use the G6 with a pump but I still have to use my meter to work out meal delivery as the pump/meter are bluetooth linked and work effortlessly together and I can't be bothered to faff about doing it manually.
 

jackois

Well-Known Member
Messages
391
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
My son is currently using the expert meter but hooping to get the g6, he won’t entertain a pump and is happy with injections. I’m just confused how the I:C ratio and correction doses etc will be calculated - I’m assuming you put your reading in to the expert meter manually??

If you can input a reading to to the Expert meter, that's the way I'd go. That way you aren't re-inventing the wheel. I would say the 90% of the time the G6 is reliable and matches a random finger test. What you will get is the enhancement of seeing your trends, how your insulin actually works, indication of rate of change and alarms for low/high blood sugar.
I usually just use my carb to insulin ratio mentally and calculate corrections in the same way. I tend to be quite conservative with food choices, sticking to tried and tested meals and know the effects that different carb types have on my sugars. I use the Mysugr app on my android phone as a record keeper. Understandably this doesn't answer you question completely but hope it helps.
 

Jayden2407

Well-Known Member
Messages
199
If you can input a reading to to the Expert meter, that's the way I'd go. That way you aren't re-inventing the wheel. I would say the 90% of the time the G6 is reliable and matches a random finger test. What you will get is the enhancement of seeing your trends, how your insulin actually works, indication of rate of change and alarms for low/high blood sugar.
I usually just use my carb to insulin ratio mentally and calculate corrections in the same way. I tend to be quite conservative with food choices, sticking to tried and tested meals and know the effects that different carb types have on my sugars. I use the Mysugr app on my android phone as a record keeper. Understandably this doesn't answer you question completely but hope it helps.

It does thank you. I suppose it’s what works for each individual isn’t it, it’s my 12 year old son that is T1, he knows how to carb count but I do most of it for him because I don’t want him to burden his childhood too much - but at the same time he understands how important it is. I’ve heard that there’s no finger pricks with the g6 but I suppose if the expert meter is the most accurate then we should continue using this.
Thank you :)
 

Jayden2407

Well-Known Member
Messages
199
You will I think still have to use the meter to test pre meals so that it can work out the amount of insulin required.
I use the G6 with a pump but I still have to use my meter to work out meal delivery as the pump/meter are bluetooth linked and work effortlessly together and I can't be bothered to faff about doing it manually.

Ahh right okay, I’ve got you, I didn’t know you still had to use the meter even with a CGM and pump.
Thanks for your advice
 

SaraW92

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 1
I'm got the Dexcom g6 today as part of a 12 week medical trial. I'm using pens but have no info to share as yet.
 

Rokaab

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,159
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Are you manually entering your readings on to the expert meter to calculate I:c ratio before doing insulin?
As far as I can tell there is no way to input readings into the Aviva Expert meter (I had a play around with mine last night and couldn't find a way).
 

db89

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,134
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
You can't input a manual blood glucose reading (or one from another device like a CGM) into the Aviva Expert. You can ask it for bolus advice without a reading but this won't be able to take into account any potential dose increases or reductions based on the current level.

I would imagine if the G6 is approved for making treatment decisions in the UK (I can't find any non-USA reference to this after a search) you would have to input the time blocks, carb and sensitivity ratios into the G6 device instead.
 
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Jayden2407

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Messages
199
As far as I can tell there is no way to input readings into the Aviva Expert meter (I had a play around with mine last night and couldn't find a way).

Are you sure? I had a quick look too and there’s an option for “add data” which you can manually enter?
 

Jayden2407

Well-Known Member
Messages
199
You can't input a manual blood glucose reading (or one from another device like a CGM) into the Aviva Expert. You can ask it for bolus advice without a reading but this won't be able to take into account any potential dose increases or reductions based on the current level.

I would imagine if the G6 is approved for making treatment decisions in the UK (I can't find any non-USA reference to this after a search) you would have to input the time blocks, carb and sensitivity ratios into the G6 device instead.

I thought I saw an option on the expert meter that says “add data” I’ll double check..
so that was actually in relation to my original question - I am actually able to put all that info in to the g6 device? I thought it was just continuously for monitoring BG and warns on highs and lows.
So I’ll be able to have the same info as his current expert meter holds on the g6?