7. What do you like and dislike about flash glucose monitors?
8. Do you find (or think) the flash glucose monitor is useful for day to day diabetes management?
9. Do you (or think you might) use this information to adjust your insulin regimen?
10. What do you like and dislike about CGMs?
11. Do you find (or think) the CGM is useful for day to day diabetes management?
12. Do you (or think you might) use this information to make more adjustments to your insulin regimen?
7.
Like:
- Scanning as often as I like, allowing me to run lower without the risk of going hypo before my next fingerprick. When I'm in the 4's or low 5's I simply scan very often to catch a possible drop. On fingerpricks that would've meant some preventative carbs.
- Way easier to spot after food/exercise/whatever patterns so I can do things differently next time.
- I log my doses in the app and often check back on what I dosed in similar situations in the preceding days to base todays dose on. Also very useful to gauge how much insulin may still be active.
- Works with wet hands.
Dislike:
- Stupid sensors reading lower than fingerprick by 0.8 to 1.8 mmol/l for me usually. On good days this means lots of red lines between 3 and 4 on the app, making me nervous. It also makes me feel defensive and even more nervous than usual at reviews. Thankfully they've agreed to only do a review and blood test once a year now, it spares me a lot of stress.
I tried Glimp because of the calibrating but I liked that even less.
- The difference between subsequent sensors. It takes a couple of days every 2 weeks to 'get to know' the particular quirks of the new one, plus you never know if you'll have a dodgy sensor. I apply a day before starting them (when I don't it'll insist I've been hypo all of the first night) so a dodgy one means doing a day without.
I'd love to try Eversense for that reason, 6 months on one sensor sounds pretty wonderful.
- So slow to catch up to fingersticks after a hypo. I'm guessing my body sends glucose to the most important body parts like brains , organs, muscles first, leaving the back of my arm for last. Plus the usual time lag.
- It's awfully expensive. Except our government has only yesterday decided everyone on insulin who needs to test at least 4 times a day can get it funded from now on, and yes, that includes T2's! Whoopwhoop!
8. Obviously
(provided you use the information it gives you of course)
9. All the time. But I regularly double check with a finger prick too, but not necessarily when I'm about to inject.
10.
Like:
- Same as above.
- Dexcom is said to be more accurate than Libre, with Eversense you only have to get used to a new sensor ever 6 months. I'd like those things.
- Alarms could be useful. But for me not that useful to buy a MiaoMiao for my Libre, so not very important to me.
Dislike:
- Even more expensive than Libre, and CGM's have a ridiculous funding system in the Netherlands. No way I'd get one. (That may change though)
- Don't know, as haven't used one.
11. Obviously
(provided you use the information it gives you of course)
12. All the time. But I'd regularly double check with a finger prick too, but not necessarily when I'm about to inject.