CGM information please

[anniehi41]

Hi everyone,

Could anyone please tell me if there is a CGM in real-time? My Doctor says they are no good at preventing a Hypo because they are all half an hour behind. Is this true?

 

[searley]

I think the dexcom g4 is only 5 mins behind and was recommended by my DSN to help me tell the difference between a hypo and the side effects of other drugs


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[Diddly]

Hi just checked and thr new freestyle navigator is real time.

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[Topher]

Hi 41, I got a Dexcom 2 weeks ago and they are great, peace of mind etc. They have an arrow that shows you your trend, whether going up, down, staying level, it's only about 5-10 minutes behind when going up it down, but you will see the trend as well, when level it's pretty much bang on, I would deffo recommend, the peace of mind is great


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[anniehi41]

Thank you searly, Diddly and Topher for your replies. Even 5 minutes behind real time would give a warning of a Hypo looming and it must give, as you say Topher, great peace of mind. Its seems though that CGMs are more difficult to get on the NHS than Pumps and these are almost impossible to get in my area. I have brittle secondary diabetes due to a pancreatectomy and I am sure a CGM would change my life for the better. Are they all stand alone CGMs you have or attached to pumps?

 

[tim2000s]

I'm astonished that no-one has created a cfm with a graphic display that simply plots your bs on a time lapse basis, 30 second interval. It only had to display five minutes of data, but instantaneous readings held for five mins would give real-time trend analysis.

 

[DunePlodder]

The Dexcom G4 has either a separate receiver, or one built into an Animas Vibe pump. Engineer88 is using one with her pump.

In your situation a CGM would make a world of difference. I've just bought one & so far I'm very happy. I would have thought that you'd have a good case for funding.

 

[kkkk]

(Disclaimer) Just my opinion as someone who has been diabetic for ages and been on CGM for just over a couple of weeks….

Ok CGM is not a perfect science….however with trend arrows (i.e how fast your sugar is falling or rising) and an idea of what your sugar is I have been able to avoid hypos, and it also means I get a warning even earlier than when I feel it (as I set my sensor a bit higher than just 4), so you either avoid or are hypo for less time…and the hypo for less time is proven in proper research rather than just my research that tells me it is possible to use CGM to avoid hypos (plus crunching all that data it gives you will enable you to work out your doses better and thus prevent hypos…and it stops nasty hypos in the night) I've just started on a dexcom to avoid night hypos and for me it works brilliantly at that, so that I am able to go to bed lower than I would feel comfortable doing normally as I know it will wake me if something does go wrong and hopefully this will mean that my HBA1cs are lower too as a result.

 

[anniehi41]

Thank you Tim2000s, Duneplodder and kkkk for your replies. A CGM certainly sounds just what I need. I think if I could choose between a pump and a CGM it would be a CGM, I would certainly feel more in control of my diabetes. Will put my case to my Consultant and see what he says about NHS helping to fund it.

 

[jodysd6]

It is generally much easier to get a pump than a CGM, I have had a pump for a while now and had a medtronic which i could have added a CGM too but couldn't afford it at the time, then I switched to an Accu check pump which you can't add CGM too and now have a better job and could afford the add on CGM! If i had planned better i could have got an animas pump instead of accu chek and then just added on dexcom at a much lower out of pocket cost than paying for the whole stand alone dexcom system. I am going to pay for the dexcom system but it would have been cheaper had i chosen a different pump so if getting CGM is something you really want and are considering a pump too anyway it's something to bear in mind.

 

[AMBrennan]

My Doctor says they are no good at preventing a Hypo because they are all half an hour behind. Is this true?

Yes. CGMs measure the glucose concentration in interstitial fluid, which will lag behind blood glucose levels. All CGMs work like this (you'd have to insert the sensor into an artery to get around that or something).

That means that a CGM can't tell you if your BG right now is < 4mmol/l; however, it will still tell you if BG starts to fall unexpectedly and can alert you to predicted hypos.

Will put my case to my Consultant and see what he says about NHS helping to fund it.

That's not gonna happen, sorry. The NHS will pay for pumps if certain conditions are met (severe hypos, or failure to control HbA1c despite patient's best efforts with MDI) but there are no guidelines for CGMs. Info

 

[searley]

I know there are 2 nhs funded cgms users under my consultant in Hampshire

But they only have it due to severe regular hypos


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[kkkk]

When I looked into it all I spoke to someone at Diabetes UK and she knew of someone that had been loaned a CGM and had it for over 2 years, and knew of others who had had them for several months, but it seems to be a bit of a postcode lottery. Despite me asking for CGM at mine I was told I had to have a pump before they would even consider funding for CGM. I am really hopeful that at some point in the future NICE will draw up guidelines which will enable more people to have access to it, as it is a wonderful tool.

 

[anniehi41]

Many thanks to you all for the information about CGMs , I appreciate it. Looks like the only way to get one at the moment is self funding. Its the sensors that I would struggle to afford. I will see if I can perhaps borrow one from the Hospital next time I go to see my Consultant. Thanks again.
Annie.