Constant Glucose Monitoring

Martin153

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi all. I've been type1 for nearly 31 years. The one thing that would improve things is to know what my blood sugar levels are at any time.
I sound bad here, but it bugs me that after 31 years almost nothing has changed.
Pricking my **** finger & put a drop of blood on a stick.
Same 31 years ago, electronic meter today, no benefit really unless you have poor eyesight.
Well I've been getting hypos at night & had a seizure a few weeks ago.
For the moment I'm now setting my alarm at 2 am to test. Just can't let this happen again as my back is still aching now!
Plus if it happens twice in a 12 month period I lose my driving licence for 12 months.
This has made me search the internet.
I'm going to buy either a Dexcom G4 or Abbot Navigator 2 Cgm.
These cost a lot (£950) but it seems a massive step forward.
They have a sensor with a transmitter & a receiver that can alarm if sugar levels low or high (configurable).
Also I've found the best possible solution I've ever seen, besides a cure.
Look up Pancreum Genesis. It is a prototype artificial pancreas.
It really does sound the business & the likes of Diabetes Uk should be poring most of its money in to this project.
It's a blue tooth cgm with micro insulin pump & glucagon pump.
If that was available now I'd sell my house to buy one :)
 

donnellysdogs

Master
Messages
13,233
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
People that can't listen to other people's opinions.
People that can't say sorry.
Personally I've had a navigator and wouldn't waste my money on it... It was more hassle than testing and its accuracy for me was poor.

Have you got a pump?
 

Martin153

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Personally I've had a navigator and wouldn't waste my money on it... It was more hassle than testing and its accuracy for me was poor.

Have you got a pump?
No, I've always just injected & tested blood sugar between 2 & 5 times a day.
Interesting you say the navigator not very good.
I've been reading loads of reviews & both the navigator (2) & dexcom g4 seem to have good reviews.
I want it just for the night time to be honest.
Years ago night time hypos woke me with twinges at worst.
The last 10 years I've ended up on the bedroom floor & had 2 nasty seizures.
Hence I've got to do something!
 

donnellysdogs

Master
Messages
13,233
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People that can't listen to other people's opinions.
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My night readings with the navigator were the worst time for erratic readings....

After 31 years like me, then you should be well knowledgeable on managing your own D and know how to adjust etc. are you aware of the new insulins out there as well?

Personally, my D is ithe best on my pump and that mich better thanany mdi for me, but I do test 8-12 av a day.

Welcome by the way...
 

Martin153

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
My night readings with the navigator were the worst time for erratic readings....

After 31 years like me, then you should be well knowledgeable on managing your own D and know how to adjust etc. are you aware of the new insulins out there as well?

Personally, my D is ithe best on my pump and that mich better thanany mdi for me, but I do test 8-12 av a day.

Welcome by the way...
Cheers.
I've been on novorapid for over 9 years now but I mix it with insulatard. I could change that I suppose.
The night time hypos are a sod.
 

donnellysdogs

Master
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Theres new background out there now.. As ur hypos are night tes, unless you are eating extremely late then its more than likely to be due to your background not your novarapid...

Not going to advise as you too long in tooth to have lectures-lol!!

Are you by yourself at nights or are there others that may be able to assist?
 

Martin153

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Theres new background out there now.. As ur hypos are night tes, unless you are eating extremely late then its more than likely to be due to your background not your novarapid...

Not going to advise as you too long in tooth to have lectures-lol!!

Are you by yourself at nights or are there others that may be able to assist?
Been divorced 9 years but I stayed in the house & my 2 children stayed with me.
Problem is my room is downstairs.
I've always been the sort of person to look for advice when I know I need it, like now!
Generally over the years I've done ok. I played football for 12 years, did the great north run.
In the day it's still ok. It's just at night.
I think you could have a point about the long acting insulin.
This seizure was a result of using more insulin cus I had a touch of flu a few weeks ago.
 

donnellysdogs

Master
Messages
13,233
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People that can't listen to other people's opinions.
People that can't say sorry.
Hopefully just a one off?

I'm on a pump so am a bit behind the times with the new insulins around. I know one is called Tresiba(??) but more expensive to the nhs but meant to be quite good.

If you normally good is it worth investing in a cgm just to cover you for nights? The navigator was so onaccurate with me that I turned it off from alarming at night. Many have the other cgm, not often hear of navigator users really in comparison..
 

Martin153

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hopefully just a one off?

I'm on a pump so am a bit behind the times with the new insulins around. I know one is called Tresiba(??) but more expensive to the nhs but meant to be quite good.

If you normally good is it worth investing in a cgm just to cover you for nights? The navigator was so onaccurate with me that I turned it off from alarming at night. Many have the other cgm, not often hear of navigator users really in comparison..
I'll defo look in to alternative long acting insulins.
Unfortunately it's not a one off. Sometimes I have woke on the floor after falling out of bed.
Not always hypo but I may have been an hour or two before. Glucagon lifts the sugar levels & my mental tape recorder is off when too hypo.
Hence I have no memory whatsoever.
There are loads of dexcom g4 & navigator 2 youtube clips singing the virtues of both cgm devices.
I must admit that if I spent the money on one of these & it isn't accurate then I wouldn't be happy.
But it just seems the best idea to me.
If you had a navigator maybe the navigator 2 is better?
 

donnellysdogs

Master
Messages
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It was the 2. I look at abbott libre posters here and see the problems some peoe have had with their sensors on that... I personally seeiously thought about the libre but my experience with abbot, well no.. Never. I would rather continue stabbing until roche bring out a cgm at some point.

Have you spoken to a consultant about borrowing a cgm for a week?
 

Martin153

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
It was the 2. I look at abbott libre posters here and see the problems some peoe have had with their sensors on that... I personally seeiously thought about the libre but my experience with abbot, well no.. Never. I would rather continue stabbing until roche bring out a cgm at some point.

Have you spoken to a consultant about borrowing a cgm for a week?
I had my annual diabetes check at Coalville hospital last week & they did mention about being to borrow one for a week.
I said no but maybe it might be a good idea to take them up on that.
The abbott libre is a new product so I didn't think many would have it yet. It's an alternative to normal finger pricking.
It appears to have some of the cgm stuff but no transmitter so it can't tell me if sugar levels are low.
You're swaying my mind to the dexcom g4 !
 

iHs

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,595
Although the Dexcom G4 is expensive as a standalone, it works out much cheaper if using a Vibe pump. There is also more postive feedback and support for the G4 than there is for the Navigator amongst hospitals dealing with cgm.
 

Martin153

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Although the Dexcom G4 is expensive as a standalone, it works out much cheaper if using a Vibe pump. There is also more postive feedback and support for the G4 than there is for the Navigator amongst hospitals dealing with cgm.
Thanks for that.
I've kept all the info I've found about the g4 & navigator in a word doc so I've got the name of the english supplier of the g4.
I'll give them a ring once xmas is out the way, xmas has come at the wrong time for me!
 

donnellysdogs

Master
Messages
13,233
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
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People that can't listen to other people's opinions.
People that can't say sorry.
Take the chance of a loan cgm if you get a chance.
 

PaulinaB

Well-Known Member
Messages
594
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
If you're going to be funding cgm, go for dexcom. Navigator is old and has a horrible reputation. Dexcom G4 is widely used and is very good - I use it every day and can't recommend it enough. It saved me from maaaany night time hypos and it's giving me my life back.

As mentioned above - getting it with Vibe pump as a receiver makes the up front cost much lower.
There's a group of dexcom users here on the forum so go ahead and ask any questions you have :)
 

CarbsRok

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,688
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
pasta ice cream and chocolate
Dexcom would be your best choice as you can reset the sensors. Back up and support from Advanced therapeutics is very good as well.
 
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Martin153

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Thanks for all the advice on here, much appreciated.
I've just been looking deeper in to the forum(s) & found more stuff on cgm's.
Hence I'll give them a good read too.