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Can anyone help me get a constant glucose monitoring device

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berliner

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Hello,

I'm a well-controlled Type 1 of 46 years duration and my last HbA1c was 6.3 but I've got a problem. I have had a few night-time serious hypos needing my wife and paramedics to rescue me and more recently I broke a bone due to falling badly in mid-hypo. I also worry a lot about hypos as my awareness isn't very good. I believe a constant glucose monitoring device (CGM) could be my salvation and am currently part-way through the process of trying to get one on the NHS. Buying one privately is just about affordable but the running costs are too much for a pensioner like me. I'm not asking for a pump or anything else, just a CGM such as Medtronic. Am on Lantus plus Novorapid. Has anyone else out there tried and succeeded? I think there are very good grounds in my case but realise this may want some arguing. The next stage in my application is to see the local NHS consultant, after that to write to the local Trust. Anyone been through this process who can advise? Berliner.
 
Good luck with that. I borrowed one from my trust recently and thought it was great, I asked if there was any chance of recieving a permanent one, and was told "no chance" they are way too expensive to run.

Have you done the DAFNE course ? I am due to start this in April, you might want to ask at your next appointment and see if your trust run one.

Keep us updated as to your progress with getting a CGM from your trust.

Diane
 
berliner said:
Hello,

I have had a few night-time serious hypos needing my wife and paramedics to rescue me
Click to expand...

I've had a few night time hypos, and ended up in hospital a couple of times as a result. I'm living in France, and had been using the dose I was last put on, of Lantus, in the UK over 3 years ago. I've not lost any weight, since I moved to France, so the dose shouldn't have needed altering. However, my doctor reduced my Lantus from 30 to 17. I've no idea whether I was put on the wrong dose originally, or if the French treat it differently. However, I've had no further problems with night time hypos since then. Maybe you should ask your doctor to double check your dosage. You can check yourself easily enough - reduce your Lantus by a unit, for a couple of days, and see if your night/morning blood tests remain stable or go up/down. If they go down overnight, you are on too much Lantus. If they go up overnight, too little. Maybe this will help a little :)
 
Hello again Diane and Sweet3x,

Thank you for your responses. No, I haven't done the DAFNE course but might consider it, although after 46 years of measuring carbohydrates I do hope I've acquired a reasonable grasp of how to measure food intake against insulin. I think my problem with hypos stems not so much from this as from taking into account the effects of exercise (of which I do a good deal) on my blood glucose levels. Exercise is much harder to quantify and measure than carbohydate or units of insulin, and I do get it wrong. Sweet3x, thank you for your thoughts on night-time hypos. Again, I think I've cracked the question of nocturnal hypos as it's about 3 years since my last one and I'm now happily settled on 18 units of Lantus and it seems to work okay PROVIDED I take account of the day's physical activity as well as alcohol intake, if any, the night before. I want the CGM device mainly for daytime purposes. Diane, glad you found it worked for you and was sorry to learn you couldn't get one permanently. I'll keep you posted on my own attempts. Big interview with consultant in just over a week's time. Wish me luck.
 
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