CGM or random testing?

[jaywak]

How often would you go below 4 do you think ? setting it at 5.5 is a bit high even a non diabetic would have their alarms going off all day , unless you do that to give you warning to take some carbs to get it up again which is what I do at 4.5 .

 

[grantg]

How often would you go below 4 do you think ? setting it at 5.5 is a bit high even a non diabetic would have their alarms going off all day , unless you do that to give you warning to take some carbs to get it up again which is what I do at 4.5 .

Hospital set mine to 5.0 and 10 I soon changed that after couple of weeks of alarms going off all the time. I changed it to default

 

[Royjk]

Hello @grantg, @saucequery, @Tony337, @JoKalsbeek

Thank you all for your advice on BG targets. Whan I look at what I have been doing over the past months I can see that the low carb diet puts me into a good position to start with. The control I have is with my Fiasp insulin, and with that I can bring up or down BG levels as a trend. I know it cannot be perfect control, as I had an 11 at the begining of March, when I had a chinese without insulin.
As Tony said there will be an alarm if I go outside my targets, so I would not go for close control. Thanks to Grant for the screen shots, they could show where I am.
Royjk

 

[Royjk]

Hello @jaywak

So going below 4 was what started this last week when I was suddenly ill. Before I adjusted my Fiasp I had 6 times tested below 4 mmol/l. By if I see that again, I now know what to do.
Royjk

 

[Jaylee]

A CGM is a great tool.
But any anomalies still need backup with the trusty meter..

I see the meter like a road speed camera.
A CGM more like a dashcam documenting the journey for review or in real time?
Where as an HbA1c is more like a motorway average “speed check.”

 

[BrenDorset]

I use Libre 2 plus currently. I have used CGM for a couple of years and I was able to better control BGL armed with knowledge about the interaction of food with my endocrine system. Sadly, unless I go quasi-carb-free I won't get below a Hb1ac of 58. I am now hovering on the commitment whether to use insulin (DVLA rules are off-putting). CGM will satisfy DVLA for ordinary car driving but you still need to carry a finger-prick test if you get at all close to hypo levels. I am Type 3c DM, ie due to pancreatic disease. I also must use enzyme therapy for digestion.

I certainly recommend CGM even for a month or two, because you can learn so much about the dynamics of BGL vs foods and activities.

 

[Royjk]

Hello @BrenDorset ,

So as I said I will CGM for the first two weeks of July, due to a problem where my insulin needs changed just last week. I have been on insulin now for 6 months, but I was fortunate in regard to driving as other things had already put a stop to my driving. The doctor hopes to get a veiw as to what goes on with my digestion from the CGM monitor. I started the low carb at the same time as insulin, so my BG is usually in control, but if I want to eat carbs I can compensate for them with insulin.
Royjk

 

[grantg]

commitment whether to use insulin (DVLA rules are off-putting). CGM will satisfy DVLA for ordinary car driving but you still need to carry a finger-prick test if you get at all close to hypo levels.

just to help perhaps put your mind at ease. after Diab1 form filled in was allowed to drive, took 5 weeks to get license swapped for a 3 year medical. 5 to drive only applies to starting the journey alongside every 2 hours of the trip. if sub4 at fingerprick check at roadside then as long as you can treat the hypo yourself without help, a severe hypo for them appears to be classed as requiring assistance from another person. so if you can treat you hypo's yourself alls good. If you did have sub4 fingerprick you would require to wait 45 minutes after back above 5. Drs notify the dvla if they know you drive and they prescribe any blood glucose lowering medications.