Shower surprises with CGM

[cantfindasuitablenamehere]

Why even when fasting does having a shower rise my BG by 3/4?

Am I so hungry I've started eating the soap or what?

 

[barrym]

I get that every morning. I have never checked with a finger prick, but I think it's more likely to be the warm water either changing the interstitial fluid properties or confusing the sensor. For me it drops right back to where it started before I've left the bathroom!

YMMV

 

[In Response]

I get that every morning. I have never checked with a finger prick, but I think it's more likely to be the warm water either changing the interstitial fluid properties or confusing the sensor. For me it drops right back to where it started before I've left the bathroom!

YMMV

I have exactly the same experience.
If as someone who produces no insulin and does not go for a run immediately after every shower sees a true spike (rise and immediate fall) on their CGM graph, it doesn't strike me as a correct reading.
I'm not sure how you would check it with a finger prick without mixing water with your blood.

However, I wonder what @cantfindasuitablenamehere is seeing is a foot on the floor rise if they are fasting and their BG stays high.
This could be a liver dump when they start moving. It is just that the shower is the first movement.

 

[cantfindasuitablenamehere]

Thanks for the reassurance. I'm glad it's not just me and I don't have to swap out for low carb soap!

 

[Paul_]

I'm not sure how you would check it with a finger prick without mixing water with your blood.

Hang both arms out of the shower, stand on one leg, and lather yourself up with your other foot?

You did ask!

 

[ajbod]

The body cools itself by sending blood to the surface, hence flushing when hot. as soon as you get out of the shower, you cool enough for the body to divert the blood away from the extremities, and back towards the core. That's why our hands and feet become pale in cold weather. It probably plays havoc with the CGM, as it uses algorithms to calculate a delay compared to the blood.

 

[barrym]

Hang both arms out of the shower, stand on one leg, and lather yourself up with your other foot?

You did ask!

Or get some help......

 

[barrym]

The body cools itself by sending blood to the surface, hence flushing when hot. as soon as you get out of the shower, you cool enough for the body to divert the blood away from the extremities, and back towards the core. That's why our hands and feet become pale in cold weather. It probably plays havoc with the CGM, as it uses algorithms to calculate a delay compared to the blood.

There's always someone who takes it too seriously! Just kidding

 

[Paul_]

Or get some help......

That's very forward of you, but kind. However, I'm really more the showering alone type unfortunately.

 

[aylalake]

Why even when fasting does having a shower rise my BG by 3/4?

Am I so hungry I've started eating the soap or what?

Can I just say I am actively seeking out your threads because they are humorous, insightful, questions I have too, and the replies are always helpful.
I am about to start on my own CGM journey if I can get the website to understand that I live in a county not listed in their drop-down list so I can actually pay for the thing and get it delivered

 

[Margarettt]

f I can get the website to understand that I live in a county not listed in their drop-down list so I can actually pay for the thing and get it delivered

Someone recently , maybe @IanBish (sorry if it wasn't) put a "wrong" but available county in and got it ok.

 

[MrsA2]

I am about to start on my own CGM journey if I can get the website to understand that I live in a county not listed in their drop-down list so I can actually pay for the thing and get it delivered

Be careful because there are some inbuilt international restrictions.
There have been reports of sensors bought here in UK for UK users that they then can't start up if they are abroad at the time. There is some link between country of purchase, country of downloading the app, and the location of the phone
(I think, not the best at tech, have a search of threads and you'll find more)

 

[aylalake]

Someone recently , maybe @IanBish (sorry if it wasn't) put a "wrong" but available county in and got it ok.

I did consider that but was too nervous about not getting it. I have requested a callback so

 

[aylalake]

Be careful because there are some inbuilt international restrictions.
There have been reports of sensors bought here in UK for UK users that they then can't start up if they are abroad at the time. There is some link between country of purchase, country of downloading the app, and the location of the phone
(I think, not the best at tech, have a search of threads and you'll find more)

Thanks for the heads up. I am in Scotland - not a single Scottish county in the list!

 

[aylalake]

Someone recently , maybe @IanBish (sorry if it wasn't) put a "wrong" but available county in and got it ok.

What a memory! It was indeed @IanBish. I have messaged him to see if he ever received the LIBRE2 as he didn’t say so in that thread which I read to the end.

 

[Margarettt]

I have messaged him to see if he ever received the LIBRE2 as he didn’t say so in that thread which I read to the end.

i shall follow with interest. The libre 2 ix not compatible with my samsung but I'm hoping that Santa will sort that out and when the time comes I'll also need it delivered this side of Hadrian's Wall/

 

[KennyA]

Why even when fasting does having a shower rise my BG by 3/4?

Am I so hungry I've started eating the soap or what?

For me any significant rise in ambient temperature produces a rise in BG. Showers and saunas work, so does Italian summer heat. I don't know whether this is a "real" BG rise (ie my liver has pumped out a bit more glucose) or only a testing artifact.

 

[aylalake]

i shall follow with interest. The libre 2 ix not compatible with my samsung but I'm hoping that Santa will sort that out and when the time comes I'll also need it delivered this side of Hadrian's Wall/

@IanBish has just confirmed that he did receive it “eventually”. So here goes .

 

[In Response]

For me any significant rise in ambient temperature produces a rise in BG. Showers and saunas work, so does Italian summer heat. I don't know whether this is a "real" BG rise (ie my liver has pumped out a bit more glucose) or only a testing artifact.

Given it is a true spike (up and back down) seen by people with Type 1 who are unable to produce their own insulin to cause their BG to go down, unless we are very active in the shower, it can only be explained by a "testing artefact" as you describe it. In other words, the heat on the sensor causes an incorrect reading.

 

[KennyA]

Given it is a true spike (up and back down) seen by people with Type 1 who are unable to produce their own insulin to cause their BG to go down, unless we are very active in the shower, it can only be explained by a "testing artefact" as you describe it. In other words, the heat on the sensor causes an incorrect reading.

I think that's very likely with a CGM. However my observations have come solely from fingerprick readings. Interesting question: if the CGM effect is a testing artifact, can we assume that the fingerprick reading elevation is also a testing artifact? Is it possible there are two things going on?