• Guest, the forum is undergoing some upgrades and so the usual themes will be unavailable for a few days. In the meantime, you can use the forum like normal. We'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Shower surprises with CGM

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
 
barrym said:
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
Click to expand...
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.
 
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.
 
ajbod said:
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.
Click to expand...
There's always someone who takes it too seriously! Just kidding;)
 
cantfindasuitablenamehere said:
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?

:)
Click to expand...
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
 
aylalake said:
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
Click to expand...
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)
 
MrsA2 said:
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)
Click to expand...
Thanks for the heads up. I am in Scotland - not a single Scottish county in the list!
 
cantfindasuitablenamehere said:
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?

:)
Click to expand...
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.
 
KennyA said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
In Response said:
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.
Click to expand...
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?
 
Back
Top