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Type1 Abroad with Tech and Sun

D

dspalton

Member
Messages
6
Hi all
New to this forum but been type one for 13 or so years

I’m abroad with temperatures only 28c to 34c and have got the Dexcom G7.
So, the first one was going fine, then dropped to LOW with no hypo signs or anything like that. I can’t test with finger stick as waiting for it to arrive from hospital and the post (the amazing Royal Mail).
After 3 hours of this it then went to temporary sensor error, wait 3 hours. After Which it then went to connection error wait 30 mins. After being on this for 2 hours it then failed.
I do have two spare as well as two libre2 in case of problems. I’m away for a week.
The second G7 didn’t connect at all after being inserted nor activate.
The 3rd one, started up and worked for 4 hours then gave me the connection error over night and stopped working in the morning.
So I’ve not got in a libre 2 which appears to be scanning.
Now my question is, I’m not eating too differently to home but the insulin really isn’t bringing sugars down. Taking about 3-4 hours to do anything
Today I’ve had a croissant and coffee (had 7 nuts) sugar started at 8 then to 15 and down to 12, after swimming it went up to 18. Had 6 units as it was before lunch
Lunch was low carb but went to 21 so had a further 5 units to try to control it, it went down by 1 and now I’ve had an extra 4 units.
The insulin is in the fridge and the last two dosages have come from a different pen

Anyone got any good ideas or even just to tell me I’m not going nuts and depressed about it?

I’ve emailed Dexcom and the DSN about the sensors and heat but heard nothing back.
Thanks

Dave
 
My advice would be to go to a local pharmacy and buy a finger prick meter and test strips asap.
I am amazed your clinic would let someone with Type 1 leave their appointment without a finger prick meter.
Regardless whether it could fail (and you have seen that it can), the advice is to always double check any unexpected readings from a CGM with a finger prick. I have even seen advice to always check highs and lows before correcting as CGMs are designed to be most accurate at "normal" levels.
You currently have no way to tell if your meter is correctly calibrated for you if you have no finger prick meter
In the UK, you must carry one with your when driving and I would never go anywhere overnight without one.
 
Local pharmacy don’t have any and boots at the airport were next to useless

Is there an issue with these things in any temperature that’s over 28c as if so they prob aren’t worth even using let alone trying to go in the pump with
 
Amazon showing the day after I leave. Local holiday here. Have asked Dexcom if they can send something to pharmacy but no response
 
I'm currently in the heat and not having any issues with my G6. (Though it tends to under-read a bit for the first 24 hours. )

When my levels are high I tend to find i am a lot more insulin resistant but the issue here seems to be that you don't know whether your libre sensor is reading correctly. (I've got to admit that I always have a glucometer with lots of spare strips when I travel, because I am aware that my sensors may fail and I always need a meter to double check my semsor if I doubt its result).

Any chance the pharmacies would sell you some urine testing strips? (Not great but would at least tell you if your bg was over 10).

I think that temperature can make a difference to some people's insulin needs (as does activity and stress levels). So do infections. Any chance you are coming down with something?

Are you hypo aware? In your position I would have two worries
1) going (and staying) so high that you have a DKA
2) having a bad enough hypo that you can't treat it.

But T1 diabetics survived for decades pre glucometers?

Good luck.

ps Just a thought, did your unused G7s get xrayed by security?
 
They did as they were in my hand luggage. Dexcom said hand luggage was ok for them to go through the main scanners
I am hypo aware
 
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